A team’s performance after a timeout may be the best way to judge a coach’s Xs & Os knowledge, and his ability to draw up plays. The Clipboard Awards is a competition where I choose the top three post-timeout plays each night, adding up the scores over the course of the season.

Play #3 (1 point)- Jerry Sloan/Utah Jazz

Something that I noticed with the Utah Jazz is coming out of timeouts they like to have Deron Williams work off of the basketball, coming off of pindown screens (when Williams is off the ball it is almost a guarantee that he comes off of a pindown).  It makes sense, because Williams is a good enough shooter where defenses need to respect him coming off the pindown, but he is also a great passer, meaning defenses can’t help too much.

That is what happens here.  Williams comes off of a pindown screen set by Al Jefferson.  Jefferson’s man, DeMarcus Cousins, shows too hard, and Williams is able to dump it off for an open dunk.

Play #2 (2 points)- Rick Carlisle/Dallas Mavericks

This play starts with Peja Stojakovic coming across the lane, setting a screen for Dirk Nowitzki on the block.  Nowitzki comes off of the screen, and comes up to set a ball-screen for Jason Kidd (eventually slipping the screen).  After setting his screen, Stojakovic, then comes off of a pindown set by Tyson Chandler.  The result is a wide open three pointer for Stojakovic.

Play #1 (3 points)- Tom Thibodeau/Chicago Bulls

This set run by the Chicago Bulls is a pretty good example of a good misdirection play coming out of a timeout.  The play starts with Kyle Korver getting the basketball and then entering it to the high post and then getting a backscreen from Derrick Rose.  Rose gets the basketball and starts taking the ball to the opposite side of the court, so it looks like Rose is going to set up Korver on the opposite side of the court.

At the last second, Korver changes directions and gets a pindown screen on the backside away from all of the action.  After Rose takes a few more dribbles, he turns and kicks it out to Korver for the wide open three point look.

Updated Standings (Previous)

1. Doc Rivers – 9 points (1st)
2. Erik Spoelstra – 9 points (2nd)
3. Rick Adelman – 5 points (3rd)
4. Frank Vogel – 5 points (4th)
5. Gregg Popovich – 4 points (5th)
6. Jerry Sloan – 4 Points (6th)
7. George Karl – 3 points (7th)
8. Monty Williams – 3 points (8th)
9. Tom Thibodeau – 3 points (NR)
10. Rick Carlisle – 2 points (NR)
11. Phil Jackson – 2 points (9th)
12. Byron Scott – 2 points (10th)
13. Stan Van Gundy – 1 point (11th)
14. John Kuester – 1 point (12th)
15. Keith Smart – 1 point (13th)

With Rick Carlisle and Tom Thibodeau getting on the board, we now have more than half of the league’s coaches on The Clipboard Award standings.  Sloan gets a point and gets closer to a top five ranking.