As players of the advanced game know, each coach selects a team defense card, close, normal, or sag, which is then consulted whenever a D result occurs on the black die, and whenever an X result occurs on the black die, the X column of the offensive player's defender is consulted.
In my opinion, the team defense card represents "help" defense, with a close defense indicating a coach directing the unit on the floor to help aggressively against outside shots (resulting in less help available vs. penetration shots), a sag defense helping aggressively against inside shots (resulting in less help available vs. outside shots), and a normal defense not over-helping against inside nor outside shots. Each individual defender's X column then represents his optimal defensive ability vs. outside, penetration, and inside shot attempts for those with this viewpoint.
On the other hand, I can also see where players of the advanced game might view the team defense card as indicating that EVERY individual defender in the unit on the floor is playing his opponent Close/Normal/Sag, with each individual defender's X column representing each player's average defensive ability vs. outside, penetration, and inside shot attempts. Those with this viewpoint would see this as totally unrealistic, and rightfully so. For these players, team defense represents the optimal defensive ability of the team as a whole (resulting from the defensive mentality of the coach or organization, let's say) vs. outside, penetration, and inside shots. Each defender's X column should then be adjusted to represent his defensive ability based on whether he is trying to better defend the outside shot (thus weakening his ability to defend a penetration shot), better defend the inside shot (thus weakening his ability to defend an outside shot), or not adjusted at all, indicating that the player is not overplaying to try to better defend an outside or inside shot by the player he is defending.
For those who ascribe to the latter philosophy, the following rule change may suit your sensibilities over the rule as written.
Individual Close/Normal/Sag Defense
Use the Normal team defense card for each team, for the entire game. Individual players may defend either close, normal, or sag. Make the following adjustments to a player's X columns, depending on the defense being played:
When playing normal, do not make any adjustment to the defender's X columns.
When playing close, upgrade the defender's Outside X column one level, downgrade the Penetration X column one level, and make no adjustment to the Inside X column.
When playing sag, upgrade the defender's Inside X column one level, downgrade the Outside X column one level, and make no adjustment to the Penetration X column.
Players' defense against their assigned offensive player may only be changed during a stoppage of play. In a switch situation, you may temporarily change the defense of the defender based on the player he has switched on to.
X column levels are as follows:
6: blank
5: 2-4
4: 2-5,11
3: 2-6,10
2: 2-7,10
1: 2-9
0: 2-12
Disregard results from the BLKD portion of the X column if the block number listed has become part of the GOOD range of numbers after an X column has been upgraded or downgraded, due to a player playing close or sag.
