Defending the Basketball Dribbler

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Defending the Basketball Dribbler

Know your opponent

Identify your opponent’s favored basketball dribbling hand.
Identify your opponent’s favored basketball moves with the dribble.
Identify your opponent’s favored basketball court positions.
Identify your opponent’s favored destination in the basketbal dribbler’s offense.
Identify your opponent’s favored termination of the basketball dribble (shot, pass, or pivot) from in the lane and from other favoredbasketball court positions.
Identify your opponent’s favored pass and shot from the basketball dribble.

Focus

Focus on the basketball dribbler’s midsection which must move with the dribbler rather than the dribbler’s fakable parts (eyes, feet, head, shoulders, hips, arms, basketball).

Positioning and movement

Position and constantly reposition yourself to force the basketball dribbler to move in the direction you desire. Usually this is toward defensive help, toward out of bounds lines and the half court line, toward weaker offensive players, toward court positions from which basketball passes are awkward, away from the basket, or away from the dribbler’s desired basketball court position.

Relative Speed

If the basketball dribbler is moving much faster than the you, the basketball dribbler will pass by you before you can accelerate to reach a speed sufficient to stay with the dribbler. As the basketball dribbler approaches you should be moving at the same speed and in the same general direction as the advancing dribbler. Exceptions to this rule are when the you challenge the dribbler to force the basketball dribbler to change direction or pick up the dribbler and when you attempts to draw the charge.

Footwork

Maintain balance with a low center of gravity. Slide by stepping with the foot closest to your destination then bringing your other foot toward the first foot you moved. Attempt to maintain basketball defensive position while avoiding crossing your feet. If desired defensive position is lost, sprint to reestablish desired defensive position and resume sliding. Play basketball defense primarily with your feet and relative body position rather than with your hands.

Hands

Leave the trail hand low to tip or prevent the basketball cross-over dribble. Raise the lead hand to impede the most natural basketball passing lane. If attempting to tip the basketball, move the hand upward or forward toward the basketball rather than downward toward the basketball.

Drills for defending the dribbler (an explanation is below the following diagram):

Dribble Defense Drills

One basketball dribble defensive drill is the full court zig zag drill in which the dribbler and defender must stay between the side line and an imaginary line joining the side of the keys. The dribbler zig zags up the court while the defender attempts to maintain good defensive position or to challenge the dribbler. Full court one on one is an extension of the zig zag except the dribbler attempts to get past the defensive player. The drills may progress from half speed to full speed, a rule may be added requiring a dribbler getting past a defender to sprint three steps then stop and wait for the defender to recover. A rule may be added requiring the dribbler to attempt to complete the drill by arriving at a particular court position commonly taken in the team’s offense and finish with a particular type of shot or drive. Naturally the defender attempts to prevent the dribbler from acquiring the desired court position.

Faking

Occasionally begin a basketball defensive play by forcing the basketball dribbler to a position you do not want the dribbler to take, then let the dribbler beat you to the position you do want the dribbler to take. Occasionally establish position as though you will be forcing the basketball dribbler in a particular direction, then suddenly alter your position to force the basketball dribbler to a different direction. Occasionally and without sacrificing your balance, fake at the basketball with the head, hand, or foot, to give the basketball dribbler the impression you are considering attempting a steal.

Turning

Choose where on the floor and when during the basketball dribbler’s execution of the basketball offense to close on the dribbler in an attempt to cause the basletball dribbler to execute a reverse dribble or another change of direction.

Terminating

When the basketball dribbler ends the dribble, take away the former dribbler’s likely most desired next act. For example if the dribble is terminated outside of the former basketball dribbler's shooting range, then a pass must follow and you would move to impede the most dangerous basketball passing lane and cause all passes to be either lob or bounce passes rather than quick straight passes.

Variability

To cause your opponent to be thinking about what you are doing rather than about what your opponent should be doing vary the intensity of your basketball defensive pressure, where on the court you pick up your opponent, and the frequency of your fakes and challenges.

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