Crash or Get Back
The instant a teammate's shot goes up, everyone has a job: crash, hold, or get back — decided before the ball hits the rim.
THE TRIGGER — ONE LOOK
The ball leaving a teammate's hands. Not the make, not the miss — the release is the cue, because every one of these jobs is lost if you wait to see the rebound.
YOUR JOB, BY WHERE YOU'RE STANDING
Shooter
Hold your landing spot for a beat — you're the long-rebound man, then the second man back.
Long rebounds bounce back toward the arc, right where you're standing. Chasing your own miss inside just adds a body to a crowd and empties the top.
Big
Crash the glass the moment the shot goes up — inside position beats jumping ability.
You're the deepest man with the shortest path to the rim. A tip-in or a kick-out off an offensive board is the cheapest offense in pickup.
Top man
Sprint back toward half court as the safety — before you know whether it's going in.
Somebody has to be the last line. If the top man stands and watches the shot, the other team's leak-out turns every miss into a layup going the other way.
THE NEXT BEAT
On the miss, their big secures the board and their fastest player is already leaking out. The outlet pass flies ahead of the defense — whoever didn't get back is the reason it becomes a layup the other way.
GOES DEEPER