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How to have a quick release in basketball


Shooting a Basketball - How to Get Your Shot Off Quicker Like Stephen Curry

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If you watched any of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament this spring, you'll know Stephen Curry is the guard that torched the nets as he led the Davidson Wildcats to the Elite 8 and a near upset of the eventual NCAA champion Kansas Jayhawks. One thing you'd notice right away is that Stephen has one of the quickest shots in the college game. If you gave Stephen a millisecond to shoot, you'd see the ball splashing through the net.

Now, you may be wondering how the heck can I shoot the ball that quickly or how can I teach my players to do that.

Developing a "quick shot" is all about eliminating wasted movement and excess motion.

       
Picture by Dave Hogg

The higher you go in competitive levels, the more intense the defensive pressure you will face which makes it very important to be able to shoot more and more quickly without sacrificing any of your accuracy.

Here are seven keys to developing a quick shot release:
  1. Be prepared before you catch the ball.

    Every time you catch the ball, your knees should be bent and your feet should be aligned with the basket a split second before you catch the ball. So now all you have to do is catch and go right up with your shot.

    On the other hand, if you catch the ball and then bend your knees, that is excess motion and wasted time. This gives your defender extra time to block your shot.

    Along the same lines, you should cut with your knees bent...

    Reggie Miller and Richard Hamilton are two examples of NBA players who are great at moving without the ball and getting their shot off quickly. If you watch them on TV, they always cut off screens with their knees bent. So when they get open, they only have to catch and shoot.

    Bottom line, always have your knees bent and feet ready before you catch the ball.

  2. Provide passers with a target near your shot pocket.
    Your shot pocket is the place you put the ball before going into your shot motion.
    Having great passers on your team can help you get your shot off quicker. To help them give you more accurate passes, you should always provide them with a hand target right at your shot pocket.

    If you're moving in your shot-hand direction, then your target can be your exact shot pocket. If you are moving in the direction of your off-hand, you should provide a target as much in line with your shot pocket as possible and use your off hand to get the ball over to the pocket as quickly as possible.

    This is pretty subtle, but the idea is that rather than reaching over to bring the ball over with your shooting hand, you are emphasizing the force of the off-hand on the ball to deliver it to the proper position. Even though you are catching the ball with both hands, you will find that you're gaining a split second of quickness by developing this off-hand-force habit.

  3. Put the ball in shot pocket immediately.

    The quicker you can move the ball in your shot pocket, the quicker you can shoot. This takes practice!!

    You need to practice moving the ball into you shot pocket off the catch and off the dribble. This takes thousands and thousands of practice repetitions.

    You need to practice catching the ball, then quickly and fluidly moving the ball directly into your shot pocket. If you fumble the ball, then the defense has an extra split second to contest your shot. This is a very subtle movement you must practice over and over.

  4. Eliminate wasted movement in your shot delivery.

    When you catch the ball, it should go immediately into your shot pocket, and then you should go right up into your shot from there.

    You should not put the ball in your shot pocket and then dip your knees or move the ball downward. The ball should go straight up, along with the rest of your body (legs, hips, etc).

    Any such excess motion adds time to your delivery, plus it is doing nothing positive for your shot. The simpler your motion, the more it is continually upward from your loaded stance, the quicker your shot will be.

  5. Shoot just before the top of your jump.

    Shooting a split second before the top of your jump improves quickness, too. If you wait until the very top, that may be all the time needed for a quick defender to get up for the block.

  6. Try dipping rapidly

    Another concept that can sometimes help players is to dip rapidly as you're catching the ball.

    To get your shot off as quickly as possible from your jump stop, you should work on a rapid dip into a squared-up jump stop rather than a leap that gets you into the air and covers distance. This dipping technique involves a sudden crouch into your jump stop, catching the ball in your shot pocket as it returns from a dribble, and springing right up into your shot. It is a sudden delivery that gives the defender hardly any time at all to react to your shot.

  7. Think shot, shot, shot.

    One way to improve all the areas above, is to be in the new triple threat position every time you touch the ball, the triple threat of "Shot, Shot, Shot." In other words, any time you touch the ball, you have the ball in your shot pocket, your eyes on the rim, and your feet and stance loaded in case you have an opportunity to take a good shot.

    Note that this doesn't mean that you should shoot every time you touch the ball. No, that wouldn't make much sense; but you should be ready to shoot every time you touch the ball. You will find it much easier to move from that readiness into a pass or dribble than to transition from a passing or dribbling expectation into a shot-ready mentality.


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Four tips to master a faster shot release in basketball

by Mofe Owolabi | Nov 18, 2020

The ability to shoot with a faster shot release is HUGE for a basketball player.

Having a lightning quick release makes it much harder for defenders to contest your shots.

When paired with an accurate and consistent shot, this makes you a lethal threat.

Below, we’ve got four tips for you to develop a faster shot release.

Tip #1: Stay ready to shoot

Being prepared to shoot before you get the ball will help to speed up your shot release.

But… what does “staying ready” even mean?

Have your hands out ready to catch the ball before the pass is made.

Once you catch the ball, lock your eyes on the rim straight away.

That way, you are ready to get into your shooting motion straight away.

Okay cool… so this will help you with shooting off the catch.

What about a faster shot release for shooting in general?

Let’s get into it…

Tip #2: One-motion shot release

In a one-motion shot, the ball is shot in one fluid motion.

(This is as opposed to a two-motion shot, where the ball is brought upwards and then outwards in two more separate motions.)

As I’m sure you can tell, a one-motion shot allows for a much faster shot release.

It also helps you shoot from longer ranges.

An example of a one-motion shooter is Steph Curry, and an example of a two-motion shooter is Lebron James.

Many players will already have a one-motion shot and that’s great. For a faster release, just work on speeding it up, bit by bit.

If you’re already a two-motion shooter, this could still work best for you. (Ray Allen had a two-motion shot!)

However, if you want to speed up your release significantly, consider switching a one-motion shot.

Tip #3: Quick feet & Versatile footwork

Your shot starts from the ground up.

With that in mind, it only makes sense that your feet will play a part in getting a faster shot release.

It is important that you focus on getting your feet into your shooting stance as quickly as possible.

Adding this as a focus to your practice will help develop this skill.

