defense

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A great half is tough to follow

Posted by Tim on March 14, 2011
Posted in: Coaching, Collblanc 2010-2011, Contemporary Sports, NBA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

This weekend we got a victory  after holding our opponent to 12 first half points en route to a 32-12 half time lead and a 65-52 victory.  But as we headed into the locker room I knew it was not going to be a walk in the park.  Playing great in the first half is a great feeling for a coach and a team, but also a very dangerous one.  If you play the first half at a high level the players (and coaches) have a tendency to get a little complacent and take the gas off the pedal a little bit.  And usually the other team is a little pissed off and comes out motivated (or they lay down).  But if you take the foot off the gas and the other team takes it to heart, this is a recipe for disaster.  Disaster didn’t strike in our game but they did get the lead to single digits midway through the 4th quarter before we finally pulled away.

Wether on O or on D a great half is tough to follow.  Hoop is a game of flows and runs and what goes up comes back down.  However an experienced coach like Doc Rivers was able to follow up a half in which they let up just 22 points to the Bucks with another stellar half and set a franchise record for allowing just 56 points in a win last night against the Bucks.

 

Doc

The Celtics were able to follow up a great half with another great half last night against the Bucks. A real sign that Doc Rivers knows how to keep his guys focused and motivated.

 

As I’ve said in previous posts.  The moment that seems most calm is often the most dangerous moment.

The Best Moment Part Two: The Fat Lady didn't Come

Posted by Tim on January 17, 2011
Posted in: Analysis, Coaching, Collblanc 2010-2011, Psychology. Tagged: , , , , . 1 comment

Last year after watching Barca vs Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions league I posted a blog about the danger of the “best moment.”

I think it’s one of those things that you just have to live.  In our game this weekend we had a back and forth contest on the road against a veteran team and we had a number of chances to seperate ourselves but let some opportunities slip away, especially at the free throw line.  Then at the two minute mark we hit a 3 to go up by 6 and it seemed like we had the seperation that we needed to come away with the victory.  And this is the exact moment that is most dangerous.  I’m certain our team sensed that relax coming from their coach or each person individually shared this feeling and the result was a dumb foul, followed by an open 3 from one of their best shooters.  A couple more missed free throws and a desperation bucket and we left the court in shock.  From that “best moment” everything fell apart. For me it was a lesson that had to be lived to be learned.

Fat lady

Last weekend we learned first hand that it ain't over until the fat lady sings.

In the Zone

Posted by Tim on January 12, 2011
Posted in: Coaching, Collblanc 2010-2011. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Turkey's zone was one of the determining factors in the World Championships

So at the end of December we had a game on the road during which only 7 players were available to play.  Obviously not the ideal situation but with injuries these things can happen.

Before that game we were mainly a man to man team on defense playing a zone every once in a while.  But with 7 guys I decided we were going to play alot more zone, we played zone for 40 minutes (except maybe 5-10 posessions of man to man if they attacked it well on consecutive posessions or after timeouts).

And it worked, we had by far our best defensive game, limiting

the opponent to 40 points (on their home court).

We had a long break for Christmas and it gave me time to reflect and even though we have 3 more guys back so we have the legs to play an agressive man to man as we were doing before we’re sticking to the zone and for a second consecutive game we won and limited the opponent to less than 40 points (36).  After a couple weeks and a renewed intensity by the players on the defensive end, I wanted to reflect on some of the observations as to why I think this type of defensive philosophy is effective.

Why the Zone can be effective as a primary defense:

  • The other team is uncomfortable: They aren’t running their normal sets.  They have to run their zone offense which is almost always different than their normal offense and this can be an advantage.
  • It’s easier for the players: Say what you want but it is easier to play a zone defense than a man to man.  Obviously a good zone defense utilizes many of the same principles as a man to man defense but it is easier to play for the players.  This can be a motivating factor because you are asking the players to do something that they will have a higher rate of success.  If you ask someone to do a task they are confident they will succeed they will be more motivated than if you ask them to do something that they don’t see as possible to succeed.
  • Clear rotations: In a zone it is easier to clearly identify the rotations and where the help has to come from.  And players only need to know their role in the zone and know where the help is coming from.  Where as in a man to man defense the players need to know the rotations in every position on the court.

