What is it?
The hostage dribble, sometimes referred to as putting a defender in jail, is typically used in the pick and roll. The hostage dribble allows the ball handler to keep the defender on their back, maintaining an advantage and disallowing the on the ball defender to get back into guarding position.
When should I use the hostage dribble?
One of the most effective ways to use the hostage dribble is against the drop coverage. When the big is in the drop and the on ball defender is over top of the screen, keeping the defender on your back and slowing down with a controlled dribble allows the prolonged advantage for the offense. In the clip above, Barnes play cat and mouse with the help side nail defender. He does this by coming to a complete stop and using the crossover to create space away from the help. It’s extremely difficult to help off a drive coming from below the foul line. A change of pace directly attacking the rim leads to the score.
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