The defensive techniques used in preparing for football games can be applied to those used in basketball. The goal in soccer is to use formations, formations and techniques that limit the progress of the ball. One technique is to identify tendencies and find ways to counteract them. For example, in basketball, if you find a way to reduce your opponent’s shooting percentage by five percent, it can create a six to eight point differential. This is a worthy achievement.
Let’s start by looking at man-to-man defensive tactics. One of the first selections is your opponent’s dominant hand; Either right-handed or left-handed. This is the hand that shoots, and it determines how you guard your leg and block the shooting path. The next selection is the pivot foot. This can change with property and determine the direction of the drive side, often along with the off-axle foot. Another tell is the hand on the ball. The shooting hand behind the ball indicates preparation for the shot. Hands to the side of the ball indicate readiness to pass. The hand on top of the ball indicates readiness to dribble and any hand indicates the direction to the left or right.
Another indicator is dodgy patterns. Players who cross between the legs or behind the back do so in repetitive patterns before shooting or driving to the basket. Knowing this direction gives the defending player a slight, split-second advantage to contest the shot or lead the dribble. Disputed shots or pushes reduce the percentage of scoring and the amount depends on the agility and speed of the defensive player. It also depends on the player’s ability to read and interact with indicators.
Reading tendencies can also help in stealing. By watching the dribbling rhythms and patterns, the defending player can predict where the ball will be and can poke in that spot deflecting the ball. Such a move requires knowing the point to attack and with practice becomes instinctive rather than mental. Early targeting allows the opponent to redirect the dribble and leaves the defender too late out of position. The point of attack is usually when the dribble ball ascends into the opponent’s hand as the dribbling follows a predetermined pattern. Stealing the ball in this manner not only upsets the opponent’s confidence, but adds two points to the scoring difference. Stops a scoring attempt at an average of 1 point per possession and allows a scoring opportunity on the defense at an average of 1 point per possession.
Team defense combines the above methods but adds coordinated moves to assist. This could be flailing, cutting off crossing lanes, or even trapping a stationary player and blocking passing or shooting lanes. Other times, a mismatch such as a short player guarding a tall player, or an exceptional shooter facing a mediocre defender is corrected. Assistance is always a risk-reward option where team cooperation can have positive results or can leave an opponent completely open. Thus, the assist requires all five defensive players to work as a team. This means that when one player moves to assist, the defensive responsibilities of the other three sides change.
How that changes depends on your opponents skill set. For example, a low-ratio outdoor shooter requires less attention than an indoor middle, which controls paint grading and recoil. Such a player would require special treatment including both teams holding hands and having the defense draw back and/or denying the ball.
One of the main defensive issues is handling screens, peeling, and the resulting mismatch. This is where trend analysis can become a huge advantage. Do they use the screen to set up an open shot or drive to the basket? Or does it use it as a sliding screen where the sorter scales toward the basket? How you defend them depends on their inclinations and the threat of scoring the players involved. A good defense requires making calculated choices that lead to the best outcome.
No defensive team will be able to block the attack. Instead, the goal should be to limit points per possession. Defensive rebounding plays into this scenario as limiting second chances dramatically reduces points per possession. While the defense has an advantage by getting close to the basket, it can increase that advantage with powerful rebounding techniques. Blocking your opponent is key, but defending potential touchdown points is just as important. For example, mid-range missed jumpers are closer to the basket versus long three-pointers. Drops and returns are closer yet. Using this information can increase your bounce percentages.
In addition, the rebound position is even more important when facing taller, more athletic players. Blocking is not enough, one must keep the opponent off balance by maintaining contact and restricting his jumping ability.
Switching is another defensive ploy where players pass the responsibility of protection to another player. This can be a verbal or non-verbal exchange and is most commonly used in high screen catch-and-roll situations. Most of the problems on the field are that the substitution is not final and one or both offensive players have an advantage. Players get stuck in this hesitation zone and attacking players are left unchallenged. Communication is a must-have for such situations. Likewise, going into a small area defense helps correct these mismatches and allows players to regroup.
In zone defense, an area is assigned to guard the players instead of the player. Normally, players move in formation heading toward the ball with little space between them. This spacing reduces dribbling or driving to the basket. Thus, the attack is reduced to passing the ball to an open player and taking mostly long shots. One strategy in this defense is to encourage shooting by low percentage shooters and play for rebounds. Another strategy is to object to shots made by potential shooters and thus reduce the percentages.
Zone defense requires the discipline of maintaining distance and moving to the ball in a decisive and confrontational manner. Here again, passing patterns quickly emerge that predict scoring opportunities and which players are most likely to shoot and when. This information allows the defense to increase confrontations in those moments. Such intense defense can be stressful and requires moments of recovery. These can be tackled when walking the ball downfield, taking a time off the clock and releasing it later during the shot clock. Continuing a high-paced game can be regressive and detrimental to a winning cause. Hence, interest in recovery is a must.
On defense, you have many allies, these are the sidelines, the five-second rule, and the shot clock. When opponents get close to the sideline it is as if you have another defender with them as they can only move sideways. And if they use dribbling, it’s a tense moment that could lead to a spin. Likewise, when stressed they may pull back from the bounds. So, directing your opponent to the sidelines is a good thing and creates more chaos in attacking moments.
Taking advantage of the five-second rule to throw the ball out of bounds can be useful in tight matches. Taking more than five seconds results in a spin. When it is necessary for the offense to extend to the length of the court, one may take a risk and go for a quick spin. As such, the defensive lineup that stifles the throw-in should be a quick build-up for defenders. First one, then two, and quickly three, all blocking every possible lane of traffic creating a chaotic challenge for pedestrians. Does the passer-by catch his objection, or does he have time to take a break?
In college, the five-second rule also applies to an offensive player who is closely guarded by a defender and does not advance the ball toward the basket. This rule eliminates a dribbler who runs out the clock without any attempt to score. Here again, when defenders stifle the dribbler and obstruct passing lanes, this action can result in a turnover violation.
Being aware of the shot clock can also yield positive results, because when there are five to seven seconds left, the offense is forced to take a shot. This is the time to disrupt the flow and step of the defensive attack. By blocking passage to the primary shooters, more time is played and thus speeds up poorer shooters to take bad shots. Such a strategy requires the defense to know the offensive players’ skill set and shooting percentage, and then defend accordingly.
While scouting strategies are common in football, awareness of them and their application in basketball can be a game-changer. These strategies can be demonstrated by studying opponent stats and videos, or through personal observations and survey reports. By countering tendencies, the opponent’s skill set, a team can gain an advantage against formable opponents. Knowing what your opponent is likely to do is smart basketball. However, you need to know what tendencies to look out for and how to incorporate appropriate countermeasures into your game plan. This is not only smart basketball, but also great.
The author wrote a companion article on the aggressive side, “Basketball: Five Player Blueprints That Promote Winning Ideals.”