Know Your Enemy: Dallas Cubans

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 1:37 AM CDT

I watch basketball games (the Spurs) not only for the players, but for the ingenuity of the techniques and plays that are ran. Coach Pop draws up the best last second/out-of-timeout plays I've ever seen (not a homer remark, I've never seen anyone out coach Pop in a last second play ever). But what about the other teams? Sometimes the plays that are run against the Spurs frustrate the hell out of me.

Join me after the jump and I'll break down a "play" that the MLP's run that infuriates me.

Notice that I put play in quotation marks? It's because it's such a simple offensive scheme, that I can hardly put it in the same league as the word "play". I have no idea what they call it, but it looks like a very simple isolation. Here it is run against us with Dirk as the iso man.

THE BREAKDOWN

See, I was kind of smart to start my series out on a simple "play" like this. Here's how it starts. Kidd brings it half court, dribbles to the three point line where Dirk comes and sets a pick. Hill goes over the pick, Dice stays with Dirk. All is well at this point. Kidd passes to Dirk, and then sweeps through lane, isolating Dirk and Dice a step inside of the three point line. Dice is all over Dirk, not giving him room to move until he takes a massive step to his left towards the basket, creates the illusion that he is driving to the rim, but takes another large step off of his left foot and takes a fall away jump shot that rattles in. I promise that this is the only thing that Dallas did that worked.

Here's the exact same play for someone that isn't Dirk.

THE BREAKDOWN

The play starts out with Kidd dribbling up the court to the three point line around a pick (which is to try and confuse the defense, no real purpose here). Kidd passes to the pick setter (in this case Marion), who passes it around the horn to the other side of the court (no dribbling). Terry gets the ball, as well as a pick from Butler. On this pick, Hill switches to guard Terry and Bogans (who was previously guarding Terry) switches to Butler. Hill allows Terry as much room as he wants as long as its not near the paint. Terry spots an open Kidd behind the three point line, passes, and Kidd drains a three. Wait, what the heck? Who was the genius guarding Kidd? Where the heck was he? Oh yeah, that was supposed to be Tony Parker. Watch that clip one more time and follow Tony. Your initial reactions should be "what was he thinking?" and "looks like he surrendered there." I can't say for sure, but I'm hoping (yet I'm not hoping) that the game plan was to protect the paint. Even then.. Come on, man!

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Let's move to game 2 where the Spurs looked amazine. They reworked their game plan, it seems, against this stupid "play" to perfection. Here's Noringski with the exact same "play" ran for him which fails miserably much to PtR's pleasure.

THE BREAKDOWN

This is the same play in Game 2...

Here is our fix for game 2...

THE BREAKDOWN

Dirk can shoot the basketball, I won't lie. The Spurs coaching staff knows this, as well, and they've come up with a great counter for it: DENY HIM THE BASKETBALL. Hold on a second...You mean that keeping the ball at their best offensive player's hands gets the best results? Denying Dirk of the basketball is plan number one of the Spurs defensive game plan.

Plan B goes a little like this:

THE BREAKDOWN

Let someone else shoot it! Gregg Popovich you've done it again. The plan is to make Dirk as uncomfortable as possible or give him false hope and let someone else hoist it up. Let's look at the odds of that happening.

What does this mean? They shoot less than 38%, not including Dirk. When you focus on taking away even less of that piss-poor percentage they shoot, the better your odds are. (Keep in mind how well it seemed MLP shot in Game 1. The turnovers killed us!)

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By the way, something else I found throughout game 1 and 2...

Dirk has a tell. Watch where he directs the Flea and check out where the Flea puts it. Seems simple enough to pick up on.

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Comments

Thank CD! This is really awesome. Wish I could give multiple recs here :-).

by swgeek on Apr 23, 2010 4:05 AM CDT reply actions

Thanks!

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions

I second this motion. Good job buddy. Love the breakdowns! The one thing that I did not like from game 2 were a couple of times where Dice would help off of Dirk and dive way too deep into the paint. While that didn’t really hurt us much, I have a feeling they’ll make an adjustment in game 3 and kick it back out to him for an open shot.

