Fast Break - the most important meal of the day?

[Eric Albert]

Yes, I meant how awful the Celtics are when they're already on the break, with superior numbers.  So far as I can tell, other teams, running or not, veterans or not, finish off a huge percentage of such breaks with an easy basket.  The Celtics rarely do.

Now, maybe this is because those other teams are playing against us, and Celtics defense of the break is terrible.  But I don't think that explains most of it, because we don't even *look* like we're running a break: people are in the wrong places, the ball goes to the wrong person, and so on.  What baffles me is that even expansion teams seem to have no trouble finishing off these breaks, but we can't

In any case, I really appreciate Patrick's great post about the Celtics problems, in general, with fast-breaking.

-- Eric

>Maybe I misread the gentlemen's post but I thought he was refering to the team blowing the break 2 on 1, 3 on 2, etc.  So I assume he means they are already on the break. Rebounding doesn't really play into that scenario unless you're coaching the non-shooter follow through to prepare for an offensive board.
>   
>  Other than that I support Dr. Ryan's dissertation on the fast break.  Hoopilogically speaking, that is.
>   
>  
>
>"Ryan, Patrick S Maj RES USAFR 439 MSG" <Patrick.Ryan at westover.af.mil> wrote:
>  I'll see your "youth" and raise you "rebounding" and "culture".
>
>Fast break basketball requires AT LEAST these three things: willingness to
>run, rebounding, and unselfishness. There are plenty of other aspects, but
>these are the basics required to be successful. 
>
>Willingness to run: Jason Kidd is probably the ultimate example in modern
>basketball of shaping a running team in his image wherever he's been, with
>Steve Nash closing quickly on his "body of work". Both sprint the ball up
>the court every single possession, made basket or not. What this has done is
>force the other players to get ahead of him to "get shots" (which remains
>one of the driving forces in today's NBA - no matter whether you're a rookie
>or ten year vet). Once the team realizes that if they're not running they're
>not getting the ball they start to get ahead of the break too and it becomes
>the team mentality not just one or two individuals.
>
>Rebounding: You have to clean the glass and outlet (both of which are part
>of the entire skill or rebounding). Two methods of outlet passing is to the
>foul line extended or to the middle - I've seen both work, but the key is
>quickly getting the ball to one of your guards preferably. There's also the
>baseball pass, best used sparingly, to whichever teammate is furthest up the
>floor. If your guards get to their spots after the rebound and the big man
>sees which is uncovered you can generally get a smooth outlet and easily
>into your fast break lanes.
>
>Unselfishness: This is the biggie. It's not just a mentality of willing to
>give the ball up, but knowing when to as well. Two keys - getting ahead of
>the defense and if there are any defenders there making them commit. There's
>really only one method of the fast break - filling lanes. Two wings, the
>middle, and the trailer(s). The wings go as wide and fast as they can,
>cutting toward the hoop at the foul line extended OR (because of the three
>point shot this has changed - I don't agree with it, but it's reality now)
>going straight to the corner to space the floor. The middle should always
>have the ball - this is the best method to make the defense commit early.
>Once a defender commits (and this is where unselfishness comes in) the ball
>should go to whatever the defense gives up. If there is no defense then
>always give the ball up to the man furthest ahead. So if the defender tries
>to cut off the passing lane to the right either the ball goes left or the
>handler takes it to the bucket. 
>
>Yes, it's a learned skill because there are LOTS of options (we used to run
>the St John's Drill every practice for at least 15 minutes or so), but once
>the basics are understood it's not complicated thought (this is what Asterix
>refers to when he speaks youth - they don't have instinctual reaction born
>from training). 
>
>So for our Cs - we have the following roadblocks to successfully running a
>fast break:
>
>Youth (as mentioned by Asterix)
>
>A coach who doesn't seem to allow for high turnovers born of youth running
>all the time (he yells at Delonte and Rondo audibly on broadcasts to pull
>the ball out more times then I can count) so they can better learn the
>skill.
>
>Poor rebounding and even poorer guards getting to their outlet spot (we do
>the "rebound and turn around to the baseline looking for the PG" thing -
>drives me crazy - Perk USED to outlet beautifully and that's been coached
>out of him)
>
>Selfishness (born of our captain who was taught at the Altar of Antoine) -
>we don't hit the wing ahead of the break (and ahead of the defense), we
>don't make the defense commit, and when we do we attempt to drive past that
>defense time and again making it a two on one THEIR way instead of ours. I'm
>convinced this is because Pierce doesn't trust his teammates and also
>expects the foul to bail him out if he doesn't succeed (the NBA star system
>mentality). Not to place this all on Pierce, but he's the biggest culprit in
>establishing that "how -to" and now I see Delonte, Telfair and West all
>doing the same thing all the time (especially when G. Green or Gomes are WAY
>ahead of them and the defense).
>
>It is a full culture and we're not as a team willing to commit 100% to it -
>fast break is a full time mentality - the more you use it the better you
>get. I don't care what anyone else says the Celtics have a half court
>mentality and preach "fast break only when it's wide open" (or similar)
>which causes hesitation and subsequently makes us terrible at execution.
>
>
>--------------------------
>I think it's directly related to the youth of this team. You have a
>combination of inexperienced point guards combined with players lacking the
>fundamentals of properly. Why do they lack these fundamentals? They either
>didn't go to college or spent less than 4 years there.
>
>I agree with you that they are terrible. - Asterix
>
>Eric Albert > wrote:
>What *is* it with the Celtics and fast breaks? It's been
>years since they were able to run one. Game after game,
>they blow break after break. 2 on 1, 3 on 2, 4 on 3: if
>they're *really* lucky, it ends up with foul shots. Most
>of the time, it ends with a turnover. It almost never ends
>with a basket, which is what every other team's fast
>break ends with.
>
>I believe the Celtics are the worst team in the league, by
>far, at running fast breaks, as they were last year, and
>the year before that.
>
>-- Eric