JJ Redick and Duncan Robinson Breakdown The Art Creating Shots For Spot-Up Shooter

Summary

In this insightful conversation, the speakers delve into the art of shooting in basketball, discussing the evolution of defensive strategies against skilled shooters. They explore the importance of creativity in shot creation, the impact of physicality in playoff games, and the mental fortitude required to maintain consistency during shooting slumps. The dialogue highlights the persistence needed to hunt for quality shots and the significance of habits in developing shooting skills, emphasizing the balance between effort and overcompensation.

Takeaways

• 🏀 The importance of creativity in shot creation: Players labeled as 'spot up shooters' need to develop skills to create their own shots as defenders adapt to their shooting prowess.
• 🔍 Evolution of defensive strategies: The speaker notes an increase in physicality, particularly in the playoffs, with defenders getting more aggressive in disrupting shots and handoffs.
• 💡 Persistence in shot attempts: Despite defenses shutting down initial shot opportunities, the speaker emphasizes the need to keep trying different tactics to get open and take quality shots.
• 🚀 The advantage of height and release point: Tall players with a higher release point can still get their shots off even when tightly defended, which is a significant advantage.
• 🎯 Second action as a harder defense to guard: The speaker discusses the effectiveness of the 'second action' in creating more challenging shots for defenders to contest.
• 🤔 The mental challenge of shooting slumps: The speaker shares personal experiences with shooting slumps and the mental fortitude required to maintain consistency despite poor performance.
• 🧘‍♂️ Consistency through routine: The importance of treating shooting as a habit, performing the same routine daily, whether after a good or bad game, to maintain consistency.
• 🚫 Avoiding overcompensation: The speaker advises against taking extra shots during a slump as it can disrupt the established routine and habits that should be the focus for improvement.
• 📉 Accepting the natural fluctuation of performance: Recognizing that performance will naturally vary and that both great and poor games are part of the process.
• 🤝 Teamwork in creating opportunities: The script mentions the collaborative efforts between players, like passing the ball back and forth, to create open shot opportunities.
• 🔄 The inevitability of defensive mistakes: The belief that continuous action and movement will eventually lead to a defensive error, providing an opportunity for a shot.

Q & A

How has the defensive coverage against the player evolved over time?

Defensive coverage has become more physical, especially during playoffs. Defenders now get more into the player's body, particularly when coming off handoffs, trying to blow up screens, and using strength to disrupt the player.

What is 'top locking' in basketball, and how has it been used against the player?

'Top locking' is a defensive strategy where the defender positions themselves above the player, preventing them from coming off screens easily. The player noticed less top locking this year compared to the playoffs and the bubble.

What strategies does the player use to create shots despite tight defensive coverage?

The player uses creativity and persistence to generate shots. This includes using second actions like cutting down and coming back to the ball or executing 'throw and go' actions to exploit defensive mistakes and get open shots.

What is a 'throw and go' action, and why is it effective?

'Throw and go' is when the player passes the ball, cuts, and then receives another handoff. It exploits the defender's position, making it difficult for them to recover and contest the shot effectively.

How does the player maintain consistency in their shooting routine?

The player treats their shooting craft as a habit, doing the same routine every day regardless of game outcomes. This consistency helps balance out performance over time without overcompensating for poor games.

What is the player's perspective on shooting slumps?

The player acknowledges that slumps are frustrating, especially when everything feels the same except the result. They emphasize maintaining mental fortitude and sticking to consistent routines to eventually break out of slumps.

How did the player handle a major shooting slump they experienced?

During a significant slump in January last year, the player focused on maintaining their routine and not getting caught up in the results. They emphasized consistency and not overcompensating by changing their practice habits.

What is the importance of persistence in shooting according to the player?

Persistence is crucial as it involves continuing to seek out shots even if the initial action is shut down. By keeping the defense engaged and running through multiple actions, the player increases their chances of finding open shots.

How does the player view extra shooting practice after a bad game?

The player believes that additional shooting practice after a bad game suggests that their regular routine isn't sufficient. They prefer to trust their established habits and routines to ensure consistency in their shooting performance.

What comparison does the player make to emphasize the importance of consistent practice routines?

The player compares shooting to a pendulum, where good and bad shooting nights balance out. They argue that just as one wouldn't take extra shots after an excellent performance, one shouldn't feel the need to do so after a poor one, trusting instead in their consistent practice.

