General
locking up
What does locking up mean?
Preventing an offensive player from doing what they want; smothering them defensively.
"He locked up their point guard in the second half."
Origin
From 'lockdown' defense.
Frequently asked questions
What does locking up mean in basketball?
It means shutting down the player you're guarding by smothering them defensively so they can't do what they want.
How do you use 'locking up' in a sentence?
You'd say a defender is 'locking up' an opponent, e.g. 'He locked up their point guard in the second half.'
Where does 'locking up' come from?
It comes from 'lockdown' defense, the idea of sealing off an opponent so they're stuck.
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