While there’s no single blueprint for how a basketball team’s offense should be conducted, there are plenty of well-documented best practices. When you have one of the most talented players in the world, such as Kevin Durant or LeBron James, a good strategy is sometimes - give him the ball and see what happens. However, most teams must rely on a more team-oriented style of play that prioritizes passing, cutting and intelligent shots. Yet no matter which way you get there, efficiency should always be the goal.
Three-point shots are only useful to a team that convert the shots at a solid rate. Deep two-point shots have fallen out of favor with most teams because of the degree of difficulty and the opportunity cost. Why take a deep two if you can make a few extra passes and get a layup?
Coaches should use sports team websites to teach young athletes about offensive efficiency. It can be a difficult subject to teach when youngsters are so often interested in taking whatever shot they feel like taking, however, the teaching is almost always worth the effort.
Miami Heat star a model of efficiency
Dwyane Wade, the 33-year-old guard for the Miami Heat, doesn’t have the same level of athleticism that guided him in his youth. However, the veteran is still one of the most efficient scorers in the league because of his basketball IQ and driving ability, according to ESPN.
“He understands the moment right now,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told the news outlet. “We don’t have to talk about it. It’s: ‘Here’s the ball. Make a play for the team.’ Quite frankly, in the fourth quarter, the best offense really was to get the ball to Dwyane and let him create some kind of action.”
Wisconsin reaches Final Four with skills and intelligence
The Wisconsin men’s basketball team is loaded with NBA prospects such as Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. However, the team reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament not just because of its skills, but also because of its offensive efficiency, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
“They’re very deliberate,” Arizona coach Sean Miller told the news outlet. “They share the ball. They’re highly skilled and intelligent. They don’t beat themselves, and you’re on defense for a lot longer against them than by any other team, and it’s easy to break down. Sometimes you break down at the very end with a foul. Sometimes you break down off the ball and they make a cut and it does you in.”
