Unlike the NFL, where each play can be called from the sidelines, the NBA (and basketball, in general) requires players to make quick decisions on the fly. Because it’s impossible to script every offensive possession, players must share an understanding of their goals on the court. To foster this, the Milwaukee Bucks have implemented a system that keeps everyone on the same page.
The Bucks’ adoption of the Constraints-Led Approach under head coach Taylor Jenkins has received plenty of attention, as it shapes their practices and player development. But during games, a different philosophy takes over, called the principles of play.
These shared guidelines provide players with a framework for reading the defense, creating advantages, and making the right decisions in real time. Grasping these principles is vital to understanding the offense Jenkins aims to build.
Let’s take a look behind the scenes to see what drives the Bucks’ offense.
Behind the Curtains
Bucks assistant coach and head of player development Johnny Carpenter recently joined The Basketball Podcast with Chris Oliver and shared insights into Milwaukee’s offensive principles.
Carpenter began his career as a student manager at the University of Virginia and has worked his way up ever since. He has bounced between the NBA, Men’s college basketball, and even a couple of years in Slovakia.
He was also an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies in Jenkins ’ final season there before coaching with the Indiana Pacers last year.
Given his history, Carpenter knows the CLA and principles of play as well as anyone on Milwaukee’s coaching staff. His podcast interview gave us a clearer understanding of the Bucks’ principles of play.
What is the definition of principles of play?
Before we dive into the Bucks’ principles of play, let’s first define the term. The Transforming Basketball podcast defines it as something that ”provides possibilities that shape players’ intentions without stipulating specific actions.”
In other words, it’s what a team wants to achieve.
They’re guidelines that establish what players want to accomplish while letting them choose how to do it based on what the defense is doing.
The principles leave room for different solutions instead of scripted answers. There is no constant right answer, as the appropriate action depends on what the defense offers.
For example, one of the Bucks’ principles of play is to create space. However, they can do this by attacking off the dribble, passing the ball, cutting off-ball, or relocating on another player’s drive.
Players must read the situation and the defense to determine the best answer. If a defender is closing out on an offensive player and is out of control, the correct answer to create space is to attack off the dribble.
What are the Bucks' principles of play?
Carpenter focused primarily on the offensive end of the court, so that’s where we’ll focus our attention as well. He outlined two primary principles, but each principle has its own rules.
I’ll give a high-level overview of the principles, and we’ll use later articles to dive into more detail on each one.
Create Space
The Bucks talk a lot about “space” in the offense and defense they want to run. Space is defined as the room players have to do something on the court. This could be to shooting, driving, cutting, or receiving a pass.
Space is constantly changing as offensive and defensive players move and the ball moves. This means players must always be attuned to what the best decision is in a given scenario.
Milwaukee wants the team to create space for good scoring opportunities.
This means attacking closeouts hard to compress the defense, moving the ball quickly to find openings, or cutting to the rim.
Read Space
Once the Bucks create space, they must read it properly.
Reading space means they are recognizing where that room is and how the defense is changing it. If a defender closes out short, the player should shoot. If a defender closes out too quickly, this creates an attacking opportunity.
The Bucks also have rules for how they want their players to relocate once the space is created. They want their players rotating toward the drives, weakside corner cutting, and the player in the dunker spot relocating to the corner on middle drives. Again, we’ll cover each of those in greater detail in the very near future.
Reading space is also where the Bucks’ practice philosophy—the CLA—comes into play. Milwaukee wants their players practicing live decision-making, so they’re better attuned to make the correct read in games. Marrying what happens outside and inside the game is a key part of what Jenkins is trying to accomplish.
Jenkins has brought much-needed stability and structure to an organization that had been flailing in recent years.
By emphasizing principles of play over rigid sets, the Bucks have empowered their players to adapt, read the game, and capitalize on whatever the defense gives them. This approach not only makes for a more dynamic offense, but also fosters a culture of trust and accountability throughout the roster.
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