Seek simplicity. "Computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra once wrote: Simplicity is the hallmark of truth—we should know better, but complexity continues to have a morbid attraction."
― from Morgan Housel, "Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes"
Don Meyer's pinnacle of coaching prowess was mature simplicity. Think back to the 1960s and Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers. They had fewer plays than other clubs but superior execution.
What keys propel teams to sustainable success?
1) Win individual matchups. Talent and effort inform winning one-on-one battles. Great offensive players have the mindset "I cannot be stopped." Great defenders make players work for everything.
2) Understand basketball symmetry. Symmetry applies across sports. Here's a spreadsheet of basketball and volleyball symmetry.
3) Use what works. In The Art of War, written over 2,500 years ago, General Sun Tzu teaches, "Utilize strengths; attack weaknesses." Doing so puts our teams in the best position to win.
4) Use more hard to defend actions. I watch high school games without pick-and-roll, back door cutting, complex screening (Iverson action, screen-the-screener, backscreen the roller - Spain). Many overdose on five out, take a three basketball. Hot shooting wins an occasional game that way. "Hope is not a plan."
5) Play harder. "Win this possession." Dave Smart says that the best teams play "harder for longer." Many players lack the skill and will to play hard, to defend with maximum focus each possession. Without ball pressure, transition effort, and tenacity on the glass, losing is inevitable.
You want the ultimate in simplicity? First, take better shots. Second, value the ball...no turnovers. Third, play defense as though winning depends on it.
A few quotes illustrate the principles.
"Basketball is sharing." - Phil Jackson Winning requires shared vision, shared decisions, and shared execution. Many remember Wooden's quote, "Happiness begins where selfishness ends."
"Get more and better shots than your opponents." - Pete Newell Before analytics Pete Newell predicted them. Dean Oliver's Four Factors examining differential effective field goal percentage, turnovers, rebounding, and free throws embody the quote. The acronym is SPCA - score, protect the ball, crash, attack the basket.
"Every day is player improvement day." Being good at what you do a lot translates to high performance. Billy Donovan calls it "the 95." 95 percent of the time, you don't have the ball. Yes, possession enders (guys who get scores and stops) matters, but the surrounding cast, the possession savers also matters.
Lagniappe. Simplify. Characters. Plot. Dialogue. Feature strong verbs and avoid adverbs. Get to the point. Engage the reader.
Lagniappe 2. Zoom (downscreen/DHO) into backdoor beauty.
Zoom/ Backdoor
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 19, 2025
Love the pace of this offense
Defense is chasing the entire possession
(Via @matt_cotton10 🎥)
pic.twitter.com/igYTL3h0IK
Lagniappe 3. Only when we accept our limitations can we start to overcome them. Leaders are readers. Leaders are open to evaluating new ideas objectively.
View on Threads
