Went to 5 Star in high school to learn from coaches, not as an athlete If you don't have their heads and hearts, the X's and O's don't matter. With the Nets, Coach Frank had big signs made for the practice facility and locker room that showed their Building Blocks for Success. He would hold them accountable to those things. Building Blocks for Success How We Play Smart, Hard, Together Protect the Paint 1 st Force Contested 2's Gang Rebound Attack Mentality High Assist/Low Turnover Take Great Shots Core Values Trust and Integrity Accountability Respect Commitment Sacrifice Perseverance Our Culture Strive for Excellence Hardest Working Most Unseflish Winning Attitude Be a Great Teammate It is better if you can get your team to come up with these items because it makes them easier to hold them accountable for them if the players create them. The best coaches get the players to want the same thing the coach wants. Have the players give examples of each thing so everyone knows what they mean. Write a book for yourself about how you are going to handle different situations. The book should not have X's and O's in it; it is about philosophy. Frank's book has the following sections: Overall Philosophy Accountability Practice Philosophy Master calendar for the season Player Relations Player Development How do you deal with players who don't play a lot? How are you keeping them in shape? Skill development sheet by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 1
Work with player to come up with goals for player, create a plan to achieve those goals, and go over the plan with the player each week. Philosophy on Staff What do you like them to help with? What do you hate them doing? Training Staff Special Teams/Special Situations Coaches need to feed players knowledge so players know what to say when they talk on the floor. If the ball is in the middle third of the court, defense takes a weak hand-no paint stance. If the ball is in one of the outside thirds of the court, the defense takes a no middle-no paint stance. Absorb jab steps with the back foot, don't open the door. Celtics Closeouts 1 Diagram Defense starts in the paint in their defensive stance doing foot fires Talk ELC (Early, Loud, Continuous) If the ball is in the middle third, players closeout with a weak hand no paint stance If the ball is in one of the outside thirds, the players closeout with a no middle no paint stance On coaches Go! call, players yell Shrink, shrink, shrink! Shrink is Boston's term for help defense. Slide to the help line and touch hands with the defensive player opposite them and yell, 2-9, 2-9, 2-9! They yell 2-9 because in the NBA there is defensive 3 seconds so you can only be in the paint for 2.9 seconds without guarding someone. Closeout with hands high to stop shot and pass Shadow the ball and yell, Ball, ball, ball! Inside hand is the dig hand Outside hand is the deflection hand Defense absorbs the jab step with their back foot. by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 2
Diagram Celtics Closeouts 2 Same setup and points of precision as Celtics Closeouts 1 Add a jab step and 2 dribbles by the offense When the dribble is picked up, the defense yells, Dead, dead, dead! Offense will pivot back to make a pass, the defense must get chest to chest with offense to prevent a bang-bang pass Defense imagines that the offense has thrown a lob pass and then sprints back to help It's not jump to the ball, it's sprint to the ball! Diagram Celtics Closeouts 3 Same setup and points of precision as Celtics Closeouts 1 Add a shot fake, 2 dribbles, and a shot The defense contests on the shot fake, but does not leave the floor The rule for the defense when contesting shots is their feet don't leave the floor until the shooters feet have left the floor. When the dribble is picked up, the offense raises the ball up and jumps like they are shooting without actually shooting The defense contests the shot high and hard and finishes the play with a box out When contesting shots, the defender's feet don't leave the floor until the shooter's feet leave the floor. by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 3
Celtics Closeouts 4 Same setup and points of precision as Celtics Closeouts 1, except now there are 2 coaches in the middle of the paint and 1 on each block Add a pass to the coach If the ball is passed to a coach on the block the perimeter defender gets their chest to the baseline so they can see both the defender digs down when the ball crosses the lane line If the ball is passed to a coach in the middle of the paint the perimeter defender swarms the ball right away force the ball out of the paint by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 4
