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Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Basketball: How the Periodic Table Inspires Offense with Multiple Actions with Video Proof

Ideas mysteriously pop into our heads. 


Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev knew that elements were related and developed a "periodic table." The vertical columns also organized "similar" elements. And you thought high school wasted your time? 

How could we use the periodic table to generate offensive actions? We could lay out offensive actions on "cards" and shuffle them to generate multiple actions.

For example, include: 

  • Pick-and-roll
  • Give-and-go
  • Backdoor cut
  • Open a gap
  • Off-ball-screen
  • Dribble handoff (DHO)
  • Multiple screens (e.g. screen-the-screener, screen-the-roller, Iverson cut)
  • Inside-outside passing
Build two sets of cards. Shuffle. You get Pick-and-roll and Inside-outside passing.


Voila! You get the short roll pass (above). 

Next, you draw back cut and DHO


The Clippers oblige with a "5 out" set, cutter, and DHO actions. 


DHO into ballscreen with off-ball screen as an option? T'Wolves run it. 


Open a gap into high pick-and-roll from spread or horns? Heck, everyone operates that. 


Iverson "plus." BBallBreakdown shares how the Cavs create out of the Iverson base action


It's easy to be a "couch coach" but I love seeing coaches "shuffle the deck" to create open shots. 

Lagniappe. Excellent players want the truth. Tell it, take it, live it.