OKC Thunder Film Festival Episode 6: Enes Kanter – The passing big man

Feeding the beast:

One of the simplest rules in the playbook is this – to get a player open, get him to set a screen. Billy Donovan has certainly been putting this to great use with Enes Kanter.

Out-of-bounds plays are a great way to get easy buckets. Here, the Thunder run a simple but effective play, and Kanter gets a lay-up.

All four Thunder players start off flat along the baseline. Then, Semaj Christon darts outward as if to receive the ball. Kanter comes over to screen for Christon to curl to the rim, but Joakim Noah slides over to cover. This leaves Kanter with the mismatch. Brandon Jennings can only watch while Kanter receives the alley-oop for a layup.

This next beauty of a play is so simple, Russell Westbrook can just stand around on the weak side.

Adams gets the motion offense going by setting a cross screen for Kanter. Miami immediately switch, and force Kanter to catch the ball out at the pinch post. From there, Kanter seamlessly flows into a dribble hand-off with Andre Roberson.

Miami foolishly doubles on Roberson as he drives towards the baseline. He makes the simple pass, and even a help defender is not enough to stop Kanter from finishing the up-and-under move.

This play resembles the famous triangle offense.

Both guards form a triangle on the weak side with Kanter on the block. As the ball gets swung around, Kanter moves to set picks on both the guards, who pretend to cut across the court. The screen is frankly half-hearted, but there is so much movement, Kanter gets left open down low. The sliver of daylight is enough for him to down the easy jumper.

Point(s) made:

These plays highlight one common thread – employing Enes Kanter as the screener helps enhance his offensive game. The plays can run from as simple as out-of-bounds plays, to complex motion offenses like the triangle offense.

Whatever the case, game footage demonstrates even without particularly gifted offensive players, putting more hours into Kanter’s off ball movement helps him get buckets.