Celtics Chin Slice

By Brian Williams on May 13, 2018

Man to man plays from the Boston Celtics. The plays were contributed by Austin Anderson to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library.

You can also find out more about FastModel Play Diagramming software by clicking this link: FastDraw

Austin recently completed an internship with the Charlotte Hornets as a video scout intern where he assisted the video coordinators with opponent scouting and game planning.

Anderson was also responsible for opponent personnel edits, databasing free agents, and building a video playbook, along with player development workouts and team practices.

He also served as at Delta State as a Graduate Assistant and at UMPI as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.

Here are the comments that Austin made about the play.

Boston Celtics – Princeton Set.

This offense is designed to get players moving and to keep the defense engaged.

There are opportunities for backdoor looks, catch/shoot looks, a post up, and ultimately a 1-5 high pick and roll allowing Boston’s guards to create.

4 pins 2 who receives pass from 1.

1 then cuts off 5’s back screen.

2 hits 4 and cuts to strong side corner.

4 swings ball to 5.

5 swings to 3

1 sets rip screen for 4,

1 cuts off 5’s pin down to catch at top of key.

Play finishes with a 1-5 high pick and roll with 4 replacing.

Play #2 Stack Ball Screen Flare

Boston Celtics quick hitting ATO action designed to get Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart or Jayson Tatum open on the wing for a shot or drive opportunity.

5 pins 2 into a high pick/roll with 1.

1 off 2. 5 flares 2.

The play was originally posted in the FastModel Sports Plays and Drills Library.

5 screens for 2, who sets ball screen for 1.

5 then turns and sets flare screen for two.

1 throws back to 2 for shot or drive.

25 Pop SLOB

By Brian Williams on May 13, 2018

Sideline inbound plays from the Philadelphia 76ers.

The first play was contributed by Austin Anderson to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library.

3 cuts off 5 to weak side corner.

2 pins 1 to top, who receives inbounds from 4.

2 comes off cross screen from 5 to catch pass from 1.

5 sets rip screen for 1 who clears to corner.

2 hits 5 at elbow and takes hand off playing 2-man game as 5 rolls.

Play #2 EOG Corner SLOB

The diagram was contributed by Matt Wheeler.

3 cuts around 5 and off the screen from 4 toward corner.

1 passes to 3 for the shot.

Secondary options:

5 screens for 2 to open up lob at rim or jumper at top of key.

Loading to the Basketball

By Brian Williams on May 3, 2018

St. Louis Men’s Basketball Coach Zak Boisvert posted these videos

Coach Boisvert has posted several videos of some of the better schemes he has seen. His YouTube channel is: Zak Boisvert You Tube Channel

Editor’s Note from Brian. There are two videos on this page–the second is an older video of some defensive conversion concepts from Jeff Van Gundy.

There is no narration with this video.

This is a YouTube video. If you are having trouble viewing it, the reason could be that the network you are on blocks YouTube videos.

Click the play arrow to view the video.

Loading to the basketball

These are some of Coach Boisvert’s comments on the video. Here is a link to his complete article: http://pickandpop.net/2018/05/loading-to-the-ball-vs-great-transition-pg/

In order to stop the great transition point guard (in this case, Philly’s Ben Simmons), the defensive big sprints to get ahead of the ball and shows his body to prevent middle penetration by the ball-handler (effectively “building a wall”). A trailing big who can really shoot it can hurt this tactic, but as you can see in the video below, the strategy still allows the defender to get out to a proper closeout. The defensive bigs’ positioning in the gap ahead of the ball allows him “One Way Out” movement in that he’s not moving in to help on penetration and then moving back out, rather he’s already positioned to stop penetration and he just moves in one direction to closeout.

This would be a great video to show to your players. Ask your players to watch the constant pointing/talking being done by all 5 guys in a Celtics uniform. Also, have them pay attention to the last 2 clips that aren’t examples of the “Post Shadow” that’s discussed above, but it’s unbelievable effort by 5 players to get ahead of the ball and make Simmons see bodies in transition.

Here is a second post on Zak’s site: Jeff VanGundy Defensive System Edit

Embedded below is a defensive system tape put together by Jeff Van Gundy and his coaching staff (which included Tom Thibodeau and Steve Clifford, and ) in the late 1990s with the New York Knicks. This is a comprehensive guide to Van Gundy’s defense and a great resource for coaches at all levels. I appreciate Michael Bowden for posting this.

The Invisible Barrier to Learning: Question Your Assumptions

By Brian Williams on May 1, 2018

These two articles on self-reflection and leadership were submitted by Dr. Cory Dobbs of The Academy for Sport Leadership.

The Invisible Barrier to Learning: Question Your Assumptions

What if we—you, me, and the next guy—really understood how little we know. Oh, we might have some subject matter expertise. But that only counts for a small sliver of life. Yet I consistently find that people, either because of a predisposition to self-protection (preservation) or self-promotion (preference) are slow to learn that it’s okay not to know everything.

In meeting after meeting I’ve noticed a favored declaration by the participants is “I already know that.” This message is often communicated explicitly by uttering the words, but more often the “I already know that” takes shape in nodding of the head back and forth designed to communicate this “fact”.

Why is it so worrisome to hear those words? Well, it suggests that the individual believes that their state of knowledge on that topic or subject is settled and complete. Therefore, they might not be open to learning new things, to questioning their assumptions, or considering the fact that they just might be wrong. Yet if you ask the head nodder if they are open-minded, you’ll get a continuation of the forward-backward nod to signify “of course I’m open to learning.”
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The truth is this habit is hard to break. However, the curious mind is often found in the beginner, the one that is eager to learn about how things work. It’s often said that in the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the expert there are few. Once you know this you can enter meetings with the mind of a beginner. New ideas, thoughts, or insights emerge not by chance, but by embracing and studying the challenges we encounter each and every day. You can begin learning at a deeper level by getting rid of the words “I already know that.”

