--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You've got to be able to guard hard and…" description: "\"You've got to be able to guard hard and then work yourself offensively to get shots.\" — Joe Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg" --- # You've got to be able to guard hard and then work yourself… ![“You've got to be able to guard hard and then work yourself offensively to get shots.” quote by Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg) > “You've got to be able to guard hard and then work yourself offensively to get shots.” [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing strong defense with aggressive offense creates scoring chances. **In simple terms:** Defend well, then attack to score. Key Takeaway Focus on both defense and offense. Themes basketball strategy offense defense Mood determined strategic Type motivational coach When to use this quote - practice drills - game planning - team coordination Key Concepts defensive skills offensive mindset shot creation Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to switch from defense to offense? - What drills improve both skills? A Different Perspective Too much focus on offense can neglect defense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able Guard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able-guard-1679200/) [Guard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guard/) [Guard Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guard-hard-1622595/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Offensively Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offensively-shots-3711566/) [Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shots/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Offensively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-offensively-3711567/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [To me, a big man has to be able to guard on the perimeter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/to-me-a-big-man-has-to-be-able-to-guard-on-the-perimeter/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [At Kentucky that was my biggest improvement, being able to guard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-herro/at-kentucky-that-was-my-biggest-improvement-being-able-to-guard/) [Tyler Herro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-herro/) > [Being able to guard the pick and roll makes you a high asset in the NBA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-cauley-stein/being-able-to-guard-the-pick-and-roll-makes-you-a-high-asset-in-the/) [Willie Cauley-Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-cauley-stein/) > [Once practice starts, we work hard, and that's the best conditioning there is. Everything counts. Every little thing counts. Run hard, play hard, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carril/once-practice-starts-we-work-hard-and-that-s-the-best-conditioning/) [Pete Carril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carril/) > [I'm able to guard multiple positions, switch and pick and rolls, guard from two to four and be able to help my defence out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-siakam/i-m-able-to-guard-multiple-positions-switch-and-pick-and-rolls-guard/) [Pascal Siakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-siakam/) > [Being able to hedge on a ball screen and the guy coming off and being able to guard him for a brief second and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-cauley-stein/being-able-to-hedge-on-a-ball-screen-and-the-guy-coming-off-and-being/) [Willie Cauley-Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-cauley-stein/) > [I can rebound, block shots, push the ball - basically, anything you need from a guard. Off the court, I'm humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markelle-fultz/i-can-rebound-block-shots-push-the-ball-basically-anything-you-need/) [Markelle Fultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markelle-fultz/) > [I don't know how many people have ever seen the National Guard break in somewhere, but they mean business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzie-smith/i-don-t-know-how-many-people-have-ever-seen-the-national-guard-break/) [Ozzie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzie-smith/) > [Well, for me, my favourite 'Indiana Jones' is 'The Last Crusade,' because you get tears in your eyes when you see the old guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/well-for-me-my-favourite-indiana-jones-is-the-last-crusade-because/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [“Some, in an effort to protect and preserve the gospel message, have become like the guards in that museum, fueled by fear that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-hipps/some-in-an-effort-to-protect-and-preserve-the-gospel-message-have/) [Shane Hipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-hipps/) > [You don't have to run from baseline to baseline when you play guard. That helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/you-don-t-have-to-run-from-baseline-to-baseline-when-you-play-guard/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The coffers are full of money and equipment for the Ferguson Police and the Missouri National Guard to put down a potential uprising, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-coffers-are-full-of-money-and-equipment-for-the-ferguson-police/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [First at the outset, let me commend the great men and women of the United States Coast Guard for what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/first-at-the-outset-let-me-commend-the-great-men-and-women-of-the/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > [There's always a good point guard in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/there-s-always-a-good-point-guard-in-this-league/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) ## More by Joe Harris > [The way I play - I'm the guy moving, coming off screens, getting up and down the floor. I should be one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/the-way-i-play-i-m-the-guy-moving-coming-off-screens-getting-up-and/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [Steph is the greatest shooter of all time. Shooting off the rack is not indicative of being a better shooter than Steph Curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/steph-is-the-greatest-shooter-of-all-time-shooting-off-the-rack-is/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [Coach Blatt is very, very knowledgeable about the game. And it just goes to show you that no matter where you're at, he knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/coach-blatt-is-very-very-knowledgeable-about-the-game-and-it-just/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [When you have guards that are versatile, it just makes it a lot easier in terms of who you put on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/when-you-have-guards-that-are-versatile-it-just-makes-it-a-lot-easier/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [When you look across the board at the count of NBA quality players that are on various international teams in Europe, Latin America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/when-you-look-across-the-board-at-the-count-of-nba-quality-players/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [Over