The Battle For Space Position: Keys Winning the Position You Want
#46- The Battle for Space on the Court:
Keys to Winning the Position You Want
Keys to Winning the Position You Want
by Alan Lambert
Introduction
There is one particular skill crucial for your success as a basketball player. It is the ability win the battle for position. This refers to your ability to get open, win the position you want on the court, or prevent your opponent from doing the same. Basketball is in reality a battle for space on the court. That is the focus of today's Pointer. Whether you are in the low post trying to get the ball in a high percentage scoring position or the ball side blocks or flashing from the weak side your ability to get the position you want will determine your ability to convert a high percentage shot. If you are a perimeter player, being able to get open in a scoring position or to help your team initiate their team offense at the correct spot on the court is critical to your team’s success. The battle for space isn't just about getting position for the ball either, because as a rebounder your ability to establish and maintain a position often determines the payoff for you on the offensive or defensive boards. For the point guard or player with the ball the battle for space comes down to your ability to break down your defensive players spacing to force a help defender to create drive and dish situations leading to high percentage scores. Today's pointer will help you more clearly understand techniques to better enable to win this battle for position.
Keep Your Feet Active But With Purpose
If there is one general rule coaches teach for getting space it is to keep your feet moving. However, this footwork must be intelligent and timely to be effective. Constant movement with no sense of where the ball is, or where your teammates or opponents are located is like racing to a fire without water. Your effort is useless unless you keep your court vision and respect the big picture on the court. Moving fast isn't the whole answer either. Without a doubt explosive cuts get you space, but when they are predictable an equally or more gifted player will anticipate and beat you to the space you want. Let us look at some factors that influence getting open before we move on to specific technique.
Basic Principles To Win Space
In a previous Playground Pointer entitled Changing Your Speed and Rhythm: It's About Time (see my book Basketball Highway's Playground Pointers: Stuff Good Players Should Know I introduced the concept of what is called the Psychological Refractory Period (or PRP). The PRP basically describes the physical limitation the mind and body have to two events that occurs very close together in time (less than 2/10th of a second). If the 2nd action occurs within that 2/10th of a second, anyone trying to respond to that second action will be necessarily slowed (as much as a half a second) before they can respond to that 2nd action. In boxing they call this the 1-2 punch. For basketball players it condenses down to making short quick fakes generally opposite (to get the opponent to bite on the first action) with a subsequent 2nd action to which the opponent is slow to respond. You see this in many of the killer crossover dribble moves kids are now using. The first move is only for the purpose of getting the defender to bite on that action whereas the 2nd move beats the defender. When you are attempting to win space always string together two quick movements and in general one in the opposite direction of the place you want to cut to receive the ball. In many cases you may need to take more than one hard step away from where you want the ball. Often this is the only way to get a defender to vacate a spot in order to set up a second set of 1-2 movements to gain the best advantage for winning the spot on the court you desire.
The second physical concept you want to be very aware of comes physical laws of science commonly used in the martial arts. Few players are physically stronger than every opponent they face. Even if you are stronger, simply pushing your opponent out of the way will more often result in a foul than in winning position. However if you learn how to apply force to break your opponents balance they are less able to respond quickly to sudden cuts or actions by you. Balance is a key to explosive quick starts in basketball. If you are pushing on a object (such as your opponent) you can stabilize a position but the trade-off is if you push too much, a sudden change in their exerted counter pressure may cause you to lose your balance and actually work to slow your ability to cut hard to a position. Coaches commonly teach what is called a "seal move" where you pin and hold a defender, or attacker in a given position by stabilizing your body against them. This works best after you have already established the position on the court you want to win. Keep this simple principle in mind when you are attempting to win the battle for space on the court. Pin and Seal works but only to your advantage if you stay on your toes, keep your balance, and maintain the ability to react quickly to changes in pressure by the defense or retrieve an errant pass.
Finally there are times when you are already closer to a position you want to win than your opponent. When that is the case on offense, you only want to release and explode to that position when your teammate is ready to pass you the ball. In essence you seal and hold until your teammate is ready to pass and then explode. Keep this simple rule in mind when you are closer to the position you want and between the defender and that position; hold and explode.
Offensive Techniques for Winning the Battle for Position
Now let's quickly translate these scientific rules for basketball into on court examples. First I want to demonstrate techniques specific to offensive play and what you need to do to win the battle for the space you want.
Low Post- The simplest way to win this battle is to get to the position first. In transition this means beating your opponent down the court, establish a seal, hold and explode to catch the ball technique on the entry pass. If you are physically smaller and have less strength than your opponent, you will likely get pushed out of the position you want. Most coaches properly teach what is called post and repost. This essentially means when you are being pushed off a position on the low blocks, get away from the physical pressure exerted to push you off this position (normally away from the ball) and with a quick 1-2 action (remember the PRP principle) quickly re-establish your feet beating your opponent back to the position they original displaced you from. You might even have to do this several times remember that constant movement and quick feet can do more to get you position than simply brute force. Keep in mind as well if a defender is pushing with extraordinary force toward the perimeter to root you out of this position, you can surprise them by quickly stepping away allowing them to momentarily stumbled forward to lose their balance prior to quickly pinning and sealing them in the opposite direction away from the position from which they stumble. Remember think PRP, use your opponents strength to your advantage and hold and explode and you'll get your post position. As a footnote when your battle is for position at the High Post the only difference is that when a defender wants to push you out off of this position, release and let them stumble in front as you seal and dive to the basket. If you do this enough they will exert less force and be slower to react with each success movement of this type allowing you to win the battle at the High Post.
