Dario Saric Paired With Ben Simmons: The Perfect Set Up
By Bret Stuter
The Death Squad
The biggest challenge? Finding a lineup of NBA players who can play effectively on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court, as well as accelerate the throttle to take full advantage of the pace, space and pass scheme. The San Antonio Spurs, and the Golden State Warriors, have mastered the space pace pass quandary by downsizing their teams – in essence, by taking advantage of smaller bodies on the court to speed up their tempo. In Golden State, the lineup has achieved such notoriety that is is known as the “death squad”.
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But whatever it is known as, it falls back to the basic principals of the pace space and pass. Pace and Space takes the pressure off of one particular player, and enhances the magnitude of the five-man unit. It keeps the defense guessing. It camouflages players’ weaknesses, and accentuates their strengths. Drivers are able to get to the rim free of too much traffic in the paint. Off-ball runners are able to utilize several screens. Jump-shooters are able to get open shots.
With a Philadelphia 76ers team already under construction with big bodies like Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, and Joel Embiid, the small ball option of other teams does not appear to be the direction of the Sixers process. Despite the team utilizing their own version of small ball, and with very positive results, the team continues to press forward with the big bodies future. Can it be that the team doesn’t “get” it, or is there some ulterior motive for pressing forward?
Next: Saric Helps Sixers Pass