The Evolution Of Offense In European Basketball

Фото: The Evolution Of Offense In European Basketball

PREMISES

The majority of elite European teams adopt sets of play that are very similar for attacking the man-to-man defense. Since they are the best teams, it’s natural that they become models of reference for lower level teams, which do their best to imitate them.

In this article, I will explain the dynamic behind the evolution of the game as a continuous “action and reaction” between the offense and the defense.

This way you will see if :

• The defenses have reached such a point in their evolution that they limit the efficiency of the offenses and these plays are the only possible answers remaining that allow them to take advantage of the spaces left by the defense.
• The evolution of the technical skills of the players generates the use of these systems of play.
• These offenses are adopted by the coaches but only because they follow the current fashion.
• The lack of a certain creativity in designing offenses by many coaches has led to the adoption of offenses that are copies of other teams.

ANALYSIS

I have scouted the top teams in Europe, the teams that have reached the finals of the Euroleague, ULEB Cup, the two top continental championships for clubs, and the finals of the Italian, Greek, Spanish, Russian, and French championships. Analyzing possessions of the ball and the plays adopted, I have seen that:

• The fastbreak and transition represent less than a 1/4 of the offensive possessions of a team. This breaks down to 2 fastbreaks every 10 to 11 offenses against the set defense (balls lost in transition are about 18%, or approximately 2 out of every 10 transitions).
• The efficiency of the offenses versus the set defenses has a percentage of 40%. This means that for every 10 offensive set ups, 4 will generate baskets.
• At the EuroBasket 2009 final (Spain- Serbia), the two teams went on transition 18 times (scoring 17 times, losing the ball once) out of a total of 154 possessions: This is a little more than 10% of total ball possessions.

The beginning of the man-to-man offense starts with a pick-and-roll for 40% of the teams, often with a double high pick-and-roll with the two post, while the sets with screens (double exits and vertical and/or baseline screens) are used less frequently.

The plays end with:

• 1/3 on the pick-and-roll.
• 1/3 on a kick pass against the defensive rotations.
• About 15-18% on plays with low-post or high-low post passes.
• Catch-and-shoot coming out of screens.
• Cuts and offensive rebounds.
• One-on-one and special situations, such as out-of bounds or quick hitter plays.

The sets that start with a pick-and-roll can have different options to take advantage of the power and physical presence in the lane of the screener (for example, Pekovic of Panathinaikos Athens or Andersen, formerly of Barcelona, and now with the Houston Rockets), or the quickness and agility on rolling to the lane after the pick (for example, Batiste of Panathinaikos, or Smodis of CSKA Moscow), versatility and shooting touch of the screener, who opens up (such as Fotsis of Panathinaikos, Lorbek of CSKA, or Lavrinovic of Siena).

When looking back a few years ago at the overall use of the pick-and-roll, I can say that today there is much more a tendency to adopt this solution to create 1-on-1 plays for the big men who can: a) Find the open lane and try to play one- on-one on the low post. b) Go away and face the basket, starting from the three-point line, where they can shoot or play one-on-one facing the basket.

In Europe there are more good power forwards, the 4, who are able to shoot and attack the basket from the front position than there are centers, the 5, who are able to play with their backs to the basket.

Among the plays that start with a pass, the most common one used is the “clear-out.” This isolation play starts with a hand-off pass between the guards, followed by flare screen.

When designing offensive plays for their team, coaches need to:

• Tailor the plays to the individual skills of their players.
• Avoid sets where the opposing team could execute systematic and easy defensive changes.
• Come up with plays that will force defensive changes and rotations. A good example is a play that would cause a bad defensive mismatch between a big and a small player.
• Create involvement for all players on the court.
• Push the defense to open up the spaces for shooters past the three- point line. This allows the offense to beat the defense with a possible drive to the basket, forcing them to help or trap. In the end, the offense can take advantage of the possible delays in the defenders’ rotation.

THE ENTRY PICK-AND-ROLL

This set has an odd front consisting of the playmaker, two high posts near the three-point line, and two other perimeter players near the corner (diagr.1).

Panathinaikos used this set to open up the lane and help Pekovic -probably the strongest and most difficult Euroleague player to defend in this position- to get the position in the low posto to take advantage of the quickness on cutting inside, after the screen, of Batiste, the other big man. Besides, Fotsis, the power forward, is extremely complementary, either to Pekovic and to Batiste, on playing behind the three-point line, being very dangerous with his shot or facing the basket (diagr. 2).

CSKA often called this set and played with Smodis and Lorbek at the same time on the court to take advantage of the versatility of both of these players. It also opened up the lane. After the entry pickand- roll and the pass on the perimeter, the point guard cuts, while the big man, who is busy screening on the first pickand- roll, rolls and then screens a second time on the perimeter player with the ball. This is an ideal situation for playing two-on-two on a quarter of the court. There is also plenty of space for a pass to the big man, who rolls to the baseline after the screen. (diagr. 3 and 4).

Panathinaikos has run an interesting option: setting a tandem of pick-androlls at the high post area, where the ball handler takes advantage of the first pick and runs outside of the three-point line, while the screener flares away on the opposite direction behind the three- point line. The other post is ready to run a second pick, which gives the ball handler a chance to drive in the opposite direction (diagr. 5).

In the following play, an entry pick-androll is used to force the defense to get out of balance on the defensive helps: the point guard is screened by the post, for then continue first with diagonal back screen by the small forward for the power forward, and then with a vertical screen for the small forward (screen the screener) to get free the big men (diagr. 6).

