NBA Week 2 - Sunday Recap
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NBA Week 2 - Sunday Recap
Pelicans keep set, New York Knicks playcall & the Lakers struggles continue.
Welcome to this week’s recap, where we look at some of the most interesting things I saw this week. If you have suggestions or want to see something included here for me to break down - let me know! This past week we dove deep into the Lakers’ offense and how bad it is, with some of their sets, X’s & O’s, and concepts.
Los Angeles Lakers Offense
X’s & O’s Breakdown
Our Learn-Basketball course is back with its annual beginning-of-the-season sale, check it out if you want to learn everything about basketball X’s & O’s!
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Basketball Playbooks | Coaching Clinics | Coaching Membership | Newsletter
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Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday: Washington Wizards X’s & O’s
Saturday: Minnesota Timberwolves Breakdown
Quick note: The schedule has changed slightly for deep dive breakdowns, where I am switching to 2 of these a week and then plays & X’s & O’s for breakdowns during the week. This will allow me to focus on deeper dives & then get more set breakdowns as well.
Teams Trending Up
Milwaukee Bucks
Starting off 5-0 without Kris Middleton and wins over the 76ers, Nets, Hawks & Knicks with Giannis dominating everyone.
Back-to-back 40-point games, and 3 straight 30-point games while leading his team in every important category without a full roster and he is my early favorite for MVP (Luka’s close!).
Utah Jazz
More on the Jazz coming in the next week, but starting off 5-2 with a roster that was supposed to be rebuilding is very encouraging. The win-by-committee feel is great and it looks like Will Hardy can really coach. 5-Out breakdown coming soon!
Teams Trending Down
Sacramento Kings
I am not too down on the Kings, they played 4 teams that will likely make the playoffs and 3 possible title contenders in the Clippers (welllll), Warriors & Grizzlies. We will know more about them in the next few weeks, but the schedule doesn’t ease up anytime soon. It’s feasible they could end up 2-8 in their first 10 games and never recover. Fox looks great though!
LA Clippers
Kawhi resting, with 2 straight losses to the Thunder. I have no idea what to make of this Clippers team currently. Ranking only one spot ahead of their LA counterpart, they are turning the ball over like crazy right now and just simply playing poor basketball. I think they will settle in, but right now it’s been a bad week.
LA Lakers
0-5. Last in offense. Anthony Davis is hurt. Russ coming off the bench. This is about the worst start the Lakers could have imagined. The worst shooting team in the NBA, the worst transition team in the NBA, and the worst decision-making team in the NBA. Still a top-5 defense! Oh, and they don’t even have their own pick. Yikes.
Playcall of the Week
New York Knicks “Chin” Playcall
This is the Knicks’ playcall for a backscreen into a ballscreen, called out here by Pistons head coach Dwane Casey.
Set of the Week
New Orleans Pelicans | ATO Horns Out Miami Keep
An incredible set from the Pelicans, who seem to love the fake hand off sets early this season. They normally run this Horns Out action into a dribble hand off and flow into a ballscreen. In this counter against the Mavericks, they empty out the side of the floor for the fake hand off action.
From the film is looks like this is setup to be a Hammer play for Trey Murphy III as well, so look for this action again with the Hammer option.
New Orleans Pelicans | ATO Wedge Dribble Keep
Against the Nets the Pelicans setup Keep action for Zion setting a screen for him to catch the ball around the elbow.
Zion then fakes the handoff and attacks the rim.
Bones Hyland Eye Manipulation
I love how Bones Hyland here tricks the tag and sells like he is going to hit the wing for a 3.
Watch as he gets to the elbow and sees the big and drop with Reaves sagging in on Jordan’s roll and as he jumps in the air he stares at the wing to let Reaves clear so the lob is open.
Coaching Insight of the Week
Adrian Griffin talked at halftime about some of the challenges facing the 76ers & balancing. Some key points:
-Defensive stops into runouts
-Deep paint touches for drive & kicks
-Sending bodies at Harden & Embiid
-Controlling Maxey drives
Gif of the Week
This is the face of “I’m Done” with this roster from LeBron…
🏀Resources:
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When you are watching the NBA this season and anything stands out to you or you want to see included in these breakdowns let me know and I will include them! Thank you again for all of your support and for sharing my work.
Outwork Yesterday
Coach Pyper