Article #2: Mindset: Are You Satisficing or Maximizing?

The knowledge monopoly on “X” and “O’s” has been shattered. New coaching web sites pop up every day offering to you, the coach, all you need to master the technical and tactical parts of coaching your sport. And that’s great; tools for new coaches to get up to speed and veteran’s to quickly learn a new wrinkle.

But what about leadership development for you and your student-athletes?

In general, my research reveals two mindsets when it comes to leadership development; the maximizing mindset (searching for something that is “best”) vs. the satisficing mindset (searching for something that is “good enough”). Leadership is about relationships, it’s about expectations, preferences and an over-arching ideology. Great coaches don’t take leadership lightly. They deliberately develop team leaders and simultaneously grow themselves as leaders.

“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will care.” -Your Student-Athlete The world of coaching is changing. In Coaching for Leadership you’ll discover the foundations for designing, building, and sustaining a leadership focused culture for building a high-performance team. To find out more about and order Sport Leadership Books authored by Dr. Dobbs including Coaching for Leadership, click this link: The Academy for Sport Leadership Books

Boston Celtics – Cutback SLOB

By Brian Williams on April 30, 2018

This Boston Celtics sideline inbounds play was contributed by Timothy Hipps to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library.

You can also find out more about FastModel Play Diagramming software by clicking this link: FastDraw

Timothy Hipps is an assistant coach at Central High School in Capital Heights, MD. He is also the founder of Math-n-Basketball Academy, a youth basketball organization that also offers academic support to players.

Coach Hipps uses basketball statistics, scouting reports and game technology to integrate sports with mathematics and literacy in Maryland public schools. While coaching at amateur levels, he has sought to adapt NBA actions and offenses for youth and high school teams.

Hipps is adamant about offering professional preparation, collaboration, and effort at the recreational and interscholastic levels. While a head basketball coach at the interscholastic level, Hipps’ teams won 3 league championships in five seasons.

You can follow Timothy on Twitter @mathnbasketball.

This is what Coach Hipps said about the play:

A nice ATO SLOB set run by the Boston Celtics in Game 2 vs the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2018 NBA Playoffs.

Great for a team with post players who can pass out of the post.

Boston Celtics – Cutback SLOB

3 inbounds, 4 and 5 are stacked up on weak side block.

1 is on strong side block with 2 at nail.

2 sets down screen for 4 to catch at top of key.

Option for 4 to DHO with 2 (not shown).

Primary look is to 5 in short corner after receiving screen from 1.

4 sells down screen for 1, who fakes coming off for shot.

1 rejects screen and backdoor cuts to basket for layup.

Boston Celtics – Stagger BLOB

1 back screens for 2, who dives to basket

5 screens for 1

3 inbounds to 1

1 passes to 5

2 and 4 set stagger screen for 3

Boston Celtics 15 Point Entry Series

By Brian Williams on April 30, 2018

This series of similar plays run by the Boston Celtics was contributed by Doug Brotherton to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library.

You can also find out more about FastModel Play Diagramming software by clicking this link: FastDraw

Doug Brotherton is entering his 14th year of coaching basketball, and his 6th year at the helm of The Village School girls varsity basketball program. He has coached boys high school basketball, girls high school basketball, and started the Men’s Basketball program at Mid-Michigan Community College.

Coach Brotherton is also very involved at all levels of basketball. He is a NBA Regional Advanced Scout for the Chicago Bulls. He is the Director of Coaching Development for HoopGrind Basketball. Coach Brotherton was elected as the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Large Private School Board Member. This past year, Coach Brotherton helped develop the drill book and coaches packets for Jay Bilas Basketball Camps.

In 2018, Positive Coaches Alliance selected Coach Brotherton as one of the 50 Double-Goal Coach National Award Winners, for his positive impact on his athletes on the court and in life.

This is what Coach Brotherton said about the play:

In a pivotal Game 6 of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics were struggling offensively. Brad Stevens is excellent at designing multiple set sequences, to help his team find a rhythm. In the 2nd quarter, the Celtics ran this sequence, scoring on two of the three possessions. The only possession that they did not score was an open 3, which rimmed out. It was a terrific sequence, which kept the defense off balance.

Boston Celtics – 15 Point Series

1 passes to 5

1 cuts off of 5, faking the DHO

4 & 2 cut in from the corners

3 pops to the slot

5 passes to 3

“Fake Stagger Rip”

1 fakes a down screen for 2

2 takes a down screen for 5

1 gets a baseline screen from 4

“Fake Stagger Snap”

1 fakes a down screen for 2

2 gets a baseline screen from 4

1 “snaps” off a down screen from 5

“Stagger Flip”

1 and 5 set a double stagger for 2

3 passes to 2

5 sets a ball screen for 2 (BLUE)

The second play on this post was contributed to The FastModel Plays and Drills Library by Kevin Bruinsma. Kevin is in his fourth season with the Youngstown State men’s basketball program & his second season as Assistant Coach after spending the previous two years as Director of Basketball Operations.

Prior to joing the Youngstown State staff, Bruinsma served as the Director of Basketball Technology at the University of Portland for the 2012-13 season.

Boston Celtics – Post STS

1 dribbles to wing, pushing 2 to corner.

1 enters ball to 5 in post.

4 sets back screen for 3.

1 screens for 4 (STS action).