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How to play guard in basketball
How to play guard in basketball
Basketball Guard Play -- Fundamentals, Drills, & Tips
By Don Kelbick
When discussing guard play, we enter probably the most complex area of basketball. Your team's guards fill such a variety of roles that is difficult to cover all the changing responsibilities -- not only from game to game, but sometimes from play to play. None of the other positions have to make as many adjustments and changes as your guards do. No other position has to be as instantly adaptable as your guards have to be. However, some principles of guard play are consistent regardless of the situation, and those are the ones we will cover here.
Obviously, your guards should be able to shoot and handle the ball. They should have the ability to pass and play defense. But that is what we want of all our players. We will go over some drills that might improve your players in these common areas.
What is it that sets our guards apart from other players?
For your team to be successful, your guards have to do more than shoot and have to be more than good dribblers, ball handlers, and passers.![]()
Here are some things that set your guards apart from other players -- and
some of the secrets related to developing great guards:
Responsibility
More than any other position, your guards must be willing to take responsibility. All plays flow though your guards. They must be able to handle the ups and downs of the game and be able to stand up and say, "I will take the responsibility!"
Your guards must learn not only their positions, but all positions. You must teach them not only what to do, but why to do it and what the objectives are. When the game starts, the coach cannot be on the court. The guards must be an extension of the coach's philosophy.
You would be hard pressed to find a successful team where the guards and the coach are not on the same page!
Pace of the Game
Your guards are the gas and the break pedals of your team. They must understand the pace that you need to play to be successful, the pace of the game as it is being played, and any adjustments that need to be made.
They must have a feel for situations related to time and score, scoring runs, and scoring droughts. Reacting properly will go a long way toward your team being successful.
Teammate's Abilities
Your guards must know the abilities of their teammates. If they give a post player the ball 20 feet from the basket and the post player turns the ball over, it might be recorded as the post player's turnover, but it is the guard's mistake. They never should have put their teammate in that position. By the same token, if there is a shooter open in the corner, it is the guards' responsibility to hit the open shooter with a well placed pass. Your guards have to play traffic cop, only giving the ball up to players who are in position to do something positive with it.
Spacing
The most valuable commodity on the basketball floor is space. Proper spacing allows players to have room to operate, to slash to the basket, and makes your team more difficult to defend. Your guards are in charge of space!
They should not destroy space with their dribble or decisions; they should CREATE it.
For example, if there are three players on one side of the floor and your guards goes to their dribble, they should take the ball away from the crowd, allow the other players to adjust toward the ball, and, thereby, create better spacing on the floor.
Leadership
Because your guards always have the ball, the entire team looks to them and will take on their personality. They can be fiery and emotional, but they have to funnel that energy in a positive direction. They cannot get down on their teammates or show their frustration when things don't go right. They always have to remain in control of themselves and the team.
Your team will look to your guards for direction and calmness. They cannot lead if the team does not trust them!
The Coach's Role: How to Develop these Traits and Great Guards
Because guards are an extension of the coach, the coach must spend more time with his guards off the court.
While they are on the court, players must be treated equally.
Good play should be rewarded; while poor play must be corrected. However, the coach must be careful not to send mixed messages. Wanting your guards to remain positive while often correcting their play could undermine your overall objective.
The coach should encourage his guards (and all players for that matter) to sit with him after practice and should teach them what goes into the decision-making process.
With guards, teaching is always the priority. It cannot always be done in practice because there is too much going on. Teaching them before and after practice and correcting them during practice will help your players understand the big picture and will make it easier for the coach to trust them during the intense atmosphere of a game.
More Guard Play Tips and Articles
Executing The Basketball Pick and Roll
The Importance of the Back Up Dribble and How It Reduces Turnovers Against Pressure
Guard Development Drills for Coaches
Time and Score Scrimmage
For years coaches have been practicing situation plays.
Putting time on the clock and a score on the board (20 seconds on the clock, red up 2) and saying, "Here is what we do now," has been used since Naismith. It is great for execution and it is easy to isolate the situation during a game by calling a time out.
HOWEVER, I was never comfortable that I was able to teach key strategic principles between the beginning of the game and the end. There comes a time when the opponent ceases to be the other team and becomes the clock. For instance, there are shots that are fine (even encouraged) in the body of the game, but not when you are up 4 points with 45 seconds to go. That doesn't mean it can't be done, just that I was not comfortable with it.
