NBA Summer League: Chicago vs New Orleans Notes

 

Sitting down long after the game had finished yesterday morning. Melbourne is currently in Lockdown 6.0 due to COVID 19 outbreak and a year on I am again watching NBA Summer League , at least this time it has fans in the stands. 

Watching and taking some small notes on the game. My main reason for tuning into this game was to see what Australian, Damien Cotter now Assistant Coach for the Bulls and Head Coach for the Summer League team was going to run with the team. I remember seeing Damien coaching at my former club Diamond Valley Eagles and attended a few clinics where he was presenting. 

Typical of my younger days coaching I didn't value creating great networks so never took the chance to speak to Damien, now from a distance watching him on the side-lines at NBA Summer League is very inspiring as a coach. 

A few of my notes from the game (caveat I'm a Bulls Fans)

Strong use of 5 Out Spacing from the Bulls, even in transition on made baskets. 

Williams looks great for the Bulls, lots of talk how he has changed his diet and energy levels. They certainly take advantage of the 5 Out spacing with him attacking down hill or iso on the wing a bit like how Milwaukee used Giannis. He does seem to prefer to pull up short of the basket rather than muscle his way to rim.

Positioning in transition for the 3 point shot over the lay-up, the 5 out spacing begins very early in transition, with the Bulls compared to Pelicans running into corner and 45 spots looking for early 3 point shots or clearing the lane for drives.

Some sets I saw from the teams I liked. 

Pelican's ran this Scissor Cut to Screen action once in the first half and never saw it again, it did result in a foul at the hoop and was surprised not to see it again. 

An Example of Chicago going 5 Out and opening up the lanes to attack was this DHO to PNR 

Pelicans also used a little quick flip/ DHO into a on ball to create a straight driving lane. I have used something similar with RMIT but we do this going Across the floor rather than down hill for the drive.

Loyola Chicago Defensive Notes

I have put these notes from the video for my own use, but over time I have found that people also liked reading them so I thought in the interest of sharing I would take what's in my note book and put it on here.

We all fell in love with Loyola Chicago during the NCAA Tournament run, and Hoop Vision did a great breakdown X & O (at the bottom of this blog) of their defence which when I looked at this video and some game film was an interesting hybrid of what is popular at the moment, mixed with a bit of ''old school''

Loyola Chicago base defence is really a hybrid of No Middle, but also looking at match-ups and where they can ''prevent'' first rather than a hard and fast rule. 

A good example of this is they like to switch on ball screens, and at first look you would say they are always switching, to point they have a mantra around switching.

TALK IT, TOUCH IT, SWITCH IT, DENY IT

Yet knowing their key forward would be isolated against switching onto smaller guards they would play drop coverage. 

Other communication notes from Loyola Chicago are:

''Switch Up'' on the ball, putting pressure during the switching process rather than being passive

'' Give a Verbal'' talk on everything, all things are spoken about on defence nothing is silent

'' Reach for the lights'' always contest shots, force tough twos 

As well as drop coverage for slow moving forwards vs guards in on ball screens they know their scout and will go under screens against poor shooting guards, gambling with the poor shooting 3 over a driving/foul/score situation. 

Never cover off corner 3's strong and weakside.