Find An Action That You Love ...

After watching the Boston Celtics hit a big game winning 3 in an ATO situation, head coach Brad Stevens is beginning to get more and more recognition for his ability to draw up late game special situation plays. 
Upon seeing this play, in which a guard curls the first screen of a staggered set, and the 1^st

screener comes off the 2^nd screen, I began to do more research into this particular Celtics action.  I have found that Stevens loves this action, and the Celtics have used it throughout the year in various situations, including as a set play, a sideline out of bounds play (SLOB), as shown against the Cavs, and as a baseline in-bounds play (BLOB).

Half-Court Hoops is one of the best, most in-depth basketball pages on YouTube.  He does a great job of breaking down so many of the NBA's offenses.  He originally called this action: 'Horns Double Staggered Twirl,' but has since renamed it 'Elbow Boston' because it was used and popularized with Ray Allen coming off the screen with the Doc Rivers Celtics:

The thing I take from this is how effective can be to find a particular action that you like and finding creative ways to build it into a lot what you do.  I once read from a successful NBA coach that he often taught the same action out of different sets to keep their playbook simple.  Actions like the flex cut, floppy, horns, staggered screens, DHO into PnR, and other common actions can be used in different ways and out of different sets.  What that can do for your team is get them to be more efficient in what you do while being creative enough so that you are still difficult to scout. 

Especially with high school programs, having only a few specific actions that your team can master out of different looks can be very effective and hard to guard.  Below are some examples of what some call the Celtics.

More after the jump:

Boston Running 'Boston Elbow' in the regular season:

The last Boston game winner is not a new set, something they run often end of game: pic.twitter.com/bv1HLdLaKw

— Half Court Hoops (@HalfCourtHoops) May 22, 2017

Boston Running 'Boston Elbow' out of BLOB set:

Celtics also run the same action from Baseline out of Bounds (as well as a number of NBA/College teams): pic.twitter.com/PCwpe65x6q

— Half Court Hoops (@HalfCourtHoops) May 22, 2017

Golden State Running 'Boston Elbow:'

A Boston Celtics 30 video playlist:

Davidson Running 'Boston Elbow' as part of their Motion:

The same action is a staple of Davidson's lethal motion offense: pic.twitter.com/BpxVRTP96P

— Half Court Hoops (@HalfCourtHoops) May 22, 2017