Outlines

00:00

🏀 Evolution of Shooting and Defense Tactics

The speaker discusses the evolution of how defenses cover elite shooters, emphasizing the importance of creativity in shot creation. They mention the shift from being labeled as 'spot up shooters' to developing skills to create space and opportunities for successful shots. The conversation delves into the adjustments made in the playoffs, particularly the increased physicality and the strategies to counteract it, such as using second actions and persistence in shot hunting. The speaker also touches on the mental aspect of shooting, highlighting the need for consistency and the challenges of maintaining performance levels through slumps.

05:01

🔄 The Challenge of Consistency in Shooting

This paragraph focuses on the challenges shooters face in maintaining consistency, especially during slumps. The speaker shares personal experiences of shooting slumps and the importance of mental fortitude in not getting caught up in the results. They advocate for treating shooting as a habit, performing the same routine daily to ensure consistency. The speaker also discusses the futility of overcompensating with extra shots during a slump, instead emphasizing the importance of relying on established habits and routines. The conversation reflects on the highs and lows of performance in the NBA, where a player can feel unstoppable one week and struggle the next, and the need to trust the process during both periods.

10:02

🎯 The Role of Persistence and Routine in Shooting

In this brief paragraph, the speaker continues the discussion on the importance of persistence and routine in achieving consistency in shooting. They suggest that the key to overcoming slumps and maintaining a high level of performance is to adhere to the same daily habits and routines, regardless of the outcome of games. The speaker also implies that the consistency of these habits is crucial for long-term success in professional basketball.

Keywords

💡Coverage

In basketball, 'coverage' refers to the defensive strategies employed by a team to guard against the offensive moves of the opposing team. In the context of the video, it is about how the way defenders cover shooters has evolved, with a focus on the physicality and tactics used to disrupt the shooter's rhythm. The script mentions that 'the coverage changed can cause' and discusses how players have to adapt to different defensive strategies.

💡Spot Up Shooters

A 'spot up shooter' is a basketball player who is positioned in a fixed spot on the court, ready to receive the ball and shoot. The script discusses how players who are labeled as spot up shooters are often perceived as less creative, but in reality, they need to be adept at creating their own shot opportunities, which is a key theme of the video.

💡Craft in Creating Shots

This phrase highlights the skill and strategy involved in creating opportunities to take a shot in basketball. It is not just about standing in one place but about using tactics to get open for a shot. The script emphasizes the importance of this craft, especially for players who have reached a high level of shooting prestige.

💡Physicality

In the context of the video, 'physicality' refers to the intensity and physical contact used by defenders to disrupt the offensive player's movements. The script notes an increase in physicality in the playoffs, with defenders getting into the bodies of shooters, particularly when coming off handoffs.

💡Top Locking

'Top Locking' is a defensive strategy where a defender locks onto an offensive player at the top of the key, preventing them from driving to the basket. The script discusses how this strategy has been used against the speaker and how it can be countered with creativity.

💡Pickup Point

The 'pickup point' is the location on the court where an offensive player begins their movement, typically in relation to the ball handler. The script mentions the importance of the pickup point in terms of how a defender guards a shooter and the strategic implications of its positioning.

💡Persistence

Persistence in this context means the continuous effort to create shot opportunities despite defensive pressure. The script uses the term to describe the mindset of a shooter who keeps trying to get open, even when their initial attempts are thwarted by the defense.

💡Second Action

A 'second action' refers to a secondary move or play that occurs after the initial action has been defended. The script discusses the difficulty of defending against a well-executed second action, especially when it involves a series of quick, creative moves to get a shot off.

💡Shooting Slump

A 'shooting slump' is a period during which a player's performance in shooting is significantly below their average or expected level. The script describes the speaker's experience with a slump and the mental fortitude required to maintain consistency despite the temporary downturn in performance.

💡Consistency

In the context of the video, 'consistency' refers to the ability to perform at a similar level over time, regardless of temporary fluctuations in performance. The script emphasizes the importance of maintaining consistent habits and routines in shooting to achieve long-term reliability in performance.

💡Habit

A 'habit' in this context is a regular practice or routine that a player follows to maintain and improve their skills. The script suggests treating the craft of shooting as a habit, performing the same routine daily to ensure consistency, which is key to overcoming slumps and maintaining a high level of performance.

Highlights

The evolution of defensive strategies against skilled shooters, with a focus on the craft of creating shots.

The importance of creativity in shot creation for high-level shooters as they advance in their careers.

