"Basketball is a game meant to be played fast." - John Wooden
"Basketball isn't a running game, it's a sprinting game."
Most players and fans enjoy transition offense, showcasing speed and athleticism. It gets everyone involved and use more players. Moreover, excellent basketball teams find edges in transition.
- Numerical advantage
- Higher points/possession in early shot clock
- Defense not set
- Shooting before zone defense established
- Rim protection priority opens perimeter shooters
2019-2020 Regular season points/possession sort for transition.
2020 Playoffs points/possession in transition. I was surprised to see the numbers hold up in the bubble versus the top teams.
What features belong to great transition?
- Transition is a mindset for opportunistic (easy baskets) scoring.
- Steals and strong defensive rebounding are the most common triggers.
- Efficient outlet (higher is better) or early push of the dribble
- Run wide (the Showtime Lakers encouraged wings to be at the sideline at half-court) to spread the defense
- First or second pass over half-court
- Look ahead for the long pass (video below).
- Attack the basket for layups or drive and kick
- Win 3 on 2 and 2 on 1 advantages
- Excellent conditioning
"Look ahead" for "touchdown" transition.
The Hoiberg "speed drill" encourages rapid ball advancement.
Transition effectiveness depends on points/possession and frequency. If you run well but little, the impact is obviously small. The 2018-2019 Raptors led the NBA in transition points/play and were in the top five in transition frequency (above).
Do well what you do a lot, which is why Dave Smart ranks scoring in and defending transition among his top priorities.
Lagniappe: Wonderful coaches in other sports like soccer show us the way. For example:
The Raptors excel not only after steals and defensive rebounding but after made baskets.
In this clip, Kyle Lowry scores early, at the six second mark of the possession.
Siakam attacks the rim and NBA spacing sets four perimeter players available for the open three.
If we don't focus on transition, we won't execute transition.
Lagniappe: Wonderful coaches in other sports like soccer show us the way. For example:
“It’s being able to get your message across as simply as possible.”
“Fergie made you feel important. Even at Under-9 and Under-8 level he knew your name and asked you about your family. He made you feel amazing.” Collaborate with younger players and coaches.
“At Man United, it was competitive, but it was fun. Sir Alex created an environment where the work ethic was ridiculous and players were allowed the freedom to enjoy their football."
“First and foremost I think it’s about being a good person. If you’re not a good person, people won’t respect you."