Ha! You're welcome. If you disrupt elevator doors in some kind -- any kind -- of way, more often than not you will be fine. It helps tremendously if your bigs simply are aware of what's going on. I think this is also why teams generally won't use elevator doors as more than a rarely used wrinkle -- so that other teams won't spend much time preparing for it. Like with most sets or actions involving screens it also helps immensely, if you have similar players across the board allowing you to switch most, if not all screens. Here, an example of the Knicks switching after the Hawks used one of their elevator doors wrinkles to get Korver free up top: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IdNEVQDvHUM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Notice that both teams are playing small-ball, so Melo can switch off Stevenson onto Korver without even having to worry about the Hawks posting up JR Smith afterwards. By the way, it just so happens that the Nets used Elevator Doors against the Bucks yesterday to free up Johnson for the shot that ended up sending the game to overtime: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NcyM-InZ1QE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Execution kinda comes and goes with this team in my opinion. It can be really good for stretches and then it can be pretty bad for stretches. I don't think familiarity is a huge factor. Mistakes certainly are. The offense is pretty simple, so you'll rarely see guys totally out of place, but at times some guys just seem to lose focus and just not be ready to set a (good) screen or just stand around instead of cutting or sliding to the spot the should be in. You're always gonna miss some open shots, but I thought missing open shots was especially an issue in some of the games during the losing streak. Over the weekend I was starting to prepare some stuff with regards to the Rockets flare- and backscreen usage off isolations and pick&roll settings, looking at a whole bunch of video clips of wide open shots that the Rockets just could not seem to hit. Lots of Parsons right wing and to a lesser extent Lin right corner misses, which looking at their shot-charts I guess might be a case of lack of coaching staff still getting familiar with the players preferences/abilities. Lin and Parsons will have to get better at shooting from those spots, but it appears as if the coaching staff has learned their lesson not setting Lin & Parsons up as much in those spots. I didn't notice as much in recent games, anyway. -- On a totally different note -- and I hope this won't come across the wrong way -- but could you guys perhaps try to avoid quoting posts with multiple embed videos? Kinda slows down browsing through this thread (for me, anyway), which is why I usually spoiler bigger playbook posts. I hope this won't be too much of an inconvenience. Thanks.
the switch defense like knicks displayed is the best i can think about to defend most offense plays. it puts alot pressure on individuals who are not matched very well after switch, such as big vs ball handler and guard vs post player. to overcome the mismatch, sometimes, quick and hard trap or double team could be used to disrupt the offense to the point you can recover. it means no passing path is allowed to an open player. it relies on player's IQ and quick decision.
Today, "Pistol", an action the Rockets use primarily after free-throws or made baskets. Pistol is pretty popular among coaches, so naturally quite a few of NBA teams have it in their playbook. To not overload you with video clips of what I'm guessing is new to most, I'll split Pistol into three separate posts, starting today with "Pistol Up", which is the Pistol option the Rockets use most often. With Pistol Up there are two options to start out. The first option is the wing setting a step-up screen for the PG and then come of the flare screen set by the trailing big. (Click the spoiler to continue reading.) Spoiler <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xjc_yFKz4_Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> If the wing isn't open coming of the flare, the trailer will immediately go on to screen for the PG. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tEIqCVUmWtw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> The other Pistol Up option starts out with the PG passing the ball ahead to the wing and follow for a hand-back. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aPMzAIsRlFk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> If the hand-back does not take place, the trailer will go on to immediately screen for the wing, with the PG spotting up in the corner. The wing then can look for his own: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5xGzE3jv_ug" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Or draw and kick: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iDGh_WWdvDk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> More on Pistol in the next few days.
to me, it looks like two types. first one is "give and go", a soccer term. what happens here is a ball handler gives the ball to a wing and then immediately runs at high speed along sideline to force his defender to stay behind him. when the ball handler passes by the winger, there are two variants all depending on the winger's defender. if he choose to stay with the winger, the ball will be handed back to the ball handler so he can attack the rim. if the winger decides to prevent the ball handler from penetrating, the winger will get open. it's hard for the ball handler's defender to defend the winger since he is on the wrong side of the winger (the winger stays btw the rim and the ball hander's defender). second one is basically a P&R. the winger sets screen but roll to the middle.
