“How can you give up a wide open three followed by an offensive rebound on the other side of the court?”
– Bill Walton, during the Spurs-Rockets game on 24 January 2007
Team defence is getting worse and worse in the Association and beyond. Conversely it seems like the screen and roll play is getting better and better.
Inbounding under their basket with few seconds remaining on the shot clock, the Spurs set a double screen for Ginobli on the foul line. Ginobli curled the screen, received a pass, and made the lay-up.
Earlier in the evening, Marion set a ballscreen for Nash in the corner. While the two defenders converged on the ballhandler, the Matrix rolled to the hoop, received a pass, and made the lay-up.
Both times, one could ask: “where’s the help?” Even if the screener’s defenders are caught up, help-side positioning and communication should prevent the easy basket. These principles could have enabled the Rockets to box-out Elson properly and earn praise from Bill Walton instead of scorn.
“Excellence is doing a common thing uncommonly well.”
– Booker T. Washington
Inevitably – irrespective of the quality of the defence – it is execution of the little things that contributes of the success of the offence. Phoenix keeps it real, leading the league in transition baskets, slipping the screen, and pull-up jumpers. Coaches can lose their teams (and often themselves) when basketball becomes too complicated.
Many teams just suck at one end of the court. Emphasizing the basics leads to improvement. Rob Smart at Queen’s has been doing a good job in this regard. The Golden Gaels’ offence is a series of downscreens run for forty minutes. San Antonio ran something similar for Ginobli and Bowen. The teams execute, talk, and read, taking the opportunities the defence provides.