Best way to play man defense?

Question

I am playing center for my basketball team and my coach is teaching us to play man for defense. What is the best way to cover my man since i need to get better? is theree any good ways to practice man defense with playing one on one basketbl? any help is appreciated

Answer 1

If you play one on one to improve your defense as a center, have your opponent play with back to the basket at the block. Playing strong and not getting pushed back will be position-specific for you. However, I think every player can benefit from playing one on one. Everyone needs to know how to stop drives.
The key to your practice is to stay down in your defensive stance. You make yourself slow when you rise up to straight knees.
Learn deny defense also, as both a forward in the corners and as a post player, where you deny by standing with your chest into the shoulder of the opponent and getting a hand in the passing lane.

Answer 2

One on One, im my opinion is only useful for Shooting Guards, Point Guards (for defensive practice only) and Power Forwards (shooting practice.) For Centers and Wings it's useless, because it doesn't involve 3 things crucial to these positions: shot creation, smart rebounding, and moving without the ball.

The best thing is to do line drills and the "crazy box" (peak, valley, and slope hopping) to get your agility up. Then play 3 on 3, with 2 guards and a big guy, with the big guy either taller than you or bigger than you, or both if you can. Play full court, no 3 pt line, but rather a drive is a 3pter (for practice on off the ball defense when it comes to guards) this is by THE best practice drill I've seen including reviewing tapes and scrimage.

If your taller or bigger than your man face the basket and play out a bit, this forces your guy to use strength and speed to get around you. Even if he succeeds 50%, you'll wear him out in the long run, and puts you in position to draw ample fouls (over the back, reach-in, traveling because of foot movement and charge)

If you are neither force him out of his niche by guarding his hands, if you keep is hands out of sight or vulnerable to a steal, he won't be able to score or provide inside-out ball movement. When it comes to rebounding, use a box-out by pulling in front of him (especially on high arc shots) and have your forwards, wings, or big guards aware of this to assist in the rebound.

Be aware of screens and curls with man defense, they will use you as a 6th man screen if you don't keep your wits about you, don't play to far out, unless your man is a good shooter.

In workouts, work your legs (thighs, calves, feet, etc) also your abs and back, focus on shoulder, wrist, and neck flexibility, as to allow for quicker reflexes and awareness. Also if you can find the biggest guy on a football team and have him teach you to dig and set your man up to disallow grounding or position. Remember back to front, he'll only know front to front.

Hope it helps! From the Hoosier State and Basketball Mecca!

Clint

Answer 3

All you have to do is watch is stomach. As weird as that may sound it's true. All good coaches teach that.

That is the core to all basketball players movements.
Try it. You will see.

Answer 4

I assume you can practice by playing one on one... seems to me that it may not be too important to make shots so why not just have the other player try his/her best to block you from getting to the hoop and vise versa....

Answer 5

just remember to move your feet and keep hips square to your man..for practice,hold arms in defensive position,and slide shuffle around the gym,following the out-of-bounds lines.To be correct,the inner parts of both feet should touch together,if they dont,your hips arent squared.