An offensive player who stands between a teammate and a defender to give his teammate the chance to take an open shot. A shot taken while driving to the basket. A player who can play both the guard and forward positions. Can be called on coaches as well as players. The shift from offense to defense.
Teams slow in shifting are often victims of the fast break, above.
Invented at USC in the 1940's, coach Tex Winter brought it to Chicago in 1985 but it was not fully implemented until the arrival of Phil Jackson in 1989. The side of the court away from the ball. A defense used extensively in college but not permitted in the NBA, where each defender is responsible for an area of the court and must guard any player who enters that area.