Pick and Roll

Rockets fans complain about their favorite team's poor job defending the pick-and-roll; well, here's a comment from Detroit Pistons' head coach Flip Saunders which I thought was enlightening:

"Our defensive concern is the same as each of the 16 teams in the playoffs -- how to play the pick and roll," he said. "We have been giving up a lot of points at the basket, but a lot of times, the ball ends up at the basket after our coverage faltered on the pick and roll."

(The quote is from an article in The Detroit News written by Chris McCosky.)

I've always believed if the pick-and-roll is run correctly with the right players, there's no defense which can stop it. All a defense can do is force a perimeter shot to be taken -- instead of lay-ups -- and rebound the missed shot (if there is one).