A Couple of 1-4 High Plays from the Jazz

All I can say is wow, what an incredible day of Game 6s. We have 1 series going to the climactic Game 7 where the Hawks look to stage one of the biggest upsets in NBA Playoff history.

There were 2 other great games though and I wanted to just take a closer look at the Utah Jazz and a couple of quick hitters out of the 1-4 high set they used at key points in the game tonight in their elimination win over the Rockets. The first is a UCLA cut to ISO for Korver, and the second is a stagger screen for a Williams 3-pointer, take a look,



Even for a systems coach, I think you need to have a few quick hitters that you can rely on to get a good shot off, especially during a key stretch of a game. Both plays occurred when the Jazz were trying to gain a double-digit separation in points.

1-4 High UCLA to ISO:

Recognizing a favorable matchup with a bigger Kyle Korver against Luther Head, the Jazz call a UCLA cut to ISO on the low block for Korver then clear out,




1-4 High Stagger for Williams 3-pointer:

In the 3rd quarter, Williams got hot. So he calls his own number on this 1-4 high play passing it off to Harpring and crossing over from the strong-side to the weak-side getting a stagger screen from Boozer and Brewer. The Rockets switch but Williams still gets the shot off. Notice that Brewer rolls off the pick and is also wide open for the jumper,



Summary:

The Jazz have the unenviable task of going up against the #1 Los Angeles Lakers. It's going to be a rough and tumble series. The Lakers will face a physical defense in the Jazz that they didn't see at all from the Nuggets. After facing a lot of T-Mac in round 1, I think the Jazz are prepared for Kobe. I think the majority of the games will be close and low scoring where big plays and momentum will play key factors.

If you like the 1-4 high offense set, a relatively new video that will probably interest you is Dave Odom's DVD on the 1-4 High vs M2M. Coach Odom recently retired from his job as head coach at South Carolina. Don't forget to check out the X's and O's Basketball Forum to talk hoops with other coaches.