Calipari on zone defense

[KSRBEvans]

If the theory is that a zone means the other team makes more 3s, I don't think that's necessarily so. Syracuse plays zone exclusively, and here's their national ranking in 3-pt FG% D the last 5 seasons:

2010: 22
2011: 29
2012: 47
2013: 3
2014 (to date): 171

So you've got 4 years of strong-to-elite 3-pt D, with this year being an outlier.

[CitizenBBN]

It's a weak spot for a zone, but it's hardly an overwhelming given that a zone must give up 3s. Certainly against certain teams who can stretch it to the max it can be a weaker defense, but every defense has its weak spots you have to try to cover up with hustle and just plain hoping the other team misses their chances to take advantage.

A switching man stays on the 3 point shooter better, but it creates mismatches. The only reason we don't get hurt more when bigs slip that screen is that other teams are just as poor at fundamental basketball as we are these days, not making the right pass at the right time. We should get burned a lot more when WCS has to switch out high and Aaron or Andrew are on their 5.

I honestly prefer man to man myself, just as I prefer motion offense, but a key constraint on us this year is having a young, tall but maybe a bit slower roster. It screams zone so loud we have to take a hard look at it.

Putting Rondo in a zone is a waste, but for Andrew or Jarod it may make a lot of sense. Gotta play the hand you have.

[jazyd]

Since Cal mentioned Jarod and Andrew by name I want each of you to watch something when we go into a zone. It may have improved since MSU in Starkville but when we were in the zone second half I watched jarod and Andrew both out front, they were in the game together at that point. I asked my MSU buddy what he saw, said white kid is moving his feet and on his toes going side to side, black kid is flat footed...which is exactly what I saw. So watch them if in together or even separate and see if Andrew is still flat footed and not moving well and jarod is up on his toes and moving. thought it was interesting that Ed saw the same thing.

[MickintheHam]

If the theory is that a zone means the other team makes more 3s, I don't think that's necessarily so. Syracuse plays zone exclusively, and here's their national ranking in 3-pt FG% D the last 5 seasons:

2010: 22
2011: 29
2012: 47
2013: 3
2014 (to date): 171

So you've got 4 years of strong-to-elite 3-pt D, with this year being an outlier.

I know these are stats for a partial year in 2014, but do you believe Syr is seeing better shooters in the ACC than in the Old Big E? ACC has always seemed to play a different style than the big east.

[MickintheHam]

Since Cal mentioned Jarod and Andrew by name I want each of you to watch something when we go into a zone. It may have improved since MSU in Starkville but when we were in the zone second half I watched jarod and Andrew both out front, they were in the game together at that point. I asked my MSU buddy what he saw, said white kid is moving his feet and on his toes going side to side, black kid is flat footed...which is exactly what I saw. So watch them if in together or even separate and see if Andrew is still flat footed and not moving well and jarod is up on his toes and moving. thought it was interesting that Ed saw the same thing.

Ed knows an athlete when he sees one.

[KSRBEvans]

^Good theory--could be true. Or maybe it's their personnel this season just not defending it well. I haven't seen enough Syracuse (or ACC) games to make that distinction.

But I saw some tweets where Cal has been talking with Boeheim, so obviously Cal's thinking about it enough that he's consulting with the subject-matter expert on zone. So while we don't think he's using it enough, he's doing his homework on it.

[KeithKSR]

The shots you give up in a zone are dependent upon which zone you play, and how you play it.

I love to play a 1-3-1 or 1-2-2 with a big, quick, athletic player on the point of the zone. I'd put WCS out there and he is going to cover a lot of territory defensively.

One thing I like about the 1-3-1 is I can run my black press and fall back into it. My black press is a 1-2-1-1 zone press, with a quick player who has a long wing span on the ball. Instead of playing the ball the way most do I want me defender to have their lane side foot near the baseline, their sideline side foot 18 inches back in order to make the easiest pass for the inbounder to be toward the corner, where I want to trap.

[KeithKSR]

^Good theory--could be true. Or maybe it's their personnel this season just not defending it well. I haven't seen enough Syracuse (or ACC) games to make that distinction.

But I saw some tweets where Cal has been talking with Boeheim, so obviously Cal's thinking about it enough that he's consulting with the subject-matter expert on zone. So while we don't think he's using it enough, he's doing his homework on it.

Cal has things he likes to do, but is willing to make changes and consult the best when he does make changes. It was less than ten years ago when he adopted the DDM.

[jazyd]

Mick, Ed played in HS plus he has watched a lot of athletic games at State as season ticket holder in football and baseball plus he was impartial which is why I asked him the question


QUOTE=MickintheHam;156664]Ed knows an athlete when he sees one.[/QUOTE]

[Carolinawildcats]

Uncle Roy out coached K last night with his zone combos. Still a huge zone fan....especially with these Rules!

