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[QUOTE="DataNerd, post: 4840961, member: 4172"]
TY [USER=4]@HuskyNan[/USER] for this thread. I love their return to pressing. If you can execute, it epitomizes Geno's philosophy of turning defense into offense. Turnovers become layups and speed up the game, while contested backcourts eat clock, hence limit opponents' offensive options. Execution requires both conditioning and high team IQ, as [USER=11742]@Next 12[/USER] and [USER=197]@BRS24[/USER] noted.

While they didn't invent it, UCLA was among the first teams to press as part of how they played, rather than as desperation to surmount a deficit. UCLA didn't go deep into their lineup to do this, but it took much time to develop the knowledge and discipline to learn how to press properly. (BTW UCLA went this way because they were also altitudinally challenged at the time.)

What I especially love about living the press is that you necessarily learn how to break them, and so you won't panic when you get pressed. Several of our worst upsets came from such panic, and I don't recall those teams as pressing often.

When we can press naturally and attack creatively, that's basketball at its best and purest.
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