Messina is an international champion and major Spurs' assistant. He teaches principles, not an integrated offensive system. Annotations to save time (although I hate bullet points):
- Critical to control spacing to facilitate penetration/cutting
- No spacing, no advantage; it is always about finding advantage.
- Find the where and the when of advantage of the 'weakest defender'
- Allow individual attack or attack by a teammate
- It is difficult for players to identify advantage
- *Never allow one defender to cover two offensive players
- Use movement to create defensive problems
- By 2 meter movement can create 3 on 2 attack on the front of zone
- Humor at 10:36 (worth hearing)
- Ball reversal value in zone distortion and changing angles for penetration
- Coach has obligation to teach different 'vision' and attendant options (see/react)
- "You are a good coach if you use me in the right way." Messina took the guy off the National Team.
- Cutting (flash) can confuse defense based on guard positioning.
- Knowing where to flash depends on the defense
- After the flash entry, relocation is important
- If the zone is moving at you, this may create an advantage.
- If the ball is in the corner and you dribble out and defender follows, there is opening behind.
- If shooter running the baseline, you can screen the bottom zone defender
- This can create post up action against the middle of the 2-3 if you don't screen (50:20)
- Because the zone moves 'on the ball' that may be enough to move players to open up lanes (because of defensive anticipation)
- If screening the high zone defender and it seems well-defended, it may still create opportunity for the screener (sealing)
- "The quality of offense depends on the quality of the passing."
