Throwing a successful lob against NBA rim protectors requires pinning the backline defender behind the roller. In the 76ers play, KCP's drive drags the drop big out to the foul line, opening a 7-foot vertical runway for LeBron's weakside 45-degree angle cut.
An NBA pass travels between 30 and 45 mph, whereas help defenders can slide laterally at roughly 12 to 15 mph. Rapid reversals exploit this 3:1 speed differential, forcing defensive closeouts into recovery angles that trigger paint collapses.
Testing Switch Everything forces the roller into a mismatch on a guard but denies the runway. Blitzing the ball handler leaves the weakside corner helper in a 2-on-1 conflict, often leaving the lob or corner three wide open.