Playing the Point Guard Position

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Playing the Point Guard Position

• Basketball Coaches Clinic at Copenhagen
  Invitational Tournament
• June 2009
• By Brani K. Bazany
• Director of Youth Program of the Slovak
  Basketball Association

2
INTRODUCTION

• Developing the point guard is very difficult
  subject, because they are many factors involved
  in playing this position
• Some of these factors
• how the coach wants his point guard to operate,
• the style of play,
• the abilities and talents of the teammates
  surrounding the point guard,
• the skills,
• temperament,
• experience and leadership qualities of the point
  guard

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COMMUNICATION

• The PG is an extension of the coach on the floor
• The PG must have a close working relationship
  with the coach and be very coachable
• The PG must know his role on the team this of
  course depends not only on his own skills as a
  scorer, but also upon the talent of his teammates
  around him. If the team has some excellent
  scorers, the PG must be very good in assist.
• If no-one else on the team is a strong scoring
  threat, then the point guard may need to step up
  into that role

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COMMUNICATION

• The PG must be able to communicate with his
  teammates on and off court
• The PG must learn to read the cuts his wing
  players are making
• The PG might work on some hand signals that he
  knows that the wing goes backdoor or not
• When PG see that his teammates have poor spacing
  he need to back the ball out and direct them
  and
• correct the spacing

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IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF PG

• Most important attributes for good PG must be
• Dribbling and ball handling
• Excellent passing find the open man knowing
  when to pass or not do not telegraph the pass
  keep simple passes (not a fancy ones) use crisp
  passes
• Good peripheral vision
• Distribute the ball from side to side, using both
  sides of the court
• Passing to the high post occasionally to the
  low post when defence is sleeping
• Avoid pointless dribbling on the perimeter

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IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF PG

• Catch the ball in triple threat position
• Look for the shot outside and from the
  penetration hit inside the key little pull-up
  jumper or dish the ball to an open low post
  player
• Usually the point guard has primary
  responsibility for being back on defence and
  preventing the opponent's fast break and not
  going for the offensive rebound
• When dribble penetration, the PG must have
  understanding with the wing players O2 and O3 to
  find the good angle to kick the ball out or
  rotation to stop the opponents fast break
• Recognizing against what defence we are playing

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CONTROLING THE TEMPO

• A good point guard knows how to control the pace
  or tempo of the game, and how his coach wants the
  tempo
• PG must know whether his team is better as a
  fast-breaking team, or better as a slow-down team
  all depends what teammates are on the floor
• If the team looks tired after a couple fast trips
  up and down the court, the PG must slow it down a
  little for a couple possessions
• If your team is really "on a roll", keep the
  tempo fast
• You can rest on offence, but never on defence.

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LEADERSHIP ATTITUDE

• PG must be confident and a little "feisty" - who
  is able to grab his/her teammates and say,
  "C'mon, let's go!
• PG is the leader on the floor and the team will
  follow his example
• PG must be willing to work harder than anyone
  else in practice so as to "lead by example
• PG must try to get along well with all his
  teammates and be a "peace-maker
• PG must make the younger teammates and those
  teammates who get less playing time feel
  important too, that they are contributing also to
  the team

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MUST HAVE SKILLS OF A POINT GUARD

• Developing a true point guard is actually a very
  straightforward task. It takes time, dedication,
  and an eagerness to learn.

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MUST HAVE SKILLS OF A PG

• COURT VISION - is the ability to locate all your
  players at all times, and to always know where
  they are standing, and where they will run to.
  Great court vision leads to great passes and more
  points scored, resulting in more wins and more
  playing time.
• SPEED - forces multiple defenders towards you so
  you can dish the ball out to an open teammate.
  Speed allows PG to break down the defense to
  create holes and open up passing lanes.
• CONFIDENCE I mentioned before
• BALL HANDLING - The better PG handle the ball,
  the easier it is to keep his head up and spot his
  teammates for that critical pass
• STRONG JUMP SHOT, 3-POINT SHOT -The jump shot is
  the point guards primary weapon.

