Defense???

How to Play Basketball Defense


Nobody knows why; but, efforts to strengthen defensive skills seem to go into hibernation every summer. Players think it a necessary evil ... you pass through ...on your way to a score. I hope you don't feel this way. Use some of the summer league or playground pick-up games to work on these skills.

How to Play Basketball Defense


Nobody knows why; but, efforts to strengthen defensive skills seem to go into hibernation every summer. Players think it a necessary evil ... you pass through ...on your way to a score. I hope you don't feel this way. Use some of the summer league or playground pick-up games to work on these skills.


There are about six or seven major points that you should be aware of when playing ball defense. These major points concern your position in the private area of a player with the ball. This is the area in which a defender must be in to worry the player with the ball.

The defender must make dribbles, passes, or shots difficult. This area is often referred to as "his bubble." These major points are: body weight, position of the hands, faking, forcing, slapping (or stealing), and a self commitment.


The last is more important. If you aren't committed to stopping your man, none of the other points matter. Begin, with a sincere desire to be known as a good defensive player. If you have this, then the six points that follow, will help.

Body Position and Weight

Most coaches seem to want players to get in a lower crouch than players want to do. Most players, it seems, want to stand erect. So, how low should you be? A good rule to follow is this:

Make sure your head is always lower than the head of the guy you are guarding.

If you stay lower than him, you will be more ready to move than him. If he lowers his head to drive, you need to lower your head even more to stay in front of him.


Players get blocking fouls when their knees are OUT. If you will examine a little further, you will see that their heads were up, too! At the moment of the block, the defender's head is likely higher than the dribbler's.


Besides being lower than your man, you should have your weight back. Be ready to move when he moves. Get in your man's bubble and have your weight back.


Players often stay away from their man. When the man fakes or looks to shoot or pass, it's only then, they move forward So, what happens? You get to the bubble (to the man); but, your weight is forward so that you can not possibly beat him to where he is going.


Imagine trying to win a hundred yard dash. One guy is in the starting blocks ready to burst forward. You start several feet in front of him; but, you have to touch the starting line when the gun goes off. Obviously, you would be several steps behind after ten yards. Apparently, this isn't as obvious to some basketball players. In games at all levels, players stay too far from their men. At times, they lunge forward, and the guy with the ball blows right by them.


Why do players allow this to happen? If you want to win a race, you have to lean in the direction of the finish line. In basketball you have to lean in the direction of the basket. This is the finish line your guy wants to beat you to!

Get in His Bubble

"Bubble" is not a term used by all coaches; however, the term is useful to remind YOU to play in a GOOD defensive position. Unless your coach gives you some other rule, Good Defensive Position means not so close that the player, with the ball, can step by you with ONE step. Yet, you want to be close enough that you could slap the ball if he should hold it in front. In other words, be close enough to bother him. Make him worry. Make him think you will touch his next pass, block his next shot, or steal his next dribble.

To play good defense you must consistently be in that bubble. Even along with playing good helping defense, you should be able to get in your man's bubble EVERY TIME he gets the BALL. Strive to get there the moment he gets it. If you can do this, YOU will be a constant irritation. This is exactly what you want to be.


You can not expect to be a good defensive player if: one day, you try stealing the ball ALL THE TIME because that player IS NOT TALENTED; then, the next day, you stay far away because he is MORE TALENTED.


Why should you be in his bubble if he is forty feet from the basket? Well, that's so You can bother his ball handling. Make it difficult for him to take the ball exactly where he wants it, or to make the exact pass at the exact time he wants to make it.

If YOUR COACH tells you NOT to pick him up UNTIL he's within shooting range, DO WHAT HE SAYS! But, if he DOESN'T GIVE YOU a rule, OR it's a SUMMER LEAGUE or PICK-UP GAME, ... GET IN HIS BUBBLE ... AND ... STAY THERE!!!
Now, use common sense! I don't mean for you to be beside your man ALL THE TIME. DO NOT BE THERE when the BALL is on the OTHER SIDE OF THE COURT. When things are this way, YOU need to be in a position to HELP A TEAMMATE. REMEMBER: The CLOSER the BALL to YOUR MAN, the CLOSER YOU MUST BE TO HIM. This is because the moment he gets the ball, YOU WANT TO be IN his bubble, ... NOT ON YOUR WAY, there. Be where you can WORRY him. Make him think to himself, "Oh, no! Here you are again!"
To be effective you don't have to block a shot or deflect a single pass. If you are merely in position all night long where you CAN, ... AND he can't GET AWAY from YOU, ... YOU will be a great defensive player.
work cited: http://www.coachesclipboard.net/Attitude.html