Judy Blume, MasterClass
Coach what needs to be there. How do we know? Self-scout.
Probably a quarter to a third of points allowed occur because of defensive mistakes and errors.
Strong opponents take advantage of our turnovers, lazy transition 'D', poor on-ball defense, and weak help and rotation defense. When we cannot contain the ball, it forces help and rotation.
Find recurrent themes separating success and failure.
- We allowed too many layups against the press. We reduced and pulled the press back.
- We had too many turnovers after defensive rebounds.
- We shot poorly; we increased shooting practice even more.
- We're still missing too many three point shots. We need to be more selective.
- We can't contain the dribble. We're mixing in some zone defense.
Be flexible.
Although we are second in our twelve team league in scoring, we are in the bottom half defensively - excessive fouling, too many transition points, inadequate help/rotation, and stubborn overcommitment to man-to-man defense. But we're trending better regardless of the strength of the opponent. More players are giving more.
- Spacing is art.
- Ball movement (paint touches and reversals) is art.
- Cutting and passing is art.
- Attacking the basket is art.
Fashion designer Marc Jacobs shares (coaching well), "It's about looking at things and transforming them into something else."
Summary:
- Coach what needs to be there.
- Self-scout.
- Find recurrent themes.
- Be flexible.
- Make the game art.
Lagniappe: Better understanding, better playmaking.
Lagniappe 2: When do you 'greenlight' three-point shooters? UNC's Roy Williams required sixty percent makes in practice. Setting a threshold makes sense for players who don't get, "It's not your shot, it's our shot."I say it almost every game, Nance has improved so much in the basketball iq and the interior passing. Love getting fronted so Nance flashes to the nail to create the angle to get Love with his defender on his back pic.twitter.com/SDj8cJf2cY— Crandall Dinsbach (@cavsfilmroom) February 6, 2020
Lagniappe 3: Here's a paragraph from Marc Jacobs' MasterClass workbook. Do we have parallels?
"Select an old article of clothing from your closet or a local thrift shop. It’s time to deconstruct it! We suggest trying this first with a button-up shirt. Use a seam ripper (or a similar household tool) to remove the collar and any pockets, then separate each panel. How many pieces of fabric went into constructing your piece of clothing? How were the pieces connected? Was the garment constructed by machine or by hand? What did the seams look like? Understanding how your clothes are constructed will help you design new clothing thoughtfully."
Deconstruct a player on your team. What's the material (finesse, power, blend)? Examine her footwork. Check shot mechanics and shot selection. Can she score off the bounce? How durable is she? Does she play both ends of the floor aggressively (casual, formal)? Can she make her own shot or need a lot of accessories? Does she make everyone around her look better?