Of course coaches want to put a 'thumb on the scale', to alter a variety of outcomes.
Some coaches start 'working' the officials from before the game. An opposing coach got tossed 45 seconds into the game. Nothing had happened to rouse his anger. He chose to be a pest. It didn't help us as their talent blew us out.
Personnel. Coaches don't ask outsiders for advice on personnel. And besides, I'm not at practice to see who improves, who works, who cares. Attending practice gives insight into why teams and coaches succeed or fail. I watched former Marcus Camby's backup center Ted Cottrell coach enough to see why his teams and players succeed. Player development came first.
I've shared the story of how a disgruntled parent/local politician tried to oust my high school coach after his son got cut. Ultimately the coach earned enshrinement in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Strategy. I'm less concerned with a coach's strategy than them actually having one. Man, zone, hybrid, mixture of defenses? Great. "Do well what you do a lot." Are you containing the ball, shrinking space, contesting shots without fouling? Is the opposition scoring in transition without resistance?
Operations. Offensively, what's the spacing, advantage creation with player and ball movement, finishing ability? Too many teams play five out, make perimeter passes, and jack up an errant three-ball. That's not winning basketball.
Be hard to guard with hard to defend actions - urgent cutting, on-time/on-target passing, PnR, simple and complex screens (e.g. screen-the-screener, backscreen-the-roller), back cuts, DHOs/Zoom action, something. You don't have to do everything. Do something.
Defensively, get "color on color," contain the ball, deny the middle, and contest shots without fouling. Are opponents getting "one bad shot" or whatever they want?
Simplicity. On the other hand, some coaches sound like Peyton Manning, "Omaha. Omaha. Alabama, Zebra 27, Strawberry." I'm asking whether her playbook looks like a first edition of Moby Dick. Call me confused, as the players usually are. Simplicity is hard.
Coaching is hard. That's why it matters.
Lagniappe. "A game of separation..." Deceleration allows a defender's effort to create separation.
The ability to stop quickly is one of the most important skills in the game.
— Reid Ouse (@reidouse) February 13, 2024
Stop separation is the most efficient way to create space.
You don’t have to have top end speed to be able to create space. Just get your defender moving and slam on the breaks. pic.twitter.com/y7HORChmUd
Lagniappe 2. More separation with the dribble.
Most effective move in basketball is a hard in and out dribble
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 13, 2024
Impossible to guard when perfected
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