Billy Donovan’s Playbook: From University of Florida to Oklahoma City
By Shawn Woods
Flat
Flat is a basic set that most teams employ. The name of the set defines what the play is going to be, as three players start along the baseline.
This set is already devastating for the opposition because, in Oklahoma City’s case, this could be Serge Ibaka setting the screen for Russell Westbrook. From here, the screener has two options, roll to the rim or pop for a midrange shot.
If this is really Ibaka, then he’ll pop more than he’ll roll to the rim. On this particular play, Kentucky does a good job recovering putting a hand in the face of the roll man.
In Donovan’s “Flat” set at Florida, he had rules for the offense that could be applied in the NBA. One of those rules was when a player drives, someone has to fill the opposite corner (the Spurs have made a living off this in the NBA with the “hammer”).
The player that would be comparable to Ibaka then drove to the middle of the lane but Willie Cauley-Stein (a NBA-level rim protector) stands between him and an easy two points. It’s not the easiest of passes, but the player at the top of the screen is following Donovan’s rule by making himself available in the corner. Because his defender is worried about the drive, he turns his back long enough for the player in the corner to have a clear look.
A great pass from the roll man gives the player in the corner an open look. This might provide a player like Anthony Morrow with even more space to get his lightning quick release off.
Another variation of Donovan’s Flat set is when the big man rolls instead of pops.
Not surprisingly, it starts the exact same way as the previous set – one guard at the top of the key, one screen-setter and three guys along the baseline.
The difference on this play is the screen-setter rolls to the rim immediately after setting the screen. The other big man makes his way to the top of the key. On this play, the Thunder could use Steven Adams or Enes Kanter as the screen setter and Ibaka as the second big man. If the man guarding Ibaka stays at the rim to protect against the lob or drive, Ibaka has a free look at the top of the key. If the man guarding Ibaka follows him…
Notice that man in the corner keeping his defender from drifting to the middle of the lane.
Next: Wing Pick-and-Roll