With concern to the addition of Thomas Robinson is it going to be hard to run to pick n roll with someone other than omer when omer is in the game?
I'm not sure I'm understanding your question correctly, but you're asking if it will be hard(er) to run pick&rolls with our new group of 4's (than it was with Patterson or Morris), I think the answer is no. I think it's the opposite, in fact. Unlike Patterson -- Delfino, Parsons and even D-Mo can put it on the floor for more than a couple of dribbles and thus are an actual threat of the dribble. Morris, in a way, was, too, I guess, but I thought with Morris the end-result was too often an ill-advised contested (2 point) jumper off the bounce. D-Mo being a threat around the basket will make him more of a roll threat than either Patterson or Morris were as well. Establishing and maintaining deep post position is still going to be a work in progress for D-Mo and it might take a few games to for the rest of the players to get on the same page with him, but I really think he'll flourish on offense over time. Delfino being the shooter that he is you can even run off screens after letting him set the initial pick&roll up top, which is something the Rockets have already gone to at times. The Heat basically do the same thing on a nearly nightly basis with Ray Allen coming off a flare screen after setting the initial screen up top himself. With regards to Robinson, it certainly is going to be tough to fit him in, but it doesn't really matter whether Robinson or Asik is going to set the screen when those guys are in the game together. The spacing will be no different. Until Robinson develops a reliable jumper, those guys will be interchangeable, with one big screening and the other making himself available near the basket. Essentially Thomas Robinson is Greg Smith with less familiarity right now, which is why I, for one, don't think Robinson should be a part of the regular rotation (yet). I understand McHale getting him out there against the Bucks to see what Robinson can do and I won't have a problem with him doing so again the next game or two to get a better feel, as you really can't judge anything off of one game. I just don't think Robinson is ready to contribute and I don't see how him not being productive will be any more beneficial to his trade value than him not playing at all. The same goes for Terrence Jones. Still, whether Robinson is going to a part of the regular rotation or not, it's not the offense I worry about. Say what you will about Patterson -- and personally, I don't care for the "oh noes, we traded away a solid player for somebody might turn out not be" -- but solid and sound, Patrick Patterson was and he'll most definitely be missed defensively. Not because he was a defensive ace, but because unlike anybody that's left on this roster and capable of playing the 4, Patterson at the very least was above average defensively.
Sorry for the delay. I had hoped to get clarity on some terminology regarding this post, but it wasn't meant to be. (HadToDoItCF - I received your PM and answered you via both e-mail & PM, but I think that for whatever reason I'm unable to successfully send PMs and I figured you might not check the in-box of that e-mail address. I didn't want to further harass you for something as unimportant.) Anyway, continuing with the Rockets Pistol series today, with "Pistol All The Way". I made up that term, as I'm not sure what the "proper" term is, however people use different terminology anyway (I've seen "Pistol Up" called "Pistol Pass" and "Pistol Down" "Pistol Give" for example) and really it's just a word. If you do know a/the proper term though, please be so kind and share it. I'm not certain on this, but it appears that Pistol ATW isn't a (Pistol Up) read option, but rather something predetermined. It starts off just like Pistol Up with the PG passing it ahead to the wing and follow for a hand-back. Instead of spotting up in the strong-side corner or coming of a flare screen, PG/wing will cut through the lane and make a zipper cut to the top on the other wing. While this PG/wing does so PG/wing with the ball up top will swing it to the opposite wing, who'll then pass it to the guy coming off the zipper screen before making a UCLA cut to the opposite corner. This then turn into a side/angle screen&roll. Here's an alternate diagram: Spoiler (Ha. I hope these "diagrams" add at least something. Multiple pics per action/set would just take up too much time. I hope you understand.) Pretty much all teams will "down" (forcing the ball-handler baseline to prevent middle penetration) any side/angle pick&rolls, if at all possible. Naturally this will take the ball out of the guard/wing and force your bigs to make plays/decision: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kNcP2E-Hc0I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> (Click the spoiler to continue reading.) Spoiler Below the Hornets don't down the pick&roll, allowing middle penetration, which generally spells trouble. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4Ho6ix-m9p0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Then there's "Pistol Strong", which starts out with the wing setting a (step-up) screen for the PG, however instead of coming off the flare screen by the trailer afterwards, wing and trailer set staggered screens for the PG. Depending on how the defense plays this, the PG can either use the screens... <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WM9Gb6ZOGoA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ...or go away from them... <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7-Xa6OugZHo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ...or hit the open roll/pop man. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qrrSHKSGRb4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I'll be rounding out Pistol by posting Pistol Down in the next couple of days.
