Black Hole of Mediocrity

Average is normal. Always has been, always will be. Achieve escape velocity. 

1. "Champions do extra." - James Kerr, Legacy  The old-fashioned thinking says outwork the competition and earn notice. That's the Malcolm Gladwell "10,000 hours" maxim, true or not. People asked Michelangelo how he could create The Pieta at age 26. He said if you work ten hours a day for almost twenty years then it's not a miracle. 

2. Build better habits. James Clear's Atomic Habits suggests how. Pick, stick, and check. Pick a habit, stick with it ("don't miss twice") and track your performance. Align behaviors with your desires. Study if you want to be a better student. Exercise if you want to be physically fit. Write more to become a writer. 

3. Find a mentor. "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." There's a 'chain' of mentorship. Socrates taught Plato who taught Aristotle, who mentored Alexander the Great. Usher advised, "study your mentor's mentors," which for him meant James Brown and Gene Kelly. 

And his mentor? 

4. "Do one thing each day for your art and one for your business." - David Mamet   If becoming an exceptional athlete is your business, you won't find that on your cellphone or by endless partying. 

5. Edit your life. Ron Howard explains, "the film is made in the editing room." 

THINK

T - Is it true?

H - Is it helpful?

I - Inspire

N - Make it necessary

K - Be kind. 

Jeff Bezos was sitting in the back seat of his grandparents' car and told one who was smoking, "every cigarette you smoke shortens your life by forty minutes." His grandfather pulled the car over and told him, "it's better to be kind than clever." Yes, we all fail sometimes. 

6. Become a storyteller. Buttress your beliefs and values with stories. The Heath brothers book, Made to Stick shares tips on telling stories that resonate with listeners. Here's a great summary. “Failing is often the best way to learn, and because of that, early failure is a kind of necessary investment.” Comedian-director Judd Apatow explained that he heard it would take seven years to succeed, so he had no problem with early comic failures. 

7. "Leave your comfort zone." Teach those who are less skilled. Compete against those who are equal. And learn from those better than we are. "An Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating reflects the will to fall 20,000 times." 

8. Know what it takes. Someone asked Helen Mirren what it takes to succeed as an actor. "First, always be on time. Second, don't be an a*hole." 

9. Show up. Spencer Haywood went to the University of Detroit for a tryout. At one point, the coach said, "make fifteen free throws in a row and you've got a scholarship." The rest is history. 

10.Play the percentages. Annie Duke's book, "Thinking in Bets" helps us, as does this from Dean Smith. ""How do we define a good shot? The amount of defensive pressure, length of shot, and individual player characteristics...much depends on the shooting skill of the individual player. For some players, a lightly guarded twenty-foot jumper will be a higher percentage shot than on taken at close range among a number of defensive players." - Dean Smith, in Basketball: Multiple Offense and Defense."

Summary:

• Champions do extra.
• Build better habits.
• Find a mentor. 
• Take care of both craft and business.
• Edit your life.
• Become a storyteller. 
• Leave our comfort zone.
  
• Know what it takes.
• Show up. 
• Play the percentages. 

Lagniappe. We're only as good as our process. 

Mikel Arteta’s 7 point blueprint to success:
1. Set the Culture✔️
2. Establish an identity✔️
3. Clarity in standards and
expectations✔️
4. Recruit right people (discard
wrong ones)✔️
5. Build chemistry✔️
6. Develop players✔️
7. Trust and believe in the process✔️ pic.twitter.com/TGyGd2wKLx

— Allistair McCaw (@AllistairMcCaw) January 22, 2023

Basketball: Night at the Opera (Me-Me-Me) and an AI Description of a Good Teammate

Celtics' radio analyst Cedric Maxwell once spoke of 'Night at the Opera' basketball, me-me-me. Players, look in the mirror and examine your reflection.

"What is your NBA skill?" Paraphrasing Charles Barkley, what gets you on the floor and keeps you there? Facilitator, rebounder, scorer, '3 and D', "energy guy." How will others label you? 

What is your level of commitment to winning? Exceptional teams have shared vision, shared sacrifice, and shared results. 

What is your impact on the team? How do you make the team and other players on the team better? Be honest with yourself. 

