Coach Mason here bringing you another great Dr. Dish Drill of the Week! This week we are focusing on change of pace scoring and some different options players have out of it. Chris Paul is best known for his playmaking ability, unique moves, and ability to create shots for himself and teammates. These basketball drills will help your shooting, handles, and pace.
Chris Paul uses a lot of stop and go and change of pace motion to create scoring options for himself and also to freeze defenders to throw lobs to his big guys down low. I programmed the Dr. Dish All-Star to make passes at both the outside elbow areas alternating.
The video belows shows the different change of pace actions that you may see attacking or catching the basketball in the elbow areas. Its very important to focus on where your defender is and the different reads you will have depending on what they give you.
CHANGE OF PACE SHOOTING
CHANGE OF PACE SHOOTING
The first action I worked on was the stop-and-go change of pace following with chasing the ball for the shot. When you catch the basketball on the elbow area or are attacking the elbow area, your defender will be on your inside hip usually trying to get back in front of you. It’s an extremely difficult shot to pull-up with the defender on your body. To create separation you can stop/hesitate to get that defender off balance. Once you’ve stopped your defenders forward progress, use your body against theirs almost like a trampoline to explode off and create space. As you are creating that separation you almost want to pass that basketball to the location where you wanna shoot. You will explode out and chase the basketball, gathering it and then pulling up for the jumpshot. Chris Paul is one of the best in the world at creating space this way and chasing the basketball for the open jump shot.
RETREAT DRIBBLE INTO PULL-UP
The second and third action included changing pace with a retreat dribble and a change of direction. We are simulating the defender on the inside hip again but they have fought there way back in front and the stop-and-go may not be an option. If that defender is fighting hard to get in front of you, stop on a dime to let them go by you. Then retreat dribble and make a quick move going the opposite way for the open shot. It’s important to explode out of that change of direction move to cover ground and create space for the open pull-up. This is important because one of the hardest things to do in the game of basketball is create space from a defender.
RETREAT DRIBBLE INTO STEP-BACK
The last action we worked on was exactly the same as the previous but we added in a step-back at the very end. Sometimes as a player you will be able to score easily because you have a poor defender on you. Most of the time you will have a defender that requires you to maybe use a counter to your original move. Great defenders will force you to option three in this situation. Adding in the stepback after the retreat dribble and quick move gives you the opportunity to lead that defender to make a mistake.
It’s crucial to remember that great scorers will be able to create space to score but great scorers also know how to create opportunities for their teammates as well. Counting on your teammates and trusting them will help you become a better offensive player and will also make scoring the basketball easier.
