What does blow by generally mean in basketball
Blow by is a general basketball term that is typically applied when an offensive player, who is usually near a perimeter area of the court, creates separation from an adjacent defender, primarily by executing some type of dribble action towards the basket.
Why is blow by action typically useful
Blow by action is typically useful for the offensive player in possession of the ball as well as the offensive team in general because it could result in defensive breakdowns and/or scoring opportunities.
Essentially, after blowing by an adjacent defender, an offensive player in possession of the ball could attack the rim to score via a close-range shot such as a layup or dunk, take a jump shot from mid-range or three-point range or pass the ball to another teammate who might be able to generate another scoring opportunity.
What’s more is that even if the defense is able to mitigate the blow by action and subsequent dribble penetration with a tactic such as a defensive switch, the offensive team still could take advantage of possible defensive mismatches that may have occurred.
What player attribute is generally the most important as it relates to blow by action
Speed is generally the most important attribute for an offensive player as it relates to blow by action.
To give a general definition, speed is the general ability for a basketball player to move from one area of the court to another area, particularly as it pertains to moving fast in a vertical direction, which would be up and down the court, in the shortest amount of time as possible.
Essentially, the more speed that the offensive player has when compared to an opposing defender, especially an on-ball defender, the more easier it would become to potentially blow by that defender, especially with an explosive first step.
It should also be noted that quickness is another factor that could possibly help with generating effective blow by action as well.
In a basic sense, an offensive player, specifically in possession of the basketball, could use their quickness in combination with certain dribble moves to shift an on-ball defender’s weight and/or feet towards one direction while the offensive player moves in the opposite direction.
Afterwards, the offensive player could then use their speed to blow by the defender. Once that occurs, it would generally be challenging for the defender to get back in front of the offensive player to cut off the possible dribble penetration and contain the ball.
Moreover, it should be mentioned that offensive players could potentially improve their speed and quickness via certain plyometric exercises such as jump squats, box jumps, broad jumps and depth jumps, which could be potentially implemented with various plyometric equipment as well.
Players could also consider using a speed rope to perform various jump rope exercises as another method to feasibly develop their speed and quickness.
What basketball positions could consider utilizing the blow by action
In terms of basketball positions, the blow by action could be utilized by perimeter players such as the point guard, shooting guard, or small forward.
The primary reason for that is because those particular players generally possess the most speed and quickness. Additionally, although less common, it is possible within a basketball game for post players such as a power forward or center to blow by other slower defenders (who would usually be post players as well), especially if those post-oriented players possess an adequate amount of speed and quickness in addition to sufficient dribbling skills.
What are examples of basketball moves that could be used to blow by a defender
Stutter Step
The offensive player can perform the stutter step move by executing a series of short, choppy steps while dribbling the basketball.
Afterwards, the short steps could potentially cause the defender to momentarily freeze in their stance and when that occurs, the offensive player could blow by them to attack the basket or raise up for a possible jump shot.
In and out
The offensive player can execute the in and out move by dribbling the ball with one hand across the frontal area of their body while simultaneously executing a jab step with the opposite foot.
When that occurs, the defender could possibly shift their feet towards the direction of the ball, which then opens up a driving lane for the offensive player to blow by them.
So, as a brief example, let’s say that the offensive player has possession of the ball and performs an in and out move with their right hand.
This could cause the defender to shift their feet towards their right side, which would also be the left side from the offensive player’s perspective.
From there, the small shift could open up a dribbling pathway on the offensive player’s right side, which could then be used to blow by the defender.
Hesitation
The offensive player can perform the hesitation move by dribbling the ball with one particular hand and then simply delaying the next dribble.
Essentially, once the first dribble is complete, it may appear that the offensive player is about to end their dribble due to the delay action and as a result, the defender could temporarily relax in their defensive stance.
However, when that happens, the offensive player could take advantage of that defensive relaxation and blow by the defender.
A simple example of a basic hesitation move could be the high low dribble action. Basically, the offensive player would dribble the ball at least one time in a somewhat high stance with knees slightly bent.
Afterwards, the offensive player delays the next dribble while still in that high stance and immediately lowers their body to execute another dribble in an attempt to blow by the defender.
The high low hesitation dribble move could be potentially effective because the higher offensive stance and the delayed dribble action generally gives the defender the impression that the offensive player is not necessarily trying to attack the rim, which means the defender might relax in their defensive stance to one degree or another.
However, once the offensive player lowers their stance, the defender more than likely would not be ready to drop down into their lower defensive stance.
This also means that the defender might not be able to slide their feet quickly enough to stay in front of the offensive player and contain the ball.
Therefore, as a result, the offensive player could potentially blow by the defender, which could lead to one or more scoring opportunities as well.
In a nutshell, the hesitation move is probably one of the best basketball moves that an offensive player could consider to increase their chances of blowing by a defender, especially when linked with other dribble moves to create combinations such as the hesitation crossover dribble, the hesitation between the legs dribble, or the hesitation behind the back dribble.