Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Basketball: As in Chess, Improve the Position

“Outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe.” - James Clear, Atomic Habits

Learn across domains and steal concepts. As in chess, how can we improve our position (what does my team need now)? There is value in controlling the middle of the court/board. 



Unlike in chess, both sides don't start with equal armies. The humble pawns (white to play) can power endgame attacks. Advancing the c5 white pawn (first on the left) reveals a discovered mate with a long-range attack by the bishop (a3). 

Individual progress. Reposition our players (e.g. skill, spacing) to develop more powerful attacks. Coaches vary from novices to Grandmasters in our ability to deploy our armies.

Teamwork. An individual can attack multiple defensive pieces (Draw 2). 



This is not so different from attacking into gaps and creating attacks on multiple fronts. 

Chess masters understand the geometry of the board. They find ways to use pieces to both attack and defend. 



Teams can empty a side and then create a mismatch with a small screening for a big. 

Strong team find ways to enhance their positions, like slipping or rejecting screens in the PnR. Ball reversal and paint touches similarly help teams create advantage. 

Chunking. Chessmasters "chunk" the board to see possibilities arising out of sets. 


Left, bishop (a4) captures pawn c6, attacking the king (check) and rook, gaining material. 

Right, bishop (b3) moves to d5 square, attacking both rooks on the diagonal. Either rook can relocate (e.g. a8 to e8) but black trades a more valuable piece. 



Simple "spread" formations (50, 5 out, spread, etc.) generate myriads of hard-to -guard possibilities (PnR, off-ball screens, back cuts). 



A "four out" alignment morphs into a high ball screen with one side of the "board" open. Material advantage arises in basketball from philosophy (unequal playing time), mismatches in size, athleticism, or skill, and foul trouble. 

Studying chess might help our creativity and vision of bigger picture actions. Do well what we do a lot and leverage hard to defend actions (pick-and-roll, mismatches, backcuts). 

Summary: 

-What does our team need now?
-Constantly work on player development.
-Help players understand the power of teamwork.
-Draw 2 (defenders).
-"Chunking" helps players expand offensive possibilities.
-Do well what we do a lot.
-Leverage hard to defend actions.

Lagniappe: Chris Oliver of Bballimmersion shows how "great offense is multiple actions" in a game winner SLOB.