How to beat the zone

6.) repitition.

The more we face it, the more we'll lose, the more time we'll spend practicing against it, the faster our "learning challenged" guards will start listening, and the better we'll eventually become.

Problem is, not enough teams play zone for us to become good at facing it... as this team doesn't have the make-up to beat a zone naturally (as some lesser talented teams have, ironically).

That's why the zone is a paper defense. Unfortunatley, its the one Rocket's weakness.

Its an enigma... they can beat the muscular, overbearing, one-on-one defenders... but can't beat the small, weak, febrile zone.

The only thing separating this team from the lottery is the fact that most teams DON'T run zone, or run it well.

 

I agree that repetition helps learning (for player that can learn). But what about "desire to learn new things," "aptitude," and "a scoring mentality?"

I'd say those are good reasons that suggest that our guards will not learn even with repetition. We are going against the grain. I used to think that repetition would help our PG. Not any more.

And we can't just simply wish that other teams would play more zone on us so that we can "learn." I mean, what's that all about? Not sure what you are suggesting...make a few calls to other teams..."Can you play zone on us so we can practice?"

In the end, it starts with us.

 

How to beat the zone:

1) PG penetration, and others running without ball.

2) Pass the ball as quick as possible.

Both these two are weakness of current rockets team. Rockets really needs a decent PG. Steve can't run this team well for the zone defence.

 

My logic is this... we were a team of dissaray before this year, doing random things on offense, and relying on sheer athleticism and hot shooting... rather than playing smart basketball.

This year, we've changed all that. This team is disciplined, moves the ball around, gets everyone involved (how many games have we had FIVE players in double figures... quite a few), and has a dominant big man.

HOWEVER, they only play that way against teams that play a traditional style defense. They practice for it, they see it often in games, and naturally they got better against it.

I can gurantee you that "HOW TO BEAT A ZONE" has not been at the top of JVG's to-do list. His list is defense, defense, defense, learn how to pass to Yao in the post, defense. (and this is still justifiable, because as I said before... not enough teams use this defense to devote all your practice time to it).

Maybe this loss will get this team to figure it out... maybe they will once and for all be sick and tired of small scrappy teams, with weak defensive players, being able to run circles around them.

Or maybe, the zone will always be this team's weakness as long as this is the personel.

I'm tired of talking tonight... I'm going to have nightmares of Yao scoring 50 against Shaq one game, and being held to 12 points the next by a 6'8 small forward playing a zone defense.

 

Really depends on what kind of zone.


We should have some of the keys to beating a zone; potentially dominant center who can pas, and a quick guard who can penetrate, but we are hesitant, we lack vision, and we are, aside from Yao, poor passers. The fact that teams hit us with zones indicates that they see this pretty clearly.


Calvin Murphy, of all people, pointed out what the Rockets should do to beat the zone tonight. Usually movement, especially ball reversal, cutters and quick passes are the key, but let's face it, we donlt have the horses for the courses.

What we DO have, however, is a dominant big who can pass. As such, force the entry ( we can do it if we commit to it.) Once Yao has the ball anywhere near the post, the defense is forced into a basic defense deicsion; double or sag on him, or let him operate. If we get the pass in, the zone ceases to be any more effective than a standard double, and in some ways less, and the inside-out offense is initiated. This is the zone breaker we do posses, and yet, when we encounter zone troubles on the entry, we still abandon the one route which will lead us out of it.

Post entry passing doesn not, contrary to some people's opinion, require great vision or passing ability. It requires commitment and practice, period. It's about getting to know your player's rythms, about altering passing lanes to adjust to fronts, etc. Tonight, for example, Yao reset and we passed out of the original post entry point, all going well, but at some point in the rotation to get the new entry lane, we would break down; a player would decide to shoot, another would neither pass right away nor maintain his dribble, effectively freezing himself and the offense, and in the end the second post entry lane would never be attempted.

It's not going to be a smooth ride all the time, but given that we lack the means to break the zone in other ways, the one we have is the one we have to go with; break it by taking them out of it with post entry passes into Yao, and this takes commitment and repetition.

 

I guess you just have more confidence in our guards. I do not. I need proof.

I seem to remember Francis complaining about the zone last year too. I'm sure they have worked on this before this game. I'm not totally convince that JVG is not trying to teach his player to beat the zone.

As far as your above comment...that was funny!

 

Sounds good!I've seen Many Many posts like this,I totally argee with it.but who can gets the ball in?who?It seems we come full circle and renewedly realize that we still need a true point guard!
Rockets still lack the key to combine all players in a team.

 

To beat zone, you need fast ball movement and constant player movement. This team doesn't have enough good passers to beat zone...period!

 

You don't need a true point guard to effect an entry pass. On the Hakeem Rockets, Horry was our best post entry passer. Again, what you need is practice and commitment.

 

BEAT IT MIC.

 

Nachbar is our best post entry passer. Too bad he can't shoot and never plays. But he really is a genius at the entry pass. Quite remarkable - it's almost text book.

 

I agree. He has point-forward skills. I just wish he had more confidence.

 

what I say doesnt only aim to how to beat zone.I wanna express my feeling that Rockets really lack the keys and strategies.Its more obvious when it faces tough teams!Look,Mavs is weak D team,also not the only team using zone!but whats wrong with our defence,its completely caused by zone?

 

Well, to be honest, those championship teams had more than 1 good entry passer.
Drexler, Cassell, Horry, Elie......even OT was a much better post entry passer than anyone we have on this team.

 

oh yeah......I guess we've found our new 'Seattle'.

 

To be even more honest... those guys never had to pass it into a zone defense.

It was illegal back then.

Read JVG's quote in the paper... If a team is playing zone, you can't expect to just go iso in the post. If Yao can't provide a "safe" target for these guys to make a good pass, you think they'd be able to get it to Hakeem that way? (n/m, Hakeem could do everything... he will never be bashed by me).

You need ball movement, and penetration... and then they'll go back to man-to-man, and THEN you go back to the post.

 

I never said that once you pass it into the post it should immediately turn into an iso.
I won't disagree with you on needing ball movement and passing......of course you do. There is no ONE way to defeat a zone as so many people love to claim. Ex: you can't expect the Rockets to beat a zone the same way a team of shooters like the Kings or Mavs could.
I'm just comparing post entry passers.....whether the post be down low, or closer to the free throw line.