The Little Things Add Up

[mtgrizrule]

I've waited awhile to mention this, being I was hoping I'd see the GRIZ notice and act on it. Then again, it's not emphasized by many coaches and a little risky.

Every game there's like 3 to 7 unexpected scoring opportunities for teams outside of their set offenses. Not many teams look for it either. Many defenses will have a defender or 2 with their head turned away from the ball, or a defender behind the ball, before they get in their set defense.

For teams that look for it, the offensive players have to all look for these opportunities. If a defender is behind the ball, push that ball up court quickly, you have a man advantage! Odds are, someone is going to get an easier scoring opportunity.

If any 1 defender has his head turned away from the ball, either sprint shooters to the 3 point line or bust ass to rim run for a dunk or lay in! If there's a smaller defender back against a bigger player, lob that ball to the bigger player and attack the rim!

The Griz often miss out on these opportunities.
I'm not sure why? Is it about a controlled set offense, minimizing turnover risk, or just players not looking for these things? Rather it be during live game or video review hope they collectively learn to take advantage of minor things like this.

EWU did it a handful of times to the GRIZ.
Every time it resulted in a basket or a foul with made FTs.
The GRIZ very seldom take advantage of these things.

In addition, we don't see backside scoring opportunities very well. We did it a few times early in the season with backside open 3s and or backside cuts to the basket, resulting in dunks. Then again, usually when those happened it involved Money making the passes or recognizing it.

If the Griz find these minor things, it'll help some.

 

[oldrunner]

I hear what you are saying and I do believe that all coaches want to have the players who can and will do all of those things. It comes down to what your set of guys are best at and what the other team is taking away from what you want to do. All coaches teach transition O and D. If you are good at the transition O and the other team is not taking that away, you should get a lot of 'run outs', 'fast break' and 'early O' chances in a game. No coach would purposely give that up.

In this modern day of analitics, giving up a run out or fast break is a huge sin. Most coaches would rather give up a chance at an offensive board than give up transition points on the other end. That is why you see most teams sending at least 3 guys back after a shot.

The early O part is more free flowing and takes more skilled and creative players. Sounds like you had that in Money Williams to some extent. If your coaches feel that gives you the higher chance of scoring, then you see more of that. If your group of guys are not good at it and are better at running a more controlled attack, then you see more of that. It all comes down to percentages and what other teams seem to be willing to give up to you.

As far as the back door cuts and plays, I've seen UM do a lot of that over the years. I feel it is something most coaches want, but most teams will find ways to defend it well. It's one of those things, like lobs, that can either be great or result in a turnover. Most coaches and players weigh those options and try to do what is best for the circumstances. Once again, it comes down to your personnel and what they are best at.

 

[mtgrizrule]

I hear what you are saying and I do believe that all coaches want to have the players who can and will do all of those things. It comes down to what your set of guys are best at and what the other team is taking away from what you want to do. All coaches teach transition O and D. If you are good at the transition O and the other team is not taking that away, you should get a lot of 'run outs', 'fast break' and 'early O' chances in a game. No coach would purposely give that up.

In this modern day of analitics, giving up a run out or fast break is a huge sin. Most coaches would rather give up a chance at an offensive board than give up transition points on the other end. That is why you see most teams sending at least 3 guys back after a shot.

The early O part is more free flowing and takes more skilled and creative players. Sounds like you had that in Money Williams to some extent. If your coaches feel that gives you the higher chance of scoring, then you see more of that. If your group of guys are not good at it and are better at running a more controlled attack, then you see more of that. It all comes down to percentages and what other teams seem to be willing to give up to you.

As far as the back door cuts and plays, I've seen UM do a lot of that over the years. I feel it is something most coaches want, but most teams will find ways to defend it well. It's one of those things, like lobs, that can either be great or result in a turnover. Most coaches and players weigh those options and try to do what is best for the circumstances. Once again, it comes down to your personnel and what they are best at.

Thanks for your input. Sometimes I wish I could watch football, basketball, and baseball without noticing the little things that many fans don't notice or understand. Friends and my gf will often ask me, "what"? When I see something. They only know, something is frustrating me. It's hard to explain to them.

You're likely right about those things depending on personnel on the court. It's just frustrating. Even more so, when we see Whitney has grown nicely into playmaker role.
Even earlier in the season Thomas and Oke were making a lot more passes leading to baskets or defensive break downs.

Is the loss of Money truly that big? We'll see, when he comes back.

 

[mtgrizrule]

I'll add, to me it's much easier to notice these things watching a game in attendance than on television .

 

[mtgrizrule]

Magic Johnson had the green light to throw the ball right at teammates, if they weren't ready for any opportunity. At least during practices and pick up games.

 

[citygriz]

Basketball can be a beautiful game when teams are flowing and ol’ mo is in the house. Lob dunks, no look passes, fast breaks, back door cuts—these are among the most beautiful plays in all of sport. But to play that way you have to take risks. Exhibit A: The Warriors. One of the most entertaining teams ever but the turnovers are killing them,,

Or you can reduce basketball to a chess match: Walk the ball up the court, run set plays, work the shot clock, stress defense, cut down on turnovers, i. e. eliminate the risk. This is DeCuire’s style, a reflection of the man.