The Solution:
We then came up with the "Time and Score" scrimmage. I am not a genius, and I am sure that I am not the first person to come up with it; however, we came up with it while trying to solve some problems, and, aside from a full game scrimmage, I now don't conduct scrimmages any other way.
Here is how it works:
The coach decides what time frame he wants to work on (1 minute, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 15 seconds, etc). He also decides how much regular scrimmage work he wants and translates that to points (for example, if it is mostly going to be a situation scrimmage, you might choose 4 points; if it is going to be an execution scrimmage, you might choose 10 points).
Let's say you want to run a 2-minute situation. You might choose to run a "6 and 2." Here is the way it would work: You put 2 minutes on the clock. You then run a regular scrimmage (fouls, violations, etc.). As soon as one team gets to 6 points, the clock starts. Regular time is kept. Wherever you are, that is your situation. It could be 6-5 with 2 minutes left, it could be 6-0 with 2 minutes left, or it could be anywhere in between. Most importantly, the scrimmage does not stop when the clock starts. You just play through. You might want to announce that the clock is on, or you might choose to let the players notice on their own.
Just don't stop the scrimmage to announce what the situation is. Let them learn to keep track of the clock.
During the score portion of the scrimmage, you can work on whatever you like. You work on a particular play or play package, work on your zone defense or offense, work on pressures, etc., or just play. Once the clock starts, you coach to win the game. Adjust your defense and offense to do exactly what you would do in a game. Call time outs, strategically foul, make substitutions based on roles, put on or take off pressures. You can "reset" your situation (1 timeout left, both teams in the bonus, postmen have 4 fouls, etc.). Whatever you want to do, set it up before you start the scrimmage.
You can run any combination you feel you need work on. Run a "10 and 4" for a longer scrimmage. Try a "3 and 1" for short end-of-games. I have found no better tool for teaching your players, especially your guards, how to manage a game.
This is the only effective way that I have found to teach the difference in the strategic principles for early in the game compared to the end of the game, especially for guards.
There may be others that work just as well, but this has worked great for me.
Guard Development Resources and Drills
Attack and Counter Skill Development System - Guard Play, Post Play, Shooting, etc.
Two up - Two back
Dribble Screens
Post Feed / Spot Up
Pick and Roll Drills
More Drills
Coaches, go here for more Basketball Drills
Players, go here for more Basketball Drills
Basketball Guard Types
Home>Sports>Basketball>Basketball Positions
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A guard is a player position in basketball. Guards are normally the shortest players on the court. They use their speed and quickness for dribbling, passing, and shooting on offense. They often guard the perimeter of the court on defense.
Table of Contents
- Guard Positions
- Point Guard (PG)
- Shooting Guard (SG)
- Guard Classifications
- Combo Guard
- Defensive Guard
- Scoring Guard
- Facilitating Guard (Pass-First Guard)
- Off Guard
- FAQ
Guard Positions
There are two main guard positions in basketball, the point guard and the shooting guard.
Guards will be listed on the stat sheet as either a point guard or shooting guard. While they are both guard positions, they have different responsibilities and attributes.
Point Guard (PG)
Point guards are typically the leader of the offense for a basketball team and control possession of the ball. Point guards bring the ball up the court and set up the offense. Successful point guards need to be good ball handlers, using dribbling moves to weave through the defense. In addition, most point guards are skilled passers and need to have what is known as ‘court vision.’ Players with great court vision are often able to anticipate each defender’s next move and predict which offensive player will become open for a shot at any given time. This allows them to pass the ball effectively by dribbling past the defense and dishing the ball to a nearby teammate for an easy score. The point guard position is commonly abbreviated as PG in basketball.
Notable NBA Point Guards
- Chris Paul
- Isiah Thomas
- Jerry West
- John Stockton
- Magic Johnson
- Oscar Robertson
- Stephen Curry
- Steve Nash
Shooting Guard (SG)
Shooting guards excel at shot-making and getting themselves open for a pass.
Whether it’s a short two-point shot near the basket or a three-point attempt from long range, the shooting guard is usually the player teams can trust to score with consistency. Another trait that is typical of a shooting guard is above-average defense. Since shooting guards are often tasked with guarding the other team’s best shooter, they need to be capable of ‘closing out,’ which refers to defending a shot attempt to prevent the shooter from having a clear look at the basket. The shooting guard position is often abbreviated as SG in basketball.