Wing Position- This position requires a bit more subtlety when acquiring your desire position because you generally want to catch the ball in both a position to score or penetrate into scoring range and where the offense can be initiated in a position where your offensive spacing is not distorted to the defense's advantage. Generally speaking this is somewhere around the three point line at the free-throw line extended. Most teams will use a screener to get you open at this position but good players can get themselves open because they understand the principles we have stated above and when to time their explosive cut when the passer is ready to make the pass. The most common reason players fail to win the position they want on the wing is poor cut timing and not necessarily their ability to temporarily shake their defender. They must work hand in hand to enable success in winning this battle for position. Take always take your defender away from where you want to receive the ball. When possible on this initial action, keep your body between the defender and the position you want to win. Keep this position until the passer has made eye contact and given a non-verbal cue they are ready for you to break, then explode to the position by first stepping hard into the defender, with a forearm bar (don't push and get a foul) followed by another short explosive step to the "spot". Remember here the importance of the PRP. One slow action followed by another slow cut essentially erodes the half second advantage you get by performing a proper PRP 1-2 cut. Finally if a defender is leaning on you and trying to seal you off from the position you are trying to win, seal them back in the opposite direction (usually in the direction away from basket) and make them believe you can easily back cut them to the basket, much like the technique used at the High Post when they are fronted. If and when they push back for fear they will be back cut to the basket, you quickly release your seal, force them to lose their balance, and quick 1-2 step back to the spot you originally desired to win.
PG-open court(creating separation)- In the open court the problem of getting the position you desire is generally hampered by having possession of the ball and by the more aggressive defensive pressure you get further away from the basket. In the case of the PG the space you will attempt to win will be either a spot from which you can safely penetrate the ball to pass and properly initiate the team offense or to break down your defender to create drive and dish conditions. Coaches teach change of speed and rhythm. This is primarily important because of the PRP principle. Even if you are a slower player than your defender, you can somewhat off-set their advantage by being unpredictable and constantly using short 1-2 changes of speed and direction to keep adequate spacing between the ball and the defender. This is most critical when you near the position on the court you want to initiate the offense because your ability to free yourself from hard pressure at the moment you want to make the initial pass will often determine whether or not you successfully get your team into their half court set. While you are advancing the ball down the court, change your speed and rhythm but save your best changes for the last move to initiate the offense. If you get nearly into the half court set to initiate the offense and hard getting hard physical pressure exerted against you, keep your body between the ball and the defender, try to temporarily seal them so that they exert too much physical pressure, then quickly release your position and make an attack dribble move (reverse pivot, crossover, or jab and go) at the very moment the defender loses their balance. You can create space to win your space in this manner in tight quarters in the offensive end of the court.
Rebounding- The art of rebounding has some to do with excellent footwork and technique and a lot more to do with staying active, staying constant in your pursuit of the ball, and understanding that controlling as much space near the basket as possible has the most to do with your winning the ball. Poor footwork and block out technique results in your inability to win space and forces you as a rebounder to rely on your athleticism to win the boards. This works for the most athletic, but for the rest of us, getting the best position first is your best bet to controlling and winning the boards. As an offensive rebounder you want to slash, pin, and be constant in your footwork in any effort to prohibit the defensive rebounder from sealing you far out away from the basket. The closer you can get to the basket with your movement the better chance you have of either getting a tip-in or keeping the ball alive for a teammate to rebound and convert a put-back. Think again now of our physical principles to become a more effective offensive rebounder and win the space you want near the basket. Optimally you want to make a 1-2 PRP cut to at least get even with your block-out defender near the basket and use your body to seal them either under the basket when they are too close, or the side away from where the ball will probably bounce from a given shot location and then explode to the ball. Remember if the defender pushes hard to block you out, release, force them to break their balance and re-attack the basket. Often a quick spin move off the body of the block-out defender serves this purpose well.
With the Ball- If you are the go to player with the ball you will be attempting to create space for an uncontested shot, or to break down your defender enough to force a help defender to leave their position and commit to stop the ball thereby leaving an open teammate for a pass and shot. Any dribble move involving change of speeds and directions produces the best results in winning that desire space. Many attackers however get "one directional" in their change of speeds. I think the toughest players to guard are those that can kill you on their drives to the basket, but maintain their balance and use a 1-2 PRP step back move to nail the open jumper, ala Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Equally successful in this situation is using your body from a hard 1-2 penetration move to seal a defender off from a position you want to take the shot. You often see this when players at the Pro level back a player down, seal them and hit that tough fade away jumper which is almost impossible to contest.