My problem is, his approach to the game bores my ass off. It’s good to win when we win, but there’s no style, no elan no pizzaz to Griz basketball. No real entertainment value to any but the most die-hard Griz fan. The attendance for Griz men’s basketball reflects that.

And entertainment is important. All my best teachers were in some form entertainers. In this media environment it’s critical. And it’s not the style we were promised when DeCuire took over this program.

 

[oldrunner]

Basketball can be a beautiful game when teams are flowing and ol’ mo is in the house. Lob dunks, no look passes, fast breaks, back door cuts—these are among the most beautiful plays in all of sport. But to play that way you have to take risks. Exhibit A: The Warriors. One of the most entertaining teams ever but the turnovers are killing them,,

Or you can reduce basketball to a chess match: Walk the ball up the court, run set plays, work the shot clock, stress defense, cut down on turnovers, i. e. eliminate the risk. This is DeCuire’s style, a reflection of the man.

My problem is, his approach to the game bores my ass off. It’s good to win when we win, but there’s no style, no elan no pizzaz to Griz basketball. No real entertainment value to any but the most die-hard Griz fan. The attendance for Griz men’s basketball reflects that.

And entertainment is important. All my best teachers were in some form entertainers. In this media environment it’s critical. And it’s not the style we were promised when DeCuire took over this program.

It might just be me, but I love to watch the interplay between offense and defense. I feel that offense feeds off of defense and that good defense often leads tot he kind of free flowing game you are talking about. Some of the best things to happen are in transition.

One of the frustrating things that can happen, and we've all seen it, is when a team passes and passes, just to turn it over. I catch myself thinking they would have been better off shooting after 0 to 1 pass. However, a missed shot is almost as bad as a turn over. It all counts as a stop.

These days, the analitics go a bit deeper. they get into efficiencies, right down to the player level. Maybe some coaches dive too far into that stuff, but it is what's happening now.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Basketball can be a beautiful game when teams are flowing and ol’ mo is in the house. Lob dunks, no look passes, fast breaks, back door cuts—these are among the most beautiful plays in all of sport. But to play that way you have to take risks. Exhibit A: The Warriors. One of the most entertaining teams ever but the turnovers are killing them,,

Or you can reduce basketball to a chess match: Walk the ball up the court, run set plays, work the shot clock, stress defense, cut down on turnovers, i. e. eliminate the risk. This is DeCuire’s style, a reflection of the man.

My problem is, his approach to the game bores my ass off. It’s good to win when we win, but there’s no style, no elan no pizzaz to Griz basketball. No real entertainment value to any but the most die-hard Griz fan. The attendance for Griz men’s basketball reflects that.

And entertainment is important. All my best teachers were in some form entertainers. In this media environment it’s critical. And it’s not the style we were promised when DeCuire took over this program.

It might just be me, but I love to watch the interplay between offense and defense. I feel that offense feeds off of defense and that good defense often leads tot he kind of free flowing game you are talking about. Some of the best things to happen are in transition.

One of the frustrating things that can happen, and we've all seen it, is when a team passes and passes, just to turn it over. I catch myself thinking they would have been better off shooting after 0 to 1 pass. However, a missed shot is almost as bad as a turn over. It all counts as a stop.

These days, the analitics go a bit deeper. they get into efficiencies, right down to the player level. Maybe some coaches dive too far into that stuff, but it is what's happening now.

Citay, I think you're expecting or wanting a lot more offensively than I am. You're wanting fast offense for full games. Unfortunately, nobody in the Big Sky has the depth and talent to do that.

Hard for me to overly criticize an offense putting up the points this year's team has. Also leading the nation in 3 point shooting for January. Facts are, this is the highest scoring Griz team in over 50 years! I believe, their results in January is a program 1st. Statistically, our offense is solid to great.

The problems are finding consistency. To me, getting open shots is on the coaches. Execution is on the players. This year, in the games the GRIZ have struggled, have been from missing too many open scoring opportunities, inside and outside. It appears to me, the coaching is solid, other than going conservative too soon with solid leads. What can coaches do in game, about missing open shots? They can't magically make those shots for them.

My point here, we're missing out on a few favorable opportunities per game, that can be helpful. They haven't been taking advantage of defensive awareness or lack there of by opponents.

Either way, offensive and defensive consistency needs to be better. Right now it seems like they're consistent 50% to 60% of the time. It needs upped to 75%. Every team has a few games per year, where they're inconsistent.

Why do you think Creighton has elevated their program so far? Most years, their offense is consistently one of the most efficient in the nation. Watch them consistently, and you'll see it.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Wow, attended the GRIZ Cat games.
What an improvement by both the men and women this weekend. Both moved the ball well. Both teams had players aware of where the defense was going and moved the ball to open players quickly for open shots.

They both need to keep that kind of offensive awareness all games!

 

[mthoopsfan]

I hadn't watched either team much and since earlier in the season. Both teams looked very good. I was impressed. Way less meaningless dribbling by the men. Too many TO's by the women. Dani Bartsch is tough.

 

[fanofzoo]

Wow, attended the GRIZ Cat games.
What an improvement by both the men and women this weekend. Both moved the ball well. Both teams had players aware of where the defense was going and moved the ball to open players quickly for open shots.

They both need to keep that kind of offensive awareness all games!

Let's not forget about the "green light" is always on for just about everyone out there , evidence about 11:00 minute mark second half. Boom game over !