In last week’s article, conveniently named something completely different, we discussed some of the defensive strategies that have been employed to stop Jared Sullinger. Specifically, we looked at Bill Carmody’s ideas in the Northwestern game and how they were different from what teams like Penn State and Purdue had used.
What we didn’t discuss was some of the adjustments the Buckeyes could have used to free up more of their three point shooters. While the previous defensive strategy does allow one man to come open, it’s not always easy to feed him the ball. Also, if Sullinger is on the bench or is not drawing the double team, it would be nice to have some way of freeing up the three point shooters.
There are a couple of different ways to achieve that goal. One of those ways is to attempt to collapse the defense.
The premise of collapsing a defense is based on two key points of defensive basketball.
1) Two men are harder to beat than one. This is the concept of help-side defense and double teaming.
2) It’s easier to score in the paint than outside of it.
Obviously the first is the same logic used when double teaming Sullinger. It’s much harder for a player to beat two defenders than it is to defeat one. This is particularly true given that defenders are limited in what they are allowed to do to prevent a player from going to the hoop.
The second point is even more apparent. Long range shots are simply lower percentage, making shots in the paint extremely valuable. This is why dominant big men are both a huge advantage and greatly feared.
By getting the ball to Sullinger, the Buckeyes have regularly forced defenses to collapse. In some regards, the entire article last week was about collapsing defenses itself. This time, though, we want to look at how other Bucks get space for their teammates
Against Michigan, the Buckeyes ran a play employing Aaron Craft as a threat in the paint. This strategy banks on Michigan believing Craft to be an actual threat down low. Therefore, it was important that Craft had demonstrated an ability to drive the lane in previous games.
For the diagrams, which can be clicked on to enlarge, the players are labeled as follows.
1) Aaron Craft, 2) Jon Diebler, 3) William Buford, 4) David Lighty, 5) Jared Sullinger.
As Craft comes down the court, Sullinger has set up at the left* elbow. Michigan is playing what appears to be a zone/man mix. Diebler is tightly guarded in the left corner, as is Buford on the right wing. Lighty’s man, however, is occupying the paint at the right block while keeping an eye on him.
Michigan is clearly employing a strategy that hopes to maximize the number of players defending Sullinger while not sacrificing their ability to defend OSU’s shooters. That will fail miserably on this play.
Craft tosses the ball to Sullinger from near the half court line and drives to the basket, bringing his man along with him. This move is designed to elicit a reaction from the defense, making them believe that Craft will get a pass from Sullinger on his way to the basket. This play, when run in its usual way, is known as the give and go.
However if that was an option for this play, the Buckeyes did not use it and Craft looped back out of the paint. Sullinger passes back to Craft. Notice that Buford’s man is clearly staring at Craft, waiting for him to make a move. With his man distracted, Buford and Lighty start to switch places.
Craft drives the lane. Buford’s man collapses (poorly) to try to help stop the drive. Lighty’s man, who is still on the block, reacts to get in front of Craft. At this point, Buford has enough space to build a comfortable house in the corner.Craft knows to look for Buford and dishes him the ball out of the dribble drive for the wide open three pointer.
Diebler’s man has come off of him to help defend Sullinger. Sullinger had come open when his own defender had to hesitate to help stop Craft’s dribble drive. Note the location of all five of Michigan’s defenders. Nearly every single one is in the paint, and the two who aren’t are sitting at the free throw line.
Notice that the defender who should be covering the corner (Lighty’s original defender) does not start to move to the corner until the point where the ball has already reached Buford. He could not have moved sooner, being the only man in position to defend Craft’s drive to the basket.
At this point, Buford has already started to catch and set. There is no chance for the defender to make it to Buford in time to defend the release.
By forcing the defense to respect Craft’s ability to drive the lane, the Buckeyes effectively opened up Buford for an easy three point look. While Lighty could have just as easily taken the shot, the added switch on the wing with the defense preoccupied made the play undefendable.
Next week, we’ll study another classic method of opening up shooters: the screen.
* Left/Right convention on the Basketball Court is defined by facing the basket – a la how a point guard would see it.
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