Be unstoppable from the 45

Situation:

You have caught the ball on the perimeter around the 45. You landed with a 1-2 pivot so your outside foot is now your pivot. Your defender closes in and forces you to the outside. He is not giving you middle. But you are going to take it. He also thinks he is forcing you to your weak hand but you don't have a weak hand.

I'll introduce 4 basic pivots to help you gain an advantage on your defender. I'll then give you some advanced-moves drills so that you can have fun practicing and imagine yourself in a game, pulling off combination moves to beat your defender. The first two pivots start with attacking to the middle. The last two start towards the baseline. Remember, your outside foot is your pivot foot.

Pivot # 1

With your non-pivot foot, take a long step to get outside your defender's inside foot (foot closest to center court). If he is really crowding you, you'll have to make this step back towards half-court. Rip the ball through or bring the ball up and over. Since your dribble lands outside his inside foot, you are now able to attack the middle. It's what you do next that counts; here are some drills you can practice one on oh. Imagine there is a defender in front of you and always practice at game speed. Remember to practice on both sides of the court so that you develop both hands, and complete footwork.

Using Pivot #1,

i) drive middle for layup

ii) drive middle, pullup for jump shot

iii) drive middle, step-back dribble, jump shot

Now lets try using some more advanced moves.

Start with Pivot #1 and

iv) drive middle, *crossover, drive outside for layup

v) drive middle, crossover, pullup jump shot

vi) drive middle, crossover, pump fake, reverse pivot, jump shot

vii) drive middle, crossover, spin dribble, drive middle for layup

ix) drive middle, crossover, step-back dribble, crossover, drive middle for layup

x) drive middle, crossover, behind-the-back crossover, drive middle for layup

*watch Tyreke Evans perform a very effective crossover*

xi) drive middle, *pull-back crossover, jump shot

*try a derrick rose pull-back crossover*

*try a dwayne wade through-the-legs pullback crossover*

xii) drive middle, *between-the-legs crossover, drive outside for layup

xiii) drive middle, between-the-legs crossover(x2), drive middle for layup

xiv) drive middle, between-the-legs crossover, behind-the-back crossover, drive middle

xv) drive middle, between-the-legs crossover, *killer crossover, drive middle

*watch Andrea Bargnani's between-the-legs crossover*

*check out Stephen Jackson with a killer-crossover on LeBron*

Be Creative - Like Tyreke Evans

If you really want to work on your ability to take your defender off the dribble, you need to practice doing different combinations of crossovers. Iverson's best crossover was his hesitation "killer crossover" but he was so good at getting his defender off balance by using combination crossovers. One guy I like who also is very effective at this is Tyreke Evans. Although many of these are highlight reel clips that are difficult to execute for the average player, if you break them down they are mostly just a combination of crossovers done with excellent footwork and co-ordination which you can develop through practice and repitition.

Two in-and-out crossovers followed by a hesitation fake - which freezes Duncan who tries to challenge his shot - and opens up the lane for Tyreke to execute one more in-and-out crossover and take the layup for an easy two.


Tyreke loves to use this move. He sets it up with an in-and-out crossover. He then crosses over without dribbling, has complete control of the ball and goes right around his defender.


Here he does it again shaking Paul Pierce. I actually remember Pierce using this move years back. Tough to defend.


Another great basket set up by two in-and-out crossovers. This time, he follows up with a spin immediately after. This move looks flashier than it really is because of how quick Tyreke Evans is. Just ask Ron.

Stepback move, Roy on Melo

I love the way Roy almost lets Melo angle him to the left. Melo thinks he has Roy stopped from going middle but Roy stretches his right foot back towards halfcourt, brings the ball up and over to his right getting outside Melo's left foot. Melo then scrambles to get back and with Nene stepping up on help D, Roy just steps back and buries it.

Spin Move presented by Ganon Baker

He likes to call this move the Deron Williams spin move. I call it the Earl Manigault spin move. Or just "The Goat Spin Move". But to be honest, this move is probably done by every single point guard in the NBA. It can probably be done by your neighbourhood high school point guard. I love going to this move. It can be very effective in a game situation going one on one, or using it off the pick and roll.



Add a pullback and a cross.

Free Agent Frenzy

7/3/2010
The biggest deal done after 3 days of free agency: Rudy Gay, 82 million.

My top ten remaining free agents and where I think they should go:

1. Lebron (slightly under max) - Chicago

2. Dwayne wade (max) - Miami

3. Chris Bosh (1 dollar less than Lebron) - Chicago or Houston

4. Dirk (max) - Dallas

5. Amar'e (max) - New Jersey

6. Joe Johnson (not worth max but he'll get it) - New York

7. Carlos Boozer (85 over 5) - Miami

8. Paul Pierce (60 over 4)- Boston

9. David Lee (75 over 5) - New York

10. Ray Allen (23 over 3) - Miami

Will click back in 10 years to reflect!