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Each week HOOPSWORLD NBA analyst and coach Anthony Macri opens his notebook and offers an assortment of observations on games, players, and teams from throughout the league. Coach Macri serves as a player development consultant for the Pro Training Center and Coach David Thorpe, working with a variety of NBA players on their skills and game understanding. The Coach’s Notebook appears on HOOPSWORLD every Thursday.

Putting the D in D’Antoni

Watching the New York Knicks struggle to start the season, it was hard to see any real fight in them on the defensive end.  However, during their current run of wins, there has been a decided improvement in their defensive effort.  More than anything, their commitment to making good, aggressive defensive plays is evident.  They are jamming driving lines to prevent direct penetration to the basket – a great sign of improved anticipation in their defensive rotations. 

This is almost a complete reversal from the way they played earlier in the season, when their olé-style defense allowed their opponents lay-up line access to the rim.  As a team, they are stepping up to prevent penetration, which forces kickouts to shooters.  The Knicks aren’t giving up there either, working to get deflections (and therefore runouts) and recovering on shooters with a sense of urgency.  Watch how active they have become on the defensive side of the floor by keeping track of the number of shots they contest.  Their previous level of commitment usually included a half-hearted swipe at the ball as an offensive player drove past to the hoop.  Now, they are getting their collective bodies in the way, forcing the offensive player to make a decision after he gets past the initial defender. 

This is the mark of a growing defensive team.  If they continue to develop, expect big things in New York, where the offense will never be a concern.

Fake me once, shame on me…

The Dallas Mavericks look to be one of the best teams in the league this year.  They are efficient offensively (assisting on over 65% of their made field goals), solid defensively in both man and zone, and do a great job enforcing a medium tempo throughout the game, a style that suits them given their mix of young athletes, older veterans, and talent.  While all of these things are relatively easy to see from afar, there is one characteristic of this team that isn’t as apparent to the casual observer.  The reality is, they use fakes as well or better than any team in the league.  It’s almost as though they are required to fake before making any real, decisive action. 

It all starts with two guys – probably the two most recognizable players on the team.  Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki both utilize fakes more than most around the league, and it has rubbed off on their teammates.  On most perimeter kickouts and cross court passes, possession of the ball and a shot fake go nearly hand-in-hand.  Post entries always include at least a ball fake if not a full body fake before the ball is shuttled down low.  Drives concluded at the rim often include a violent shot fake before the finish – unless it’s Tyson Chandler, in which case the ball is immediately thrown down with ferocity. 

Teams that find they are struggling shooting the ball would do well to emulate the Mavericks and their commitment to fakes because it gives a player a chance to gather his body, collect energies, and rise to finish.  In addition, they do an excellent job drawing fouls as a result of the faking game.  In many ways, by utilizing fakes with such regularity, the Mavs older, less athletic veterans become quicker and tougher to guard.  It is a strong mix in Dallas—one that could help them go all the way out west.

In boards we trust…

{AUTHOR_BOX}While some question Dwight Howard’s ability to shoot jump shots consistently for the Orlando Magic, there are no doubts about how well he rebounds the basketball.  However, it may be his dominance on the glass that gives the Orlando Magic an edge in nearly any game they play.  By being a constant threat on the offensive glass Howard keeps defenses home to team-rebound, limiting their fast break opportunities.  This doesn’t even count his actual offensive rebounds, which obviously have a major impact on the bottom line score.

However, it is on the defensive end Howard’s impact is both more subtle and more significant.  By being a physically dominant and fundamentally sound rebounder, he keeps the opposing team’s best rebounder in check.  This prevents other teams from getting the kind of chances on the offensive glass against the Magic that they normally get against other teams, limiting their second chance opportunities and helping to make the Magic one of the top defenses in the league.  Having more possessions than your opponent makes up for nights when shots are not falling, and Dwight Howard’s rebounding is a big part of that plan.

Penetrate the paint to produce points

In Oklahoma City, the Thunder had to adjust to life without Kevin Durant for their game against the New Jersey Nets.  It was an interesting contrast in styles on the offensive end, as the Thunder thrived by getting constant and consistent penetration, both off the dribble and by the pass, while the Nets largely reversed the ball and swung it around the perimeter.

Even without Durant, OKC’s attack was clearly more effective than NJ’s for most of the game.  Russell Westbook, Jeff Green, James Harden and company managed to get to the rim with aggressive drives from all kinds of sources – one-on-one opportunities, catch-and-go, and ball screens – and this opened up jumpers for guys like Serge Ibaka and Nenad Krstic.  Meanwhile, the Nets, save for a few bursts of made jumpers and some interior work by Brook Lopez, were just inconsistent offensively.  Despite these inconsistencies, the Nets managed to score just enough to force three overtimes – though the Thunder eventually prevailed. 

It seems a feature of the young Thunder squad to constantly be on the attack – an attribute that will serve them well as they grow and mature.  While it may occasionally get them into trouble against the best defensive teams in the league–forcing drives into strong defensive teams tends to yield bad shots and turnovers–it will serve them well against the rest.

Have questions for Coach Macri? Be sure and drop by HOOPSWORLD on Mondays at 2PM Eastern for the Coach’s weekly basketball chat!  You can also follow Coach Macri on Twitter @CoachMacri.