the course of the game you're probably going to have 10 turnovers or so just because you're playing hard, you're competing, that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/over-the-course-of-the-game-you-re-probably-going-to-have-10/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [Obviously, back-to-backs are tough... but everyone goes through it in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/obviously-back-to-backs-are-tough-but-everyone-goes-through-it-in/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [A lot of Washington state is beautiful. You have just tons of mountains, beautiful bodies of water, you have a lot of rolling hills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/a-lot-of-washington-state-is-beautiful-you-have-just-tons-of/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [I hear that a lot... shoot more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/i-hear-that-a-lot-shoot-more/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [Kyrie is a good guy. Spent a lot of time with him over the years because we were the same class in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/kyrie-is-a-good-guy-spent-a-lot-of-time-with-him-over-the-years/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [To actually play a game, where you are in the World Cup, there is significance to it, the point differential matters, all these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/to-actually-play-a-game-where-you-are-in-the-world-cup-there-is/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [The 19th century was the great period of engineering, thanks to the railways, thanks to lots of discoveries in metallurgy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/the-19th-century-was-the-great-period-of-engineering-thanks-to-the/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [I like this book by Angela Duckworth called 'Grit.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/i-like-this-book-by-angela-duckworth-called-grit/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [There's only so much you can do as far as individual skill work and conditioning on a bike. But you can't simulate playing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/there-s-only-so-much-you-can-do-as-far-as-individual-skill-work-and/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [Shooting's contagious: Guys start seeing the ball go in and everybody starts to feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/shooting-s-contagious-guys-start-seeing-the-ball-go-in-and-everybody/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) [Explore all 104 Joe Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) ## More Guard quotes > [There's always a good point guard in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/there-s-always-a-good-point-guard-in-this-league/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [First at the outset, let me commend the great men and women of the United States Coast Guard for what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/first-at-the-outset-let-me-commend-the-great-men-and-women-of-the/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > [The coffers are full of money and equipment for the Ferguson Police and the Missouri National Guard to put down a potential uprising, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-coffers-are-full-of-money-and-equipment-for-the-ferguson-police/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [You don't have to run from baseline to baseline when you play guard. That helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/you-don-t-have-to-run-from-baseline-to-baseline-when-you-play-guard/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [“Some, in an effort to protect and preserve the gospel message, have become like the guards in that museum, fueled by fear that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-hipps/some-in-an-effort-to-protect-and-preserve-the-gospel-message-have/) [Shane Hipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-hipps/) > [Well, for me, my favourite 'Indiana Jones' is 'The Last Crusade,' because you get tears in your eyes when you see the old guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/well-for-me-my-favourite-indiana-jones-is-the-last-crusade-because/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [I don't know how many people have ever seen the National Guard break in somewhere, but they mean business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzie-smith/i-don-t-know-how-many-people-have-ever-seen-the-national-guard-break/) [Ozzie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzie-smith/) > [I still say, to this day, I could not guard Nigel Lloyd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/i-still-say-to-this-day-i-could-not-guard-nigel-lloyd/) [Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/) > [I can't think of much higher praise to give a player than to say, 'This point guard reminds me of Jason Kidd.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/i-can-t-think-of-much-higher-praise-to-give-a-player-than-to-say-this/) [Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/) > [Who will guard the guards ? If we're the guards of society, then who will watch us and make sure that we're not dangerous?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-will-guard-the-guards-if-we-re-the-guards-of-society-then-who/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Who is to guard the guards themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/who-is-to-guard-the-guards-themselves/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [I can always make trouble for who I guard and control the effort I bring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/i-can-always-make-trouble-for-who-i-guard-and-control-the-effort-i/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [Defensively, I think I'm very versatile, I can guard different positions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-knox/defensively-i-think-i-m-very-versatile-i-can-guard-different-positions/) [Kevin Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-knox/) > [“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/guard-with-jealous-attention-the-public-liberty-suspect-everyone-who/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) [Browse all 567 Guard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guard/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You've got to be able to guard hard and then work yourself offensively to get shots.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Harris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and-then-work-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and-then-work-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/joe-harris-4994_guard_you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and_2028461.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You've got to be able to guard hard and then work yourself offensively to get shots.” — Joe Harris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joe Harris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You've got to be able to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and-then-work-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-guard-hard-and-then-work-yourself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```