While Ben Simmons value to NBA teams is now under fire due to Louisianna State University’s absence from the NCAA tournament, his fit to the Philadelphia 76ers is as strong as ever. Why? He already pairs up perfectly with other arrival, Dario Saric.
Pace, Space, and Pass.
When you combine the coaching talents of Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown with the offensive ingenuity of assistant head coach Mike D’Antoni, the team will hear that mantra at virtually every intermission. It’s been credited to NBA coaches for some time – from the Sixers own Mike D’Antoni to the recent run of success enjoyed by the San Antonio Spurs to the current electrifying leave-em-in-the-dust flash of the Golden State Warriors. But without going into a basketball analytics symposium, what does it mean?
Pace refers to the ball movement, both up and down the court as well as the movement of the ball from one player to another. It is the equivalent to the “blur” or “hurry up” offense in the National Football League, a basketball team that does not pause, but rather continues to pass and move the ball quickly until the defense is out of position. From the moment the team’s offense takes possession of the ball, pace is the quality of how long does it take the team to score from that possession.
Space refers to the offensive positioning. Too many bodies within too close of proximity when the offense has the ball simply gives the defending team the advantage. One defender can now cover multiple players. By creating space, a disctinct amount of space between offensive players, defenders must commit to defending a specific, and lone, player. Where the defender goes, the offense can now go the other direction with the ball.
Pass is the easiest term of the three to frame. It simply means that the offense must either move with, shoot, or pass the ball within a short amount of time. The longer the ball remains static in one location, the easier a defense can converge on the ball, set up an effective defensive strategy, and execute a steal, block or rebound. Passing keeps the defenders off balance, giving the offense a prolonged advantage.
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