I wish I had video of this to share with you guys/gals. I hope the defensive rotations stay sharp, we do a better job of keeping the MLP off the boards and keeping our turnovers down. We should see a win if this happens. The bench usually plays better at home anyhow.

by xman130 on Apr 23, 2010 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Thanks for the kind words. We’ll see what happens!

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions

I dont have a good basketball mind but I do not see how the play in the first video and the third video are related.

"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG

by LasEspuelas on Apr 23, 2010 7:38 AM CDT reply actions

I should clarify. The third video is the same play as the first video, only with the MLP’s in scramble mode. The guys in black had great defense causing Dirk to have less options on where to go with the ball.

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 8:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Thanks. Great post!

"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG

by LasEspuelas on Apr 23, 2010 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions

Hahaha the gif of Cuban is priceless.

REVENGE!

by Tim C. on Apr 23, 2010 8:07 AM CDT reply actions

I know. I should go back and get the one of his drunken brother.

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions

no videos at work….damn

by BlaseE on Apr 23, 2010 8:32 AM CDT reply actions

Great analysis, CD. This must’ve taken a lot of work. Credit should also be given to the Spurs’ rotations. The defense was scrambling and rotating with a purpose and helped put pressure on the Mavs’ shooters.

Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.

by silverandblack_davis on Apr 23, 2010 9:23 AM CDT reply actions

The rotations seemed like the old school Spurs. I only saw those a few times during the first half of the season, they were mostly there towards the last few games as well. The one that comes to mind was the game at Denver before the All-Star break. The Spurs were forcing tough shots all over the court.

by xman130 on Apr 23, 2010 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Thanks!

The Spurs defense was incredible in game 2 and I have a feeling they’ll keep it up for game 3.

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Great work, cd. What I see as most evident for our defense is the importance of Hill and RJ when we are scrambling/switching. Both of those guys have the ability to recover quickly and fly across the court on defense, which allows Dirk’s man to either stay on him or hedge to the lane.

by CapHill on Apr 23, 2010 10:09 AM CDT reply actions

Thanks, CapHill!

You’re absolutely right about our scrambling D. That all comes from being fired up and playing with purpose.

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 23, 2010 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Good job CD. When the Mavwrecks run this play next time, I can gauge how the spurs defense fares.

by Heman on Apr 23, 2010 12:22 PM CDT reply actions

grip the mic, grip the stage, grip the system. i was born to rage against ’em.

by bones on Apr 23, 2010 4:04 PM CDT reply actions

and oh by the way, you must watch a LOT of tape.

by bones on Apr 23, 2010 4:09 PM CDT reply actions

It’s all digital now, man. ;)

by xman130 on Apr 23, 2010 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought that is was all ball bearings now.

Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)

by J.R. Wilco on Apr 23, 2010 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions

plays fast forward just as long as he can, but he don’t need a bed, he’s a digital….man.

by bones on Apr 23, 2010 7:30 PM CDT up reply actions

I hear on the fall tour they will be playing Moving Pictures in its entirety.

Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. ~ CMoney
I am happy. I am proud. ~ Manu Ginobili

by bellasa on Apr 23, 2010 7:38 PM CDT up reply actions

indeed. and some new songs they just wrote too………

by bones on Apr 23, 2010 7:56 PM CDT up reply actions

They call me the wookie man.

I guess that’s what I am.

Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)

by J.R. Wilco on Apr 24, 2010 2:20 AM CDT up reply actions

What I love most about this post (aside from the awesome videos – 720p on PtR? get out!) is the fact that Deck is not upset at a player or a coach, or even a referee. No, you’re already to the point where the plays that Dallas runs are infuriating you — and this after just 2 games!

This is a playoff basketball with an in-state rival, baby. Giddy-up.

Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)

by J.R. Wilco on Apr 23, 2010 5:37 PM CDT reply actions

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 24, 2010 8:00 AM CDT up reply actions

Loved this. Took me a while to get through it, but it was worth my time. Thanks, CD.

I smell death... everywhere.

by LatinD on Apr 24, 2010 12:17 AM CDT reply actions

Thanks, D!

"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."

by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 24, 2010 8:00 AM CDT up reply actions