General
hedge
What does hedge mean?
A pick-and-roll defense where the screener's defender steps out to momentarily contain the ball-handler before recovering.
"They hedge hard on every ball screen up top."
Origin
'Hedge' as a temporary defensive measure.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hedge in basketball defense?
A hedge is a pick-and-roll defense where the screener's defender steps out to momentarily contain the ball-handler before recovering to their own man.
Why do teams hedge on screens?
Hedging slows down the ball-handler coming off a screen, giving the on-ball defender time to fight over the pick and recover.
What is a hard hedge?
A hard hedge is an aggressive version where the big defender jumps well out toward the ball-handler to force them backward or sideways before recovering.
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