RE: PG slot

["Wright, Cecil" <Cecil.Wright@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with you in theory Mark, that the break was not well coached on this
team.  It takes timing and practice to do it to perfection.

But you cannot tell me that after playing ball their entire lives at the
likes of Ga. Tech, Kansas, Kentucky, etc., that running the break should
have to be re-introduced to them.  It can't be that each one of our guys
have played in nothing but halfcourt offenses their whole careers. It is a
drill which is run by every team in camp just to get them in shape and to
familiarize themselves with who can do what in transition. 

On the play which stands out in my mind, Kenny just did not give it up to
Paul who was running on the right wing alone.  He did not receive a pass and
was wide open.  That's all.

My purpose was not to discuss generalizations, but just to mention those few
incidents which ballooned to me being labelled as hating and deriding Kenny.

Cecil Wright, Nova Scotia Community Coordinator
National Crime Prevention Centre
Suite 1400 - Duke Tower 
5251 Duke Street
Halifax, NS  B3J 1P3
Tel: (902) 426-5950
Fax: (902) 426-8532
Email: cecil.wright@justice.gc.ca 
Web: www.crime-prevention.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Berry, Mark S [mailto:berrym@BATTELLE.ORG]
Sent: July 25, 2002 11:52 AM
To: 'celtics@igtc.com'
Subject: Re: PG slot


Kim wrote:

Well the fact is that yes, you usually do want to pass on the break. There
is a big difference between just running upcourt and running a fast break.
The Cs ran very few actual breaks despite having personnel well suited to
the wing and trailer roles. Better than they were to the pull up and jump
shot game most of our pseudo breaks fell in to, since they tend to have
scorers and drivers rather than pure shooters. I don't think that's even
close to being wholly Kenny's fault but I do think it's something he could
have done a lot more to improve. And it could have made a HUGE difference,
especially in the more or less total absence of an inside game. Easy
baskets, less physical beating on guys like Paul, more foul shots, etc. etc.

--- end ---

I think the Celtics' problem on the break were more than just the point
guards. Yes, Kenny and the others (especially the others) did a bad job
leading the break. But the Celtics don't understand how to run a fast break.
It's like a half-court offense. You need spacing. Good fast break teams have
a man leading the break in the middle and finishers running wide on either
side. And I mean WIDE. They should be coming in almost sideways toward the
rim. That keeps the defender from simply taking a one-step slide step over
into the path of the finisher.

Also, the Celtics treat the fast break like there are two options: the point
guard keeps the ball and takes the shot, or the point guard passes it to
someone who takes the shot. The best fast breaks feature early passes that
keep the defender moving. The guy on the wing should make quick passes back
to the middle, or cross-court to another finisher. It's not a one-pass thing
all the time. Also, there should be trailers who know exactly where to go
every time-that way the point guard will know where they will be every time.

The fast break takes practice, and the Celtics look like a bad intramural
team many times in their transition offense. It's completely disorganized.
With their size disadvantage, they should be able to beat opponents down the
floor for easy baskets, but they don't. When they do run, they do it so
poorly it often ends up as a fast break the other way for the opponent.

Anyway, my point is that the point guard takes some of the blame, but the
"finishers" share in it and, ultimately, the coach is responsible. Like
every other aspect of this team's offense, the fast break is very poorly
coached.

Mark