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ICYMI: Last Sunday we looked at Pedro Martinez's use of Stampedes in their Arrive Offense with Manresa. You can join coaches and staff from around the world who've invested in an SG Plus membership and view the entire breakdown (plus almost 700 others and counting) HERE.

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Today at a Glance:

📺 SGTV: Kevin Pangos - DHO Skip Receives 🔒{SG Plus}

🎤 Slappin' Glass Podcast: Miles Simon {South Bay Lakers}

🥇Best of the Week: Clear Cuts & Twirl Screens​

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Let's dive in...

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DHO Skip Receives

Today's Deep Dive is a look at a simple and seemingly harmless movement, a "skip". We're not talking about the "skip" players do when they're pretending to do dynamic warm-ups, or the "Head Coach Skip" on the sidelines immediately after a bad call or "heat-check step-back jumper" by their 8th man.

Today's "skip" is more subtle and understated, a jazzy little movement taking place during a DHO. As the old saying goes, "the devil is in the details," and no one has mastered the details of the skip better than Milano guard, Kevin Pangos.

First, what is it? Much like the "PNR Skip Dribble" we detailed a couple of months ago (🗞), the "skip-receive" can be defined as a skip-step hesitation that allows the ball handler to play with a change of pace and/or a change of direction in setting up or attacking off of the DHO. When separation has been given or created, this technique helps build a natural patience in the ball handler's game, enabling them to operate in space without forfeiting their advantage.

The advantages of this skip after the DHO are many, and some of the ones we'll look into today are:

• "Getting Square" - Attacking, surveying, and shooting off two feet
• "Changing Pace" - Playing slow vs. using bursts
• "Passing Patience" - Reading taggers, rollers, and cutters

To begin, here's a look at the skip-receive technique where Pangos is able to attack into space as the defender fights under the DHO...

As mentioned above, this is similar to how Pangos uses this same technique when coming off a PNR, allowing him time to read and drag out a Defensive Big in a "Drop" or "Short Show" situation while his screener finds a more open lane to roll to the rim. Here's an example...

"Getting Square"

The first thing Pangos is able to do with this skip-step is "square" his shoulders to the rim when receiving the DHO. Many times, this allows Pangos to play off of two feet with all of the pass, shoot, drive options at his disposal. Here's a look at him squaring up to set up a rhythm three on a DHO reject...

Zooming In: One important detail to note is that Pangos is an average three point shooter historically, so he is used to defenders going under the first DHO/PNR he is involved in. This makes the skip-step and "squaring" of his shoulder even more important as he knows he will likely be creating an advantage on rescreens and rejects since his defender won't be chasing over on the first screen/DHO. The squaring of his shoulders/hips on the DHO helps in the reading process on how he can created that advantage.

Zooming in 2.0: Thus, this skip and squaring can be an especially useful teaching point for players who's defenders won't be chasing over screens.

Pivoting slightly (pun intended) from the DHO for a second, we also looked at how Zenit Head Coach, Xavi Pascual, teaches the squaring of shoulders as quickly as possible on catches from off ball screens... (🔒)

Whether it's coming off a DHO or pindown, getting square sets up much of what can come next for a player, leading us to our next topic..."changing pace"...

Changing Pace

As all coaches can attest to, savvy guards are a problem to guard, especially in situations where they can turn a slight advantage into an even bigger one. What this skip-step from Pangos allows him to do is mix up the pace in which he plays out of the DHO. At times it is more of a surgical approach (as we'll get to in a minute), and at others it can be more explosive.

We'll mix both the PNR and DHO skips together for a second to show you a great example of Pangos changing pace to get square, read, and then ultimately use a "burst" to explode to the rim...

Zooming In: From a physical/movement perspective, what this skip-step does in both the DHO and PNR is help Pangos find balance and have coiled energy at his disposal to blow by a backpedaling big when the opportunity arises.

