1. Finish around the basket. The best finishers can finish with either hand off either foot from either side. Young players struggle to finish with the hand UNDER the ball. But "layups are boring." Losing is worse.
Drills: Mikan, Box drills with defense, Post one-on-one, Commando (1-on-1-on-1 or 1 vs 2, live ball after misses and makes)
Tip: "Eyes make layups." - Kevin Eastman
2. Make free throws. Combine the physical (pre-shot routine, targeting, form) with the mental. Replace negative thinking about pressure with positives of opportunity. But without work and simulation with fatigue-tested shooting, you won't get there.
Key points: do sprints between sets of 3-5. "Swish or miss" scoring.
Tip: Bill Bradley aimed for the middle of the four bolts holding the rim to the board.
Apply the mental model of inversion. What guarantees failure? Inability to handle pressure, to pass, and to defend guarantee failure.
3. Handle the press. Coach Wooden's quote resonates, "failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Therefore, our preparation must exceed others'. Pete Carril might say there's a beginning, a middle, and an end. An inbounder has to see and execute the first pass. The receiver creates advantage with the second. And finish to punish the press. Everyone needs finishers. Without finishers, success is impossible.
Drills: Advantage-disadvantage 5 versus 7 no dribbling. Gauntlet (above, 2 versus 8)...one dribble per each player touch. Work your way down and score.
Tip: Inbound the ball as quickly as possible before defenders set up, the "golden moment."
4. Bad passing equals turnovers and worse shots. Reward what you value. Praise passing and taking care of the ball. Passing is sharing. Phil Jackson has it right, "basketball is sharing."
Drills: Transition 3 on 2 with chaser (above). Spacing, conditioning, communication, offense and defense, passing and catching, transition
Tip: "Shorten the pass." We always heard "meet the ball."
5. "Know your NOs." No easy baskets. No "dead man's defense" (six feet under the ball handler). No middle, no give-and-go (jump to the ball), no free post entry, no uncontested shots. No stupid fouls. No second shots.
Drills: Shell drill in its many forms
Tip: Promise to start your best defender. Lip service to individual defense sends a message to players that offensive players play.
Lagniappe 1: from The Smart Take from the Strong, Pete Carril, 1997
"I don't recruit players who are nasty to their parents. That shows me they are giving less than they can give and can't forge the bonds essential for a good team.
I look for players who understand that the world does not revolve around them."
Lagniappe 2: SLOB wing ball screen (a horns variation, modified from Cavaliers)
Multiple options: early 1 to 3 pass, later wing ball screen (1, 5) or 5 and 1 give and go. Occupy the weak side defense.
Lagniappe 3. Enhancing performance. Find something to inspire us every day.
n
GP (Game performance) = F x Q (Frequency x Quality of Practice to the nth power)
Improvement relates to how often we practice (F), its quality (Q) and the intensity (n) sustained. The key for conditioning is each player practicing each rep in each evolution at high intensity.
Werner Herzog, MasterClass