Just leave it here... Talking briefly about the Rockets on the SVP&R show They're boring to watch. Every possession: High screen, drive, dish or drive, foul called that half the time is BS. - Russillo SVP: When you're gonna run and score and they're happy to play in the high one hundred mid-teens... Saunders: I don't think McHale is totally happy with that. That's why they went to go get Robinson. They felt he might help be a low post presence. ... He likes the way they're playing as far as winning but he knows in order to be successful in the playoffs, if you want to win, you need some type of a low presence in the post. SVP: With them and Denver, just fun to watch or a threat? Saunders: Denver more of a threat. Denver has great size and athleticism up front. They rebound, they play hard. They can play different ways. Denver can slow the game down and win. Houston can't slow the game down and win. That's the difference between those two teams.
Before I get to the Rockets "Pistol Down", first a video compilation of a few other teams using Pistol Up, which is probably the most often commonly Pistol option throughout the NBA. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qaQiBZknDwo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> With that out of the way, in the final part of the Rockets' Pistol series, today "Pistol Down". Unlike all other Pistol options, Pistol Down does not starts off with a go-ahead pass or a step-up screen, but rather with a hand-off or hand-off attempt. Whoever brings the ball up dribbles right at PG/wing at either wing. It the hand-off takes place, the guy who brought the ball up goes on to spot up in the strong-side corner, with PG/wing going into a simple screen&roll with the trailer. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5qYsXxySRxM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> (Click on "Show spoiler" to continue reading.) Spoiler If the defense takes away the hand-off one way or another, the guy who brought the ball up can either simply go into a screen&roll with the trailer himself: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MClm_MFVIns" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Or dribble right by PG/wing, with PG/wing coming off a flare screen by the trailer: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o5nt96f29DU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> (If PG/wing isn't open coming of the flare, the trailer will just go on to screen for the guy who brought the ball up, turning it into an angle pick&roll or what I believe is called shake action [an angle pick&roll with the strong-side corner occupied].) At times there'll also be opportunities to go back-door. I don't have any tape of the Rockets doing so, but for the sake of it, here's the Knicks using their Pistol set-up to go back-door against the Rockets: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sQappRCq9wA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> That rounds out the Rockets' Pistol series. More out of the Rockets playbook to come at some point in the next few weeks.
so many varieties. i can't keep up. would be nice if you post one specific play at a time. from there, we can discuss the benefit and how to defend plays of this type.
