Brooklyn Nets Post Trade Deadline Offensive Breakdown

I’m often asked who my favorite offensive teams are to study, and this year is the first season you will receive an answer from myself that contains multiple NBA teams.

Why? It’s quite simple, as my goal as an offensive minded coach is to get my players to master random in the most team centric and efficient style possible. A trend that has become more and more popular in the NBA largely due to the success of the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

I read a tweet awhile back when a reporter asked Chris Finch about the trends in the NBA and got this line from him when he stated that the best offensive teams currently are the ones that can master the random. I wish I could find this tweet but it was well over a year ago and I am struggling to find it.

Anyways the NBA is comprised of many great players and some of those players tend to be more isolation dominant than the lesser talented teams. Both can be efficient pending personnel, but as a college or youth coach the teams you should be studying are the teams with lesser talent that are mastering the random.

This year my go to watches have been the Utah Jazz, OKC Thunder, Miami Heat, and occasionaly the Indiana Pacers. However, post trade deadline the new team that is catching my eye that lost two high usage scorers is the Brooklyn Nets.

Yes the Nets are winless in two games since acquiring their full assets from 2 blockbuster deals, but I do believe their is reason for optimism and as a study I believe their offense will be a must watch going forward. Here I will breakdown what I have liked from the Nets Offense so far and what is catching my eye.

Random Sets/Concepts

Shallow Cut & Angle Flip

Nothing comes out of this set, but I like it a lot and the Nets run it multiple times in this game.

As you can see the angle flip creates the roll towards the shallow cut from Bridges from wing to wing and as Tucker the high man on the 2 side sinks in shading the skip to the low man, the fill appears to be open but the point guard already gets downhill significantly against the drop.

I think that the fill on the 2 side off the shallow cut would be a lot more beneficial versus aggressive coverage with the high defender already sunk in trying to take away the short roll.

45 Chicago Exit

Love this set to open up the 4th quarter from the Nets given the personnel and defensive coverages (an absolutely invaluable part to play calling).

With the Knicks big dropped and trailing the shooter this is a great way to generate a look for Cam Johnson. With also the gravity from another elite shooter in Joe Harris on the other side taking the ball side gap help away from Johnson’s drive. See how hard Josh Hart trails Harris to blow up the baseline exit screen.

Touch Out STS

Like this set alot to get Bridges going early to open up the game. I like this out action utilized as a scoring action like an Iverson cut to get a scorer downhill rather than false motion to create a catch like you will see so frequently from NBA and College teams out of Horns.

Penn State ran a similar set last year for Jalen Pickett which you can see below.

Double P&R Drop Attack (Slip 2nd Screener)

This is a pretty common drop attack that I have seen in the NBA with the big setting the second screen most commonly from teams like the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The most important key to this concept being successful is forcing the over from the first screener being able to create an angle to get the ball handler downhill.

Hedge Attack Early Flip & Reject

This is a pretty high level play and something you see more in Europe where the high hedge is more common.

The key to this subtle tweak is the big feeling his defender on his hip & is a wise read to utilize if the defending big puts himself in a position for a quality hedge already staying attached to attack at the level of the screen.

Another important teaching point even though it is not shown here on this play is that when utilizing a hedge defense, the mans defender coming off the screen is not supposed to give up the reject. Reject equals no coverage which can lead to getting burnt. The early angle flip will often force the on ball defender to readjust early as well leaving the angle for the reject open.

Mikal Bridges Gets

This is where we start to pick up steam and the Nets offense can get really fun. Brooklyn’s best player Mikal Bridges is not a dynamic ball screen handler or post up player. This is not the case for many offensive teams as many teams play through a dynamic lead guard or a skilled big.

The Nets have ran this out action for Bridges as you can see in this first clip normally ending with a single side P&R. In my opinion the better option for the Nets is utilzing Bridges as a get man rather than a ball screen handler. This will allow Bridges to get downhill, play off the threat of his outside shooting, but most importantly the get promotes the next action mindset in random offense as it allows an easier transition into the next action whether that is on or off the ball.

In the second clip you can see Bridges working the get off what appears to be a broken ATO. When designing your offense as a coach it is crucial to distinguish and clearly communicate who your ball screen handlers are and who your get guys are.

Utilizing Perimeter Shooting

Spain P&R (Cam Johnson Low)

The Spain P&R is one of the most utilized actions within college and professional basketball which is nothing groundbreaking by any means.

Like many teams the Nets use a viable rim running threat in Claxton and an elite shooter (Cam Johnson) as the low man allowing them to put two of their starters to play off their gravity and what they do best. In these clips you see the Nets obtain multiple quality looks out of the Spain P&R against multiple different coverages from the 76ers

Handoffs

One of the more popular trends in the game is how teams incorporate their shooters with handoffs from bigs in order to obtain an open shot or an advantage usually coming off a drive or a short roll.

These are two sets where the Nets have been able to have some success. I love the keep into the turn screen especially if you are utilizing a bigger perimeter player with pistol esque spacing.

The pop into the spanoulis action up the middle is something you can see the Memphis Grizzlies utilize frequently for players like Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks.

Ghost to ES Get

This is a great set for a shooter one that the Miami Heat & OKC Thunder have ran. I’ve seen many other teams adopting this as well.

Leveraging Ben Simmons Early with elite shooting

One of the best parts about the lineups that the Nets can throw together is pairing Ben Simmons with elite shooting.

Simmons is filled with creation ability in these random scenarios early in the offensive possession and allows Simmons to play his true role as a screener, rim roller and an elite short roll threat. A role I thought he would always fit in the best with.

One of the unique elements to utilizing a complete non shooter is how opposing teams will play Simmons, with many electing to not guard him on the perimeter which in turn creates more openings for these shooters to create open opportunities versus a dropped big or short roll opportunities playing off their gravity.

Simmons Late Flashes

A pivotal element to random offense is having some type of safety net once your first side or second side actions falter.

The Nets have done a tremendous job executing this element to a tee with Ben Simmons. It allows the Nets to play out of splits, cuts, and handoffs later in the possession with quality shooting threats out of these actions and a more than serviceable playmaker as the hub within the actions occurring.

These possessions are far from perfect but showcase the value within these late flashes and the potential of what can be if they are refined.