OODA Loops

First, basketball is a game where execution dominates strategy, where technique rules tactics. But if all else equal, strategy adds value.

Within the military exists a decision-analysis concept OODA Loops. Developed by Colonel John Boyd, OODA stands for the combat operations acronym Observe - Orient - Decide - Act. In basketball, the CARE concept of Concentrate - Anticipate - React - Execute are the corollary.

Wikipedia OODA Loop.

Wikipedia describes the OODA loop in terms of disrupting the opponent's plan to create chaos and potentially foster mistakes.

Consider the advantage-disadvantage of the 3 on 2 break. The defensive tandem wants to deny both layup or open perimeter shot. Conventional defense informs stopping the ball, forcing the play to one side, effectively zoning away from the ball, and promoting delay to allow defensive help to recover.

Offense wants to force the action, penetrate when possible, usually dribbling slightly AWAY from the best shooter to allow for the best shot opportunity on the first pass. Defensive overcommitment to the wing encourages 1 to drive. The first recipient (wing) has the primary option to shoot, secondary to 'touch pass' away, and third to fake shot and drive. The more rapid the ball advances with attacking pressure, the more disruptive the attack.

The analogous offense sequence is SEE-PROCESS-DECIDE-EXECUTE reading the defense and attacking appropriately.

Defensively, some teams use OODA like-activity via setting up in a zone and playing man-to-man, playing combination defenses (e.g. matchup zones), doubling key players, or employing 'shifting' defensive concepts like the Freak, where the initial ball entry dictates the type of defense played.