What’s going on Sports Gamers! Today I’ll be going over some must-have settings when defending against the Pick and Roll in NBA 2K21.
NBA 2K21 Pick and Roll Defensive Tips
On Ball Pressure
Distance to the ball handler will play a large part in determining success navigating around a screen. So, setting up your On Ball Pressure (if you like to play Off Ball) is a huge first step in having your defender play how you want them around the screen depending on the ball handler. You will instantly notice the On Ball pressure the defender will be applying based on how far past the 3pt line he sets his stance as your opponent comes up the court.
Gap/Moderate – Against a Ben Simmons type of ball handler, putting your setting on Gap/Moderate will put you into a good position to defend his drive as the defender will be parked below the 3pt line.
Tight – Against a Steph Curry/Damian Lillard type, putting your setting on Tight will have your defender parked directly on the 3pt line and give you the ability to play them close while not too close to give up easy driving opportunity’s.
Smother – Against a spot up shooter like Robert Covington who you aren’t worried about beating you off the dribble, having the defender parked above the 3pt line with the smother setting gives you little risk.
On Ball Screen/On Ball Screen (Center)
Go Over – If you’re playing Tight/Smother on a player, you want to put your On Ball Screen Setting on Over. For the guys you have on Smother, the likelihood of them actually using a screen is very low, but this is more for the guys you have on Tight, who can shoot and beat you off the dribble.
Go Under – For Guys you have their On Ball Pressure on Gap/Moderate, you want to put their On Ball Screen setting on Under, so you can meet them on the other side of the screen if they attempt to create space that way.
Hedge/Hedge (Center)
Catch Hedge – You want to globally put everybody on Catch Hedge with some adjustments. Catch Hedge is the perfect neutral setting, as he stays downlow and plays both the roll man and the ball handler until your opponent commits to one. Having the computer stay low by default will also allow you to control that player and MANUALLY rush the ball handler as he runs around the screen to bait a steal if you choose to as a mix up.
Now when the screener can shoot, and they run a pick and pop, Catch Hedge becomes exposed as it allows a lot of wide open jumpers for the big man. That’s when you want to utilize Soft Hedge, allowing your big man to pop out around the screen to disrupt the ball handler while being closer to his man and getting back.
Stay Attached
You want to manually set this to no.