Out of the Timeout: Big man cross screen

by

In our Out of the Timeout series this week, finally making its triumphant return to 48MoH, we take a look at a play from the Spurs win over the Kings on Wednesday night. In it, Antonio McDyess sets a screen for Tim Duncan, but Dice is the one who’s open for a shot.

After a Beno Udrih free throw, Tony Parker (1) brings the ball up court on the right side of  the floor. McDyess (5) is the trailing big man on the play, so he stops near the top of the key to swing the ball from one side of the floor to Richard Jefferson (3) on the other.

Tim Duncan (4) was the first big man down the floor, and he sets a down screen for Manu Ginobili (2), who went straight to the right block. Ginobili rubs off of Duncan’s screen and sets a back screen for Dice. After setting the downscreen for Manu, Duncan flashes to the ball-side post. Tony Parker casually strolls towards the right corner. Manu Ginobili, after setting the back screen for Dice, pops up to the top of the key looking for a pass from Richard Jefferson.

In theory, Richard Jefferson’s first option is looking for McDyess on the roll to the basket. Dice can’t jump like he used to, but I’m assuming he can still catch a lob pass if he’s open. If the lob isn’t open, Dice continues his roll and curls around to set a block-to-block screen for Tim Duncan. Jefferson, seeing that the lob to Dice is taken away, swings the ball to the top of the key to Manu.

When a Dice sets a cross screen for Duncan, it’s usually to find an opening on the opposite block for Duncan to post up. Tim Duncan is probably the best low post scorer of our generation and one of the best of all-time, so it makes sense that he’d get a lot of attention from the defense. Recognizing this, Dice simply turns, and pins the man he set the screen on and, who’da thunk it, he’s open for a excellent look at the basket.

Ignoring the fact that Dice missed the shot, credit also goes to Manu Ginobili for being patient and recognizing Dice pinning his man. I would imagine that if this read wasn’t open, Manu would continue to swing the ball to Tony Parker on the right side, who would look to find Tim Duncan on the low block.

  • http://readramblerant.blogspot.com/ Humberto

    It always amazes me how fast these guys can read the play. Was a nice open look for Dice. Great breakdown.

  • Rad E Cool

    In the third diagram, the arrow from Jefferson to Ginobili should be dotted, not a squiggle as it’s a pass and not a dribble.

    Good stuff though.

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    @ Rad E Cool

    You’re right, my mistake.

  • Tim

    Can you imagine running this play with Dwight Howard instead of Dice? RJ would have an easy assist on the lob and dunk!!

  • DieHardSpur

    @Tim

    A younger(pre-injury) Mcdyess was just as potent.

  • betsyduncan

    DieHardSpur: Maybe that’ll be Tiago in the future (receiving that lob pass)?

  • Matt in OC

    Nice play, wish it would have been a bucket, but that’s the makes and brakes.

  • mikrobass3

    let’s try tiago at the 4 and tim at the five in this scenario.

  • http://www.bpifanconnect.com Alix Babaie

    Love the diagrams and breakdowns, Andrew….keep up the good work, my man!

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Len

    Cool. I like these articles. Thanks

  • DieHardSpur

    Can someone please tell me why all of the plays for Duncan are isolations? I understand he is a great ISO player, but I swear when he catches the ball on the move to the basket in the p&r he is almost unbeatable… if that’s a word.

  • rob

    Play could’ve resulted in an alley opp as well.

    Great break down. I’ve missed your “Out of Time Out” articles.

  • MSteele

    Anyone looking for some entertainment, go and watch the Dal-Lac game. I’m only starting to watch it in the 1st quarter on league pass but Griffin and Jordan are crushin’ the Mavs bigs

  • ThatBigGuy

    That’s such a classic piece of pure basketball. Setting a post to post screen for the #1 option (Duncan) makes it hard on the defense to figure out if they’re going to switch or stay with their man. It’s a great play to run against a young player because they haven’t figured out the communication and nuance to guard it well.

    Besides, it was a great read and pin down by Dice. That’s pure basketball IQ/experience by a heady veteran.

    Dice’s man should have chucked Duncan in the chest and given Tim’s man the opportunity to climb around Dice’s screen. But both defensive bigs are trailing their man, being lazy, and not paying attention, so they get screened and pinned.

  • DorieStreet

    Let’s continue this creativity in the playoffs.

  • Hobson13

    Geez. The Lakers drop #4 in a row. ESPN had all but written the Spurs obituary when they dropped 6 in a row to good playoff teams. If they want to stay consistent (which they don’t) then they should start writing on the Lakers tombstone. The losses to Utah and Golden State are borderline embarassing and they were down by as much as 22 late in the 3rd against the Blazers so that game wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.

