@justanotherfan
For the most part, I agree.
We’ve been playing a “sagging M2M.” It’s about 5% better than a sagging zone.
Our guards come closer to the paint, leaving the outside shooter WIDE OPEN!
This place where they go… near the paint is truly “no man’s land” (dead zone) because their only possible “help” here is to snag a defensive board.
I know most everyone in here is familiar with “musical chairs.”
We had a guarding drill called “musical chairs.”
Instead of being in the right spot when the music stops you had to be in the right spot when the shot went up. Anyone caught in “no man’s land” better be able to substantiate their reasons for being there.
If a player is going to offer weak side help, then friggin’ help! Don’t go through the motions and be caught in a dead zone when the shot goes up.
All of our guards are guilty. None of our guards would make it through a practice drill of “musical chairs” without getting called out and forced to comply.
Here is another one of my peaves…
When a ball handler drives the baseline and you are on the other side of the goal… you just stand there while the player goes under the basket and out of bounds but right before that he passes to the corner for a WIDE OPEN trey.
The first thought that should be going on in the head of these players just being spectators instead of defenders is… “where is this player going to throw the ball?” We should have 3 or 4 steals per game just realizing this. But… chances are the player is standing in the dead zone, just watching the game played and then reacts late to the ball going out to the corner by making it look like he is defending the shot. Bull snit!
If you are a defender and not right at the basket preparing to defend the goal from a driver going through, you better be prepared for his outlet pass.
This is like stealing candy from a baby.