Everyone watching basketball loves an exciting and flashy scoring play. We love to see a creative, athletic, and tricky move to the basket for a score. A well designed and executed offensive play always makes the highlight reel. This kind of action is what draws people into the game of basketball. One thing you can’t deny however is a great hustle play on defense. One of those plays where it looks like an easy bucket until a defensive player comes out of nowhere to stuff that easy lay-up out of the air. A great defensive play is just as exciting as a spectacular scoring play.
Situational Defense
A game saving defensive play will always be remembered but a solid defensive scheme can really control the action and flow of a game. There are a variety of defensive options for different in game situations. Sometimes a team will back off and play a safe defense to prevent a big play. Other times a coach may have his team dial up the pressure to shake up the other team to cause a turnover. With so many scenarios to plan for a team must be prepared to adjust to what will work best to prevent the opposition from scoring. Never will you see a team on the court without a plan defensively. Every possession is crucial in basketball and the coach tries to keep their team focused and prepared for what the other team is trying to do on offense.
Zone Defense
One of the most effective and practical types of defense is the zone defense. When you hear the term zone it refers to each player’s area of the floor that they are responsible for defending. When a player stays in their area or zone then no one is caught out of position while chasing the ball thus subsequently leaving a lane open for the other team to drive through. A good zone defense requires discipline, focus and clear communication amongst team mates. When zone defense is played well it is very hard for the offense to get into the paint and are forced to shoot from the perimeter which is a lower percentage shot.
Man To Man Defense
Man to man defense otherwise known as just man defense takes a lot of hustle. This style of defense is very high effort and cannot be used on a constant basis. Man, defense literally means man on man. A defensive player is assigned an offensive player as their individual responsibility. This is way more intensive than simply watching over an area of the court. A player must run, cut, and follow a darting, dashing, and pivoting offensive player everywhere they go. When playing man defense an offensive will look to set picks to get a player open for the ball. Setting a pick is when an offensive player purposely stands in the path of a defensive player so they can create just enough space for a shot or a drive to the hoop. This is when a well-coached defensive team will use a callout to “switch”. When players switch, they momentarily trade which offensive player they are guarding so the offensive player never gets the space they need to make a play. Usually when a team plays man defense each position will play their respective counterpart. For instance, a guard will play against the other team’s guard or a forward defends the other team’s forward and so forth and so on. This type of defense is a great way to mix things up and force the offense to work harder.
Half Court Press
There are two different types of “press” defenses utilized in basketball. The first type of press is the half court press. With a half court press the defense literally positions themselves around the middle of the court never letting the offense settle into their half-court offense. This type of defense forces longer precarious passes from the offense to try and advance the ball up court. When executed well the half court press really throws the offense out of whack and causes added urgency ultimately making it hard for the offense to operate an effective scoring plan. One downfall of a half court press is how spread out the defense can be. The defense has to be careful of an accurate long pass to an opposing player who slips behind the pressing defense for an easy pass and score. This type of press works great for creating a turnover but requires a highly alert defense to work well.
Full Court Press
The second type of press defense is the full court press. This way of pressing is similar to the half court press but takes place as the other team is trying to inbound the ball. For a full court press to be effective the defense uses traps on the offensive player who has the ball. The defense will swarm the player with the ball making it very difficult for that offensive player to see their passing option or even dribble out of the trap. When a team “traps” they usually send two players to surround the ball handler, suffocating them with pressure while swatting at the ball and flailing their arms wildly with the aim of forcing an error or even a turnover. The full court press can be used at almost any time in a game when a coach wants to put the offense on their heels. It is very effective at keeping the other team guessing. It is also used late in games when the score is close, and the defense is trying to create a turnover. This type of defense is risky against a well-coached team that is prepared for the press, and it is also easy to foul in this situation, so it is best to use it wisely.
Conclusion
Just like an offensive plan that changes, a defensive plan also needs to be able to adjust and pivot on the fly. A solid defense can wreak havoc on a high flying offense. The old saying defense wins championships is true for a reason. As much as an amazing offense is needed, it is just as important to have a well drilled, intelligent defensive plan as well. A great defense is aggressive yet calculated at the same time. A tough defense can really get into the head of a usually confident offense. By using a look or well-designed press that the offense is not expected at just the right time can mean the difference between a victory or a loss.
