2K16 Bulls Playbook: An In-Depth Look

[jattnanga]

CHICAGO BULLS OFFENSE

Coach Fred Hoiberg is implementing his new offense with the Bulls this year. With no possible way for the dev team to create a new freelance for the Bulls during this game's cycle, I have gone ahead and uncovered his offensive system within the framework of NBA 2K16.

Here is the NBA 2K16 version of the Coach Hoiberg's offense in (pretty much) its entirety:

Let's get into it...

BASIC SETUP
Freelance: Sixers Motion
Motion: Space the Floor

Sixers Motion: Wings always split wide in transition and leave user with an an obvious strong side wing (important for playcalling with flow).

Space the Floor: We will be creating all the action and don't want the AI moving guys while we select the next best action.

SECONDARY ACTIONS
Ballscreens
Drag (Ballscreen): Drag → Drag Fist → Double Drag → Triple Drag
Drag Push (Ballscreen w/ empty corner): Drag Push → Step Up → Double Drag Push → “L”

Action with Strong Side Wing
Quick (DHO with Wing): Quick → Quick Point → Quick Angle
Thru (Pass to Wing): Thru → Thru Chase → Thru Fist → Thru Smash → Thru Push Fence → Thru Post

Action with Trailer
Pitch (Dribble Exchange with Trailer): Pitch → Pitch Spin → Pitch Weave
Power (Pass to Trailer): Power → Power Rip/Fist → Power Flip → Power Mix Double → Rev DHO Rip → Slide → Power 5 Smash → Power STS
Weak (Trailer Pindown): Weak Clean → Weak Counter → Weak Fist

5 OUT
5 Out: 5 Out

Each secondary series is shown in video with 2K16 play names and described in the posts below.

COUNTERS & EXTENSIONS
Discussed in the below posts as they apply to each series. You can always open the floor and play pick and roll when things don't go your way, but there are some interesting extensions and counters that can help to maintain offensive flow.

PLAYCALLING AND FLOW
If you want to put the whole system in, you will need to be aware of some of the playcalling limitations that are presented by certain plays having certain player positions (i.e. C or PF) locked in certain spots on the floor.

This also becomes helpful calling plays quickly in transition and after made baskets depending on player positioning on the court, particularly who the inbounder/trailer is.

Depending on who is where, you will get a feel for which series to run to promote the most offensive flow and limit wasted time setting up a “play.”

I can get into these in detail later, if anyone is interested, but I will mention the major ones as we go through the offense below. Positional limitations are referencing the 1 (PG) as the player initiating the play.

EXECUTION
There is a rhythm and a cadence to flowing offenses. You will find a better rhythm as time goes on in terms of timing of actions during each of the series.

PLAYBOOK
(tip: delete all plays→ replace the last one with an iso → enter list from the bottom up)

Spoiler

The order of the plays is based on having the same series in the same playcalling direction as much as possible for maintaining flow on the fly.

48 Total Plays

PNR (12)
U - 71 Fist 92 Side - L
D - Fist 19 - double high horns ballscreens
L – Fist 14 Side (opt) - drag
R - Fist 91 Side (opt) - double drag

U - Fist Spread 14 Flat (opt) - step up
D - Quick Horns Swing 52 - swing quick 2 into horns
L - 95 Fist 15 Spread (opt) - drag push (spread)
R - Fist Euro 91 Side (mid) - double drag push

U - Fist Euro 15 - spacing angle ball screen
D - Fist Zipper (opt)- zipper
L – Fist Thru (opt) - thru fist
R -Fist 62 Spread (opt) - ram

LP (12)
U - 98 Punch 25 Swing – power
D - 98 Punch 4 Rip – power rip extension
L - Punch Thru - thru
R - Punch 12 Give 14 – quick

U - Punch Strong 15 - power 5 smash
D - Punch 4 Rip Spread – power rip extension
L – Punch 25 Quick – iso post up
R - Punch Horns Fist 45 - horns pnr lift and DHO

U - Punch Rip 34 – power rip
D - 98 Punch 4 Rip 1-4 – rev dho rip extension
L – Punch Fist 5 - drag fist
R - Punch 24 Wheel - special call for post up

HP (4)
U – High 15 Spread – clean high post up
D - 06 High 4 Swing – slide
L - 98 High 1-4 - horns
R - 89 High 54 Swing – quick counter weakside post up

GP (4)
U - Punch 23 Slice – power
D - Punch 32 Give 12 - power flip
L - Punch 12 - quick post up with 4 setting a flare on passer
R – 00 Punch 31 Swing – Thru Post

