How the 2 Side Impacts Transition’s Pace
Series: Impacting Pace with 2 Side Transition #2
In our last article “Why Play with Pace in Transition” we discussed why we want to play with pace in transition. (The link to that article is below) In this article we will discuss HOW the 2 Side allows you to play with pace in transition. There are three main reasons 2 Side Transition impacts pace: sprinting to 2 Side’s Corner Spacing, opting for the Point Guard to go Early and Opposite of the outlet, and playing scripted to unscripted in the first 6–8 seconds of the shot clock. These three concepts within 2 Side Transition are directly relatable from the pro-level to the youth-level and the common denominator between them is: optimal spacing and enhanced player decision-making. Using 2 Side Transition as a 5 Out spacing template provides more opportunity to use Small Advantages in space that lead to Big Advantage shots in space. The 2 Side Transition spacing template teaches players how to create, read, and leverage offensive advantages in transition by empowering them to make “basketball decisions.” It specifically accomplishes this through Corner Spacing, going Early and Opposite, and playing scripted to unscripted.
1. Corner Spacing
I love the phrase, “Spacing before advantage, advantage before shot.” This phrase by Liam Flynn is directly applicable to the spacing template of 2 Side Transition. Chris Oliver states, “spacing makes things simple in a complex setting.” We must have correct spacing before we take Big Advantage shots. Having 2 Side spacing stretches the rotations of transition defense where the farthest defender from the ball often gets caught guarding the two offensive players on the 2 Side when we go Early and Opposite. 2 Side Transition is a modern spacing template that maximizes floor space by flattening the defense with its Corner Spacing. 2 Side Transition’s spacing is an excellent spacing template to create long closeouts for shot/drive decisions that lead to Big Advantage shots within the first 6–8 seconds of the shot clock.
What is Corner Spacing? At the point of the defensive rebound, the first players down the court, will find the the nearest sideline (Ross McMains) and sprint to fill corners first. As these players fill the corners, they will arrive at rim level to provide width and depth for the ball carrier’s penetration gaps.
Why Corner Spacing? Corner Spacing and shooting Corner 3’s are utilized by efficient offenses and the reason is not because the shot is a shorter distance to the rim. In efficient offenses, Corner 3's become stationary catch and shoot shots because the corner is the first spot left open by a defense in rotations. Corner Spacing stretches defensive rotations with a spray-out pass after a penetrator plays Paint to Great. Corner Spacing also enables the 1-more pass from the 45 after the Point Guard goes Early and Opposite. Corner Spacing is the only way to stretch defensive rotations to generate stationary catch and shoot Corner 3's. Corner spacing increases the chance of getting this efficient, stationary catch and shoot shot attempt because we have “space before advantage, advantage before shot”.
In order to punish the “got 2” defender (the defender responsible for closing out the first catch on the 2 Side), we want to have Stretched Spacing between the 45 and Corner so one defender can not guard the two offensive players on the 2 Side. Stretched Spacing means the 45 and Corner arrive in transition with as much space as necessary between them to manipulate the “got 2” defender’s closeout. The corner is the spot momentarily left open by rotating defenses that help on penetration. This creates a 2on1 offensive advantage on the 2 Side and because of our Corner Spacing we have a greater chance of generating a stationary, catch and shoot shot or get the rotating defense in Dominoes. Stretch Spacing between the Corner and the 45 not only ensures one defender can not guard two, but also ensures that one defender can not help and close me out (Gorden Herbert). On the penetrator’s spray-out to the 2 Side, Stretched Spacing will ensure that the “got 2” defender (x3) can not close-out the first catch in the Corner AND defend the 1-more up to the 45.
Stretched Spacing with Corner Spacing on the 2 Side also creates two separate closeouts with the 1-more pass from the corner to the 45. To force two separate closeouts the penetrator must pass where the help came from. In the example of Corner Spacing #2, the pass goes to the corner because this is where the help came from and this forces the “got 2” defender (x3) to commit to the first closeout in the corner. Now the corner player has a “FTD” to either shoot it, drive it, or move it. If the corner player’s “FTD” is to make the 1-more up to the 45, then this forces the second closeout by the the X-Out defender (x1). If the “got 2” and “X-out” defender (x3 and x1) do not rotate in pairs, but rotate in singles on the closeouts, Corner Spacing and the 1-more up to the 45 have just created a Big Advantage shot.
