Things really get complicated when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and — to a lesser extent — Kobe Bryant leave their feet and then attempt to pass. Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns often gets away with this because he knows where his teammates are supposed to be and they move to the prescribed spots when he penetrates.
Spread-the-floor, attack-the-basket offenses are easy to learn, promote creativity (making them enjoyable for the players) and put pressure on the defense. But it takes more than a couple of weeks and a handful of games before one-on-one superstars learn to move to a shooting or back-cutting window when the dribble penetration is achieved.
Team USA looks committed to using the dribble against the zone as a method of bringing two defenders to the ball and creating numerical advantages in other areas. In theory, this dribble-attack mentality should have worked against Russia's match-up zone, but the U.S. players away from the ball did a poor job of making themselves available to the passer.
Against more traditional zones, the prevailing philosophy has worked. Instead of flashing a big to the middle for a quick pass and collapsing the zone, the Americans are using the big to set a ball screen, enabling Deron Williams (as the best example) to slide inside and find teammates when the defenders swarm.
Starting point guard Jason Kidd doesn't shoot well enough to be played honestly on a ball screen and Chris Paul — one of the NBA's greatest players — is bringing too much Globetrotter routine when a simple play is in order.
Team USA seems to deal with zones more effectively when Williams is handling the rock and Redd (right, obviously) rides the 3-point line to stretch the defense.
Transition has produced many dunk-highlight turns, but forced turnovers or bad shots by the opposition (leading to fastbreak opportunities) will be harder to come by against Spain, Greece and Argentina.
While I subscribe to the drive-and-kick concept (if player movement off the ball occurs), more pass-oriented attacks against the zone may be required. Maintaining that attack mode can be just dandy, but Team USA needs to learn the difference between taking the first available shot and taking the first available good shot.