Handoff (4)
U - Give 53 Swing 2 – 5 out
D – Give Swing 53 – slide
L - Give 42 Swing – pitch weave
R - Give 42 Tri – weak extension...2 man game

Mid (8)
U - 87 Quick 2 Motion - power sts (weakside)
D - 03 Quick 12 – weak pindown
L - 06 Give Quick 51 - pitch
R - 01 Give 32 - quick

U – 71 Quick 12 – power mix double
D - 77 Quick 52 Punch - 5 man post feed split
L - 89 Quick 12 Thru - thru
R - 65 Quick 12 - quick point extension

3PT (4)
Quick Swing 3 - swing
Quick 2 – baseline
Quick 3 Drag – triple drag
06 Horns Option 3 – horns

ASSIGN PLAY TYPES

Spoiler

Note: Edit your roster and make sure that all players that aren't Bigs are Play Initiators (in edit player under vitals). This is important because otherwise plays will be displaced and you will have a hard time finding them quickly.

Guards: Brooks – Hinrich – Moore (Mid – Handoff – 3PT – PNR Ball Handler)
Post Up Guards: Rose – Butler (Mid – Handoff – Guard Post Up – PNR Ball Handler)
Wings: Dunleavy – Snell (Mid – Handoff – 3PT)
Hybrid: McDermott (Mid – Handoff – 3PT – Low Post)
Stretch 4: Mirotic – Bairstow (Low Post – High Post – Midrange – 3PT)
Bigs: Gasol – Noah – Gibson – Portis (Low Post – High Post – PNR Roll Man)

When done this way, all of the same plays will be in all of the same places for all of the players (with a few exceptions), so there is less thinking involved when calling stuff on the fly.

The first 3 pages of plays will be identical for all bigs and perimeter players respectively, as will all of the pick and rolls for the pick and roll ball handlers.

Hopefully, this is helpful to those who are interested in not just using the Bulls in 2K16, but any team and playcalling in general. For the Bulls supporters, this can also give you some insight as to what to look for when watching them play this year.

Let's get into the actions...

[jattnanga]

Drag Series

Ballscreens with the strong side corner occupied.

Drag
Fist 14 Side (pnr option) – call for ball handler (requires 2 as strong side wing)

Drag Fist
Punch Fist 5 (low post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing)

Double Drag
Fist 91 side (pnr option) – call for ball handler (requires 3 as strong side wing)

Triple Drag
Quick 3 Drag (3pt) – call for strong side wing

TIP: Take your time with these screens, set your man up, look at who and where the hedge man is, then come off.

This series is pretty self explanatory. Just remember that the pick and roll or any action for that matter is not just for the players involved, it is to put pressure on and disorganize the defense.

Note: Beginning a possession with a ballscreen can limit your options in terms of flow later. You will likely end up with a ballscreen heavy possession or maybe a post up opportunity.

FLOW EXTENSIONS

Drag to Quick
Manual drag screen from trailer → Punch 12 Give 14 (low post) for trailer on same side as 2 man

Stretch the pick and roll and go right into quick on the other side with 2 man.

Drag Fist to Horns
Punch Fist 5 (low post) → Punch Horns Fist 45 (low post) or 98 High 1-4 (high post)

Flow directly into horns after the initial screen the screener action to maintain offensive flow.

Triple Drag to Post Iso
Quick 3 Drag (3pt) → Punch 12 (guard post)

If everything is well defended, you can look to post iso your weakside wing.

[jattnanga]

Push Series

Ballscreens with the strong side corner vacant.

Drag Push
95 Fist 15 Spread (pnr option) – call for ball handler

Step Up
Fist Spread 14 Plat (pnr option) – call for ball handler

Double Drag Push
Fist Euro 91 Side (pnr mid) – call for ball handler

“L”
71 Fist 92 Side (pnr) – call for ball handler (works best with 4 man as trailer)

This series is also fairly self explanatory. Some early pick and roll with the strong side vacant, probably best to run with a speedy guard who can turn the corner.

Note: Beginning a possession with a ballscreen can limit your options in terms of flow later. You will likely end up with a ballscreen/DHO heavy possession or maybe a post up opportunity.

FLOW EXTENSIONS

Drag Push to Crackback on Rejection of Screen
95 Fist 15 Spread (pnr option) for ball handler → 65 Quick 12 (mid) for 3 man

If the early pick and roll is covered well, you can catch a team that pre-rotates by screening the helpside defender.

“L” to 5 Out
71 Fist 92 Side (pnr) for ball handler → Give 53 Swing 2 (handoff) for 2 man

If the hedge is early with no place to go, no need to panic...just space the floor and play on the other side.

