The New York Knicks passed up one shot after another (for worse shots), failed to manage the clock and lost the game. They may have run a perfect drive and kick drill for a practice session but game situations demand that a team know what shot they want to take, what they can settle for and what they can’t do (jack threes and commit loose ball fouls). During many critical plays, the Knicks fail to get a great scoring chance (such as a Carmelo Anthony drive or post up or an open look). And sometimes, there’s a reason that they’re …
Skill Development Needed for Ball Movement
The Play Since the Rudy Gay trade, the Toronto Raptors have improved their offensive efficiency to 107 and – according to Zach Lowe – pass the ball thirty more times per game. In their most recent outing, a win versus the Indiana Pacers, Terrence Ross and DeMar DeRozan converted several quick hitters off BLOBs and pindown screens. There were several plays involving multiple ball reversals, secondary assists and more passes than dribbles. This High Ball Screen / Pin-down combination gashed the Pacers throughout the game.
Denver Nuggets Ball Movement Leads to Dunk
Denver Nuggets Ball Movement Leads to Dunk: Since the Miami Heat are known for aggressively trapping ball screens in order to force the action away from the basket, the Nuggets set multiple screens during the same play. On one occasion, J.J. Hickson slips the screen and rolls to the hoop. Ty Lawson passes the ball to Darrell Arthur, a reliable jump shooter from that spot, which causes a chain reaction of bad rotations. Miami is confused as to who will cover Arthur, Hickson and Randy Foye in the corner. LeBron James feels that he cannot leave Wilson Chandler, Ray Allen …
Coaching Points from the Georges St. Pierre-Hendricks Fight
Some preliminary thoughts about GSP’s narrow decision victory: It was reasonably apparent that GSP won the 3rd and the 5th rounds and Hendricks won the 2nd and the 4th. Previous N.S.A.C. decisions have shown that you have to beat the champion soundly to dethrone them by decision (for example, Henderson-Edgar II). First impression bias (like that first takedown GSP scored at the beginning of the fight) can make powerful impressions on some people. You have to try and win the fight/game/match/contest as clearly as possible. I don’t think that Hendricks’ corner should have told him that he was up 2-0 after the first …
Offensive Execution
The execution of these plays (the process) led to two different outcomes in Chicago’s 82-81 win over New York. The Bulls involved everyone in their set, although it was designed the entire time for Derrick Rose to take the shot. On the other hand, the Knicks don’t seem involved in helping to get Carmelo Anthony open or moving into a passing lane once he gets the ball. Chicago had more diverse and more effective options as their play unfolded. In the first play, Jimmy Butler uses an elevator screen from Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer to get open at the …
David & Goliath
The publication of Malcolm Gladwell’s fifth book, David & Goliath, has left him perched atop the bestsellers list, delivering his sermon about how David, in the Blink of an eye, crossed a Tipping Point in his battle with Goliath and became a historical Outlier. The newest book can best be described as food for thought, curious examples illustrating peculiar situations rather than concrete analysis. While this tenet of Gladwell’s writing style engages people and broadens his audience, it also contributes to a work that is often muddled and occasionally memorable.
Late Game Defensive Strategy
Great teams prepare for critical situations on the practice court and in the video room, discussing what will happen ahead of time and debriefing what actually occurs. It is easy to coach offensive plays and decisions but often less time is devoted to the defensive component. There are a number of ways to handle each situation so all players must have a sturdy grasp of what the team will do at this moment in time. Misunderstanding and miscommunication leads to mistakes. Below are a handful of late-game scenarios that result in stops because of solid play and sound strategy. No …
High Ball Screen into Flare Screen
Down a point, the Celtics draw up a play involving their big three with multiple options (iso for Pierce, high post jumper for Garnett and three-point shot for Allen). By keeping every player moving, Boston does not allow New York to pack the paint. Kevin Garnett frees Paul Pierce with a pindown. Ray Allen inbounds to Pierce and sets a Guard-to-Guard screen for the ball. Garnett then sets a flare screen to create an open shot for Allen. Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis space the floor along the baseline. Garnett whiffs on his screen on Toney Douglas but the defender …
Don’t Stop the Ball
Chris Bosh shot-fakes repeatedly instead of attacking the hoop or moving the ball. As the twenty-four second clock is about to expire, Bosh moves the ball to Joey Graham in the corner (who is hardly a threat to shoot from that area). Passing off this late in the shot clock is not a good decision and it puts teammates under a lot of pressure. It’s selfish because one is avoiding a turnover or missed shot and giving it to a teammate who must rush instead. However, this time, Graham takes the ball strong and finishes at the rim, and Raptors …
Kobe Bryant Career Shot Chart
Over Labour Day, I decided to look into how Kobe Bryant changed how he has worked over the years. Early in his career, he was not a great shooter but developed a mid-range game as he developed and received more touches. He has always been able to get to the paint and the line. Lately, his percentages have trailed off a bit and he has been shooting more from just inside the arc than closer to the paint. For someone who has taken almost five thousand three-point shots, Bryant has never been an above-average shooter from that area. The shot …
Ranking Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson
This month, both Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady announced their intent to retire from basketball. Two athletes who were highly regarded when they were drafted (first pick overall in 1996 and highest high school player drafted in 1997 respectively) who came to symbolize the leadership vacuum and problematic Collective Bargaining Agreement of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Both players became first team all-stars but fell short relative to the high expectations they faced and the accomplishments of their superstar peers.
Game 7: Miami and Indiana
Over the course of a seven game series lasting two weeks, both changes make numerous adjustments and counters. For the final game of their series versus the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat chose to pressure the basketball along the perimtere and play physically in the paint. The Pacers were unable to counter to the Heat won handily. When a team is determined to pressure the ball and deny high percentage shots, individual players have little chance to overcome the odds. This adversity demands teamwork As a result, the seventh game of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals shone a spotlight in …
Transformational Leadership with the Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors hired Masai Uriji to replace Bryan Colangelo as General Manager. In addition to managing the roster, Ujiri needs to establish a team culture and follow through in order to truly change the team.
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Tim Duncan Highlight Reel
Throughout the postseason, especially during the Western Conference Finals, Tim Duncan has demonstrated why he was worthy of First Team All-N.B.A. consideration. He has been a steady screener and a sound shooter (every big should master the jumper from the foul line area. Perhaps most surprisingly, Duncan seemed to redouble his efforts against the potent post due of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, outhustling his counterparts for rebounds and on rim runs and taking over games in overtime. The N.B.A. assembled a Duncan highlight reel proving that the sixteen year veteran still has game.
Protect the Rim
Not only did the outcome (a buzzer beater to win the game) suggest that Indiana should have defended Miami’s last shot differently but the process behind the Pacers defense was also flawed. Michael Jordan may have said that he would force LeBron James to the left (however, I think that he would have cut him off before the rim). The zone shooing percentage of the Heat players suggested that the Pacers should have used 7’ Roy Hibbert, helped from anyone but Ray Allen or double-teamed the ball to force LeBron to pull-up or pass. Indiana could not have been surprised …
Brock on Books: 11 Rings and Relentless
Recently, two key figures behind basketball dynasties of the 1990s and 2000s published books outlining their philosophies and paths to success. Sage coach Phil Jackson penned 11 Rings and determined trainer Tim Grover authored Relentless. Some may fine the tone of the books to be supercilious, as it should be easy to win when coaching and training Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. The average coach/trainer is unlikely to lead two of the ten best players of all-time but can learn from these works, which shed light on some of the most resolute personalities in basketball. Firstly, neither Jordan nor Bryant …