For whatever reason using the term conceptual offense gives me a negative connotation. It probably doesn’t help that following a recent segment with Bam Adebayo giving an on-court demonstration of the Miami Heat’s revamped offense he says, “It’s literally AAU basketball.”
Conceptual offense is part of every system. Doesn’t matter if you run a set every possession, or orchestrate through open motion; there are always infrastructural concepts instilled to offer guidelines for players to simplify defensive reads and help to hunt high-percentage shot attempts. What’s really trending in the NBA is the choice some teams/coaches are making to reduce the number of ballscreens in their offense. You might’ve seen the recent suspension imposed on Ja Morant after some signs of frustration during a post-game conversation with the media. Rumor is there’s underlying tension between the franchise player and coaching staff regarding the new style of play – and substitution patterns – potentially impacting usage rate or efficacy as a key playmaker for the team. The Memphis Grizzlies, similar to the Miami Heat have incorporated more of a drive-kick-swing read and react offense, as opposed to heavy ballscreen variations.
Bottom-Up Basketball
This is a theory, or an opinion; I’m not really sure the difference. It feels like over the past decade of watching the highest level of basketball, NBA offenses have been influenced by two separate entities: international scheme and AAU disposition. Let’s be clear, international basketball is not what I consider to be bottom tier basketball. AAU on the other hand . . .
This is less of an indictment of the prowess of coaching per AAU program and more to do with environmental constraints. With constant turnover of personnel being in and out of AAU programs coaches seem limited to a less nuanced style of play. What materializes is a hopeful concentration on spacing, moving without the ball, and gravitational playmaking. Which at the end of the day is kind of all that matters; less sets, more space manipulation with player movement.
Bring it back to the NBA level, and you have the best players in the world that often can not be contained in 1-on-1 situations finding how effective it is to induce domino defense just by aggressively trying to win the first drive or closeout. Winning a drive or causing long-closeouts is the death of the defense. On the flip side, if a team deciding to run a similar style of play lacks dynamic ballhandlers with multiple rifle range threats to space; it’s probably not going to end up putting a lot of pressure on the defense.
Talent Matters
Miami Heat started the season 3-1 leading the league in points and pace with the 5th best offensive rating. The next 4 games came against matchups versus the Spurs (L), Lakers (L) , Clippers (W), and Nuggets (L).
I was able to catch the Lakers game, where my biggest takeaway was, and then what happens?
Jaime Jaquez Jr. had it going that night finishing with 31 points, but the challenge seemed to be complimentary players contributing. These are all NBA dudes, so keep perspective none of these guys are talent deficit. However, Lakers seem to be intentional about clogging gaps inviting passes or leaving penetration opportunities only for certain players or profiles. That’s not an atypical defensive strategy.
However, Miami’s open motion concept then became patterned which is the opposite of what the offense intends to accomplish. Drive and kick, or cut the space to create wider gaps and longer closeouts ultimately shrinks to here are the only people that can play in space or shoot.
If I were a Miami Heat analyst forecasting the future, my guess is the Heat are using this as a base principle to use as a default setting for tempo and spacing concepts. As the season continues and personnel/role decisions evolve then additional elements of actions will get installed to layer-in selective complexity with sustainable identity.
There’s way more to this discussion, particularly pertaining the equitable usage rates with conceptual offenses over getting the best players the ball the most. Every level shapes a system to it’s personnel and the personalities within the locker room, but at the NBA level where money and job security is on the line there’s a lot more pressure to win the sprints despite the marathon. Stay tuned to see for any adjustments made throughout the course of the season.
Coach's Climb 