Can you do your job and others'? Do you understand the team philosophy, offensive and defensive direction? Are you on the 'same page' as others when you get opportunity? What is your role in spacing, player and ball movement, and 'shot equity'? Can you fulfill your individual and team defense responsibilities? 

What kind of teammate are you? Are you an energy giver or an energy taker? Are you fully supportive of your teammates and winning or are you more concerned about "minutes, numbers, and recognition?" Are you embracing your role or disaffected? Being happy for another's success is a skill. 

Lagniappe (something extra). "What makes a good teammate?" (AI) 

A good teammate is someone dependable, respectful, and supportive. They communicate effectively, are able to work well in a group, and are able to collaborate and compromise with others. They possess a positive attitude, are willing to take initiative, and are able to adapt to changing circumstances. Additionally, they are open-minded and willing to learn from others and can be counted on to meet deadlines and follow through on commitments.

Lagniappe 2. The screening angle fools Tatum and Wagner beats the Celtics' "drop coverage." Blake Griffin was in the restricted area and offered little resistance. 

Lagniappe 3. Skill. "There is no substitute." Tatum uses the high ball screen and then makes an in-and-out dribble with his 'off' hand and finishes.

 

Basketball: Leave the 'Echo Chamber' Behind

Stop repeating everyone else. The 'echo chamber' lacks original ideas. Neither 'hakuna matata' or 'the sky is falling' is true. 

Be authentic, our own person. Think for ourselves. 

What do you mean? Here are "opinions" that didn't arrive on stone tablets. 

"The favorite." Some pundits pick the Celtics as the 'favorites' to win the NBA title. I see the race as wide open with reasons to advocate for the Celtics, Bucks, Nets, and Sixers in the east and Grizzlies and Nuggets in the West. Injuries always matter. 

"The record." LeBron James closes in on the "permanent" scoring record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This recalls Teddy Roosevelt's quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy." Celebrate greatness and leave the "yeah, but" stuff behind. 

"The Next New Thing." Guys are putting up numbers at a ridiculous pace - Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Giannis, and more. Jayson Tatum set the Celtics record for most times scoring 50, at age 24 eclipsing Larry Bird. There's no "live ball" controversy in basketball. Jokic isn't new and Ja Morant scares me. 

"The All-Star game." The NBA All-Star game doesn't resemble a playoff game as much as a no-defense exhibition. I enjoy the skills competitions but not the game. 

"Load management." Fans pay premium prices to see their favorites play. And players get worn out, injured, or "hurt," limiting effectiveness and increasing risk of injury. I don't blame teams for protecting their investments and maximizing their chance to win long-term. But it's tough on fans who pay premium prices and travel long distances only to have teams sit stars. There's no easy answer. 

Lagniappe. Let the minds meet to get unified rules between the US and the FIBA world. 

Lagniappe 2. Practice court expands players' minds. 

Alabama practice court

4pt line=don’t hug the 3 pt line & spacing

Blocks outside the 4 point line= “Houston spots”for spacing

Corner rectangles=transition & staying wide

Dotted line=shrinking the floor defensively

Larger box=no catch zone defensively

Smaller box=dunker spot pic.twitter.com/UL06MfRzCD

— Anthony Pugh (@Anthony_Pugh2) January 22, 2023

Lagniappe 3. Faster feet? 

Ten Ideas for Better Free Throw Shooting

Converting free throws often decides games. What tips might help produce better results?

My personal best was 144 consecutive free throws in practice and 15 consecutive over a four game stretch in high school. I won the free throw shooting contest at Sam Jones' camp. They asked for someone to go first (outdoors) and I popped up. I thought if I make 10/10, no kid can handle that pressure. 10/10. Winner. My mentee, Cecilia finished second twice in the Massachusetts Elks Hoop Shoot Competition. 

1. Don't get 'frozen' at the line. Step behind the line and wait for the official to give you the ball as you approach your set position. 

2. Line your front foot up with "the nail" which is driven into the center of the free throw line. 

3. During your pre-shot routine, breathe out just before shooting so you're unaffected by breathing motion during the shot. 

4. During free throw practice, take no more than five consecutive without interruption for conditioning to simulate game situations. 

5. During team practice, free throw practice is an efficient way to interrupt high intensity phases of practice. During high school, fifty years ago, Coach Lane scheduled in four rounds of ten FTs during each practice. 

