Monday Morning Thoughts
This is a new segment to try to bring some consistency back to the Substack Newsletter. Coaches please let me know what you think.
Coaches, I really appreciate the influx of support in the past two days. The amount of feedback and positivity I have received from my Weekly X’s & O’s message has been phenomenal. I do this stuff because I love to connect with you guys and grow myself so every interaction with any coach whether that established or aspiring means the world to me.
If you are a newer subscriber and came here looking for my Weekly X’s & O’s video this is not where you will find it. My substack is reserved for intermittent in depth deep dives. With no timetable on uploads (could be twice a month could be once every 3-4 months) it has been awhile since I have posted anything consistently on it until now (hopefully….)
Since I started really studying the game in depth quite some time ago, I have always been an avid notetaker. I try to watch every random game on Synergy like I am going through my own team or an opponent on film. However, one area where I need to continue to grow is writing down more philosophical general notes. I started doing this every Sunday night and I think it would be cool to share with you all. It will be messy, but hopefully it gets you thinking. My favorite people that I interact with are the ones that constantly make me think. After a wildly long winded introduction, let’s dive in.
Monday Morning Thoughts
Topic: What separates a bad-good offense or a good-great offense?
(In no order)
Not Having Designed Triggers/Automatics Into Actions
Where/When to plug in your automatics? (Spacing, Personnel, Floor Balance)
Ask who are my best players/what skills do they have that possess the most gravity? (Gravity example if unfamiliar = Elite Shooters the threat of their outside shooting opens up screeners, driving lanes, etc.)
What actions do these players work well within? Which one of their skills + actions allows them to draw 2 (defenders) the easiest & quickest?
Creativity within your Automatics- Automatics are not just cuts and movements off penetration feel like this is a common misunderstanding
Example: (Stay on elite shooter) Transition Sprint At’s (Think Miami Duncan Robinson & Max Strus) with big bringing the ball up off a live dribble. Or Early backscreens preferably guard to big can’t always be perfect with a perimeter player bringing the ball up.
Reasoning for the change dependent on who’s bringing ball up = You’d like to hunt the least likely switch if possible as early in the possession as possible (Stolen from Cody Toppert)
Example: Baseline Exits for shooting off early cuts or later cuts in the possession (Think Warriors Curry and Klay)
Different example with a dynamic downhill driver: Early Cuts/Ghosts to create gaps or early ball screens with a favorable matchup picking on opposing teams worst on ball defender. Can utilize these later clock as well.
Final Example: Bigger Skilled Creator: Early Short Corner and Elbow Catches, Create more middle short rolls and pops (screener flips every ball screen for handler to go baseline if not in proper position).
Creating Early Cross Matches (How can we get creative with this???)
What are your flow/motion concepts throughout the possession and end game?
Examples of concepts: Flaring the passer off a swing pass, Triggers to flash game/elbow catch could be off ball screening or as simple as a wing to corner DHO to recenter, Dribble At Outlets (most underutilized in my opinion, too many offenses stifle when attacking set defenses especially for multiple times a possession) use the dribble at outlets to breathe and trigger continued ball movement/action even guard to guard. A Dribble At is one of the best connecting actions allowing you to get to another along with flaring the passer. Late clock switch beaters? What are you doing off of ball reversals or when the ball is swung to the dead corner? (Dead corner = Deep Corner vs a set defender)
Lack of Coverage Based Solutions (Reads/Beaters)
Can we design an offense that we can keep in a constant state of rotation versus any defense or defensive coverage?
Coverage counters should be executed both with or without calls.
Overly dependent on self creation from your alpha
Have a personal saying I use “I like it when talented players make talented plays”
It’s great to have that bail you out guy in a tough spot, but this should be a consistent outcome to your possessions. Hard to build a consistently efficient offense by manufacturing even 8-10 points a game off incredibly tough shots. Another one of my sayings I use often.
“The P&R is a 5 man operation” (European Quote don’t know which coach) Application of this mindset to offense in general.
Adapting this mindset should lead to less possessions with attacks vs a set defense. Set D Attacks = Possession Killers. Avoid at all costs.
Lack of Passing
Find value in the simple pass and swing pass. Seeing value will increase willingness
Motion/Flow Very General Basic Rule: “As the ball moves we move”
“Drive to Draw” Stress the offensive goal of being able to Draw 2 and capitalize on the moments when you Draw 2 with an easy shot
“Once you’ve drawn 2 you have done your job”
In Summary (Again No Order)
Winning the Early & Late Offensive Battle within every possession
Your Drive & Kick Game - Capitalizing on rotations is a biproduct of how good your drive and kick game is. (The common saying we want to Create and Keep the advantage) Keeping and then capitalizing is a result of how well you drive and kick.
Putting a premium on passing daily
2nd/3rd Sided Actions
Punishing Coverages
I hope that you guys all enjoyed. By no means is this an end all be all. There’s millions of ways to play and very few of them or none of them are wrong. This is just me sharing my philosophical thoughts online with you. Doesn’t mean I’m right either (usually not).
Please shoot me some feedback on this segment. If the responses are good I will continue to keep sharing weekly. If you’d like to connect or sign up for my weekly x’s & o’s video compilations my contact information will be below. Look forward to hearing from you all!
Cell: 330-787-1146
Email: connor.harr@westliberty.edu