The Merits of Team Defense

Basketball defenses are at their best when all five players are working hard together. While one shot blocker in the post or one tenacious ball hawk on the perimeter can lead the way, the best defensive units play off one another’s strengths to shut down the opposition. They stick to a specific game plan and execute it to the best of their abilities.

Good defense requires plenty of different variables, all of which amount to a sum greater than the individual parts. Proper footwork is imperative. Players need to stay low yet be ready to spring upward. Communication is always a great way to ensure that each teammate is where they need to be.

Coaches should use sports team websites to outline the many intricacies of team defense. They can use the site to show video clips of proper defensive schemes and shifts, or they can run down some worthwhile drills to practice.

Young athletes don’t always understand what it takes to be great on both ends of the floor. But with proper guidance from a coach, they can learn how to prepare themselves for the rigors of team defense.

Pacers surprise the NBA with playoff push

Not too many people following the NBA this year expected much from the Indiana Pacers. The team lost star players Paul George to injury and Lance Stephenson to free agency. However, over the past month or so, the team has buckled down and played great collective defense in its fight for a playoff spot. NBA.com reported that the Pacers have won their past seven games, allowing a league-best 88.4 points per 100 possessions.

“We’re just really hitting it with every little detail the last couple of weeks,” coach Frank Vogel told the news outlet. “I made the decision to shift most of my emphasis to the defensive end, to try to reach some of the levels that we reached last year.”

Boise State prepares for postseason with team defense

The Boise State men’s basketball team is ranked No. 25 in the country. According to the Idaho Statesmen, a better effort on the defensive end of the floor has keyed the success.

“We needed to be consistent with one defensive approach,” assistant coach Danny Henderson told the news outlet. “Last year it slapped us in the face that if we want to do what we want to do, we have to play great defense. It’s been such a collective effort, the staff’s on the same page, and all the credit goes to the players.”