Peace

Richard (CW)

[Carolinawildcats]

By LARRY VAUGHT

For the first time in his coaching career, John Calipari said he is having a team work on zone defense every day. In fact, he said he’s even talked to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who always plays a zone defense, about the zone and Boeheim has praised the way UK plays in the zone even if Calipari is quick to abandon it if a team hits a 3-pointer.

“We are using nit. It has been effective,” Calipari said Friday of the zone defense. “If I had a game where I had to play zone the whole game to win, I would do it. I would love to be a guy that could do that (play zone all the time). But that’s just not me.”

Kentucky did use the zone more frequently in the Tuesday win at Mississippi, but Calipari joked that the pro-zone fans forgot that the Rebels scored four straight times against the zone to get back in the game the second half.

“But I am getting better at teaching it and understanding it,” Calipari said.

He said freshman Aaron Harrison is UK’s “best zone player” and said he “is like a cat” with the way he uses his long arms to create havoc with passing lane.

“You watch his brother (Andrew), and he is not a cat. I said to Andrew, ‘You won’t believe this, but your arm is as long as his arm and you could do the same thing,’” Calipari said. “I tell you who else is good in the zone. Jarrod (Polson). It has helped us.”

He said Auburn coach Tony Barbee, a former player and assistant coach under Calipari, said UK’s zone was good but that UK’s man-to-man switching defense limited what opponents could do.

“If you play zone, you know they will get off 3’s. If they make them, we lose. But playing man means contested shots,” Calipari said. “But it (the zone) is a good change up and good defense for us. It has been good.”

Yuck...that misspelling of the word "it" I never want to see again...."NIT"

Peace

Richard (CW)

[cattails]

Since Cal mentioned Jarod and Andrew by name I want each of you to watch something when we go into a zone. It may have improved since MSU in Starkville but when we were in the zone second half I watched jarod and Andrew both out front, they were in the game together at that point. I asked my MSU buddy what he saw, said white kid is moving his feet and on his toes going side to side, black kid is flat footed...which is exactly what I saw. So watch them if in together or even separate and see if Andrew is still flat footed and not moving well and jarod is up on his toes and moving. thought it was interesting that Ed saw the same thing.

Yep Andrew needs to get a better stance as you pointed out. One of the PGs responsibility on offense is to recognize the defense the other team is playing, zone (what kind) or man to man and match ups. That is a lot for a freshman PG, sometimes when it looks like we are taking to much time getting into the offense it is because of players getting into the right position to attack a certain defense, soft spots in the zone or creating mismatches in the man to man. I am not talking about when Cal milks the clock. Andrew is really growing in this area. I think he plays good man too man but has to get better in zone defense.

[cattails]

The real key for UK in playing a zone is not playing the zone but being able to throw out different looks and make the other team adjust. Glad to see he is embracing it, but I don't expect to see a lot of it.

[uklandrn]

I don't buy that the reason Ole Miss got back into the game was because we were playing zone defense. I think we get lackadasical at times - and this team has yet to learn how to play 40 minutes of consistent basketball. They are getting better though. If they put together an entire 40 minutes we can beat anyone anywhere.

[cattails]

I don't buy that the reason Ole Miss got back into the game was because we were playing zone defense. I think we get lackadasical at times - and this team has yet to learn how to play 40 minutes of consistent basketball. They are getting better though. If they put together an entire 40 minutes we can beat anyone anywhere.

I think that is spot on, but I will say this it is easier to get lazy in a zone compared to man to man chasing a player all over the court.

[ajp40505]

By LARRY VAUGHT
.........Kentucky did use the zone more frequently in the Tuesday win at Mississippi, but Calipari joked that the pro-zone fans forgot that the Rebels scored four straight times against the zone to get back in the game the second half.......”

Hey Cal, what about the multiple drives to the basket in several games when we couldn't contain the dribbler in our man-to-man defense? I guess you didn't notice.

[Darrell KSR]

I don't buy that the reason Ole Miss got back into the game was because we were playing zone defense. I think we get lackadasical at times - and this team has yet to learn how to play 40 minutes of consistent basketball. They are getting better though. If they put together an entire 40 minutes we can beat anyone anywhere.

I think that is spot on, but I will say this it is easier to get lazy in a zone compared to man to man chasing a player all over the court.

I think these are both right.

[Darryl]

I think that is spot on, but I will say this it is easier to get lazy in a zone compared to man to man chasing a player all over the court.

But, CT, given Cal's reluctance to play more than 8 players it is also easier to get worn down
chasing a player all over the court in man defense.

Darryl

[kingcat]

The zone has been a lifesaver for this team imo.

[CitizenBBN]

I don't buy that the reason Ole Miss got back into the game was because we were playing zone defense. I think we get lackadasical at times - and this team has yet to learn how to play 40 minutes of consistent basketball. They are getting better though. If they put together an entire 40 minutes we can beat anyone anywhere.

Exactly. It wasn't man or zone that helped them get back in it, it was transition defense where they got easy baskets before we were in ANY half court defense combined with just generally thinking the game was over 8 minutes early.