However, sometimes you’ll slow down your shot by worrying about getting your feet into one position, every time.

Due to this, you must also be able to shoot using a variety of footwork, to maintain a quick release.

Here are some common types of footwork to work on:

  • Left foot then right foot
  • Right foot then left foot
  • Shooting with your feet slightly further apart than usual
  • A hop step to land on both feet at a time

Tip #4: Practice! Practice! Practice!

Last, but DEFINITELY not least, is shooting practice.

Tips 1-3 are sure to help you get your shot off faster.

But, this is all pointless without getting your shooting reps up.

We don’t want to shoot faster for no reason. There’s no use in having the world’s fastest shot if it never goes in.

The more repetitions you put in, the more natural these techniques become without affecting your accuracy.

That’s when the REAL fun begins.

To help you with this, there’s a full shooting workout in the FREE Hooper Boost Shooting Workout.

As you go through the workout, if you focus on speeding up your release bit by bit, you WILL see improvement.

Bombshell is gaining popularity in the NBA - Across the Atlantic - Blogs

The current NBA with incredible ease and speed destroys the foundations and practices that have been in basketball for many decades. The league is getting faster, lighter, centers are throwing 3-pointers on an industrial scale, point guards aren't throwing them at all. Those who do not want to change with her are in for hard times, such as one 10-time All-Star Game, who until recently was the main star in his club, but today is not needed in the NBA even on a minimum contract and can look after an apartment in Beijing -Shanghai.

There are a lot of shots in the NBA, good and different. They differ from each other in range, distance to the nearest defender, time left to attack, thrower's actions, etc. On NBAsavant.com, a site that specializes in shot-related statistics, shots are divided into 65 categories. This is a lot, although, probably, if you wish, you can do even more. But if you do not go deep into the descriptions, then they can be divided into four groups: jumpshots, lay-ups, dunks and hookshots, which we used to call hooks. It is from these groups that further clustering of throws takes place according to the game situation during the throw and (or) the movements of the body and legs of the thrower. Covering and describing each type of shot is quite a laborious task, so let's focus on one of them, which is becoming an increasingly frequent guest on the NBA grounds.

What is a floater?

The floater is a type of jumpshot. It is often used in situations where a player goes into the passage after beating his opponent, but does not want to continue moving towards the basket, because. there is a blocking big man:

A vivid example: Cory Joseph, with the help of a screen from Sabonis, passed his guardian, Landry Shamat. You can go under the ring and finish the attack with a layup, but Joel Embiid is in the paint, who will clearly try to prevent Joseph from making a good throw or blocking. As a result, Corey decides to quit without going under the ring and getting close to Embiid. This roll is called jump stop two foot floater . Corey Joseph stops before jumping, jumping straight up and pushing with both feet. With this type of floater, the balance of the body is best maintained, which allows you to make the throw more controlled. If there is no defender nearby (restoring the position of the guardian or the safety big), the shoulders during the throw should be turned towards the basket, forming a rectangle with the ring (as in the video). If there is a defensive player nearby, then it is worth throwing with the shoulder of the non-throwing arm forward. The release time with this type of floater is the longest, but in this example, Joseph can afford to neglect it in favor of the quality of the throw, because. neither Shamet nor Embiid are in close proximity to him.

In general, the release time is what distinguishes the floater from the jumpshot. Here is an example of a jumpshot from Buddy Heald:

As in the previous example, the Sacramento guard screened Danny Green off the post and decides to jumpshot from the free kick line.

The attempt is successful (and in general Hield against Toronto looked good), but look at the distance between him and Green at the beginning of the throw and at the release: that in the initial stage of the throw, Green loses to Hild by a meter and a half. When Hield throws the ball towards the ring, Greene lacks quite a bit to block it. With a floater, this problem would not have arisen.

In addition to the speed of the release, the floater is distinguished by the fact that it is thrown in a high arc so that the belaying big one does not have the opportunity to block the throw. In the next video, Jarrett Jack walks away from his defender and goes into the pass under the basket, where Andre Drummond advances towards him. This meeting is similar to the clash of David and Goliath, so instead of passing under the ring, Jack throws out the floater. The ball travels in such a high arc that neither the jump nor the arm length of a big man like Drummond is enough to block it. As in the Book of Kings, the giant is defeated.

video from 0:15

A variant of Jack's floater is called running one foot floater , for the reason that the player jumps with one foot. This type of floater is distinguished by an even faster release, the work of the legs and body is like in a layup, and the release occurs at the top point with a gentle and smooth movement of the hand, while the movement of the hand should be continued until the ball hits the basket (if the situation is successful) or somewhere in another place (if unsuccessful). It is this type of floater that is most often used.

For lovers of the exotic, there is eurostep floater . But here the difficulties with the correct balance in the floater are multiplied by the difficulties in the performance of the Eurostep, so I found his video example only from the All-Star Game. In the video, it is worth paying attention not only to the excellent work of Harden's footwork, but also to the absolute disinterest of the defenders to even try to interfere with him.

As you can see, all examples of floaters involve back row players. This is no coincidence. The floater is the throw of the "little" people in the world of basketball. It allows them to throw big men with a higher release point and ball trajectory. This is a good alternative to block or contact with 7ft 250lbs. In the top 10 players who have thrown the most floaters since the 2015-2016 season, only TJ Warren can be classified as a wing and certainly no one as a big man.

Here's what Jarrett Jack says about his reasons for developing his floater:

“I was in elementary school and I tried to play against guys who were already in elementary high school. It is clear that everyone I played against was bigger than me and physically stronger. So the floater was the only throw I could make without fear of being blocked. I was very fast, so when I passed my guard, I had to throw the ball in a very high arc in order not to be blocked.

It's not like big men don't throw floaters at all. Among the players who made at least 50 floaters in 4 seasons, in terms of their percentage of the total number of throws, Kostas Koufos is the leader among the big ones: 7.5% of his throws are floaters. Usually, in order to make it harder for the defender to block your shot, big men use a hookshot. However, adding a floater to your shooting arsenal can allow the center to be more versatile offensively, which will create more problems when marking him.

