Breaking Down the Defense

Everyone pretty much knows how to score the basketball: you make a strong post move down low, knock down a jump shot from the perimeter, or drive to the basketball and lay it in.

But if you really study the game, you'll realize that there's more to it than that.

There's a lot of technique, skill, and lots of small nuances to the game that make one player just a good scorer, and another player a great scorer. It's isn't just about shooting the basketball, or making a good move.

If you really break it down, being a great scorer means creating space to shoot the ball. Whether it's creating enough space to shoot a jump shot, or opening up enough space by driving by your defender and getting to the hoop, scoring the basketball is about creating space to operate and knock down the shot.

So that brings us to the heart of the matter and the topic of this article: how do you create space to score the basketball? Here's how.

If your defender has backed off of you

This is a gimme'. If you're in good shooting range, knock the shot down. If they've given you the space to take the shot, go ahead and knock it down until they respect you enough to close the gap and guard you closely. There may be times when you catch the ball on the wing, and the defender (for whatever reason) has backed off of you enough for you to take your jump shot. Punish the defense for not respecting your outside shot.

If your defender is playing you tight

This is really where "creating space" kicks in. If the defense is playing you tight, your job is to somehow make enough room to operate (either to take the shot, or to drive around the D and get to the basket). Here's how you can do it:

Jab step

The classic jab-step move (using your pivot foot to take a step towards the D to make them move backward) is a great move to create space for yourself. Often, just a jab-step will give you enough room to take a jumper.

Pump fake

The pump fake will often get the D on their toes, moving towards you. This gets them out of position, usually allowing you to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. The key on this move it to really sell the pump fake (i.e. make it look real).

Dribble fake

The dribble fake is much like the jab step, but using the ball, you act as if you're going to put the ball on the floor. The result is usually the defense backing away to guard against the drive, allowing you room to shoot the ball.

Pass fake

This isn't used as much as it could be, but a good pass fake will often get the defense leaning in one direction or the other, or up on their toes and therefore out of position to play good defense. Faking an overhead pass, or a pass out to the top of the key is often enough to get a defender to relax a bit, allowing you to take a quick jumper or drive past them.

Cross-over

Finally, the classic cross-over. It's a great, aggressive move that when done properly, can often get you past the D. Dribble in one direction and really sell that you're moving that way, then make the quick, low, and powerful cross-over and explode by the defense in the other direction.

Get it and go

Having mentioned several moves you can make to force the D out of position or get them off-balance, there's always the basic "get it and go" move. Meaning: when you catch the pass, make an immediate, explosive drive by the defender. There will be lots of times when the defense takes a second or two to close on you or get in good defensive position. Take advantage of that, don't let them close or get set, and just drive right by them.

So there you have it, broken down and spelled out.

When you catch the ball on the wing, you're in charge. As the offensive player, you are in a position of power. The defense has to react to what you do and the moves you make. So use this to your advantage.

If the defense has backed off, is out of position, or is racing out at you, catch the pass and take the jumper right away, or make an immediate drive past the defender before he has a chance to set up. Or, force the defense to react to your moves (jab step, pump fake, shot fake, etc.), and then take it to them, either with a jumper or drive.

Work on breaking down a defender off the dribble. It's an essential skill to have if you want to be a great offensive player.

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