The challenge of maintaining rhythm in shooting when defenders close gaps and disrupt traditional shooting opportunities.

Adjustments in the playoffs with increased physicality and how it affects shooting mechanics.

Strategies for dealing with top locking and handoffs, including creative movement to get open shots.

The advantage of being tall with a higher release point against physical defense.

The necessity of persistence in shot attempts, even when initial opportunities are shut down.

The concept of 'relief threes' and their unpredictability in a game's flow.

The difficulty of defending against second actions in basketball, such as the throw and go.

The mental fortitude required to maintain shooting consistency during slumps.

The comparison between being a spot-up shooter and a 'hunter' in terms of shot creation.

The impact of compounding confidence on a player's performance and its potential to change rapidly.

The approach to overcoming shooting slumps by maintaining habits and routines.

The importance of not overcompensating with extra shots during a slump to avoid disrupting established habits.

The philosophy of treating shooting as a consistent craft, emphasizing the value of daily practice.

The acknowledgment of the natural fluctuation in shooting performance and the acceptance of both good and bad nights.

The discussion on the futility of taking extra shots after a particularly good shooting night, emphasizing trust in established routines.

Transcripts

i was actually going to bring this up

later but you you kind of just touched

on it

how has the coverage changed can cause

because

i i think for look for guys like me and

you

were were labeled by a lot of people as

spot up shooters

but there's a craft in creating

shots because when you get to a certain

level of prestige as a shooter

you don't necessarily get those stand

still your defenders in the gap

the ball handler kicks to you rhythm

three right that doesn't necessarily

happen a lot

so it's on you to get creative in order

to produce

shots that you can make and i'm just

curious to you like the evolution that

you've seen

in how defenses cover you and get nerdy

here

i love because you know people love when

we we break down the x's and o so

just in terms of whether it's top

locking or when when the pickup point is

or

you know where somebody's guarding you

when the ball's on the other side of the

court

things like that yeah um

so i i think the biggest adjustment

particularly in the playoffs in this

year that i've noticed

is the physicality i think that

teams have noticed that maybe

they've had success or other teams have

had success in

just getting like really into my body

particularly when i like to come off

those handoffs

the top blocking i haven't seen actually

as much of this year as i did in the

playoffs and in the bubble

um you know i think there's still ways

to get creative even with the top block

i mean something you do a lot

um you know when you come up the other

way on that same screen you kind of cut

down and then come back you're still

coming to the ball

so that one is basically still as

effective

as getting open so i think you know

there are guys i'm not going to

name too specific because i don't want

to you know give away like

who i think guards me the best or

whatever just because you know then you

have people looking at film and

extrapolating you know whatever um

but i i think when people get really

physical and try to blow up

handoffs blow up screens and just use

strength um because i for me

if i'm able to come off i don't really

view it as good defense because i still

think i'm able to get to my shot

and that's an advantage that i have

because i'm i'm tall and and have a

higher release point

um but i think you know the

i view it also in this way and you know

throughout the flow of a game you don't

know how many like

of those relief threes you're gonna get

in that

whether it be a offensive rebound and a

kick out or like a defensive mistake you

can't rely on those so if i have to get

to my 10 attempts

i have to i have to get to those

in other ways and being persistent and

that's a word that spo uses with me all

the time

is you have to be persistent and if they

shut down that first one

you're coming off the back side you're

coming up another way and just still

getting to the ball and still getting to

your attempts

i was i was gonna bring this up because

to me you've gotten really good at this

it's the second action

that's even harder to defend so for

example

let's say you come off um

you know you guys hit that play where

you set the back screen and then you

come off a dho

and let's say it's guarded really well

and you take that escape dribble

and the shot's really not there but now

the defender right he's going full speed

to

try to contest that shot so what you've

gotten good at and

this is what i was explaining to our

assistant coach earlier today about that

second action which you've gotten good

at

you take the dho you take the escape

dribble you got your guy in the move

you throw it back to bam then you come

back for that second handoff on

i call it a throw and go other teams

call it chase action or whatever

but you come back on that on that second

hand off todd wright

uh who's now with the clippers but when

i was in philly he used to always say

you may catch me the first time

you may catch me the second time but

there's no [ __ ] way you're catching

me the third time

and it's it is it's that persistence in

in

hunting a shot because there's a

difference in being a spot up shooter

and being being a hunter right

i i think that and that's why i talk

about

