Friday, May 31, 2024

Basketball: Stuff I Stopped Doing and Why

No stone tablets adorn our gym. Think and decide for ourselves. We're not robots or training robots. Pete Newell reminded, "they're not cattle." 

Everything coaches do should impact winning and life lessons. Coaches teach dos and don'ts. That advice should apply for us as well. Where is less more? 

Brian McCormick shares his 'fake fundamentals'. He convinces others or not; that's his baby. 

What I abandoned and why? 

Quarterback layups. 

We remove the defender in eighth grade to reduce the risk of violent collisions. We don't run the drill outdoors on asphalt with defense.

Running isn't punishment. Condition within drills to be efficient. 

I don't yell. Have you ever lost your voice for 24 hours? Coach used to say, "if I stop yelling, I've given up on you." An old man yelling at young girls doesn't make much sense. 

Women have an oversized chance of ACL injuries. Few come off the Euro step, but I have concerns. That doesn't make me right.

Taking a charge is one of the best plays in basketball, changing possession and adding a foul to opponents. If I get one injury with a 'charge' drill, I can't justify it. Watch video and learn. 

No more 'hamburger drill'. We've never had anyone lose a tooth or get a concussion with contact drills. "Basketball is not a contact sport, it's a collision sport." There's plenty of contact without artificial contact for our girls. 

Group punishment isn't for me. I remember a JV practice 53 years ago where we ran the whole practice after playing a day-night doubleheader the previous day (not allowed anymore). Two hours of running didn't make us better. It didn't make us love the game more. It was abusive. That didn't model excellence. 

Lagniappe. Love Coach Baker's intensity and energy. 

Lagniappe 2. Shot fake with the dribble maintained.  

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Thursday, May 30, 2024

Basketball: Walton Footwork

"Success leaves footprints." Sometimes the footprints loom large, such as those of the late Bill Walton.

Walton makes it look effortless. His footwork, hands, quickness, and use of the glass make his masterpiece look effortless going 21-22. Players learn this in middle school but few have the elite size, athleticism, and skill to overwhelm defenses. He doesn't use trickery but quickness to win individual battles. Simple, perfectly executed, is nearly unstoppable. 

1. Front pivot, bank shot. 


2. Front pivot, layup. Exceptional quickness 


3. Front pivot, reverse layup. 

4. Quick ball reversal. 

5. Face up, shot fake, middle attack into jump hook. 

6. Failed fronting, pass over the top with elite catch-and-finish. 


7. Lob and finish. 

8. Catch, face, and finish. 


9. Catch, face, layup. 

Lagniappe. Study great players. Emulate their multiple efforts and work to get yourself in the position to do so with strength and conditioning training.   

Lagniappe 2. Simplify. Use player and ball movement to create advantage. 

  • Flash from behind the zone
  • Drive into gaps looking to pass
  • Reverse the ball
  • Screen
  • Postup when available

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Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Basketball: Rope Analogies

Regular readers  know the power and value of analogies, which capitalize on a broad knowledge base. "Cognitive scientists have confirmed that it's easier to learn new things when you already have an extensive base of knowledge."

Apply rope analogies to basketball. 

1. Be like rope - flexible and stronger with individual strands blending together. 

2. Teams in a tug-of-war lose when one or more members "Let go of the rope." Remind teammates of the critical commitment to the team and individual teammates.  

3. Be versatile like rope. Rope forms bridges, ladders, cargo nets, exercise equipment, barriers. 

4. Rope isn't just for safety. Aside from the obvious (hanging, keelhauling, "drawn and quartered"), ropes are implicated in climbing accidents. Climbers connected by rope get pulled to their demise when one falls inciting a cascade of falls (source: Deep Survival). Less obvious, I went eight-for-nine in a high school game where the lone miss hit a climbing rope hanging from the ceiling. 

5. Coaches often "give players some rope" (leeway) in performance, hoping that they don't end up hanging themselves with mistakes. 

6. Stay connected. Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War said, "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." 

7. Training organization (skill, strategy, physicality, psychology) heavy ropes have strength and conditioning value. Battle ropes are just one more workout choice. 

Lagniappe. A coach shares his observation and solutions for player struggles during AAU play. 

Lagniappe 2. Coach Lynch suggests DDM starts. 

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Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Basketball: Over Fifty Years of Lessons and Ideas for Your Summer Reading

Slogans don't win games or championships. Principles and execution do. Teams, coaches, and players must develop a winning mindset. 

