JJ Redick Los Angeles Clippers Game 7 Pinch Post Handoff
The NBA today is predicated on offensive efficiency. The Spurs and HEAT over the last few years have made the game a fast paced game that thrives on floor spacing and taking advantage of getting the highest percentage shots possible. You achieve high percentage shots by spacing the floor, changing sides of the floor and moving the defense as much as possible. There is a premium put on elite shooters and JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers certainly fits that bill.
Sportscenter is littered with highlights of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan dunks that are predicated by perfect passes by Chris Paul. These insane highlights and fun style of play have allowed the Clippers to lead the NBA in Offensive Efficiency for the 2014-15 season, scoring at a rate of 1.098 points-per-possession. What you usually don’t see in any of those highlights is that the reason that Jordan and Griffin are rolling free to the rim is because the defense is so concerned about JJ Redick spotting up behind the arc.
JJ Redick had another outstanding year as a starter for the Clippers. He averaged 16 PPG while shooting 43.7% from 3 point range. He had a large sample size too, averaging almost 6 attempts per game with defenses keying on his every move.
Through the years JJ Redick has expanded his game as well. The Clippers offense uses wrinkles to get their bigs rolling to the rim when Chris Paul is out of the game, or in the case of Saturday’s Game 7, he is not 100%. The Clippers use Redick in handoff’s that act as ball screens that will compensate for his lack of true ball handling skills out of a traditional ball screen.
The following set is a wrinkle Head Coach Doc Rivers incorporated into their offense for Game 7 to use when Chris Paul wasn’t in the game (or even later when he clearly was laboring). In each set dynamic shooting guard Jamal Crawford is the ball handler who enters the ball into a big at the pinch post. Crawford then cuts across the perimeter to set a screen for Redick who almost shuffle cuts into a hand off with the big.
As you can see in these sets the Spurs defended this action a couple different ways. The Clippers would always put the better shooter in the weak side corner, making it harder for that defender to help in the lane. When the Clippers had 2 bigs on the floor, they positioned them on the strong side of the floor basically eliminating that defenders ability to help.
In the first possession Redick got going down hill and Duncan played the hand off soft allowing him to finish over Boris Diaw in the lane. The floor wasn’t as spaced as Deandre Jordan was in the game and occupied the spot that would usually be that weak side shooter. The second possession was the Spurs most successful defensive trip. They trapped Redick off the handoff, not allowing a shot while helping off the weak side shooter, daring Redick to make a pass. In the final possession that came at a critical time in the game, Duncan stayed attached with the rolling Griffin. Danny Green did a great job trailing Redick but he was able to gain separation with a terrific shot fake. Green had blocked Redick earlier from behind and Redick was determined to not let it happen again. Redick showed his impeccable balance and form that gave his Clippers the lead late.
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Coach John Zall just completed his first season as an Assistant Coach at Division II Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. This past season Franklin Pierce University won 20 games and advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. Zall arrived at Franklin Pierce after spending the past 3 seasons as the Associate Head Coach/Head JV Coach at O’Bryant High school in Roxbury, MA. During his tenure at O’Bryant the program improved from 4 wins to 12 wins and qualified for the MIAA State Tournament twice.
Coach Zall also has experience as an AAU Head Coach for the Boston Warriors. As Head Coach for the Warriors his team won the 2011 16U State Title and twice competed in AAU Nationals down in Orlando, FL. On top of being a student at Northeastern University, Zall was named Head Coach of the Men’s Club Basketball team for the 2012-13 season. During his lone season as Head Coach, Northeastern finished second in the Northeast Regional Tournament featuring colleges from throughout the East Coast. Coach Zall has also spent time as a Head Coach in the Bay State Games where his team won the Bronze Medal in 2012 and at various camps including: Five Star, Boston Celtics, NIKE, Franklin Pierce University, Hoop Group and The Elite 75.
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