Total Pageviews

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Basketball: Three Types of Games

Oversimplifying, there are three types of games:

  • We are far superior to the opponent (a minority).
  • We are relatively evenly matched (probably half).
  • We are the underdog (maybe a third).

Coaches want their teams to reflect their 'vision' - prepared, competitive, sometimes creative, a worthy opponent.

What matters most when evenly matched - being prepared, motivated, tough, resilient, selfless competitors. And then playing well. 

When excellent teams compete hard, they can be nearly impossible to beat. The superior team often 'buries' the lesser team by blending competence and character. 

When a team "gets it," playing "harder for longer," they'll win more but not all of the even matchups. It's still a game of "make and miss shots" if the other team 'shows up', too. 

When heavily outmatched, competing still matters but it's tough sledding from a talent standpoint. The 'margin for error' disappears. Small mistakes magnify against quality teams. The 'dog' needs extreme focus each possession:

  • Controlling pace (high tempo against superior talent = defeat)
  • Reducing errors (assignments and turnovers)
  • High quality shot selection
  • Controlling the defensive boards
  • Limiting fouls
  • Making free throws 
Depending on the situation, enforcing the pace you want to play becomes paramount. With talent advantage a fast pace favors the superior team. Ergo, the Wooden adage, "basketball is a game meant to be played fast." Trailing, you need to extend the game playing fast to get more possessions. Leading, if you're capable of shortening the game, playing a controlled tempo has merit. 

In other words, without an edge, extreme addition to detail may be your only chance, plus some luck. 



Lagniappe. Selling fakes. 
Lagniappe 2. We had three standards - TIA - Teamwork. Improvement. Accountability. 

Posted by at