High PnR, Screen Blue, Pop Out Spoiler: Why I'm not calling anything Fist Series (All lot of these plays might be considered the Suns Fist Series, but I'm not going to call anything Fist. Today, a wide assortment of offenses and plays are being called Fist around college and NBA (and Australia). It's gotten confusing, as some plays are simply called Fist, because the coach chose to signal the play with a fist) This play has several options. Key is this PnR picks the Blue man (big man zoner in Ice defense), and then pops out. We see on next play, that Ryno the screener gets a devastating pin down pick while popping. Here the defense does a perfect switch on pop, so this is the time D'Antoni says it's nice to have Harden to ISO in the block. 1. McDaniels alley-oop option. Fakes initial screening of Blue man. Defender can't go high, or McDaniels goes to rim Spoiler: This is a big deal! This pick by Ariza for the cutter is a favorite of GSW. Imagine if that is Gordon. He is either open for a 3, or cuts to rim. Sound familiar...GSW loves that pick for the cutter. 2. Ariza sets pick on Blue. Harrell sets High pick for Harden 3. Drive left, roll right, pop out all defended with switch 4. Play converts to mid-post ISO for Harden. Money btw: Anyone remember MDA answering the question about Harden ISO on the block. He said, that's not a high % shot, but he can make it, and it's nice to go to that we nothing else is there.
High PnR, Screen Blue, Pin Down on Pop This is a devastating tweak to the above play, came 1 minute after the first. MDA adds a pin-down for the Blue screen at the nail, versus the 5 rolling. Harden somewhat starts play early McDaniels is called off from the Blue screen and doesn't really get a screen like the above play Anderson goes to the Nail clogging the help defense on Harden Anderson Pops with a pin-down from Harrell Wide open 3. What was it Anderson said about expecting to see a lot more wide open threes with the Rockets.
High PnR Thought I'd add this, because it comes a mintue after the previous. So, these three plays almost came in sequence. Shows us how we should expect variations of the High PnR in bunches. Blue man backs up, so Harden just shoots it.
In regards to starting one thread for all of these, I would actually prefer separate threads as you've been doing, HP. i think due to the number of sets and variations you are able to post, in one thread everything would get lost or difficult to differentiate. I've really appreciated the separate threads for each set, with updated posts for all of the variations. if you could keep it up, it would be awesome to bump each thread with updates of how different teams are defending each set throughout the season. We could see how MDA adjusted with variations and different lineups, and why we were successful or not. something like that just wouldn't be possible if all of these sets were combined in 1 thread. either way, i appreciate the work you put into these, and the fact that you are actually raising the bball IQ of the board. i'd give you lots of greenies if those were still around!
Man, I love this stuff, HP. Thanks for taking the time. This is the very reason I was (one of the very few) in favor of getting MDA as our coach. I was tired of McHale and JB and their one-option plays. NBA defenses are more sophisticated than that nowadays and you NEED multiple options on every set play.
What the heck was that? That doesn't work most other times. Harrell barely even set a decent pick. In fact he just slowed down a lackadaisical opponent, a more elite player would have blown by Harrell like he wasn't even there to get back to Harden.
Early High PnR with Two Pickers (Three variations of same play) All this occurred in a 2 minute span of game clock. Classic Double Drag -- pinning Conley in the middle, allowing Harden to turn the corner Capela and Ariza start their picks *before* Harden crosses the half-court line Capela sets cross-screen for Ariza on Conley. Conley has to go under or Ariza curls to basket for a pass from Harden Ariza ballscreens for Harden while Capela turns around and re-screens Conley (the Double Drag picks) Zo hedges to stop Harden, leaving Capela free (bang bang bang) -- JH to CC to SD -- Moreyball layup Same initial setup -- but Harden attacks the right side, Conley chasing, leaving the pop open Again,Capela and Ariza start their picks *before* Harden crosses the half-court line This time Capela ballscreens for Harden Conley takes Harden while Ariza comes over for a pick and pop for Harden Wide open Moreyball three Same setup from left wing -- this time MEM tries a trapping defense with Zo coming out, allowing Capela to attack middle Key here is defense leaves no one for Capela to pick, so he doesn't do anything like above, just rolls. Zo is too slow to recover on Capela, while nail defender closes to Ariza, resulting in a Moreyball-slam for Capela Impressive pass by Harden
All three above in one video I'm curious if MDA came up with these early picks schemes specifically against defenses that pick up Harden before half court.
Horns Post-Switch, Pick the PnR (2 variations) Was it just me, or did MDA not run much of his playbook against Carlisle when Harden was on the court? Just seemed like simple sets and draining 3s, like he didn't want to show Carlisle anything prior to the two real games coming up against Dallas. Anyhoot, he did show some wrinkles at the end of the game with Ennis, Wiltjer and Harrell running some PnRs from Horns sets. These two plays came out of a timeout. As we've seen, MDA likes to run the same set with variations multiple times in a row. This is no different. They are pretty much the same play except Wiltjer and Harrell swap starting positions between the two plays. 1st play -- Wiltjer sets a roller backscreen for a Harrell alley-oop. imo, this play works because Dallas fears Wiltjer popping out. Horns Post Switch Opponent 4 sticks to Wiltjer fearing the pop out 3 Harrell slips PnR and gets backscreen from Wiltjer for monster alley-oop 2nd play -- Same play but now Dallas fears Harrell rolling, and Wiltjer is wide open (and Ennis actually takes it all the way). haha Horns Post Switch Opponent 4 steps back from Wiltjer to guard against alley-oop this time Harrell sets pick Wilter backscreen for Harrell again, and pops for a 3 Ennis drives, Wiltjer wide open as well
I'm loving the "screen the screener" types of plays like this one and the pin down one for Anderson you mentioned above. It really seems to catch the defense off guard. The offense is going to be on another level this year.
This is fascinating, thank you for your efforts kind sir! Nice to see the teamwork, their movement on offense is much better under MDA but untrained eyes appreciate the explanation. Harrell isn't even setting devastating picks but the kind of bait/switch action leaves Anderson wiiiiiide open. imagine a tree trunk like bogut setting those picks.
