Teams do not necessarily need to have complicated or intricate “plays” but it is vitally important that all players know the team rules that apply in a “late clock” situation.

Some tactics that are commonly employed are:

Double-teaming any on-ball screen;
Switching off all ball screens;
Denying a particular player getting the ball (e.g. point guard);
Denying the ball being passed to a particular area of the court (e.g. wing, if the opponent often uses an on-ball screen from the wing);
Double-teaming the low post.

A common frustration for coaches is where a defender fouls as the shot clock is about to expire and this is particularly frustrating if they foul while trying to steal the ball. Simply instructing players “don’t foul” is unlikely to be effective. Instead, coaches should help players to develop the mindset that:

The “shot clock” is like a defender and will “steal” the ball;
The role of other defenders is to prevent the opponent from shooting.

This mindset can be reinforced at practice by using a “no grab” rule in practice, which simply means that a defender cannot take the ball out of the hands of an offensive player. Passes can be intercepted, but the emphasis is on playing aggressive defence, without “reaching” for the ball.