    I don’t say this to count out the Lakers. I think they will be ok come playoff time. However, I will say that perhaps our 6 game slide was a bit better than this 4 game Laker snafu. At least we had serious injuries as a legit excuse.

    As a side note: I hate to say it, but it looks more likely that we face the Grizz in round 1. If that’s the case, then I really don’t know what to expect. At least the first round is stretched out over a longer period of time…

  • idahospur

    Just waiting to see how Pop plays the last 3 games. I trust he’ll rest our tired starters and hopefully gives Splitter 3 more opportunities to impress before post-season.
    It’s nice not holding my breath for a small period of time this season. But I am dying for playoffs.

  • Melbourne Spur

    Hobson13 - I’m not so sure about meeting Memphis yet. They host NO, play at Portland, and then at LAC, while NO are at Memphis, host Utah, then at Dallas. Not sure of the tiebreaker between them, but records may well be the same at year end.

    I’d so much rather have a West-less NO than Memphis. Need a cruisy first round, nothing that would wear us down.

  • DorieStreet

    @Melbourne Spur

    NO is 46-33, MEM is 45-34. Say Grizz go W-L-W, although Clippers just beat Grizz in Memphis, and after tonite’s game @ Rockets they get to rest 4 days before home finale.

    Bees go L-W-L; then both team wind up 47-35.
    Tied in head-to-head matchup, 2-2. In the division, NO would be 9-7, MEM 8-8. In Conference record the Grizz would be 31-21, Bees 28-24.

    So I guess MEM gets 7th spot-am I correct, anyone?

  • rob

    Though having an “easy” first round would be cause of delight, there is also something to be said for having to “fight” through a series that helps a team prepare for the long haul of the playoffs.

    I’ve seen it before where a team has too easy a time during a playoff series only to face and fall against an opponent in the next round who (in their prior series) endured a hard fought win.

    Not that I hope the Spurs have touble with any of their opponents…but being able to pull out a series through tribulation often helps the team become better prepared phsycologically in time of close/fierce competition.

  • DorieStreet

    While on the subject of HCA-

    I see the Bulls winning out- @ Magic w/o Dwight Howard (suspension), @ Knicks despite it being the home finale @ MSG, and hosting Nets for their last home game. CHI finishes 62-20.

    Spurs win home finale tonight vs Jazz, then off to Hollwood, where Tuesday is the home finale vs Spurs-and the Lakers might be in a 5game slump if they lose to the Thunder on Sunday.
    It looks as if Tony & Manu are on record wanting to secure league’s best record, but I don’t see Duncan & McDyess suiting up on the last BTB @ the Suns.

  • Melbourne Spur

    Dorie - that’s what I was thinking may happen and how I thought the tiebreak would work, but not certain.

    Rob - understand what you are thinking in relation to fighting through a series to keep you prepared etc, but I think that relates more to teams that are trying to find identity, or build a playoff history as a group. For the most part, I don’t think we fit into that category. I think that a sweep or a 4-1 first round would provide our guys rest, and the coaching staff time to prepare for the second round (hoping here that OKC goes 6 or 7 games). If that occurs, I think we will enter the second round better off than having TD, Manu, et al logging large minutes for many games. If we do that in the first round, the second round will be much the same, which will mean we are likely to be closer to spent by the time LA or the Mavs roll around for the WCF. I agree that in the past some teams sweep one series only to be blown away themselves the next, but for our team I think I would prefer an easy first round, and trust their experience and professionalism that it wouldn’t negatively effect them going into the second round.

  • Mark B

    OKC has a shot at the #3 spot, if the Mavericks keep reeling. There’e even a chance the Lakers could even drop to 4, though not likely. I think the Nuggets would like facing the Mavs, the Lakers , not so much. I think the Nuggets would beat the Mavs, and be a dangerous second round opponent.

  • Tim in Surrey

    If the Spurs end up with the same record as the Bulls, the tie-breaker is their conference records, which would also be the same. There’s no other tie-breaker for teams in different conferences, so the result would be decided by a coin flip.

    Also, the Spurs could end up playing either Portland, Memphis, or New Orleans, depending upon how the last few days work out. Memphis plays both of the others, so it will be up to them to a certain extent. Personally, though, I don’t worry about seeking or avoiding a specific opponent because things always change when you get to the playoffs anyway. I remember a few years ago when Seattle was pleased to draw Denver in a 1-8 matchup a few years ago. The result? The first time an eighth seed ever beat a top seed in a series. So you never know…

  • rob

    @ Melbourne Spur

    Yeah. I have faith the Spurs would not faulter in the scenario you described. They are professional and well seasoned in experience.

    I guess what I was eluding to most was…I don’t think it would matter if they drew a tougher oponent in the first round compared to an easier oponent and that it may help them in the long run if they do have a tougher oponent to play against.