Study the game. Study great teams, great players, great coaches. Read. Listen to podcasts. Watch video. Watch clinics online or in person. There is always something new to learn and use. 

Book: The Team Building Strategies of Steve Kerr

Love our losses. Setbacks happen. Learn from them how we can do better and have enduring lessons. 

Book: The Carolina Way The Leadership Moment

"Every day is player development day." If you can't recruit and develop, then you better develop the players you have. Learn how to develop players and put in the time. 

Book: Anything by Pete Newell, Basketball Post Play

"Excellent teams play harder for longer." That requires elite conditioning and resilience which can be developed (e.g. mindfulness, visualization). 

Implement the Four Factors differentials - SPCA - shoot, protect the ball, crash, attack the basket matter because they inhabit winning. 

Book: Basketball on Paper

"Win this possession." That's attention to detail. Are you giving your best every possession? 

Book: Basketball: Multiple Offense and Defense

"You have to be able to win in different ways." Wooden's book is encyclopedic, including three pages on managers. 

Book: Practical Modern Basketball

"Excellent teams find ways to win." Be great in a variety of circumstances, especially special situations. 

Book: Preparing for Special Situations, Herb Brown

"Stops make runs." Times arise when you need a stop...or a score. 

If you want to play more, impact winning. Winners have "possession enders." Think about Derrick White in game four against the Pacers. Winning hoop, chase down block on McConnell, strip and score, charge taken. 

Dos and don'ts matter. Don't take bad shots. Don't give away the ball. Don't allow easy baskets - in transition, put backs, fouling, missed assignments. 

Book: The Power of Negative Thinking

"The best teams do not give away games with bad decisions, poor effort, and poor execution."

"Champions do extra." - James Kerr, Legacy

Book: Legacy

"Focus. Play present. Next play. Be here now." Here's a quote from Robert Greene's book, War. "Ted Williams, perhaps baseball's greatest pure hitter, made a point of always trying to forget his last at-bat. Whether he'd gotten a home run or a strikeout, he put it behind him. No two at-bats are the same, even against the same pitcher, and Williams wanted an open mind. He would not wait for the next at-bat to start forgetting: the minute he got back to the dugout, he started focusing on what was happening in the game taking place. Attention to the details of the present is by far the best way to crowd out the past and forget the last war."

Lagniappe. Don't be too proud or ashamed to ask for help. I get it, "it's your show. You don't need help. The record says otherwise." 

"Asking for help is a superpower anyone can have but only some people use. It is brave to ask for help. Asking for help is the first step toward finding a mentor. Mentors can help us change our lives if we let them."

— Alexi Pappas

Lagniappe 2. Do yourself a favor and watch this breakdown post. 

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Monday, May 27, 2024

Basketball: Memories of Bill Walton

Unique is overdone. Bill Walton was unique. The basketball world lost an icon and his memory will endure.

Growing up a UCLA fan, I read Wooden's They Call Me Coach as the first basketball book I owned. Walton wasn't UCLA but along with then Lew Alcindor, was a big part of the Westwood wizardry. 


1. 21 for 22. Walton's impeccable footwork triggered a 44 point outburst in the 1973 title game. 

2. Habits. Wooden said of Walton, "he never tired of doing the little things," like working on footwork. 

3. 1986. Walton's injuries betrayed his career, but he put together a great 1986 as the sixth man for the Celtics' championship team. Walton got the NBA's Sixth Man Award. Walton and James Harden are the only duo to earn both the MVP and the Sixth Man Award. 

Bird and Walton were virtuoso passers.
 


4. Breaking ankles. Not exactly, but his ankle arthritis was so bad it required fusing to relieve the pain. 

5. Quirky. Walton showed up a practice with a beard. Wooden told him to choose between the beard and basketball. The rest is history. 

6. The Dead. The Grateful Dead were playing in Worcester, MA so naturally Wooden took his Celtics mates. The concert literally started half an hour late because Walton and company were schmoozing backstage. 

7. Blazing. Walton led the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA title with plenty of help from Maurice Lucas, Lionel Hollins et al. Walton's 20 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists, and 8 blocks carried Portland to a two point win. 


Lagniappe. From Farnam Street

There are different types of hard work:

1. Outthinking (a better strategy, a shortcut)
2. Pure Effort (working longer, intensity)
3. Opportunistic (positioning yourself to take advantage of change)
4. Consistency (doing average things for longer)
5. Focus (saying no to distractions)

Lagniappe 2. It's a chaotic game requiring chaos practice. 