In a zone players only need to know the rotations and location of the help from their position in the zone, while in man to man it is necessary the players know the rotations from all over the court.

Turkey's improbable run to the FIBA World Championship was fueled by a zone defense that had opponents out of sync.

At 5-9 and winning two games in a row it would be foolish to fix something that isn’t broken.  Even though it will bring personel issues because players will be able to play for longer stretches so some guys will get less minutes.  At this level the only letter that matters is the W.

Top blocks from 2009-2010

Posted by Tim on September 22, 2010
Posted in: Coaching, College Hoops, Contemporary Sports, European Hoops, FIBA, NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

As we are waiting for the 2010-2011 season to get underway, which is starting to get underway in Europe and still a little over a month away for the NBA, it is a good time to have a look back at some of the top plays from the 2009-2010 season.

Here are the top 10 blocks in the NBA from the 2009-2010 NBA season provided by nba.com.  A few of these blocks are so incredible because they took place in the closing seconds of a close game.  So much attention is given to a game-winning shot but not nearly enough attention is given to a game winning block.  As coaches a game winning block is like a dream come true.  It is one of the few moments in the game where a defender is playing with the necessary “sense of urgency.”  The majority of defenders at the end of the game are trying to prevent things, while someone that makes a last second block or takes a charge or makes a good block out in the closing seconds has the attitude that coaches strive to instill in our players on every posession: I’M GOING TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY SO THAT YOU GUYS DON’T SCORE UNTIL WE HAVE THE BALL IN OUR POSESSION.

A game winning block (or charge or block out) is one of the few moments in the game where a defender is playing with the necessary “sense of urgency.”

Nate Robinson’s block on Shaq brings back memories of Jordan’s legendary block on Patrick Ewing.  A few differences (1) Shaq right now is no match for Patrick Ewing in his prime and (2) Robinson drops down from the strong side to make the block, see if you can find Jordan on this play…he comes in from the weak side wing…

Why was Jordan one of the best all time on D???? ANTICIPATION (check out where he comes from…)

Kevin Durant learned first hand in 2009-2010 about the importance of blocked shots at the end of games and put those lessons to work this summer in a game that I think was huge in terms of the US gaining confidence heading into the World Championships

Wait a second…I’ve seen that play before at the end of the game coming from a Boeheim 2-3 zone…

Let’s take a look at what almost always happens at the end of games.  The offense goes to the glass and the defense watches…You think Sergi Ibaka (#9) would have been a little more focused if the last play involved him shooting the ball instead of making a solid box-out on Gasol?

So much emphasis is placed on making the game winning shot that many times we forget to emphasize the game winning rebound, steal, charge or block.

No "What If's" with Kevin Durant

Posted by Tim on September 15, 2010
Posted in: Contemporary Sports, FIBA, NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , .

Durant made play after play on both ends of the court while leading USA to it's first World Championship since 1994

In basketball as in life there are many “what if” situations where you think that everything would have been different if just one little thing would have happened differently.  Wether this is true or not is impossible to decide but it is true that basketball is a game full of momentum and 1 play can change the momentum of the game, and mometnum can definitely change the outcome.  Two baskets in your favor in a situation of positive momentum versus 2 baskets by an opponent can be a difference of up to 12 points (+6 vs -6).

As I was watching the highlights of the Team USA victory versus Turkey there were a few plays that really stood out to me that I didn’t remember from the game because the US was in control for the vast majority.

But late in the first quarter the USA was in trouble, deep trouble.

