Phil Jackson always will be remembered as one of the best coaches in NBA history. Even as a gangling player, he had the ability to understand and react to basketball's many intricacies. "Basketball, unlike football with its prescribed routes, is an improvisational game, similar to jazz," Jackson said in his 2004 book, "The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul." Jackson was talking about the NBA and the best players in the world. At any level of basketball, the ability to improvise and execute the proper strategy is critical to success.
Offensive End
In beginner's basketball, most offenses are "run-and-gun" in nature. You've seen it -- grab the defensive rebound and high-tail down the other end of the floor. There is always a place for fast-break speed in the game, but the half-court offense is more effective when the mismatches are exploited. If there is a size advantage, posting up the big guys underneath and passing the ball inside leads to easy baskets. On a team with more shooting skill than size, using screens and pick-and-rolls is a sound strategy to get open shots.
Defensive End
The coach is best served teaching aggressive man-to-man defense as well as a variety of zones. Against a slower, bigger offense, playing the zone is the best way to go because you can clog more defenders under the basket to take away the close-range shot. Against a quicker offense -- or one that features good shooters -- playing man-to-man is the best bet. The man defense eliminates open outside shots and forces the offense to work harder to score inside.
End Game
Strategy most often comes into play at the end of a close basketball game. When holding the late lead and controlling the ball, quick shots are not advised. A better strategy is running down the shot clock before trying to score. When trailing late in the game and playing defense, committing fouls is the best strategy. Fouls stop the clock and preserve precious time. They also put the opposition on the free-throw line, and players that have a hard time making the free shot are targeted to be fouled.
Time to Stop
Teams that play poorly and fall behind early in the game can try changing the momentum by calling a timeout. But the best strategy is saving them until the end of the game. The number and length of timeouts vary between youth leagues, high school, college and the pros, but the minimum number is typically five. Calling timeouts at the end of close games allows the coach to chart an offensive play or set up a specific defense. Timeouts are particularly important for the trailing team because they can prevent the winning team from running out the clock.
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