Hoiberg's BLOB Sets Were Effective Against The Kings

For everything said about Fred Hoiberg's coaching this season, one thing remains certain; his baseline out of bounds (BLOB) sets are damn effective. In looking back on the season, keeping track of how many times the Bulls scored off of BLOB sets would've been fascinating to follow. Maybe I'll keep that on tabs for next season.

But previously, I broke down one of Hoiberg's sets earlier in the year. It was a simple box set, that seemingly any team of all ages could run. However on Monday night, we saw two different BLOB sets from the Bulls that resulted in scores, one coming at a critical juncture in the fourth quarter. One was yet again a simple set, while the other involved multiple action spread across the floor.

Let's take a look at each of these from Monday night.

BLOB Set #1

Where this first set differs from the previous ones seen, is that the play starts with everyone in a single line rather than a box with Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic at the bottom, and Doug McDermott and Justin Holiday at the top.

The play begins with McDermott curing around the front of Gibson, trailing off into the short corner/wing area on the weakside dragging his man with him.

Holiday follows right behind McDermott on his tail curling around not only once, but does it a second time as well. As he curls back a second time, he runs through an elevator screen from Gibson and Mirotic.

Sacramento's Rajon Rondo trails the entire play, and on the second time through, as Holiday goes through the elevator doors, gets crushed by Gibson, opening up Holiday for the three.

BLOB Set #2

With 1:08 remaining in the game and the Bulls only up six on the Kings, the Bulls ran a BLOB set with simultaneous action that led to Gasol nailing a long two, effectively icing the game. The set starts in sort of a four-low look, with Jimmy Butler in the far wing, Gasol in front of the basket in the lane, and Gibson and Mike Dunleavy in the near corner.

Once the play begins, there's action happening in both corners. While it's simple in its own right, the multiple actions going on at the same time result in the Kings giving up a wide open look.

In the short corner, as the play starts Dunleavy curls around a Gibon screen twice, while at the same time Gasol is "sprinting" to the opposite corner to set a baseline screen to free Butler. Because of the simultaneous action taking place, and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins' general lack of awareness of the weakside, it ultimately leads to the game sealing jumper from Gasol.

Through the course of the year, it's been well-documented of the Bulls struggles when it comes to ATO's (after timeout sets) which are usually happening at the near sideline. But what can be said, is that Bulls continue to run Hoiberg's BLOB sets effectively more times than not.