6. Have a consistent target. Bill Bradley advocated for the center of the four bolts holding the rim to the backboard. 

7. Be a tracker. Use a spreadsheet or graph paper to record progress. Pressure and fatigue degrade performance. To shoot 80 percent in game, you'll have to shoot over 90 percent in practice. 

8. "Swish or miss." Steph Curry finishes his FT practice with five consecutive swishes. Track "swish percentage." 

9. Best free throw drill? Pressure free throws. We practiced with "harassment." Our practice partner could yell, say, or do anything but not physically disrupt your shot.

10.Visualization has value. Picture yourself making free throws. It works almost as well as actual practice.

Lagniappe. Coach Castellaw on free throw shooting. 

 

Basketball: The Twelve, Picking a Memorable Team

Like Bill Belichick, I want to coach whom I want to coach.

They aren't always the best, the biggest, the fastest, the strongest...or those with the most heart. But for a variety of reasons, they earn spots on 'The Twelve'. Let's examine why I choose them for my hypothetical team. 

Karen and Paula Sen. "Blood is thicker than water." They got passed over for the Middle School 'A' and 'B' teams. So I coached them on the 'C' team. I played Paula as a point guard in middle school to prepare her as a passer in high school. From day one, Karen was the best rebounder on the floor. And my twin daughters played four years of high school basketball, both earning All-League status. The 5'11" forwards both were on a pair of sectional champions, on teams that went 90-6 in high school. They played on three consecutive sectional champions in volleyball and earned selection to the local High School Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Victoria Crovo was one of the fiercest competitors I've known. The 5'10" power forward 'V-Rex' embodied toughness. She also helped me as assistant coach for a year as a wonderful role model for the young girls as a student-athlete. She's in veterinary school. 

Samantha Dewey was the centerpiece of our middle school team. She was always in her notebook. The 6'2" center transferred to Brooks School after two years at Melrose High School. She rewarded her team with a pair of Prep School State Championships. She now plays for the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois. 

Cecilia Kay was the best middle school player I've coached, averaging 24 points, 17 rebounds and 6 blocks in eighth grade. She dominated at both ends of the court and is an elite student. The 6' 1 1/2" point forward closes in on 1,000 career points as a high school junior after two seasons of All-Scholastic recognition. 

Lauren Joyce overachieved as a player who was always first to arrive and last to leave offseason workouts. Tell her something once and it stuck. She carried the laminated Wooden "Pyramid of Success" in her gym bag to high school every day as a three-sport captain. She is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. 

Bella Federico did not have a distinguished basketball career. She was a tough, solid defender whose competition helped train up another outstanding middle school center, Kat Torpey. She was an extraordinary teammate, who always supported her peers. After a hard loss where another teammate claimed responsibility, Bella addressed the team, "we win together and we lose together." Great teams have elite leadership and exceptional teammates. Bella is also an amazing photographer. 

Sydney Doherty was a talented wing player with elite finishing skills around the basket. When she tried out, she was a 'pure athlete' with limited basketball skills. Head Coach Ralph Labella allowed me the final selection at tryouts and I picked Sydney. Her skills grew and by eighth grade she was one of the top two players on the team, scoring over thirty points in a game twice. She epitomized the growth mindset. She also contributed on the state championship volleyball team. 

Zoe Smith was a slight girl who brought joy to the court. "Bird" could shoot a bit and was unafraid to share her displeasure after missing a shot. She wasn't big or tough or a great player, but memorable for unrelenting enthusiasm. 

Naomi was a little girl who came to tryouts as a sixth grader. The young guard had the answers to the questions before tryouts even started. Two minutes before tryouts began, she came up to me and said, "Coach, I am really excited to be here." She made the team. "Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm."

Kate Story was one of the most athletic guards I ever coached. She was a defensive demon and skilled, unselfish passer who produced memorable assists. She was extremely willful as a young player, hard to coach. Yet, she became an outstanding high school point guard, learning that coaches want what is best for the player. 

Brittany D'Innocenzo was one of the best defensive players I ever coached. She shut down her cover, provided exceptional help defense, and seemed almost indifferent to scoring. She preferred to focus her energies on defense. And she got far more rebounds than she was entitled to for her size. Like many exceptional defenders, she was an exceptional student, regularly at the top of her class academically.  

Lagniappe (something extra). Ed Smith on luck...luck shapes our experience.

