Is there any way to guard 5 out with shooting bigs?

[jyoung]

The CPU switches pretty consistently for me, but I do know that they're programmed to not switch the screen if:

A) The screen whiffs and there's no solid body-to-body contact made with the on-ball defender

B) You set your team's off-ball pressure to deny

C) You have stay attached set to yes

But I'm confident enough in the CPU's switch coverage that I'll usually just let them do their thing in the PNR defense and go control an off-ball defender trying to fish for bump steals and bait bad passes.

Remember that you can always manually call for the switch yourself by holding down the A button on Xbox (X button Playstation) if you don't trust the AI's internal switching logic. And if you set your off-ball pressure to deny + help defense to 0, then nobody will ever switch unless you call it out manually by holding A.

Catch hedge coverage, though, is definitely best-played by user-controlling the hedge man. The AI isn't smart enough to play that role by itself and be responsible for defending two players at once. You just have to get good at controlling the on-ball defender long enough for him to get through the screen animation, then immediately switching back to the hedge man to contain the roll. And don't use catch hedge against popping bigs because it's too much ground for one player to cover (you're better off switching pops).

IMO the hardest thing to defend in this game isn't the pick and roll, it's the people who'll push their way into the paint, stop in the deadzone directly underneath the rim, then pump fake repeatedly until they've maneuvered the defender into a position where he can't register a good contest, even if he jumps at the exact same time that they go up for a standing layup/dunk. All you can really do against guys who play like that is go for charges before they get into the paint, then go for ball stripper steals once they're setup in the sweetspot.

[jk31]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

The CPU switches pretty consistently for me, but I do know that they're programmed to not switch the screen if: A) The screen whiffs and there's no solid body-to-body contact made with the on-ball defender B) You set your team's off-ball pressure to deny C) You have stay attached set to yes But I'm confident enough in the CPU's switch coverage that I'll usually just let them do their thing in the PNR defense and go control an off-ball defender trying to fish for bump steals and bait bad passes. Remember that you can always manually call for the switch yourself by holding down the A button on Xbox (X button Playstation) if you don't trust the AI's internal switching logic. And if you set your off-ball pressure to deny + help defense to 0, then nobody will ever switch unless you call it out manually by holding A. Catch hedge coverage, though, is definitely best-played by user-controlling the hedge man. The AI isn't smart enough to play that role by itself and be responsible for defending two players at once. You just have to get good at controlling the on-ball defender long enough for him to get through the screen animation, then immediately switching back to the hedge man to contain the roll. And don't use catch hedge against popping bigs because it's too much ground for one player to cover (you're better off switching pops). IMO the hardest thing to defend in this game isn't the pick and roll, it's the people who'll push their way into the paint, stop in the deadzone directly underneath the rim, then pump fake repeatedly until they've maneuvered the defender into a position where he can't register a good contest, even if he jumps at the exact same time that they go up for a standing layup/dunk. All you can really do against guys who play like that is go for charges before they get into the paint, then go for ball stripper steals once they're setup in the sweetspot.

Hm might be a problem only existing in old gen then. Sadly, I am on PC and don't have next gen available to me.


Yeah, if I want to switch I also use the manual switch button all the time. But it does not work consistently as you get unintended and wild cross court switches sometimes.

[jyoung]

The A button switch commands are determined by the direction you're pointing your left joystick.

So you have to point at the teammate you want to switch assignments with before you start holding the A button.

As long as your left stick isn't broken and isn't drifting off in one direction permanently, then the game should consistently switch with whomever you're pointing at.

[jk31]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

The A button switch commands are determined by the direction you're pointing your left joystick. So you have to point at the teammate you want to switch assignments with before you start holding the A button. As long as your left stick isn't broken and isn't drifting off in one direction permanently, then the game should consistently switch with whomever you're pointing at.

I need to check if the A button works for old gen too. Manual switch I know as double flick right stick towards the player you want the switch to happen. So e.g. double flick towards the ballhandler. Sometimes you get a shot contest animation out of it, sometimes it switches randomly. Might be better to have it on holding the A button. I will try that out if it works on old gen already.

[VictorMG]

Quote: Originally Posted by ksuttonjr76

I'm calling BS on this comment, and this is EXACTLY why the game is the way it is now and most "non-sim" players don't have two brain cells that can work together. NO...teams DO NOT run a 5-Out Offense and use screen action ONLY between the PG/C on EVERY possession. They DON'T. Period...end of the conversation.

They absolutely would if they had the kind of success the OP is talking about. The mid-late 2000s Suns made a living (and a very good one) on almost nothing but Nash high pick-and-rolls surrounded by shooters.

Quote: Originally Posted by ksuttonjr76

These bums are not playing REAL basketball. They're just taking advantage of the "poor" AI programming and unrealistic shooting percentages NO MATTER WHAT DEFENSE IS THROWN AT THE OFFENSE. Period.

You can still counter with real basketball. Stunt instead of helping fully. Help off the worst shooter(s). Put a defensive lineup in. Hell, you could even try trapping at half-court like teams did to Harden in Houston.

Also, think about *his* lineup. I assume he has Gasol at the 5, and he can be exploited when he's defending the perimeter. Put him in pick-and-roll.

Kawhi is at point-- depending on who you have, even someone as good defensively as him can't keep up with Ja, Curry, Trae, Fox, etc. Get someone with speed to exploit Kawhi playing out of position.

Also, drop coverage is your friend. Get over that screen, drop the big, force Kawhi to take a mid-range off the dribble. He can make those for sure, but it's better than giving up an easy kick-out three that he's apparently making with regularity.

There's almost always a real basketball strategy that can be implemented to counter exploits IMO. That's just my opinion, though.

[loso_34]

Quote: Originally Posted by VictorMG

They absolutely would if they had the kind of success the OP is talking about. The mid-late 2000s Suns made a living (and a very good one) on almost nothing but Nash high pick-and-rolls surrounded by shooters. You can still counter with real basketball. Stunt instead of helping fully. Help off the worst shooter(s). Put a defensive lineup in. Hell, you could even try trapping at half-court like teams did to Harden in Houston. Also, think about *his* lineup. I assume he has Gasol at the 5, and he can be exploited when he's defending the perimeter. Put him in pick-and-roll. Kawhi is at point-- depending on who you have, even someone as good defensively as him can't keep up with Ja, Curry, Trae, Fox, etc. Get someone with speed to exploit Kawhi playing out of position. Also, drop coverage is your friend. Get over that screen, drop the big, force Kawhi to take a mid-range off the dribble. He can make those for sure, but it's better than giving up an easy kick-out three that he's apparently making with regularity. There's almost always a real basketball strategy that can be implemented to counter exploits IMO. That's just my opinion, though.

Basketball strategy goes out the window when everyone shoots better than steph/Harris when left open.

[VictorMG]

Quote: Originally Posted by loso_34

Basketball strategy goes out the window when everyone shoots better than steph/Harris when left open.

There were suggestions in my post where how good your shooters are is just about irrelevant.

[ksuttonjr76]

Quote: Originally Posted by loso_34

Basketball strategy goes out the window when everyone shoots better than steph/Harris when left open.

Yeah, he missed that entire point of the conversation... traditional basketball strategies work when teams are shooting "normal" shooting percentages.