Basketball is Like War

The earliest game is simply mock fighting to develop survival skills. Animals, tame or wild, play the game. Humans developed sports as a means of enjoying competition without killing (and eating?) their opponents. Hence, we have the rules to protect the players and preserve the structure of the game. Teams may defend their territory, invade the opponent's territory, steal the opponent's possession, etc. all within prescribed rules designed to promote safety and fair play. So, as the coach of a team consisting of 10 year old girls, or as the coach of a 40+ over men's basketball team, you are the general of your troops and you have a very specific mission - to win the basketball game (within the rules). Learn the rules by reading the rule book, watching basketball and talking to people who are involved in the game.

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.
... Basketball teams usually judged by their size, but also by their lack of it as well as the level of competence demonstrated in the warm-up exercises.

Use humility to make them haughty. Tire them by flight. Cause division among them. Attack when they are unprepared, make your move when they do not expect it.
...the weakness of the trash talker, the over confident. Such things are weaknesses exposed in the opponent. When confronted by loud people, know that they are hiding their insecurities through intimidation.

When you do battle, even if you are winning, if you continue for a long time it will dull your forces and blunt your edge; if you besiege a citadel, your strength will be exhausted. If you keep your armies out in the field for a long time, your supplies will be insufficient.
... the danger of playing many games without practice, or scrimmaging every practice. or using your first line players too much.

So it is said that if you know others and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know others but know yourself, you win one and lose one; if you do not know others and do not know yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.
...the importance of team identity, plan, potential and preparing for specific opponents.

In ancient times skillful warriors first made themselves invincible, and then watched for vulnerability in their opponents. Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent. Therefore skillful warriors are able to be invincible, but they cannot cause opponents to be vulnerable. That is why it is said that victory can be discerned but not manufactured.
Invincibility in this case is a matter of preparation and mastering fundamentals, then studying your opponent and determining what fundamentals are weak, then attacking that point. An easy example is opposing players that do not dribble well with their weak hand.

In ancient times those known as good warriors prevailed when it was easy to prevail. Therefore the victories of good warriors are not noted for cleverness or bravery. Therefore their victories in battle are not flukes. Their victories are not flukes because they position themselves where they will surely win, prevailing over those who have already lost. So it is that good warriors take their stand on ground where they cannot lose, and do not overlook conditions that make an opponent prone to defeat. Therefore a victorious army first wins and then seeks battle; a defeated army first battles and then seeks victory.
... You can win before you reach the court by being thoroughly prepared. If your conditioning is superior, your game plan is solid and your team is striving together, who can stand against you? There is a fallacy in slacking in practice and getting up for games. Players using systematic, thought out approaches succeed without accolades, while those unprepared fail despite heroic efforts.

The rules of the military are five: measurement, assessment, calculation, comparison, and victory. The ground gives rise to measurements, measurements give rise to assessments, assessments give rise to calculations, calculations give rise to comparisons, comparisons give rise to victories
...the value of statistics, scouting and self-analysis. Those who do not know their history are condemned to repeat it.

Therefore those who skillfully move opponents make formations that opponents are sure to follow, give what opponents are sure to take. They move opponents with the prospect of gain, waiting for them in ambush
...ball movement, teasing defense out of place, using fakes

Therefore good warriors seek effectiveness in battle from the force of momentum, not from individual people. Therefore they are able to choose people and let the force of momentum do its work. Getting people to fight by letting the force of momentum work is like rolling logs and rocks. Logs and rocks are still when in a secure place, but roll on an incline; they remain stationary if square, they roll if round. Therefore, when people are skillfully led into battle, the momentum is like that of round rocks rolling down a high mountain -- this is force.
...five working in concert create force versus waiting for someone to start the action. Good shooting is contagious, as is defensive pressure. However, when the game is going poorly, it isn't a good idea to start looking for leaders by sending one brave player alone against the defense to make a pressured shot to hopefully inspire his teammates. What actually happens is many shots are missed. The key is to use relentless basic, simple plays and try to build momentum through a series of positive events. Perhaps a play ends in a blown shot, but that isn't negative. Several positive things happened to make the shot possible. Don't get discouraged. Repeat the steps and try again. Once a momentum of positive events is established, the points will come.

So in the case of those who are skilled in attack, their opponents do not know where to defend. In the case of those skilled in defense, their opponents do not know where to attack.
... value of offensive and defensive versatility. Put a few comfortable, offensive plans in the playbook, not just one. Practice both zone and man to man and a couple press configurations.

The ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.
...self explanatory

Look upon your soldiers as you do infants, and they willingly go into deep valleys with you; look upon your soldiers as beloved children, and they willingly die with you. If you are so nice to them that you cannot employ them, so kind to them that you cannot command them, so casual with them that you cannot establish order, they are like spoiled children, useless.
...display responsible compassion for players

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