ODD FRONT SET WITH ONLY ONE HIGH POST

Panathinaikos used this set with a power forward (Fotsis or Batiste) on the corner on the same side from where the ball handler starts the action. He is opposite the post player, who screens the ball handler. This movement is efficient, difficult to defend, and simple to execute. The end result depends on the quality of the screen, which must be strong and wide, and by the quick cut made in the lane of the screener: Pekovic possesses an unbelievable ability in “ducking in” the lane, and it’s quite impossible to push him away from his position. Naturally, the efficiency of this play depends on the driving or shooting skills of the ball handler, and on the shooting touch of the other perimeter players, who must be able to punish the defenders who help and trap (diagr. 7).

CSKA frequently used the single pickand- roll as the entry of the play, setting the big men on the same side, one high and one low. In this situation, the danger for the defense can come from the ball side (diagr. 8). The ball handler can force a help on the same side and free the shooter in the corner, while the defenders of the big men are busy covering their assigned offensive players (diagr. 9).

END OF THE ACTION OF PICK-AND-ROLL

This is a very quick and simple play run by Panathinaikos to open up the lane and create space for the big man, who is cutting in the lane, while also allowing the perimeter players to find more passing lines to get the ball inside. The point guard makes a UCLA cut and goes in the corner, while the other four players are set around the perimeter behind the three-point line (diagr. 10). The high post steps out and plays pick-and-roll with the ball handler, while the other players spot up on the perimeter, ready to beat the helps and the traps (diagr. 11).

Let’s now look at an odd set played by CSKA, where there is a reversal pass, and a back screen of the low post for the player in the corner (diagr. 12). While there are already four players on the perimeter, the high post steps out from the lane (leaving the lane open momentarily), and plays pick-and-roll, cutting in the lane and in good position to receive the ball (diagr. 13).

In this example with Olympiakos Athens, we have a high pick-and-roll between the point guard and the power forward, with the point guard driving towards the lane. In this case, there is a baseline screen run by the other guard for the center, which forces a bad defensive mismatch near the basket (diagr. 14). In a similar play, always starting from the entry pick-and-roll, we have a back screen run by the guard for the center, who is now set opposite to the pick-androll. This provides a wider space for the guard to punish his defender, who is busy helping in the lane (diagr. 15).

PLAYS WITH ENTRY WITH SCREENS AND PASSES

This is perhaps the play that is used the most. Teams such as Panathinaikos, CSKA, Olympiakos, Barcelona, Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania), and Hemofarm Vrsac (Serbia) run this play with a odd front set.

After a vertical screen of the power forward for the guard, followed by a pass of the point guard to the guard, and a hand off pass among the two, the play forces a defensive change (diagr. 16), then, all five players move at the same time. There is a baseline cut of the small forward, who is screened by the power forward, and then goes out in the corner to receive the ball and shoot. At the same time, there is a horizontal back screen of the center, which frees the second shooter (diagr.17). There is also a final possibility: at the end of the play a pick-and-roll that opens the baseline for the big man, who cuts in the lane (diagr. 18).

Another Panathinaikos play is run with a screen at the free-throw area, run by the center for the guard, who flares away, and receives from the point guard. As soon as the guard cuts off the corner of the screen, there is an open space below the free-throw line, so the center plays a pick-and-roll with guard, and then rolls to the basket, becoming a good target to get the ball inside the lane (diagr. 19). In the next example, the concept is similar, but now there are two consecutive screens at the high post area. As usual, the aim of 2, the guard, is to cut over the screens towards the ball, forcing the defenders to step out and offer help. The higher the help of the big man on the second screen, the better the chance of the second movement succeeding: a vertical back screen of the forward for the screener, the screen-the-screener play (diagr. 20).

The double exit is a frequent play made with screens for the shooters (diagr. 21). The main options used are the pick-and-roll, run by the low post on the ball side (diagr. 22), or by the center on the weak side, while the power forward makes a clear-out, and goes away from the ball (diagr. 23).

CONCLUSIONS

With the 24-second rule, great tactics, and excellent scouting of the defense, it is always more important for the players to be able to read and react immediately to the defensive situations, while the so- called “long” play or continuity have lost the efficiency. After the second or third pass in a play, the offense is already busy in their efforts trying to beat the defensive changes and rotations. Similarly, about 8 seconds after the possession of the ball, it’s already time for a pickand- roll or a drive and a kick-out pass.

The individual fundamentals involved in these systems of play are:

• Three-point-shooting for the perimeter player, coming out from flare screens or created by passes to outside.
• The ability of the power forward to face the basket, driving and shooting from the three-point line.
• The ability to play pick-and-roll (screen-and-roll, screen-and-popout).
• The skill of playing without the ball against the defensive rotation to fill the open spaces (rotating behind the three-point line opposite to the dribble).
• Passing from the dribble on a penetration (drive and kick-out).
• The versatility and skill to play similar roles (point guard and guard, guard and small forward, etc.)
• Playing with the back to the basket

The team fundamentals that are needed include:

• The pick-and-roll.
• The drive to the basket and the pass while moving for beating the defensive helps (the drive and kick).
• The triangle of passing and the collaboration with the high and low post.

When the rule of the three-point line more distant from the basket will be effective, will probably be more emphasis on the transition and primary fastbreak, and it will again be necessary to work with the players on the stop-and jump shot from middle range.