Take What the Defence Gives You

Taking what the defence gives you is a concept reserved for those on offense trying to score.

It's a reactive mindset that encourages players to exercise patience and in the process helps to strengthen decision making skills.


Essentially, an offensive player with the ball takes their cues from their defensive counterpart. The defence wants to control where you go and what you do on the court.

All done in an attempt to make it difficult for you to score.

It's our job on offence to maintain our edge and not succumb to the will of others.

Read the situation and take the best course of action that will get you one step closer to your goal.

Making Your Move

After an OT win against the Utah Jazz, Dwayne Wade, Miami Heat guard said in a post game interview that, "Most of what happens in basketball is about reaction"

He was referring to a play in which his defender, Andrei Kirelenko was playing him particularly tough on his strong right hand.

To get by him, Wade pulled a behind the back cross over dribble from his bag of tricks and finished with a lay-up for the basket.

Kirlenko, an above average defender was left beaten and flat footed.

Wade reacted and made his move once he understood what the defence wanted him to do.

The defender really could be anyone or anything. Life has a way of throwing all sorts of challenges on our pathway.



The onus falls on our shoulders to respond accordingly.

A Few Points To Keep in Mind

Before you jump in reaction to a situation, take a moment to understand what's happening around you.

Make sure that you're aware of the possibilities before you make your move.

Finally, be prepared to have a plan B if the first one doesn't work out.

In Closing...

Keeping these points in mind will put you into better scoring situations and help you get your two points.

Thanks for reading!

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Audley