Defensive metrics like blocks mislead, obscuring team rotations and leading to inaccurate player valuations. Discover how true defensive impact and team-building strategies are revealed.
The NBA's 65-game award rule incentivizes early injury returns, distorting player value and potentially harming health, while Paolo Banchero's stats mask negative on-court impact.
Master high performance by training your mind, body, and craft equally. Conquer fear of judgment by anchoring your identity in purpose, unlocking resilience and potential.
"Basketball Analytics: A Guide to Understanding the Numbers and Making Smarter Decisions" by Ken Pomeroy - This book, or a similar curriculum, is discussed as part of a course on basketball analytics.
Videos & Documentaries
The Heat's offense video - This video was mentioned as an example of analyzing offensive schemes, specifically focusing on how a team with limited traditional star players creates advantages.
Jordan Sperber's video on Bellarmine's offense - This was highlighted as a popular video on his channel demonstrating a team that eschewed ball screens and dribbling.
Jordan Sperber's Stats 101 videos - These videos are mentioned as foundational content for understanding basketball analytics.
Jordan Sperber's video on Zach Eddey - A video featuring clips of Zach Eddey's screen-and-roll game and post-up efficiency.
Research & Studies
Study on offensive rebounding percentage and player crashing - Referenced for its use of tracking data to estimate the number of players crashing the offensive glass.
Study on the impact of zone defense on opponent three-point attempt rate - Specifically mentions South Alabama's zone defense leading to a high percentage of opponent three-point shots.
Tools & Software
Kempom - A platform or tool used to pull basketball statistics, particularly for college basketball.
Articles & Papers
None explicitly mentioned.
People Mentioned
Jordan Sperber (Content creator, former college coaching staff) - The guest on the podcast, known for his college basketball analysis and videos.
Cody (Podcast co-host) - Mentioned as being absent for the episode.
Tibs (NBA coach) - Credited with popularizing the "ice" ball screen coverage.
Luka Doncic (NBA Player) - Used as an example of an isolation scorer.
Trae Young (NBA Player) - Used as an example of an isolation scorer.
Kobe Bryant (Former NBA Player) - Referenced in the context of star players and in a film-watching analogy.
Tyler Herro (NBA Player) - Mentioned as a traditional offensive player on the Miami Heat.
Bob McKillop (Former College Basketball Coach) - Credited with leading Davidson's motion-heavy offense.
Bob McKillop Jr. (College Basketball Coach) - Current head coach at Davidson.
Steph Curry (NBA Player) - Mentioned as a former Davidson player whose off-ball movement was influenced by his time there.
Cam Boozer (College Basketball Player) - Mentioned as a highly skilled isolation scorer.
AJ Dybantsa (College Basketball Player) - Mentioned as a highly skilled isolation scorer.
Bobby Marks (League Insider) - Leading a new curriculum at Sports Business Classroom.
Sam Presti (NBA Executive) - Past leadership name at Sports Business Classroom.
Mike D'Antoni (NBA Coach) - Past leadership name at Sports Business Classroom.
Rick Carlisle (NBA Coach) - Past leadership name at Sports Business Classroom.
Kelvin Sampson (College Basketball Coach) - Head coach of the Houston Cougars, known for their offensive rebounding.
Mitchell Robinson (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Knicks' offensive rebounding strategy.
Steven Adams (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Houston Rockets' offensive rebounding strategy.
Amen Thompson (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Houston Rockets' offensive rebounding strategy.
Mark Williams (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Phoenix Suns' lineup.
Dylan Brooks (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Phoenix Suns' lineup.
Royce O'Neale (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Phoenix Suns' lineup.
Devin Booker (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Phoenix Suns' lineup.
Nikola Jokic (NBA Player) - Mentioned as an individually great offensive rebounder.
Rick Pitino (College Basketball Coach) - Referenced for his historical use of full-court presses.
Nolan Richardson (College Basketball Coach) - Referenced for his historical use of full-court presses.
Lou Dort (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of Oklahoma City's full-court pressure.
Kason Wallace (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of Oklahoma City's full-court pressure.
Jaylen Williams (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of Oklahoma City's full-court pressure.
Bridges (College Basketball Player) - Mentioned in the context of Villanova's 1-2-2 press.
Josh Hart (College Basketball Player) - Mentioned in the context of Villanova's 1-2-2 press.
De'Anthony Melton (NBA Player) - Mentioned as a player who can handle the ball for the Atlanta Hawks.
Jalen Johnson (NBA Player) - Mentioned as a player who can handle the ball for the Atlanta Hawks.
Fred VanVleet (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of the Houston Rockets' ball-handling.
Kevin Durant (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of ball-handling.
Zach Eddey (College Basketball Player) - Used as an example of a big man operating as an offensive hub and setting screens.
