Leo Gau

As before, if you don’t want to read all the words, just look at the pictures and videos and read the bold parts.

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2009 has provided us a surprisingly eventful NBA offseason. Although 2010 will be the main event, 2009 has been a better-than-expected undercard. With big names like Shaq, Wallace, and Artest being signed to new teams, GMs are reveling the way they want to build their team. The Cavs have a system that Shaq will now fit into. The Celtics have a system that Wallace needs to fit into. Being a Knicks fan, my thoughts naturally turn to what the Knicks are going to do. How will the 2009 Knicks roster fit into D’Antoni’s system?

But what exactly is D’Antoni’s system? Not the Knicks version, as it’s still developing, but the one he ran with the almost-championship Suns. It’s described as the “7 seconds or less” offense so I know that it’s fast paced, but is there anything beyond that? What exactly is the Mike D’Antoni offense?

HOW IT WORKS

There are 2 parts to the 7 seconds or less offense (7SOL from now on) – the game plan and the philosophy. There’s a lot of talk of how 7SOL has brought offense back into the NBA and I think the 7SOL philosophy is why.

Part 1 – The Philosophy

The philosophy of D’Antoni’s offense is best summed up in the phrase “7 seconds or less.” D’Antoni wants to get a good, uncontested shot off before the shot clock hits 17. The ultra-fast pace keeps defenses off balance – by pushing the ball at all times, defenses don’t have time to settle down into defensive sets. They don’t have time to close open spaces created by pick-and-rolls and good spacing.

Here’s an example of the Suns perfectly executing in 7SOL

While executing this fast pace D’Antoni needs his players to do 3 things: make quick decisions, execute simple plays, and play unselfish basketball. He also needs his players to hit 3s and penetrate the defense without getting the ball stolen but that goes without saying.

While “7 seconds or less” is the guiding principle, the specific fundamentals of D’Antoni’s philosophy work to ensure that an offense executed in 7 seconds or less is actually good.

The most important fundamental is that the ball can’t stop moving. Stopping the ball to dribble and play 1-on-1 basketball kills this offense. This allows the defense to set up – slowing down the fast pace D’Antoni wants to play at.

Because of the ball movement and spacing, there is no need to take a contested shot. This means no splitting double-teams, no shots taken with a hand in the player’s face, and no big man going against more than 1 person. There should always be a player ready to take a good, open shot.

Finally, the offense is always thinking about the next play. Nothing kills the opposing team’s momentum like a quick basket. Always look to get a quick basket. 7 seconds or less.

Part 2 – The Game Plan

Like The Triangle Offense, spacing is key. When in transition, all players have specific lanes on the court to fill out.

The shooting guard and the small forward run to opposite corners of the court beyond the 3 point line.

The power forward drifts outside the 3 point line on the opposite side of the point guard, ready to run a spread pick and roll if the initial attack to the basket fails.

The center trails behind the play during a fast break. If the break doesn’t score, the center sets a pick for the point guard, starting the Spread Pick and Roll.

Right now you’re noticing me say spread pick and roll a lot. That’s because the basis of the half court offense is the Spread Pick and Roll.

The Spread PNR is essentially a two-man pick-and-roll with spot up shooters who recognize when to cut to the basket. This offense puts a lot of pressure on the point guard to hit shots and make good decisions.

Something to note about the Spread PNR is that no one is positioned close to the basket. No one clogs up the low post. If someone attacks the basket and don’t score, they quickly get out, keeping the post open. This allows other players to continue to attack the basket without driving into traffic.

While D’Antoni does have some specific half court plays, he would rather play without the constraints of a rigid system. Playing successful fast and loose basketball means executing simple, effective plays – Pick and Rolls, Back Door Cuts, and Dribble Drags.

While I was familiar with a BDC – cutting along the baseline to the basket while the defender is distracted – I did not know what a Dribble Drag was.

It turns out that a dribble drag is a non-penetrating dribble used in place of a pass. This type of dribble can put 2 defenders on the ball handler as he moves from one position to another – setting up cuts. But taking on an extra defender, it allows a teammate to step behind the defense to an open area.

There are not a lot of videos online just showing the suns running their offense, but if you watch game footage, like the one below, you can see these principles in action.

This is actually part 1 of a 15 part series showing the entire game against the Mavs. If you watch this whole game, you can see all the above principles in action.

APPLYING TO YOUR GAME

I think the key take-away is also the most obvious one. Play at a fast pace. Always look to push the ball when you get a rebound. If you’re not a very good ball handler, look to make quick outlet passes and sprint down the court. Always look to get down court to push your team.

By playing at a fast pace, you will be able to get easy layups in transition. Even if your layup attempt is stopped you will, at worst, create defensive mismatches and cause confusion as the defense tries to settle down. These are all good things that will help your team win games.

FINAL THOUGHTS

To bring this discussion full circle, let’s look at the type of players who would fit into D’Antoni’s system. Certainly, the Phoenix Suns are the blueprint. First, you need very athletic players so can do many different things. This applies especially to the big men. Forwards and centers who can shoot, pass, post up, and take defenders off the dribble are perfect – see Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw

At the point guard position, you need someone who can make quick decisions, keep the ball in traffic, and hit jumpers.

You also need very good 3-point shooters. Since the half court set is so dominated by the Spread PNR, there will be many opportunities to shoot open 3 pointers. You need to hit these.

Finally, you need good rebounders. It’s harder to play a fast pace when the opposing team is getting second and third chances. With good rebounders, you will be able to get into transition more – the most important aspect of the D’Antoni system.

Further Reading

Some of the half court plays possible in the Sun’s offense (PDF File): Phoenix Suns 5 out offense

Here are some notes I found taken from “Executing and Defending the Pick and Roll DVD” taught by Jeff Van Gundy (PDF File): PickandRollOffenseJeffVanGundy

A small sample of diagrams showing a couple of simple fast break plays: http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/offense/fast-break-offense-suns.html

A look at how D’Antoni’s offense translates to the Knicks:                                     http://7secondsormess.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-dantonis-offense-translates-to.html

Related and Suggested posts:

1. What is the difference between Nellie ball and 7 seconds or less?
2. The Triangle Offense
3. Mike Brown’s Defense
4. Hitting Your First Shot
5. Quick Tips: Ball Handling