Lawson dribbles the ball down the court, Faried sprinting to the front of the rim. Lawson dumps it in to him, and he takes one dribble and throws up a hook over his left shoulder...swish. Afflalo dribbles the ball up at a fast pace, waits for the screen from Mozgov, and drives baseline to pass the ball to the corner, who passes it to Lawson on the wing, who "sets, gathers, HITS the 3!!" Lawson takes the ball to the top of the key, waits for Foye and Afflalo to set in the corners, then runs off a screen from Faried, dishes a pocket pass to him, who takes a dribble and throws a mini oop to McGee for the slam dunk. All of these scenarios are expectations of real plays that will happen over the course of this season. The question is, how will we get our points when the games go down to the wire? Who becomes the go to guy in the offense? Will anyone step up and become an offensive threat that we previously didn't recognize? All of my attempts to answer these questions are below. Three of the four pictures did not come in unfortunately, so I arttempt to describe the positioning for everyone.
*All images below via www.coachesclipboard.net
HORNS Set
1 - Lawson 2 - Afflalo 3 - Gallinari 4 - Faried 5 - Mozgov
This is the set I believe will be used most often, with Lawson being the most likely ball hadler at the top of the key, even though Afflalo and Gallinari are more than capable. Lawson will run his man off of one of Faried or Mozgov setting a screen. The other big will: A) Run to the rim/block on their side B) Set a screen for the man on their side in the corner or C) Run to the top of the key to receive a pass from Lawson if he has no passing lane to the first big on the roll or to the corner three. After he receives the pass, he should pass it to his man in the corner coming up to the wing to receive the ball, then set a screen for that guy, who has an option to shoot off the dribble, drive to the rim and look to score/dump it down, or pass to the top of the key/other wing where another 3 point shooter should reside.
This set should provide an open look on the perimeter or a layup opportunity no matter what if everyone moves with pace and uses their dribbles effectively and passes to the correct person. Hopefully this is our go to set because it is basic enough that we can substitute and run it effectively, yet fast paced enough to create good looks for our best players.
The biggest threat is the pick and roll duo, but all other options except occasionally the off ball screener are available readily.
Drag Pick and Roll
High pick and roll on a wing with two shooters in the corners and a stretch four on the opposite wing.
1 - Lawson/Robinson 2 - Foye/Harris 3 - Afflalo 4 - Gallinari/Chandler 5 - Faried/Mozgov/McGee
This is a situation where we are going smaller, looking to space the floor and getting up and down to run. This team will look to feast on turnovers and rebound opportunities where they can get out and run, and this is an abbreviated situation where the defense is running back just in time to stop the fast break, but isn't set on defense and leaves a man open due to offensive pressure. If one of our bigs get the rebound, they pass the ball to the PG while everyone else hustles down the court, then a wing pick and roll allows for the PG to penetrate and have a roll opportunity from the big, as well as three avaliable passes for an open three, two of them in the corners. The corner guys can use the baseline for cuts as well, which leads to easy points against recovering defenses.
This situation should also lead to some easy points in transition, and can be a way to isolate Lawson in a pick and roll set when he's hot by surrounding him with shooters and a big he can play 2 v 2 with if there's no help. It could also be a way to isolate mismatches after getting out and running.
The biggest threat in this set is Lawson, with secondary options in the corners and the roller, with a final option on the wing.
High 2-1-2 Set
Lawson and Gallinari at each wing, Faried at the free throw line extended, Mozgov in the short corner and Afflalo in the corner.
1-Lawson 2-Afflalo 3-Gallinari 4-Faried 5-Mozgov
Here it is folks, the biggest change I think we will consistently see from last year to this year: Kenneth Faried in the high post. We saw it a few times last year, especially toward the end of the year, and I think it will become one of our staples. Faried is expanding his game, and here's where he will work best. He has the strength to back down most fours, but not all of them. He has the quickness, however, to face up and drive to the hole either way and finish with either hand/get fouled. If he wants to get more notoriety around the league, it will be through this half court set. He can take the ball at free throw line extended and A) Drive and attempt a layup, B) Drive and pass off to the corner/short corner for a Mozgov baseline J, or C) Pass to any player and run a pick and roll from that position (not likely our Center though). This makes Faried the center of the offense, literally, on this set and he will apply pressure to whatever the defense does with him, even if he doesn't score everytime.
Out of this set, the biggest contributor is Faried, with Mozgov as a secondary option and Lawson, Afflalo and Gallinari as the tertiary pieces.
1-4 Freethrow Line Set
Afflalo at the top of the key, Lawson and Gallinari at the breaks in the 3 point line, and Faried and Mozgov at each elbow.
1-Afflalo 2-Lawson 3-Gallo 4-Faried 5-Mozgov
This is a set where I believe we can get an open shot to Afflalo if he brings the ball up the court, or get an isolated pick and roll between Lawson/Gallo and Faried/Moz. AAA passes the ball to Ty or Gallo, then runs to that side of the baseline and goes off a double screen of the opposite wing and big. This could create an open three on the other wing, or just confuse the defense while there's a pick and roll going on between the other two players. If creates confusion with multiple things happening at the same time, and lots of space with the defense jumbled in the middle.
The primary is Afflalo on a catch and shoot, but the secondary option is just as good with two members of the pick and roll.
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Overall, this is what I hope that we run as a group. With many offensive threats, players looking to prove themselves, and a diverse set of skills, our offense could beof the San Antonio caliber when we are running, moving through sets with pace, making the extra pass, and continually putting pressure on the defense with attacks to the rim. These are just a few ideas of how to create easy shots in the halfcourt, but what it will come to in all likelihood is a Ty Lawson pick and roll and exploiting mismatches all over the court, from Mozgov being bigger/faster than his defender, to Gallinari having the height advantage and getting to the rim repeatedly, to Lawson outclassing his defender off the dribble. No matter what, if Brian Shaw wants to strive for 120 points per game, he's going to need a bonafide halfcourt game to go along with the transition buckets he's now pushing hard for. Here's to a season in May and June for Denver.