In the same article where Jack talks about his childhood on the courts in Washington, Brooke Lopez says he started throwing floaters when he started playing more pick and roll. If, during pick-and-roll, the big defender tries to cover the paint from the passage and leaves free space between himself and Lopez in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mustache (which are on the court, and not on the face), the ability to throw floaters allows him to make a throw without getting close to his guardian and essentially without resistance. For three seasons, every twentieth Brook's throw was a floater. He's thrown just one floater this season, showing yet another transformation in Lopez's game: he now mostly shoots from behind the three-point line, opening up under the basket for the half-Greek demigod to pass.

Such centers also often use the floater. like Anthony Davis, who rose dramatically in high school. Before swinging up to 210 cm, Davis played for a long time in the guard position and, accordingly, developed the skills necessary for a player of this role, including a floater. Now, like Lopez before this season, he throws the floater about 5% of the time.

But for all its merits, the floater is not a throw that players use often. Even the basketball players who throw the most floater have a frequency of about 1 in 10, 1 in 9(Jeff Teague stands out here with 16%). In general, in the League last year, out of 211,696 shots made, only 10,120 were floaters. This is 4.78%. Why, with all its advantages in the form of release speed and non-blocking trajectory, the floater is used so rarely?

There are several reasons for this, but I guess they all have one main reason: the floater is an ineffective throw. Here are the number of floaters and the percentage of their implementation in the range of 0-20 feet (Freq. is the percentage of floaters thrown from a given distance relative to the total number of floaters, not all throws):

Same chart, but in chart form:

As you can see the floater is mostly used in the 4 to 11 foot range from the hoop (three quarters of throws). Jumpers are usually played farther from the ring, layups or dunks are closer. Those. Basically, floaters rush from a distance that is included in the concept of short mid-range on the PBPstats website. Mid-range in the modern NBA sounds like a sentence, and in terms of floaters it works: only attempts thrown right from under the basket have a conversion rate above 50%. But there were only 52 such shots since the 2015-2016 season, which is 0.19% of all floaters, not to mention the total number of throws. In the working range of floaters, the percentage of their implementation is in the region of 46-48%. This is 96 points for 100 attempts. Let's just say it's not impressive.

The floater is a difficult throw not only for the defensive team, but also for the thrower himself. It is difficult to keep the right balance, on time and well to make a release. The unnatural trajectory along which the ball goes during this throw also does not add to its stability. Return to the table with the players who throw the most floaters. Only Jordan Clarkson and Reggie Jackson make them more than once in two. Yes, jumpers from behind the arc also cannot boast of a percentage of conversions, but unlike floaters, they bring an extra point (floters from behind the arc usually do not throw, except when there is no time left. Out of 123 attempts, 32 were realized, this is 26%) . So it turns out that the floater is a good alternative to a block shot or layup with contact, but in any other situation you can find better throws or continuation of the attack. Floater is a utility roll for predominantly shorter players, helping them to have more options to complete an attack on passes.

Having more or less dealt with the throw itself, let's move on to the topic of collecting information about it. Information about all shots taken from stats.nba. The example shows that each throw is described by several parameters:

  • Who threw
  • Throw category (I couldn't think of a better translation to distinguish between Play type and Shot type)
  • Total (accurate throw or miss)
  • Type of shot (two or three)
  • Boxscore (reference to the boxscore of the game in which the throw was made).
  • Away team
  • Team playing at home
  • Game date
  • Quarter
  • Throw time
  • Throwing distance (in feet)
  • The team that took the throw.

There is quite a lot of information (although one could add, for example, data on whether a throw was made after the pass or not), but all of it, as far as I understand, is filled in by the operator, i.e. man. And this is where the human factor comes into play: due to the large number of throw categories, many of them practically duplicate each other, and essentially the same throw by two operators can be classified into two different categories.

I saw this in the data collected from floaters. Initially, I planned to take 4 full seasons, but due to the difference in the assessment of shots, I had to throw out the 2014-2015 season. Here is the number of floaters by season:

In just 4 seasons, their number has tripled. There are objective reasons for this (about them below), but still they alone could not give such a frenzied growth. The double difference between the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons, I believe, is due to the fact that in the 2014/2015 season, floaters made in the pass (Driving Floating Jump Shot category) were not taken into account separately (the category appeared only in the 2015/2015 season). 2016) and were included in the Driving Jump Shot. So the change, which happened very far from the NBA venues, changed the number of floaters dramatically.

Also, judging by the data, the indicators by the type of throws depend on the operator of a particular team: the list of leaders and outsiders in terms of the number of floaters is quite stable. Of course, the team's style of play greatly affects the number of shots of various types and it does not change dramatically from season to season (except when changing the coach), but still there is a share of the "human" factor in the stability of the results. As for the growth between last season and the year before last, there is no such obvious reason as in the first case, and in percentage terms the growth is not as large (although still noticeable). Let's leave it to the conscience of the events that take place directly on the site, and not in the computer.

So what affects the number of floaters from what happens directly on the site? As discussed above, floaters are usually thrown on the pass when the player decides that such a throw from 6-7 feet without getting close to a large opponent has a better chance of success than continuing to the ring. And the number of passes in the NBA is growing. On average in the League in the 2017/2018 season, the team made 459 passes more than in the 2014/2015 season. This is an increase of 15.73%. Last year, only 5 teams out of 30 made fewer passes than three years earlier:

Correlation analysis also confirms this relationship. The number of passes and throws in them have a statistically significant positive correlation with the number of floaters at the level of r=0.39 and r=0.65, respectively:

FGA – the number of floaters in the aisles

This is not surprising: a large number of throws fall into the category of "throws in the aisle" and the category of "floaters".

The well-known element of basketball, pick-and-roll, also contributes. This play is becoming more common in the modern NBA, and the variation in which the player who is screened (Pick & Roll Ball Handler) remains with the ball correlates well with the number of floaters. The number of throws in such a pick-and-roll and the number of floaters have a statistically significant positive correlation at the level of r=0.54.

FGA - number of floaters0036

And here the reason for the relationship lies on the surface: with such a pick-and-roll play, the ball carrier very often goes into the pass, and a further relationship is shown above.

Here is a video of a typical hand that falls into all three categories that correlate with each other: other throws.

