When run correctly, a fast break is really tough to defend in the NBA.  Even the teams who are the best at stopping the break allow more than 1 point per possession on fast break opportunities, according to Synergy (The Miami Heat were the best team at stopping the break, and they allowed 1.05 PPP on 51.5% shooting over 1050 possessions).  The fact that the fast break is so difficult to stop is what makes it so important.  If you can get a stop in transition, not only are you taking an almost guaranteed two points off the board, but you are killing a team’s momentum (If you are on the road, you immediately take the home crowd out of the game as well).  There are a couple of different ways that you can stop the fast break, but it starts with fundamentals:

Getting Back Into The Paint

The one thing you are taught when in high school or college is that to stop the fast break, you must first put your head down and book it to the paint and then turn and face the oncoming offense.  When you run back to the paint, you are going to beat the basketball there more often than not, and getting in front of the basketball gives you a better chance of stopping the basketball:

The Orlando Magic are ranked 4th in defensive points per possession (according to Synergy), and that is due to the fact they all run to the paint when getting back on defense.  In the play above, J.J. Redick doesn’t even look towards the basketball as he gets back on defense, he just runs to the lane, turns around, and then locates the basketball.  Because he beat the basketball to the lane, he is able to square up the play, wait, and take the charge.

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