pete's post: block vs charge

[Hawks Coach]

As a coach, I completely disagree with your conclusion that the ballhandler's attention is not supposed to be on help defense. And that is really what we are talking about on the off-ball defender stepping in and taking a charge. I am going through weekly classroom sessions with my team right now, discussing principles of offense and defense. One of the fundamental principles of offense is dribble penetration. And one of the basic principles of dribble penetration is to anticipate and see the help defense.

I reinforce the need for awareness on the part of the dribbler by showing situations where players draw charges, situations where players commit to dribbling into somewhere they can't get out of, etc., as well as showing situations where the shooter recognizes the help and pulls up, or sees the help and dishes (Diana Taurasi's no-look pass from the other night is one example I will use this week).

On the other hand, the defender may be conscious of screens (and may be alerted by the screeners defender as well). But all defenders have two key primary responsibilities for awareness - man and ball. Every coach I have ever talked to about defense stresses these two fundamentals first and foremost. Screener is a third, but man and ball come first.

Therefore, a defender that doesn't see a screen may still be following two fundamental defensive principles. But if a ball handler can't see the help defender, they shouldn't be driving because the most important thing a driver can see is the help defense. They already know where the basket is and they know where their own defendr is. Help is the only thing that matters.

So no, screens and help defense against dribble penetration aren't the same and never will be. Coaches know it and the writers of the rules know it. If you have a different opinion, I believe you are in the minority.