QuakrTrakr
05-09-2007, 08:22 AM
Why can't the Detroit papers write informitive articles like the Chicago Tribune? Things us Pistons fans have "Ben" wondering since last year!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-070508smith,1,2572148.column?coll=chi-sportstop-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
NBA
Defensive scheme successfully causing havoc
Published May 9, 2007
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- They call it HPTFZ here.
It's the Detroit Pistons' secret weapon that has turned the Bulls' graceful, flowing offense into a Dan Ryan stop-and-go mess.
"It's called the hyperbolic, paraboloid, transitional, floating zone defense," Pistons coach Flip Saunders explained after practice Tuesday.
Huh? That's what's beating the Bulls?
"Zone can be a four-letter word to players," Saunders said, and he's probably the most avid practitioner of the defensive tactic in the NBA. "But especially this year, we've made it clear it can be beneficial and the players have seen it as a way to help our man-to-man defense. They became more sold on it.
"You look around in the playoffs. A lot of teams are having success with it. Golden State used it a lot to take away Dirk Nowitzki. It can take away the pick-and-roll. A zone can make a team play how it really doesn't want to play at times."
Everyone can see the Pistons have outplayed the Bulls in their 95-69 and 108-87 victories in the first two games of their conference semifinals. But it's not like the Bulls aren't playing hard or aren't as committed as they were when they swept Miami. They possess the same focus and intensity, but the Pistons have thwarted them.
"Playoff ball is all about who can impose their will on the other team," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "We did a great job of that the first two games."
It's also what the teams talk about when mentioning experience. And a big part of it has been the Pistons' commitment to their zone defenses, which often look like a combination of man-to-man with help and simple matchups.
But the key has been the Pistons denying the Bulls their main strength of driving into the middle and then kicking the ball out to shooters. The defense packs it in more, which is not an uncommon tactic. But the Pistons are long-armed enough to stay with the shooters at the three-point line and, at least, stunt and force a dribble before a shot.
Their defense has left the Bulls with some of their poorest shooting of the season: 32.9 percent in Game 1 and 34.3 percent in Game 2.
It's a charted fact in the NBA that merely keeping a hand in a shooter's face reduces accuracy by 10 percent or more.
The difference with the Pistons is their commitment to Saunders' zone principles, which is rare in the NBA and a tough sell for Saunders, who never was a professional player even though he was a high school All-American and a capable Big Ten guard at Minnesota.
"A lot of pro players don't want to play it," Saunders acknowledged. "A lot of times it's tough to buy into. It's almost like it's not 'man' enough."
It was a big issue with the Pistons last season. Many believe it led to their loss to Miami in the conference finals and to their decision to allow Ben Wallace to leave for the Bulls.
Wallace, the epitome of the mano-y-mano player, resisted the zone defense as beneath his aggressive capabilities, and his frustration embarrassingly spilled into public view during the playoffs last year. Rasheed Wallace supported his namesake, effectively splitting the team.
That has changed, especially with the clever addition of Chris Webber, who was outstanding with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the Game 2 victory. Webber, though more grounded on the court these days, is a smart player, as is Rasheed Wallace. With Webber embracing the defenses, Wallace, long known as a communicative teammate, has bought in and the two have been vocal anchors for the system.
In effect it's a switching, helping, man-to-man defense that features reading and reacting, something like a defensive version of the Bulls' famed triangle offense.
Not surprisingly, it's a college defense, like the triangle, and the Pistons' equivalent of Tex Winter is assistant coach Kevin Wilson, a former Barrington resident who played at little Ashland College under the late Bill Musselman, who developed the principles. Wilson, working for Musselman, recruited Saunders to Minnesota and, with his doctorate in zoneology, has worked with Saunders to help the Pistons become willing students.
The defense's success has created something of an internal debate inside league coaching circles. Here's why: Many of the top pro coaches played in the NBA and aren't comfortable with zone defense because it wasn't permitted during their playing careers. Moreover, college coaches who come to the NBA with zone experience often don't have the credibility to persuade NBA players to change their thinking. Saunders has been able to bridge the gap by virtue of his coaching successes in Minnesota with Kevin Garnett, who was the lead in the zone there as Tayshaun Prince is with the Pistons.
The Pistons don't use zone exclusively, and it has several variations. It relies on picking up a man and switching, handing him off if he goes away from the ball or staying with him if he goes toward the ball. The key, though, is the constant court communication it requires, so no—Rasheed Wallace isn't yelling at the referees all the time.
Played effectively, it cuts off penetration, which is essential in running an offense, whether by going into the post with a pass or driving and kicking. The Bulls, though schooled, thus far haven't been able to respond, whether through lack of experience or just added difficulty with their shots. It's one reason Kirk Hinrich has been limited to seven shots per game and Ben Gordon under 10 as the Bulls' guards search out openings.
