Simple...Yet Effective

How often in the game of baseball are games won from homeruns only? How many games go 9 innings with no one on base and the final score is made of only homeruns? Not many.

How many football games are won by the team that scored the most, and both teams went for a touchdown on every possession? Whether it is a run play or a pass play on first through third down, in the history of the game, how many teams have won games by scoring or attempting to score every time they were on offense? What would be the need for offensive coordinators? The answer is, none.

I bring this topic to light with the aforementioned sports because basketball is no different. How many offensive possessions or basketball games are won with a shot taken every time the first player touches the ball or even after one pass is made and the receiving player touches the ball? Not many. That is because strategy is involved in any genuine competitive sport. The desire to win, even in football, sparks the use of brains over bronze.

In more cases than not, the smarter play is the simple play. The smarter team is the team that is capable of understanding the offensive strategy, defensive strategy and thought process of the coaching staff in regards to what they want to accomplish in every practice, team meeting and game. Because an entire season plays a physical and mental toll on players, it is best to keep things simple yet effective.

Simple yet effective should be involved in a player’s mentality at all times.

For example, a simple bounce pass that most players have been doing for years, if possible, should always be kept simple and effective. This means one handed bounce passes, behind the back bounce passes, between the legs bounce passes and over-the-head bounce passes are all complex bounce passes that lead to problems more times than not. The same rule applies to fundamental chest passes and over-the-Head passes. You must keep them fundamentally sound in order to make an effective pass and be an effective player.

Defensively, do not double team if you don’t have to. Of course if your coach requires it, or if you are playing defense and happen to find yourself near an offensive player that has dribbled into the corner of the court, you should establish a tough double team. Any other time, you should help and recover quickly back to your man, allowing the court to remain balanced and leaving no one open. This is keeping the defensive spacing on the court simple and effective.

Even in a pressured situation, it may be more effective to make a between the legs crossover to free up space as opposed to a behind the back dribble.

Maybe when on a fast-break it would have been more effective to stop and knock down the short corner bank-shot than to force your way in a crowd of defenders to get a layup. You may be risking the chance that the referee may not call a foul, a defender may block your shot, or the defensive pressure may have caused you to alter your shot and make you feel uncomfortable just long enough for you to miss your shot.

Basketball is a sport that provides the key to an enormous room full of complex situations. These situations seem to be catching the attention of most players and young teams today. The General Manager of a famous hotel chain once told me that well kept rooms that only have the inhabitant’s necessities tend to appear simple, but prove most effective in meeting their needs. That’s how you create a happy customer.

SwinsBasketball
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