Mom preached that using four-letter words reflect limited vocabulary. In basketball, four-letter words separate wins from losses.
TALK. Communication - especially on defense - alerts, energizes, and intimidates. "Silent teams lose." You know the term "ELO" - early, loud, and often. Call "help right" and that guy ain't driving there.
Don't take my word for it. Listen to Jay Bilas.
EYES. Eyes impact many actions.
- "Eyes make layups." Pick your spot on the glass.
- Eyes move defense on shot fakes and passes looking off defenders.
- As a cutter, the passer's eyes have to see you to deliver on the cut.
- Remember "the ball is a camera." Does it see you open?
"PASS." Basketball is a game of cutting and passing.
- Pete Carril said, "the quality of the shot reflects the quality of the pass."
- Pass willingly.
- PASS "on target and on time."
- PASS because the ball has energy.
NBAMath published data on the relationship between quality passes and wins. "We can see a positive correlation between ball movement and on-court success does exist, even if the cause of such success is still evasive." Yes, shooters matter as GSW shows.
These relationships may not apply at lower levels with less skilled passers, cutters, catchers, and finishers.
MOVE. Cutting is the other shoe to fit.
- Cutters have to time cuts and read screens - to curl, cut backdoor, or bump off.
- Cut urgently. Many actions fail without URGENT CUTTING.
- Moving can establish, maintain, or destroy spacing.
This Bob Knight video has value for cutters and passers.
SHOT.
- "Think shot first." -Don Kelbick
- "Be shot ready" on the catch.
- Defensively, allow "one bad shot."
- Call "shot" on the release alerting defensive rebounders.
Four-letter words aren't dirty, they're triggers to do the right things.
Lagniappe. Study elite players. How does Jokic get space?
Lagniappe 2. "Play of the week" Ram screen fake handoff...