Notable NBA Shooting Guards
- Michael Jordan
- Kobe Bryant
- Dwayne Wade
- James Harden
- Clyde Drexler
- Manu Ginobili
- Reggie Miller
- Ray Allen
Guard Classifications
Aside from their actual positions on the court, guards in basketball can be further broken down into classifications based on their individual attributes. These types of guards include combo guards, defensive guards, scoring guards, facilitating guards, and off guards.
Learn more about each type of guard below.
Combo Guard
A combo guard is a basketball player with the skill sets and physical attributes necessary to fulfill the roles of both a point guard and shooting guard. Combo guards are highly coveted by many teams due to their unique ability to act as a scorer and passer.
Since combo guards are expected to act as both a point guard and shooting guard, they are consequently expected to guard a variety of different positions on defense. It is not uncommon for a combo guard to guard the opposing team’s point guard one night and the shooting guard another night. In order to defend players with various physical attributes (height, weight, wingspan, etc.), combo guards need to have a unique blend of size, strength, skill, and speed that is rarely found in players that specialize in just one position.
Defensive Guard
Defensive guards, also known as defensive specialists, are guards especially known for being elite defenders.
While most defensive guards are not known for their scoring or offense in general, they are capable of having a major impact on the game from a defensive standpoint. Defensive guards are typically tasked with guarding the most talented offensive players on the opposing team. In the modern NBA, a new type of defensive guard has emerged, called the “3 and D” guard. This is a defensive shooting guard that is also known for their three-point shooting ability. Both point guards and shooting guards can be classified as defensive guards.
Scoring Guard
Scoring guards are point guards that are especially known for scoring points on offense. Most point guards are known for their passing abilities, but scoring guards are known for their easy ability to score. Rather than focusing on passing to teammates, they look to score for themselves first and foremost. They typically are the first option for a team on the offensive end when trying to score points, meaning they are the best scorer on the team.
Facilitating Guard (Pass-First Guard)
Facilitating guards, also known as pass-first guards, are a type of point guard named for the way that they help facilitate the flow of their teammates. Their first priority is setting up teammates and finding open passes. However, they can score when a pass to another player is not an option. Facilitating guards are “team players” and help heighten team involvement, control the flow of their team, and make improvisational calls. Overall, facilitating guards are also known for “running the show,” which means that they position their teammates in a manner similar to the way a coach moves them.
Off Guard
In basketball, “off guard” is another term for the shooting guard (SG) on a basketball team. This term is also synonymous with “2 guard” or simply the “2”. The term off guard is used because the point guard is considered the main guard; the point guard takes the ball up the court, sets up the offense, and distributes the ball.
The shooting guard is usually off to the side, and is therefore sometimes referred to as the “off guard.” This guard is responsible for scoring points. To do this, the shooting guard has to be active on offense, with or without the ball. Moving around screens, dribbling creatively, and finding open space are all crucial parts of an off guard creating an open shot.
FAQ
What are the types of guards in basketball?
The two main guard positions in basketball are point guard and shooting guard. The point guard is responsible for facilitating the offense and creating scoring chances, while the shooting guard is typically tasked with shooting the ball from all over the court. There are also classifications within the point and shooting guard positions, such as combo guard, defensive guard, and pass-first guard.
How many guards are there in basketball?
There are two guards on the court for a basketball team at a time, the point guard and the shooting guard.
These players will be substituted throughout the game, so a team’s roster will have multiple guards as substitutes, although there is not a required number. This means that even though only two guards play at once, numerous players on the same team can be listed as guards. The only two types of guards you will see on a stat sheet or lineup card will be shooting guard (SG) and point guard (PG).
What is a combo guard in basketball?
A combo guard is a basketball player who has a diverse enough set of skills and attributes to act as both a point guard and a shooting guard. Thanks to this double set of offensive duties and abilities, combo guards are also expected to act in a wide variety of defensive positions. They are a unique combination of great scorers and great passers while moving throughout the court as the coach sees fit.
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Pages Related to Basketball Guard Types
- Basketball Floor General
- Basketball Player Positions
- Basketball Point Guard
- Basketball Forward Types
- Basketball Center
- Basketball Offensive Player
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Playing defense in basketball
Hello, dear visitors of the website basketball-training.
org.ua ! Today I want to share with you my observations and conclusions, which I received as a result of 's desire to improve his game in 's defense.
It so happened that the first few years of playing basketball (mostly on street courts) my defense game consisted of constant attempts to cover the opponent's shot. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t work very well (I ended up either on the opponent’s back or on his head). It's a hell of a defense. A couple of years ago, I reconsidered my vision of playing defense, which I want to share with you.