Layup - number of layups made in passes ( Driving Layup Shot )

Float - number of floaters made in passes ( Driving Floating Jump Shot)

Bank - number of floaters made in passes from the shield ( Driving Floating Bank Jump Shot)

FloatFGA – sum of Float and Bank

F/L – ratio of FloatFGA to Layup

to the season. But the number of floaters is growing faster, which reflects the growth in F/L. This is visible on the chart.

The next graph shows the conversion percentage, and here the dynamics is reversed: the more throws are made, the lower the percentage of their implementation. Last season, they began to hit 7 fewer floaters per hundred attempts than two years earlier. This is a pretty significant drop.

On this I will finish the story about floaters. I will not write here about the statistics of individual players and teams. Firstly, the post turned out to be so big, so if it's interesting, I'll make an analysis of the players and teams in a separate post. And secondly, I will post links to Google Sheets with the data that I have collected, and with the help of filters, everyone will be able to find the information they are interested in.

Floater Shots Seasons 2015/2016-2018/2018

Link

Driving Layups VS Driving Floraters

Note: Statistics on the season 2011 (i. e. the last recorded matches were the games that took place on the night of November 6-7, Moscow time).

I hope you found this analysis interesting. Thank you for your attention and feedback in the form of comments and ratings.

A. Ya. Gomelsky about strategy and tactics in basketball

copies of swiss watches

Strategy is the main theoretical direction of the entire work of the team, which determines the means and methods of preparing for the main competitions. Four-year plan for the preparation of the USSR national team for the Olympics in Seoul - the strategy of the team in 1985-1988. The strategy also provides for the management of the team during the competition.

Tactics is a part of the strategy that solves the main tasks of training, taking into account specific capabilities - team resources, characteristics of opponents, competition conditions. All this determines the tactical and combination baggage of the team.

When choosing tactics of the game (attack), one should proceed, firstly, from the real capabilities of the players, taking into account, first of all, their strengths, for the disclosure of which combinations are built and learned. Secondly, attack tactics are determined by the strength and weakness of a real opponent in a tournament, match.

I usually discuss playing combinations with the players for whom this combination is designed. I know the strengths of my players, but the players themselves know them even better and can make significant adjustments to the combinations I have proposed.

A.Ya. Gomelsky about playing defense

I believe that defense is the main concern of the coach: firstly, because the victory of the team largely depends on its strength, secondly, because the attack starts from the defense, like from a stove, and- thirdly, because the players themselves never work on the elements of protection, and finally, because the audience, as a rule, does not see it, even journalists often underestimate it.

The best team cannot win without a solid defense. Team defense is built on the individual characteristics, capabilities and mood of all players. Often in training, and even in competitions, individual players show indifference to defensive actions. It always bothered me and even angered me. Yes, the menial work on defense isn't that spectacular - except for things like block shots, rebounds, interceptions.' And many players are not aggressive on defense, they are resting on defense, trying to prove themselves in attack.

I am sure that without great desire, responsibility, initiative, passion, it is simply impossible to defend today.

If the defender allowed the attacker to receive the ball in the danger zone, he has already lost. And how many cases when the center is allowed to receive the ball in the three-second zone under the shield, without striving to actively fight for an advantageous position.

Often defensive players are in no hurry, they do not concentrate their attention and efforts enough on this part of the game.

I want to emphasize that the psychology of defense is one of the most important concerns of a coach, and often more depends on the focus on defense than on technique and physical condition. Doesn't the ability to intercept the ball and win the rebound depend on the mind and the ability to calculate one's strength? If a player goes to intercept the ball, exposing his rear, and slips past the ball, is this not the result of poor calculation, inability to predict, anticipate the situation, think and act responsibly? All this is the psychology of protection.

I believe that a player who is weak and inept in defense causes more damage to the team than a player who is weak in attack. The definition of "good defense is head and legs", while still valid, is incomplete. Fast, tenacious, active hands that can both hit and intercept the ball, and prevent a throw, pass, kick the ball while dribbling - are no less important for a defender

Counterattack

Counterattack is the most spectacular and quick use of all opportunities to achieve result.

Fast play requires high technique. The desire to play at high speeds is commendable and acceptable only if the speed does not exceed the state of the art. Otherwise, there will be more mistakes, losses of the ball than achievements. Therefore, in an effort to prepare a fast break, it is necessary to train the execution of all technical elements at high speeds, using both active and passive resistance of defenders in situations 1-1, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3, 5--4 and with numerical equality.

My idea of ​​a counter-attack is not only to move quickly towards the opponent's backboard, but also to quickly transfer the ball to the opponent's backboard with sharp passes, or, if there is no free recipient to receive the ball, by dribbling the ball, actively moving forward. In the final stage of the fast break, players strive to create a triangle in the front line of attack with the apex on the free throw line. There should be a player with the ball, and two other players - to the left and right of him, 4-5 m ahead.

A counterattack is possible in the following situations:
1) when intercepting the ball;
2) when taking a rebound on his shield;
3) after the opponent has made free throws;
4) after winning a dropped ball;
5) after the opponent manages to score the ball.

The best outcome of a fast break is taking the opponent's ring with a numerical advantage, when implementing situations in numerical equality: 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4. This is easier than beating a 5-5 defense that has already built up its defensive formations.

There are three phases in a counterattack that are equally important for success:
1) the beginning of a fast break - picking up the ball, first pass, movement of the players, their start;
2) the middle stage of the development of the attack - the transition by the players of the middle line of the field, their advancement;
3) completion of the attack - passing the ball at speed and throwing in close proximity to the backboard.

The timing of the "rehearsed fast break" depends on the speed of the players, the ball passes and the finishing shot. The USSR national team spent 5-7 s on a layered fast break. I think that the schemes of her tactical formations will provide great opportunities for the creativity of coaches working with any teams.

Playing in the USSR national team such powerful and tall centers as A. Sabonis and V. Tkachenko made it possible to carry out a counterattack through one long pass across the entire court.

Center #5, after recovering the ball from the backboard, passes it to runaway #2.

Such an attack was especially successful when building a zone or mixed defense, when one of the defenders or wingers playing in the front line of defense was given the task of running away at the moment of throwing at our ring, in the expectation that the giants would be able to take possession of the ball , bouncing off the shield, and make a long pass across the entire field. Naturally, such a system of counterattack requires special coordination of actions, and its development takes considerable time in the training process.

