Luka’s Corner

While watching the regular season and the early stages of the Playoffs, I couldn’t help but notice that more and more NBA teams are trying to adopt a fast-break style of play, one similar to that of the Phoenix Suns. Such teams include the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, and Denver Nuggets.

This was all started by the surging Suns, who averaged 110 points per game during the season and are still running up and down the floor here in the Playoffs. But, you have to wonder if this style of play is actually successful. The Nuggets are already out and it is not likely that either the Warriors or Jazz will make it past the Western Conference Finals. Phoenix itself is having problems in their second round series and have not reached the Finals since 1993.

If you look at the teams who have won the championship in the past four years, when the popularity of the fast break game truly sky-rocketed, none of those teams were known for their running game and all of them relied consistently on their half-court game. I’m not saying they wouldn’t run the fast break if the oppurtunity was given to them, but none of the teams openly looked to run every time they secured a defensive rebound. The Spurs in 02-03 and 04-05, the Pistons in 03-04, and the Heat in 05-06 all focused their game on the defensive end and were more into executing set plays then running and gunning in the open floor. And you can’t argue against their results. These teams have dominated their conferences for the past four years, each has won the Finals at least once, and all have shut down any teams that are now switching their game plan to fast breaking.

I think the reason why this style is not effective is that it creates a weaker defense and makes the whole team’s game plan one-sided. The reason that teams like the Spurs are so great is that even if their shots aren’t falling or the team is having trouble executing on offense, they can still win the game by preventing the other team from scoring. You cannot do anything to change the Spurs’ game plan because they can scorch you from the field by scoring 100 points or shut you down and score only 80. And, unlike what I’ve said about the Warriors, the Spurs are not in trouble at all if the other team is guarding closely on the three-point line or not allowing driving lanes because you can always count on them outworking you in their low-scoring half-court game.

I personally think that if you are to win the title, you have to defend and not rely solely on your shot. That is never going to change. Yeah…running and gunning might get teams appearances on ESPN or might bring in fans to the arena, but it is the half-court game that makes teams, such as the Spurs or Pistons, successful in the world of the Playoffs.

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