Exploring basketball's best ideas, strategies, and coaches around the world

Happy Sunday and welcome to all the new subscribers from around the world! We're excited to have you as part of the community 🙏

ICYMI: Last week, we revisited Coach Daineault's offensive strategies with the OKC Thunder. This time, we focused on their effective utilization of the Elbows, particularly in empowering their big playmaking guards. View the full breakdown HERE.

This Week at a Glance:

🔒 SG Plus Content: Facundo Campazzo - Post Mismatch Defensive Techniques​

🎤 Slappin' Glass Podcast: Andrea Trinchieri ​

🥇Best of the Week: Pin Screens for the 5-Man & High Post "X" Outs​

🎁Gift Cards: Looking for a holiday gift idea? Slappin' Glass Gift Cards can be applied to any breakdown or towards an SG Plus Membership. Purchase Here!

Let's dive in...

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Mouse in the House?

With the prevalence of switching in today's game, we are always interested in studying teams or players that are effective in doing so. While various team tactics to either protect (See Coach Jasikevicius' "Switch & Shrink"🔒) or solve mismatches (See "Hitting" 🔒the ballhandler) are great to evaluate, so too are individual techniques of how some of the top players in the game, on both sides of the size spectrum, employ defensive techniques to win or contain their mismatches. These techniques help disadvantaged defenders stay on the court and prevent their team from having to further scramble to protect them. For instance, a few months back, we looked at how traditional, slower-footed 5-Men are working with their footwork and stance to force ballhandlers to attack one direction, maximizing their size and protecting their speed disadvantage when defending on the perimeter...

In today's breakdown, we shift our focus and look at how diminutive guards, like Facundo Campazzo, can effectively defend against bigs in the post.

Arm Bar Swipes

Following our conversation with Serbian Professional Coach, Marko Barac, discussing how guards can navigate through screens and gain an advantage in the physical battle by targeting the hips of the bigger screener, we began looking into other "winnable" battles for a "small" when matched up against a bigger body. Here is where "post mismatch defense" comes into play.

The first thing that stood out when studying Campazzo is how low and wide he gets when defending the post, creating a low center of gravity and ensuring all his force is directed at the hips of the post player. This makes it difficult for the post to use brute force in their back down to the rim. We were hard-pressed to find any clips of Campazzo being "bulldozed" underneath the basket.

If the first battle is preventing the post player from driving him under the basket, the next battle to be won is attacking the ball while it is still close to the ground. If the offensive big cannot get to the rim for an easy lay-up, drop step, etc, their next realization will be that they can still turn and shoot over Campazzo. This is where we begin to notice the importance of Campazzo's hand placement, prepared with his free hand to swipe at the ball when the post player gathers for the turn around. Side note: We were also hard-pressed to find a lot clips with bigs going to their jump hooks from distance either 🤔.

Zooming In: Like a snake coiled to attack 🐍, when Dante Exum turns middle to raise up, rather than attempting to contest the shot where the size advantage is obviously not in his favor, Campazzo looks to attack the ball when it is at its lowest point and brought to the middle of the shooter's body.

For post player's capable of turning over both shoulders or preference to shoot over the left shoulder, Campazzo is quick to change his hand positioning on the spin.

Zooming In: Most players often raise the ball up through the middle of their bodies when executing a turn-around shot. Consequently, the ball will be momentarily exposed and vulnerable to swipes and steals. Once the ball gets to the shooter's head, Campazzo will have very little influence in deterring the attempt.

Pulling the Chair

A tried and true strategy that has stood the test of time is leveraging the post player's own momentum against them by "pulling the chair" out from under them on backdowns. This tactic is especially beneficial when opponents attempt to back down from the mid-post or perimeter and require several "bumps" in an effort to gain post position.

Campazzo is exceptional in his timing of "pulling the chair", which is right as his opponent is re-loading to go back in for another contact.

Zooming In: This is where Campazzo's low and wide stance pays off again, as post players cannot easily move him and attempt to hit him multiple times to gain a better position. Anticipating when to "pull the chair" is better served when Campazzo can force the opponent to attempt a 2nd or 3rd bump.

Campazzo's understanding of the battles he must win and which ones better serve his physical attributes puts him in a better position to defend the post and be less reliant on doubles or tactical schemes to protect him. Of course, there are instances when he may pick up fouls or miss on the reach, but these are calculated risks that are more impactful than attempting to wall up or contest, in which case it becomes more a matter of whether the post player made or missed, versus whether Campazzo deterred anything.

For plenty more examples on Campazzo's hand positioning and timing of his swipes view the full breakdown now on SGTV!

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Slappin' Glass Podcast

We hit the rewind button on the podcast this week in our re-release of one of the podcast's most downloaded episodes of all time with Italian Pro Coach, Andrea Trinchieri. Coach Trinichieri is truly a one of a kind coach and one of the most interesting listens we've had. In this episode we explore building a team identity, the balance of innovation and simplicity, and discuss real ways to build trust and stats that matter during a highly entertaining segment of "Start, Sub, or Sit?!"

Please enjoy the entire great conversation with Coach Trinchieri here...

Listen Now!

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Together with Hudl

We're proud to partner with one of the best tech companies in the world of sports, Hudl! Every play, every stat, every breakdown. On their own, they’re essential. But all together, they’re undeniable. Hudl recently introduced their newest product, Hudl Instat – a new advanced data platform that integrates with Sportscode and every Hudl product you rely on to create an all-in-one data powerhouse. Hudl Instat’s advanced tagging and next-level stat reports help you develop your team – and its global film library helps you find the missing piece to get the most out of every second of film. Visit ​hudl.com/slappinglass​ to learn more.

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Tactical

📺 3-Men Side Spacing - Pin Screen for the Dunker​

"A few different screening actions from newly hired Fenerbahce Coach Jasikevicius to take advantage of a shooting 5-Man spaced weakside dunker during an empty side PNR."

✚ Pair With: A RIP to Dunker Pin Screen set from Alabama AC Ryan Pannone.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our 2-Part breakdown on the European Ballscreen Continuity and the various 3-Men Side actions.

📺 High Post Flash "X" Out​

"A clever way to triple switch out of a post mismatch when an opponent is attacking the switch through the high post flash."

✚ Pair With: Another situational defensive strategy to take away the high post seal after the PNR switch.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our breakdown on using the Peel Switch to solve perimeter penetration post PNR Switch.

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Interesting Reads

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📚 Rick Carlisle Has Built the Best Offense in History By Letting Go​

"Carlisle has long been considered one of the best play-callers in the world by people within the league. He appears regularly in the NBA’s annual GM survey in response to which head coach makes the best in-game adjustments. When his teams slowly bring the ball up the court, he can call the set he believes will work most effectively. It gives more opportunities to lean into one of his strengths."

📚 Byron Wien’s 20 Life Lessons​

"Concentrate on finding a big idea. Treat everyone you meet as a friend. Every year, do something you’ve never done – and more lessons from a lifetime of hard-won wisdom."
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📚 The Road to Self Renewal ​

"The things you learn in maturity aren’t simple things such as acquiring information and skills. You learn not to engage in self-destructive behavior. You learn not to burn up energy in anxiety. You discover how to manage your tensions. You learn that self-pity and resentment are among the most toxic of drugs. You find that the world loves talent but pays off on character."

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Quote of the Week

Thank you for reading and have a great week coaching,

Dan and Pat

info@slappinglass.com

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