Poor Point Guard Decisions Cost Chicago | NBA Playbook

Poor Point Guard Decisions Cost Chicago

The Chicago Bulls found themselves in a tight game against the Charlotte Bobcats last night.  Late in the fourth quarter we saw two different mistakes by two different point guards that played a part in the Bulls’ loss:

The first mistake is made by C.J. Watson, who overdribbles the basketball in this clip.  Watson starts by bringing the basketball up as the Bulls get into their set.  It’s a staggered screen for Watson and then a pindown for Kyle Korver.  The play works and Korver comes open at the top of the key.  One problem, Watson doesn’t even look towards Korver because he is too busy being occupied with his dribble.  Eventually, Watson gets bailed out by a great move from Boozer on his catch at the foul line, but he misses the dunk.

I know that the Bulls get a good look out of this (even though they miss it), but that really isn’t the point.  If you rewatch the play, you can see how all of Watson’s dribbling (he dribbled for the first 20 seconds of the shot clock – 21 dribbles in total) grinds the Bulls’ offense to a halt.  It is especially hard to watch when the Bulls run a nice set to get Kyle Korver open.

The second mistake comes from Derrick Rose a little later in the game.  The Bulls were down three with 35 seconds left, and Rose turns it over.  The reason for the turnover is that Rose breaks off of their set way too early.  If you watch the video, the Bulls are running two double screens, one for Luol Deng and one for Kyle Korver.

The second double screen for Korver could have worked, but Rose didn’t even give the play a chance (Korver is using a double screen when Rose is already in the paint).  What makes it worse is that Rose gets himself caught in the air and he is looking for someone to pass it to, the problem is you have three guys involved in a play not looking at the basketball.  This means Rose gets stuck in the air, and he ends up turning it over.

I would have liked to see Rose wait the set out, and then if nothing comes of it break down his man.  Rose can get into the paint anytime he wants, so there was no reason for him to rush and attack the rim that early, especially when it means breaking off of a set that might work.

13
Jan 2011
POSTED BY Sebastian Pruiti
POSTED IN Chicago Bulls Mental Errors
DISCUSSION 7 Comments
TAGS

  • Usuck

    shut it

  • Usuck

    shut it

  • Ken

    I love this site. Can't believe it took me this long to know it existed.

    I also secretly think it's made me better at NBA 2K11.

  • Ken

    I love this site. Can’t believe it took me this long to know it existed.

    I also secretly think it’s made me better at NBA 2K11.

  • Khandor

    Sebastian,

    In the first video clip, the play which Watson is looking for when he dribbles the ball to the right wing position is for Boozer's post-up in the Right Low Block, as Carlos is supposed to come off the cross screen set by Ronnie Brewer. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Ronnie is unable to set a good screen on Diaw, since Boris does a good job of reading/anticipating the preferred part of the play for Chicago and cheats over the intended screen to beat Boozer to the Right Block. Boozer realizes that he will not be open and continues his cut to the short corner on the ball side of the floor. When this happens it is then too late for Watson to exercise the 2nd option involved with this set for Chicago, i.e. the staggered screen action [1st screen set by Boozer; 2nd screen set by Thomas] designed to get an open look for Korver at the top of the key. unlike what you've suggested here, however, Watson then makes the CORRECT READ and initiates the Bulls' Middle Pick series, in conjunction with Thomas and, then, Boozer … with Korver and Brewer spotting up on the opposite side of the floor. Contrary to what you've observed in this instance, this sequence is not a good example of over-dribbling by CJ Watson.

    In the second video clip, Rose does a poor job of waiting for the original play call to develop. The reason he does this, however, is because of the angle which DJ Augustin takes toward him on his close-out which, effectively, opens up the entire right side of the floor to Rose for an isolation drive, instead of forcing the Bulls' PG back toward the original strong side of the floor. Rose is CORRECT to exercise this option and what Deng should have done is break off is original cut to the basket coming over the double screen set by Thomas and Boozer to allow Rose to operate 1-on-1 vs Augustin. Once Deng started to make his cut, however, he then made a second mistake, as well. Instead of “diving to the rim” against the double team, by Stephen Jackson and DJ Augustin, Deng should have “spaced out” toward the top of the key, as a “pressure outlet pass receiver” for Rose. If Deng would have done this, instead of diving to the rim, then, Rose would have had 4 passing options available to him, when Jackson initiated his double team:

    i. Pass back to Deng [at the top of the key];
    ii. Interior Pass along the baseline to Boozer [coming off the down screen for Korver and stepping towards the basket];
    iii. Perimeter pass to Korver [coming off the staggered screens by Boozer and Thomas]; or,
    iv. Interior pass to the middle of the key to Thomas [coming off the 2nd screen set for Korver and stepping toward the middle of the lane].

    The original play that Thibodeau drew up called for:

    - Rose to take the ball with his dribble to the FTLXtended on the Right Side of the Floor
    - Deng to cut into the Right Low Block, coming above the double screen set by Boozer and Thomas
    - Korver to come off the Staggered Screens set by Boozer and Thomas
    - Deng to come back to the left side of the floor, using the 2nd set of Staggered Screens set for him by Boozer and Thomas … to receive a pass from Korver, if he could not execute his Catch & shoot at the top of the key

    Cheers!