Defensive Tips for
Basketball Players The first video that gave any hint of developing a basketball player's defensive skills was 's three-minute performance by Bruce Bowen on the TNT Fundamentals series. Then there was a short article on how to play defense against A. Gomelsky. Well, the last, but probably the most important training video was the company's products Better Basketball - Better 1 on 1 Defense .
Even after skipping over half of what was said (some because of the language barrier, something because of banal restlessness) and putting even less into practice, I became much better at defending myself.
By the way, in this article everything will be exclusively about personal defense (and not a word about zone defense, although it is also worth writing about). So, I highlight the following stages of defense in basketball:
Stage 1: Defense against a player without the ball.
The essence of defense is to prevent the opponent from getting the ball . This is probably one of the most difficult stages, but also one of the most effective. Agree, it is difficult to attack without having the ball. So, this stage of defense is incredibly difficult, because you have to give a lot of strength, not to be fooled by movements of the body, head and legs. A good result of such a defense is that the player does not receive the ball throughout the attack.
Also a good result if the ball is received, but: in an awkward position (far from the ring; in the corner of the court) or in the last seconds of the attack. Shitty result - the ball is received quickly and conveniently.
Stage 2: Defense against the player who received the ball.
When a player receives the ball, he is in the classic "triple threat position". This means that he can shoot the ring, pass or start the dribble. This means that we will have to confront all three threats at the same time. So, the best option is to take a position that will minimize the range of movement of the enemy. First of all, close its strong side from the passage by sitting a little to the side of it. As an option - from the side of his supporting leg; those. You will know the direction of his movement (he will not step with his supporting foot).
Let's conditionally divide the opponent's body into 2 levels: the first zone - to the waist; the second zone is above the belt.
So, in order to start dribbling, the ball must be in the first zone. Both zones are suitable for a pass, and for a throw, the ball must go from the first zone to the second. I hope it's clear for now. So, one hand is playing with the bottom zone (preventing dribbling and low passing), the second is defending against a shot and a pass from the upper zone. Remember about the legs: with bent legs it is much easier and faster to make a jerk. If the legs are straight, then for a jerk they must first be bent.
And one more piece of advice: pull the player all the time with your movements. Let the probability that these "ritual dances" help to knock out the ball will be small, but you will be able to knock the opponent out of his usual rhythm. And it's worth a lot!
Excellent defense: the ball is knocked out. Good defense - loss on pass, inaccurate pass, throw from an uncomfortable position.
Stage 3: Defense against the dribbler.
Assume that previous attempts to take possession of the ball have failed and the opponent has started to dribble.![]()
How to defend yourself then?
Let's not consider those situations in which the opponent is obviously weaker than you. It's just not interesting. The opponent is stronger, faster and jumpier than you - that's a good situation. Like I said, close his strong side. But if you don't know its strengths and weaknesses; you don’t know how to hold: from a throw or from a pass - that is, a good solution. We are trying to make sure that you are the leader. One side is obviously closed - and the player is deliberately skipped to the other. So you can not lose in the starting jerk and not guess the direction of movement: it can only go in one direction. Try to push the opponent with the ball to the end line, from where he can no longer comfortably attack the basket. Clamp into a corner, press to the line.
Again: close one side tightly. Better - if it will be his forte; if you don’t know which one is strong, close your weak side and let defenses under your strong side. And a safety net: sometimes it's better not to let a player throw from an average distance.
Allowing him to get under the ring. After all, there will be a safety net in the form of a “big”, which cannot be thrown so easily.
Stage 4: Maintenance completed.
It can be a double step and a throw, a simple throw after a stop, a jump, a pivot (reversal), a series of displays, etc. Let's take a closer look at this.
Double step. Remember: he has 2 steps to complete the attack, and you have 2 steps to hit the ball down, and then another full step to block. I recommend doing this:
- A series of small touches to the ball during a double step (as if you were playing a drum). Thus, you will not knock out the ball, but you will disorientate it accurately. Yes, and in order to keep the ball, you have to make more.
- Trying to hit the ball from below! When hitting from above, there is a very high chance that you will hit your fingers - this is a foul. But from below: few people expect such a blow, few people close the ball from below.
And taking the ball up for a throw, he will receive an additional impulse, the push of the ball - throwing it as it was previously thought would not be so easy.
