thirteen.
Five
Mistakes to Avoid While on Defense
It is commonly said defense wins
games. It should also be said bad defense loses
games. A great offense cannot compensate for a poor defense. But, a great
defense can compensate for a poor offense. A good defense often keeps
less-talented teams in the game.
The Chicago Bulls are a perfect
example. The Bulls’ 3rd ranked total
defense
for the
2012-13 season has kept them in solid playoff position in spite of their league worst offense.
I realize not every coach is a
defensive mastermind like Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau or a lockdown defender like
Joakim Noah. Nevertheless, here are five things players should avoid while
playing defense. This can apply for any level.
Mistake
#1: Turning your back to your man
I will never forget my freshman
year of high school when our JV team was playing our cross-town rival. On one
possession, I thought I was playing good help defense… until my man cut
backdoor on me for an easy layup. I never bothered to turn around to see where
my man was located. The coach benched me for that defensive faux pas.
Do not make the same mistake I
made. Always have a sense of where your man is located at all times.
Mistake
#2: Jogging back on defense
SPRINT back on defense. NEVER jog
on defense. Sprinting back instead of jogging back could decide the outcome of
the game. Players should never think that sprinting back on defense is a waste
of energy. That is why most coaches make their players run sprints in practice!
Mistake
#3: Turning your back to the ball while getting back on defense
Sprinting with the head turned
away from the ball often leads to fatal defensive blunders. Instead, the
defense should sprint back with one eye focused on the ball and the other eye
on their man.
Doing this significantly improves
transition defense because the offense will be unable to “sneak” past the
defense for an easy layup. Attending one of our basketball camps will improve the footwork necessary to be able to
do this.
Mistake
#4: Fouling for no reason
I have never understood why players
foul. I understand lack of coordination from unskilled players may cause a lot
of the fouls at the lower levels of play. But fouling without any rhyme or
reason makes no sense to me.
The only fouls players should
commit is to either prevent an easy layup or in certain late game situations. Players
should always have their hands straight up to avoid getting called for fouls
under the basket.
Mistake
#5: Not adjusting to opponents’ strengths and weaknesses
Military strategist Sun Tzu once
said that knowing your enemy is half the battle. It always bothers me when a
defender has no idea what the offensive player likes to do. Failing to observe
the tendencies of an offensive player will significantly worsen team defense. For
example, giving a great shooter more room to shoot usually spells disaster for
the defense.
Never go in without having a
general idea of your man’s tendencies!
