OT - NBC: The Warriors use of Elevator Screens

[Double Helix]

If I had shooters like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson I'd look to get them open looks from deep, too. Here's an excerpt.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... ers-video/

The video clip above has a compilation of Golden State running the play to perfection, and seeing it multiple times in a row like this is a great way for those not well-versed in the Xs and Os of the game to recognize and understand exactly how teams can execute over and over again in similar situations.

Essentially, it’s a screen set by two players where the third player (the one who will end up being the shooter) will run between them, before the gap is closed like a set of elevator doors slamming shut that prevents the defender from following the shooter through.

The result is Curry and Thompson, the Warriors’ two most deadly shooters, getting loose for wide open looks, usually from three-point distance.

http://youtu.be/iUS4vUh4M6I

Just to get everybody thinking about what different coaches can sometimes bring to the table to change how an offence functions.

[DG88]

The execution of that set is just beautiful. A set play that used to maximize the ability of your players strengths on offense.

[FlutieX]

DH, that is beautiful to watch and thanks for posting it.

It's always so frustrating to watch the Raptors offense because it continually seems to break down into isolation plays instead of getting clean, open shots. It really makes you wonder why we can't run plays like this for Rudy, DD and Lowry.

In general the threes we take are never open. They're always contested and ugly because we don't really make the effort to set people up like the Warriors do.

[Undefeated]

That's a neat play, but not sure if it's legal? Isn't that a moving screen?

[Double Helix]

That's a neat play, but not sure if it's legal? Isn't that a moving screen?

So, long as they don't shut it down on the defender, moving right into him, or shortly before he gets there, no, I don't believe it is. Basketball is all about real estate. Once the real estate has been claimed it's gone. Ideally, you'd want those doors to shut a few steps before the defender gets there. It's not so much about making them pay by having them slam into it as it is creating a wall that's too difficult to get around before the shooter gets his shot off.

This was possibly the closest thing we've seen this year from the Raptors... And Derozan doesn't even take advantage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... uRwCAkaweM

PS - Not sure why Youtube embeds aren't working.

[itbobby007]

What a sick play. Would be a great way to setup Ross and Lowry from downtown.

[DG88]

That's a neat play, but not sure if it's legal? Isn't that a moving screen?

It's like a variation of the staggered screen. Instead of the player going around the screen the get open they go through it instead. Pretty ingenious play by Mark Jackson.

DH, that is beautiful to watch and thanks for posting it.

It's always so frustrating to watch the Raptors offense because it continually seems to break down into isolation plays instead of getting clean, open shots. It really makes you wonder why we can't run plays like this for Rudy, DD and Lowry.

In general the threes we take are never open. They're always contested and ugly because we don't really make the effort to set people up like the Warriors do.

The problem with our team is that there isn't any purposeful movement in the offense. When either Rudy or DeMar comes off a curl they'll either shoot it or hold onto the ball and play iso, which apparently is our offense. In terms of post up we recently started running those for Val and the occasional one for Rudy and DeMar. Where we're hurting ourselves is we're regulating Lowry to just passing the ball and being a long range shooter. Which imo is not using him to his capability. This offense is so damn easy to defend because the we only shoot the most inefficient shot in basketball.

[FlutieX]

lol The Raptors "version" is telegraphed, awkward and hilarious. Couple that with the fact the shooter isn't in a position to shoot when he receives the ball and you have failboat playcalling.

[OhMyBosh]

That's a neat play, but not sure if it's legal? Isn't that a moving screen?

If the big man was Amir, then yes because he never sets a screen while planted. Otherwise, David Lee and Carl Landry are typically settled before they make contact with the defender.

This is a great set play, but one the Raptors could never run. Our coaching staff doesn't teach how to set proper screens (haven't since the Bosh era started) and we also don't have reliable shooters. It takes Curry and Thompson less than a second to get off a shot. DeMar takes a lifetime to gather for a jumper.

[FlutieX]

That's a neat play, but not sure if it's legal? Isn't that a moving screen?

If the big man was Amir, then yes because he never sets a screen while planted. Otherwise, David Lee and Carl Landry are typically settled before they make contact with the defender.

