What is general information about a defensive stop in basketball
General definition of defensive stop
A defensive stop occurs when a defensive team prevents an offensive team, currently in possession of the basketball, from scoring points near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Use the proper stance for a defensive stop
The defensive stance is one of the most important and fundamental elements as it relates to basketball defense in general.
This would also apply in reference to the concept of the defensive stop as well.
In other words, one or more defenders would more than likely have a difficult time generating defensive stops without executing a proper defensive stance.
Essentially, defenders that follow techniques of the proper defensive stance would have their feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, their knees bent, and their back straight while maintaining balance.
Furthermore, defenders would remain on the balls of their feet and not stand flat-footed. Additionally, defenders would have their hands up with their arms extended away from their sides.
Once again, these are the general basics of the defensive stance, which is one of the necessary components to consistently produce multiple defensive stops throughout a basketball game.
Slide laterally for a defensive stop
The defensive slide is yet another important element of basketball defense to eventually generate one or more defensive stops.
To perform the defensive slide, especially with efficiency, defenders should move their feet laterally from side to side with one foot leading the other.
As an example, let’s say that a defender wants to move to their right, which would be the left side of the court from the offensive team’s point of view.
To accomplish this, the defender should move laterally, which is from side to side, with the right foot leading first followed by the left foot shortly thereafter.
On the other hand, let’s say that a defender wants to move to their left, which would be the right side of the court from the offensive team’s point of view.
To achieve this, the defender should move laterally, which is from side to side, with the left foot leading first followed by the right foot shortly thereafter.
It is also important to note that the feet of defenders should not be too close together while executing the lateral slide as that could diminish their ability to move quickly from side to side.
In addition to that, defenders should not cross their feet while performing the lateral slide as that could result in an inability to stay in front of the ball as well as a loss of balance, which could then result in an offensive scoring opportunity instead of a defensive stop.
Implement strategies for a defensive stop
There are several strategies that teams could implement to produce one or more defensive stops throughout the course of a basketball game.
Teams also have the option of executing one full defensive strategy or mixing in different types of strategies against one or more opponents, which would primarily be based on the team’s overall personnel and skills as well as the opposing team’s strengths or weaknesses.
Below are common or popular defensive strategies that could potentially lead to several defensive stops during one or more basketball games.
The 1-2-1-1 press defense, also known as the diamond press, is a basketball defensive strategy that features full court pressure and sideline traps, particularly in the backcourt, which could lead to limited scoring opportunities as well as possible turnovers for the offensive team. One particular advantage of the 1-2-1-1 press defense is that it could be favorable for teams that have speed, quickness, great conditioning, but less than ideal individual offensive skill sets.
The 1-2-2 press defense is a basketball defensive strategy that features sideline traps, particularly in the backcourt or frontcourt, which in turn, could limit offensive scoring opportunities. Also, the 1-2-2 press defense is more or less a containment-type press that seeks to disrupt the rhythm and flow of the offensive team and force them to execute several passes as they attempt to break the press.
The 1-2-2 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy that seeks to limit low post scoring opportunities, restrict dribble penetration, and influence inferior perimeter shot selection while executing on-ball pressure, particularly near the perimeter. Moreover, the 1-2-2 zone defense could be advantageous for the defensive team because it disrupts the offensive team’s ability to take uncontested jump shots, particularly from the wings and it also could create turnovers by way of traps that could be set near the corners.
The 1-3-1 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy that seeks to disrupt offensive scoring opportunities by influencing contested perimeter jump shots and limiting dribble penetration, while executing solid on-ball defense.
The 2-3 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy that seeks to limit dribble penetration, influence contested perimeter jump shots, and decrease offensive scoring opportunities, particularly from the low post areas, while executing adequate on-ball defense. One notable advantage of the 2-3 zone defense is that it could be very beneficial against offensive teams with less than average perimeter shooting skills.
The 3-2 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy that emphasizes the prevention of low post scoring opportunities while restricting dribble penetration with adequate on-ball defense and influencing poor shot selection, particularly from the perimeter.