Basketball: Beware The Age of Seduction

Complexity is seduction. Don Meyer's three phases of coaching - blind enthusiasm, sophisticated complexity, and mature simplicity - address that.

Complexity tempts us in many ways.

• Develop more elaborate drills
• Expand our playbooks
• Create more elaborate plays
• Spend more on trainers, strength and conditioning, gadgets
• More, more, more...

So what makes sense? 

1. Editing. When we add something, delete. If you believe in "Fake Fundamentals" then eliminate them. Traditional layup lines? We stopped using them. Revise and conquer. 

2. Efficiency. Find ways to eliminate time wasters. Again, Brian McCormick's "L's" - laps, lines, and lectures. Use more baskets and stop standing around. Tempo up!

3. Evaluate. Is an activity (video, statistical analysis, a drill) impacting winning or not? "Activity is not achievement," to quote Wooden. 

4. Impact. What wins and loses games? Bad possessions kill teams. Turnovers, poor shot selection, poor decisions (e.g. passing), defensive errors, not blocking out, and bad fouls kill coaches. 

5. Possession enders. Do we have them and can we stop them (opponents)? Possession enders score, assist, stop, steal, rebound. 

What seduces us? 

1. Xs and Os. Every day "the world" bombards us with a firehose of information. 

22 more plays from FastModel. Do we want two more plays or two better players? 

2. More offenses. If only I had a nickel for every pitch for the Princeton offense. Players who make shots, layups, and free throws make adding more offenses a lesser priority. 

3. "Home cooking." Everyone's local program dies a little when talent aggregators poach players. "You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs becomes 'we have no eggs'." Make our program the one people want.

Lagniappe. Attention to Detail suggests a warmup routine.

 

 

Basketball: A Dozen Lessons Shared from the Clash of Two Area Titans

 "In retelling the story of our lives inside our heads, we are constantly revisiting and revising how decisions played out, how we could have done things differently or better." - Ed Smith, Making Decisions

Video is the truth machine. When top teams compete, it affords us the privilege of engaging skill, strategy, athleticism, and resilience, hoping to translate it to our process. Medfield versus Norwood satisfies that chance. 

1. Medfield runs a horns variation out of the gate, with a backscreen, ball reversal set designed to get an open corner three. 

2. Spacing is offense. Medfield has excellent spacing and sets up a high ball screen. The PG rejects the ball screen, moves the ball and the screener alertly basket cuts with a good angle on her defender. The post feed delivers a hoop. 

3. Strong teams show clear 'intent'. This is what we do and that is how we do it. Medfield shows a "safe press" the 1-2-2 "jug" press that has two players back. Norwood throws "against the grain" and Medfield almost gets a steal. There may have been opportunity "behind" the press where receivers are 'invisible'. 

4. Medfield stays in the zone trap on the inbounds. Norwood makes them pay by attacking the middle, passing with a "one more" corner three. Good offense via "multiple actions." 

5. Norwood is led by Boston Herald Coach of the Decade Kristen McDonnell. Her offense responds by spacing, driving, and a "draw two" penetrate and pass open three.

6. "Win in space." As Mom would say, "don't play in the traffic." Medfield counterattacks three-on-four and gets caught in the traffic. Excellent teams like Medfield excel by winning possessions not by failing to create advantage. 

7. "The defense never rests." Norwood calls for a high ball screen and the PG delivers the pocket pass. But the spacing wasn't good enough and the help sniffs it out with a high degree of "contestedness" preventing the layup. 

8. Top area teams regularly score off open threes. Medfield again shows a spread offense and Norwood contains the ball. But the defense helps off the perimeter opening a quality scoring chance (for a good shooting team). Defenses calculate what's the best strategy, help or stay. It depends. 

9. Where the game changed. After a timeout with the score even, Medfield presses. I like to have two guards back against the 'odd' front to mitigate throwing longer passes. I am not saying I'm right, that's just my preference. Medfield gets a steal and turns it into a three.

10. "Win this possession." The three phases of possession are the initial setup, creating advantage, and exploiting it. Medfield eventually gets a wing attack and the driver alertly rebounds her miss and finds an open perimeter shooter. 

11. Live ball turnovers often translate into high points/possession offense. Norwood has good spacing but Medfield traps in a "primary trap zone." The ballhandler steps through the trap but loses the ball and Medfield is off to the races finishing with a Euro step. 

