Category: Defense »
Considering alternatives to switching on screens
A varsity coach once was explaining why he demanded that all teams in his program switch on all screens. “You know,” he says at one point, “John Wooden and Denny Crum switched on all screens.” Unspoken is the fact that Wooden, a coach of 10...
10 concepts to become more defensive-minded
Coaches hear the phrase “defense wins championships” so often that they regard it as a cliché instead of the cornerstone of every successful basketball program. There are many types of defenses that can win — from Rick Pitino’s relentless pr...
‘The Freak’ defense slows opposing offenses
We have all tried gimmick defenses to steal possessions or slow down the opposition’s best player. “The Freak” defense is a modified triangle-and-two or box-and-one, depending on how you implement it into your defensive arsenal. The defense wo...
Challenging your team to get more deflections
[caption id="attachment_9390" align="alignright" width="336"] Photo: Thomas Sorenes[/caption] Every coach wonders how they can improve their defense or score more points. Getting more deflections is one way to limit your opponent, leading to easy ba...
Kobe Bryant’s 3 tips for defensive slides
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is known for his five NBA championship rings and, more specifically, his amazing scoring ability. But did you know Bryant has been on the NBA's All-Defensive team 12 times throughout his career? Defense is o...
Offense or defense: What gives teams the best chance to win?
"Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships." How many times have you seen that line on the back of a summer camp T-shirt? NBA world champion and TNT analyst Kenny Smith is the first person I heard say, "Good offense will always beat good def...
Power rebounding: Drills and strategies for improvement
Many coaches agree that rebounding is the most important phase of basketball when it's weighed in comparison to offense or defense. For instance, we may not be a good shooting team, but we would not have to be if we rebounded well enough to get the s...
Keys to developing young post players
Even though post play has been somewhat diminished with the dribble-drive offense and the high screen and roll offensive sets, it's still a skill that must be concentrated on and emphasized. There will never be a lack of importance for a player who i...