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Sunday, May 26, 2024

Basketball: Boosting Your Team's Success

Coaches can generate a long list of possible solutions. Find the absolutes that help impact winning.

REDUCE EASY BASKETS

1. Handle pressure. Good teams can withstand defensive pressure that results in turnovers, especially live-ball turnovers. 

Remedy: Advantage-disadvantage, 5 versus 7 full court and 3 versus 4 half court. 

2. Improve transition defense. 

Remedies: multifactorial

  • Make it a priority. Suggest no more than three transition hoops/game.
  • Specific assignments of who goes to O-boards, who gets back. 
  • Conversion drill. Offense (4), defense (4), waiting (4) at foul line. Defense goes to transition offense and waiting group enters at change of possession. Communicate assignments on the fly. 
3. Reduce bad fouls. 

Remedies: multiple
  • "Foul for profit." - Kevin Sivils
  • "Never foul a jump shot."
  • "Never ever foul three-point shots. 
  • Better technique - "show your hands," don't slap down on blocking shots, avoid fouling 'bail out' shots
GET MORE EASY BASKETS

1. Win at the foul line.

Remedies: multiple
  • Draw more fouls by attacking the rim
  • Convert more free throws. "Teams that cannot shoot free throws last a as long as dogs that chase cars." - Tom Hellen
  • Work on targeting (e.g. aim for the word on the plate)
2. Reduce turnovers. "Turnovers kill dreams" as zero percent possessions.

Remedies: multiple
  • Work on pivoting out of trouble.
  • Advantage-disadvantage above. 
  • 5 on 5 full court and 4 on 4 half-court without dribbling. If the ball hits the floor for any reason, possession ends and the defense immediately converts to offense. 
3. Improve EFG%. 

Remedies: multiple
  • Higher points per possession scoring plays (e.g. transition, scoring off cuts, free throws).
  • Higher percentage shots (layups, open shots, 3s if you have players who make them)
Lagniappe. Never fatigue of footwork training. 

Lagniappe 2. Creating open shots...this may require more experienced players to operate.  


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Saturday, May 25, 2024

Basketball" Separating with the Dribble

"Basketball is a game of separation." Separate with cuts, with simple and complex screens, and with the dribble. 

For the young player, know the options; master a few. This isn't designed to be comprehensive but illustrative. 


It's better to have fewer reliable actions than more mediocre options. It's also vital to have 'pickups' (into the shot) off various dribbles. 

Combination with hesitation. 


Set up and sell the crossover with force. 


The crossover can come off a jab, too. 


Lagniappe. Cut off screen and seal from Chris Oliver. 
Lagniappe 2. Condition within drills. 





 

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Friday, May 24, 2024

Basketball: Predictive not Prognostic

Precision is elusive. Tools help us find (predict) what will happen but not necessarily the extent (prognostic). What examples exist and how will that apply to basketball?

For example, certain types of genetic testing predict increased cancer risk. They don't necessarily say at what age, what type of cancer, or the severity of cancer. 

This isn't unique to medicine. An inverted yield curve (short-term interest rates above long-term) predicts economic weakness. A recession doesn't always ensue. 

Possible Predictive and Prognostic Basketball Factors

Draft choices. In The Undoing Project, Michael Lewis interviews Daryl Morey who explains that age at time of draft, college attended, and performance predict success. For example, Jayson Tatum, drafted at 19 from Duke, became an All-NBA player. 

Stockpiling draft choices can help but doesn't guarantee success. The 76ers (The Process) haven't gotten over the top. OKC has risen with their accumulation and is poised for further ascent. "We'll see."

From Fanspo.com 

The Thunder have a veritable boatload on the horizon. 

NIL. It's premature to know how NIL will impact college basketball. Will the rich get richer? Can programs like UCONN, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and others leverage cash into wins? Are there deep-pocketed dark horses? Will a 'salary cap' emerge, promoting a return to cheating to circumvent the cap? 

Who decides which players will get it? How will it be shared within the team? Is there "incentive pay" and for what (winning?)? Will the cash caste system create dissent and disaffection? What winning formula will others copy? 

Management. What combination of upper level management, coaching, and players will generate the most championships and wins? Team construction involves many factors from talent, to cost, chemistry, and coaching. Certainly most hold the the Heat duo of Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra in high regard for proven success.   

Analytics. "Everyone knows" the value of the Four Factors (EFG% differential, turnovers, rebounds, free throws). What other factors don't we know about that teams 'hoard'? During the days of "Banner 17," the Celtics found correlation between guard rebounding and wins. Ergo, the additional value from Rajon Rondo. Will there be a 'revenge of the nerds' in the basketball operations suites? 

