NBA Defense: How to ICE the Pick And Roll 

Ice Defense helped me a lot on NBA2K.

email me coachnick@bballbreakdown[dot]com

Sports Fans! Our latest BREAKDOWN IS UP! *ICE DEFENSE versus the Pick And Roll* Coach Nick got out on the court to explain the best way to defend the sideline screen and roll, using what Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau calls "ICE." Listen carefully during an NBA game and you'll hear the players and coaches scream "ICE!" or "Blue!" This means they want the on ball defender to force the ball handler away from the screen. We believe this is truly the best way to guard the sideline screen and roll, because it contains the ball handler well and does not require a third defender to rotate over and help. #Bulls #Defense #PickAndRoll #NBA #Basketball

I wish we had more time to film this - and yes, we're seeing teams start to force the ball handler away from the high screen - and if the screen is flat, just force him to one side. This is how I'd defend it

Been waiting for this one. You're the man Coach Nick!

Coach Nick this is so useful! I am rather new to playing basketball (1.5 years) and I always get confused when I m defending a pick n roll. But now I think I at least know my role as a defender to the ball handler. I can't wait to execute this defense next time I play.

Thanks for this coach. I'm a Laker fan and I'm reading about P&R Ice coverage deficiencies. This video helped a lot. Thank you.

We've got this on our list. Tons of people have been asking how to attack a zone, so we'll definitely go over it...

Thanks Coach, been waiting for this breakdown on screens. Keep up the good work =)

THANKS! Lots more of these coming up before the season starts...

Really great piece of information that u can't find anywhere else.

Excellent content coach!

Love these vids.. Thanks coach!

appreciate the content even in the offseason coach!

Thanks! We've got lots more of this coming up...

Yes! Been waiting for this video

Thanks! Lots more coming up...

Great! Keep me updated!

ICYMI: We released a breakdown of ICE - defending the PnR. I explain why I don't like how the #Heat defend it. bit.ly/1byXLMH

Thanks! You should check out our other breakdowns!

This was a really good video on the pick´n´roll defence. You could do one for the offensive side for new and old basket fans.

thanks for tht coach, this actually helped me in my real life game, ive been trying to work on my defense, and this was very helpful especialy in JRhighschool ball, the pick and roll s a main play

Great vid; I'll apply the denial of the pick and roll at the top and communicate with the helping defender to prevent the penetration only giving the offense the option of a long 2.. Thanks coach.

awesome channel!! u got urself a sub!, keep it up awesome bball knowledge!!

NBA offenses have 4s that can really shoot these days..you ice that screen, Bosh, Millsap, Davis, Love & many more will knock down that jumper

Great breakdown!

Best basketball channel ever!! Only place were I can really study and learn basketball. This channel has really helped me be a better player on both sides of the court. Thanks BBall Breakdown!! 💪🏀

Hey coach, could you please bring a breakdown of the high pick& roll? with the focus on proper spacing btwn the screener and the ball-handler? And maybe an optimal angle to the rim?

You have a good point, Dixie. That said, there are coaches out there at ALL levels with gaps in their knowledge, or haven't been exposed to other methods.

Great vid.

beautiful coach

Favorite video by far

Nice video... Upon further elaboration. John Stockton used this variation of the screen and roll create long 2's for Malone. What it looks like in real time is Stockton showing feint for a screen only to drawn a defense reaction. Stockton defense will hedge assuming the screen since the though is always present. With his speed he away from the screen from there you pick your poison. Stockton Drives, Shoots or Passes. Or Malone is left open for a makable long Duece. Incredible.

Awesome, thanks!

In Spain and some places in Europe we call this pick and roll defense as 'BLUE'

Damn this video is old Am here to learn basketball though my name is Osinimu Omeka from Nigeria 🇳🇬 and I am 6”0 trying to make it to the NBA as the greatest shooter of all time so I have to learn basketball fundamentals thank you 🙏🏽

can't wait for the season to start

Coach, could you please make a video on zones?: Using them, types of zones and especially beating them. I know it's rare to see in the NBA or higher forms of basketball but there are tonnes of teams running them in lower divisional basketball and it can be hard to have a team with enough team cohesion and confidence to beat a zone. Just wondering in case you have the time. Keep up the great vids.

2:20 is really what has pushed the development of the stretch 4 man. when the pnr is ICEd the big has an open mid range shot

Awesome. Let me know how it works for you and if there's anything you notice that doesn't work...

coach nick you're the best. show us princeton offence and triangle offence.

hey Coach Nick, can you please make a video showing you playing NBA 2k14 and running some plays? I got that game because of you!

Love the new camera

I'm giving your pointers to my son, as we practice on the driveway. He's 10 and plays 12u AAU club ball. This helps very much, thanks. Subscribed!

He rolls right into his man, who's down by the block waiting for him

please do a double team defensive breakdown, and how to double and defend the post. these are critical to nba defenses @bballbreakdown

Coach can you upload a vid on different ways to use the pick and roll

Yes! I'm a fan of the Chicago Bulls from 1978-1998

You're right Dixie Nourmos thats true but I still like coach nick he makes me understand basketball more

Yes - there are a handful of pick and pop guys that would love to get a decent look at a long 2...

