The fast paced run-and-gun style of basketball built on the secondary break seems to be becoming more and more mainstream, popularized by Roy at UNC and the Phoenix Suns. More and more teams seem to be emulating this up-tempo style in college and the pros. Is it here to stay?

Is the secondary break:

1) A current fad, that will not last long as teams emphasize getting back on defense, and building success on solid D and halfcourt sets?

2) A style that will be used by some fringe teams (i.e. VMI), but will only be truly successful for teams with good coaching and overwhelming talent (i.e. UNC)?

3) The direction basketball is moving in, and we can expect to see more and more teams adopt a similar style over the next decade or two?

2/2/2007 10:35:56 AM

My vote goes to 2

2/2/2007 10:37:57 AM

2 because most fans hate defensive games. They'd rather see a shootout

See: NHL rule changes

2/2/2007 10:39:45 AM

2.

With 3 a possibilitiy.

It might shift towards that, and some time in the future people will be asking the same question when a few teams start winning using a slower game and half court sets.

2/2/2007 10:40:25 AM

not alot of teams have the personel to run it though.

2/2/2007 10:44:55 AM

the Suns or somebody is gonna have to win a title with it before a lot of other coaches are like "you know what...this might actually work"

currently most nba coaches seem to still have the "defense wins championships" mentality...because thats whats worked...but if Phoenix can get over the SAS and DAL humps this year they will mold the game a bit i think

2/2/2007 10:46:18 AM

It only works if you got a good point guard and an athletic team. But its fun to watch and play in so I think that it is here to stay. However, this isn't really a new thing. The showtime Lakers, UNLV teams under Tark, Arkansas teams under Nolan Richardson have all popularized it, just to name a few.

2/2/2007 10:48:02 AM

I think more and more teams will begin to utilize it but like some others have said (albeit misspelled) its really a matter of personnel.

Not many teams have guys who can play big defensively like Marion, Stoudamire, Diaw but have the athleticism to play the style.

I think it will mostly be a fringe thing and a select few teams will be able to use it and win with it.

THe Toronto Raptors attempted to use it this season...started 0-4 and scrapped it immediately.

2/2/2007 10:53:41 AM

i don't know much about basketball offensive theory. can someone describe the 'secondary break' a little more? what's the main element of that offense? why is it called "secondary" and what kind of personnel are needed to run it properly?

2/2/2007 11:02:39 AM

athletes

2/2/2007 11:10:46 AM

^^The basic elements of the secondary break are pushing the ball quickly up the floor as soon as your team gets a rebound or the basket is made, and running quick offensive sets before the defense gets set. To be effective, you need a good point guard that can push the ball up the floor, athletic slashing and/or good spot-up shooting wings, and big men that can run the floor and score in transition.

2/2/2007 11:28:52 AM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/grant_wahl/02/21/cbk.bag/index.html

good article about the seceondary break by grant wahl. there's a much more detailed article in this week's SI, but the online "b-sides" as he called them were interesting too

and as for the "fad" question that was posed by markgoal in the first post - it mentions that Dean Smith and Larry Brown starting developing the secondary break back in the mid 60's...and it's been used by carolina and kansas for about 20 years....

[Edited on February 22, 2007 at 10:26 AM. Reason : asdf]

2/22/2007 10:24:43 AM

The current trend is to chase the best athletes who are also basketball players, not the best basketball players.

So basically, #3.

Or:

Quote :

"athletes"

2/22/2007 10:59:35 AM