Steph Curry's MasterClass includes a chapter on Scoring at the Rim. Understand where you are "in relationship to the basket and the defense." He discusses the value of taking off high (above the block)...
As x4 comes across, 1 gets advantage by taking off on the right side and finishing with the right hand from the left side of the basket to protect the ball. He stresses the importance of a variety of finishes.
Wherever possible, he wants to attack between the lane lines to create more favorable angles. He says that it's a more difficult finish when forced wide by shot blockers.
"The ball is protected...the ball, me, and my man." Anybody watching the Celtics last night saw how often the ball got stripped on basket attacks.
When possible, "use your (inside) shoulder to protect the ball from the defender." Curry had just made a face cut across the lane and received the pass from Pachulia.
Curry shows how he uses a chair and passer to simulate coming downhill off a curl (screen) into a one dribble layup. He starts in the lane and uses his quickness to get the initial separation.
He discusses the value of floaters, preferring a right-left into jump stop which also avoids the offensive foul (above the restricted area)...but he demonstrates one-handed and left-handed floaters (too advanced for my players).
Unrelated video...the magic doesn't just happen. "The magic is in the work."
Additional unrelated video
Curry also shows a "side step floater," for example, with a left-footed takeoff into a jump stop going right into the floater. This is also an advanced skill that I won't emphasize at the youth level.
Summer practice starts tomorrow. Consistent and versatile finishing is a point of emphasis for the summer program.
