Spacing. Playing Against Trap

A mismatch situation is often considered a very good option to score. Teams work on the mismatch defense more and more, knowing that it could be the difference between winning or losing a close game. The "inches".

In the F4 semifinal between Maccabi and CSKA we saw how the Israeli team faced a different kind of mismatch, as it wasn't the typical small against big / big against small but instead, an action between two perimeter players, in which one of them has an advantage in the 1x1 situation. 

As we see in the video, Ingles is guarding Weems at the end of the first quarter, and Maccabi's reaction is to send David Blu to trap and force a bad decision from CSKA's player. The Russian team seems to be prepared to attack this kind of defense. They spread the court to give room for that one on one, and once Maccabii's player jumps to the trap, they are ready to punish the defense. Khryapa cuts hard to the basket, attracting Pnini's attention, and the ball goes quick to the corner (although it could have been much faster without Weems' last dribble) where Jackson beats the defender's close out. He has a good option to finish or to kick the pass out for a wide open shot. 

Great team basketball, game preparation and defense reading for a nice action from CSKA.

Let's see the video.

Mismatch Defense - Basic Ideas

Last week I received an e-mail from a coach asking me about mismatch defense (big against small in the perimeter) We exchanged our thoughts (and we are still doing it) and I was willing to find some examples of mismatch situations to show my ideas. And yesterday we saw a nice one involving Vassilis Spanoulis and Nemanja Bjelica. 

There are many different ways to defend a mismatch, and I'm not going to criticize how Fenerbahçe did it last night, you know it is said that "after the battle everyone is a good general" but this one works well to explain myself.

I said my colleague that the first rule I give my players is to force the ball handler to drive to the basket, to put a lot of pressure on the ball. For different reasons:

• Many players are capable to shoot nowadays (at least at the high - elite level) and the risk of that shot to be hit, to me, is big enough to decide I want to avoid it. Plus, the risk is bigger because the players more often involved in these situations are the best offensive players.
• The shotclock is running down. Almost every team end up switching in ball screens with 10"- 8" remaining. The shotclock is on your side.
• The ball handler, once he can't shoot, needs to beat his defender… and then the defense should be ready to help - rotate to stop the penetration (and the shotclock is running down!)
• He has to find an open teammate, and give him a good pass. Will they find a good scoring option? (better than the avoided shot?) Maybe… but maybe not (and the shotclock, you know, is running down)

In the video, Bjelica (huge wingspan) is ready to contest the shot (or he thinks he is) but you will notice how the other four defenders are also focused on Spanoulis. If he tries to drive, he won't be able to finish at the basket, and as you see, when he really starts being aggressive there are nine seconds remaining on the shotclock. 

Let's take a look at the video:

Update: Coach Ali Kamalian told me about this article: mismatch in the NBA, with a different focus. The tendency there (just like in other situations) appears to be to allow the mid range shots instead of "forcing" to drive.

Staggered Screens Defense: Offense Reaction

Staggered screens are one of the most used situations in basketball. Well executed, they will create many options for the offense, specially when there is a good shooter to run them for.

There are different ways to play defense against staggered screens (and single off ball screens too) one of those is switching. We saw some months ago how F.C. Barcelona did it against Jaycee Carroll - Real Madrid.

Today I bring you another example, but we will focus in the offense's reaction. The game is Obradoiro - Manresa in the ACB league, and Manresa (in red) is switching against Obradoiro's shooter Alberto Corbacho.

Offense's reaction is great. This is, in my opinion, one of the best teams at reading the defense all over Europe. We will see a misdirection pass, a baseline screen to focus the defense on ball side, and another quick pass to the opposite side to get an easy bucket right under the rim.

Let's go step by step:

Staggered screens for Corbacho ("2")

"X4" and "X2" switch

Misdirection pass and baseline screen: "5" screens for "4", who is now being guarded by "X2"… "X4" and "X2" switch, which is the right thing to do, understanding that there will be a big mismatch on ball side if they don't switch ("4" vs "X2")

The offense keep working to use the mismatch, "5" seals "X2" and gets the position under the basket, they were looking for this situation, and they use the advantage.

Now let's take a look at the video:

Action - Reaction ; Off Ball Screens Defense

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction (Newton's Third Law of motion)

In my Final Four Preview post I wrote about the way Barcelona was going to play defense against one of Real Madrid more special players, JC Carroll.

Now, after two games in the Liga Endesa finals, I'll talk again on the topic, as I think both coaches have worked with their teams to anticipate the other.

If you remember, when guarding Carroll, FCB often switch when defending off ball screens. 

These are two basic situations the white team play for him, Barcelona's reaction and Real's counter.

Baseline off ball screens (smalls' cross)

Barcelona's switching action (X2 - X5 - X4)

Real's counter (feeding 5 who is guarded by X2) Nice reaction, looking for the big guy in a clear mismatch situation in low post. 

And Barça is using their low post rotation defense to adjust to that situation. Which Real try to punish with an extra pass.

The second situation is a diamond, with both teams following the same steps.

Barcelona's switching action (X2 - X4 - X5)

Real look for the mismatch...

Defensive rotation... Extra pass...

Let's take a look at the video:

We have two (or three) more games ahead... Both teams know each other, both teams are ready... And I can't wait for the next one...