Philadelphia 76ers Coach Brett Brown Defense Part IV: Cutthroat drills

Brett Brown Defense Part IV: Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown Taught Australian coaches to run defensive training: Cutthroat Drills

This is Part IV of the series of the Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown defense. We continue to assert that he is a good defensive coach. So far, you have been gracious enough to accept that presumption. So far, I have not added any statistical data, in depth analysis, nor expert testimony.

While I do not plan to cover all of those areas in this article, I do think we have reached the point. I can’t expect you to give me Brown is a defensive coach anymore. I must now validate the premise.

And here we will.

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I recently uncovered a 2011 Fédération Internationale de Basketball, or FIBA, video featuring head coach Brett Brown instructing fellow coaches on cutthroat drills. While the video itself is worth the price of admission, Brown’s introduction makes this worth including in our Brett Brown Defense Series.

"“And I think, when you look at yourself, most coaches are either a defensive coach or an offensive coach. You know my influence has been defense over the years. And to be able to come and share some things with fellow coaches after all those associations that I have had is, as I said right from the get go, is a privilege, and is my pleasure.”-Australian Boomer coach Brett Brown speaking to fellow coaches"

Cutthroat drills

Brown introduced these drills as a staple drill for his 12 years as coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Calling them a staple drill, or swiss-army knife of drills in that they have a great deal of application and versatility in preparing players. It’s a drill that prepares players to face pick and rolls, pin downs, and post offenses. He calls it cutthroat.

The drill is “cutthroat” in that it is a perpetually active drill. The pace is frantic, at game pace. It’s based off a shell defense, and runs through five phases. In the drill, Brown acknowledges that the corner three is the third highest percentage scoring shot behind the free throw and the layup. The offense is limited to no post and no pick and roll.

Chat It Up

Brown encourages players to speak constantly. His perception of the action is evident as he runs the drill, and then narrates the meaning of elements of the drill to his coaching audience. The drill focuses on the half court defensive support.

If the drill focuses on post defense, the drill then requires getting the ball to the post before taking any shots. In this drill, the ball goes point to wing to point to post to speed cut. The drills also allow the coach to coach individual players on their stance, use of hands, and quickness.

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In the end, these drills focus on specific defenses. Defend a post? Force the offense to run a post move before going to the basket. Defend a pick and roll? Force one before trying to score. It was a clinic for basketball coaches, but exhibits the passion Brown has for the game as well.