2. Early and Opposite
After the rebound and outlet, we want our Point Guard to hit-ahead opposite of the outlet as early as possible. Chris Oliver calls this concept Early and Opposite. We prefer the Point Guard to hit-ahead with the ball crossing half-court by air ensuring the Point Guard is a ball-mover early (Chris Oliver). Our pace of play is quickened when the Point Guard has vision to hit-ahead immediately after the outlet. We want hit-aheads over dribbles because ball-speed in transition is quicker by pass. We tell our Point Guard, “ A great Point Guard doesn’t always have the ball in his hands” so hit-aheads become a coaches-clap for us. Although a Point Guard Push is valuable against teams that plug hit-aheads or buddy-runs back in transition, we are looking to advance the ball by air to achieve our goal of creating and leveraging a Big Advantage shot within the first 6–8 seconds of the shot clock. Going Early and Opposite is the first read we want our Point Guard to make after receiving the outlet before he makes the other two reads of going Early and Up and Early with the Trail, concepts we will describe and teach in a later article.
Why go Early and Opposite? We want to move transition defense twice. 2 Side Transition goes opposite of transition defense’s tendencies. Transition defense’s tendencies are:
- Closest defender stops ball
- Farthest defender protects rim
- Ball-side defender plugs hit-ahead
- Bigs load to the ball up the middle 1/3
In transition, we want to move the transition defense TWICE and going Early and Opposite of the outlet accomplishes this. Moving transition defense twice forces all five defenders to change their defensive triangles. This creates long closeouts to attack or 2-on-1 advantages on the 2 Side resulting in Big Advantage shots. When going Early and Opposite to a 2 Side, usually the defender protecting rim (x3 here) gets caught guarding the two offensive players on the 2 Side. Stretched Spacing and Corner Spacing must ensure one defender can not guard two and one defender can not help and close the 1-more. After the Point Guard has hit-ahead Early and Opposite, we want to keep the ball speed “hot” creating and leveraging small advantages that lead to Big Advantage shots.
How does going Early and Opposite move defense twice? Transition defense is moved first on the outlet to the Point Guard where defense has established ball-side positioning in an outer third (Green). Transition defense is moved the second time when the ball is hit ahead to the opposite outer third (Red). Due to transition defense’s tendencies, if this hit-ahead is passed opposite of the outlet to a 2 Side, usually the farthest defender (Rim Protector) gets caught in a long closeout guarding the two offensive players on the 2 Side. If the hit- ahead is passed opposite of the outlet to a single side, then the farthest defender (Rim Protector) gets caught in a long 1on1 closeout in space. Both of these advantages we want to capitalize on in the first 6–8 seconds of the shot.
3. Scripted to Unscripted
The 2 Side is scripted in that players must find the nearest sideline and sprint to Corner Spacing first, then to the 45. Once we get to our 2 Side spacing template we are empowering our players to self-regulate to make “basketball decisions” based on what the defense gives. Coby Karl says, “Simplicity and space create creativity and beauty in the unpredictability of randomness.” A lot of coaches have a primary break to a secondary break that leads into a set, like steps on a ladder. This conditions players to miss Big Advantages early in transition. Players are running the floor to run a set not sprinting the floor to create and leverage a Big Advantage. We do not want to handicap players’ decision-making abilities by dictating where the ball is to be dribbled or where the ball is to be passed. What makes playing conceptually within the 2 Side effective is: offense never stops leveraging for advantage. There is no stop of primary transition and starting our set offense. We are continually playing offense, and hunting Big Advantage shots.
Paint to Great- Playing Paint to Great means if there is no Big Advantage shot created on a hit-ahead, we want to attack the first closeout to get one paint touch within the first 6–8 seconds on the shot clock. Remember the Big Advantage shots we want are Key, 3, Free within the first 6–8 seconds in transition. If a player can not catch and shoot on a hit ahead we want his “FTD” to drive it. Driving the catch after an Early and Opposite hit-ahead opens up the Key, 3, Free, that are all Big Advantage shots we want early in the shot clock. When playing Paint to Great, transition defense’s rotation and communication are aggressively tested early in the possession. Any incorrect rotation and lack of communication exposes the transition defense to Dominoes. Dominoes is needed to create and leverage a Big Advantage shot.
Players play at their best when they play freely. The 2 Side Transition spacing template enable players to leverage offensive advantages in transition by empowering them to make “basketball decisions”. When players are empowered to make “basketball decisions”, they can play at a quicker pace. Corner Spacing, the option to go Early and Opposite, and playing scripted to unscripted all impacts the pace we can play with within 2 Side Transition.
Below is the link to the first article in the series, Impacting Pace with 2 Side Transition: Why Play with Pace in Transition?
https://coachbtipton.medium.com/why-play-with-pace-in-transition-77bdcbcedb45
