How Wisconsin Can Use Sam Dekker Better Offensively
Posted by Deepak Jayanti (@dee_b1g) on December 4th, 2014Even though Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker grew to 6’9″ during the summer and brought two full years of experience into his junior season, there remained concerns about his assertiveness during big games. He is extremely talented with a quick trigger and excellent form on his jumper, but Dekker seems to consistently struggle against superior competition and has a tendency to go through long stretches of the game when you wonder if he is even on the court. Last night’s loss to Duke was no different: In 24 minutes of action, Dekker shot only 2-of-5 from the field and scored five points. More concerning than his low scoring output was his sheer number of shot attempts — how could a player with so much talent take only five shots? While it is easy to blame him for laziness in hanging around the three-point line on the offensive end, it may be worth discussing if Wisconsin’s offense instead needs to better structured around him. A closer examination of last night’s game hints how his specific skill set within the offensive scheme is being ineffectively used.
Bo Ryan needs to find more ways to keep Sam Dekker engaged in the half-court offense (Jim Polzin, Wisconsin State Journal)
The heralded Badgers offense that averaged upwards of 1.1 points per possession last season is packed with scoring talent. Frank Kaminsky is as good as advertised (17 points) and Bo Ryan makes a conscious effort to give the big guy the ball for many of the team’s possessions. Senior guard Traevon Jackson has consistently proven that he can control the offense in the half-court and is not afraid to take a big shot during crunch time (25 points). Ryan called isolation plays for Kaminsky in the low post during the second half, and when double-teamed, he kicked the ball out for Jackson to penetrate the lane. This two-man combination worked well for much of the game, but it stifled the offense over the last six minutes when Duke finished off the Badgers. It is easy to blame Dekker for not actively wanting the ball, but every time he had it, he had no choice but to dump it back into the low post or swing it from one side to the other. Expecting him to take the ball into a one-on-one situation at the top of the key is unfair and could also disturb the overall offensive rhythm. Keeping this in mind, Ryan should consider supplementing his offense by running specific plays for Dekker in the half-court.
Note that this discussion is not a criticism of Ryan’s strategic tactics but merely a hypothesis aimed at increasing Dekker’s role in the offense. At 6’9, he isn’t just a lean guard anymore. Rather, he has become a legitimate stretch forward. You’ll often notice Kaminsky setting ball screens at the top of the key to roll out for an open three-point attempt – there is no reason why Dekker — a career 35.5 percent shooter from three — can’t do that too. Dekker now has sufficient size to hold his own on picks and he could easily run the pick-and-roll with Jackson. In fact, there was a specific play in the first half that exemplified this tactic: Jackson was cutting to his left as Dekker moved toward him to set the pick. Dekker’s defender gambled to guard the point guard off the pick but Jackson’s defender didn’t switch in time, which gave Dekker the room to cut through the back-door for an easy dunk. Pick-and-rolls with Dekker and Jackson or Dekker and Gasser should be called more often in the half-court. These plays can be complemented by having Kaminsky roll into corner for an open three-point look in case Jackson or Gasser have an open lane off the switch. With two big guys who can both shoot from distance, each should be involved in plays where one sets a screen while the other camps in the corner waiting for the open look. This is a common play but it only currently begins with Kaminsky. Instead, Ryan should mix it up using Dekker as well, to keep him actively involved in the offense. These plays will only work if Dekker remains patient, but it is surely worth a try because he is too talented to only be used as a tall, athletic outside shooter. If the Badgers want to make another run at the Final Four, Dekker will need to be a key contributor for the Badgers — a relatively minor tweak to the offense could make all the difference.