Development of a quick counter-attack through the middle of the field.

Players #5, #4, #3 are fighting for the ball and, having mastered it, they try to make the first pass to player #2, who passes the ball to player #1. Player #1 rushes forward dribbling through the middle of the court. Players #2 and #3 overtake the dribbler at high speed, form a triangle with #1, and finish the attack with a close range throw if they manage to create a numerical advantage under the opponent's shield.

If it was not possible to complete the attack in the first echelon, then the second echelon comes into action - center players #4 and #5. They, each on their own side of the court, rush to the opponent's shield. The one on whose side the ball is on ends the attack.

Development of a fast sideline break.

On a rebound from the left side of the backboard, the post makes a quick pass to player #2, who opens to receive the pass to the sideline, just above the free throw line. At the intersection of the sideline with the center, player #1 receives a pass from player #2, then passes it to player #4, who rushes forward on the left side. Player #4 has three possible continuations of the attack: give the ball to player #5 or #3, who is running towards the opponent's backboard in a straight line, or pass to player #2 in the area of ​​the arc. It is clear that the transfer should be made to the most open player, who is in the most advantageous situation.

A similar situation occurs when attacking on the opposite side.

Development of a fast break after a free throw into our ring.

If player #4 catches a bounce or quickly clears a potted ball from behind the endline, the first pass is to the left sideline to player #1 opening at or slightly above the free throw line. Player #2 opens near the center circle, receives the ball and dribbles forward. Players #5 and #3 pass the dribbler along the touchlines, player #4 overtakes him from the right, and player #2 stays slightly back in the backing position. Thus, player #2 has four options to choose the direction of the attack.

Same procedure as above, but after rebounding a field goal or after the ball is thrown in from behind the end line.

Developing a fast break after a dropped ball in the center circle or on the free throw line in our half of the field.

Player #5 discounts player #4 who is ready to receive the ball with his hands up. After catching the ball, #4 passes forward to player #1, who opens up to receive that pass after being screened by player #3. Players #2 and #4 support the attack. Such a combination can be played in both directions. At the heart of her success is high growth, good jumping ability and the ability to accurately throw the ball to the partner of the center player.

Same scheme, but now player #4 screens player #2 who, having received the ball from player #3, rushes forward.

The easiest way to complete a counterattack is for the players to take the shortest path to the opponent's shield. However, with the development of a counterattack, options are possible with cross screens

interaction like a trio

setting up screens for the players of the second echelon in the center of the field.

Many teams in the world, including the USSR national team, after they failed to complete the counterattack with a scoring throw, in the transition to a positional attack, spent precious time placing players, thus allowing the enemy to prepare for defensive actions and occupy all defenders advantageous positions. This is why a quick or non-stop attack after a counterattack ("transition game") is increasingly used in the tactics of the best teams in the world. I will give an example of such an attack in the USSR national team.

The fast break was not completed by the players of the first attack tier #2 and #3, nor the second tier #4 and #5. They, each on their own side, set up screens for fielders #3 and #2 for a shot from medium or long distance, and then go to the backboard to receive the ball in the three-second zone on the spot or to fight on the backboard, after a throw from one of the players # 2 or #3. Options for a non-stop attack can be very different. This could be a double or triple screen for the team's sniper, or a winger or post entering the 3-second zone after receiving the screen. It all depends on the characteristics and capabilities of the player for whom the combination is being made.

Double screen to Marciulionis (#2) to attack with his left hand from the free throw area.

Players #4 (Volkov) and #3 (Tikhonenko) simultaneously put up two screens for player #2 (Marciulenis). #2 breaks into the free throw line, where he receives the ball from player #1 (Sokka). "Marciulionis has opportunities to continue the attack:
a) receiving the ball in motion and passing under the backboard;
b) receiving the ball with a stop and shooting on
c) passing the ball to player #5 (Sabonis) in case there is a switch of defenders.

Players #4 and #2 after screening go under the backboard to fight for the rebound.

Mixed defense

There are several systems of mixed defense:
1. Four players build a zone defense 2-2

or 1-2-1

capabilities and tactics of the opponent.
2. Three players build a 2-1 zone defense and two guard the enemy's strongest snipers.


3. One player completes the zone formation and four players cover the opponents personally.

4. Two players form a zone defense and three players act as an individual defense.

Mixed defense brought good luck to the USSR national team and the CSKA team more than once. The choice of defense has always been determined by the characteristics of the opponent and our capabilities.

In the final of the Olympic tournament in Seoul against the team of Yugoslavia, we used a mixed defense 1-4.

Sabonis played a zone defense, the rest of the players closely guarded their opponents. This was due to the presence of Vrankovic or Raja in the Yugoslav team, who are not very dangerous away from the shield, and the fact that Petrovich, Paspal, Kukoch posed a big threat. The players who guarded the leaders of the Yugoslav team could, with a greater degree of risk, fight with their opponents to get the ball. They knew that Sabonis would help them if they were beaten.

A similar defense was chosen in the semi-final tournament in Seoul against the US team. Sabonis did a zone defense and let Robinson or Reed or Maning shoot from wide. But the rest of the US players were completely covered, and a player like Maning did not bring a single point to the team. As a result, the USSR national team won 82:76. And Sabonis, who participated in the Olympics after a serious injury, two operations, took first place in the selection of balls from shields and made a great contribution to the victory of the USSR team.

Sometimes, with two centers Sabonis - Tkachenko, we built a mixed, personally set defense 3-2. Two giants and one mobile defender played well in the zone. In the early 70s, it was Eremin, then Valters, and at the Olympics and the pre-Olympic tournament Sokk performed this function, and Belostenny and Volkov played instead of Sabonis and Tkachenko in Holland.

At the Seoul Olympics, we used such a defense (3 in the zone, 2 in person) against the Brazilian team.

Sabonis, Volkov and Sokk built a triangle on top of which Sabonis and Volkov played. Tikhonenko took care of So-uzu personally, and Marciulionis took care of Schmidt, and although these two players scored 65 points together, the match turned out to be very difficult for us, but we still won 110:105. The mistake in the choice of defense was that Schmidt outplayed the smaller Marciulionis in different positions, and Souza outplayed the slower Tikhonenko. In the last 10 minutes of the match, Volkov was attached to Schmidt, Marciulionis switched to Souza, and we changed Tikhonenko to Goborov in zone defense.