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SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE A GOOD POINT GUARD

• PASSING AND FAKING SKILLS chest bounce
  overhead right and left hand push pass skip
  pass passing into the post
• DRIBBLING control dribble speed dribble
  crossover dribble hesitation dribble in and out
  dribble (bring the ball back and after go around
  the defender) behind the back spin move
• FOOTWORK triple threat position pivoting
  acceleration step
• 1-ON-1 MOVES
• OUTSIDE SHOOTING
• CONDITIONING

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PERIMETER MOVES WITH THE BALL1-ON-1

• TRIPLE THREAT POSITION
• Catch the ball and get squared up to the basket
  so you can see the basket, the defender and any
  open teammates.
• Have your hands positioned on the ball in the
  shooting position, so you are ready to shoot.
• Keep your weight back on your pivot foot (often
  the left foot for a right-handed player).

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PERIMETER MOVES WITH THE BALL1-ON-1

• LEARN TO READ THE DEFENCE
• Use a short jab step, or drive step, with your
  non-pivot foot.
• Jab the foot forward quickly, hold for 1 second
  and judge the defender's reaction.
• See if the defender drops back, or stays up. If
  he stays up, see which side is vulnerable to your
  drive.

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FEW TIPS ON THE JAB STEP

• Read the defender... whichever foot the defender
  has forward is the vulnerable side and that's the
  side you attack.
• Do not rush the jab step (give it a count of
  one).
• The jab step should not be extended too far
  forward as this results in your weight being
  forward on the jab foot.

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HOW TO GET INTO TRIPLE THREAT POSITION WHEN
CATCHING A PASS

• There are two techniques in receiving the
  perimeter pass, depending on the amount of space
  between the receiver and the defender
• Situation 1. Plenty of space between receiver
  and the defender.
• Catch the ball in a position to shoot, squared up
  to the basket. As you meet the pass, you are
  turning your body to face the basket. You want to
  receive this pass with your shooting hand, and as
  the pass arrives, you "jump behind it", catch it
  and land with both feet squared up to the basket.

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HOW TO GET INTO TRIPLE THREAT POSITION WHEN
CATCHING A PASS

• Situation 2. Tightly guarded with the defender
  up close on the receiver.
• The receiver should move toward the ball and
  catch it with both hands extended, extend the
  inside foot (closest to the basket and defender)
  with back to the defender and protect the ball
  with the body. Make a quick, hard aggressive
  pivot into triple threat position (while
  protecting the ball). Now make the jab step, and
  if the defender is up close on you, you can often
  take it to the basket.

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CATCH AND GO MOVE

• Here is a move you can make when receiving the
  pass with the defender up close. Some coaches
  call it Catch and Go
• Once again, move toward the pass, and catch the
  ball, protecting it with your body. Quickly
  reverse pivot and this time, swing the ball "over
  the top", and make the quick step and drive in a
  straight line to the basket.

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FIVE BASIC OUTSIDE MOVES FROM TRIPLE THREAT
POSITION

• Jab step, jump shot - In triple threat position,
  make a drive step (jab step) and read the
  defence. If the defender drops off, bring your
  jab step foot back, toes even with your other
  foot, and pop the jump shot.
• Jab step, straight drive - If the defender does
  not drop back, read his arms and feet. If the
  left foot is forward, take a long quick dribble
  to the right by extending your jab step forward.
  Go in a quick straight line off the defender's
  left shoulder to the hoop. The most common
  mistake players make is going too wide around the
  defender to avoid contact. This just gives the
  defender time to react. Go right off the
  defender's shoulder and don't be afraid to make a
  little contact.

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FIVE BASIC OUTSIDE MOVES

• Jab step, cross-over drive - If the defender does
  not drop back, read the arms and feet. If his
  right foot is forward, swing the ball low and
  cross to the left. Quickly cross your right foot
  over to the left (do not first return your jab
  step back). Drive in a straight line, hard off
  the defender's right shoulder.
• Shot fake and drive - After you've hit a couple
  outside shots, the defender is susceptible to
  this fake. Make a shot fake with the ball, your
  arms and eyes. The ball doesn't need to get any
  higher than your shoulders or face. When the
  defender jumps up to contest the shot, drive to
  the hoop.
• Shot fake - one dribble (left or right) - jump
  shot - This is especially effective if the
  defender is "flying" at you on a close-out

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HOW TO PENETRATE TO THE BASKET WITH THE BALL

• Why should a point guard penetrate or drive to
  the hole?
• It gives you an opportunity to score.
• It gives you an opportunity to pass.
• It gets the defence moving, freeing up teammates.
  
