Is being a pressing team worth it?

[montyaloofah]

I have no stats to back me up, but I just don’t see this team benefiting from the press. Yes, we get some turnovers especially against lesser competition. But it feels more often than not, quality teams make us pay. Case in point last night. We take the lead late, press, ball gets passed  ahead and horchler nails a 3. I think we can benefit from surprise presses or traps. We also have good on ball defenders that can challenge ball handlers up court. We don’t need to predictably press. I value being in proper defensive position than the thinking “we speed teams up”. We end up not disciplined when we are scrambling. Too many times 3+ guys in the backcourt when ball has already reached front court. 

 

[bamafan]

Not only is it bad for those reasons of leaving open 3 point shots but in this day and age of almost position less basketball more players have the skill of ball handling and can handle pressure better than the days of big slow centers and power forwards, and more good shooters.

 

[beast of the east]

I have no stats to back me up, but I just don’t see this team benefiting from the press. Yes, we get some turnovers especially against lesser competition. But it feels more often than not, quality teams make us pay. Case in point last night. We take the lead late, press, ball gets passed  ahead and horchler nails a 3. I think we can benefit from surprise presses or traps. We also have good on ball defenders that can challenge ball handlers up court. We don’t need to predictably press. I value being in proper defensive position than the thinking “we speed teams up”. We end up not disciplined when we are scrambling. Too many times 3+ guys in the backcourt when ball has already reached front court. 

Back in the day when we had Erick Barkley or Omar Cook, teams that pressed us respected their ball handling skills so much that once we inbounded and got the ball to either, they fell back because those guys were stellar ball handlers who didn't make mistakes.

One thing I don't see as a result of our press is the resulting 3 on 2 , 2 on 1 breaks that breaking the press quickly can cause.

I think there are a lot of benefits. A fair number of Josh's steals occur in the back court, and it often takes 7 or 8 seconds off the shot clock.

A lot of the breakdown that allows open 3s is the result of frenetic helping half court pressure, especially ganging up in the paint.

We are weak in one on one interior defense, and it necessitates help down low.

Unfortunately it creates a pick your poison alternative, getting beat in the paint or getting beat on the perimeter.

That being said, it's sometimes more helpful to mix in full court pressure with half court traps, or at least be aware of how well opponents are handling the pressure and do something different if its hurting more than helping.

 

[montyaloofah]

I have no stats to back me up, but I just don’t see this team benefiting from the press. Yes, we get some turnovers especially against lesser competition. But it feels more often than not, quality teams make us pay. Case in point last night. We take the lead late, press, ball gets passed  ahead and horchler nails a 3. I think we can benefit from surprise presses or traps. We also have good on ball defenders that can challenge ball handlers up court. We don’t need to predictably press. I value being in proper defensive position than the thinking “we speed teams up”. We end up not disciplined when we are scrambling. Too many times 3+ guys in the backcourt when ball has already reached front court. 

Back in the day when we had Erick Barkley or Omar Cook, teams that pressed us respected their ball handling skills so much that once we inbounded and got the ball to either, they fell back because those guys were stellar ball handlers who didn't make mistakes.

One thing I don't see as a result of our press is the resulting 3 on 2 , 2 on 1 breaks that breaking the press quickly can cause.

I think there are a lot of benefits. A fair number of Josh's steals occur in the back court, and it often takes 7 or 8 seconds off the shot clock.

A lot of the breakdown that allows open 3s is the result of frenetic helping half court pressure, especially ganging up in the paint.

We are weak in one on one interior defense, and it necessitates help down low.

Unfortunately it creates a pick your poison alternative, getting beat in the paint or getting beat on the perimeter.

That being said, it's sometimes more helpful to mix in full court pressure with half court traps, or at least be aware of how well opponents are handling the pressure and do something different if its hurting more than helping.

I agree, we need to mix it up. The Erick Barkley years were good. We break a press and had guys to make you pay in the front court. Bootsy, Postell, True Warrior. What a fun team.