  • Khandor

    Sebastian,

    In the first video clip, the play which Watson is looking for when he dribbles the ball to the right wing position is for Boozer’s post-up in the Right Low Block, as Carlos is supposed to come off the cross screen set by Ronnie Brewer. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Ronnie is unable to set a good screen on Diaw, since Boris does a good job of reading/anticipating the preferred part of the play for Chicago and cheats over the intended screen to beat Boozer to the Right Block. Boozer realizes that he will not be open and continues his cut to the short corner on the ball side of the floor. When this happens it is then too late for Watson to exercise the 2nd option involved with this set for Chicago, i.e. the staggered screen action [1st screen set by Boozer; 2nd screen set by Thomas] designed to get an open look for Korver at the top of the key. unlike what you’ve suggested here, however, Watson then makes the CORRECT READ and initiates the Bulls’ Middle Pick series, in conjunction with Thomas and, then, Boozer … with Korver and Brewer spotting up on the opposite side of the floor. Contrary to what you’ve observed in this instance, this sequence is not a good example of over-dribbling by CJ Watson.

    In the second video clip, Rose does a poor job of waiting for the original play call to develop. The reason he does this, however, is because of the angle which DJ Augustin takes toward him on his close-out which, effectively, opens up the entire right side of the floor to Rose for an isolation drive, instead of forcing the Bulls’ PG back toward the original strong side of the floor. Rose is CORRECT to exercise this option and what Deng should have done is break off is original cut to the basket coming over the double screen set by Thomas and Boozer to allow Rose to operate 1-on-1 vs Augustin. Once Deng started to make his cut, however, he then made a second mistake, as well. Instead of “diving to the rim” against the double team, by Stephen Jackson and DJ Augustin, Deng should have “spaced out” toward the top of the key, as a “pressure outlet pass receiver” for Rose. If Deng would have done this, instead of diving to the rim, then, Rose would have had 4 passing options available to him, when Jackson initiated his double team:

    i. Pass back to Deng [at the top of the key];
    ii. Interior Pass along the baseline to Boozer [coming off the down screen for Korver and stepping towards the basket];
    iii. Perimeter pass to Korver [coming off the staggered screens by Boozer and Thomas]; or,
    iv. Interior pass to the middle of the key to Thomas [coming off the 2nd screen set for Korver and stepping toward the middle of the lane].

    The original play that Thibodeau drew up called for:

    - Rose to take the ball with his dribble to the FTLXtended on the Right Side of the Floor
    - Deng to cut into the Right Low Block, coming above the double screen set by Boozer and Thomas
    - Korver to come off the Staggered Screens set by Boozer and Thomas
    - Deng to come back to the left side of the floor, using the 2nd set of Staggered Screens set for him by Boozer and Thomas … to receive a pass from Korver, if he could not execute his Catch & shoot at the top of the key

    Cheers!

  • Khandor

    Sebastian,

    In the first video clip, the play which Watson is looking for when he dribbles the ball to the right wing position is for Boozer's post-up in the Right Low Block, as Carlos is supposed to come off the cross screen set by Ronnie Brewer. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Ronnie is unable to set a good screen on Diaw, since Boris does a good job of reading/anticipating the preferred part of the play for Chicago and cheats over the intended screen to beat Boozer to the Right Block. Boozer realizes that he will not be open and continues his cut to the short corner on the ball side of the floor. When this happens it is then too late for Watson to exercise the 2nd option involved with this set for Chicago, i.e. the staggered screen action [1st screen set by Boozer; 2nd screen set by Thomas] designed to get an open look for Korver at the top of the key. unlike what you've suggested here, however, Watson then makes the CORRECT READ and initiates the Bulls' Middle Pick series, in conjunction with Thomas and, then, Boozer … with Korver and Brewer spotting up on the opposite side of the floor. Contrary to what you've observed in this instance, this sequence is not a good example of over-dribbling by CJ Watson.

    In the second video clip, Rose does a poor job of waiting for the original play call to develop. The reason he does this, however, is because of the angle which DJ Augustin takes toward him on his close-out which, effectively, opens up the entire right side of the floor to Rose for an isolation drive, instead of forcing the Bulls' PG back toward the original strong side of the floor. Rose is CORRECT to exercise this option and what Deng should have done is break off is original cut to the basket coming over the double screen set by Thomas and Boozer to allow Rose to operate 1-on-1 vs Augustin. Once Deng started to make his cut, however, he then made a second mistake, as well. Instead of “diving to the rim” against the double team, by Stephen Jackson and DJ Augustin, Deng should have “spaced out” toward the top of the key, as a “pressure outlet pass receiver” for Rose. If Deng would have done this, instead of diving to the rim, then, Rose would have had 4 passing options available to him, when Jackson initiated his double team:

    i. Pass back to Deng [at the top of the key];
    ii. Interior Pass along the baseline to Boozer [coming off the down screen for Korver and stepping towards the basket];
    iii. Perimeter pass to Korver [coming off the staggered screens by Boozer and Thomas]; or,
    iv. Interior pass to the middle of the key to Thomas [coming off the 2nd screen set for Korver and stepping toward the middle of the lane].

    The original play that Thibodeau drew up called for:

    - Rose to take the ball with his dribble to the FTLXtended on the Right Side of the Floor
    - Deng to cut into the Right Low Block, coming above the double screen set by Boozer and Thomas
    - Korver to come off the Staggered Screens set by Boozer and Thomas
    - Deng to come back to the left side of the floor, using the 2nd set of Staggered Screens set for him by Boozer and Thomas … to receive a pass from Korver, if he could not execute his Catch & shoot at the top of the key

    Cheers!