Of all the things that get under my skin as a coach, players jumping all over the court trying to get a blocked shot is probably number one on the list. Even the best shot blockers of all time, like Mark Eaton who averaged 4.2, only block a few shots per game. So what are the rest of these players doing flying all over the court?
It’s simple. They are prioritizing the highlight reel over the win column. And often to their team’s detriment, not to mention their own. Let’s take a closer look!
Shut Down the Paint
with the
Definitive Guide
to the
Pack Line Defense
There are two main areas where players try to block shots – jump shots and shots from the paint. Fairly simple, these are basically the only type of shots in the game. We’ll take a look at each of these and the problems that arise with trying to block shots, as well as when shot blocking is ok.
Let’s start with jump shots. First and foremost, this is just a bad idea. How often have you ever actually blocked a 3pt shot? For most of us, probably never. And if you have, that person was probably not a very good shooter. Otherwise they would have read that the defense was too close and made another play. So, why exactly is it a bad idea?
Well, other than virtually never succeeding, it causes two key problems. The first is that jumping at a player shooting from range makes you susceptible to shot fakes. If you never leave your feet when guarding a player on the perimeter, you will never get beaten by a shot fake. Moreover, you are perfectly able to contest a jump shot while staying on the ground. Simply raise your hand towards the shooters face when the ball comes above their chest. If you don’t get a hand on the ball itself, you will be definitely interfering with the shooter’s vision and concentration. Usually more than enough to lower their shooting percentage to a point where most coaches would be happy.
Above and beyond this overwhelming reason not to try to block jump shots is the fact that even if your block attempt has forced the shooter to miss, you are now in no position to box them out. And if you jumped at them on a close-out, you are probably on your way to the first row instead of heading out on the break in transition. Most good coaches put a premium value on both boxing out and scoring in transition. Every time you fly by your opponent, you are reminding your coach that you are undisciplined and should probably have a seat on the bench.
So, moving on to shots in the paint. Now this could be shots from post players or shots resulting from a drive. But just like jump shots, there is really very little reason to leave your feet when contesting these shots. Again, the likelihood that you will actually block the shot is very low. And it also comes with risks that simply don’t outweigh the rewards.
Shot fakes are again a major problem. Leaving your feet when a post player fakes a shot leaves you vulnerable to allowing an easy put in. The classic up and under move is a prime example of this. The post player makes a move to the net, the defender goes up, then the post player ducks under the arm for an easy bucket. Two points on a virtually uncontested bunny.
Adding to the fact that you take yourself out of position to contest the shot, an intelligent post player is going to initiate contact with you when you go up and probably draw a foul on their shot. So, now your mistake has been compounded by making it a possible 3pt play and adding a foul to both you and your team. This further hinders your ability to play aggressive defense for the remainder of the game and puts your team one foul closer to the bonus.
The third and final straw is that even if the player misses their shot, you are no longer in a position to box them out. They have ducked under and past you to get their own rebound and put it up. And if you fancy yourself a shot blocker, you are likely going to try to block this shot too. Compounding your mistake even further by risking a foul again and still not being able to box them out. Not to mention that putbacks are the most efficient shot in the game.
So, the big question is this – when should you block shots? Never? No, it’s not that simple but it is a good place to start for players that are not natural shot blockers. Most guards and small forwards would do well to live by this rule, especially at the youth level. Players at the collegiate or professional level, on the other hand, have likely gained enough experience to make better judgement calls on when to leave their feet.
But there is a time and place to spring into action, if you’ll pardon the pun. As a second defender, be that from a double team or a helpside defender, you are in a position to jump and alter, if not block, the shot. The difference is that you are probably not close enough to make contact with the shooter and commit a foul. You are also likely coming from the shooter’s blind spot and they haven’t reckoned on avoiding your shot. Your timing is going to be better because you are not locked into the subtle nuances of fakes. And you also have no boxing out responsibilities on the shooter, nor on your player, as they should be covered by the rotations.
Putting this all together, shot blocking is an art. It takes practice and experience to learn when you should and should not be leaving your feet on defense. For youth players, start with never leaving your feet and slowly introduce shot blocking as a second defender. If you absolutely feel you must jump to contest a shot, do yourself a favour and make sure you wait to jump until your opponent has jumped. Remember that as an on-ball defender contesting the shot is your responsibility. Shot blocking falls to your teammates when they come to help out. After you have contested the shot with a controlled action, you can then box out properly and help your team secure the rebound. If you do this on a consistent basis, your coach will notice. Guaranteed. All coaches love players that box out.
So get out there and defend aggressively, but under control.