Better Basketball. How do you get better at basketball? Easy, it comes in the form of many different aspects of the game. I guarantee that if you utilize these aspects with your team, the probability of your team becoming a winner is much higher.
Chemistry
Better basketball starts with teamwork. People in the sports world often refer to this as chemistry.
You can never expect the team to get better if five players all on the court play for themselves. Championship teams win not only because they are talented, but also because they have fantastic chemistry.
Utilize team building skills and activities. In high school and college, players attend the same school. Generally they can be good friends, although some teams do not have a tight knit bond. Work to improve that.
The thing my coach use to always say is, “you don’t need to be friends off the court, but when you are on the court – you will respect and like each other.” Carry that same motto with your team.
Treat each player with respect, and understand a team – like any group of people, is something that doesn’t come naturally easy. You need to work and build on that chemistry.
Fundamentals
Fundamentals have really become neglected and second nature in today’s game. Players prefer to make flashy and crowd pleasing moves instead of getting down and playing the game the ugly and old fashioned way.
Fundamentals are extremely important in basketball, because a very fundamentally sound and smart squad can defeat a team with way more talent that plays sloppy.
Fundamentals really cut down on turnovers, which is a huge team stat in the game of basketball. Usually if you turn the ball over a lot more than your competitors, you’re not going to win. Plain and simple. In fact, if your team has a poor record, chances are your fundamentals are soft and the turnovers high.
Get back to the basics and become a fundamentally solid team.
Defense
Better basketball begins and ends with defense. Yes you need to score too, but you never see teams with poor defenses win championships. You just don’t. Sure teams like the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors were fun to watch because of their entertaining and fast paced game, but reality sat in when the playoffs arrived. More fundamental and better defense teams beat them.
Defense is so important in basketball, because the offense is going to have “off” nights. When the shots aren’t falling, a crippling defense can get you through the rough patches. And trust me, they will come.
Better basketball simply isn’t just man-to-man defense. No, great defenses not only are solid guarding their man one on one, but they also are great at help defense. Help defense is when another teammate slides over to help the beat man. The rest of the defense rotates to cover the open players. Help defense is the key to winning.
Ball Movement
Players and teams that stand around a lot, and watch one or two players handle the ball and spend several seconds dribbling and trying to beat their man off the dribble are usually not successful. Why? They lack ball movement. Some players are extremely gifted with dribbling and they should use that when necessary.
But passing the ball and keeping it constantly moving is a sure fire way to open up a teammate for an easy basket. Why? The defense must work much harder to stay on their man. If the ball and other four players are always moving, it will find an open teammate eventually.
Understanding the Roles
In an ideal world, every player could score 20 points a game and be the star of the team. This is not an ideal world and selfish teams never win anything significant. Great teams have roles and the players understand their role on the team strictly. Some teams rely on one or two great scorers, while other teams are more balanced.
Either way, your team has a “go-to scorer.” This should be your most talented offensive players and while these players get a lot of recognition and hype, it’s the other roles that allow teams to win.
Every great team has a specific role for one or two defensive stoppers, one or two rebounds, and one or two shot blockers. These types of players are known as hustle guys. You need players to do the dirty work, to allow the offensive scorer(s) to shine.