Turkey took the lead, the crowd started to get really into it and it looked like they were gonna make a run the USA would have to dig out of later, and in a close game obviously anything can happen.  And with a team like Turkey, playing more on inspiration than on pure talent the last thing you want them to do is get confidence and their confidence was growing by the second.

Look at the video at the 3:45 mark

Down 3 and looking lost attacking Turkey’s zone we get an offensive rebound and Kevin Durant splashes a 3 to tie it up. Then on the next posession in a tie game it looks like Turkey has a wide open layup and Durant comes sprinting back out of nowhere and cleans the glass on Turkey’s lay-up which leads to a nice pull-up 3 by Stephon Curry (why Curry didn’t get any more minutes after that was baffling me as I watched Eric Gordon jack 3 after 3)

Durant’s block reminded me of Tayshaun Prince’s memorable (and impactful) block on Reggie Miller.

Let’s play “what if.” If Durant misses that 3 and Turkey makes that layup to go up by 7. Does that game have a different outcome? A different dynamic?

The good thing about basketball is that big time players make big time plays and guys like Kevin Durant have opponents wondering “what if” after everytime he plays. “What if Durant didn’t hit those 7 3′s?” Well he probably would have made 8 because 3 of the ones he missed went in and out!

But looking back on the final game Durant was the MVP not only for scoring like a machine throughout the game, but the first time Turkey took the lead he responded with whatever was necessary and on both ends of the court. Made 2 huge plays that sparked a big US run and effectively ended the hosts hopes of a gold.

There was no chance for a “what if” moment towards the end of that game like Prince’s play on Reggie, only a clear W for the World Champs.

"Get down and go to work" – Defense with Tom Izzo

Posted by Tim on September 8, 2010
Posted in: Coaching, video playbook. Tagged: , , .

Here are a few videos of Tom Izzo talking about some different aspects on defense. Tom Izzo is considered as one of the top defensive coaches in college basketball as he consistently has teams that play great tough defense and excellent on defense.

At about 6:10 I love the way he said to teach the “flash” on defending the pick and roll. He’ll put a coach vertical and tell the defender he needs to slide toward the coach on the flash. Not laterally but vertically.

How he teaches the passing lane: two steps off the man one step off the passing lane.

Interesting he doesn’t like his bigs to help on defense because of the negative effects it has on the teams ability to rebound. This is an excellent way that he designs his schemes based on his personnel. Izzo likes to have two big and beefy (not very mobile) big men and smaller guards so it makes sense he doesn’t want them to leave the paint and leave the little guards by themselves in the paint. But maybe a team that has a couple really big guards and more mobile big men would want a different stragtegy in terms of who can help and where.

Two passes away=both feet in the paint

Recover to the help not to your man

Love the way Tom Izzo uses the coach to help orientate his players by simply having them look or move toward the coaches (4:45)

STAY DOWN AND GO TO WORK

Great way to start the drill so that guys close out to help and not to the man

Incorporate what the other team does into the shell drill to help prepare for the games

If it ain't broke don't fix it

Posted by Tim on February 21, 2010
Posted in: Coaching. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

This past game in the third quarter we decided to go with a triangle and two defense to try and deny their best two players from having an impact on the game on the offensive end.  And it worked to a T, they had no rythm on the offensive end of the court and it appeared that we were gonna run away with it.  Their two best players had no rythm and began to get frustrated.  So their coaches made an interesting move and took them out of the game and sat them both down.

What to do?  Stay in the same defense and pick up the next two players?  or go back to a normal man to man defense or a zone without the main threats.  Well we went back to a normal man to man defense and in a moment when we could have broke the game wide open they hung tight and for four or five minutes, giving their best guys rest and giving their team confidence.  I took out the guys that were in the rythm to rest up to go back in when their two good guys got back in the game.  I subbed out 4 guys which is not typical for me and we lost a little bit of our momentum. I can’t start talking about the game again or I’m gonna go crazy but if I could do it again I would keep the same defense and put the 2 on the next two best players and then force the other 3 to beat us.  Should have, would have, could have.