Thursday, November 24, 2022

Giving Games Away

Holiday season or not, coaches hate giving games away. Let's list and then 'reorganize' some. 

What do you consider the low hanging fruit or the Pareto "20% of the problem with 80% of the benefits?"

Turnovers - "0%" possession

Bad shot - "prayer", selfish, situationally inappropriate shot. Continual attention to shot selection is the quickest path to improvement. 

Bad foul - fouling opponent low percentage shot

Blown defensive assignments - "My bad" 

Lack of help - "the help can never get beaten"

Poor transition defense creates buckets and momentum shifts via runs. 

Bad tempo (too fast or too slow)

Failed block outs 

Poor free throw shooting undermines championship aspirations. 

Lack of communication/talk


Reorganize using the framework of Dean Oliver's Four Factors - score, protect, crash, attack. 


Players execute the game. Teach the symmetry of:

1. Getting great shots and allowing opponents "one bad shot"

2. Value the ball and get more possessions by forcing turnovers

3. Win Coach George Raveling's "War on the Boards"

4. Get and make our free throws and avoid sending opponents to the line

Each new season teams have new players without perspective on what loses games. 

Lagniappe. No coach ever believed her team shot too well. 

Lagniappe 2. Learn to use the body better. 














 

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