The proliferation of ball screens and five-out spacing has forced defensive evolution. Teams must decide: do we switch all screens, maintain traditional man-to-man principles, or blend approaches? The answer depends on personnel, opponent, and philosophy.
The Case for Switching
Switch-everything defence has become increasingly popular:
Simplicity: Fewer communication requirements. When in doubt, switch.
No gaps: Switching eliminates the space created by fighting through screens.
Ball pressure: Maintains constant pressure on the ball handler.
Counter to motion: Continuous off-ball screening becomes less effective when everything switches.
Requirements for Switching
Not every team can switch effectively:
Versatile defenders: Bigs must handle guards on the perimeter. Guards must compete against post-ups.
Length: Wingspan matters for contesting shots across mismatches.
Discipline: Switches must be clean with immediate communication.
Conditioning: Guards defending bigs work hard. Physical demands are significant.
Traditional Coverage Advantages
Traditional man-to-man remains effective for many teams:
Avoids mismatches: Your best defender stays on their best player.
Exploits specialists: Defensive specialists can focus on what they do best.
Size advantage: Keeps bigs protecting the rim and guards chasing shooters.
Rebounding: Established positions make boxing out cleaner.
Coverage Options
Hard hedge: Big steps out aggressively to slow ball handler, then recovers.
Soft hedge/Show: Big shows enough to slow the ball, then quickly retreats.
Drop coverage: Big drops toward the paint, conceding mid-range but protecting rim.
Ice/Down: Force ball handler away from the screen toward help.
Trap/Blitz: Both defenders attack the ball handler, rotating behind.
Selective Switching
Many teams blend approaches:
Position-based: Guards switch with guards, bigs switch with bigs.
Personnel-based: Switch only when favourable matchups result.
Action-based: Switch certain actions (like flare screens) but not others (like ball screens).
Situation-based: Different coverage for different game situations.
Communication Systems
Whatever the coverage, communication is essential:
Early calls: Defenders must identify screens before they arrive.
Clear terminology: "Switch," "stay," "over," "under" - everyone must know the language.
Help calls: Weak side defenders communicate positioning.
Transition calls: Clear matchup assignments in transition.
Key Coaching Points
- Choose defensive scheme based on personnel, not philosophy alone
- Switching requires versatile, disciplined defenders
- Traditional coverage exploits specialist roles
- Selective switching blends the best of both approaches
- Communication determines execution regardless of scheme
