Defending the pick and roll

Good question.
IMO, it depends on whom you play. If their guard can knock down outside shot, Steve has to fight over the pick. If their guard can't, slide under.

It takes the whole team to defend the PnR though.
Lately we haven't done as good a job helping. We also failed to help the helper quite often too. Yao (or whoever) no longer shows hard on the pick because he has to get back to his own man. We need to rotate and help him.

Steve himself gives up chasing his man too soon. He needs to keep trying like he did during the 1st 5, 6 games.

 

I've noticed the same thing. Dang picks do it every time. If its a good pick on the picker and the ball handler's part both, I think it would be more effective to slide around.
If it is a pick like OURS are, then you can fight through.
It seems that Yao and Cato move out of the way too early on our side.........

 

The pick and roll defense has KILLED the Rockets all season. JVG wants guards to fight through picks, BUT it absolutely REQUIRES the big man to show on the opposing guard to give our guy time to get around the pick. Our big men haven't been quick enough to show and then go and it has really hurt our ability to defend the perimeter.

The other problem is that this team hesitates on both sides of the ball. Much of it is due to just not being fully comfortable with one another yet. When you hesitate on a defensive rotation, you give up open shots or end up picking up dumb fouls. Both the guards and the big men don't always have great communication on the p-n-r and that is trouble.

The Rockets have always given up easy shots on the pick and roll because Rudy was comfortable with the percentages of allowing a tough perimeter shot over a layup on the roll to the basket. In the case of this current team's defense, it is really a case of hesitation and lack of quickness.

 

I think that in the NO game we did a much better job of trapping off of picks which really slowed down their offense.

 

I havent rolled my tape yet,and since I missed the game I hate commenting on it till I do....but.

I'll take Baron's quote and assume our pnr defense was much improved tonight.

now lets just pray they can keep it up.

 

The most important part of defending PnR is communication & chemistry between the defenders. The picker's defender has to let the ball defender know when & where the picker is coming, what he should expect. Once you know what you expect, it'll be much easier to force the ball handler go the other way, fight through, or go under with the knowledge that your teammate will be there to help.


--daoshi

 

Wow - that's the coolest thing I've read this entire season. WTG Rockets!