Utilizing downhill momentum is one of the best ways to get your defender in a compromising position to ultimately blow by them. Downhill momentum opportunities can come from many different situations during the game, including fast breaks of secondary fast breaks. If you’re able to catch the ball on the move, make sure you utilize that momentum to attack the defense. It’s harder to blow by your defender when standing still or standing flat-footed.
It’s always good to use quick changes of direction on a fast break because defenders are moving backward at a fast speed and it’s hard for them to slide over when they’re backpedaling. If you can read the defenders’ footing properly, it will almost be impossible for them to stop you as you create downhill momentum. There will always need to be a second line defender there to help stop you. If this happens, you’ve done your job and created an opportunity for another teammate to score.
These three ways to blow by your defender can be implemented easily into your game because they don’t require a player to be incredibly athletic, quick or strong. It’s about using your mind…not so much relying on your body. The opportunities that you create will come from thinking about the game and understanding situations that the defense presents.