The Celtics run 3-on-3 Shrink everyday in practice 3-on-3 Shrink On pass to wing, wing defender closes out Top defender sprints to help position at elbow Weak side defender sprints to help position in middle of the paint 3-on-3 Shrink Frame 1 The offensive player at the top of the key cuts through the lane and out to the weak side wing The weak side wing fills up to the top of the key The defender in the paint must tag the offense as he cuts through the paint and talk to his teammate The help defenders adjust positioning based on the cuts 3-on-3 Shrink Frame 2 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 5
The offensive player on the wing, passes back to the top of the key The defense adjusts by sprinting to defend the ball and help positions 3-on-3 Shrink Frame 3 The ball is reversed to the opposite wing The defense adjusts by sprinting to defend the ball and help positions The cycle repeats itself 3-on-3 Shrink Frame 4 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 6
Transition Defense 1 and 2 are back on the raise of any shot 3 gets back immediately if he is outside the 3 point line or after crashing if he is inside the three point line 1, 2, and 3 get back in a triangle alignment 5-on-4 Scramble Offense starts with a 5-on-4 advantage Offense works the ball around for a shot Defense must communicate Weak side post defender sits on the top leg of the weak side post On the rise of the shot 1 and 2 get back, 3 goes back right away as well if he is outside the 3 point line The defense transitions to offense and outlets the ball immediately whether the shot is a make or miss The offense transitions back to defense with 1, 2, and 3 lining up in a triangle alignment The first big back on defense kicks the small off of the ball side block to the weak side block Everyone needs to get below the ball line Contain the ball on one side of the floor by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 7
Pick-n-Roll Offense 4 S's for Man Receiving the Screen Starting point Setup have to be a threat to beat him away Separation attack the rim Shoot/Score Have to keep flow going NBA playoff basketball comes down to the play after the play With the Nets, he would start rehearsal offense at the end of the play to teach what they should do next Pick-n-Roll Offense Screener runs straight through the nail and adjusts his angle based on the defense Screener must give defense a chance to change direction so he does not get called for an illegal screen 2 and 3 cut to corner to create space up top and take away help 1 attacks the rim Pick-n-Roll Offense Frame 1 If 1 gets stopped going to the rim, he can pass to 4 inside or to 5 who has popped out 3 v-cuts to get open on wing 5 can 1. Shoot 2. Look for high low action with 4 3. Pass to 3 on the wing 2 fills up to wing 1 fills the corner Pick-n-Roll Offense Frame 2 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 8
Keep flow alive by having bigs continue setting ball screens 5 follows his pass and sets a ball screen for 3 2 screens for 1 to occupy weak side defenders Pick-n-Roll Offense Frame 3 This is an alternative way to start the offense Having both bigs sprint through the nail to set a ball screen puts a lot of pressure on the defense to defend this unique situation This was done in the NBA playoffs and it took a few games for the coaches to figure out how to defend it! Pick-n-Roll Offense Frame 4 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 9
Early offense can be very effective if you have multiple options out of the same alignment Early Offense - Strong 5 sprints up to set a ball screen for 1 1 uses the screen and attacks the paint 2 fills up to the wing Early Offense Strong Frame 1 1 can Shoot Pass the ball to 5 rolling to the rim Kick the ball out to 2 for a jumper Early Offense Strong Frame 2 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 10
Early Offense - L 4 and 5 sprint to set a ball screen for 1 2 clears to the opposite corner 1 chooses a screen and attacks the paint 3 fills up to take 4's spot The screener rolls to the basket The other big pops by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 11
Early Offense L With Flare Screen and Slip 4 and 5 sprint to set a ball screen for 1 2 clears to the opposite corner 1 chooses a screen and attacks the paint 3 fills up to take 4's spot Early Offense L With Flare Screen and Slip Frame 1 5 sets a flare screen for 4 5 slips the screen and dives to the rim Early Offense L With Flare Screen and Slip Frame 2 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 12
Early Offense - Swing 1 swings the ball to 4 1 screens for 2 3 v-cuts to get open 4 swings the ball to 3 Early Offense Swing Frame 1 4 sprints after the pass to set a ball screen for 3 3 attacks the paint Early Offense Swing Frame 2 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 13
Early Offense Slice 1 swings the ball to 4 2 cuts through to the opposite block 4 swings the ball to 3 Early Offense Slice Frame 1 4 screens for 1 3 reverses the ball to 1 Early Offense Slice Frame 2 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 14
5 and 4 set staggered screens for 2 1 passes to 2 for shot Early Offense Slice Frame 3 by Jim Ponchak, coachponchak@gmail.com 15