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ICYMI: Last weekend we looked at how Real Madrid protects their shot-blocking center, Walter Tavares, against the pocket pass by collapsing the "High I" defender into the lane.

📖 Read about it HERE​

🔒The deeper dive newsletter and video breakdown are available for members of SG Plus HERE.

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Today at a Glance:

📺 SGTV: Joventut Badalona - Collapsing off the 4 Man {🔒SG Plus}

🎤 Slappin' Glass Podcast: Drew Dunlop & Jake Grossmann {The Pro Lane}

🥇Best of the Week: ​​Deck Post Passing & Masking the Stack Screen​

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Let's dive in...

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Joventut Badalona -Collapsing Off the 4 Man

In a recent podcast of our's with Pro Coach, Tom Bialaszewski, (NBA/Euroleague) we discussed various factors involved in determining PnR Coverages and the importance an opponent's 4-man can play in "tagging" decisions. In that conversation we talked through team's use of their 4-man to sink in to tag a roller no matter where they were on the floor during the PnR since those defenders are often 1) not guarding the most deadly shooter and 2) bigger bodies capable of effectively bumping or switching onto the roller.

With that conversation and frame of reference in mind, this week we'll look at how the Spanish Club, Joventut Badalona, elects to defend ballscreens, specifically when they deem their opponent's 4-man to be a non-threatening perimeter player. In this situation, Joventut often opps to aggressively help off of the 4 in order to collapse the paint behind an aggressive ballscreen coverage from the 5 man...

Zooming In: Regardless of where the 4 is positioned on the perimeter, Joventut will sink their 4-man deep into the paint or across the lane to pick up the roll and aid the 5-man in his recovery back to their matchup. Feeling confident that their opponent's 4 will not beat them on the perimeter, Joventut can ramp up their aggression in the ball screen, knowing their 4-man has the short roll and there is one less perimeter rotation for the remaining two defenders.

Throughout today's video breakdown we analyze all the various spacing opponents play around the ballscreen and how Joventut adjusts to collapse their 4 into the lane. To best appreciate the strength of this coverage and how aggressive Joventut is in leaving the 4 to collapse the paint we will look at two different PnR situations:

1. Empty side ball screens and
2. Ball screens when the 4 is in the "High I" position

Empty Side Ball Screens

When opponents execute an empty-side ball screen with the 5, Joventut's 4-man will load up heavy to the ball screen, coming across the midline and momentarily disregarding the opposing team's 4-man...

Zooming In: It is important to note in the clip above the short closeout by the defensive 4 on his recovery the perimeter. Sticking to their scouting report, Joventut will live with catch-and-shoot 3s from the opposing team's 4. Understanding this, Joventut's defensive 4 will close out "short" to prevent penetration.

"High I" Weakside Collapse

This concept is similar to last week's breakdown when we looked at Real Madrid collapsing from the "High I." The slight difference in Joventut's case is with their 5-man hedging the ball screen, the 4-man will stay collapsed and follow the roller as long as necessary for the 5-man to recover, whereas Real Madrid's collapse was more of a quick "stunt and recover". Here's a look at the long tag from Joventut's 4-man...

Zooming In: Most often, Joventut will not "X" out their big to the opposing 4-man (switch their 5 out to the perimeter to take the offensive 4-man after the PnR). Again, since they have deemed the opposing team's 4-man a "non-perimeter threat", there is less urgency to close out to him on the catch. Doing so could create mismatches or put Joventut in unnecessary rotations where the opposition is likely to find a higher percentage shooter or shot.

Analytical Nerd Tangent: When we use the phrase "non-perimeter threat", we understand that Joventut plays against some very capable shot-making 4's, but this player is often the least of all evils they have to defend against when playing high level offensive teams. In analytical decision making terms, deep tagging off of an average (33%) three point shooting 4-man is more favorable than putting themselves in 1) rotations where the offense is likely to find a standstill three by a 40%+ shooter in the corner, 2) lobs, or 3) threatening rim attacks. Even if the "non-threatening" 4-man shoots above their average that night, it's still likely better for Joventut on the whole to remain more attached to higher percentage shooters, protect the rim, and keep out of unnecessary rotations.

And if that "non-threat" is really killing you... then as Jeff Van Gundy talked about last month...you can adjust!!​

Ok, tangent over...

