re: General NBA Links

quote:

---

What the teams represent is a template for the modern three-heavy NBA offense: ball movement and spacing. Ball movement can come in the form of a dominant creator (Clippers with Chris Paul, Thunder with Russell Westbrook and Heat with LeBron) or a team-wide commitment to pass with the required skill to go along with it (Spurs). Spacing comes in the form of shooting. Lots of shooting. We're at the point where if you don't have a big man who is an elite long-two shooter and/or a passable three-point shooter, you're at a disadvantage.

---

quote:

---

Still, plenty of teams have catching up to do. In many ways, the Finals are a crash course for team-builders in what you need to win in today's NBA. The Spurs and Heat model aren't perfectly replicable because it's hard to find great talent. You can't have a Heat without a LeBron, and there's only one of him. You can't have a Spurs without Duncan and drafting two reliable Hall of Famers well outside of the lottery. These are not easy tasks.

But teams can learn from the two franchises' actual on-court behavior. Too many teams lack a corps of shooters to pop in as needed. Too many teams rely on too few shot creators or embrace a system that restricts the natural ball-handling and passing skills of its players

---

quote:

---

There are many conflicting stories among the NBA's elite. Memphis rules with a double-big threat. The Clippers have the old-school point-guard-and-power-forward setup. The Pacers rely on a ball-dominant wing and elite defense. The Thunder have their two-headed monster.

But there's something every team can learn from the Miami and San Antonio systems that nod toward team defense while emphasizing passing and shooting. That the offenses are thoroughly dominating the respective excellent defenses in the Finals shows just how powerful the sharing-and-spacing offense can be.

---