And they said when you got out of school there would be no more math. So far the Bulls are failing this geometry test
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-070508smith,1,2572148.column?coll=chi-sportstop-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
NBA
Defensive scheme successfully causing havoc
Published May 9, 2007
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- They call it HPTFZ here.
It's the Detroit Pistons' secret weapon that has turned the Bulls' graceful, flowing offense into a Dan Ryan stop-and-go mess.
"It's called the hyperbolic, paraboloid, transitional, floating zone defense," Pistons coach Flip Saunders explained after practice Tuesday.
Huh? That's what's beating the Bulls?
"Zone can be a four-letter word to players," Saunders said, and he's probably the most avid practitioner of the defensive tactic in the NBA. "But especially this year, we've made it clear it can be beneficial and the players have seen it as a way to help our man-to-man defense. They became more sold on it.
"You look around in the playoffs. A lot of teams are having success with it. Golden State used it a lot to take away Dirk Nowitzki. It can take away the pick-and-roll. A zone can make a team play how it really doesn't want to play at times."
Everyone can see the Pistons have outplayed the Bulls in their 95-69 and 108-87 victories in the first two games of their conference semifinals. But it's not like the Bulls aren't playing hard or aren't as committed as they were when they swept Miami. They possess the same focus and intensity, but the Pistons have thwarted them.
"Playoff ball is all about who can impose their will on the other team," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "We did a great job of that the first two games."
It's also what the teams talk about when mentioning experience. And a big part of it has been the Pistons' commitment to their zone defenses, which often look like a combination of man-to-man with help and simple matchups.
But the key has been the Pistons denying the Bulls their main strength of driving into the middle and then kicking the ball out to shooters. The defense packs it in more, which is not an uncommon tactic. But the Pistons are long-armed enough to stay with the shooters at the three-point line and, at least, stunt and force a dribble before a shot.
Their defense has left the Bulls with some of their poorest shooting of the season: 32.9 percent in Game 1 and 34.3 percent in Game 2.
It's a charted fact in the NBA that merely keeping a hand in a shooter's face reduces accuracy by 10 percent or more.
The difference with the Pistons is their commitment to Saunders' zone principles, which is rare in the NBA and a tough sell for Saunders, who never was a professional player even though he was a high school All-American and a capable Big Ten guard at Minnesota.
"A lot of pro players don't want to play it," Saunders acknowledged. "A lot of times it's tough to buy into. It's almost like it's not 'man' enough."
It was a big issue with the Pistons last season. Many believe it led to their loss to Miami in the conference finals and to their decision to allow Ben Wallace to leave for the Bulls.
Wallace, the epitome of the mano-y-mano player, resisted the zone defense as beneath his aggressive capabilities, and his frustration embarrassingly spilled into public view during the playoffs last year. Rasheed Wallace supported his namesake, effectively splitting the team.
That has changed, especially with the clever addition of Chris Webber, who was outstanding with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the Game 2 victory. Webber, though more grounded on the court these days, is a smart player, as is Rasheed Wallace. With Webber embracing the defenses, Wallace, long known as a communicative teammate, has bought in and the two have been vocal anchors for the system.
In effect it's a switching, helping, man-to-man defense that features reading and reacting, something like a defensive version of the Bulls' famed triangle offense.
Not surprisingly, it's a college defense, like the triangle, and the Pistons' equivalent of Tex Winter is assistant coach Kevin Wilson, a former Barrington resident who played at little Ashland College under the late Bill Musselman, who developed the principles. Wilson, working for Musselman, recruited Saunders to Minnesota and, with his doctorate in zoneology, has worked with Saunders to help the Pistons become willing students.
The defense's success has created something of an internal debate inside league coaching circles. Here's why: Many of the top pro coaches played in the NBA and aren't comfortable with zone defense because it wasn't permitted during their playing careers. Moreover, college coaches who come to the NBA with zone experience often don't have the credibility to persuade NBA players to change their thinking. Saunders has been able to bridge the gap by virtue of his coaching successes in Minnesota with Kevin Garnett, who was the lead in the zone there as Tayshaun Prince is with the Pistons.
The Pistons don't use zone exclusively, and it has several variations. It relies on picking up a man and switching, handing him off if he goes away from the ball or staying with him if he goes toward the ball. The key, though, is the constant court communication it requires, so no—Rasheed Wallace isn't yelling at the referees all the time.
Played effectively, it cuts off penetration, which is essential in running an offense, whether by going into the post with a pass or driving and kicking. The Bulls, though schooled, thus far haven't been able to respond, whether through lack of experience or just added difficulty with their shots. It's one reason Kirk Hinrich has been limited to seven shots per game and Ben Gordon under 10 as the Bulls' guards search out openings.
And they said when you got out of school there would be no more math. So far the Bulls are failing this geometry test