Five Key Points In Basketball Defense

When playing basketball, a player has to deal with two major points and those are the offense and defense. These two go hand in hand, so without one, it would be impossible for a team to win the match. It has always been said that the best offense is a good defense. Here are some points to keep in mind in order to be able to defend well.

1. Always use the proper defensive stance. When defending a player, you are not expected to stand up straight; instead, you are expected to do the defensive stance. It has been said that a proper defensive stance is the foundation for a good defense.

When on a defensive stance your knees should be bent and you must look like you are sitting in the air. Your feet and shoulders should be spread apart and your arms away from the body blocking any potential passing points.

Slide your feet from side to side and do not ever cross one foot over the other. Crossing will most likely result to your tripping and falling down leaving your opponent open.

2. When we hear the word defense, we immediately think of guarding the player with the ball which is in fact true. But just because that player has the ball doesn't mean you only have to defend him. In fact, you also have to defend the other players.

In defending a player who doesn't possess the ball, always position yourself in such a manner that the ball can't get through without getting past you. In simpler terms, you should position yourself between your man and the ball.

3. Basketball is indeed a physical game. When playing basketball, it is hard not to get physically close to someone. Proximity is an important aspect in defense. In order for you to defend effectively, you should stay as close as possible to the player you are defending but not too close for you to end up with a foul.

If you reach and touch the player you are defending, most of the time that means you are at a safe distance from the offensive player. If you can barely reach and touch him then that only means one thing, you are too far from him and he will easily get past through you and you won't be able to do anything. Stay close but not too close.

4. There are two types of defense; the man to man defense and the zone defense. In man to man defense, a player has to defend a particular player the whole game thus the term.

In zone defense, a player has to defend certain areas in the court rather than a particular player. The area that a player has to defend changes constantly.

These types of defense can be used alone or in combination. How it is used will depend on the coach's preference as well as the situation.

5. Man to man defense or zone defense may be enough but a player should learn to take advantage of a particular situation. When a player is dribbling, you can always take advantage of this by stealing the ball. Yes, stealing is one defensive move that never fails to get the crowd up to their feet.

When you steal a ball, you are giving your team a chance to score. To steal a ball, you must have swift hands. If you move slowly, the player might be able to defend the ball even before you can reach for it. Keep in mind that each player knows that the defensive player will always try to steal the ball.