Shock Mis-direction Double Stagger Quick Hitter

The game between the Seattle Storm and Detroit Shock last night was a game played between 2 different styles. The Storm are a finesse skill team, emphasis on running the break, shooting, and skill. The Shock are bangers, they play physical, knock you down type basketball. The tough physical style won out, by 10 points.

I took a few clips from the game in which you can see how that kind of style makes an impact. The first clip, is a misdirection stagger screen play which I diagram below, they key to that play is the pick at the end. The next couple of clips are a hard block leading to a fast break, and finally a Katie Smith loose ball scramble,



Mis-direction Double Stagger Quick Hitter:

I like this quick hitter play because like in football, I think mis-direction is a great way to gain an advantage when you wouldn't normally have one. They have the defense going one way first, it looks like a triple stagger for O2 going wing-to-wing,

Except, O2 does a quick change of direction (requires good lateral quickness). O4 and O5 turn around and re-screen setting up a stagger. The key is the last screen, you can see from the clip that she gives an extra pop sending Swoops to the ground,

The last screen might have been an offensive foul, but hey, if the refs don't call it, the play is good.

Summary:

As much as I like the Storm, they could use some of the physical toughness that the Shock have. Like player, like coach. Katie Smith plays the way Bill Lambier used to play. Tough, hard-nosed, take what I want kind of attitude. She's probably tough enough to play in the NBA in my opinion.

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