It's really just the same thing -- a basic three-man series -- over and over again, with guys reading the defense and reacting accordingly. Video clips 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 start off with a step-up screen. Clips 2 & 3 start off with a go-ahead pass. From there it's pretty much all the same and no different from what the Rockets do. Whenever something "off-script" happens, it's just guys being opportunistic. From a defensive standpoint you can't take away everything, so, as usually the case, you just have to pick your poison and be solid in what you do. There's no perfect way to defend Pistol (Up) or any play, set or action for that matter. By taking away one option you usually open yourself up elsewhere. Both your and the opposing personal matters. Mobile bigs help a great deal. Switching can make it a littler easier and some teams like the Nuggets will oftentimes do so, but you have to be careful not to over-do it and, again, you have to have the right personal to do so. Otherwise you just get caught up in mismatches that will end up hurting you later in the possession -- though depending on the type of mismatch, being mis-matched on defense isn't always a negative, but that's a whole nother story. Given that defenses usually aren't quite set when another team runs Pistol, you're obviously a bit more vulnerable than you'd be defending in the half court. Still, the same general principles apply: don't allow guys to blow right by you, prevent middle penetration, force angle and side pick&rolls to the baseline if at all possible. Sadly, that's as much "insight" as I can provide. I haven't studied what, if anything, outside of the general defensive schemes, different teams exactly do guarding against Pistol and what tends to work best. Maybe someone else can chime in. I sorta feel like I'm talking to myself here anyway. Also always feel free to provide feedback/critic, comment or suggest things that might add value to this thread.
with our personnel, i believe switch defense may work for us. both lin and harden big and strong enough to handle some teams' pf. i remember one play lin had to switch to cover other team's pf. he did an excellent job, not only standing his ground but also got a steal using his quickness. regarding your analysis, i read them all the time. it's deep and thoughful. accasionally, it is hard to understand when so many stuffs in one post. i know it takes your energy and time to do the work of this type. i appreciate you from my deep heart. i wish you can continue. if not, i will definitely be upset but i completely understand so choose whatever is best to you. Thx,
Today, "Horns Away Stagger", which is yet another set in the supposedly set-less Rockets offense. As the name indicates the set starts off in horns formation, with one big coming up to screen for the PG up top. After doing so both bigs set staggered screens for the wing standing in the weak-side corner (the corner PG dribbled away from). If the player defending this wing goes over the screens the wing will curl towards the basket, looking to score or draw-and-kick if the defense sucks in. If the defender goes under the screens, the wing usually will either find himself open for a 3 or force one of the bigs to come out to help, which tends to open up holes elsewhere. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UjJB0GlotAM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Here's the Spurs going to essentially the same set in the playoffs last year: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yyRtbxLqww0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Just a quick note on last nights game. When GSW was down 4 with 44 seconds to go, they came out of the timeout going to one of their patented sets -- "Elevator Doors", which I touched on previously here and here. J.B. Bickerstaff and the one assistant coach, who's name I don't know (the guy behind Sampson and next to Jesse Mermuys), realized what was coming and screamed for the Rockets to switch, which Asik recognized and thus did. Curry still ended up getting a decent look as Asik didn't quite come out far enough after the switch, but the switch at least took away the in-rhythm 3 and made Curry put it one floor instead. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2RBCahvQsto" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Major props to J.B. Bickerstaff, AC-Unkown and Asik. Aside from the Grizzlies -- who visibly were prepared for the set and also ended up switched Randolph on Curry in a late game situation earlier this year -- very few teams have done a good job defending the Warriors' Elevator Doors. Below a compilation of open looks off Elevator Doors just from the few Warriors games I've watched this year: <iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iUS4vUh4M6I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
