Your friend sounds like my best friend in high school. We'd play 1 on 1 all the time and I was taller, he was thick and strong. The key is to annoy. And don't worry about fouling. My mistake was always trying to get the block clean. If you don't call fouls, neither should he. On his running from 3 point line move, just pick him up way out there. He wants to build up steam. Don't let him. If he gets past you, then try to block his shot and don't worry about fouling. If you get arm, well, then he gets the ball back. Or, let him build up steam and bump him. Don't let him be the aggressor. If you bump him, he will be off balance and miss the shot. I don't mean clothesline the guy, I'm just talking about bodying up. He probably likes to back it in. Fine, but make it tough on him. Force him left, even if it's a short shot left. he won't be comfortable. the comment about staying on his right hip is absolutely right. You're taller so when he shoots, wait, don't fall for fakes. jump when he jumps, and if you get hand, then he gets the ball out. Eventually, he's going to be the one to change strategy. I was the finesse player, trying for clean blocks while my buddy banged away. if you shy away from normal contact, it's a huge advantage for your friend.
if he's shorter, then you can try to get lower to get better leverage when he trys to back you down. more than anything contest shots, get a hand in his face you'll be amazed at how big men especially have problems with that. they're used to going up uncontested most of the time so get a hand up and contest. offensively, if he's short and fat take him out about 15 ft. and drive past him everytime. hell if you can do that, he shouldn't ever get the ball offensively and you don't have to worry about D.
Then that leaves you at a big disadvantage in the paint if he is good in the post, unless you have significant height or strength on him. Push him out as far as you can. Nudge him a little(not in an obvious way) when he shoots to get him off balance. Also make it hard for him to get into the paint in the first place. Concede nothing. hold his arm down and pester him physically with it as much as you can. Esp if he hooks with it, hookers don't deserve a free arm. Even if you don't get a turnover from it, it will distract the hell out of him. That's weak. You need to play him closer and learn how to plant your feet and punish him just as much as he does to you when he comes in there with that ****. That will stop him from driving like that. doesn't really matter. You know to make it more difficult for him to drive right than left. You're not going to be able to completely shut down the right side, but you can make it more difficult for him to get to the place he wants to be in the paint with that info in mind.
Try to keep him off balance. You are not going to stop him all the time, but stopping him a key few time will make a difference. On defense, I would keep my my forearm against his back at all times and push him out as much as I can. If you know he is going right, favor his right side more and force him left. If you know he's when he's going to shoot right, sometimes if you are fast enough you can block him on the otherside. Also, if he continues to back you down hard, don't be afraid to pull the chair out under him; in other words move out of the way when he's pushing back. He'll either travel or throw up a stupid looking shot. And finally, if you are going to foul, make sure he doesn't score.
If you're shading him right, stay on his right. He'll go left, but then want to do a 180 and always come back right. That also means he feels most comfortable dribbling with his right, so he probably uses his right hand when dribbling left, which you should be able to knock the ball away. Bottom line is, force him left and keep him there. Shouldn't be a reason why he goes back right.
25lbs is big difference. 50lbs means you have no chance in the paint. Unless he's 5' 2". Shawn Bradley is not stopping Shaq.
- Practice your jumper. The lost are of the mid-range jumper is a beautiful thing. Especially since your taller you can take a hard dribble stop and pop and shoot right over him. - work on a cross over, your 50lbs lighter so your quicker, make a move and drive by him. - when he trys to post you up... pull a Vlade Divac and pull the chair. -strip him of the ball right when he turns from his post position to shoot the ball.
That means you should be quicker than him, use this to your advantage by doing the chair routine or a less subtle version of it, where you roll with him when he bangs, and then come around to swipe the ball from him. Also, watch how scrubs like Jeff Foster defend Yao. Get real low and dig your elbow into the small of his back, it hurts like hell, and it won't kill you unles he's quick enough to spin around on you. I don't see a problem with this, it is playground basketball. Either take the elbow or smack his arm and make him pay. if he acts like a girl and cries about it, then call a foul on him everytime his offhand hits you. If he charges from the 3pt line, just submarine him. stand in front, and when he takes off or is near you, get real low. he will complain about you trying to kill him, simply point out to him you're merely trying to protect yourself. Wahtever the outcome, he will think twice before coming at you again like that. I gotta be honest though, you sound soft, and thats not a total diss, cuz you can still be a good player and be soft. But if he's been knocking you around like this and you aint fought back, you're gonna get a label. Your friend doesnt sound like he has too much skill and only beats you through intimidation, or mayb he has skill but is too lazy to use it since its much easier to intimidate you into losing.
I agree with the fouling strategy. Hand check, put your elbow in his back, force him to go left, step on his feet and constantly foul him. When he complains then you can feel legitimate in pointing out his charging and his clearing elbow. If he doesn't complain then just keep fouling him. This isn't cheap on your part since you're only compensating for his crap. If he complains just say: "If you're going to keep running me over - which I don't call, I have to do something. I am just going for the ball."
Here is some one on one defense tip I learned in high school from play against stronger guys. When he is outside the paint. Put your body against him and put both of your hands up. Since he is right hander, lean against him from the right and force him go left. When he charges, cross your arm infront of your chest to protect yourself, then fall on your ass and call the foul. But don't flop, you know only the jazzholes does that Once he get inside the paint. Put your right forearm horizontally on his back, lean your body against him. The other hand goes up in his face whenever he trys to turn and shoot. Just remember, ALWAYS have a hand in his face, you can't block every shot, but this would alter about 80% of shots. On offense, I take since you are lighter than him, you should be faster. Take him outside, shoot the ball if he is not close, and drive to the basket if he guard you close.
When the game is on the line and you check the ball... spit on it before passing it straight back to him. It will throw him off his game for sure.
First of all MAKE him shoot left. Don't go for any fakes and make him beat you with his weak side if he is going to beat you. If he is backing you down, stick one of your legs between both of his. Whichever way he goes, you will trip him up and you can steal the ball. (I learned this from one of those spots Calvin used to do at halftime and it works like a charm). Tap his shooting elbow when he is going up for the shot. It should always cause him to miss. If he outweighs you by 50 lbs., run you @$$ off. It will wear him out and obviously cause him to take bad shots due to fatigue. I hope this helps.
Agree with forcing him to his off hand...otherwise... sweep the leg. I was a n offensive playa and that means I only play wussy defense when asked. But if you conver the strong side you can stop most players with that alone. However, on offense,.. If you learn the Olajuwon Fadeaway it is ublockable. Nobody will ever beat you. I won every one on one drill from grade school to college on that one shot. And I'm serious. I was the Steve Kerr type. No offensesive game whatsover. But nobody could beat me. There is no defense for it. It dudn't matter how tall you are, how big you are, how fast you are. One person cannot stop it. Two people will have a hard time.
Sorry for the late reply guys (been busy). Good pointers by everyone. I am soft I like playing on the perimeter. When my offense is on, I can beat him, but when I can't shoot, I give up too many easy baskets on D cause of my softness. Hence, this post about getting better on defense. He beats me with his size inside, yes. He beats me with intimidation, no.
Unfortunately, the only way you can beat him is to take a couple of swipes at him and let him know you're playing defense for real. If it was more friendly game, he wouldnt be charginign in from the 3pt line with complete disregard for your safety. You gotta give back what he doing to you, cuz even if you aint intimidated, he sure thinks you are, and that gives him a psychological edge.
