"He-puts himself in the man's place-having first gauged his intelligence. And then-he tries to imagine, how himself would have proceeded in similar circumstances." - Dr. Watson in The Musgrave Ritual
Improve by watching video and games, putting ourself in the position of the coach. Mental reps count for coaches, too.
Brad Stevens reviewed over a thousand late game situations to develop his play calling.
Understand the Situation
Know the time and score, the strengths and weaknesses of our team and opponents. Many coaches have a "play sheet" of situations which indicates preparation. For example, up three without the ball and inside ten sections, do you foul?
Coach Mike Neighbors advised having "best" plays against man, against zone, in BOB, SLOB, and ATO situations.
Weigh the Options
Facing a strong coach with a good team, we had to defend an ATO. I thought they would run a high ball screen with a strong point guard. I told our team to anticipate the PnR and to trap the ball handler coming off the screen. The decision and execution prevented a shot.
At higher levels, the skill and execution level of offenses allows for far more variability.
Consider Pros and Cons
Analytics vary by level. Don't apply NBA stats to high school basketball. The individual matchups may mean far more than "predictive value for points per possession" for postups.
A player commits multiple fouls early. Can she play with fouls or should she be subbed out?
What is our team experience with ATOs or other special situations? Do we have sustainable competitive advantage via players and preparation?
Make the Mental Decision
Real time, make our "mental rep," watch the coach's choice, and see the result.
Closing the loop, track our decisions in a "journal" and examine them at our leisure.
Nothing replaces experience and 'the practice of coaching'. Simulate "real coaching" with low stakes decision-making.
Lagniappe. Build better habits.
I’m in love with this sentence: “Your future is shaped by the habits you repeat, not the goals you set.”
— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) October 17, 2026