[jattnanga]

Quick Series

High dribble weave with strong side wing and trailer.

Quick
Punch 12 Give 14 (low post) – call for trailer (requires 2 as strong side wing)
PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO PG → MANUAL BALLSCREEN

Quick Point
Punch 12 Give 14 (low post) – call for 5 man (requires 5 as trailer & 2 as strong side wing) → 65 Quick 12 (mid) for 2 Man
PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO PG → 65 Quick 12 (mid) for WING

Quick Angle
Punch 12 Give 14 (low post) – call for trailer (requires 2 as strong side wing)
PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO WING → MANUAL BALLSCREEN

TIP: Don't be in a hurry, no turbo needed,...just flow quickly, limit your dribbling during the weave and be sure to directionally pass away from the defense and toward the ball. This does take some practice, but find your rhythm and you'll be in good shape.

Probably one of my favorites, there are options and reads embedded within the actions. If somebody is overplayed, hold lead pass and send them to the rack.

Note: This works best if you read who is the most open man during the weave and choose to go to that action rather than deciding ahead of time what you think you want.

ALTERNATE PLAY

Quick Point
01 Give 32 (mid) – call for the player you don't want in weave (requires 5 man in weave)
PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO PG → 65 Quick 12 (mid) for WING

This play requires the 5 man in the weave, but allows you to decide who you want on the strong side.

Note: This play is a little clunky in terms of how high the post man pops, but is a good option if you want to look for quick point for a specific player, which can be very effective at times. In terms of flow, I almost always choose the other one.

FLOW EXTENSIONS

Quick to Post Split
Punch 12 Give 14 (low post) for 5 man → 77 Quick 52 Punch (mid) for 2 man

If you play with the 5 man you can go to him on the block if there is nothing there and split the post.

Quick to 5 Out
Punch 12 Give 14 (low post) for 4 man → Give 53 Swing 2 (handoff) for 3 man

Reverse it right back through the 5 man to the other side.

[jattnanga]

Thru Series

A pass to the strong side wing and ball reversal through the trailer back to the pg as he makes a shallow cut to the weakside.

Thru
Punch Thru (low post) – call for post big (requires 2 man as strong side wing)

Thru Chase
Punch Thru (low post) – call for post big (requires 2 man as strong side wing)

PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → LOOK TO BACKDOOR OR ISO PG ON WING

Thru Fist
Fist Thru (pnr option) – call for ball handler (requires 2 man as strong side wing)

PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO PG → MANUAL BALLSCREEN FROM TRAILER

Thru Smash
Fist Thru (pnr option) – call for ball handler (requires 2 man as strong side wing)

PASS TO WING → PASS TO TRAILER → DHO WITH PG

Thru Push Fence
89 Quick 12 Thru (mid) – call for weakside wing

Thru Post
00 Punch 31 Swing (guard post) – call for ball handler (requires 2 man as strong side wing)

TIP: Be quick but don't hurry when reversing the ball, not only to avoid an unnecessary turnover, but there may be a scoring option open along the way.

Gets some early side to side movement and is a very common action in the NBA today.

Note: If you're looking for the screen the screener action on Thru, its not in the game as a set play. Its only available in some of the swing and swing variant freelances.

[jattnanga]

Pitch Series

Dribble flip exchange with the trailer into next best action.

Pitch
06 Give Quick 51 (mid) – call for ball handler (requires 4 as trailer & 2 as strong side wing)
PASS TO TRAILER → DHO TO PG → BALLSCREEN FROM 5 MAN

Pitch Spin
06 Give Quick 51 (mid) – call for ball handler (requires 4 as trailer & 2 as strong side wing)
PASS TO TRAILER → DHO TO PG → PASS TO WEAKSIDE WING → MANUAL BALLSCREEN

Pitch Weave
Give 42 Swing (handoff) – call for strong side wing (requires 4 as trailer)
PASS TO TRAILER → DHO to STRONG SIDE WING



This series puts some movement in your offense early and is an easy call if you have the 4 man trailing.

Note: This is not quite what Pitch looks like IRL in terms of where the ball screen is set and spacing of the players, but it is as close as we're going to get.

FLOW EXTENSIONS

Pitch to 5 Out
06 Give Quick 51 (mid) for ball handler → Give 53 Swing 2 (handoff) for 2 man



If the ballscreen on pitch fails, you can go directly into 5 Out and DHO on the weakside. Its a nice way to keep your possession from getting stagnant if your initial ballscreen is defended well.

