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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Basketball - The Good and the Bad of It

"Invert, always invert." - Mathematician Carl Jacobi

Players need consistent, relevant messages that impact improvement and winning. What bad teams do, good teams do not. 

Define expectations about performance - "This is what we do. That is how we do it." Be specific. "Play harder" means less than attack the ball handler, challenge every shot without fouling, and beat your cover to half court in transition every play.

Here are five "good" and "bad" practices to share with players. Everyone says, "Everybody knows that." If that were true, we would see as much uneven basketball. 

Win in Space

  • Basketball is a game of separation. 
  • Don't play in the traffic.
  • "Spacing is offense and offense is spacing." 
    The Nuggets have great spacing, set a flare screen and the Celtics have a "failure to communicate." 

    Movement kills defenses
  • "The ball has energy.
  • "Player and ball movement stress defenses and force long closeouts. 


The Celtics goal is to "draw 2" and create open perimeter players. Ball movement creates an open corner three. Bad teams are stagnant. 

On time and on target passes
  • Be good in the pick-and-roll
  • Be versatile as a passer 

Denver exploits "hard to guard actions" including the pick-and-roll. Better teams have both handlers and receivers who win in the PnR. 

Develop versatility in finishing
  • Be able to finish with either hand off either or both feet from both sides of the basket. 

There was an epic line in the old movie Risky Business, "Porsche, there is no substitute." In basketball, there is no substitute for making shots. My coach's advice on improvement was simple, "Play a lot." 

Simplify
  • Separate with change of direction and/or change of pace
  • Be good with your dominant hand 

Derek White uses a subtle acceleration and gets his body into the defender to prevent a block. 

As Brad Stevens told my wife (a rocket scientist), "Basketball is not rocket science." Create advantage and finish plays. Defensively, work to shrink space, limit separation, and force "hard twos." 

Lagniappe. Constantly set high standards and specifics for players. 




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