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Dec 19, 2013 · What is the "nail?" One of the key defensive spots on the floor, where teams can literally help stop middle penetration and figuratively shout out their defensive philosophy. The nail is...
- Where Is The Nail on A Basketball Court
- Why Is It Important For Basketball Defenders to Cover The Nail
- What Are Examples of Nail Defense in Basketball
The nail is at the center of the free throw line and its technical purpose is to line up the basketball goal so that it is centered and perfectly aligned with the basketball court. In reference to basketball defense, the nail is primarily used as a marker on the court, particularly by perimeter defenders, who could then use that marker to hinder th...
It is important for defenders to cover the nail because this defensive tactic could limit or prevent dribble penetration, especially into the lane area near the basket. Simply put, without some type of nail protection by the defensive team, the offensive team could potentially get the ball into the middle of the court, which opens up multiple scori...
Example 1a – Bad nail defense
This is an example of bad nail defense which is essentially no nail protection at all. For this case, 2 beats X2 with middle dribble penetration but X1 is too occupied guarding their assignment, which is 1, far from the basket instead of protecting the nail. However, it is not necessary for X1 to cover 1 that far from the basket. The reason is because 1 does not have the ball and 1 is probably not going to shoot the ball from that distance like Steph Curry. Yet, even if 1 does decide to shoot...
Example 1b – Good nail defense
This is an example of good nail defense which does not allow middle dribble penetration. To start, 2 beats X2 as before but X1 stunts at the ball to prevent the middle dribble penetration. When that occurs, 2 has to settle for the jump shot or pass the ball. For this case, 1 drifts away towards the weak side and receives the ball from 2. However, since X1 only stunted at the ball for a split second, X1 has enough time to recover and closeout, represented by the gray arrow.
Example 2 – Nail defense vs. side ball screen
This is an example of nail defense against offensive action that seeks to create middle dribble penetration by way of a side ball screen. 2 dribbles towards the middle of the lane via the side ball screen set by 5. However, X1 is at the nail and stunts at 2 to limit or prevent the dribble penetration. After that, 1 receives the ball from 2 but X1 recovers to closeout and prevent the wide open jump shot or easy dribble penetration.
This glossary of basketball terms is a list of definitions of terms used in the game of basketball. Like any other major sport, basketball features its own extensive vocabulary of unique words and phrases used by players, coaches, sports journalists, commentators, and fans.
We've got you covered! The nail, or "nail-down," is an important concept to understand in basketball - it's when a defender has secured a position in front of the offensive player. Read on to learn more about the nail, and how it's used in the game of basketball.
Checkout the statistics, scores & history of every team & NBA and WNBA players and more on Basketball-Reference.com
Both Jordan and Kobe eclipsed that mark comfortably in their best seasons (Jordan almost hit 35 per-75 in 1987) and Wilt's rate wouldn't even be #1 this season, falling behind Giannis' 30 points per-75.
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Apr 13, 2023 · The nail is a location on the court, near the free-throw line, marked by a physical nail in the hardwood. This location is often used as a starting point for an offensive play or to initiate a pick-and-roll.