Defensive Tactics for Winning the Battle for Position
Having seen the tactics your opponent is attempting to use on your to create space on offense let's focus now on what you can do as a defender to deter them from achieving that goal and making you the victor for space from the defensive side of the ball.
Low Post- Your primary job in defending the low post is to get to the prime offensive position and make the attacker initiate movement away from their most comfortable scoring position. Ideally you want them to have to step out away from the basket. This requires both strength, footwork quickness, and savvy to not let the defender release and repost when you have initially won the position on the original post up attempt. While you must concentrate on defending the ball-basket-player triangle great anticipation can result in reducing the effectiveness of one or more 1-2 PRP cuts, as well as preventing the attacker from gaining seal and explode position. Push only enough in fighting to win this position as you can maintain your balance and ability to readjust your footwork to deter a quick entry pass angle. If the attacking lays too much force into you, step quickly away to force a break in balance, and then re-establish the "best" position available to deny the entry pass. To reduce the effectiveness of any quick 1-2 movement once they have received the ball, crowd the defender and attempt to force them in one direction while you slide and apply physical force to reduce their speed and ability to get off the floor. Never let the attacker seal and hold you from a position. Pressure, release the pressure and keep the attacker physically off balance as much as possible.
Wing Position- On the wing your job is to take away the desire space for catching the ball in scoring position or forcing the offense to initiate their attack either with poor spacing or well beyond scoring range. Here is it critical to stay between your man and the ball without getting sealed out either to or away from the basket. I believe it is also quite necessary to stay close as possible but without allowing the offensive attacker ever to get any substantial part of their weight or body against you. This allows you both greater reaction time when they attempt to use the quick 1-2 PRP movement principle, and reduces the chances of having pressure applied via seal and explode movement to the ball. Without quick active and constant footwork this is almost virtually impossible. But remember you don't have to deny the ball completely to most players to win the battle for position from a defensive perspective. You just need to put the attacker in a position there they are less likely to score, or where the defensive help team as a whole have more time in order to close penetration gaps, help and recover to maintain pressure on the ball and shooters in half court situations.
Pressure on the ball- When defending on the ball you want to be only as tight to the attacker as your footwork and foot quickness permit you to prevent penetration to the basket. I believe that part of winning the battle from this defender's perspective is to be aggressive enough to "control the dribbler" rather than have the dribbler control you. This might mean applying surprising pressure in various rhythm and speed change combinations down the court. More importantly you must understand are already between your man and the basket, or the position they want, and as long as you move your feet and occupy that spot first, the attacker must be the initiator to break down that position. If your opponent is most effective and comfortable in initiating the offense one step outside the three-point line directly in front of the basket, exert pressure so they must initiate it slightly off center, or even off toward the wing. Teams practice offenses based on rhythm, timing and spacing. Your job defensive on the ball is to apply pressure to disrupt any of those elements and you can best do that by winning the battle for the position they want and practice.
Help Defense- The most common problem for help defenders is they believe that being in position at one point in time means they are prepared to hold and maintain the optimal help position relative to the ball. The obvious problem is simply that the ball, their player and other attacker are in constant motion. To win this battle the help defender must constantly adjust their position because they do not always know when and where an attacker will ply their 1-2 PRP move, or attempt to seal and explode to a desired position. Properly adjusting your help position as your player and the ball move, buy you space and time, and puts you in a position to seal out flash defenders or cutters, and force them to take the "long way around" to get to a position.
Rebounding- Defensive rebounding is all about physically checking your man away from the basket and exploding to the ball. The greater the amount of space you can create between your man and the basket the less likely the attacker can get a hand to the ball for a tip-in or tap to a teammate. When blocking out you should assume a half and half position and generally react to the second of the common 1-2 quick moves an offensive rebounder will use to slash into the basket. Turning your butt into an attacker and failing to make contact is a sure way to lose position in the battle for the boards. It is critical however on the defensive boards that you don't seal and exert too much physical pressure for too long against an offensive rebounder because they can use your pressure against you and getting into a "sedentary" position makes you slow to the ball. Optimally you'd like a quick explosive 1-2 movement to pin, seal, and explode to the ball to be the most effective offensive rebounder. And remember the greater the space you can win by making contact early on the attacker prior to the ball contacting the rim, the more likely you will win this battle for the best rebound position. When you have lost the battle for the most proficient board position always remember that a little physical contact at or near the moment prior to a rebounders jump can effectively break their jumping rhythm and balance and slow their ability to get to the ball before you or your teammate do.
To conclude today's Pointer I remind you of the three scientific principles that will help you the most in winning the space you want. Use the Psychological Refractory Principle and quick 1-2 movements to get to a position first. Apply the laws of physics regarding balance and applied force to keep your opponent off balance and slower to react and move. Last, when you are between your man and the position you want, use seal, step in and explode technique to beat the position you want. Remember the battle for space on the court is the key battle to winning the game on many different levels. Get there first, and understand how to defend your spot through balance, positioning and good footwork.
Check back next month for another Playground Pointers courtesy of The Basketball Highway®.