Res ipsa loquitur, “The thing speaks for itself.” Having a “keen sense of the obvious” creates winning basketball.
Steal something today. Coaches will say, “Everyone knows that.” Watch most high school games and see that everyone doesn’t.
Many more elements belong on our bingo card – making free throws in the clutch, attention to detail, communication, controlling tempo, strategic timeouts and so forth.
Key Point Expansion:
PnR: underrated actions
- Rejecting ball screens
- Slipping screens
Spacing:
- Use the three-point line as the spacing line
- Never cut to an occupied post
Value the ball:
- “Turnovers kill dreams”
- Live ball turnovers are worst – high points/possession
Quality shots:
- Track “shot turnovers” e.g. three-point airballs and glassballs
- “The quality of the pass impacts the quality of the shot
Range:
- Track player range, if you can’t make threes in practice, you won’t make them in games
- Shot charts are invaluable. The Knight quote applies, “Just because I want you on the floor doesn’t mean I want you to shoot.”
Watch any high school game and identify:
- Why teams and players excel
- Why teams self-destruct
- A team’s “offensive and defensive intent”
Why Teams Excel
The best players make those around them better. They are mentally and physically tough, make good decisions, and play both ends of the floor.
Excellent teams are “hard to defend.” Passing the ball around the perimeter until someone jacks up a three isn’t that. Good teams pressure the ball, take away the pass, and contest those shots without fouling.
Why Teams Self-Destruct
Unsuccessful teams lose possessions by 1) Taking bad shots, 2) turning the ball over, and 3) not spacing, cutting, and passing effectively. Defensively, they don’t contain the ball, can’t deny penetration, and don’t control the boards.
Great Habits Create Great Systems
Strong teams have clear intent to “win possessions” and “get more and better shots than their opponent.” They apply and handle pressure, get key scores and stops, and have a mindset of “whatever it takes.” As Coach Dave Smart says, “they play harder for longer.”
In close games (two possessions or fewer), attention to detail and the “abundance of little things” separate champions from others.
Think about the Celtics clip above:
– Queta locks in and gets a hand in the passing lane (possession ender)
– Hauser starts the break and advances the ball
– Hauser puts it into another gear and Scheierman ends “give-and-go”
As James Naismith said, “Basketball is an easy game to play and a difficult one to master.”
Lagniappe. The “Dean” of analytics notes a tectonic shift in basketball.
This is the chance an NBA team wins the game when winning each of the following factors this year:
2pt: 69%
3pt: 68%
TOV: 60%
REB: 58%
FT: 57%
(using 4 Factors accounting)The 2pt number is the highest it’s been and the first time it’s higher than the 3pt number.
— Dean Oliver (@DeanO_Lytics) February 27, 2026