By Bob Kloppenburg, Fmr. NBA Assistant Coach
More than at any other time in the evolution of America's game from peach basket to primetime TV, the past decade has introduced significant and irreversible changes in the way teams play the game. One, in particular, is presenting a major challenge nationwide for coaches at every level of the game. Quicker, stronger, taller athletes, shooting, driving, passing, blocking with awesome skill and consistency, have forced us all to explore that "other" dimension, the art of defense, more seriously and thoroughly than ever before.
Once the passion of a relative few in the profession who had always been avid believers, the need to play both ends of the court is solidly a part of mainstream thinking today. Philosophical debate is now focused upon the kind of defensive strategies that can best confront the escalating power of modern day offenses, on how to teach these strategies effectively, and, more importantly, on how to motivate players to play "D" with the same enthusiasm and intensity as offense.
SOS Pressure Defense gets to the heart and core of these questions, and fills a frustrating void in terms of the scarcity of professional material on this timely topic. Not only does it present a solid case for all-out man-man pressure as a basic system of defensive play, but it also spells out how to teach it in logical step-step sequential progression, covering every players positions. From one-one individual skills to their total -team application, SOS charts the whole teaching process through clear-cut narrative, extensive diagramming and key photos that highlight essential fundamentals. It's the most thorough written coverage of the topic yet presented and, as such, contributes to the ever-growing need for guidance on the "D " dimension of the game.
Although tough, tenacious pressure defense is not widely embraced as a basic primary strategy at this point in time, I firmly believe that successful teams of the future will employ pressure strategies more and more to replace/or reinforce the most commonly used containment defenses of the past. It is already happening in various degrees, among consistent winners at every level, acting as an equalizer in keeping pace with the continuously growing power of the offensive game.
It's important to note at this point that regardless of whether you are a disciple of pressure, a zealous advocate of the zone, or philosophically somewhere in between, this book has something for you. The individual defensive fundamentals and teaching techniques presented will enhance team defensive performance no matter what basic system you favor. Simple-to-complex skill development, the introduction of key SOS action words to clarify and communicate both practice and game time "specifics", the stress on pride, desire, and intensity as major ingredients of defensive success--all contribute to an innovative, inspirational, yet truly practical approach to the teaching of any and all systems of playing defense.
Beyond its broad application to all defensive systems, however, the major message of the book is P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E---what it can do, and how you can make it work for you!
No other system can so thoroughly and effectively....
...Generate more offense off the defense, giving you more scoring opportunities, while shutting off opponent options.
...Stifle opponent scoring drives in so many frustrating ways: turnovers, blocked shots, poor court positioning, disruption of screens, forced shots, mental lapses and agitation. ...Take charge of game tempo and momentum, disrupting both the transition and set offensive modes with equal vehemence and vigor.
All of the above-mentioned, game-determining pluses can and do take place as a result of the SOS Pressure Defensive System, as confirmed by my own personal experiences, from high school, college, to the NBA. Beyond my own acceptance of its value is the supportive belief of many converted colleagues, who affirm its success for them as well. It is they who have persistently urged me to "pull it all together", to present it as a written guidebook, video tapes to reach the broader audience of men/women coaches out there committed to professional growth in this area of the game.