12. "Eyes in the back of your head." If you lack them, talk. Consecutive steals from behind. You don't see this every day. 

I follow Doc Rivers' rule of no more than thirteen clips to avoid 'film fatigue'. Consider sharing what works and what doesn't with your teams. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Are entry passes a lost art in your program? 

Having trouble with guards making entry passes into your offense?

Payton/Jackson Drill: https://t.co/uPHLr3kbKD pic.twitter.com/aOrgopBur9

— Matt Hackenberg (@CoachHackGO) January 21, 2023

Bad Teams

We've all been there in a bad romance with our favorite team. Bad teams are different. Here are some ways how:

1. Low skill. 

• The best way to improve is developing individual skills. 
• The best drills blend offense, defense, decisions, and competition.

2. Inconsistent effort

• Hard work is a skill.
• Reward effort. 

3. Shot selection 

• The quickest path to better shooting is better shots. 
• Disallow "my turn" shots. 

4. Turnovers

• "The ball is gold." 
• Bad shots are "shot turnovers." 

5. Unwilling or incapable passers

• "Water the flowers." Reward running bigs. 
• "The quality of the shot relates to the quality of the pass." - Pete Carril

6. Uncoordinated play 

• Bad teams don't play together. 
• Make the 'easy play'. 

7. Poor defensive technique 

• Defense starts with ball pressure and ball containment. 
• The help can never be beaten. 
• Bad teams commit bad fouls and "double down" with fouls after other poor decisions like bad shots or turnovers. 

8. Lack of communication.

• Silent teams lose. 
• Talk intimidates. 

9. Lack of resilience 

• Resilience is a skill. How you play is how you live.
• Do. Not. Quit. 

10.Don’t improve 

• Bad teams lack a growth mindset.
• If we stay the same, then we're falling behind. 

Lagniappe (something extra). 

Georgetown can’t shoot or get stops, but they make up for it by not working very hard.

This is one of the worst high-major teams ever.

— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) January 11, 2023

Lagniappe 2. Winning is hard because it is valuable. 

Guess what?

▪️Getting up for a 6:00 am practice is Hard
▪️Great effort when you are tired is Hard
▪️Challenging your teammates is Hard
▪️Positive energy is Hard
▪️Being vocal in practice is Hard

Do you know what else is Hard?

WINNING.

Choose wisely.#CultureWins

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) January 20, 2023

 

 

Basketball: What's Your Pitch? Sell Better.

"I'm a salesman." - Chuck Daly, two time NBA Championship coach

Why should somebodies listen to this nobody? To sell better. Your "elevator pitch" is a one-minute capsule of your program, your plan to build character and competence. The Greeks emphasized ethos (character), logos (reason), and pathos (passion) in their stories. The Red Sox manager in 1967, Dick Williams, took a last place team to the American League pennant. "We'll win more than we'll lose." 

What works? Influencer Dan Pink, author of "Drive," tells us to invite a collaboration...conversation to collaboration. Pink reminds us that every email is a pitch. Make them have UTILITY adding value or CURIOSITY, what intrigues you? 

From MasterClass, Dan Pink

Make the reader feel the email must be read.

Get listeners to act. Help them know, feel, then do. 

When the facts are on our side, ask a question. "Are you better off than you were four years ago was Ronald Reagan's campaign question?" That question didn't work for Mitt Romney in 2012, four years after the global financial crisis. 

Make a one-minute "hype video" about your program. 

Tell stories using "The Pixar sequence."

From MasterClass, Dan Pink

Once upon a time a little girl dreamed of going to the Naval Academy. She tried out for a middle school team. Everyday she was the first at practice and the last to leave. One day her coach found out that was her dream. Because of that, he wrote a Congresswoman praising the player's character, achievements, and work ethic. And that girl got the Congressional nomination to Annapolis. Today, she is a naval officer. 

Coaches make dreams become reality.

Summary:

• We all sell. Sell better. 
• Use character, reason, and passion. 
• Invite a collaboration.
• Add value and spark curiosity. 
• Ask a question if the facts are on your side. 
• Make a hype video. 
• Use the Pixar sequence.  

Lagniappe. Pivoting is an undertaught skill. Ryan Pannone shares. "You play 100% of the game on your feet." 