"High I" Strongside Collapse

Even when the direction of the ball screen is attacking towards the two player side, the 4-man will concede the throw ahead pass in order to collapse on the roll.

Zooming In: It is important to note that on the throw-ahead pass to the opposing team's 4-man, Joventut's defensive 4 delays the short closeout in order to protect the 5-man from getting beat on the second pass to the roller.

To continue learning more about Joventut's Collapse Coverage with their 4-Man including:

• Avoiding Scramble Situations
• Keeping Size at the Rim
• And more

You can become a member of SG Plus and view it below (plus over 600 more videos like it) on SGTV now!

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Slappin' Glass subscribers can try Hoopsalytics for free with your own team’s games, and save 25% on any purchase by using the discount code on the page https://hoopsalytics.com/glass/​

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Slappin' Glass Podcast

It was another terrific week on the podcast as we dove headfirst into the areas of skill acquisition and drill design with two of the best in the business in Coaches Drew Dunlop and Jake Grossmann, co-founders of the training facilities, The Pro Lane. Both have experience working with players from the professional to amatuer levels and bring a fresh and level-headed perspective to the trade. In the episode we visit the topics of:

• Creating Growth Environments: We begin the conversation by discussing Coach Dunlop and Grossmann's process in creating training environments where high level learning and growth takes place. We highlight "Burst Concepts", layering decisions making, and more.
• Mid-Season Warm Up Drills: Within our discussion on creating these great learning environments we also talk about how coaches can take some of those concepts and implement them into warm-up drills. Great ideas in this section from them both on how small tweaks can be made to improve drill design.
• Myths of Shooting Form: During "Start, Sub, or Sit?!" we inquire about some of the biggest myths when it comes to teaching proper shooting form. In it we explore elbow placement, footwork, and creating a solid base.
• Pro Lane PnR Series: As part of our SG Ventures Project, we previously collaborated with Drew and Jake on a three-part video breakdown on the PnR Reject, the Hostage Dribble, and the Snake Dribble. Each one is complete with film analysis and drill implementation breakdown.

Listen to the entire conversation with Coaches Drew Dunlop and Jake Grossmann here...

Listen Now!

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Tactical

📺 Deck Post Passing - Tavares Rim Flashes​

"Punishing the 'defensive zone up' behind a post isolation by flashing the center from the weakside dunker to the front of the rim."

✚ Pair With: Our podcast conversation with former Real Madrid Head Coach, Pablo Laso, and more on Gabriel Deck's post passing.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our Deep Dive Breakdown on FC Barcelona Head Coach, Šarūnas Jasikevičius', Zone Up After a Switch in the PnR.

📺 Gaziantep - Iverson Loop Stack Screen​

"Gaziantep is one of the more creative teams in masking their stack screen actions to attack the drop coverage."

✚ Pair With: Gaziantep setting up a Stack Ballscreen out of the Zipper Entry with a Shallow Cut.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our Deep Dive Breakdown of Telekom Bonn Head Coach,Tuomas IIsalo's, Iverson Entry Spacing & Actions.

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Interesting Reads

📚 How Do Top Athletes Get into the Zone? By Getting Uncomfortable​

“As she starts to work with athletes, she tries to shift their thinking. She tells them to not think about the feeling they’re trying to capture but instead to work on building a solid and reliable skill. That skill is mental resilience, which means being able to find whatever version of calm and focus you can, even when things aren’t going your way. It’s not elusive or magical; it’s a habit.”

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📚 Greg Oden’s Long Walk Home​

"That narrative, that four-letter word ('Bust'), haunted him for a long time. It hurt to hear. It hurt to explain. But that word doesn’t capture the spirit of his struggle, his journey, his resilience, his joy, and, most importantly, where his path has taken him today: He’s finding new purpose as a coach. He’s wrapping up his first season as Butler’s director of basketball operations. And he’s doing it alongside his former Ohio State coach, Thad Matta, who is now at the helm of Butler’s program: a man who never gave up on Oden, even when many did."

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📚 Five Habits of the Master Thinker: How to Upgrade Your Mind​

"According to critical thinking advocate David T. Moore, thinking 'involves objectively connecting present beliefs with evidence in order to believe something else'. We’re essentially running a series of simulations in our heads. At best, we discard ideas that might cause us harm while we build upon those that will make life better. There are plenty of ways to deal with someone cutting us off in traffic. Not all of them get us home safely."

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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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