Whoever you've got recording is doing a good job.

Looks good coach. In college my university never did this. We would either jump hedge or gate the screens but this seems much more efficient. In your opinion what's the best way of guarding the pick and roll at the top of the key though?

Yes - I read something last year about it - I was thinking it was Bulls, but maybe JVG

All time, I'd have to go with Phil Jackson, but Tex Winter is a mentor and one of my favorites. But Pete Newell is also the guy who I pattern my coaching philosophy after.

Thanks a lot for this! I do, however, have two questions left: 1) Can you ice someone when they screen to the middle or will this make the ballhandler too much of a thread inside? 2) I don't get your elaboration on defensive communication in the end 5:42 Who is supposed to say what and when?

Yes true indeed.. I noticed how far Malone was out on the perimter in the 98 finals and his shooting was not as consistant... And it also helps to have Dennis Rodman frustrating him also.

I think it's short for isolation or isolate - meaning keep the ball isolated on one side...

Love the guy in the background just chillin at 4:00

Awesome, Thank you!

Thanks Coach

Couldn't have said this any better myself!

It works better than the alternative, which is giving up a "fast break" on the weakside when you hedge and the offense can slip a pass to the roll man...

I think you should also mention the problems of icing the pick and roll when the screener is a stretch 4. Dallas wreaked havoc with continuesly running pick and pop plays with Terry and Nowitzki. If you have a screener that can hit the long two, or even the three, the player who´s guarding the screener can`t sag as far down.

Coming up, before the season starts...

That's a long road, with a specific focus, that I didn't have at an early age

Hi coach, it really helps.Nice vid. May I ask why it is called ICE?

Great breakdown Coach Nick. I have a question though. What should the defense do if the screener is someone like Dirk Nowitzki who can pop out for an open 3? Wouldn't the guy guarding the screener be forced to play closer to his man? I would imagine that's not the shot the defense wants to give up.

I wish we had shot this, because I think you can ICE that screen as well - turn the ball handler away from the screen and have the screener's man sag/contain. More teams are setting flat screens on top, making it impossible to hedge since the ball handler can just go the other way. ICE would solve that...

Are you going to break down any preseason games?

can I get a player breakdown of greg Monroe and demarcus cousins

Cool, thanks! I'll let him know...

Wasn't it the 1993 Bulls during the ECF Vs the Knicks? I think that's when they made the adjustment on the Ewing - Starks pick n roll.

@bballbreakdown coach will you be doing any more defensive breakdwowns? iso? double teaming the post correctly from the weakside with timing of the double?

good stuff

Maybe you could create some kind of a schelude of what we're going to see next and in what order is it going to be posted? That'd be nice.

Still eagerly waiting for the load and release video....

Awesome!!

The Knicks under JVG used to Ice side pick & rolls. The called it "down". Search for Jeff Van Gundy defensive edit, you will see it at about the 13 min mark.

The counter to this is simply a flat on ball, meaning screener sets screen with back to baseline, putting the post defender one on one vs the guard

Coach do you think it would be easier to do a rotation once the ball handler goes baseline, as in, have the man defending the ball handler switch to defend the long 2 or 3 once the ball passed, that way the defender can still protect the baseline without the threat of him accidentally rotating too quickly and giving up an easy lay up?

Stay tuned- we're planning one of these with an NBA PG...

well you have to adapt to the personnel. in high school, how often do you have a big that can consistently pull that shot? most of which are diving to the hoop

the screener's got a wide open 3, with the screener's defender not being able to recover the distance, especially if the BH is able to bait him (to defend against the BH's potential drive to the hoop).

I swear I remember something about the Riley Knicks having a hand in it. In a series against the Bulls maybe?

Floaters with a big man in your face is a tough shot - the kind of shot I wouldn't mind giving up. There are maybe 4 or 5 guys that can shoot that 3 who are PFs... I'd take my chances - if he hits enough of them, they deserve to win that game...

This is great

Understanding growing

this is exactly the shit im talking about when I subscribed to this channel.

it is not an inefficient long two, it is a WIDE OPEN 3, and the shooter like kevin love can nail it every time!

Offenses are becoming really good at countering ice defense now.

Do the warrior vs lakers preseason game

Great video. Should teams still deny the screen when the ball handler is at the top of the key, and not the wing?

should ICE just be used to stop middle penetration on the SnR?

Hey are you gonna cover derrick rose's return or are you waiting for the start of the season?

what ever happened to doing a breakdown of the eufo fiba finals game?

What's the key difference between this vs shadow & recover?

YES, as AQGOAT24 said, defenses are more than happy to give up those shots. And as we saw in the Finals, Malone wasn't able to consistently hit those shots...

well the thing is is that the defensive player who was screened by the pivot-screen has time to recover because the other defensive player prevents the penetration. that defensive player who freezes the penetration simply has to threaten the pull-up jumper without over committing. then quickly make sure the player who set the screen doesn't have a clear lane to roll to the basket. by that time the one who was screened should be back in position to the ball handler.

I believe the pivot screen you speak of is called a "step up" screen

Yes - those are 2 guys that can nail those shots, but I'd be happy letting them shoot long 2's vs post ups by LA and 3's by Dirk...