1on1 moves against taller, longer defenders

Hey all. I'm just a pick-up player who likes to play ball with my friends/whoever's at the court. I'm 5'6, speedy, solid handles, tricky lay-up maker, with a streaky jumpshot.

One of my friends inparticular is a great defender. He's about 6'1, very long arms, quick, and very aggressive on defense.

Most defenders generally back away from me to encourage my jumpshot and discourage me from driving. But this guy (and others like him) are able to guard my jumpshot with their length while also being in position to stop the drive. He also does a great job of blocking my lay-ups from behind when I do get past him.

From a bball IQ standpoint, I generally just tone down my game against these guys, become more of a passer/defender, and try to get my points in non 1 on 1 situations. But what are some ways to attack these types when I do need to go 1on1? For instance, I'll be on a team where I'm the only real creator, and I can't just pass the ball off every time. Sometimes you need to attack and score. But I need more nuance to my game instead of just being about speed. What are some ways you get these guys off balance?

A lot of the better short players at 1v1 that I've played against are extremely good with headfakes. Good defenders are taught to watch the waist but even the best defenders are beaten with these moves.

Examples: For the purpose of this I'll assume you are a righty

Start with the ball at the top of the key, stare the defender right in the eys, take 1 big dribble right(get as low to the ground as possible) that should take you to around free throw line area, now look up at the basket( this is key) and rise up a little bit out of your bend. If you put enough power into the first dribble it should be able to rise up your neck area but make sure to still keep the ball under your hand( this is so you can keep your dribble). Even though you aren't actually pumpfaking the headfake plus you getting out of your stance should be enough to draw a reaction from him. If he doesn't bite just continue to bring that ball up in the same hand, bring the guide hand over and knock down the shot. If he does bite, bend down really low again( this is the advantage of being short) and either cross the ball over and explode to the basket and finish left, or use a hesitation/ in & out dribble and keep the ball in the same hand and finish there.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_DgZesOW98[/url]
The shorter guy in this 1v1 clip, Zeke is really good at this move and others.


Now I know a lot of people don't like the fluff in hoop mixtapes but you can learn a lot from watching guys like trevor dunbar.

Pay attention to his movements, he uses jabs in every direction(front, sideways, reverse) and his headfakes are unbelievable.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OP1RaSG1nM[/url]

[QUOTE=SourPatchKids]A lot of the better short players at 1v1 that I've played against are extremely good with headfakes. Good defenders are taught to watch the waist but even the best defenders are beaten with these moves.

Examples: For the purpose of this I'll assume you are a righty

Start with the ball at the top of the key, stare the defender right in the eys, take 1 big dribble right(get as low to the ground as possible) that should take you to around free throw line area, now look up at the basket( this is key) and rise up a little bit out of your bend. If you put enough power into the first dribble it should be able to rise up your neck area but make sure to still keep the ball under your hand( this is so you can keep your dribble). Even though you aren't actually pumpfaking the headfake plus you getting out of your stance should be enough to draw a reaction from him. If he doesn't bite just continue to bring that ball up in the same hand, bring the guide hand over and knock down the shot. If he does bite, bend down really low again( this is the advantage of being short) and either cross the ball over and explode to the basket and finish left, or use a hesitation/ in & out dribble and keep the ball in the same hand and finish there.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_DgZesOW98[/url]
The shorter guy in this 1v1 clip, Zeke is really good at this move and others.


Now I know a lot of people don't like the fluff in hoop mixtapes but you can learn a lot from watching guys like trevor dunbar.

Pay attention to his movements, he uses jabs in every direction(front, sideways, reverse) and his headfakes are unbelievable.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OP1RaSG1nM[/url][/QUOTE]
:applause: :applause:

[QUOTE=SourPatchKids]A lot of the better short players at 1v1 that I've played against are extremely good with headfakes. Good defenders are taught to watch the waist but even the best defenders are beaten with these moves.

Examples: For the purpose of this I'll assume you are a righty

Start with the ball at the top of the key, stare the defender right in the eys, take 1 big dribble right(get as low to the ground as possible) that should take you to around free throw line area, now look up at the basket( this is key) and rise up a little bit out of your bend. If you put enough power into the first dribble it should be able to rise up your neck area but make sure to still keep the ball under your hand( this is so you can keep your dribble). Even though you aren't actually pumpfaking the headfake plus you getting out of your stance should be enough to draw a reaction from him. If he doesn't bite just continue to bring that ball up in the same hand, bring the guide hand over and knock down the shot. If he does bite, bend down really low again( this is the advantage of being short) and either cross the ball over and explode to the basket and finish left, or use a hesitation/ in & out dribble and keep the ball in the same hand and finish there.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_DgZesOW98[/url]
The shorter guy in this 1v1 clip, Zeke is really good at this move and others.


Now I know a lot of people don't like the fluff in hoop mixtapes but you can learn a lot from watching guys like trevor dunbar.

Pay attention to his movements, he uses jabs in every direction(front, sideways, reverse) and his headfakes are unbelievable.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OP1RaSG1nM[/url][/QUOTE]

Thank you sir (madame?). I think headfakes are a weakness of my game. I fall into the trap of relying on my speed because it's usually good enough against the local competition. I will try out this move you described this weekend.

