Learn from experts. The Chris Oliver (CO) podcast with Stan Van Gundy (SVG) shares a lot of pearls...one of the best podcast episodes I've ever heard.
Drills don't replace 5 on 5 work.
Tough NBA job is to balance work and rest. Be efficient.
Leaned toward 4 on 4 defense, 5 on 5 offense, and skill development...but NOT a lot of full court because of "workload management."
A lot of teams don't do much "live work" during the season.
SVG did provide "stop play" during practice with 'technical-tactical feedback'
"You need immediate feedback" to correct (address ASAP)
CO: All levels need coaching and feedback
SVG: The expectation of NBA players is that coaching will make them better
"Criticism isn't a negative term." See ways to do things better.
SVG acknowledges that he could be negative, which adds no value
"This is what we need to do better, being as specific as you can."
"Maybe this guy learns differently and we need to try something else."
If there are player-specific needs, they need more individual work
CO: "First we have to look at ourselves."
"You're going to find that the better screens you set, the more you will be open."
"Play to your strengths; disguise weaknesses." (Sun Tzu, anyone)
"The old school way = the way that makes you better."
Become accepted by many players, that you don't have to practice (not universal - e.g. Thibodeau, Spoelstra)
Force to catch higher (extend the catch) without vulnerability to backdoor
One pass away help increases risk of catch and shoot 3s
Perfect NBA defense - limit free throws, layups, 3s (there are tradeoffs)
Some teams are "taking away nothing" because effort on 3s exposes layups and creates fouls on layups... guys get caught in-between help. Notes that Milwaukee closes out and uses length to limit fouls and layups
"Selling how you want to play is huge." (the world has changed)
Player "views" on an element (e.g. defending PnR) tends to be less nuanced than the coach who has watched hours of film and tracked results... but they usually come around when presented with the facts
"Coach the WHY" ...this is best because of A, B, C, and D
His coaching card included sets that he thought would work against the opponent AND lineup specific elements (e.g. matchups, etc.) and specials (ATOs, etc.)
Game-day shoot-around focused on adjustments, e.g. how to defend opponent's sets, some offensive plays for that day, and team-specific stuff (e.g. zone offense if an opponent plays more zone)
SVG thinks that "spontaneous" specials (e.g. ATO draw ups) are not as effective as stuff worked on
"NBA players are very smart." Some don't work as well off diagrams.
Better use of timeouts? Need to monitor player focus and attention because there are a lot of distractions (dancers, scoreboard video)
How can assistants help in-game? How can we get good shots against opponent defense? Sometimes assistants can see opportunity or what's not happening (e.g. penetration/paint touches)
"Winning is hard...it requires discipline"
It's not as easy as just saying let Simmons shoot...because if you leave a big cushion, he'll attack you in the paint. Even with non-shooters, you have to play out on the perimeter but don't get beaten off the first step
CO: "One step doesn't beat you."
See more middle postups (e.g. nail) because harder to give help. Limit or extend the distance at the catch.
Know whom you're covering so how much you can help...players have to be disciplined on your priorities defensively "you've got to live with something"
Most of the "switch everything" teams haven't been great defensively (Boston is better)
DHOs "it starts with the guy on the ball" (everyone is worried about the guy who is getting it)...SVG advocates more pressure on the guy with the ball
Effort to take away shooters off the DHO creates a lot of backcuts (sometimes you can go "through" with some drop of the ballhandler defender
VEER is another name for switching (late switch) when the ball has gone downhill
CO: "Is it possible to ICE DHOs?" (With bigs who are non-shooters) SVG argues that enough (good) guys will take into the paint when they see that
SVG "Limit penetration to the basket" has always been a core concept at every level. Forcing weak hand may only surrender advantage to some guys. "Influence" is okay but can't just allow penetration.
People tend to switch PnR a lot in youth levels because there is less height variability. At HS level, learning PnR reads is critical if there is ambition to play at the next level.
What are we missing in development? "Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals." He then enumerates the many basics - footwork, pivoting, varieties of finishes, etc. "I don't think it's a scheme thing." Better and quicker...
"Film becomes the best teacher." (Note, we old guys say film because we watched film)
It's a mistake to think "I'm coaching well but they're playing poorly."
Dick Bennett used to say, "watch your team and they'll tell you what you need to work on."
"How are YOU affecting your team?" Did we demoralize them?
"It's a bottom line business"...sometimes decisions seem good but won't work. "If it doesn't work it wasn't the right move." (He references doubling Paul Pierce and Glenn Davis hits a shot.) If it didn't work, we STILL might do it the same way the next time.
"Be able to look at _________ objectively." (He's referring to "resulting" rather than whether a decision had favorable probability.)
At every level, you're going to be criticized.
CO: "Outcome skews evaluation."
SVG We evaluate better AFTER seeing the film. Sometimes shotmaking covers for other execution failures
Summary (5 truths):
- You're always going to be criticized.
- "Film becomes the best teacher...Dick Bennett used to say, "watch your team and they'll tell you what you need to work on."
- Commit to what you want to take away or you take away nothing.
- "The Old School Way" = that which makes you better. Fundamentals
- "Drills don't replace 5 on 5 basketball."
Lagniappe. Good points but maybe the film reveals that they still allowed the shot they probably didn't want (depending on shooter history)