Question for the X and O gurus

[CDu]

I think that the real attraction for guards to come to Kentucky is Rod Stricklin. The guy was a genuis on the court and I'm sure has tons to show players that they can try to incorporate in how they play. I'm also sure that he has tons of stories, keys to what to look for, when and why he would chose to pull up, go, etc.

The main thing is that he can walk through what he used to do at a blur and provide a walking, talking model, how he created illusion, what it felt like to only seem like I was doing X, from which players can then begin the experimentation that is self learning.

The secondary thing is he can talk situationally and why certain things that seemed like they would actually didn't work, etc.

I also think that there was/is way more to Callipari's approach to offense than anything said so far. Much, much more.

You may very well be right on this (and I certainly agree with the last sentence). But it's "Strickland", not Stricklin. As for Calipari's offense, it definitely helps to have great players (so his recruiting accentuates the offense), but I agree that it's not as simplistic as some are suggesting in this thread.

[uh_no]

it's not as simplistic as some are suggesting in this thread.

You're the second person to say its not simplistic....but by virtue of the fact that the players calipari recruits can run it, it must be the simplest of simple.... :P

[oakvillebluedevil]

I have to disagree with those calling the dribble drive simply a "recruiting tool" or some invention of Coach Cal to lure recruits who don't want to pass or play in a structured setting. While there are times, and certain players, who turn the offense into a pure iso with four other guys standing around, a real dribble drive entails four perimeter players with the ability to attack and get into the lane, and an interior player, who usually has some ability to step out or is a threat in the pick and roll. ideally, you have a point guard who can break opposing defenders down on the dribble and get into the paint (i.e. Wall, Evans, Rose) where they either attack the hoop or dish, the idea being that the player who they dish to has the ability to shoot or attack. as they drive and kick, the perimeter players rotate, and the cycle continues. it's more of a set, which allows the players a certain amount of freedom and creativity off the dribble, than an offense (such as the princeton), which dictates more defined movements both on and off the ball. it's that promise of freedom to attack off the dribble which I think recruits find so appealing, not that you can't attack off the dribble at Duke or anywhere else.

Great post.

Another good way to look at this is from the perspective of the opposing defense. If you are a wing on d, and the opposing point guard drives, you have to at least take a step over to help and slow him down. At this point, the rest of the defense is shifting, as the offensive players move to fill predetermined spots. You have to move quickly to recover if the ball is kicked out, and then your man can attack you off the dribble while you are attempting to close him out and the defense behind you isn't quite set.

In this way, it's very similar to a screen in a traditional motion offense like Duke ran for the second half of last year. If your man is setting a screen, you have to take a step and hedge or bump the cutter to slow him down. The rest of the defense is shifting as the offense rotates to fill predetermined spots.

In both the traditional and DD motion offenses, the teams look to force the defense to move a lot and make a lot of these split-second decisions, creating a lot of chances for the defense to make a mistake. Then they seek to exploit those errors. The difference is DD uses the dribble, traditional motion uses screens and passes.

Wall made the DD motion offense seem like 1-on-5 a lot simply because he was such a great driver that he was able to get to the rim on the first try. Much like a motion offense usually doesn't work on the 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd screen/cut action, the DD offense is designed to be most effective on the 3rd and 4th drives, after the defense has had to shift, switch, and reset numerous times. It definitely is a system, and it's simple to create effective variations as you can attack from different areas on the court and have different players initiate the offense.

It's perfect for the college game with it's 35-second clock, as it puts enormous amounts of pressure on the individual defenders, and with the explosive athletes Cal recruits one small mistake and the next thing you know they are hanging on the rim (and telling you about it). That said, it wasn't Cal's invention, he's simply putting it to use. I therefore refuse to give him too much credit

[COYS]

Great post.

It's perfect for the college game with it's 35-second clock, as it puts enormous amounts of pressure on the individual defenders, and with the explosive athletes Cal recruits one small mistake and the next thing you know they are hanging on the rim (and telling you about it). That said, it wasn't Cal's invention, he's simply putting it to use. I therefore refuse to give him too much credit

I think this is a great point. Cal's offense actually hasn't been all that fast paced or fast break dependent. Even with a string of quick point guards in Rose, Evans, and Wall, Cal's offense has been ranked 87th in adjusted pace with Rose, 147th with Evans, and even only 65th last season with the fleet-footed Wall. What makes the offense so devastating is Cal's collection of athletes. This is in no way intended to imply that Cal's teams at Memphis were not talented, but a lot of the supposed superiority of the offense is actually the result of it being employed against teams that just couldn't handle Memphis' athletes in Conference USA. The SEC wasn't all that spectacular last year, either. Believe it or not, I actually think Cal's greatest strength is as a defensive coach. His teams over the past few years have consistently been rated in the top 10 if not the top 5 in defensive efficiency. I actually think the consistency on the defensive end has had more to do with his impressive win totals (vacated wins, aside) over the past few seasons than his supposed mastery of the "dribble-drive" offense.

