A Late Game Twist From Chicago | NBA Playbook

A Late Game Twist From Chicago

With 5:30 left in the fourth quarter in game one against the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls were looking to extend their twelve point lead and put the game away.  To do so, the Bulls went to a play/set that they just don’t run often, a Derrick Rose/Kyle Korver pick and pop.

So why would Tom Thibodeau run a play in the fourth quarter of the Eastern Conference Finals when he hasn’t ran it all postseason and ran it just three times (0.5% of Korver’s total possessions) during the regular season?  Because he saw a situation where he could exploit the Heat’s defensive strategy:

KK1

As Derrick Rose brings the basketball up, Mario Chalmers is playing off of him standing around the three point.  As soon as Rose crosses halfcourt, Korver runs up and sets a screen on Chalmers.

KK2

Chalmers goes over the screen expecting his teammate, James Jones to help him trap Derrick Rose.  However, because on of the best three point shooters in the league is popping out, Jones decides to stick with Korver and keep him from getting open.

KK3

Jones takes away the pass to Korver, but now Derrick Rose has an easy path to the paint.  Dwyane Wade can’t help for fear of leaving Luol Deng (who was having a great shooting night) so this forces Chris Bosh and LeBron James to step, giving Carlos Boozer a cutting lane.

KK4

Boozer cuts and Rose hits him with a nice pass.  Boozer quickly goes up with the basketball and gets fouled, sending him to the line where he made both free throws.  Here is the play in real time:

When you are watching this, check out James Jones.  He starts to trap Derrick Rose, but then he quickly realizes he was defending Kyle Korver and works to get back to him (even bumping into Mario Chalmers on the way back).  This allows Rose to attack the lane and create havoc.

Because it worked so well, the Bulls decided to run the pick and pop a second straight possession, forcing the Heat to defend it yet again:

This time, Jones decides to stick with the gameplan and trap/double Rose as he comes off of the screen, leaving Korver wide open.  Rose actually misses Korver the first time, but the Bulls don’t panic, and they simply run it again.  The Heat try to double it again, but Korver simply slips/pops out to the three point line where he gets the pass and knocks down the three.

A ton of credit to coach Thibodeau here.  He saw how Miami continuously trapped Rose and came up with a way to make them pay no matter what they did.  The first time it got run, they played it straight and gave the lane to Rose.  The second time they tried to double/trap, and they gave up a three.  Don’t be surprised to see the Bulls continue to run this in crunch time if the Heat are still trapping/doubling when Rose comes off of ballscreens.

16
May 2011
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POSTED IN 2010-2011 Playoffs 4th Quarters Chicago Bulls Coaching Adjustments Eastern Conference Finals: Chicago vs. Miami Miami Heat
DISCUSSION 19 Comments
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  • http://www.facebook.com/toheeb27 Toheeb Taiwo

    Great Stuff

  • http://www.facebook.com/toheeb27 Toheeb Taiwo

    Great Stuff

  • PJ

    It’s plays like this that make you wonder… why did it take so long for Thibs to get a head coaching gig?  His defensive X’s and O’s are flawless, and he’s showing that he can plot some offensive strategy wonderfully.  As a Bulls fan, I’d have to say that the Bulls’ 21 win improvement is probably 40% DRose getting better, 30% roster improvements, and 30% coaching.  MVP + Co-Exec of the Year + Coach of the year.  Been fun to watch.  Looking forward to more Thib genius in Game 2! 

  • PJ

    It's plays like this that make you wonder… why did it take so long for Thibs to get a head coaching gig?  His defensive X's and O's are flawless, and he's showing that he can plot some offensive strategy wonderfully.  As a Bulls fan, I'd have to say that the Bulls' 21 win improvement is probably 40% DRose getting better, 30% roster improvements, and 30% coaching.  MVP + Co-Exec of the Year + Coach of the year.  Been fun to watch.  Looking forward to more Thib genius in Game 2!

  • Shawn Collenburg

    As a Mavs fan, and someone who thinks coaching matters, I’m not looking forward to a Mavs-Bulls final. Carlisle could just chew Spoelstra up & spit him out, but Thibs is the real deal.

    [ Yes I'm assuming Carlisle can out-coach Scott Brooks, much like Thibs is doing to Spoelstra ]

  • Shawn Collenburg

    As a Mavs fan, and someone who thinks coaching matters, I'm not looking forward to a Mavs-Bulls final. Carlisle could just chew Spoelstra up & spit him out, but Thibs is the real deal.

    [ Yes I'm assuming Carlisle can out-coach Scott Brooks, much like Thibs is doing to Spoelstra ]

  • http://twitter.com/jose9807324 Jose Diaz

    Korver actually mentioned this to the press during the Atlanta series. He said Thibs surprised his guys in practice by implementing a bunch of new plays. Korver said the Bulls have like, 150 plays and that he’s “hate to be a scout on the other team.”  

  • http://twitter.com/jose9807324 Jose Diaz

    Korver actually mentioned this to the press during the Atlanta series. He said Thibs surprised his guys in practice by implementing a bunch of new plays. Korver said the Bulls have like, 150 plays and that he's “hate to be a scout on the other team.”

  • http://thefrankman.wordpress.com/ The Frankman

     Like most Riley proteges (JVG, SVG also) they are thought to be defensive-only guys. The thing in Thibs’ favor is he has a talent like Rose to work with who is virtually unguardable.

  • http://thefrankman.wordpress.com/ The Frankman

    Like most Riley proteges (JVG, SVG also) they are thought to be defensive-only guys. The thing in Thibs' favor is he has a talent like Rose to work with who is virtually unguardable.

  • Uprlvl

    Genius!  I have much respect for this type of coaching…Spoelstra better get it together quickly.  

  • Uprlvl

    Genius!  I have much respect for this type of coaching…Spoelstra better get it together quickly.

  • Vro4983

    Pick and Popping with Derrick Rose should and the Offensive skill around him should be some form of illegal… Too much speed to account for and a swiss army option of weapons Korver’s shooting, Boozer’s low post game, etc.

    It is sad Thibs didn’t get a coaching shot til this year. The man is not just a defensive strategist, he’s a well-rounded coach making the best of the long awaited shot he got…

  • Vro4983

    Pick and Popping with Derrick Rose should and the Offensive skill around him should be some form of illegal… Too much speed to account for and a swiss army option of weapons Korver's shooting, Boozer's low post game, etc.

    It is sad Thibs didn't get a coaching shot til this year. The man is not just a defensive strategist, he's a well-rounded coach making the best of the long awaited shot he got…

  • Dwadewade23

     You are arguing yourself.. you should’ve removed ‘not from your comment “I’m not looking forward to a Mavs-Bulls final”..

  • Dwadewade23

    You are arguing yourself.. you should've removed 'not from your comment “I'm not looking forward to a Mavs-Bulls final”..

  • matt

    I’ve heard multiple times that it was the interviews that did him in. He’s clearly not the smoothest fellow in interactions with people and isn’t the easiest on the eyes, and I could see organizations being turned off by that, unfortunately.

  • matt

    I've heard multiple times that it was the interviews that did him in. He's clearly not the smoothest fellow in interactions with people and isn't the easiest on the eyes, and I could see organizations being turned off by that, unfortunately.

  • http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/05/19/the-bulls-overthink-their-rosekorver-pick-and-pop/ NBA Playbook – A Look At The Playcalling In The NBA Through Videos, Pictures, & Words » The Bulls Overthink Their Rose/Korver Pick And Pop

    [...] having success with the Derrick Rose/Kyle Korver pick and pop in game one, it was surprising to see the Bulls shy away from that action in game two, especially [...]