How NBA Teams Are Reviving a Forgotten Defensive Weapon

A Growing Trend Across the League

The full-court press, once a rarity in the modern NBA, is quickly becoming one of the season’s most talked-about strategies. What began as a signature weapon for the Indiana Pacers during their run to the NBA Finals has now spread throughout the league. Teams are applying backcourt pressure more frequently, forcing opponents to burn time and make mistakes before even crossing half-court.

According to Synergy Sports, teams are pressing on 4.8% of possessions through the first week of the season. That number nearly quintuples the 1% rate from a decade ago and almost doubles the 2.5% seen just two seasons back.

📊Early trend to keep an eye on!
The average pick-up distance is up ~3 feet from last season. pic.twitter.com/O3WBFDKVGc

— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) October 28, 2025

How the Strategy Works

The purpose of the press is simple — create chaos. It forces the ball out of the hands of a team’s primary creator, wastes precious seconds, and disrupts offensive flow. “By stealing six-to-eight seconds, it forces the opponent to run its offense when the clock is winding down,” the data shows.

The Pacers led the league last year with a 10.9% press rate, using it on nearly 23% of possessions in the Finals. Oklahoma City, which faced them in that series, used the tactic 4.1% of the time — its highest mark of the postseason.

The Teams Leading the Charge

This year, the Portland Trail Blazers are setting the standard. They’re pressing on 24.5% of defensive possessions and allowing just an 81.7 defensive rating in those situations. Plays like Toumani Camara hounding Austin Reaves before Jrue Holiday swoops in for a turnover have become routine highlights.

Teams like the Raptors, Celtics, and Cavaliers are following suit. Toronto often deploys Jonathan Mogbo, Jamal Shead, and Gradey Dick to smother inbounders, while Cleveland has tripled its press frequency from last season.

High Risk, High Reward

The press is physically demanding and risky. Defenders can tire, and a single mistake may lead to easy layups. But for many teams, it’s worth it. Full-court pressure doesn’t just create turnovers — it shifts tempo, drains energy from star scorers, and injects intensity into the defense.

Former Rockets GM Daryl Morey predicted this evolution back in 2016, when he told a reporter to expect “more full-court pressure and more aggressive trapping.” Seven years later, his forecast has become reality — and it’s reshaping how NBA teams defend.