5 ways to implement the most lethal shot into your offense

These past few weeks I took you along on a little journey through analytics.  This time I want to make the bridge to the basketball court.  Where many statistical analysis stop, I want to make the connection with the X’s and O’s.

In three stages, I explained why “Paint Assisted Corner Threes” are the most lethal shots for a team.
You can re-read them here:
👉 Part 1: (effective) FG% is the number with the biggest impact on winning 
👉 Part 2: Corner 3 is THE location that seperates winning from losing teams
👉 Part 3: the % of the Corner 3 💥 when the assist or hockey assist comes from within the paint

Enough about the numbers for now.  The question is how we can translate this to the court.  Continuously fill both corners and force all shots up from there?  Fill our playbook only with setplays with an option in the corner?  …?  Feel free to give it a try, but we all understand that this won’t work. 

Below I want to break down 5 ways to systematically implement this shot into your offensive habits.

Part 1: Drive & kick

Let’s start off with the most obvious one.  Many teams fill the opposite corner in case of a penetration.  When attacking the basket well, the defense shrinks all the way into the paint, making it a long close-out:

Part 2: From the post

In nowadays game you find less and less traditional 5-players.  However a real threat in the paint combined with passing skills can be lethal!  This goes both from a deep post-up or from a (short) roll after the PNR:

Part 3: After offensive rebound

What do you see so often on a defensive rebounding team when the ball goes down in the paint area?  Wing players start filling their running lines to run a fast break..  But where’s the blind spot when it turns into an offensive rebound?  Right, in the corners!  This is a concept often used in FIBA 3X3’s game:

Part 4: In transition

It’s very effective to space the floor right away in transition.  Therefore, the best teams fill the corners right away in their running lanes to spread the defense.  I really like the idea to have a fast rim-runner in the middle of the court to keep the defense honest in these situations:

Part 5: Drive, kick and replace

While all previous breakdowns showed examples from the Euroleague team using most effectively the corner three, this last bonus video is on the best shooter in the NBA.  When is Steph Curry most dangerous on the court?  When you least expect it: after giving up the pass!  You’ll see it every time..  When he passes the ball, his defender relaxes for one split second and raises his legs.  That’s when Curry sprints out to the corner to get the ball back and hits the corner pocket!  

For all of these breakdowns, I used a piece of magic, called “Coach Paint”. Hit me up if you want to know more. 

That’s it for now, have an excellent day!
Pascal.