i hate...i hate...i hate traps and presses. why on earth would you choose to set up a mini-fast break for your opponent? all it passes to break any press or trap - especially traps in the backcourt.takes is one or possibly two as for team defense...the rockets do attempt to play a rotating defense. and i would agree with heypee about the strong side zone defense. in years past they just funneled everyone to the human fly swatter. now they rotate both perimeter and post players. really, i think their defense will improve. it just will take time and some teaching on how to at least TRY to defend the pick and rolls. ------------------ miles ahead of the rest [This message has been edited by verse (edited August 29, 2000).]
I love presses and traps, however, you wouldn't want to try this on Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, etc. If you scout a team and know they can't handle the press well, or have a turnover tendency, then put on the press. I'd say any team with Matt Maloney, Brent Price, Bryce Drew, Kenny Smith, etc. are good candidates. ------------------ "There's 1,000 different things we're looking at, but there's not a lot of things there." -- Rudy T., apparently after taking a hit of acid.
The way I force the trap in NBA2K (arguably the only way to win w/ the Rockets) is to take either Anderson or Augmon (pre waive roster) to defend the pg in the backcourt. When they pass off to the big fellow, you merely click on b, the blue button to steal it. Problems in the Rockets trap: For some reason Francis is slow on NBA2K... I mean slooooowwwwww... and I haven't figured out how to cycle fast enough to always have Anderson ready to defend the pg. Mobley is usually quick enough. Amazingly Walt always ends up w/ at least 2 steals at the end of the game, which is suprising given the opinions of some people on this board about his, IMO, stellar defense. But seriously folks, what do you need to defend? There's no way the opposing team will shoot better, on average, than Francis, Mobley, Williams, Langhi, Anderson, et. al.. ------------------ I've posted so much that what I say must be true. The latest on Maurice Taylor
verse, When you can't get the ball outta the PGs hands on your terms, the press fails. I think Achebe's brilliant analysis of NBA2K, prooves it... Full court presses are primarily about stopping the dribble and playing the passing lanes. Presses that get beat by the pass, really first allowed the dribbler too much room and did't make him pick up his dribble, or you are simply not playing the passing lanes correctly. In college, you never run a press against a team with an outstanding dribbler. Do you really advise pressing Khalid or Scoonie? Keeley, remember David Rivers...hehe. In the NBA, EVERY point guard except Matt Maloney is an outstanding dribbler. You better have some outstanding defensive guards to make them pick up their dribble...which is the first goal of all presses. Often they can just burn along the sideline and cross-over to the middle, or just back-up with patience and then split the defenders right up the middle. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited August 29, 2000).]
I think a good press can be very effective used at the right time. Lord knows the Rockets have not handled being pressed worth a damn in years past. ------------------
I'm a little surprised that no one thus far has mentioned the main reason why full court press and trapping defenses aren't very popular in the NBA. You have to have a very deep roster to employ these type of defenses. First off, for those of you who love to mention "the running game" on offense, press defenses can be considered "running" defenses. It's true that often the ball-handler will be able to pass the ball through the defense or split the defenders off the dribble. If that happens, the defender has to sprint full-speed to re-achieve his defensive position either to get back in front of the original ball-handler, or to get to the person who recieved the pass. Second, and possibly more importantly, when playing that aggressively on defense, your team will rack up the fouls extremely quickly and require a lot more substitutions. This is only exacerbated by the ticky-tack BS fouls they've started calling in the NBA over the last few years. With that said, the advantage of employing pressing and trapping defenses if you are willing to go 10-12 players deep in the rotation is that you can simply wear down the other team. Their star PG will get real tired, real fast, if he has to constantly fight a press every time he touches the ball, and ultimately will make a lot more turnovers. The disadvantages are that your own star players won't be likely to average more than 20 mpg, because even if they are able to keep up the aggressive pace required for the press, they will likely be in foul trouble most of the game. I agree with the guys who recommend a strong-side zone. With this strategy, team defense is still emphasized and you're star players can still get 35+ mpg. ------------------
I will say again to all that are opposed to the Rockets trappin or pressing at varying times during the game. I am only saying that this is a strategy that I believe would be a nice change at some periods during the game. I repeat I do not want the Rockets to become a team known for just trapping and pressing. I simpy would like to see more ball pressure on the ball handlers. A more up tempo style defense from time to time. I am sick of other teams doing it to the Rockets regardless if it was Kenny Smith at the point or Steve Francis. This is not a hard concept. I am not debating the reason most teams don't use a trap or press. Just because it's not the norm in the league doesn't mean we can't use it and besides, areent we one of the youngest teams in the league? I would think that age would translate into a lot less wear and tear on the body thereby affording many of our players the needed stamina to play a up tempo style defense SOMETIMES DURING THE GAME! ------------------
I agree 100%. I too, would like to see more pressure on the ball during crucial parts of the game. I think the Rockets will do this if Cato is healthy all year. Francis, Shandon and Mobley have a year of playing together and should be more comfotable, so I wouldn't be suprised to see Rudy use the trap or press periodically during games. ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