Basketball: Sample Practice Organization

Everyone should tailor practice to their needs. To suggest our practices are the model is idiotic. If you find something useful, great. 

Here are some considerations from saved (Google Drive) practice spreadsheets. 

A menu of possible actions to include (above). 

Practice should reflect needs at the time. 

 

A fairly generic practice (90 minutes, middle school girls)

Another generic 90 minute practice layout, arranged by segments

"Are we building a program or a statue?" Help players contribute to successful teams, to 'see the game', to be good teammates, worthy opponents, and responsible adults. The game is for the players. 

Lagniappe. Get your shooters a shot against the zone. 

Double flare the zone to setup your shooter against zone defensehttps://t.co/bKORFepWR8 pic.twitter.com/s8RcMUZhBa

— Matt Hackenberg (@CoachHackGO) January 14, 2023

Lagniappe 2. Understanding how the pieces fit together is harder than it sounds. Filtering and using a firehose of data is a useful skill. 

Really like this (Decision Making, Ed Smith) pic.twitter.com/hntbeps32s

— Rob Carroll (@thevideoanalyst) December 8, 2022

Fast Five: Missing Actions: What Isn't There?

Puzzle solvers find answers from clues present and absent. In the series, Inside Man, Stanley Tucci asks what 'missing' clue solves the case?

Basketball can resemble that. What ingredients don't show up in the box score or on the 'eyeball test'?

We know the relevance of Dean Oliver's "Four Factors," differentials in shooting (e.g. EFG%), rebounding, turnovers, and free throws. Score, crash, protect, attack. 

But what "missing" links relate to better results? And can we do anything about them? You'll have your own.

1. Talk on defense. "Silent teams lose." Guards get blown up on hard screens, straight line drives happen when nobody says "help left" or "help right." Talk intimidates. Getting teams to talk is a challenge for every coach. 

2. Assists. Princeton Coach Pete Carril said, "the quality of the shot relates to the quality of the pass." Some teams cannot or will not pass. Assists make three people happy - the scorer, passer, and coach. Maximize happiness. Be willing passers. "Only the penitent man will pass." 

3. Toughness. "The game honors toughness." Tough teams are first to the floor, set great screens, hold their block outs, take charges. Avoid the dreaded S's - softness, selfishness, sloth. 

4. Touch. NBA teams that touch won more. Just as verbal and nonverbal communication matter, so does 'tactile communication'. The headline summarizes it. 

5. Multiple actions. "Great offense is multiple actions." Teams that struggle aren't doing enough multiple actions. 

• Pass and cut
• Screen and roll
• Penetrate and pass

Summary, Look for What Isn't There:

• Talk on defense.
• Toughness is a skill.
• Touch and energize. 
• Pass willingly. 
• Make multiple actions the norm. 

Lagniappe. Passing tips.

- Throw behind. 

- Throw ahead. "Water the flowers...the running big." 

- Throw one more. "The ball has energy."

Notes from Nate Mitchell - High-level Workouts

 "Every day is player development day." Most of us lack the luxury of 'star acquisition'. Here are notes:

Building a player (WHY are we doing an activity)

Observe the player (film or in person) - is the player playing off the catch, making quick decisions? How quickly does he set up the shot?

Coaching offense improved as he understood defense.

Skill transference improves with randomized (game-like) variation AFTER skill acquisition. 

He uses film to study player decisions and then takes it to practice court - pass vs shot and what type of finish preferred. 

Consciously choose the skill that has worked (e.g. catch-and-shoot 3s). Your role may NOT be to take corner 3s. If you've proven you can make 70/100 corner 3s in practice regularly, THEN implement. (I had my twins track 100 free throws daily with goal of getting them into the 90s.)

Everyone won't be allowed to do everything (based on proven skill).

In the modern game, you must defend on the perimeter in a stance and be ready to switch. That's an emphasis for them when studying video. 

• Form shooting is an everyday thing. 
• Combines offense and defense (e.g. closeout, slides, sprint to corner for three threes...players more enthusiastic)
• Combination drills get more cardio in 
• A midrange shot drill turns into a closeout, slides, and move for a few catch-and-shoot 3s

"Five levels of shooting"

• Catch-and-shoot (stand still)
• Move, catch-and-shoot
• Basic off the bounce (e.g. transition, PnR)
• Elite movement (e.g. floppy, pindowns)
• Elite off-the-bounce (e.g. Durant, Harden, Irving) including 3s

Basketball: The Beautiful Game, Short Celtics - Hornets Clips

People say, "I can't watch the NBA. It's just a three-point shooting contest." 60 of the Celtics' 130 came on threes. Yet, it's more. 

