Reach out to people with simple questions. A coach asked players, "how can we improve our operations?" Another asked, "how can I help you do your job better?" Players responded with better morale and performance .
The Friday 1-3-1 lays out drills, simple concepts, and a set play looking to improve operations. Plus, lagniappe, "something extra."
Drill. "Fake a pass to make a pass."
Defend the box with the constraint of each offensive player needing a foot in the paint. Fake passes and look off defenders.
Free throw sprints. How many shots to make 9?
Concepts: Using Timeouts.
A. Timeouts, taken and not, win and lose games. Years ago, I saw a high school ten point lead evaporate in a minute while the star player (now in the WNBA) waited at the scorer's table. The team saved a timeout, but ultimately lost the game (by two) waiting for a stoppage of play. Even an intentional turnover (e.g. throwing the ball out of play) to get a substitution would have sufficed.
B. Saved for a rainy day? We won a game when the opposing coach exhausted all five timeouts in the first half to avoid held balls or ten-second violations. As his team fatigued during a comeback, he had no timeouts and his club was gassed. "Make their tongues look like neckties."
ATOs are gold. Timeouts set up scores. This season, we went three for three on ATOs in a three point win. An official congratulated us on that after the game.
Slip the cross screen and the defense bites (collapsing on our top player), yielding an open layup.
C. Timeout MasterClass from Dean Smith. Coach Smith preferred to save three timeouts for the last four minutes. From Basketball: Multiple Offense and Defense, page 262, "We feel strongly that time-outs should be used very carefully so several remain available for the closing minutes of a close game."
Set play. Golden State 12 exchange in high ball screen/DHO.
Lagniappe: Coach Daniel shares the revamped OKC defense. NBA coaches don't just let them "roll the ball out there and play."
With personnel changes, Coach Billy Donovan changes scheme. With less size and rim protection, they favor "drop coverage" that forces more mid-range shots (lower EFG%) and allows fewer free throws, with the tradeoff of fewer turnovers forced.
Lagniappe 2: Don Kelbick informs four "area" mandates for zone offense. I like the way his approach distorts the zone.
Lagniappe 3: Celtics Box SLOB (a few options) expands on GSW concept above.