This is a great set play, but one the Raptors could never run. Our coaching staff doesn't teach how to set proper screens (haven't since the Bosh era started) and we also don't have reliable shooters. It takes Curry and Thompson less than a second to get off a shot. DeMar takes a lifetime to gather for a jumper.

That's untrue, DD gets several screens for long twos per game and gets his shot off just fine.

@DG88, it's sort of frustrating we can't run this play for Rudy in particular. Even with his iffy 3pt shooting, it's probably statistically better for him to take an open 3pt shot than an open long two.

[sanity]

It looks as if it takes away from offensive rebounding opportunities, but it does seem worthwhile if you have a high % perimeter scorer + it negates any transition offense. Lowry would be ideal for such a play and yeah, I fully agree that our offensive sets (ie. Pylons standing about) is less than desirable and plays into the dreadful %s a lot of our guys are posting

I'm unsure if I'd want those types of plays being set up for Gay. He is an exceptional offensive rebounder for his position and is fully capable of setting good screens (though rarely does)

[Hassassin]

Looks like a perfect play to get Alan Anderson more shots.

[roundhead0]

Since 3 players are used in the play, wouldn't it be easy for the defense to send a player to rotate ahead of time to the other side of the screen where the ball handler will emerge and cut him off?

It's the kind of play that might catch unprepared teams off guard in the regular season, but in a playoff series you'd think that opposing coaches would adjust to that pretty quickly.

[Undefeated]

This play probably works so well because they have excellent shooters like Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes and the bigs David Lee and Bogut are perfectly capable of dropping dimes. The defense is basically in "deny" mode the whole time where the defense can't play "up the line" stunting towards the passing lane anticipating for steals or deflections or else they would find the open shooter. Just watch how the defense never lose track of those other shooters when they're walking along the baseline or stationary in the corner. Besides Lowry no one on the Raptors is an above-average shooter so the defense just plays helpside defense.

[Indeed]

We set those screens with Amir for Bargnani to take the shot at foul line or three point line as well. It is difficult to setup Bargnani for those shots, even his man is slow coming out, but his man is so big that no one else can set a good screen for him. And I think Casey is not a fan of our big shooting from range.

Anyway, I thought we can do the same if not better, it is just our wings being weak on the perimeter. More than shooting range, quick release and high release point are the key, also someone who is not affected by players running at him. Bargnani and Calderon are the only one, while Calderon lost his quickness to have a good shot (usually he just pump fake then start dribbling). Even Bargnani is not shooting it, he is in a great position to drive then pass the ball to Jonas or corner 3.

[duppyy]

Beautiful stuff.

[5DOM]

That's just beautiful to watch from screens to the shot

[Geddy]

Marc Jackson deserves a lot of credit for the way that Warriors team has played this season. Their off ball movement is great and they really maximize their strengths.

[Indeed]

It looks as if it takes away from offensive rebounding opportunities, but it does seem worthwhile if you have a high % perimeter scorer + it negates any transition offense. Lowry would be ideal for such a play and yeah, I fully agree that our offensive sets (ie. Pylons standing about) is less than desirable and plays into the dreadful %s a lot of our guys are posting

I'm unsure if I'd want those types of plays being set up for Gay. He is an exceptional offensive rebounder for his position and is fully capable of setting good screens (though rarely does)

You can see a wing from the weakside will try to get the rebound running from the corner. Of course, your big who sets the screen needs to be an offensive threat for the defense to stick with him. If the corner wing failed to get the rebound, they are actually closer to run back for defense, which is a great two-way strategy to eliminate most of the fast break points.

[dacrusha]

The defense is basically in "deny" mode the whole time where the defense can't play "up the line" stunting towards the passing lane anticipating for steals or deflections or else they would find the open shooter. Just watch how the defense never lose track of those other shooters when they're walking along the baseline or stationary in the corner.

This is exactly right... the breadth of offensive weapons the Warriors have force the opposition to stay in a close man-to-man formation, chasing their counterparts around the court and playing them tight.

On the flip side, defenses slack off severely vs. the Raptors, and teams relax and tend to play looser man-to-man coverage; an elevator screen as constructed by the Raptors would not have nearly the same 'funneling' effect on the defense.