My big suggestion would be to put real deal effort into moving without the ball. A lot of times, I can start with a foot in the paint, perform a light jab, then pop out to get the ball, at which point I can size up my defender and make my move. A lot of times that's enough.

However, like you, there's other times where I'm playing against a defender who's bigger than me and of similar quickness and at that point, a simple jab and pop doesn't really get me anywhere. I may receive a pass on the wing, but the defender more or less had to take two medium-effort steps outward to re-establish his defensive position.

As such, what I like to do in those situations is put my defender on the run. Unfortunately for us, that means we have to put forth the effort to go on the run too. Instead of making a lame jab into the lane before popping out, maybe take two or three fast steps in one direction then jab and head to the other wing, anything that'll force your defender's movements to become a little more urgent.

This way, instead of that fellow waiting for you in perfect position by the time you receive the pass, he may be a little more alert. If you work it right, your quick jabs, cuts, and pops off the ball may lead to a fast pass and reception before the defender's truly set, which leaves him susceptible to responding to your moves before he's ready.

It's like this, if I'm normally sizing up my big defensive opponent and I pump faked, he'd kind of respect but his balance would be solid enough that he wouldn't have to totally commit to contesting. But suddenly, if I've got him chasing and I throw that pump fake before he's set, there's a much better chance his counter-move will not be as effective or balanced.

I think this Dell Curry video is a great example of the simplistic benefits to truly running, moving, and cutting to get open, as opposed to just popping and squaring up. Chances are, had he been standing still and facing up Michael Curry or Cliff Robinson, Dell wouldn't have been breaking those fellows down. But once he was on the move, they were at the mercy of his ball fakes and quick releases. The first two shots are just great catch-and-shoots, but the third play is pretty close to what I was talking about: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMqpGkyO4rk[/url]

The chop step I just posted about in the pull up section is ideal for guys like this. You want to put yourself in a position where you can do one of two things, and you're playing off their reaction.

Also drag dribbles around the hoop help a lot too. If you beat a guy and he really is a threat to block you from behind, pull the dribble to the side last second and throw up a little floater fade if you can make it consistently enough.
Use the rim to protect your shot. Reverses with either hand, or even finishing lefty from the right side works a lot if a guy is gonna come over your outide shoulder all the time.

The other thing is that getting blocked is not exactly the end of the world. It happens. Frankly if you're not getting blocked, you're not going to the hoop enough. I'd rather my kids get blocked from time to time then throw up a bunch of wild crap just to avoid it that has little shot at going in.

[QUOTE=Rake2204]My big suggestion would be to put real deal effort into moving without the ball. A lot of times, I can start with a foot in the paint, perform a light jab, then pop out to get the ball, at which point I can size up my defender and make my move. A lot of times that's enough.

However, like you, there's other times where I'm playing against a defender who's bigger than me and of similar quickness and at that point, a simple jab and pop doesn't really get me anywhere. I may receive a pass on the wing, but the defender more or less had to take two medium-effort steps outward to re-establish his defensive position.

As such, what I like to do in those situations is put my defender on the run. Unfortunately for us, that means we have to put forth the effort to go on the run too. Instead of making a lame jab into the lane before popping out, maybe take two or three fast steps in one direction then jab and head to the other wing, anything that'll force your defender's movements to become a little more urgent.

This way, instead of that fellow waiting for you in perfect position by the time you receive the pass, he may be a little more alert. If you work it right, your quick jabs, cuts, and pops off the ball may lead to a fast pass and reception before the defender's truly set, which leaves him susceptible to responding to your moves before he's ready.

It's like this, if I'm normally sizing up my big defensive opponent and I pump faked, he'd kind of respect but his balance would be solid enough that he wouldn't have to totally commit to contesting. But suddenly, if I've got him chasing and I throw that pump fake before he's set, there's a much better chance his counter-move will not be as effective or balanced.

I think this Dell Curry video is a great example of the simplistic benefits to truly running, moving, and cutting to get open, as opposed to just popping and squaring up. Chances are, had he been standing still and facing up Michael Curry or Cliff Robinson, Dell wouldn't have been breaking those fellows down. But once he was on the move, they were at the mercy of his ball fakes and quick releases. The first two shots are just great catch-and-shoots, but the third play is pretty close to what I was talking about: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMqpGkyO4rk[/url][/QUOTE]

Yeah that video perfectly illustrates what you're talking about. Moving without the ball used to be a much bigger part of my game but over time it's faded out, I'll have to put it back in the repertoire.

[QUOTE=Thorpesaurous]The chop step I just posted about in the pull up section is ideal for guys like this. You want to put yourself in a position where you can do one of two things, and you're playing off their reaction.

Also drag dribbles around the hoop help a lot too. If you beat a guy and he really is a threat to block you from behind, pull the dribble to the side last second and throw up a little floater fade if you can make it consistently enough.
Use the rim to protect your shot. Reverses with either hand, or even finishing lefty from the right side works a lot if a guy is gonna come over your outide shoulder all the time.