I follow Doc Rivers' 13 clip rule, no more than 13 clips. Find something that our players can use. 

Handback into backscreen lob.  

Screen and defense goes under. Splash. 

Pindown, curl, catch, and hard crossover. Skill rules. 

"One more" and then attack and pass. 

Lamelo finds a cutter. He "draws 2" and gets a dime. 

Rob Williams can pass and JT can cut. 

BOB. The screener is the second cutter on this backscreen. 

Short-roll passing into another open shot. 

High ball screen, attack, and lob. Marcus Smart with a 'screen assist'. 

The great shot fake is a "shot not taken." JT adds a side dribble three. 

VDE. Vision-decision-execution genius from Lamelo Ball. 

"Movement kills defenses." Ball movement...

The skill that matters most, shooting...51 points. Yes, the threes add up. 

Constructing Teams - Notes from a Remarkable Interview with Cricketer Ed Smith

Benefit from exceptional minds - Charlie Munger, Noam Chomsky, Danny Kahneman, and Nassim Taleb. Study doesn't oblige us to accept every lesson.

Study thinkers in sport like cricket's Ed Smith, selector of the English national team from 2018-2021.  "Innovation begins with a simple insight." He argues, "There is value to skepticism." 

"The role of the selector is to bring it all together in an overarching process." Selection shouldn't be "pub talk," as in "I like this guy." There is a team dimension. "How do we create a team that's more than the sum of its parts?"

• What are our priorities?
• What are our needs?
• Who's the opposition?
• What's the best lineup?

"Quantity and quality of data" change every way of life.

• Data
• Scouting
• Feedback from coaches and captains
• Psychological and medical insight
• What you see
• Personal insights and intuition (eyeball test)

"The strategy of a sports team is about tradeoffs and judgments." "If you're focusing there, you're not focusing in another area." 

One game doesn't define a strategy as valid. "There is loose correlation between decisions and outcomes (uses the poker analogy of Annie Duke)." Over time, "you hope decisions translate into success."

Smith asks, "do you know what's going on?" 

"Innovation brings about innate risks," an "insult to conventional wisdom." The pressroom, dominated by ex-players, celebrates conventional wisdom from another time. 

Kasparov created "advanced chess" combining both a computer and a person.

You want better data and analysis by skilled analysts.

What would we do differently the next time? Smith felt team was at its best when unconventional in lineup.

"There's a distinction between truths that help you and spin which helps you look better than you are." On the inside, you may have information that cannot be revealed.

There is a baseline of performance. Your goal is to elevate it through selection (and ultimately training and strategy). His program wasn't to be innovative but to solve problems. He learned a lot from other domains (including investing, from his friend Howard Marks). Being different and better risks being different and worse. Your job is to "get more right than the next guy."

Some people think sports people aren't intelligent. They're intelligent in a different way. 

"Get the next decision as good as possible." 

"Data shows you how the game is changing." Algorithms can also extract better interpretation of the data. Get better data and better analysis. "Data helps you to understand reality." 

"Teams are typically too cautious." "Data can show the relationship between aggression, risk, and winning." "The power of having something unpredictable will become powerful." 

When asked for an example of innovation in sport he discussed Daryl Morey (when at the Rockets). 

"If you know what the optimal play is, you'll be able to defend it better." 

"The game changer (unpredictability) becomes valuable..." 

"You can't plan for pure spontaneity...for randomness." 

"No one can predict perfect randomness." 

"The value of the human being is when they're most human." 

"If you have confidence in your ideas...they'll be proved better in the long-term." 

Summary:

• Study great thinkers across domains. 
• Create teams more than the sum of their parts. 
• Data alters our perspective.
• Get better data and analysis. 
• Learn what's going on. 
• Innovation is seen as an insult to conventional thinking.
• Goal is to surpass the baseline performance. 
• Data reveals how the game is changing. 
• Being better and different risks being different and worse. 

Lagniappe. Snake and finish, pullup, floater...