Guarding the Pick and Roll

by Tommy Dee on November 20th, 2009 at 2:00 pm

Great piece in the NY Times by the talented Jonathan Abrams. He breaks down the pick and roll and even gets to the nitty gritty of the science of guarding one of the game’s oldest offensive sets.

“…The defender guarding the ball handler can squeeze past the player setting the pick to stay with the ball handler (known as going over the pick). He can also try to avoid the pick by running behind the pick and then resume guarding the ball handler once he moves past the screen (known as going under the pick).

The two defenders can also switch whom they are guarding, with the taller defender momentarily defending the smaller ball handler and trying to hinder his vision before hurrying back to the player who set the pick. Or the defender guarding the ball handler can try to direct him away from the pick before it can take place.

The strategy varies team to team, night to night. The Synergy analysis showed that defenses were most effective when the on-ball defender went under the pick, temporarily abandoning the ball handler and then picking him up again. For example, when the defender went under the pick against James, he averaged 0.93 points. When James was played over the pick, he averaged 1.02 points.

Yet a majority of teams played over the pick. They defended that way, Barr said, to show defensive aggressiveness instead of passiveness, even if it hurt them in the long run…”

This, of course, was not the case last year for the Knicks. Chris Duhon, early in the year, got “over screens” while the other guards did not. In a small sample size, the scoring differential I recorded resulted in a much lower scoring rate when the guard got “over” the screen that led to a trail.

The Knicks switch on their screens, because they feel they have the length to guard multiple positions. Obviously Chris Duhon or Nate Robinson do not.

I’m not sold on The Synergy analysis because consistently getting under screens leads to open jump shots. You can get under a screen against, say Tony Parker, who has made defenders pay recently because he became a better jump shooter. Same with Rondo.

While I feel that not signing Iverson means there are other opportunities for deals, maybe the team felt that whatever Iverson gave them offensively, he wouldn’t help them in their biggest need: Defense.
  • DeBusscherescorner

    It’s not that hard to defend it. Just Jab. But how many fundamentally sound guys out there are willing to do that? Say I was the guard. Lee sets the pick on me and he rolls to the basket. I know that I have to help not only myself but the center. So, all you do is stay arms length of Lee or jab back fourth at Duhon and Lee, until my center is back in position. Think how much jabbing could help a team play defense.

    The ball is dumped to Duncan in the post. He has Lee in a one on one. I’m Duhon. Don’t just run over to Duncan one time. Time it and jab, forcing Duncan to think what you’re going to do. If guards did more jabbing, there would be a plethora of turnovers..because if you jab or clog the middle for a second, the opposition would force up a bad shot or make a bad pass not knowing you were just bluffing .Only the good defensive teams do it. No lazy players who don’t want to commit 100 % .

  • joetheknick

    Tommy: I agree there must be other deals out there. Duhon for Felton would work. Both are capable players but each is struggling on their respective teams. AI is not the answer. Got to build with younger players. Some good trade may appear before long. Meanwhile D’Antoni will just have to work with what he has.

  • oscar f

    Tommy sorry this article was a waste cause every one is hot cause knicks didn’t get AI and are hoping for T MaC

  • Adam L

    Yeah I don’t really get passing on AI. Not that I thought it was a great season saver, I just thought it was a zero-cost gamble.

    The team can’t really get any worse. If he remains a head case, waive him and move on. If he is playable, ride him until he becomes a trade chip come February. And don’t believe that just because no team wanted him in the offseason that he is untradeable. If he played a few months of solid ball with the Knicks, teams in competition and in need would be salivating over taking a flier on him.

  • Earl The Pearl

    Tommy, you (or rather Abrams) forgot about the “hedge” by the off-ball defender. Very important in defending the pick and roll. The off ball defender steps up for a split second to temporarily impede the ball-handler while the on ball defender fights over (or slips under) the pick.