Braden Smith (College Basketball Player) - Mentioned as Purdue's point guard who used Zach Eddey in ball screens.
Ugg (Brand) - Mentioned in a Nordstrom Rack advertisement.
Nike (Brand) - Mentioned in a Nordstrom Rack advertisement.
Rag Bone (Brand) - Mentioned in a Nordstrom Rack advertisement.
Vince (Brand) - Mentioned in a Nordstrom Rack advertisement.
Frame (Brand) - Mentioned in a Nordstrom Rack advertisement.
Kurt Geiger London (Brand) - Mentioned in a Nordstrom Rack advertisement.
Dallas Cowboys (NFL Team) - Mentioned in a Prime Video advertisement.
Detroit Lions (NFL Team) - Mentioned in a Prime Video advertisement.
Joel Embiid (NBA Player) - Used as an example of a player who would get clear-out possessions.
Grant Williams (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of role players taking many threes.
Andre Roberson (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of players being targeted to shoot threes.
Josh Giddey (NBA Player) - Mentioned in the context of players being targeted to shoot threes.
Chris Beard (College Basketball Coach) - Mentioned for his teams at Texas Tech and Ole Miss.
Mark Adams (College Basketball Coach) - Mentioned for his teams at Texas Tech and Ole Miss.
Coach Gallo (College Basketball Coach) - Mentioned for his zone defense at Marist.
Tommy Lloyd (College Basketball Coach) - Head coach of Arizona, former assistant at Gonzaga.
Nick Nurse (NBA Coach) - Considered a pioneer in trying new defensive concepts.
Steve Kerr (NBA Coach) - Mentioned for the Warriors' use of "box and one" and "triangle and two" coverages.
Jaylen Brunson (NBA Player) - Used as an example of a player who would be targeted in pick-and-rolls.
Organizations & Institutions
Nevada (University) - Mentioned as a former coaching staff affiliation for Jordan Sperber.
New Mexico (University) - Mentioned as a former coaching staff affiliation for Jordan Sperber.
Mississippi State (University) - Mentioned as a former coaching staff affiliation for Jordan Sperber.
Miami Heat (NBA Team) - Referenced for their offensive concepts and their run to the playoffs with a zone defense.
Cal Poly (University) - Mentioned as having a similar offensive concept to the Miami Heat.
Bellarmine (University) - Mentioned for their unique offensive style.
Davidson (University) - Mentioned for its motion-heavy offense.
Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA Team) - Referenced for their defensive strategies of shrinking the court and their use of hybrid defensive concepts.
Phoenix Suns (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their offensive rebounding and crashing strategy.
Boston Celtics (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their offensive rebounding and crashing strategy.
Milwaukee Bucks (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their low offensive rebounding crashing strategy and as an example of a team that doesn't crash a ton.
New York Knicks (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their offensive rebounding strategy and historical crashing.
Denver Nuggets (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their offensive rebounding strategy and historical crashing.
Houston Rockets (NBA Team) - Highlighted as a top offensive rebounding team and for their shot selection and defensive strategy.
Memphis (University) - Mentioned as a team that crashes a lot but is not top in offensive rebounding.
Purdue (University) - Mentioned in relation to Zach Eddey's development.
Indiana Pacers (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their "east west" screening.
Atlanta Hawks (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their approach to playing without a traditional point guard.
Charlotte (University) - Mentioned as the current team for Aaron Fern.
Arizona (University) - Mentioned as a team with a flow offense and efficient two-point shooting.
Gonzaga (University) - Mentioned as innovators of two-big flow offenses.
Toronto Raptors (NBA Team) - Mentioned as a team that has started the year strong offensively and is near the bottom in threes.
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) (University) - Mentioned as the current team for Chris Beard and Mark Adams.
Texas Tech (University) - Mentioned as a former team for Chris Beard and Mark Adams, reaching the national championship game.
Marist (University) - Mentioned for their zone defense, referred to as "fist".
South Alabama (University) - Mentioned for their specific two-three zone defense that allows many three-point attempts.
Utah State (University) - Mentioned for their matchup zone concept.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA Team) - Mentioned for their disguised defensive coverages.
Courses & Educational Resources
Sports Business Classroom - An educational program offering courses on basketball operations, team building, strategy, broadcast, media, scouting, video, and analytics, with an upcoming event in Los Angeles.
Basketball Analytics Course - A course created by Jordan Sperber and Ken Pomeroy, covering fundamental and advanced basketball analytics topics.
Websites & Online Resources
Kempom (kempom.com) - Used for accessing college basketball statistics.
SportsBusinessClassroom.com - The website to find more information about the Sports Business Classroom program.
Bballanalytics.com - The website for the basketball analytics course created by Jordan Sperber and Ken Pomeroy.
Hoop Vision 68 (YouTube Channel) - Jordan Sperber's YouTube channel focused on college basketball.