• It makes you a lethal member of your team.

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TECHNIQUE OF DRIVE TO THE BASKET

• Attack your defender head-on - If youre not
  close enough to a good defender, you wont be
  able to pass him.  Get close enough so that you
  can explode past him, but not so that he can
  swipe the ball away. If you are dribbling, slowly
  dribble forward right at your defender.  This
  way, he wont know which way youll blow past
  him, and it will force him to back up.
• Make a Fake - Fake out the defender to get him
  moving in one direction so you have an opening to
  go in the next.  A point guard should always have
  an arsenal of fakes.
• Explode - Put the ball on the floor, get as low
  as you possibly can, take your first step (which
  needs to be strong), lean forward, and dribble as
  hard as you can. Take a smaller first step it
  gives you more power to burst away

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TECHNIQUE OF DRIVE TO THE BASKET

• Pick up your dribble - Once youve exploded and
  dribbled close enough, pick the ball up two steps
  ahead of time.  Youre fastest when the balls in
  your hands so pick it up as soon as possible.
• Warning Do not pick up the ball if you didnt
  lose the defender.  This will lead to getting
  your shot blocked or turning it over.  Just
  dribble back out and restart the play.
• Do a lay up start it with long steps, outside
  the key, use power move

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DRIVE AND DISH

• When you drive to the basket, read the defence.
  There are three options
• 1. Take it to the basket for the lay-up.2.
  Pull up in the lane for the short jumper.3. Pass
  off to an open post player, or to a
  wide open teammate on the three-point arc
  ("inside-out").

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DRIVE AND DISH

• What it means?
• 1. The first option is the best if the lane to
  the hoop is open. But the interior defence may
  set up to take the charge. You must recognize
  this, jump stop and pull-up for the short jumper
  in the lane.
• 2. Second option a good defence's help side
  post defenders will pick you up as you drive. As
  the help defence comes up to defend you, find the
  open teammate where the help came from, and
• 3. Third option dish the ball to your teammate
  for an easy assist.

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DEFENCE

• THE PG ON DEFENCE MUST PLAY
• AGRESSIVE DEFENCE
• HUSTLER
• PUSHER pushing to the push points
• TRAPER double team
• DEFENCE ON SCREEN mainly on top of the key

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Basketball Drills For Point Guards

• Drill 1 - Two Ball Shooting
• This is a very challenging drill that addresses
  ball handling, ball control and shooting.
• Place a chair or a marker near the top of the
  key.
• Coach sets up on the wing.
• Player starts on baseline with 2 balls.
• Player dribbles both balls at full speed to
  mid-court.
• As drill progresses, player can use different
  dribbles for different challenges (same time,
  alternating, high-low, crossover, etc.)

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DRILLS

• Upon reaching mid-court players turns and attacks
  chair at full speed.
• Before reaching the chair, player throws a 1
  handed pass with the outside hand to the coach
  (or partner) on the wing.

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DRILLS

• Player then makes a crossover dribble (or through
  the legs, behind the back, etc.) to go by the
  chair.
• Once by the chair, player takes 1 hard dribble
  and pulls up for jumper.

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DRILLS

• After shooting, player then cuts off the chair,
  as if cutting off a screen, receives pass from
  coach for second shot.
• Chair for second cut can be placed anywhere to
  simulate a cut off a screen for jumper.
• Drills can be monitored by, number of shots or
  number of makes.

