That is a big part of the plan.
The Otago Nuggets are hosting the Manawatū Jets in Dunedin tonight and the visitors will have Corey Webster prowling the circle waiting for an opportunity to strike from range.
The Tall Blacks guard is averaging 30 points so far this season.
He is the main offensive weapon in the Jets’ lineup. But the visitors are averaging 105 points a game — the highest in the league — and you cannot score that many points without others making significant contributions as well.
American forward Miles Gibson (24.3) and former Otago Nuggets guard Dontae Russo Nance (20.7) are also averaging more than 20 points a game. And Gibson is the leading offensive rebounder in the competition.
The last thing the Nuggets will want to do is offer up Webster a second opportunity to thread the ball through the hoop.
That means they have to do a good job rebounding as well, so they cannot dispatch everyone to the perimeter just to stop Webster.
Otago Nuggets coach Mike Kelly has given the thorny problem plenty of thought.
"We need to slow them down first of all," Kelly said, referring to Webster and Russo-Nance but also the pace at which the Jets play the game.
"I think their imports are great too. They really get out and run. They keep that ball ahead and look for baskets in transition.
"They really spread the floor and attack.
"We’ve got to contain them and not let them go crazy like they have been doing."
Don Carey jun has got the job of sticking to Webster like glue.
But Carey will attract some tight defence himself following his 34-point outing against the Hawke’s Bay Hawks on Friday.
He led the side to a 93-86 win.
Jose Perez was close to a triple-double with 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
And Todd Withers chipped in with 16 points and made some telling defensive plays.
"It was great to get the first win of the season and the guys really played well.
"We had ups and downs but the thing I like is the guys really stayed together and fought through. We weren’t perfect but we stayed together and played hard."
The Nuggets roster came together late, so there was no real surprise they looked disjointed in their first two games.
They are still struggling with players coming in and out. Withers will return to Australia after the game against the Jets.
He has helped plug some gaps in the defence and will be a big loss.
The Nuggets are still working on finding a permanent third import.
But they should have some extra help on the inside against the Jets,
Forward Jono Janssen is expected to make his debut for the Nuggets.
He is returning from a foot injury and missed the opening three games.
Janssen has a nice outside shooting game as well which will be handy.
Nuggets small forward Christian Martin is in Singapore with the Tall Blacks 3x3 team who are competing in the Fiba Asia Cup.
NBL
Dunedin, 7pm
Otago Nuggets: Jonathan Janssen, Todd Withers, Jose Perez, Don Carey jun, Darcy Knox, Mac Stodart, Patrick Freeman, Matthew Bardsley, Caleb Smiler, Josh Aitcheson, Danyon Ashcroft, Mike Ruske.
Manawatū Jets: Kenneth Goins, Miles Gibson, Eric Williams jun, Corey Webster, Dontae Russo-Nance, Tyson Thata, Dion Collins, Emmanuel Matambanadzo, Hikaia Lambert, Zavier Pearn.
