While Kevin Durant had a tremendous game in the finals of the FIBA World Championships scoring 28 points on 10 for 17 shooting (58.8%), the rest of Team USA really seemed to struggle, chipping in just 53 points while going 20 for 51 from the field.  While the rest of Team USA had problems creating for themselves and knocking down tough shots, they were able to take advantage of some really good looks, and it was all due to the attention that the Turkish team showed Kevin Durant.

Whether it was man to man, zone defense, or in transition Turkey really used most of their effort on the defensive end to try and stop Durant.  Eventually, this strategy allowed the rest of Team USA to get some open looks, and they were able to finish.

Against Man To Man Defense

Turkey really struggled when playing their man to man defense against the United States during the finals.  The problem was that when playing man to man defense, you have a full team effort.  Players need to sink off their man, help, stop penetration, and then recover.  However, Turkey was really reluctant to help off of Durant, and this lead to a number of open/easy looks.

No Help From Turkey

In the above clip, you see Team USA run a simple pick and roll at the top of the key with Kevin Durant out on the wing.  Ersan Ilyasova is the defender covering Durant.  He should be the help man Derrick Rose attacks the basket, but he is hesitant to get too far away from Durant, and he meekly reaches at the basketball as Rose blows by him.

This is where Ilyasova is positioned and he should be positioned a little bit more in the middle of the lane.  Normally in help defense the goal is to cut off penetration, force the pass to the outside, and then recover.  However, with Durant on the outside, Turkey really was afraid of wandering too far off of Durant.

No Help From Turkey 2

The above clip is yet another example of Turkey not wanting to get too far away from Durant.  Here, Durant is a good 30 feet away from the basket as Chauncey has the ball on the top of the key.  Again, Ilyasova is right up on him:

Look at the space that Billups now has to attack the basket.  Billups takes advantage and attacks that lane as Ilyasova shows everyone his matador defense once again.  Billups’ penetration forces help from the corner and that opens up Lamar Odom for a clean look behind the three point line and he knocks it down.

In addition to the lack of help provided by Kevin Durant’s man, anytime Durant cut off of the basketball when Turkey was playing man to man defense he drew a lot of attention, opening up passing and driving lanes for the rest of his teammates.

Turkey Follows Durant

As Lamar Odom makes the catch on the elbow, Kevin Durant is on the opposite block.  Durant cuts towards Odom as if he is going to receive a handoff, but he doesn’t get it and a driving lane opens up:

Now, Durant is cutting away from the hoop towards half court, and the Turkish defense is still matching up with him, following him around the court. With Durant cutting and his man following him, the paint is now wide open. Odom takes advantage, ends up missing the lay-up, but with all of the help taking place, Iguodala is able to secure the offensive rebound and put it back in.

Turkey Follows Durant 2

This might be the best example of how much Turkey respected Kevin Durant.  Here Durant comes off of a screen along the baseline set by Lamar Odom.  Odom’s man hedges out to try and keep Durant from catching the ball, as this happens Durant’s man is fighting through Odom’s screen trying to get to Durant:

This leaves Lamar Odom wide open under the basket, and Derrick Rose is able to find him with the pass.

Against Zone Defense

For the most part Turkey’s zone gave Team USA some trouble, however even against the zone, there were some instances where Turkey shaded over to Kevin Durant’s side a little too much, allowing Team USA to get some easy points out of it.

When running a zone with two defenders at the top (either a 2-3 zone or a 2-1-2 zone), the top defenders’ main responsibility is to try and “pinch the middle”.  Pinching the middle is when a defense are standing arms’ width away from each other not allowing any penetration to the middle of the court (since we already know that the middle is the underbelly of the zone).  Most zone defenses want to see the ball get passed around the perimeter rather than have the offense attack the middle.  However, Turkey was giving up the middle penetration just because they were trying to keep Durant from getting the basketball.

Shading To Durant

In the above clip, Russell Westbrook has the basketball at the top of the key and it seems that four of the Turkish defenders are in their proper positions.  However, one isn’t:

Instead of pinching the middle, Sinan Guler is focused on Kevin Durant, trying to cut off any passing lane and not allowing Durant to catch the ball.  This means that the center (the 1 in the 2-1-2 zone) is now forced to try and stop Westbrook’s penetration.  It went as well as you thought it would.  Westbrook makes the lay-up and gets fouled in the process.

Shading To Durant 2

Here is another example of Turkey focusing on Kevin Durant.  Again, Durant is flashing away from the basketball to an area where he wouldn’t be much of a threat.  However, Turkey doesn’t want to risk even letting Durant touch the basketball and they chase him all the way out there:

Again a big man is now forced to try and stop Russell Westbrook’s penetration.  This time the end result is a foul and two free throws.

Against Turkey’s Transition Defense

It wasn’t just half court sets where Turkey’s attention to Kevin Durant got others good look.  In transition, Turkey was worried about letting Kevin Durant get an easy look out on the break, or knocking down a three pointer as he trailed the play in transition:

Focused On Durant’s Trail

Durant starts the break by getting a block on Turkey in transition.  Even though he ends up on the floor as Team USA goes the other way, he still ends up playing a pretty big role during the possession.  As Odom brings the ball up and picks up his dribble, Durant comes into the screen, and Turkey immediately gets a defender on him:

Notice here as Lamar Odom is left wide open as a defender face guards Kevin Durant about 30 feet away from the basketball.  Odom eventually hands the ball off to Steph Curry who rises for a three pointer of his own:

Now even though he is only entering his second year, many people consider Curry one of the best shooters in the NBA right now.  Notice how Ömer Onan doesn’t even leave Durant, even when it becomes apparent that Curry is shooting the ball.

Even when Durant was out in front, ahead of the break, Turkey still focused their defense on him, abandoning basic defensive fundamentals:

Focused On Durant During The Break

As a defender trying to stop a 3-2 fast break, you are taught to always run right to the rim and then defend the break.  However here, the you can see the Turkish defender obviously shading towards Durant:

Even though being in the middle of the lane would give the Turkish defender a better chance of stopping the flashing Derrick Rose, he stays attached to Durant.  While Turkey succeeds in keeping the ball out of Durant’s hands, they allow a wide open lay-up to Derrick Rose.

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It was obvious when watching this game that Turkey went out there determined to not let Kevin Durant beat them on the offensive end.  While this is a sound strategy (especially considering he was coming off of a 38 point game and playing really well in general), Turkey just gave up way too many open looks to the rest of Team USA.  This was especially the case when Turkey used their man to man defense (early in the first quarter and throughout the fourth quarter).  Turkey even struggled with the concept of shading towards Durant in the zone.

What I would have liked to see from Turkey would have been a box and one with Ilyasova staying attached to Durant’s hip at all times.  The box and one would have allowed for Turkey to have someone on Durant at all times without worrying about help responsibilities.  This would have prevented all of the penetration situations that you saw when Turkey played man to man defense.

Also, the box and one would have helped keep the shape of the zone, especially the top of the zone.  During the finals you saw Turkey repeatedly take one of the top 2 men from the zone and hedge him over to Durant, creating situations where Turkey was unable to pinch the middle, allowing penetration.  If Turkey came out in the box and one, they would have been able to keep two defenders at the top of the zone, and put them in better position to try and stop and penetration through the middle of the zone.