Fool's Gold: The Boston Celtics' Full Court Trap
While at Kentucky, current Boston Celtic head coach Rick Pitino established a brand of pressure basketball that resulted in a National Championship. Coining the term Fool's Gold for his style, Pitino's intention is not necessarily to produce steals, but rather to wear down the opposition.
Pitino is bringing this idea to the NBA with his young Celtic team--three of whom played for him at Kentucky. It remains to be seen how successful this startegy will be, but when it works, it serves as a morale booster for his inexperienced troops.
|
|
By overplaying the center, Barros (#11) and Mercer (#5) force the inbounds pass to the corner. When the ball is entered, Barros cuts off the sideline and forces the ball back into the middle. This keys Walker (#8) to "jump" and trap the ball. Caught against the sideline, the ball handler must try to throw the ball over the top.
|
Mercer (#5), McCarty (#0), and Knight (#40) rotate to fill the passing lanes. If the opposition breaks the pressure, they only have a few seconds to run their offense. The real rewards occur after three quarters of youthful Celtic pressure, as the opposition tires. This is when sloppy play and missed shots will tip the advantage toward the Celtics.
|
Note: if you do not see a moving play diagram...
download Shockwave.
|
|