For whatever reason my League Pass isn't working right now, so I figured I might as well make a new playbook post. Today the Rockets version of what I believe to be "Chin", which is a play they've had in their playbook from the very start of the season, but have gone to much more recently. Fairly simple stuff. PG either dribble-hand-offs or hits the SF, while the PF sets a wide pin-down for the SG (the Rockets really only run this for Harden) on the opposite side. The ball then gets swung from one side to the other, with the passer (SF) cutting off the C to the basket area and from there to either corner, while SG & C go into a screen&roll. What this does is create movement before the Rockets get into the actual pick&roll. Guys move around, the defense has to react/communicate and if executed properly all the action prior to the pick&roll makes it tough for the opposite center to level or hedge the pick&roll. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LiRkRkCSx_U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> For comparison, here's the Magic going to a similar version of Chin under SVG, though a little more basic and with not quite as much movement. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/diY4F99IxBU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Today the Rockets' "Floppy Out", which is one set the Rockets may (have to) go a little more if D-Mo continues to struggle shooting from the outside. Floppy is referred to when two wings exchange sides, with one guy screening for the other and a big standing on each block to set an additional screen. The Rockets use Floppy primarily to get into a screen&roll off the move, with the screener sprinting up from the weak-side, which makes the screen&roll fairly hard to "down", more or less guaranteeing middle penetration if well executed. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S750a_7y774" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> As you might be able to see this set isn't reliant on one big spreading the floor and thus can be run with two traditional bigs. Occasionally the Rockets will however make use of their floor spacing bigs and switch the spacing up slightly with the PF fading out instead of ducking in like the usually do. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iyjU2lhhS_U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Spread setting or not, if the pass to the wing this set is run for gets taken away, the Rockets will simply go to the wing on opposite side and go into a screen&roll there. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lpoe4Ps48vc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> The Rockets also have gone to a number of Floppy sets out of timeouts ("ATO") that start out pretty much exactly like Floppy Out, yet end up 'developing' entirely different. Just one example against the Mavs, where the Rockets first went to a different Floppy setting freeing up Asik for the dunk and then later in the game using the same set as a decoy to free up Parsons up top: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OJ45NrwX6b4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I couldn't tell for sure without going back if the different Floppy sets Rockets go to ATO are just random play calls or specifically drawn up to take advantage of certain things teams/players are doing (e.g. getting out of "proper" position early to set themselves up to stunt hard/show while anticipating a "normal" floppy sequence), but my guess would be that it's the latter.
This play could be very well used to setup low post plays as the big on the top moves down to the side of low block. The wing who gets the ball can pass it to the big. at same time, rest of players shift to the other side. we need to develop d-mo's post moves if he IS what our FO or/and coaches believe. Developing low post threat can help harden and lin to save their energy. right now, those two are only players who can create shots for their teammates and themselves. not enough. they can't play high level on both ends if they are only two to make things happen.
The chin play is an old Pete Carril princeton set but the Rockets use the weave before they go into the initial chin action. I like chin because the team gets a lot more movement the ball moves from side to side and then the shuffle cut comes. This is a great play for the point guard who gets pressured because he runs his man into the back pick at the high post. Horrns Floppy crosses is a cool play because it get movement from the shooters that are set us up in the corners in the horn set. So when the Rockets use horns they are running the hi-lo pick and roll, the drag pick pr, wheel, floppy, and floppy crosses. I perfer these sets as oppose to the iso on top and throw it to a 3 point shooter with 2 seconds on the shop clock.
I already brought this up in another thread, but I wanted to follow up on it, as it's appears to be a common misconception that the Rockets draw up/call for a lot of isolations, especially late in games, which just isn't true. At all. Aside from the ISO with 0:15 to go in OT the Rockets did not call for an isolation once in the 4th quarter or OT last night. A few possessions ended up as isolations due to poor execution, plays getting busted by the Lakers D, the Lakers switching some ball-screens and Harden and Parsons waving off ball-screens once or twice. Again, tough, aside from the one isolation out of a timeout with 0:15 to go in OT (that actually resulted in a quick drawn foul), there was not a single called/drawn up isolation. One example of what might have look like a designed ISO coming out of timeout, actually was a flare set that the Rockets have had in their playbook since game 1 of the regular season: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yrNmx6H92o4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Here's the Rockets going to the same set last night: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/06dW5GdbG-k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Harden obviously didn't feel like he had a great angle to make the cross-court pass, so he decided to hold onto the ball, resulting in the possession to bog down to an ISO. Maybe the Harden should have trusted the play & forced the pass or maybe McHale should have drawn up to something different, but most certainly McHale did not draw up an ISO. Not on this possession and not on any other possession in the 4th quarter or OT, aside from 0:15 to go in OT.