A little tip: after picking up the ball by the opponent, very often the ball goes down, and this is done strongly and abruptly. Just substitute okay from below at the level of the opponent's lower back: he himself will knock the ball against your hand. This is a very cool and often unexpected trick for the opponent.
- If it was a jump stop, or just a stop, then you need to get as close as possible and raise both hands vertically up. Now you can not be afraid of a foul.
Stage 5: Jump Shot.
It's good if you jump high and sharp - then try to block at the moment when the ball leaves the thrower's hand. You can just try to brush it off at the moment when the supporting hand is no longer involved in the throw, and the ball is on the wrist.
I will not talk about how to block-shot, this is a topic for a separate article.
Remember that you can block the thrower's view with your hand: just don't poke it in the eyes, just bring it closer to the thrower's face. A good way (if you have not already jumped out for a block shot, and the throw is being made) is to simulate contact with various organs of the opponent (guys, you understand what I mean). Belly, solar plexus, groin - all this interferes with concentration at the time of the throw. Well, and often on street sites there is a clap of hands: at games they can give a foul, but on the street it can bring down that very concentration.
And finally, I suggest watching the old film , about the individual protection of basketball players, filmed in the USSR. There are some really useful things in there (the movie is old - so turn up the volume).
[youtube]9GMNCBu0Kes[/youtube]
Well, that's all, the main points that will help you defend better without any drastic changes in the game.
I am sure that each of you found something useful in this article. If you have any questions or comments - write them in the comments, I will be glad to discuss.
And this article is over, I wish you successful training and see you soon on the pages of our site.
Basketball defense | Basketball coach
Defense in basketball is the second most important factor, along with offense, which allows you to fight for victory in the match. In modern basketball, the most attention is paid just to the attack, however, the correct game in defense is a much more important success factor. There is an unspoken rule in basketball: "good offense wins the game, good defense wins the title." Today we will focus on the basic concepts of defensive tactics in basketball.
There are two main defense tactics in basketball: zone and personal. In addition, there is a combined version of protective actions, called mixed protection. Personal defense in basketball involves the individual guarding of each opposing player.![]()
When playing "personally", the task of the defender is to constantly be close to one of the attackers (it should be noted that players are sorted out at the beginning of the match, as a rule, starting from the opponent's physical characteristics and playing style). In the figure below, you can see that each attacking player (white circle) is answered by a certain defender (black square).
During the game, substitutions and permutations are possible, and, consequently, the change of guarded players. However, even before the opponent's attack begins, the defender clearly knows who he should defend against. The main task in defense is to “complicate” the life of the attacker as much as possible. A correctly occupied position will allow you to cut off the player from the transfer or perform an interception. Good footwork and movement with the opponent will not allow him to get into a comfortable place to shoot towards the basketball post. And, of course, the creation of various obstacles during the throw (including block shots) will protect the ring from an accurate throw.![]()
Zone defense in basketball is similarly aimed at taking the ball away and preventing the opponent from making an accurate shot around the ring. Nevertheless, such a system of play in defense provides for the guardianship of each of the defenders of a certain section of the site (zone). As you can see from the diagram below, regardless of the placement of the players in the attacking group, the defenders (black squares) are always placed in the same way and defend a certain area of the site.
The zone is a single well-coordinated mechanism that has a certain construction scheme, moves smoothly, depending on the position of the ball on the court. With zone defense, it is possible to establish a more organized game in defense, adapt to the physical characteristics of the attacking players, increase the likelihood of intercepting the ball, and limit the opponent's combinations. The zone is most relevant in the game against screens, however, it is vulnerable against teams with snipers who have the ability to make naked shots from the perimeter, especially from the corner of the court.
In addition, personal defense is more motivating and responsible for the players, since each player is responsible for the actions of a particular opponent. The “Zone”, on the contrary, makes it possible to count on insurance from partners and getting rid of feelings of guilt and responsibility. Personal defense, among other things, is more exhausting for defenders, especially if the team preaches fast-paced basketball in attack, then there is little left for personal defense.
In order to minimize the shortcomings of one of the above systems of defense, there is a mixed type of defense in basketball . According to it, some players build a zone defense, and some personally take care of the attackers. As a rule, the coach decides to use a mixed defense in case of adaptation to the opponent's style of play or especially careful marking of certain players of the team. An example of a mixed defense is the construction of a zone defense according to the 2-2 scheme (4 people participate, who are arranged “in a square”) plus the team’s sniper’s personal guard.
