In his book “Pete Newell’s Defensive Basketball” Coach Newell explains the positives and negatives of a multiple/changing defense system.
STRENGTHS:
◄Reading problems for opponent
◄Particularly effective against inexperiences guards
◄Impatience in opponents
◄Confusion it can create for a superior talented opponent
◄Preparation problems for an opponent
◄Defensive confidence it can inspire when the opponent becomes confused
◄Forcing opponet to have to conter each change of defense
◄Forcing opponent to resort to low-percentage shots when unable to fathom the changes
◄Turnovers it can create which often result in easy, unopposed baskets
◄Changing the tempo of the defense
◄Defensively using the ball-possession clock to its advantage
WEAKNESSES
◄It is usually more effective in the early part of the schedule than in the important late-season games and post-season tourneys
◄It can create problems of vision, stnace, responsibility as it changes from the assigned individual defense to a zone-type defense or vice versa
◄As opponents experience more defenses of this type, their reading and counters become more effective
◄Being able to go from a soft-type defense to an aggressive denial-type defense as a unit can be difficult
◄Being able to go from a fot-type defense to an aggressive denial-type defense as a unity can be difficult
◄This surprise-and-change concept has not produced many Final Four NCAA teams nor high school championship teams as opposed to the simplicity and execution programs.
◄Breakdowns can occur for a solid, aggressive denial team that relies on peripheral vision and low stance and is mentally perpared for its individual-assigned responsibilities
◄The fundamental habits that are essential to a particular aspect of the change up defense can be compromised, thereby lessening the effectiveness of this specific phase of the change-up defense