Benefits of mixed defense
allows you to fight with him to get the ball, while expecting the active help of teammates, without fear of a throw.
2. Such a system, if the opponent is not prepared for it, tactically introduces confusion and makes it difficult to carry out combinations of screens.
3. Combines the best aspects of individual and zone protection systems.
4. Promotes a quick transition from defense to counterattack.
5. Gives players the opportunity to use their strengths in defense and not show weaknesses.
6. Can take the point guard out of the game and deprive the opponent of the usual formation and rhythm, destroy the counterattack if applied pressure throughout the field.

Weakness of the mixed defense
1. A technically competent team that has several leaders easily rebuilds the attack and breaks the mixed defense.
2. Simultaneous movements of two or three players diagonally can destroy a mixed defense if the opponent manages to create a numerical advantage on one of the sides of the field.
3. Often vulnerable to medium throws from 3-4m.
4. Requires special lengthy preparation, coordinated actions, high teamwork of the whole team for rebuilding and interchangeability in positions.
5. If one of the five players did not have time to reorganize or did not cope with his duties, then the whole idea of ​​​​such a defense is frustrated.

A.Ya. Gomel. Pressing defense

Pressing is the most active type of defense, constant pressure on the opponent. It can be personal or zone, it can start from the moment the opponent throws it: all over the court, on 3/4 of it, in their own half, i.e. on 1/2 site.

The goal of defense by pressing is not only psychological pressure on the opponent, but also the desire to break the opponent's established game, break his habitual connections between defense and attack, his combinations, make inaccurate passes of the ball, hasty - throws. It is impossible to apply pressure without mastering enough methods of individual protection. This form of defense requires high physical condition, good reserve and teamwork of all players and team units.

Pressing is used both as a system of play for long periods of time, and as a forced measure: when losing in a score to increase the pace or when waiting for pressure from an opponent.

By pressing, we try to take the ball away from the opponent - we force him to make false, inaccurate passes that are easily intercepted. Often, the opponents of the front line of pressing, having missed the opponents, do not pursue them, but watch the development of further events - this is a gross mistake. It is necessary to chase the player with the ball, trying to knock the ball from him from behind, stepping on his heels. Thus, you force the opponent to rush, worry, make mistakes.

If in zone or personal pressing you are left without a player and do not help a friend, you make a miscalculation. If one of the five pressers is not active, the work of the entire team goes down the drain. Pressing is primarily an active defense of the team.

In modern basketball, many coaches tend to believe that personal pressing is less effective, difficult, leads to a large number of personal violations and is inferior in usefulness to zone pressing systems. I also believe that a strong, technical player with good dribbling is able to cope with personal pressure.

In addition, with a stretched defense, it would be incredibly difficult to keep such players as Marciulionis, Volkov, Kurtinaitis, Petrovich, Schmidt, Kukach, Paspal, Rivier, Gallis one on one. I'm not talking about NBA players. But although zone pressing has become more popular, it is impossible to do without the ability to play personal pressing. Therefore, it is necessary to train defense daily 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 all over the court, with and without the ball, with and without dribbling, with and without screens, first at a walk, then at high speed.

Exercises are useful in which the number of defenders prevails over the number of attackers. These exercises promote the interaction of the defenders, instill the skills of tackling the ball. They are also good for attacking players. When training personal pressing, due attention should be paid to the rapid movements of players in an active stance, in different directions, with a skillful change in the positions of players. Defenders of the first line of defense seek to push their attackers to the sidelines and prevent the attacker from getting around him with the ball and without the ball.

If one of the defenders managed to stop the attacker with the ball at the touchline at the intersection with the penalty or center line, the defensive partner must come to the aid of a friend: together they force him to make a cross pass, which the other three players are ready to intercept.

The initial stage of personal pressing is carried out by two fundamentally different tactical formations:
1. The opponent who introduces the ball into the game holds a high moving edge and with an active movement of the arms prevents him from making an aimed pass.


2. No one guards the opponent who puts the ball into play, but two pressers prevent the most dangerous dribbler from getting the ball.

For example, Volkov secured Sokk and Marciulionis from behind when passing to player 5.

A few tips when defending with personal pressure: make him stop and do not let him make an accurate pass, interfering with his hand movements;
2) if the defending partner allowed himself to be bypassed, immediately come to his aid, of course, without leaving your ward in a safe position under the shield;
3) constantly watch not only your ward, watch the actions of partners, learn to see the whole field.

In the USSR national team and CSKA, zone pressing 1-2-1 - 1 brought us the most success. We started pressing from the opponent's front line after a goal and a free kick. High extreme Volkov interfered with the throw-in. If the ball was injected to the right, Marciulionis and Volkov attacked X2 defender together, trying to prevent him from going forward and make an aimed pass to XI defender, Sokk followed the movement of X3 and X4. Sabonis secured the rear, was responsible for long passes and for the X5 player. Tikhonenko in the center of the field followed X4's pass with a long pass and went to the ball passing side.

Returning with a weak attack, we built a defense 2-3

Zone defense in basketball

The meaning of this defense is that the players are in charge of a certain area of ​​the field, in accordance with the position of the ball and the formation of the attacking team.

Benefits of zone defense:
1. Gives the opportunity to place players in accordance with their physical, technical and mental characteristics.
Tall, jumpy players are located close to the shield, mobile, fast players - in positions higher from the shield.
2. More team-oriented, easy to master, capable of compensating for individual players' gaps in defense.
3. Promotes counter-attacking and frequent interceptions of the ball with the greatest possible degree of risk, because. Partners are always ready to help.
4. The number of fouls in a zone defense is usually less than in a personal defense.
5. This defense is less vulnerable against screen combinations.
6. Can concentrate with strong opponent's centers and stretch with snipers.
7. More than personal protection, it saves players' strength and protects leaders from fouls.
8. Most effective against opponents with strong centers.
9. A team that owns a zone defense can easily build mixed forms of defense: 3-2, 4-1, 2-3.
10. Convenient and suitable for small fields.

