The Imperative Art of Movement
- Cian Hamell-Kelleher
- Feb 14, 2023
- 8 min read
By Cian Hamell-Kelleher
Twitter: cian_kelleher3
(Credit: NBC Sports Bay Area)
This topic is of the utmost complexity in the realm of extracurricular basketball cognizance, so you may find it necessary to read over the following information several times:
Moving around on a basketball court is the easiest way to get open.
Did you get that? All of it? Are you sure? Well then, let's get into it.
Lost in Translation
Like most things today, the National Basketball Association is driven by clicks. Few things are more important than viewership, and what gets more views than an earth-shattering poster from Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant (or more accurately, an ALMOST earth-shattering poster from Ja Morant that flies off the back rim and gets talked about as though he banged that thing home and subsequently became the ruler of the Free World) put in a 10-second clip and posted on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok?
Highlights have been a mainstay of the NBA's success for the last 40 years. The utilization of key plays throughout a game, cut up and spliced into a digital summary with narrations from a host and airings on cable networks like ESPN have been a staple mode of sports intake for the common fan for decades.
This highlight-driven system has evolved and since been crafted to appeal to younger audiences using sites like YouTube, where 8–10-minute highlights of every game are posted during the NBA season, and the aforementioned Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok for shorter highlights.
These clips, however, are getting shorter as time passes and often focus only on highlight-level plays from big-name players, leaving the elegant, high IQ demonstrations of basketball excellence to be lost among the crowd, but who can blame them, right? In the end, clicks are the goal, and what's going to reel in more clicks; a 38-year-old LeBron James throwing down his signature tomahawk dunk on a fast break to put the game away, or a perfectly timed off-ball screen from Buddy Hield that generates confusion in the defense and draws two defenders, freeing up Oshae Brissett for an open spot up three?
(Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
It's not likely you would guess the latter. The comparison above is like having someone choose between watching Titanic or My Dinner with Andre. That was a test, if you laughed — one of those silent laughs where the air only comes out of your nose — at the thought of watching My Dinner with Andre, then you failed, miserably. Enlighten yourself.
But seriously, these less-exciting plays are taking a backseat (hell, they're in the damn trunk) in comparison to the flashy feats of athleticism. That is why I'm taking it upon myself to educate the common fan on the underappreciated art that is cutting.
When I say cutting, I'm not talking about some Bobby Flay julienne cut carrots or some Gordon Ramsay minced garlic, no no. I'm talking about Klay Thompson walking his defender down two steps toward the basket at a lulling pace before springing off of the third step and darting around a Kevon Looney screen to the left wing while preparing to receive a bullet pass from Draymond Green that gives him a shot window so small it would have Legolas trembling, but he hits it, as he has a thousand times before.
It's beautiful.
It's art.
It's basketball.
You Got the Wrong Idea
First and foremost, I'd like to point out a YouTube video from the channel Thinking Basketball that I came across when researching this topic. It's very insightful and gives a great video breakdown of how cutting is a forgotten skill and can be very effective, watch it here.
Movement on the court is of paramount importance, allowing teams to properly space the floor and create open shots, veering away from the oft-stagnant isolation-driven offense, or "iso-ball" that has become accustomed in today's NBA.
My favorite example of movement being overshadowed by more media-friendly plays is the Golden State Warriors dynasty of recent years.
It's likely at one point or another — unless, of course, your allegiance lies with the Dubs — you watched your team fall at the hands of a three-point barrage led by the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and NBA Legend Quinn Cook and thought to yourself, "Man, why can't my team have this kind of shooting?", but that shouldn't necessarily be your biggest worry.
When viewing these dexterous displays of utter artistry unfold in real-time, it's difficult to remove yourself from the revolutionary spectacle that is the Warriors' three-point style offense, however, it seems that many don't truly understand the reason for their immense success.
While a factor such as talent will always play into team success, the Warriors' consistent "Big Three" of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are all homegrown, and other than the three-year rental of Kevin Durant, the team has relied on drafted or developed talent to secure championships, even having endured a mini-rebuilding period during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, before the emergence of Jordan Poole and Gary Payton II, two products of the Golden State system.
From there you can look to coaching, and since Steve Kerr's hiring before the 2014-15 season, the Warriors have ranked in the top three in 3pt% in six of nine seasons, with two of those seasons outside the top three coming during their "rebuilding period". This may be a testament to a roster of good shooters, but I believe it to be more a testament to the coaching staff in Golden State for this reason: since tracking began in the 2015-'16 season, the Warriors have ranked 1st in off-ball screen frequency every season.
Over this stretch, the Warriors have participated in five of seven NBA Finals and won three, more than any other team. It's their ability to move with such precision that leads to their high 3pt% and success as a team.
This takes us back to the complex topic introduced in the second line: Moving around on a basketball court is the easiest way to get open. Surely on the surface, this seems elementary, and that was the goal, but there's more to "moving around" than I lead you to believe with that statement.
Actively Reactive
The key to movement on a basketball court is reactivity. Based on the positioning of a defender or their reaction to a subtle movement, an offensive player should be able to decipher what the optimal next move is.
