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Sunday, March 19, 2023

Slot Machines and Basketball - Ten Ideas

Find edges. Don't play or coach basketball like playing slot machines. There are two statistical ways to profit from slot machines - manufacture and sell them or operate them with the 'house edge'.

Find sustainable competitive advantage

1. Produce "rare and valuable" content. That requires extraordinary focus and the ability to see things differently. 

2. Fast fix. Improve shot quality. "Kill your darlings..." eliminate bad shots. 



7's Rule. Understand shot selection. Levels 1-10, there is no 10 (perfect shot) or 1; discuss 3-5-7-9. 3rd grade shots lose. 9s are great shots and obvious. 5s are so-so; get 7s. In range, in rhythm, with room. Get 7s to win. 

3. Do more of what works. Analyze for success. Junk the stuff that doesn't work. 

4. Become more efficient...increase intensity, get more done in less time. 

5. Become exceptional at high volume activities. Writers, write better with active voice, powerful words, and no qualifiers (very, truly, really, sometimes, often). PnR players, improve your technique. 

6. Master technique. ROB shots - in range, open balanced. 3 Rs - range, rhythm, room. 

7. Enhance productivity within an activity.


Make it "impossible to defend" by working together.

  • Reject the ball screen. 
  • Hit the 'slip' as 4 sets the 'ghost' screen
  • Conventional PnR as bigs aren't accustomed to handling big on big screens
8. Steal. Picasso said, "good artists borrow, great artists steal." You watched your nephew's seventh grade game and saw a killer BOB or SLOB. Steal it. 

9. Reimagine something. A great inbounder impacts high quality scoring chances. Invest in developing that guy. It takes vision, patience, and execution. 

10.Share the science of habit formation with players. Their idea of hard work and reality can be incredibly different. For example, running eight 220 yard sprints with sixty second breaks between might sound easy. Or not. Jumping rope for five minutes might sound easy. Or not. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Become your own coach by listening to others.