Playing the post…First, get open.
If you wanna score in the low post, you gotta get the ball first.
First rule…Don’t get called for 3 seconds!!!
This is an example of defensive 3-seconds, but the same is true for offensive players. You cannot stay in the paint for longer than 3 seconds.
Second rule…Don’t just stand there!!!
Being “open” in the post means more than just waving your hands around. Smart players get to spots where the man with the ball can pass them the ball without it getting stolen. You might be “wide open” in the post, but if your teammate can’t see you, or if you’re behind a defender, you may not get the ball. Not everyone can pass like Nikola Jokic.
How to get open in the post.
Beat your man down the court. No matter what position you play, you can always get open if you hustle and beat the defense to the basket for an easy lay-up.
Flash or cut from the low post to the high post or the high post to the low post.
You can also V-cut out to the wing to the top of the key and back to the post where you want the ball.
Screening away can also pull your defender out of the post, allowing you to re-post up after rolling off the screen.
Getting open in the post against man-to-man defense:
Often, this is a battle of footwork and leverage to push your defender off the block or the spot you want to get the ball. Watch Shaq establish position and seal off his defender in the first 2 plays of this grainy highlight.
When the defender is on your back, seal them off with your butt and shoulder, and catch the ball with the out outside hand.
If the defender is playing deny, you can step over or around the defender and seal them off with your back.
If they overplay deny, you can spin around and seal them high, calling for the ball towards the hoop.
It takes work and persistence to establish the position you want the ball.
Getting open against a Zone:
Against zone defense, it is best to flash to “soft spots” in the zone, but often this isn’t effective as defenders might be close enough to still get a steal off of a pass. Standing in one of the open spots in the zone defenses below, you will usually have at least 2 defenders on either side of you in the high or low post, that can step in and steal the ball.
Instead of just flashing to the open space on the floor like most players, make and indirect cut, bumping the nearest defender off their spot as you flash to the open floor. For example, if you want the ball in the mid-post on a 2-3 zone, bump one of the lower defenders as you cut from the weak side into the strong side post.
