The New Zealand Breakers made waves across the NBL when they signed 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall mid-season. The towering big man, best known for his unparalleled height and wingspan, arrived in Auckland with the potential to transform the Breakers’ defense. But as the team is quickly discovering, unlocking Fall’s impact requires a delicate balance of leveraging his strengths and minimizing his limitations.
A Unique Defensive Weapon
There’s no question that Fall’s mere presence on the court disrupts opposing offenses. Standing nearly 8 feet tall with a condor-like 8-foot-4 wingspan, he can deter shots and passes simply by raising his arms. Fall’s early numbers with the Breakers highlight his shot-blocking prowess:
- 6 blocks in his first 2 games
- An eye-popping 25.5% block percentage
However, the Breakers have struggled to contain opponents with Fall anchoring the defense, allowing a concerning 117.5 points per 100 possessions during his minutes. The culprit? Fall’s inability to defend in space.
Deep Drop Coverage Conundrum
In an effort to protect the paint and keep Fall near the basket, the Breakers have resorted to employing ultra-deep drop coverage against pick-and-rolls. This scheme positions Fall at the edge of the defensive semicircle, conceding wide-open jumpers to ball handlers.
While the strategy makes sense in theory, it has proven untenable against the NBL’s elite scorers. In a recent matchup with the Illawarra Hawks, Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell III feasted on open looks as Fall sagged into the paint.
We tried to put something, defensively and offensively, together and how to use [Fall]. The guys also have to find a feeling with him: where to pass, what are the things we want to do with him on the floor…
– Breakers head coach Mody Maor
The Bryce Cotton Problem
If the deep drop scheme appeared problematic against Illawarra, it looked downright catastrophic in a matchup with Bryce Cotton and the Perth Wildcats. The explosive guard relentlessly hunted Fall in pick-and-roll actions, dancing into open jumpers or attacking the basket with Fall in retreat.
Cotton erupted for a record-breaking 59 points, showcasing the perils of yielding excessive space to elite scorers. The Breakers’ coaching staff must find a happy medium, pushing Fall to step up higher while still protecting the rim.
Optimizing Fall’s Defense
Striking the right balance with Fall’s defense will require trial and error from the Breakers’ coaching staff. Some potential solutions:
- Selective Aggression: Fall can deter more pick-and-roll jumpers by playing a step or two higher, using his length to challenge shots while still cutting off drives.
- Zoning Up: Deploying Fall in a “zone” alignment at the nail could allow him to patrol the paint while the other four defenders guard the perimeter.
- Situational Deployment: Fall’s minutes could be optimized against opposing bench units or teams lacking elite pull-up threats.
Integrating a unidimensional defensive big man like Fall is a worthy challenge for the Breakers. His paint-clogging potential remains tantalizing, but the coaching staff must crack the code of his ideal usage and support system. If the Breakers find that magic formula, Fall’s towering presence could transform their defensive ceiling.
