New Style Of Play For This Year's Team?

[shadow force]

“It’s just that in recent years we have confused a lot of (opponents) with our defense and our match-up zone — but now we’ve scrapped that and are playing 95 percent man-to-man.”

Pitino feels his players have the size and quickness to upset the tempo of the game — that rather than bewilder opponents to death with tricky zone defenses, he’s going to send his men straight at opponents. Try to snatch the ball and race straight to the basket to score. Then, before they can catch a breath, slap on a smothering full-court press and go all out for the ball again … and again, and again.

If it works, opponents, as the song says, could find themselves in for a hot time at the old house tonight. Even in their house.

“We did less individual work (over the past summer), and asked our players to do it on their own — so we could try to work as a team on a loose style of play,” said Pitino, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach with 745 wins in 30 seasons. Pitino also promised a change from a deliberate pick-and-roll offense to a “motion” offense that keeps everyone moving at all times. That means Louisville will be going nonstop offensively and defensively from tip-off to game’s end. But it has the long bench to do it, Pitino believes.

 

[real2it]

I think the scrap of the Match up Zone has more to do with getting the Newbies on the court faster. If they don't have to worry about their assignments and can just use their God given talent and react then that benefits the team!

As far as offense goes I think because we don't have a true post player that can dominate it works in our favor to use a motion offense.

 

[shadow force]

I think the scrap of the Match up Zone has more to do with getting the Newbies on the court faster. If they don't have to worry about their assignments and can just use their God given talent and react then that benefits the team!

As far as offense goes I think because we don't have a true post player that can dominate it works in our favor to use a motion offense.

Some good points. The match up zone works the best when experienced upper classmen, who have been in Pitino's system for years, bust it out at the right moments. We saw how beautifully that defense can work when every player is on the same page, moving as one like on a string.

However the downside is that it is hard for most new players to pick up on it and even harder to get everyone working it together perfectly. I usually have doubts when Pitino says the team will play mostly man to man but I think this team could benefit from it. They have good length and quickness to utilize it, and you're right, with the inexperience of all the new players, playing more man to man D would definitely be a benefit to them.

I also really hope that Pitino busts out more of his offensive playbook like he says here. Sometimes the pick and roll got way too predictable and opposing defenses picked up on it and could basically shut it down at times. When the easy buckets off steals didn't happen it could be hard for some of our teams to score with a limited offensive strategy.

 

[Cue Card]

I think the scrap of the Match up Zone has more to do with getting the Newbies on the court faster. If they don't have to worry about their assignments and can just use their God given talent and react then that benefits the team!

As far as offense goes I think because we don't have a true post player that can dominate it works in our favor to use a motion offense.

I believe this too. The strength of this team is going to be the guards and forwards in motion, and defensively they will have the bigs behind them if they get burned on the edges which will happen from time to time. The match up zone looks easy to perform but it's very difficult to learn properly. People have to adjust to a position on the floor at times and at other times man up. Knowing when to do each is tricky for younger players . I like that Pitino is saying he's going to push the pace. I would put in a 12 second shot clock in practice so the kids got used to running up and down the court. If you're going to play a fast pace game then you have to be in great shape. Run them until the coach pukes then run them some more.

 

[NENCHeel]

The Cards and Heels may have some awesome offensive displays versus each other....sounds entertaining to say the least.

 

[shadow force]

The Cards and Heels may have some awesome offensive displays versus each other....sounds entertaining to say the least.

Should be a good, exciting game. Looking forward to it.