In this situation from a recent game between the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks, you'll see Knicks forward Obi Toppin in the bottom right corner being guarded by Nets guard Joe Harris. Up top, a screen is set by Isaiah Hartenstein for ball-handler Immanuel Quickley, but Quickley refuses it and goes to his left instead, causing a pause in the defense and leaving Harris to choose between defending Quickley or staying with Toppin, now watch what happens.
Harris shifts his vision and moves towards Quickley, which is all Toppin needs to recognize that Mr. Harris has left the back door open, and from there, climbs to the top shelf where Mama hides the cookies.
Often, it is a player's movement without the ball that will free them from a defender. In the video below, San Antonio Spurs forward Keita Bates-Diop swings an entry pass to Zach Collins which appears to initiate the offense as Bates-Diop then goes in the direction of guard Keldon Johnson to set a routine off-ball screen. Cavaliers forward Caris LeVert, who was defending Bates-Diop, sees this as an opportunity to double-team Collins and steps in his direction, now watch what Bates-Diop does.
As soon as LeVert lifts his right foot, Bates-Diop slips away from setting the screen and cuts to the basket for an easy layup, a simple reactionary play that leads to two easy points.
There are many great movers in the NBA like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, but oftentimes, some of the league's best aren't properly respected for mastering their craft, so here are two of my favorites.
Buddy Hield: 2 Dribbles or Less
When properly executed few things are more visually appealing than well-timed off-ball movement on a basketball court.
As a career 16/4/2.5 player, Buddy Hield's numbers aren't the most exciting to look at, but as a 40% shooter from beyond the arc, he has always been a deep-range weapon, especially in the catch-and-shoot game where he shoots around 43%.
Hield's patience with the basketball allows him to be so efficient in low-dribble count situations. Similar to Klay Thompson, he utilizes his dribble mostly to realign himself after a shot fake like the one below:
However, he doesn't exclusively rely upon up fakes for separation and will at times use his limited dribbles to create an open shot:
In these 0-2 dribble situations, Hield is shooting 43.8% from deep, and as a whole, currently leads the league in three-point field goals.
Hield's spatial awareness and understanding of when to cut and when to let a play develop are well-advanced and at times this season has appeared to rub off on younger teammates like Aaron Nesmith.
In this clip, you'll see an isolation possession for Indiana as Pacers Guard Andrew Nembhard backs down Cavaliers guard Darius Garland. The four Cleveland defenders on the furthest side of the floor are in a good position in case their man tries to sneak a back door cut, there doesn't seem to be much to worry about until Nembhard fumbles his dribble for a second. This split-second play causes all four defenders to turn their heads at Nembhard and Garland and sink toward the baseline. Hield, recognizing a lapse in the defense, synchronously weaves his way to the opposite corner before any of the Cavs can react. Nembhard completes a strike to Hield, and I'll let you watch the rest yourself:
An easy bucket and all five Cavaliers are posted up in the paint trying to figure out what the hell just happened like an 18-year-old that fell asleep for the first 20 minutes of Inception (it's not that confusing, just watch the movie).
The combination of Hield's ability to shoot and cut often opens up opportunities for teammates as he will draw an extra defender with off-ball action. He may not produce high assist numbers, but his movement alone creates open shots without him ever touching the ball.
Red Velvet's Rise
Kevin Huerter is best known for his appearance: crisp red hair, double-leg sleeves, and signature headband there aren't many players in the league that resemble Red Velvet, and the same goes for his play.
His first four seasons in Atlanta were quiet outside of a big performance in the playoffs to help send the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals. In the most recent offseason, Huerter was dealt to the Sacramento Kings. If it were any other year, hearing a player was traded to the Kings would sound like a travesty for their career, but under new head coach Mike Brown, the Kings have been rolling.
Brown, the former 2006-07 Coach of the Year award winner in Cleveland, spent the past six seasons as an assistant coach in... you guessed it, Golden State.
In his first offseason as head coach, Brown saw the potential of a quick-release shooter with no fear and cooked up a damn masterclass in movement.
This season, Huerter leads the NBA in dribble-handoff frequency at 24.6% while averaging 3.7 Points Per Game from them as well.
These play types are vital, not just for Huerter, but for the Kings as well, because of his ability to stop on a dime and hit the three, attack off the dribble, or draw the defense and create an open look for a teammate. All examples are below:
Huerter's growth in Sacramento is just the beginning for him as an offensive force in the NBA, and with flashes of postseason success, he should prove vital down the stretch for the Kings.
Watching with Intent
This is not an attempt to make watching basketball feel like a chore, and I don't expect you to go out and analyze every bit of basketball that you take in, and I can only hope that when you're watching your son or daughter's 7-year-old basketball game you'll stop and think, "Wow, the Johnson's kid has deft footwork and a real knack for creating space with sharp, subtle movements."
Maybe, just maybe, keep your eyes glued to the television next time you check out your favorite team, and you might pick up on something really interesting to say, like, "Santi Aldama has been an impactful rotational piece for the Grizzlies this season and looks like he can be a serviceable NBA starter", instead of, "Yo, you see Tatum last night?"
Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for analysis and education.
Sites used in this blog are NBA.com, YouTube.com, and Basketball-Reference (check archive page for links)
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