the most effective this defense is to

blow up the action altogether which mind

you is a really

really hard thing to do but if i'm able

to get

get to that first hand off even if you

take away

the shot on the first one that chase

and that throw and go you're more than

likely going to be out of position

to then reconnect and then get me off

the second one so

it's it's like you said it's almost like

if

if you get to that first one and they

take it away it's like great i'll i'll

just

keep running you um ragged and there's

funny there's like clips of me

and i've seen you you do it as well

there's clips of me from like last year

and

this year i don't know if there's like a

great sequence of it where bam and i

it just looks ridiculous bam and i are

just literally throwing the ball

back and forth to each other on this off

of the key it reminds you of that clip

of uh

from like semi-pro jackson different

scenario but like the post up where

we're just like only throwing it to each

other

just back and forth and it's just like

eventually

a defense like someone's gonna make a

mistake if you just put him in enough

action

yeah that's a good way to put it

somebody's gonna make a mistake it is it

is

it's it's this back and forth in like a

10-foot radius

yeah and everybody else is just over

there and you're just like

no i'm just trying to get a i'm just

trying to get a clip off that's all i'm

trying to do

that's all i'm trying to do have you had

a uh have you had a major shooting slump

yet um

i had one in uh january of last year

um it was like a a

seven or eight game stretch where

i just couldn't make anything and it's

so frustrating because like everything

feels the same

except like just the result of of the

ball going in or not and and that's

where you

i try to have like the mental fortitude

to be like don't get caught up in the

result

don't get caught up in the result like

just maintain like keep doing the same

things

and it'll come back um but

i mean i've definitely had slumps

throughout my career definitely in

college

stretches where i felt like i couldn't

make a shot but that was probably the

biggest one

last january i had a stretch where i

just felt like i couldn't make anything

here's what's crazy about the nba um

do you was it was it an ice cube song i

think

where he says it no maybe it was jay-z

it was all good just a week ago it was

all good a week ago

like the nba you have so many games in

such a short amount of time

like you can have like a three or four

game stretch and

i'm on a six game stretch right now

we're recording this um

a week before we uh we release it but

i'm on a six game stretch right now i'm

literally six for 40 in six games like

that's

i've never had a stretch like this

before and then you reflect back and

you're like man like two weeks ago like

i was feeling pretty good about my game

and sometimes in the nba it could be

like five days ago i felt like i was

unstoppable and then you have three you

know three game stretches where

it it can be really frustrating it can

be really frustrating

how did you get out of it how did you

get out of your slump

i mean it it cuts both ways in that

like the the compounding confidence

of when you are feeling good like you

should start to feel like

invincible and then everything's going

and you're right like it can just change

like on a

on a whim and then all of a sudden you

just feel like you can't make anything

um in terms of how i get out of it

i i try my my biggest and i this is what

i tell people when people ask like you

know how do you develop consistency

is like i try to treat my like craft of

shooting

as any sort of habit that i would have

and i try to do it every single day the

same so that

you know whether you have a great game

whether you have a poor game you're

still doing the same things

so at some point it's just gonna even

out and it's just gonna find its level

but like the moment i feel and i used to

do this like i used to shoot after bad

games

i used to do that sort of thing but like

now i feel

that the moment you try to like

overcompensate

is then you're like throwing you're

throwing everything off

you know it's like it's almost like okay

now now you need to get extra shots

because you missed

you know you went one of eight or nine

it's like

the work you put in beforehand the

habits you were building on it on a

day-to-day basis weren't good enough so

now you need to supplement your work

with additional reps it's like for me

like consistency is everything in

shooting and that you want

everything to be the same every single

time or at least try to

you know whether that be form whatever

so that should be the same

for your routine i don't know i don't

know if you feel the same way but like

it just do the same thing every time

right

i i've never been an extra shot guy even

when i'm in a slump because i'm like i

already

i already shoot extra shots i already do

all these extra things

to to work on it yeah and the flip side

of that too

is if so ideally right

we're the pendulum is like this for

shooting right

a good night is six for ten a bad night

is

three for ten or four for ten right you

you you can't expect too many one for

ten nights although i've had a few

lately

and you can't expect doing a nine for

ten nights right yeah so the flip side

of

of the argument you should be getting

extra shots up when you're in a slump

like if you're going nine for ten

would you go get extra shots up exactly

no you'd trust

exactly what you're already been doing

for however many weeks or however many

months or

you know for professionals however many

years you know we've been doing this a

long time