Wanna become a better perimeter defender in basketball but don’t know how? This article will talk about the importance of defense and the drills you can do to improve your D.
Defense wins games. I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase many times before. And it’s true.
There has never been a defensively bad team that won the title. Well, maybe there were a couple.
But the majority of championship teams were solid defenders.
Additionally, every good team has a designated go-to defensive player.
The ‘98 Bulls had Dennis Rodman. The ‘04 Pistons had Ben Wallace. The ‘07 Spurs had Bruce Bowen.
This list goes on and on, and it shows how important defense is for success in basketball.
Just think about it this way: you can’t win unless you get stops. If both teams only played offense, the score would be even throughout the game.
Then, the winner would be determined by who has the ball in the last few seconds of the game because chances are, they’re going to make that basket since there is no defence being played.
The Stories of the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs
The ‘04-‘05 Phoenix Suns revolutionized the game of basketball. They were a fast-paced team that overwhelmed their opponents by constantly moving the ball.
They got the ball up and around the court, and to open players as quickly as possible.
That season, they led the NBA in wins and their captain, Steve Nash, was the NBA’s MVP. They were projected to win the title. But they didn’t.
The Suns lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals and it was because the Spurs were a superior defensive team.
The Sun’s defence (and lack of size) couldn’t keep up with their rivals.
The Suns had two excellent defenders -Shawn Marion and Quintin Richardson.
But the Spurs had multiple. And the Spurs’ playbook revolved around tight defence.
The Spurs were able to slow down and stop the Suns’ fast offence, while the Suns couldn’t prevent the Spurs from pounding them in the low post.
Thus, the Spurs defeated them 4-1.
The Spurs also went on to win the NBA Championship that season.
They beat the Detroit Pistons (also a sound defensive team) in a hard-fought battle.
Best Drills to Become a Better Defender
So now that you know the importance of defence, how can you get better at it?
Well, the best defenders all have heart and hustle, know how to position themselves, and know how to read their opponent’s body language.
They also have quick hands and feet and are strong. And finally, they are able to communicate with teammates well.
These are the skills you have to work on to become a better defender.
“But how can I work on these skills?” you may be wondering.
Well, if you were just a tad bit more patient, you would let me tell you. But it’s okay, I forgive you. You’re just anxious to learn and improve.
Anywhoo, here are some drills you can do:
Defensive Specialist (Lane Agility Drill)
The Defensive Specialist Drill (or Lane Agility) is an obstacle course that you can run to improve your quickness.
It works on multiple movements that are used in defence. There are lateral movements, close-outs, and backpedalling.
When doing this drill, make sure to imagine you’re guarding someone. Use your hands to contest shots and drives.
Also, remember to put in 100 percent effort. You can time yourself each round to ensure you run the course as fast as possible.
Zig-Zag Slides
Basic Version
Complex Version
Zig-Zag Slides is a great drill for conditioning and practising correct defensive stances.
When doing them, you’ll strengthen your leg muscles and core while improving your defensive footwork.
You’ll also practise the correct hand positions for each direction. This drill is also good for practicing shot contesting.
As you run through this drill, make sure to stay low.
Also, pay attention to where your hands are as you slide up and down the court.
Lockdown Defensive Slides
Lockdown Defensive Slides are also a great conditioning drill.
However, unlike the previous drill, this drill trains your speed and quickness more.
You’ll have to move as quickly as possible to catch the ball before it stops bouncing.
Additionally, this drill will develop your hand-eye coordination and reaction time.
As you slide back, you have to pay attention to the tennis ball and react to grab it.
But when you start getting tired, this will become more difficult to do and will challenge your reaction timing and focus.
Take the Charge
Every player has to take a charge every once in a while. And this drill will help you do just that.
Additionally, this drill will tighten up your reaction, quickness, and hustle by getting you to react when you see the ball handler.
It’ll force you to quickly step over to take the charge and hustle to get your butt up to take another charge.
However, I’m going to change this drill up a bit for my version.
Rather than switching players after every turn, the charge taker will remain the same until the drill is over.
Each player will take 5 charges before swapping.
Everything else will remain the same.
Play 1-on-1 to Become a Better Defender
1-on-1 is a great game for practising defence in real situations.
It’ll be a simulator that teaches players how to react to real moves in a competitive environment, while conditioning players.
If you want to turn this game into a defensive drill, what you can do is just play defence and keep score by tracking the stops you get.
Every steal, block, or rebound you get will be 1 point for you. And if they score, that’s one for them.
You can play up to 7 (or 21 if you’re a gym rat). 11 is also a good option.
Final Thoughts
Defence is the most important aspect of basketball. You can’t win games without it.
So, these 5 drills are meant to help you become a better defender.
Add them to your on-court routine and become an annoying defensive pest.