As a player whose job it is to set a screen on offense, you should always look to see if your defender is stepping out early to help his teammate defend on the cutter. If he steps out too early on a regular basis, a counter to that is to slip the screen toward the basket. In doing so you will produce an easy layup or dunk and you will also discourage that defender from showing on future possessions for fear of giving up the wide-open shot.

Defending the post man is a rigorous assignment, both physically and mentally. The challenge is even greater when guarding the likes of Kevin Garnett with Rajon Rondo pushing the offense. Pau Gasol was in the hot seat when the Celtics and Lakers last met. Boston was killing it from the perimeter, and Ray Allen in particular was on fire. Early in the third quarter, Boston established a commanding 11-point lead thanks to a swift seven-point run by Allen. On their next possession, the Lakers were prepared to shut down Allen, but the Celtics’ offense outsmarted the Lakers’ defense.

When setting up the play it appeared that Rondo would again dish to Allen for a jumper off the screen. To prevent Allen from getting his hands on the ball, Gasol hedged out to get an arm in the passing lane – leaving Garnett momentarily unmanned in the paint. The Celtics had likely observed that Gasol was showing a lot in previous trips down the floor, so they countered by faking the screen.

Rondo instantly reacted and looked for Garnett, who did exactly what he was supposed to do – he slipped to the basket to dunk for an easy two. All it took was a split second for the Celts’ offense to adjust and take advantage of the breach in the back line of defense. The result was a Rondo-to-Garnett dunk – a beautiful counter to the Lakers’ defense.

If you are the offensive big man setting the screen for a high, middle pick-and-roll and your defender leaves you to stop the dribble penetration, you should follow him to the rim to make yourself available for a pass or potential offensive rebound.

Fortunately for the Nets, Josh Boone was right where he was supposed to be following a missed shot at a critical point in their matchup against the Bobcats last night. Up by six with less than five minutes left in the game, Devin Harris drove to the basket, drew a couple defenders and wound up throwing up an off-balance shot. Anticipating the miss, Boone elevated for the rebound and slammed it down.

The majority of big centers should roll to the rim like Boone did in this situation. A big time jump shooter who’s a serious threat from the perimeter could fall back, giving the guard the option to dish the ball outside for a jumper. But unless you’re Dirk Nowitzki, you should follow the ball to the basket and fill the lane looking for the pass. If the opposing team can’t get a body on you in time to box out after a shot, you will be free to get on the offensive boards.

Boone’s put-back dunk was a huge save for the Nets. Despite strong starts the Nets have struggled to close all season. Charlotte was chipping away at their lead and threatened to cut it down to four. Were it not for Boone’s 2-point slam the momentum easily could have swung their way in the final minutes. Instead Boone stretched his team’s lead to eight points and the Nets held on for their fifth win of the season 103-94.

In the closing minutes of a tight game players must be aware of the time and the score and go for high percentage shots. A few poor decisions here and there can make the difference in the final outcome. Case in point: the Nets gave up a close one to Detroit on Tuesday because they made some costly mental mistakes down the stretch.

By the fourth quarter Detroit had gotten into some foul trouble, giving the Nets a chance to get to the foul line and add a lot of free points to the score board. But the Nets were never able to take advantage of the bonus situation because they weren’t aggressive about going to the basket. You’ve got to drive and force the official to make a call – make him blow the whistle and put you on the foul line

Instead of waiting for good looks at the basket or creating foul shot opportunities, the Nets wound up settling for several rushed outside shots which they missed. Detroit increased their lead and the Nets could not recover. Poor shot selection along with not being aggressive in the paint stopped the Nets’ offense.

It’s crucial for young players to understand how big each possession is and how important it is to go for high percentage shots in order to pull off a close game. Veteran guys like the Pistons tend to be a little bit more patient because they understand how much it means to get the ball in the hands of the right person and to get the right shot. On the positive side, the Nets have been very competitive in their last six games and have given themselves a chance to win. Now they have to build on their experiences and figure out how to take their game one step further to get across the finish line.

When a game is on the line you have to make high percentage plays. Dwyane Wade prides himself on making the right decisions when it matters most. He’s come through for the Heat in the clutch countless times. “I pride myself in certain moments of games,” Wade lamented after he was unable to close Monday’s disappointing one-point loss to the Cavs.

But even the greats make mistakes. Hit with a double team in the final seconds of the game, Wade went with a behind-the-back pass to forward Udonis Haslem. LeBron got a hand on the ball, made out with the steal, drew the foul and hit two free throws to take the game 92-91

When faced with the double team Wade had a few options: he could split the defense, pass out, or circle back towards half-court to set up again.

Trying to dribble through a double team comprised of LeBron and Jawad would have been too risky given the Heat’s one-point lead with under ten seconds remaining in the game. Passing to newly freed-up Haslem was a sound strategy that would have allowed the Heat’s offense to exploit a four-to-three advantage in the paint.

But the behind-the-back pass is difficult to execute because you’re not squared-up to your target. Instead your body is turned sideways with your shoulder towards the target and you must rely on your peripheral vision. Though it’s certainly in Wade’s arsenal, perhaps he should have been more patient with his pass selection.

Better to retreat from the double team if necessary rather than force a bad pass. And if you pick up your dribble and get trapped your teammates should come to your rescue – as D-Wade will no doubt come through for Miami the next chance he gets.