Monday, April 17, 2006
The Difference Between Winning and Losing
Just a quick reminder to let you know that we DON'T play this weekend due to the Easter holiday. Our next game is next Sunday, 4/23, vs the 'The OC', at 2 pm on Court C.
Because this is the first game on the schedule, you can come as early as you want to warm up. But let's try to arrive at least a half hour early. And remember to bring a white and dark blue shirt.
***
I was reading my copy of 'Stuff', by Dick Devenzio, last night, and I came upon a section I thought you might enjoy, and would be useful to read.
It's about a key factor of winning basketball, and is called 'Bad Shots', but is more about the critical importance of taking Good Shots!
Here it is:
***
'Bad Shots
***
Bad shots, probably more than anything else, lose basketball games, yet bad shots are ridiculously common. Go to any playground and you will see more bad shots taken than good shots.
Players seem to love taking bad shots.
***
Do YOU understand what a bad shot is?
You probably THINK you do, but you probably don't. It might be easiest to illustrate this with a question or two.
Each time you come down court, why don't you let a shot fly from midcourt? Most players readily understand why that is stupid. A midcourt shot is NOT a very high percentage shot. It is SMARTER to get closer and take a shot that has a BETTER chance of going in.
This makes good sense, and it seems like the whole world should agree on what is and is not a good shot.
But agreement usually ends at midcourt, because for some strange reason, players routinely think that all sorts of hooks, fade-always, far-off jumpers and quick
flings are good shots.
***
A coach will ask, 'Why TAKE a quick twenty footer?' And the player will answer, 'I can MAKE that shot, Coach.'
And yes, he can.
A BIT more often than he can make a fling from midcourt, but a lot LESS often than he can make a right hand layup or an OPEN fifteen footer.
***
So, why EVER take a quick twenty footer? Maybe you NEVER should.
The point is, if there is no shot clock, what excuse is there, ESPECIALLY in the first half when obviously there is plenty of time left, for taking a quick twenty
footer?
Why not wait for a BETTER shot?
***
To some players, even good ones, these kinds of questions often sound ridiculous, yet WINNING TEAMS are most often the team who PASS UP SHOTS and wait for BETTER ONES. Only teams which have no confidence in their ball handling should 'jack up 20 footer' in the first half of a game.
Otherwise, it makes sense to EXPLORE the defense and see if it isn't possible with a bit more movement and a couple more passes to get a fifteen footer or even a layup.
***
For players, the toughest thing isn't so much to learn NOT to take fade-always and hooks and flings, but to learn the DIFFERENCE between a 45% shot and a 60% shot.
There isn't a great DEAL of difference. Both FEEL good, and both feel like they are GOING to go in.
Both do go in rather often, yet 60% shooting wins games while 45% often loses them.
***
What IS the difference between a 45% shot and a 60% shot?
Not much....
A bit more time....
A step closer in....
A bit more confidence and certainty about the ONE....
A bit of this and a bit of that - -not much, and not easy for a coach to make into a hard and fast rule. Yet again, the 60% shot wins and the 45% shot loses. It is a subtle difference, a minor difference, and almost no difference at all.
But then, neither is there much difference between two teams who finish a game 67-64.
Only that one team WON, and one team LOST.'
*************
Have a great Easter, and I'll talk with you next week!
Brady Flower
bradyflower@msn.com
612-396-8572
Because this is the first game on the schedule, you can come as early as you want to warm up. But let's try to arrive at least a half hour early. And remember to bring a white and dark blue shirt.
***
I was reading my copy of 'Stuff', by Dick Devenzio, last night, and I came upon a section I thought you might enjoy, and would be useful to read.
It's about a key factor of winning basketball, and is called 'Bad Shots', but is more about the critical importance of taking Good Shots!
Here it is:
***
'Bad Shots
***
Bad shots, probably more than anything else, lose basketball games, yet bad shots are ridiculously common. Go to any playground and you will see more bad shots taken than good shots.
Players seem to love taking bad shots.
***
Do YOU understand what a bad shot is?
You probably THINK you do, but you probably don't. It might be easiest to illustrate this with a question or two.
Each time you come down court, why don't you let a shot fly from midcourt? Most players readily understand why that is stupid. A midcourt shot is NOT a very high percentage shot. It is SMARTER to get closer and take a shot that has a BETTER chance of going in.
This makes good sense, and it seems like the whole world should agree on what is and is not a good shot.
But agreement usually ends at midcourt, because for some strange reason, players routinely think that all sorts of hooks, fade-always, far-off jumpers and quick
flings are good shots.
***
A coach will ask, 'Why TAKE a quick twenty footer?' And the player will answer, 'I can MAKE that shot, Coach.'
And yes, he can.
A BIT more often than he can make a fling from midcourt, but a lot LESS often than he can make a right hand layup or an OPEN fifteen footer.
***
So, why EVER take a quick twenty footer? Maybe you NEVER should.
The point is, if there is no shot clock, what excuse is there, ESPECIALLY in the first half when obviously there is plenty of time left, for taking a quick twenty
footer?
Why not wait for a BETTER shot?
***
To some players, even good ones, these kinds of questions often sound ridiculous, yet WINNING TEAMS are most often the team who PASS UP SHOTS and wait for BETTER ONES. Only teams which have no confidence in their ball handling should 'jack up 20 footer' in the first half of a game.
Otherwise, it makes sense to EXPLORE the defense and see if it isn't possible with a bit more movement and a couple more passes to get a fifteen footer or even a layup.
***
For players, the toughest thing isn't so much to learn NOT to take fade-always and hooks and flings, but to learn the DIFFERENCE between a 45% shot and a 60% shot.
There isn't a great DEAL of difference. Both FEEL good, and both feel like they are GOING to go in.
Both do go in rather often, yet 60% shooting wins games while 45% often loses them.
***
What IS the difference between a 45% shot and a 60% shot?
Not much....
A bit more time....
A step closer in....
A bit more confidence and certainty about the ONE....
A bit of this and a bit of that - -not much, and not easy for a coach to make into a hard and fast rule. Yet again, the 60% shot wins and the 45% shot loses. It is a subtle difference, a minor difference, and almost no difference at all.
But then, neither is there much difference between two teams who finish a game 67-64.
Only that one team WON, and one team LOST.'
*************
Have a great Easter, and I'll talk with you next week!
Brady Flower
bradyflower@msn.com
612-396-8572
# posted by Brady Flower @ 6:59 AM 
