Draymond Green reveals Nuggets' secret weapon: The Spanoulis action / News - Basketnews.com

Draymond Green described the Spanoulis action as a cut originating from under the rim, where the player moves up the floor to receive a handoff from the big man. This action creates a gap in the defense around the free-throw line or the middle of the court.

Credit: AP, imago images/ANE Edition – Scanpix Credit AP, imago images/ANE Edition – Scanpix

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green provided an analysis of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.

Draymond Green

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In his in-depth review of the game, Green highlighted a specific offensive action used by the Nuggets, referred to as the "Spanoulis action," which they effectively employed to their benefit.

Green explained that the movement derives its name from three-time EuroLeague champ Vassilis Spanoulis, a legendary Greek NT and Olympiacos Piraeus guard who had an astonishing 22-year professional career.

"Another action that the Nuggets ran and got a lot out of it is called the Spanoulis action," Green said on his podcast, called The Draymond Green Show. "Spanoulis is a Greek national player who played for 20 years EuroLeague, was drafted to the NBA by one of the Texas teams, maybe by the Spurs or Dallas, ended up playing a year with Houston or something of that nature."

Spanoulis went 50th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft and was selected by the Mavericks. He played for the Rockets in the 2006-07 season and averaged 2.7 points over 31 games.

"He is a Greek legend, and he was famous for his cut that you could essentially come from under the rim, and you are cutting up the lane and there is a big hole in the ball maybe at the free-throw line, possibly a little higher, but right in the middle of the court," Green explained.

"And you are coming from under the rim, so up the floor, and the big hands it off to you. Well, as you would imagine, all the defense is down the floor, so once you hand off coming out, you are open. Jamal Murray got some threes like that, KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] got a couple of threes like that, Michael Porter Jr. got a couple of threes like that.

"But it also allowed them to get downhill. When they got downhill, now AD [Anthony Davis] has to make a decision -- I am going to help with this guy coming downhill. If you help, guess what that opens up again pocket for Joker. So they were really good with the Spanoulis action."

Denver won Game 1 by six points 132-126. Game 2 is scheduled for the upcoming night.

You can listen to Green's breakdown from 14:38:

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