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Transition Defence-Floor Balance is Key

Watching these clips of the Indiana Pacers and the Portland Trailblazers giving up fast break lay-ups and it is very clear that poor floor balance leads to poor transition defence.  

In this clip, when the Blazers shoot the ball, and it hits the rim, the Blazers have four players at the level of the charge circle. Will Barton, #5, for the Blazers makes the mistake of going towards the offensive board, creating a situation where only one defender is back.  On the outlet pass from the Clippers' Antawn Jamison to Darren Collison, it passes four Blazers, giving the Clippers a very quick 3 on 1 break.  

The Pacers are even worse in the next clip.  When the shot goes up, all five Pacers are below the foul line and then, when the Rockets secure the rebound, all five Pacers are still below the foul line and two Rockets are past all the Pacers.  

When teams have four or, heaven forbid, five offensive players below the foul line, they have poor floor balance and are susceptible to transition baskets.  By sending players back on the flight of the ball even poor floor balance may be corrected.

Teams should ensure, that at all times, their offensive alignment will have a player behind the foul line, ready to get back and stop lay-ups.  As a general rule when the offensive team shoots the ball at least one player, and in most cases, two or three players should to heading back in defensive transition to prevent lay-ups.  Not giving up lay-ups, and forcing opponents to play against five set defenders, usually results in a pretty good defensive game.  

 

 


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