Basketball: Mastering Time (Clip and Save Edition)

"Time and tide wait for no man."

Study how coaches and players apply time. 

You practice in the driveway, shooting and dreaming. Who hasn't done the Cinderella Boy, "down by one, time ticking down, he shoots, he scores?" Dan Brown, author of The DaVinci Code explains thrillers raise the stakes and have the 'ticking clock'.

Are we using time wisely in preparation, practice, and games? Don't presume that players understand how time informs success and failure. They don't as we've all seen time abused. 

1. Quarter time. There are a total of twenty-four possible swing points at the end of four quarters, plus or minus three points for each team. Eastern Massachusetts title game...the local team led by eight in the first, with ten seconds left and the ball. An early missed shot was followed by a three at the other end and another three to start the next quarter. Over twenty seconds the lead evaporated to two. 

2. Two-for-one. With a thirty-second shot clock, do you have the basketball IQ to exercise the two-for-one possession? Do you practice it or do you rely on the decisions of children? 

3. Timeouts. How do you deploy yours? Dean Smith preferred to reserve three for the final four minutes if possible.

• Disrupt momentum/runs.
• Make key substitutions.
• Rest players. 
• Preserve a possession.
• Set up ATOs, BOBs, and SLOBs.
• Effect strategic changes.

4. Tempo. Tempo critically impacts the game. Leading, you may choose to shorten the game by reducing possessions. Trailing, speed up the game to increase possessions. Train teams to play with differing tempo.

5. Shot clock. Great shots often come early in a possession (e.g. with transition or conversion). Teams also need a plan for "bail out" possessions later in the shot clock. 

6. Time-based rules and violations. Use time better. Inbounds plays start as the ball is handed to the passer, not on a slap. 

7. Take it to the limit. I've never told a player to ties shoes or fake an injury (e.g. ankle sprain, poke in the eye) to get a strategic break. I won't say that I haven't seen it happen. 

8. Crunch time. What are your best actions for crunch time - a couple of plays in each category? 

• BOB
• SLOB
• ATO 
• Versus man
• Versus zone
• With ten seconds, five seconds, one second
• Game winners from full court, half court

9. Time-based constraints. Add time constraints during practice to 'up the stakes'. How many makes in a given time? Personal bests mean more when time is factored in.

10.Exploit "the Golden Moment" after opponents score. Get the ball in quickly before they are set and advance the ball quickly before they set the defense.

Lagniappe. Brad Stevens watched the final minutes of over a thousand close games to devise strategies for end games. Remember the 'ration' sisters- Aspi Ration, Prepa Ration, Inspi Ration, and Perspi Ration. 

Lagniappe 2. Lillard with 0.9 seconds left.