LA Clippers: The movement of J.J. Redick is a deadly weapon
J.J. Redick’s value to the LA Clippers goes far beyond his shooting. His very movement on the floor opens up so much for others.
J.J. Redick’s value to the LA Clippers is as more than just a shooter. His movement opens the floor up for the offense in ways that others can’t. Redick is one of the best shooters in the NBA coming off the best season of his career, shooting a league-high 47.5 percent from three to raise his career three-point mark to 41.2.
When he comes off screens, teams have to pay extra attention or risk him drilling a three. His movement is a weapon that opens the floor for his teammates and finds them good looks when he isn’t the one catching the ball.
Redick was drafted in 2006 as the 11th overall pick by the Orlando Magic, and was considered a player who could nothing but shoot. Over the course of his career he has worked hard to add different tools to his toolbox. He went from being a stand still shooter to a guy who can make a few plays off the bounce.
All of these tools make him the dangerous weapon he is now, capable of averaging 16 points per game with ease in the Clippers’ offense.
On the first play of the Clippers’ last preseason game against Sacramento Kings, Redick ran off two staggered screens with his defender getting caught being a step slow, leaving him with a wide-open 20-foot jumper that might as well be a layup for him.
The play worked so well the Clippers ran it again their very next offensive possession. This time, the defender guarding the second screener, DeAndre Jordan, hedged to give Redick’s defender a chance to catch up. Redick saw it and hit Jordan with a bounce pass as soon as he caught the pass from Chris Paul. This led to a thunderous slam from Jordan off of Redick’s movement.
The Clippers were not done taking advantage of the Kings’ defense on Redick. They ran a similar play bringing Redick off of a pin-down screen set by Jordan. Redick’s defender gets caught on a screen and Jordan’s defender remembers what happened the last time he left DJ to help his teammate and stayed put. The defender guarding Paul at the top of the key dropped down to try to affect the shot. Instead of shooting, Redick just hits Paul for a wide-open three at the top of the key.
Redick’s movement resulted in eight points on these plays and he only scored on one of them. Just the action of him coming off screens can result in baskets for his teammates without him ever touching the ball.
Teams will overreact to Redick coming off a screen and it’ll open the door for a lob pass if the screener slips the screen. As the best shooter the Clippers have, teams have to pay attention to him whether he’s making shots that game or not. Leaving Redick is not an option for the defense, and that is why the Clippers are constantly working to get him open.
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Redick’s tireless motion is similar to the law of inertia, “an object in motion stays in motion”. The LA Clippers have turned the sheer movement of Redick into a deadly weapon for them.