Offence Wins Games/Defense Wins Championships

What would basketball be without Xs and Os?  Really, what would any sport be without an offense and a defense?  These two things are vital to ensure that the flow of any competition is smooth.  For those who don’t know, offense is about getting the best shot possible.  Players have to share the ball, set screens for one another, and find ways to get each other or themselves open for a good shot.  Defense, on the other hand, is being able to stay in front of your competitor and prevent them from scoring.

OFFENSE

There are countless different plays in the sport of basketball.  Though there are many plays, they are each ran out of certain schemes.  Those schemes include:

• Early Offense
• Set Offense
• Motion Offense
• Zone Offense
• Spread Offense

The personnel and who the opponent is determines which scheme to use.  Early offense if going to be your fast break offense.  It typically occurs when you get possession of the ball after a rebound.  Set offenses take place in the half court.  These sets are more complex and consist of ball screens actions.  It’s also important to exhibit patience when receiving screens.1 Motion offense consists of a lot of player movement.  This offense is very effective when there is a size advantage.  Typically a team full of guards utilize this scheme.  Zone offenses are utilized when an opponent is running a zone defense.  I’ll talk more about zone defenses later in the blog.  Spread offenses are used when a team has a solid lead and wants to hold the ball to make the time run out.

DEFENSE

Ever heard defense wins championships? Well you heard right!  Defense is single handedly the most important aspect the game of basketball.  “However, just as defense can win the big ones, so lack of defense can lose them.”2 There are a few different defensive schemes that teams use.  Those are:

• Man to Man
• Zone
• Press

With defensive schemes it all depends on the strengths of your opponents.  The purpose of man to man is to match up with your opponent and pressure the ball.  There are a couple of different zone defenses.  You have 2-3 zone, 3-2 zone, box-1 zone, and 1-3-1 zone.  Teams usually utilize zones when their opponents don’t shoot three pointers really well.  Press defense also has multiple different variables.  You have full court press and half court press, and within those schemes you have different sets like the zone.

What is the game of basketball without Xs and Os you ask?  It’s absolute chaos!!!

References:

1 Kantor, S.  (2004). The Role of Offense and Defense in 80/20 Basketball.  Coach & Athletics Director, 74(2), 26-31.

2 Kimble, J. (2007). Continuous Offense: Secondary Fastbreaks. Coach & Athletic Director, 77(2), 14-20.