Holding contest for the whole possession slows you down and spends stamina. A 99-speed guard walks past a player stuck in hands-up. Stay in a normal stance, then raise contest only when the gather or the jumper starts.
Buttons
| Platform | Contest / guard | Steal | Jump / block | Sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controller | L2 / LT | Square / X | Triangle / Y | R2 / RT |
| Mobile | Guard | Steal | Jump | Sprint |
Keyboard contest is listed as G or F, with steal on left click and jump on Space. F is also listed as the self-lob on offense, so confirm both in the live button list. See the controls guide before you rebind.
Where to stand
Face them from a side angle so a walkback or snatch back cannot hide behind your model. At the top of the key, do not shade all the way into a corner or the lane opens. Play the off-hand side of the live dribble: after a cross they bring the ball back across the body, and that return path is where body bumps start.
| They do this | You do this | You give up |
|---|---|---|
| Hellspin or long behind-the-back | Steal on the post twitch, before they can shoot out of it | A reach if they only fake the post |
| Moonwalk into a crab | Drop contest and sprint to the paint, then contest the shot from behind | An immediate deep three |
| Euro or hop-step dunk | Retreat under the rim and turn the gather circle red before they rise | Open floaters and pull-ups |
| Walkback mid-range | Keep a cushion and contest on the gather | Inside position if they drive instead |
There is no reach cooldown described, but a mistimed reach still causes a reaching foul or an ankle-breaker fall. Stand up with Circle+Triangle or B+Y and get a hand up before the shot.
Ratings and badges
Strength at 90 or higher is cited for pushing lower-strength dribblers off their animation. Perimeter defense at 93 is the elite contest window named for late closeouts. Clamps is the containment badge; gold and Hall of Fame are what stop high-speed blow-bys, while bronze and silver only add light bump resistance. Gold Intimidator plus strength forces stumble animations on chest drives. Pogo Stick recovers jumps. Magnet needs 53 block. Thief rewards the post-twitch steal. Ankle Braces cuts falls against chained crosses. Post Anchor needs 63 interior defense or 67 strength.
Build the lock around those badges only if the creator already unlocked them. A 6'5" minimum-weight True Defender is described with Hall of Fame Clamps, gold Thief, and gold Intimidator. The 6'8" defending slasher reaches 92 perimeter defense with Hall of Fame Clamps and only 73 interior defense, so it is a perimeter body, not a full rim anchor.