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Saturday, March 31, 2018

Fast Five: Brad Stevens Off the Cuff (Podcast)


You may need to get the podcast app (Stitcher) to listen to the Brad Stevens and Daryl Morey interviews. 

Here are some highlights of their recent Brad Stevens interview:

Coach Stevens quotes from Bill Parcells,"you manage the season." What you 'want' to do in the moment balances against the long-term welfare of the team. 

He keeps a sheet of preferred lineups and substitution patterns but realizes multiple factors intercede...injuries, fouls, and game-specific performances. He also keeps an Excel spreadsheet with 8-10 possible ATO plays as preparation for that game. 

Matchups are analyzed by analytics and by direct observation. Enormous data exists about almost every conceivable situation. Stevens discusses the key role of Drew Cannon who accompanied him from Butler to Boston. Cannon began as a freelance writer sharing observations about basketball. 

There's limited turnaround time between games and he gets information from the analytics department about opponent's tendencies and trends that he shares during a 30 minute meeting. You cannot overwhelm the players. Give them useful information

The culture of winning (banners) is a motivator. "Every number on the banners associates with winning a championship." He stresses the emphasis on culture of collaboration and teaching with input from players. But he also prioritizes players excelling in their roles. 

Stevens has a strong affiliation with the Patriots organization concerning tempo and practice structure. Although the sports differ, they share similarities as far as creating open lanes. Unlike in football, there is continuous adjustment with no time between actions. He spends time with both Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Stevens says that it's impossible not to feel "inadequate' after spending time within the Patriots organization. 

He doesn't address player development which I'd love to hear. Keep looking for solutions. 

BTW, the third interview with the Warriors' assistant GM Kirk Lacob informs the emphasis on the three-dimensional structure of the game integrating players, skills, and spacing. He notes that  IQ and competitiveness are impossible to measure completely but quantifiable and critical in their player evaluations. 

Lagniappe:


Simple Celtics actions. Simple can create good looks.