Disadvantages of zone defense:
1. Inferior to the personal psychological responsibility of the players, their charge for individual victory in defense.
2. Less useful against teams with strong snipers.
3. As a rule, the corners of the court are less protected in zone defense.
4. Zone defense can be used occasionally and should not be the main form of defense. It is not advisable to use zone defense at the beginning of the match, when the opponent's players are not yet tired, energetic enough - their throws are more accurate and productive than at the end of the game.

There are several formations of the zone defense, however, each of the zone defenses should easily transform depending on the attack - stretch when attacking from a distance and group around the ring.

Even type of zone defense formations includes systems: 2-2-1, 2-1-2, 2-3.

Odd formation: 1-2-2, 1-3-1, 3-2.

Each of these constructions has its advantages and disadvantages, which are useful to analyze.

The arrows indicate the direction of movement of the players. The shaded places on the court are the weak positions of the defense.

Zone defense 1-2-2

#1 - the lightest, fastest defender, #2 and #3 - quite mobile, jumpy, good if their height is at least 2 m. #4 and #5 - centers. Their task is to fight with the opponent's centers, picking up balls from the shield.

This system is most useful against teams trying to attack from under the shield through the post. Disadvantages - weak positions indicated in the figure.

Zone defense 2-1-2

It is used against strong opponent's centers who are dangerous on the "second floor" when rebounding the ball. Good for developing a counterattack with fast #1 and #2 players. Vulnerable in corners under 45, in the center for long and medium throws. The task of post #5 is to mark the opponents' post and, together with ?3 and ?4, create a rebounding triangle. #3 and #4 are mobile and high wingers, they can be swapped depending on the place of the sniper's attack.

Zone Defense 1-3-1

Helps to keep #3, #5, #2 between the ball and the basket at all times, used against opponent's strong centers and shots from middle and close positions. Her weakness is throws from the corners of the site and passes to the shield along the front line.

#1 - the fastest defender, running into the gap in every possible situation, #2 and #3 - mobile, jumping players, #5 - center, #4 - the fastest winger, able to move into the corners of the court.

Zone defense 3-2


#1, #2 and #3 are aggressive, mobile players, the success of the whole system largely depends on their activity. All three are focused on intercepting the ball and counterattacking. This system is most acceptable against teams seeking to attack from a distance, and less suitable against strong centers. The 3 second zone and 45 angle positions are the most vulnerable. #1 is in charge of the foul line. #2 and #3 are in a rebound fight. #5 and #4 are the first and second centers.

Zone protection 2-3

Strongest under the backboard, in the corners of the court along the front line. It is used against a tall, powerful team attacking from close positions and from under the shield. Often used for group selection of the ball in the corners of the site. When interacting #4 and #2 or #3 and #1, the defense is less effective on the foul line and at a 45 angle. #5 - center, #4 - second center, #3 - winger, #1 and #2 - defenders, constantly aimed at interception and counterattack.

Zone protection 2-2-1

This defense is used by agile and short teams aiming to intercept the ball and constantly counterattack. This zone counterattack is used against teams seeking to attack from medium distances. Center #5 is responsible for rebounding, wingers #3 and #4 are responsible for positions in corners and under 45 , rebounding the ball and for the foul line.

Defenders #1 and #2 tend to close the passes to the shield and into the three-second zone, while they themselves are constantly aimed at counterattacking.

A.Ya. GomelskyDefense against ball carrier

It is necessary to work out the correct body position in a basketball stance: the center of gravity is evenly distributed on both legs, but not on a full foot, but on toes, with a "charged" (ready for any movement) foot, knees slightly bent, legs slightly wider than shoulders . Boxing stance - like the great Michael Jordan.

If the opponent is in possession of the ball, one arm of the defender must be directed at the ball and constantly attack the opponent, preventing him from aiming or throwing (best if it touches the attacker), and the second arm slightly pulled back. Many defenders, being between the player with the ball and the basket, even in the correct stance, do not actively use their hands, do not make an offensive movement towards the attacker, which allows the opponent to calmly take further actions. At the same time, it must be remembered that you cannot cross your legs, that the distance between the defender and the opponent must be calculated so that the opponent can pass with a dribbling to the ring.

Contact defense against the ball carrier, although difficult and somewhat risky, is modern and has its advantages. If your arm extended to the opponent reaches his chest, then by doing so you prevent the attacker from lifting the ball up for a throw.

Defender's movements should be trained regularly:
a) in each training session - with and without resistance;
b) with one or two balls;
c) with side steps, making contact with the body closest to the attacker.

The defender's actions in different situations can be divided into 12 positions:
1. Defense against a dribbler driving the ball to your ring.
2. Defending against a player who has finished the dribble and is looking to either shoot or pass.
3. Defense against an attacker 5-6 m from the backboard, but not using the dribble.
4. Actions of defenders in numerical minority.
5. Actions of two defenders against three forwards.
6. Actions of three defenders against four forwards.
7. Actions of defenders during screenings.
8. Rear screen protection.
9. Slip protection.
10. Group tackle by two defenders.
11. Defense against the first pass to the counterattack.
12. Fighting the attacker in the corners of the court.

Let's try to analyze the defender's actions in each of these positions.

1. Defender's task - in a parallel low stance, without crossing the legs, move backwards, knees slightly bent, one hand all the time makes attacking movements towards the dribbler (feints with the body and head participate in this frightening dribbler movement), with the other hand he tries to stop the dribble (if possible, knock the ball out). The raised hand is ready to prevent the presenter from making the pass. Hands can be changed, they are always in motion.

As already mentioned, one should move on a "charged" foot, the heels do not touch the floor, the back is straight, slightly tilted forward, the head is raised up.

The leader should be pushed to the sideline, in the corner of the court, or his movement should be directed towards the defensive partner, remembering that the leader must not be allowed to go to the "strong" side (if left-handed - to the left, if right-handed - to the right).

The distance from the leader should be maintained depending on the speed of his rushing with the ball, his ability to attack or pass, as well as your ability, taking into account the position on the field of defensive partners. Do not rush to take the ball away from a good dribbler, wait for him to stop or make a mistake.

