How to setup Defensive Profiles

Updated for the Windows version

Setting up a Defensive Profile is the first step in Creating a Game Plan File (GPL). This section covers how you want to defend players on a certain opposing team. You can set up all of your Defensive Profiles for the month prior to Creating a Game Plan. To get to the Defensive Profiles do the following...

Start Strat-O-Matic Basketball
Select SBA from the League list
Highlight the Team you want to create a Defensive Profile for from the Team list
From the main menu, select Team .. Defensive Profile

There are only two things to set on this screen, the DT-VALUE and OUTSIDE settings. When you are finished making your changes, click Save to save the changes.

Default settings are usually visible for these settings to mimic how the given players were actually covered. The defaults are a good starting point, but modification is usually necessary due to the difference in team make-up.

DT- VALUE (Double-Team Value)

The double-team value is set from -3 to +5.

+1 to +5	Player will be double-teamed to some degree. +1 employs some double teaming, while +5 is frequent double-teaming
0	Player will not be double-teamed, nor be left open due to a double-team
-1 to -3	Player will be left open due to a double-team to some degree. -3 will be the first player(s) selected to be left open in the case of a double team. -1 will be the last choice to be left unguarded.

When the computer double-teams, it may have to shift defenders around to make it work.

Example

You set a DT-VALUE of +5 on the starting PF. You also set the starting PG to -2. If the computer optimizes your defense so that it looks like...

Opposing Defender

PG (-2) PG

SG (0) SG

SF (0) SF

PF (+5) PF

C (0) C

The computer will most likely want to leave the PG open, and double-team the PF (as per your instructions). To accommodate this, the defending PG will have to shift to guard the SG and the SG will end up double-teaming the PF.

Why? The game imposes double-team rules that simply state a player cannot move across OR diagonally to double team an opponent. This said, here are the valid double teams...

DT'd Player	Pos allowed to DT
PG	SG, SF, C
SG	PG, PF, C
SF	PG, C
PF	SG, C
C	PG, SG, SF, PF

Another IMPORTANT note - it is not a good idea to leave players open INSIDE, or if his CREATE SHOTS rating is >0 (a rated shooter).

OUTSIDE Setting (Defending when Outside)

The OUTSIDE setting is limited to 0, 1, 2, or 3. These settings are used when defending players positioned outside.

0	Let the Computer decide how to defend the player. In this case, the computer will adjust from NORMAL to SAG to CLOSE depending on how the player is performing different shots, and how the inside shooters are performing. If the inside shooters are doing well, players may start to play SAG more often.
1	Always play CLOSE
2	Always play NORMAL
3	Always play SAG

CLOSE Defense

CLOSE defenses are used to put pressure on the outside jump shooter. This defense...

Reduces Outside Shooting %
Increases Penetration Shooting %
Reduces 3-pt Shooting %

SAG Defense

SAG defenses are used to provide help to the inside game. This defense...

Increases Outside Shooting %
Increases 3-pt Shooting %
Reduces Inside Shooting % for inside shooters

NORMAL Defense

NORMAL defenses are used to provide a balanced defense.

Since you can position each defender individually, what defense do INSIDE shooters face? Whenever an INSIDE shooter takes a shot, the game randomly selects from the outside defenders positioning. Therefore, if you have one positioned CLOSE, one positioned NORMAL, and one positioned SAG, you have a 33% chance for each defense type. Looking at the defense effects above, you see that SAG reduces INSIDE shooting %, while CLOSE has no impact on it. Therefore, the more defenders playing SAG defense, the better your INSIDE defense will be.

SHOT TYPE	BEST DEFENSE	AVERAGE DEFENSE	WORST DEFENSE
OUTSIDE	CLOSE	NORMAL	SAG
PENETRATE	NORMAL/SAG	-	CLOSE
INSIDE	SAG		NORMAL/CLOSE
FASTBREAK		NORMAL/SAG/CLOSE
3-PT	CLOSE	NORMAL	SAG