[RoyalBlue08]

I think this is a great point. Cal's offense actually hasn't been all that fast paced or fast break dependent. Even with a string of quick point guards in Rose, Evans, and Wall, Cal's offense has been ranked 87th in adjusted pace with Rose, 147th with Evans, and even only 65th last season with the fleet-footed Wall. What makes the offense so devastating is Cal's collection of athletes. This is in no way intended to imply that Cal's teams at Memphis were not talented, but a lot of the supposed superiority of the offense is actually the result of it being employed against teams that just couldn't handle Memphis' athletes in Conference USA. The SEC wasn't all that spectacular last year, either. Believe it or not, I actually think Cal's greatest strength is as a defensive coach. His teams over the past few years have consistently been rated in the top 10 if not the top 5 in defensive efficiency. I actually think the consistency on the defensive end has had more to do with his impressive win totals (vacated wins, aside) over the past few seasons than his supposed mastery of the "dribble-drive" offense.

I definitely agree. Although I doubt Cal would like to advertise this as much. Being a good defensive coach can be a turn off for some recruits!

[davidrosenhp]

A bit picky but the phrase always bothered me (I blame Vitale) but how else do you drive if not dribbling? Moving without the ball and cutting are not driving - these are motions to get open. The term should just be "drive" or "penetrate."

[BD80]

I think this is a great point. Cal's offense actually hasn't been all that fast paced or fast break dependent. Even with a string of quick point guards in Rose, Evans, and Wall, Cal's offense has been ranked 87th in adjusted pace with Rose, 147th with Evans, and even only 65th last season with the fleet-footed Wall. What makes the offense so devastating is Cal's collection of athletes. This is in no way intended to imply that Cal's teams at Memphis were not talented, but a lot of the supposed superiority of the offense is actually the result of it being employed against teams that just couldn't handle Memphis' athletes in Conference USA. The SEC wasn't all that spectacular last year, either. Believe it or not, I actually think Cal's greatest strength is as a defensive coach. His teams over the past few years have consistently been rated in the top 10 if not the top 5 in defensive efficiency. I actually think the consistency on the defensive end has had more to do with his impressive win totals (vacated wins, aside) over the past few seasons than his supposed mastery of the "dribble-drive" offense.

Wouldn't defensive efficiency also reduce "adjusted pace?"

A HUGE part of successful driving is to teach the other players to rotate back to stop a fast break. For us, Nolan and Kyle (and Kyrie) will have to be guarding the back door while the others are attacking the basket.

A bit picky but the phrase always bothered me (I blame Vitale) but how else do you drive if not dribbling? Moving without the ball and cutting are not driving - these are motions to get open. The term should just be "drive" or "penetrate."

see: Hansbrough, Tyler

[greybeard]

A bit picky but the phrase always bothered me (I blame Vitale) but how else do you drive if not dribbling? Moving without the ball and cutting are not driving - these are motions to get open. The term should just be "drive" or "penetrate."

Dribbble drive might be different than drive or penetrate.

Many people play the game off catching in a position in which they are dangerous, that is, in a position from which you must defend their ability to shoot it and know that you will if given space and time. That sets up the drive.

Then there are players who eschew the so-called triple threat position, put the thing on the floor, and start their dance, have leeway to transverse an area of the court, saying to the defender, actually the entire defense, "I'm coming and you will not be able to stop me;" I'm either getting to the goal or dropping to an unguarded teammate who will."

That might be "dribble drive," which seems to be a style that the "point guard" position allows for in many sets or offensive approaches, assuming a team has a talent at that position that it wants to exploit. If there are several players on the court with such leeway, more or less, the offense becomes focused on finding ways to clear spaces around the rim where they are likely to finish when starting somewhere proximate to where they will be getting the ball, and doing their dance. Where they get the ball will vary, and is orchestrated to some extent. Then, if you have a post player like Cousins, or a mid-range player like the captain Rose's year, you have other offensive concepts built in to the offense as well, or so it seems.

By the way, in Wall's case, Cal liked in important moments to have him off the ball to start with, sprint from one side of the court to another coming off a high screen on the side he was cutting towards and leaving his defender in the dust and the screen defender incapable of moving off a dead stop to even think about keeping up with him. Saw that happen at the end of several games. thought it was brilliant of Cal.