Pitch to Split Post
06 Give Quick 51 (mid) for ball handler → Pass to 4 man → 77 Quick 52 Punch (mid) for 1 man



If your ball screen gets blown up completely, keep flowing and play through the post.

[jattnanga]

Power Series

Ball reversal through trailer into multiple possible actions.

Power
Option 1: Punch 23 Slice (guard post) – call for strong side wing (requires 5 as trailer)
Option 2: 98 Punch 25 Swing (low post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing)

Power Rip/Fist
Option 1: Punch 23 Slice (guard post) – call for strong side wing (requires 5 as trailer) → 98 Punch 4 Rip (low post) for trailer
PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO WEAK SIDE WING → 98 Punch 4 Rip (low post) for TRAILER → MANUAL BALLSCREEN
Option 2: 98 Punch 25 Swing (low post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing) → 98 Punch 4 Rip (low post) for trailer
PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO WEAK SIDE WING → 98 Punch 4 Rip (low post) for TRAILER → PASS TO SCREENER → MANUAL BALLSCREEN

Power Flip
Punch 32 Give 12 (guard post) for ball handler (requires 2 as strong side wing)

Power Mix Double
Option 1: Punch 23 Slice (guard post) – call for strong side wing (requires 5 as trailer) → 71 Quick 12 (mid) for 2 man
PASS TO TRAILER → PASS BACK TO PG → 71 Quick 12 (mid) FOR 2 MAN
Option 2: 98 Punch 25 Swing (low post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing) → 71 Quick 12 (mid) for 3 man
PASS TO TRAILER → PASS BACK TO PG → 71 Quick 12 (mid) FOR 3 MAN

Rev DHO Rip
98 Punch 25 Swing (low post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing → 98 Punch 4 Rip 1-4 (low post) for trailer
PASS TO TRAILER → DHO w/ WEAK SIDE WING → PASS TO PG → 98 Punch 4 Rip 1-4 (low post) for TRAILER

Slide
06 High 4 Swing (high post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing) → 65 Give Elbow 53 (handoff) for 1 man
PASS TO TRAILER → PASS TO WEAK SIDE WING → 65 Give Elbow 53 (handoff) for TRAILER → PASS TO BIG AT ELBOW → PASS TO 2 MAN → DHO with 1 MAN → DRIVE OFF BRUSH SCREEN

Power 5 Smash
Punch Strong 15 (low post) – call for post big (requires 3 as strong side wing)

Power STS
87 Quick 2 Motion (mid) – call for weak side wing (requires 4 as trailer)
PASS TO TRAILER → PASS BACK TO PG




The actions take some time, but you get scoring opportunities along the way and have pretty good spacing throughout.

Note: The rip/fist extensions can be a little slow and shaky, but they are there for you if you want them. All the more reason to get into your stuff as quickly as possible.

Note: Rev DHO Rip is not true to life, but serves the purpose of side to side movement into a rip screen for a post iso for the trailer.

Note: Slide is extremely challenging to execute and may not be worth the trouble, but its there for you if you need it.

Note: Power STS is not quite accurate to the real world, but just like some of the others..its as close as we're going to get.

COUNTER

Power Series to “L”
98 Punch 25 Swing (low post) for post big → Pass Back to PG → 71 Fist 92 Side (pnr) for ball handler



If the defense is pressuring up and make the reversal tough, release the pressure with a sprint to screen double “L” ball screen. Also an option if they take the initial pass to the trailer away.

[jattnanga]

Weak Series

Early pindown to two man game.

Weak Clean
03 Quick 12 (mid) for weak side wing (requires 4 as trailer)

PASS TO WING OFF SCREEN → MANUAL BALLSCREEN FROM 5 MAN

Weak Counter
03 Quick 12 (mid) for weak side wing (requires 4 as trailer) → Give 42 Tri (handoff) for ball handler

PASS TO PINCH POST → TWO MAN GAME

Weak Fist
03 Quick 12 (mid) for weak side wing (requires 4 as trailer) → Give 42 Tri (handoff) for ball handler

PASS TO PINCH POST → MANUAL BALLSCREEN FROM 4 MAN

TIP: If you see the pindown is being defended with contact as the player begins to come off the screen, call for 2 man game with the point guard and you'll be all set for the Weak Counter.

TIP: You can also call for the counter if you want your cutter to curl the screen instead of straight cut off it.

Its a nice change of pace and a little bit of Triangle is always welcome.

Note: Try to be dynamic and read the defense on the initial pindown as he is coming off the screen. Watch the defense, not the cutter. This will allow a quick transition into Weak Counter or if he gets caught up in the screen or you might have a jumper right away as he comes off.