We don't know what we don't know. The more factors we have that align, the more our confidence in prediction. But confidence doesn't correlate well with accuracy. 

Lagniappe. Set up your defender. 

Lagniappe 2. See it to make it happen. 

Lagniappe 3. Steve Collins shares Tex Winters principles. 






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Thursday, May 23, 2024

Basketball: Five Musts (Clip and Save Edition)

Impact winning. Be solution-focused. 

Many games turn on small details for which solutions could turn a program around. Changing our habits matters. As James Clear says, "our actions are a vote for the type of person we want to be." 

Rather than indict a specific program, 'prototype' actions that apply for many teams. We could use the Buffett 25-5 approach, starting with a big list and narrowing it down to five. Rather than generate an extensive list, simplify. 

Find answers that work for your program. They improve results. 

1. What should we eliminate?

Applying NBA statistics to high school or lower level basketball is a fool's errand. Three-point shots from low shooting talent creates low points per possession. Take more "makable" shots. Track them with shot charts and refuse to accept poor shot selection. Get 7's. 

2. What should we add?

Pick-and-roll offense is hard to defend, often generating high percentage shots. Many high school teams barely use PnR. 

3. What should we do more? 

Many teams allow too many easy shots, especially scoring in transition. Conversion and transition defense are hallmarks of solid teams.  

4. What should we do less?

Stop turning the basketball over. Among the worst offensive offenders are live-ball turnovers. They cause high points per possession. That might mean "falling in love with easy." 

5. What one change in practice will impact winning most?

Handling pressure is critical to winning at many levels. Advantage-disadvantage isn't new. Five offense versus seven defenders forces pass and cut development. 

Maybe the solutions don't belong for you. But the questions should. If we can't see it, ask a trusted friend or ally. Remember Oscar Wilde's wisdom, "Your friends stab you in the front." 

Summary: 

  • What should we subtract? 
  • What should we add?
  • What should we do more? 
  • What should we do less? 
  • What one practice change helps? 

Lagniappe. When we're told how to elevate our condition, own it and control it. 

Lagniappe 2. Raising your standards increases performance. 

Lagniappe 3. Jump!  

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Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Basketball: "No Comment" Generates a Lot of Commentary

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." - Abraham Lincoln

We don't need to share an opinion on everything. Sometimes we lack the facts, the background, or the competence. 

Other times we lack gravitas or experience such that our opinions will come across as naive or overstepping. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Many issues polarize those around us. Our opinions may feed controversies over sports, politics, economics, or religion. Weigh the value of sharing our thoughts against the chance of losing friends or antagonizing others. Better to remain silent and to remain friends. 

What issues are hot buttons? 

  • Shot clock mandates
  • AAU
  • Zone defense in youth basketball
  • Comparisons ("Comparison is the thief of joy.") - across eras, players, coaches
  • Winning versus development
  • Officiating 
  • Anything money-related

Speaker of the House John McCormack held everyone in "high regard," although his enemies he held in "minimal high regard." We may not like "so-and-so" but criticizing them may compromise chances with their best friend. 


Fundamental attribution error. People often judge others based on assumptions about their character, while assessing ourselves based on circumstances. Fewer comments are better. 

Abraham Lincoln's "hot letters" (never signed, never sent) were a form of "no comment" that allowed him to dissipate emotion with time. 

"No comment" is better than throwing a teammate under the bus. Coaches should know that criticizing one player can sometimes lose a whole team. 

Comments can hurt because they're personal. Even worse they can be racist, sexist, or elitist. 

Comments leave scars. Insulting fans, communities, coaches, or players is a losing strategy.  

Comments end relationships. "Don't lose $140,000 scholarship over 140 characters on social media." 

Praise for one person can leave another feeling unappreciated. 

Criticism of one player can destroy an entire team. Be aware of 'second order' effects (ripple effect). 

Work to remember the acronym THINK. Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind? 

Lagniappe. 

Lagniappe 2. We played a lot of small-sided games in youth. Do more.  

Lagniappe 3. Practice isn't enough. 

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Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Basketball: More and Better Shots

"Get more and better shots than our opponents." - Pete Newell

Where do more and better shots arise?