Patreon.com/thinkingbasketball - A platform to support the podcast and access member content.
Other Resources
"Ice" ball screen coverage - A defensive strategy forcing the ball to the baseline.
"Tagging up" defensive concept - A technique to match up in transition defense by pushing the offensive player from behind.
"No middle" defense - A defensive strategy focused on taking away the middle of the court.
"Split depth" - A teaching point in defense related to positioning on the weak side.
"Clear out possessions" - Offensive possessions where the ball is on the wing, and a player attempts to score one-on-one.
"Two nining" - A technique to reset the defensive three-second count by tapping one's toe on the edge of the paint.
"Chunking" - A psychological term for grouping information to understand concepts at a higher level, applied to film analysis.
"Spain ball screen" - A type of ball screen, with various terminologies used to describe it.
"North south screening" - Screening that moves up and down the court.
"East west screening" - Screening that moves across the court.
"Rush out screen" - A type of ball screen where a big man runs out to set it.
"Throw and chase screens" - Perimeter-based screens where the ball is thrown ahead before the screen.
"Dribble handoffs" - A common offensive action in the NBA.
"Dunking spot" - A position near the basket on the baseline.
"Triple switching" - A defensive coverage involving three players in a screening action.
"Box and one" coverage - A hybrid defense with one player guarding man-to-man and four in a zone.
"Triangle and two" coverage - A hybrid defense with two players guarding man-to-man and three in a zone.
"Matchup zone" - A type of zone defense that incorporates man-to-man principles.
"Fist" zone defense - A specific zone defense terminology used by Marist.
"1-2-2 zone" - A type of zone defense.
"1-3-1 zone" - A type of zone defense.
"Two-three zone" - A type of zone defense.
"One-two-two press" - A type of full-court press defense.
"Two-three zone" (Marist) - A specific zone defense alignment.
"1-3-1 zone" (South Alabama) - A specific zone defense alignment.
"Two-three zone" (Mississippi State) - Used as a no-middle defense strategy.
"No middle" defense - A defensive scheme that prioritizes taking away the middle of the court.
"Four high hands" - A defensive technique during a trap to make skip passes more difficult.
"Transition defense" - The defensive strategy employed when a team loses possession and must quickly get back on defense.
"Offensive rebounding percentage" - A statistic measuring the percentage of missed shots that are recovered by the offensive team.
"Possessions per 100" - A statistical metric used to normalize data over a set number of possessions.
"Expected from a shot quality point of view" - A metric evaluating the quality of a shot based on various factors.
"Mid-range volume" - The frequency with which a team takes shots from the mid-range area.
"Floaters" - A type of short shot taken in the lane.
"Expected points per shot" - A metric used to evaluate the efficiency of different shot types.
"Pace" - The speed at which a team plays, measured by possessions.
"Full court pressure" - A defensive tactic involving applying pressure on the offense for the entire length of the court.
"48 minutes of hell" - A colloquial term for relentless full-court pressure.
"Shot clock" - The time limit for a team to attempt a shot.
"Charge rule" - A rule in basketball regarding offensive players drawing contact from defenders.
"Clear out possessions" - Offensive possessions where the ball is on the wing, and a player attempts to score one-on-one.
"Soft double team" - A defensive tactic where two defenders apply pressure to the ball handler without fully committing.
"Defensive three seconds" - A rule prohibiting defenders from staying in the paint for more than three seconds without actively guarding an offensive player.
"Pick and roll" - An offensive play involving two players, one setting a screen for the ball handler.
"Screen and roll" - Similar to pick and roll, focusing on the action after the screen.
"Sealing for a post up" - A maneuver where an offensive player establishes position in the post after a screen or action.
"Ducking in" - An offensive move where a player cuts inside to receive a pass in the paint.
"Post touch" - Receiving the ball in the low post area.
"Two bigs" - Lineups featuring two players typically classified as forwards or centers.
"Traditional point guard" - A player whose primary role is to initiate the offense and distribute the ball.
"Lead offensive initiator" - The primary player responsible for starting offensive sets.
"Perimeter based screens" - Screens set by players on the perimeter.
"Flare screens" - An off-ball screen where the screener moves away from the ball handler.
"Hand off" - An offensive action where the ball handler passes the ball to a teammate who is moving towards them.
"Follow screens" - A type of screen where the screener continues to move after setting the initial screen.
"Weak side" - The side of the court opposite to where the ball is located.
"Paint touch" - When an offensive player penetrates into the key area.
"Dribble handoff" - An offensive action where the ball handler passes the ball to a teammate who is moving towards them.
"Two for one" - A late-game strategy where a team attempts to score quickly to get the ball back for another possession before the end of a quarter or half.
"Psychological warfare" - The use of psychological tactics to gain an advantage over an opponent.
"Icing" - A defensive coverage in ball screens that forces the ball handler towards the baseline.