The box and 1 defense is a basketball defensive strategy and a type of junk defense that seeks to limit scoring opportunities, especially for the opposing team’s best player, by implementing a combination of man to man and zone defense principles.
The pack line defense is a basketball defensive strategy that implements a combination of on-ball defensive pressure, help defense, and denial defense to limit or prevent offensive scoring opportunities, primarily by hindering low post touches and influencing contested perimeter jump shots.
The triangle and 2 defense is a basketball defensive strategy and a type of junk defense that seeks to limit scoring opportunities, primarily for the opposing team’s two best perimeter players, by implementing a combination of man to man and zone defense concepts.
Execute transition defense for a defensive stop
Transition defense is another concept as well as a strategy that is important for teams and players to consider when it comes to generating defensive stops.
As a brief example of why transition defense is essential for defensive stops, let’s say there are two teams, denoted as Team A and Team B.
Let’s also say that Team A currently has possession of the basketball and are executing a set play or strategy of basketball offense.
From that point, let’s say that Team A makes a basket such as a field goal, which is then followed up by Team B executing an inbound pass.
Alternatively though, Team A could have possibly missed a shot such as a free throw as well, which could have then resulted in Team B collecting the ball via a defensive rebound.
In either case, when Team B gains possession of the ball, that effectively gives them the opportunity to execute their transition offense, which could include a primary break, secondary break, or numbered fast break.
At that point, if Team A does not counter that potential offensive action by implementing transition defense, then the chance of a defensive stop would be very slim to none and Team B would be able to quickly score points.
The primary concepts of transition defense that should be considered include protecting the basket, stopping the ball, and matching up.
Protecting the basket takes away the opponent’s ability to make high percentage close-range shots such as layups or dunks, which could then lead to a defensive stop.
Stopping the ball, as the name implies, seeks to stop the transition offensive player in possession of the ball, or at least, slow them down to give other defenders enough time to get back in effective defensive positions, particularly in the offensive team’s frontcourt.
Matching up focuses on defensive players guarding offensive players, preferably of similar size and/or strength.
It should be noted as well that one or more defenders could also backpedal to see where the ball and opponents are currently located.
Furthermore, that backpedal action could be very beneficial for the transition defenders during match-up to quickly locate and tag the offensive team’s best perimeter shooters are.
That basically means that those same offensive players would not be able to easily take wide open jump shots and that, in turn, could lead to an eventual defensive stop.
Utilize tactics for a defensive stop
There are a variety of different tactics that teams could utilize to create one or more defensive stops against an opposing team.
Below are some of the more fundamental tactics that defensive teams should strongly consider to ultimately limit or prevent their opponents’ scoring opportunities.
A closeout is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs when an on-ball defender will quickly close the open space on the court between themselves and an adjacent offensive player with the ball in an effort to limit or prevent an uncontested jump shot or dribble penetration towards the basket.
Denial defense, sometimes referred to as denying the pass or denying the ball, is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs when an off-ball defender, typically one pass away adjacent to the player with the ball, prevents the offensive player that they are currently guarding from receiving the ball.
Drop coverage is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs when a screener’s defender drops below the screener, typically slightly above or below the free throw line area during a ball screen or pick and roll action by the offensive team.
The hedge, also known as hedge and recover, is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs when a screener’s defender obstructs the intended dribbling route of the screen receiver, generally by lifting above the on-ball screen, and afterwards, that same defender typically recovers to the screener.
Help defense is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs when off-ball defenders support the on-ball defender to ultimately limit or prevent potential scoring opportunities of the offensive team.
Switch defense is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs when two defenders exchange the offensive players that they are currently guarding to ultimately hinder or prevent offensive scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
Steal the ball for a defensive stop
Individual players on a defensive team could steal the ball from the offensive team, which could lead to a turnover as well as a defensive stop.
An on-ball defender could try to steal the ball while the offensive player is dribbling it, while the offensive player is holding on to it, or while an offensive player is trying to pass it to another teammate.
An off-ball defender could try to steal the ball via a strong side interception, weak side interception, or inbound pass interception.
Furthermore, an off-ball defender could also deflect an offensive player’s pass, which could then result in a subsequent steal and turnover.