More shots:

  • More possessions
  • Win 50-50 balls
  • Clock management (2 for 1s end of quarters)
  • Offensive rebounds sustain possessions
  • Fewer turnovers
  • Force opponent turnovers

Better shots:

  • Better passing ("the quality of the shot relates to the quality of the pass")
  • More transition scoring versus half-court offense
  • Quality shot selection
  • "Multiple actions" (player and ball movement)
  • Distribution to better scorers in their spots
  • Layups, free throws, open threes
  • Force opponents to take harder shots "one bad shot/hard 2s"
  • "Multiple efforts" by playing harder for longer than opponent
Detail oriented: 
 
Key point 1. "Winners are trackers." The most immediate source of improvement is better quality shots. Tracking (shot charts) and team field goal percentage rose with accountability. 

Key point 2. Most underrated and less appreciated source of better shots than opponents is ball pressure and ball containment. Limit opponents getting into offense. 

Key point 3. Winning the transition battle can increase offensive efficiency (points per possession) and limit negative momentum from opponent runs. 

Lagniappe. Don't get burned by coaching errors. Simplify where possible.

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Monday, May 20, 2024

Basketball: (NC) Non-Competitive

Coaches live with a lot. In baseball sometimes it's described as a "non-competitive pitch." 

Don't buy 'non-competitive' play. Play foundations are skill, strategy, physicality, and psychology. "Success leaves fingerprints" and there's little more frustrating than non-competitive play. 

Set high expectations. "This is who we are. This is how we play." Review examples of non-competitive play. 

Skill (Make the simple play)

  • Missed layups
  • Missed free throws
  • Poor shot selection
  • Turnovers
  • Poor on ball defense, little pressure or containment
Strategy (What are we doing?)

  • Lack of organization
  • Poor spacing 
  • Pick-and-roll defense
  • Conversion and transition defense
Physicality (Play with force)
  • Lack of effort
  • Lack of toughness
  • Poor conditioning
  • Poor practice habits
Psychology (Play with confidence)
  • Lack of resilience
  • Lack of urgency
  • Inability to close out games
  • Repetitive mistakes 
Even if many problems need addressing, focus on the ones that impact winning most for you.

Lagniappe. Study greatness.  
Lagniappe 2. Practice cuts to get into your shots. 
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Sunday, May 19, 2024

Harsh Realities and Other Coaching Points

"Coaches get more than we give." - Brad Stevens

Coaches are teachers. Education changes behavior. Every student won't have the same aptitude, interest, and commitment...just like teaching math or medicine. 

The game is for the players. Remember that we help build programs not statues. There is always something to be learned and taught. 

Manage our expectations, not the players'. Young players don't have the skill, experience, or maturity to be consistent. They make eye-opening plays and eye-rolling mistakes.

"Never be a child's last coach." When in our life has continual negativity and criticism strengthened us and made us more resilient? If a child quits a sport because of us, that's a strong statement. 

There's a saying in Washington, "if you want a friend, get a dog." Everyone won't like us, players or parents. I coached a player who couldn't have been more of an "oppositional personality." Her mother wrote me years later to say that her daughter "figured it out," that coaching wasn't criticism. The girl became an All-League player at a charter school. 

Get resources. Read the late Carl Pierson's The Politics of Coaching. Coach Pierson discusses many perturbations of human nature that impact coaches. 

"Read, read, read, read, read." - Werner Herzog   Read about basketball, coaching, fiction, and non-fiction. Be open to new ideas and concepts from other disciplines. I spent my junior year in high school as a 'stay ready' player doing metaphorical chicken chasing to prepare for a role as a defensive stopper. 


We make mistakes. Often I was more concerned about setting lineups balanced for ball-handling, rebounding, scoring and playing time than winning. We would have won a lot more with more inequality. 

Know the unholy trinity of minutes, role, and recognition. Nobody advocates for what is good for their child more than parents. I call it "The Prime Directive" that parents place their child above the welfare of the team. "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior." 

"Every day is development day." Coaches never regret having more skilled players with higher basketball IQ. Development applies for coaches, too. Learn from coaching groups, videos, watching basketball, and mentoring if possible. 

Set boundaries. Never talk with parents about another parent's child. If they want to praise another player, then okay. But it's often fishing for praise for theirs. Have a cooling off period after games. Don't engage about playing time until everyone's had time to sleep on it. 

Seek work-life balance. It's close to impossible, so manage those expectations. 

Have a clear policy on transparency. I coached girls, so I invited parents to pre- and post-game brief discussions and practice. There was never going to be an accusation of inappropriate behavior. Volunteerism isn't worth crucifixion. 