Passing Patience

We've looked at how this skip-step helps Pangos find balance and poise to attack via a shot, drive, or rescreen, and the last thing to highlight is how this technique aids him in being an astute reader of backside tags and helpers. Here's an example of Pangos taking a GUT DHO, using the skip-step to set up a rescreen, and then using another skip coming off that rescreen allowing him time to find a baseline cutter...

Even if Pangos is not trying to attack immediately from the DHO, or play off of a rescreen, he'll still use that skip to find balance as a passer when Milano is running players off a pindown or off-ball screens....

Last summer on the podcast we asked Dallas Maverick assistant, Sean Sweeney, what he watches on film in the offseason to improve, and he was emphatic about watching great players, saying that they often show you clues about the things that truly work on the floor. For those looking for an example of a guard who plays through DHO's with great precision, Pangos, and his use of the skip are worth a look.

Please enjoy this week's deep dive exploring the "DHO Skip Receive" on SGTV today by becoming a member today! 🔒

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Together with Hudl

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Slappin' Glass Podcast

We kicked off the month of June with a fantastic interview from South Bay Lakers Head Coach, Miles Simon! Coach Simon has enjoyed success at multiple levels of the sport (including as a player), and he detailed his thoughts on:

• Building "Player Development" Programs as a Head Coach: We've had some great conversations so far this year about player development and the different strategies coaches use, and Coach Simon adds another great layer to that. He has experience as both a PD Coach for the LA Lakers, as well as now putting together plans for players of the South Bay Lakers as their Head Coach. Great nuggets throughout about building skills, decisions, and putting players in position to succeed.
• "Gut Instincts" as a Coach: Coach Simon was a heck of a player (1997 NCAA Champion with Arizona), and was always lauded for his incredible on-court IQ and instincts. During "Start, Sub, or Sit!?" we hear his thoughts on developing and nurturing that side of himself as a Head Coach and how it's one of the most important skills a coach can develop.
• Defending Off-Ball Screens: Wondering how to guard curls, flares, splits, etc.? Coach Simon details his thoughts on defending off-ball screens during "Start, Sub, or Sit?!" as well.

Listen to this entire great conversation with Coach Simon here...

Listen Now!

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Tactical

📺 London Lions - Stagger • Zoom PNR​

"Executing for a dominant left handed driver, London generates pace into the PNR and clears space with the baseline cut."

✚ Pair With: Virtus Bologna back door cutting off the Zoom.

🔒 SG Plus Content: The Stagger Away Entry, popular variations and actions.

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📺 Ludwigsburg - Iverson • Twirl 4​

"Off the Iverson Entry, Ludwigsburg clears a side to play to a Twirl Screen for their 4-Man."

✚ Pair With: Our podcast conversation with Ludwigsburg HC Josh King on developing consistency and "Positionless" players.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Lithuanian club BC Lietkabelis' Iverson Loop series.

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Interesting Reads

📚 The Elements of Good Judgment​

"I’ve found that leaders with good judgment tend to be good listeners and readers—able to hear what other people actually mean, and thus able to see patterns that others do not. They have a breadth of experiences and relationships that enable them to recognize parallels or analogies that others miss—and if they don’t know something, they’ll know someone who does and lean on that person’s judgment. They can recognize their own emotions and biases and take them out of the equation. They’re adept at expanding the array of choices under consideration. Finally, they remain grounded in the real world: In making a choice they also consider its implementation."

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📚 The Power of Positive Coaching and its Impact on the Stanley Cup Playoffs​

"We realized that we were getting results and seeing more success when we were showing more positive clips. Of course, there are many other variables, but that is what the data said. I've done a lot of reading on the topic across other walks of life, and it confirmed what I was feeling."

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📚 What Makes Some People More Productive Than Others​

"...we found that professionals with the highest productivity scores tended to do well on the same clusters of habits. They planned their work based on their top priorities, and then acted with a definite objective. They developed effective techniques for managing a high volume of information and tasks. And they understood the needs of their colleagues — for short meetings, responsive communications, and clear directions."

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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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