2. If the attacker has finished dribbling and has stopped to shoot or pass the ball, the defender must definitely get close to him, actively using his arms, preventing him from concentrating on the next action. The hand closest to the opponent must touch the fingers of his chest or stomach and not allow him to lift the ball up to attack the ring or pass. The defender seeks to force the opponent to turn his back to the shield and, without stopping attacking the attacker, prevents him from making an aimed pass. The defender must signal to his defensive partners to be ready to intercept the ball. These are already team actions.

3. If the opponent has received the ball 5-6 m from the backboard and he is in possession of the dribble, the defender must not stop actively attacking the attacker; make short lunges with your front foot, use your hands to prevent him from aiming. The attacker cannot be missed to the shield along the front line, if he moves slightly towards it, none of the partners will help the defender. The hand close to the end line insures the passage with the lead, the other one attacks the attacker.

Do not give in to feints. If the attacker went to the end line where the defender took up position, you can meet him with his chest and show the referees that he knocked you down. Don't be afraid and learn to fall gently on your back.

If the attacker, despite the activity of the defender, lifted the ball for a throw, you should try to jump with him and prevent the throw. Do not stop working even when the opponent has already made a throw or pass. Do not turn away from him and block his path to the shield. When you take a step back, meet him with your face, and do not try to run after him. You should always be in these moments between the opponent and your shield.

4. If the defender is alone against two attackers, he tries to prevent the ball from being thrown from under the backboard and retreats with his back to his ring so that he can see both attackers. With false movements, he tries to stop the player with the ball and prevent him from making a pass to the opponent under the ring or in time for him in order to block the throw from afar. Not allowing the ball to be thrown from under the shield, the defender will fulfill his mission.

2x1 training on the spot and on the move develops reaction in defenders, teaches active arm movement, backward movement, composure and ability to intercept the ball.

5. Two defenders against three forwards - a common situation in any match, so the defenders, regardless of their position, being in the minority, must know their maneuver.

The front defender moves towards the dribbler to stop him at the top of the three-point offensive zone. He uses a feint, showing that making contact with this attacker is his main real task. At the same time, he should not get close to the opponent leading the ball. The rear defensive player takes a position on the free throw line, behind the front one and, after the pass from the dribbler, moves towards the player who received the ball - he is responsible for passing this player to the backboard or throwing from close range. The front defender, meanwhile, quickly moves to the third striker under the shield, managing to prevent him from getting the ball. The task of the two defenders is to prevent the ball from being thrown from under the shield. Exercises 3x2, 4x3, 5x4 are a good school for practicing such actions. You can train them by attacking with two balls.

6. If three defenders are defending against four attackers, their actions are built as follows. If attacker XI has the ball, defender ?1 rushes towards him, defender ?2 is responsible for throwing and moving to attacker XZ's shield, defender ?3 moves to the shield. If attacker X2 receives the ball, defender ?1 tends to it. Defender ?3 is responsible for attacker X4, defender ?2 moves to the basket.

A 4x3 drill on the spot and on the move, with rebounding the ball after a throw, with one and two balls - a good rehearsal for a defense of three against four.

7. Today, not a single even very serious team imagines an attack without a combination of screens.

Coordination of actions of the team's defenders, warning about the impending screen determine the preparation of the team to fight the screens.

The guard guarding the screening player must warn his partner of the imminent threat. If the screen without the ball is made by attackers of the same height, there is no great danger of changing the defenders.

If the defenders want to avoid changing when screening from the side, the defender must turn towards the defender and step back, bypassing him from behind, which will not allow the attacker to pass to the backboard.

If the attacker screens from the blind side, from behind, the defender must open towards the defensive partner, turning sideways to him. This will make it difficult to set up a barrier.

8. If your partner puts a screen on the sniper when attacking from medium or long distances behind the defender and you did not have time to get out from under such a screen, a change is necessary: ​​your partner switches to the sniper with his hand raised and prevents him from making a throw. You are left with a dangerous, taller opponent, and your task is to prevent him from getting the ball or picking up the ball after the throw.

It is difficult to do without the help of partners in this situation. In general, I am a supporter of the smallest shift with screens, because. this reduces individual responsibility and gives the attacker a chance to beat the defender.

9. If your player, while in possession of the ball, seeks to pass to a teammate who is close to him, you must step back and allow your defensive partner to slip, and then take an active position towards your attacker.

10. The defensive player should always try to get the dribbler to the touchline, into the corner of the court, stop him and turn his back to the backboard.

The second defender, seeing this situation, attacks the opponent with the ball from the other side. Both of them with active hand movements interfere with making an aimed pass. It is important that the rest of the defense players are ready, focused on intercepting the ball.

11. The USSR national team used the defense against the first pass in a fast break more than once against opponents who counterattack through a fast dribbler, sending him the first pass after picking up the ball from the backboard. So we often defended against the Spanish national team, where the ?1 dribbler was Carbolan or Salosobal.

Our team's tall center, who plays close to the backboard, whether it's Tkachenko, Sabonis or Belostenny, prevents the dribbler from making an accurate first pass. At the same time, our fast defender, for example, Homichujus, presses ?1 opponent and does not allow him to receive the ball. The other three of our players were to immediately return to their zone.

So often the counterattack of the Spanish national team failed, in which the Spaniards were especially dangerous and productive.

I must say that there are some significant differences between the game of our and American defenders. According to my conclusions, they are:
1. Americans on the defensive are always offensive, they are not afraid of a contact attack on the attacker in possession of the ball.

In a low stance with arms raised, the US defender seeks to hit the ball, prevent a pass from being made, not to mention a shot. If the attacker lifts the ball up, the defender immediately reacts to this: his hand rises up and seeks to interfere with any actions of the attacker. The attacker put the ball down - the defender immediately takes two quick steps back, preparing to prevent the opponent's pass without losing his defensive stance.

2. When active, the American defender never allows the attacker to pass with the ball through the center, into the middle, but constantly pushes him to the sideline. When an attacker is missed on the front line, teammates immediately come to the aid of the defender. Our tactic is, on the contrary, to close the baseline, where, as we believe, it is more difficult to provide team assistance. I think it's best to find a compromise here: train the safety net both in the middle of the three-second zone and when passing on the front.


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