Network. Let players know that we are there for long-term personal and career growth for players. No college coaches are going to take my word over video evidence and personal observation. But coaches help steer players toward "good fits" and career success. Write recommendations. It's alright to bask in their reflected light. 

"Do more of what works and less of what doesn't." My last group wasn't the best at containing the ball. Still, I believed in the value of teaching individual assignment (Man) defense over zone. I believed that was better for their development. So we won a few less games. That doesn't invalidate zones and hybrid defenses. In the playoffs in my final year, we switched to a triangle-and-two with the goal of taking away open threes and living with the paint-protectors protecting the basket. We beat a team that we had lost to seven times over three years. 

"You have to scratch and claw and it never f–king ends. And it doesn’t get better, it just gets harder. So don’t complain to me that I’m making your life hard. You don’t even know what that means." - Deborah Vance in Hacks, Episode 2

The coaching experience is special. 


N.b. Language

Lagniappe. What are you looking for? Is a guy affecting a team or infecting them? 
Lagniappe 2. STS action and more. 
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Saturday, May 18, 2024

Basketball: Caitlin Clark, a Classic Case Study for Cognitive Bias and Mental Models

Caitlin Clark exemplifies a classic cas study for the range of mental models and cognitive biases in examining players. These apply a few of the most common. 

Sample size. Clark has played three games for the Indiana Fever. That  doesn't predict the arc of her career. She's already achieved generational wealth based on her endorsements, putting her in elite company. Individual achievement also will vary with the supporting cast. Number one overall choices play with 'limited' rosters. 

Anchoring. We tend to project the future based on the past. Player of the Year status doesn't guarantee professional success. Players not only need to produce but remain healthy against older, more physical, mature players. 

Recency bias. What have you done for me lately? If your last game was spectacular, then that sticks in fans' minds more than more distant performances. 

Confirmation bias. Most people tend to seek evidence (reading, interviews, podcasts) which reaffirm their existing opinion. Supporting voices help us feel better about ourselves regardless of the value of the information. 

Circle of competence. Clark's ascent sparked international interest in women's basketball. That also means that a lot of newer fans are on board, less familiar with the history and great players of the past and present. It's premature to bestow GOAT status on a young player while unaware of facts like Breanna Stewart being a four-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player with four NCAA crowns. 

Consistency and commitment. When we make public statements, we often choose to defend them because of self-belief. 

Inversion. "Invert, always invert." Some call this, "the other side of the trade." There's simply not enough data to create an "opposing view" hypothesis. 

Remember the achievement equation:

ACHIEVEMENT = Performance x Time 

What can we reliably say about the Clark phenomenon? "A rising tide lifts all boats." More interest drives attendance, seat revenues, merchandising, television and advertising revenues and opportunities for the sport and players. It's win-win for women's basketball. 

Lagniappe. Range, openness and balance all matter. 

Lagniappe 2. Screeners be aware of the many options.  

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Basketball: Template for Learning from Losses (Part 1)

"Love our losses." Losses add value when embraced. Develop a template for study.

1. Start with the Michael Useem questions from The Leadership Moment: 

  • What went well? 
  • What went poorly? 
  • What can we do better next time? 
  • What are the enduring lessons?  

2. Graphically analyze the Four Factors: 


 The NBA broadcast noted that the team with the rebounding edge was 51-13 so far. 

3. "Get more and better shots than opponents." Did we get quality shots based on the shot chart? 

4. Excavate turnover trouble, was it more decisions, execution, or both? 

5. Classify defensive problems: 

  • Transition D
  • Half-court D
  • Pick-and-roll D
  • Undisciplined fouling
  • Lack of shot 'contestedness'
  • Defensive rebounding
6. Win special situations and MUSTS. Check performance on:
  • BOBs
  • SLOBs
  • ATOs
  • Gotta have it versus 'Man' defense
  • Gotta have it versus zone defense
Reviewing these areas yields a short list of problem. Our job is to seek solutions to mitigate their recurrence. "Find the low hanging fruit" that impacts winning. 

Loss Analysis Template: 
  • Michael Useem questions
  • Four Factors graphic
  • More and better shots
  • Turnover trouble 
  • Defensive breakdowns
  • Special situations
Lagniappe. Smart Stuff. 
Lagniappe 2. Learn from legends. 
#1: The Rule of 2 #2: Repetition isn’t punishment #3: 4 Non-Negotiable Rules: Be early. On time is late. Always tell the truth. ‘Listen’ with your eyes. Play as hard as you can.


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