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DRILLS

• Drill 2 - Chair Break
• This drill addresses ball handling, handling
  under pressure, fast break, weak hand development
  and shooting on the move.
• Set chairs in the backcourt. Set as many as you
  like and space them as close or as far apart as
  you like, depending on the challenge you would
  like.
• Coach sets up on the wing.
• Set a chair on the wing opposite the coach with
  a ball on the seat.
• Player starts on the baseline.
• Players dribble weaves through chairs. Upon
  clearing the last chair, player, throws a
  one-handed pass with outside hand to the coach.
• After pass to the coach, player makes hard cut
  and takes ball off the chair for jump shot.
• Drills can be monitored by, number of shots or
  number of makes.

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DRILLS

• Drill 3 - Chair Dribbles
• This drill addresses ballhandling and creating a
  shot.
• Set up chair near top of the key.
• Player starts at mid-court with the ball.
• Player attacks chair with his dribble. Upon
  reaching the chair, player makes a change
  dribble. It can be a crossover, through the legs,
  behind the back, inside out, hesitation dribble.
  It can also be any type of combination dribble
  such as backup-crossover, crossover spin, etc.
  Make whatever type of dribble that will challenge
  you.
• Upon passing the chair, player takes 1 dribble
  into jump shop.

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DRILLS

• Second level of the drill, set up a second (and
  then possibly a third) chair above the first one.
• Player challenges his ball handling as with the
  single chair drill. He can make the same dribble
  on each chair or change his dribble.
• Once clearing the last chair, player takes 1
  hard dribble for jump shot.

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DRILLS

• Drill 4 - Dribble and Shoot
• This drill addresses ballhandling, shooting,
  change of direction and escaping from traps. It
  is very effective when done at very high
  intensity.
• Set a chair near the top of the key.
• Player starts on the baseline.
• Player dribbles hard at the chair, making one or
  two changes on the way out.
• Upon reaching the chair he takes 2 more
  dribbles, 1 to get around the chair and 1 to get
  into his jump shot.
• After shot player chases rebound (scores if he
  missed the shot) and immediately starts again.
• Drills can be monitored by time, number of shots
  or number of makes.

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DRILLS

• On second phase of the drill, place a second
  chair inside the first chair.
• Player attacks the same way he attacked the
  single chair drill.
• When player dribbles around the first chair he
  then takes 1 dribble to attack the second chair.

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DRILLS

• Player then takes a backup dribble as if to
  escape from a trap.
• Player then makes a change dribble (crossover,
  through the legs, etc.) and takes another hard
  dribble to beat the chair and goes into a jump
  shot.
• After shot, player chases rebound, scores if
  shot missed, and immediately restarts drill.
• Drills can be monitored by time, number of shots
  or number of makes.

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DRILLS

• Drill 5 - Wing Screens
• This basketball drill simulates a player using a
  wing screen. It addresses the ball screen,
  turning down the screen and beating the defensive
  hedge.
• Step 1
• Player starts with the ball at mid-court.
• Set a chair on the wing in an area where the
  ballhandler might get a screen.
• Player dribbles down sideline. He should
  simulate dribbles he would use if under pressure.
  Change speeds, pony dribble, etc.
• Ball handler takes ball below the screen, change
  dribbles and explodes off the screen for jump
  shot.

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DRILLS

• Step 2
• Player approaches the screen as in step 1.
• Player changes to go over the screen then
  changes to turn down the screen. He is
  simulating the defensive player anticipating the
  screen and beating the ballhandler over the top.
  Ballhandler turns down the screen to counter
  the defense.
• Ballhandler takes 1 hard dribble to separate off
  the screen for a jump shot.

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DRILLS

• Step 3
• Place a second chair above the first chair. This
  chair is in the hedge position.
• Player approaches screen as in step 1. As he
  comes off the screen, the second chair simulates
  the hedge man on defense.
• Player attacks the hedge man and uses an angled
  dribble to try to drag the hedge man away from
  the screen and create a switch.
• Player then changes and attacks with a hard
  dribble for shot.

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CONCLUSION

• Developing the skills of the point guard is a
  tedious, careful, and slow process. Coaches can
  cultivate excellent point guards if they take the
  right approach to the mental aspect of the game
  first. Great point guards are tough, unselfish,
  understand the game, and mentally strong. A
  winning point guard is in command when the game
  is on the line and makes all other players better
  by his presence.
• Practice, Practice, Practice!