The other thing is that getting blocked is not exactly the end of the world. It happens. Frankly if you're not getting blocked, you're not going to the hoop enough. I'd rather my kids get blocked from time to time then throw up a bunch of wild crap just to avoid it that has little shot at going in.[/QUOTE]

The reverse layup is probably my favorite shot ever but the problem is I'm so short that it doesn't even protect the ball. haha. My release doesn't get anywhere near the rim so it's still kind of like a normal layup attempt in that sense. But it always screws up peoples timing because they're expecting you to go up on the strong side.

When I was a kid my friend used to alwaysss block my layups from behind, so I started going up with my legs pushed out behind me. I always wondered if this was legal. I wouldn't kick necessarily, but as I jumped my legs would point behind me and the defender wasn't able to get close enough. Probably a foul in a real game. haha.

One thing I neverrr do is that little fade you're talking about and I think that can be useful. So you're saying as I'm dribbling towards the hoop, with my man behind me, instead of going up for the layup take a last second dribble towards the baseline and do a fadeaway? I think that is something I could become good at.

Mirror Hesitation

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VVX2vvjgqM[/url]

The key isn't doing this move or that move....shammond / spins/ in and outs / mirror hesitations....it's good to have them in your arsenal, but for me it's about getting the space to get your shot/layup off, so being shorter you need:

1. Fakes.
2. Change of speed and direction, go horizontal and euro step from time to time.
3. Seal off with your body or with your off hand (this is illegal but rarely called)

And by the sounds of it, the defender is guessing what you're doing, so you're being too predictable.

As per Rake2004's advice, Try give and go...watch S.Curry, he does that a lot with back cuts.

And the last thing, confidence! If you are intimidated by his defence than you are already at a disadvantage. And all your moves will be half hearted and become even easier to defend.

In team situations, you can also ask for a pick as well!!

[QUOTE=stevieming]The key isn't doing this move or that move....shammond / spins/ in and outs / mirror hesitations....it's good to have them in your arsenal, but for me it's about getting the space to get your shot/layup off, so being shorter you need:

1. Fakes.
2. Change of speed and direction, go horizontal and euro step from time to time.
3. Seal off with your body or with your off hand (this is illegal but rarely called)

And by the sounds of it, the defender is guessing what you're doing, so you're being too predictable.

As per Rake2004's advice, Try give and go...watch S.Curry, he does that a lot with back cuts.

And the last thing, confidence! If you are intimidated by his defence than you are already at a disadvantage. And all your moves will be half hearted and become even easier to defend.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the tips. I've been playing with this guy for like 10 years so he knows all my moves inside and out. I can almost always get to the basket and finish with people who don't know me well, because they never expect someone to be able to drive and finish with both hands for some reason. But this guy knows every damn thing I do, used to do, have tried to do, thought about doing, etc. haha

I think what I'm concluding overall is that I need to be a lot more savvy with my moves instead of relying on raw quickness so much. Like you mentioned changes of speeds, fakes, etc. I think I get way too caught up on going from 0 to 60 because I CAN, and it usually works. But against better defenders it just doesn't work anymore, you need savvyness.

One thing that helps a lot is, I stole Rondo's quick little layup he does off the wrong foot. Catches people off guard all the time. I'm driving left and pull up for the layup way earlier and quicker than normal. People never expect it.

Main things I use against long defenders:

Hesitation drive/Change of speed
Shoot from further back (if there's space and you can knock it down)
Floater
Ask for picks

I think bumping them and not being afraid of contact during drives to create space would also be beneficial. Sadly, I am kinda afraid of contact but I've seen a lot of shorter players do this. CP3 just did this against Tony Allen last game (although a bit of a push, but you get the point :D )

Does he bite on fakes? If so, use timing get him to think you're going up. When he gets flying then you shoot or layup.

Also, you can just simply train to be more athletic/faster then him and just go strong to the hole.

I use this. [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABC0BukoeRQ[/url]

Very effective and gets you ooooohs

Without the travel ofc. Its a good 1v1 move. If you cant get a shot off you can easily layup oop yourself off the backboard. I know it sounds unneces flashy but its very effective and just takes concentration to get the fakes and spin correct.

[QUOTE=MtMutombo]I use this. [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABC0BukoeRQ[/url]

Very effective and gets you ooooohs

Without the travel ofc. Its a good 1v1 move. If you cant get a shot off you can easily layup oop yourself off the backboard. I know it sounds unneces flashy but its very effective and just takes concentration to get the fakes and spin correct.[/QUOTE]

Beautiful spin move but there were two travels. Big's use this a lot and they usually travel as well but they let you take two in the NBA

Speaking of which, use their moves against them

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mArHU1ewSog&safe=active[/url]

I just try to do a lot of head fakes/pump fakes. A lot of tall, athletic dudes have the tendency to bite on fakes. This move works wonders: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGkj2dGVqEQ[/url]

Really work on your 3 pointers as well. If you can get consistent from deep then take advantage of those times they sag off you too much.