Lawrence Frank is part of the Brooklyn Nets coaching staff currently; However, he has held multiple coaching positions in the NBA throughout his career, including multiple head coaching stints (New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons). Coach Frank is considered a great basketball mind in today’s game. These basketball coaching clinic notes are from when he spoke at the 2014 Coaching U Clinic. Notes were taken by Jacob Collins.
Basketball Coaching Clinic Notes
Breakdown Offenses – The Play After the Play
“Under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion; you sink to the level of your training. That’s why we train so hard.”—Navy Seals
“Play the game principles.”
-Principles and concepts of playing.
-Do your players know your Offensive and Defensive Musts?
Offensive Musts
- Attack.
- Play with pace at a high energy level.
- Move the ball unselfishly and make quick decisions.
- Value the ball.
- Execution—be committed to making the plan work.
-What do you stand for?
-What you want offensively is what you want to stop on defense.
– Shoot your shot.
-Write your basketball coaching philosophy down.
Terminology
-Quick Strike (1st 6 seconds—primary break).
-“Play the game.”
-Speed game—off made baskets—spring into quick set off makes.
-Specific sets—primary scorers to get shots in their spots.
-End of offense mentality.
-Play the game principles.
Big catches above FT line is called “Big Above.”
- Shot/Drive.
- Look inside.
- Move the ball.
9 things the “Big Above” can do
- Pass and follow.
- Pass back and follow.
- DHO.
- DHO back.
- Pass pick away.
- Pass back pick away.
- Pass and cut to open post.
- Pass and show your hands.
- Pass back and show your hands.
Offensive alignments
-Power = 3-out, 2-in.
-Spread = 4 out w/post Ball side.
-Open = 4 out w/post weakside.
-Strong= Strongside triangle w/opposite post at the top of the key and opposite wing in the corner.
– Duck in move—lock the back foot.
– Study the nuances of the great player.
-PnR.
4 S’s in PnR (Ballhandler)
- Starting point.
- Set-up—must be a threat to beat the defender away.
- Separation.
- Score.
5 S’s in PnR (Screener)
1) Starting point.
2) Spring.
3) Screening Angle.
4) Separation = Score.
The goal of PnR defense
-Neither the ball handler nor the 1st pass gets a shot.
PnR Ball Handler Options
- Reject.
- 2 attack dribbles.
- Reverse pivot.
- Hook pass.
- Step back and overhead.
-Anytime slot to corner = slot cut (shoot or pass quickly and cut through to weak side).
– Drag—PnR in transition.
– If teams down a ball screen, make the PnR higher and wider.
Options
- Spin and go off.
- Playing in a window (Post-half dive) Passer do not wind up—quick pass!
- Change angle/step-up into crossover split.
- Pop into DHO.