To be Truly Effective, Emphasize the DRIVE in Your Dribble Drive Motion Offense

Dribble Drive Motion Offense is all the rage these days. As well it should be. It is exciting, easy to play and players enjoy it. Just like any offense, it is the little things that make it work.

Most importantly the important concept in the "Dribble Drive" is not the dribble, but the drive. Based on spacing, the "Dribble Drive" open up lanes to penetrate, puts players in spots for kick-out passes and 3-point shots. When played correctly, it is a very effective way to play.

What makes the offense so effective is the threat the penetrator will score. That is what forces all the defensive adjustments and opens up the variety of options. The threat of getting lay-ups is what truly puts fear in the minds of the defense. It makes them hesitate and question every move they make and can demoralize the defense. In order to put that fear in the minds of the defense, the drive must actually TAKE lay-ups.

To open the options in the "Dribble Drive," the offense must force the defense to react to the penetration of the ball handler. The threat of the penetrator taking a lay-up is what forces the defensive help rotation. If the help rotates off a shooter, you can have an open shot. If he does not rotate, you have a lay-up.

When installing the proper mentality for the offense you must teach your players that an all out commitment to the lay-up is what gets it done. Here are the important reasons why:

  • You can always recover from a lay-up but you cannot recover to a lay-up. On the drive, you can be well into your lay-up motion. If you are defended very late in the action, you can always pass off. If you drive thinking pass and the pass is defended, you are not in position to shoot.

  • Making lay-up creates fear in the defense. Once you make a few lay-ups, you can predict whether or not help will come and where it will come from.

  • Lay-ups put you on the foul line. Taking lay-ups creates fouls. When you are good at creating fouls, two things happen. First, you get extra points. Second, the defense gets themselves in foul trouble. Making fouls shots, getting to the bonus early and forcing their better players into foul trouble limits their playing time and creates an advantage for your team.

  • Getting foul shots helps your defense. The more foul shots you take, the fewer opportunities the opposing team has in transition. Fewer easy points, the less they score.
Emphasizing the drive and the lay-up in the "Dribble Drive Motion" will make your offense truly effective.


If you would like to learn how to teach and design your own motion offense that fits the strengths of your team, check out our How to Develop a High Scoring Motion Offense ebooks and audio.



What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...



Comments

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Smitty says:
1/14/2017 at 11:44:44 PM

I''ve used this for years , you have to get good guards to be very effective.

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Coach Green says:
5/10/2010 at 6:58:01 PM

Man this will really help me fix my team because they get scared driving in the paint.

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coach jack says:
4/19/2009 at 9:44:19 AM

I coach middle school girls basketball and we use this offense pretty extensively. Teaching the girls to see to hit the lanes they see quickly is the hardest part of the process I've found. We use simple folding chairs set up in 2-3 zone defense for starters so the players can practice dribbling through those lanes as they see them. As they get develop good hand-ball coordination and getting into the lanes quickly through the chairs we swap the chairs out for stationary players. My players love this offense!

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Coach Rixey, Middle Township Crusaders says:
1/29/2009 at 5:56:47 PM

I coach recreation league intermediate level boys basketball and we constantly tell our kids to keep the dribble and drive the lane followed by a layup so I like the article on the dribble drive and like my assistant coach always says, what is the worst that can happen, you get fouled and you get two points

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Coach Knight says:
1/26/2009 at 8:24:59 AM

We are running this for three options, rather than simply the layup (i.e., the layup, kick, dish). We are still working on confidence in getting to the paint areas. When we watch film, it is insane at how well this offense works once your players get to the paint. Anybody have some good one-one drill to improve the drive to the paint? How are Walberg's videos? I just noticed them on a website where I get most of my resources. Worth buying?

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Vaughn Blnkenship says:
1/25/2009 at 5:52:11 PM

We run a Walberg version of this offense. It has given my team a chance to be competitive. They won 2 games as sophomores 4 as juniors and my first year the seniors 10 and 6. They cant shoot well but it opens up so many shots to give them that chance. I'm a big fan and firm believer in the system.

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Coach Ted says:
1/24/2009 at 9:28:07 AM

This offense works perfectly when you have a number 1 who knows how this works. It easy to teach and your number 1 will enjoy it tremendously. My son is a number 1 and we use this offense quite a bit. He understands how the defense will react and how they breakdown defensively when he dribble drives. Now he has the opportunity to make the lay-up or kick it out.
His teammates are now understanding it as well.
Last, this offense allows your players to think on their own. The coach doesn''t have to call in plays every 2 minutes. It really allows your players to just play. Great offense!!!

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Allan Marcy says:
1/23/2009 at 5:39:43 PM

The only problem with the offence is everybody can't handle you man to man so they swirtch to zone or a sagging defence Of course a lot of teams can stop you in a man to man but t's tough if you have players who like getting to the rim Vance walberg and Fran Fraschilla have some excellent DVD's on the offence It can be run by young players also The 2 and 3 just have to be patient and wait for the point to get to the right spot to run the offence. It is a good offence to run with a clock since you can get good shots on your first penetration
You can run it against a zone just run a weave with your 1 2 and 5 (second guard)
The 3 remains a outlet and can shoot open shots or drive and the 4(post) just re-locates

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coach baker says:
1/22/2009 at 2:27:36 PM

im coaching a girls 14u all star team in wis the lightning we play in milwaukee and ill thanks for all the great imfo u are the best coach baker wisconsin lightning coach

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