When the criteria of what makes a great defender is discussed, statistics like blocks, steals and charges taken are usually considered. Bill Russell focused on changing the opponent’s shot. Some coaches grade the quality of shot taken. Even against excellent defense, if the ballhandler gets a slight advantage, help is needed or the shot taken, the ball can still get inside. When the player never gets the ball, they can’t score. Steals that result in lay-ups and dunks at the other end of the court result from stolen passes. Picking someone’s pocket is as likely to result in a foul …
Dynasty’s End
Celtic Pride – the character, concentration, and commitment – which defined the Boston’s teams when Red Auerbach proved to be integral to the two championships under Player-Coach Bill Russell. Dynasty’s End chronicles the final title in 1968-69 before the team ceded the spotlight to the squads of the 1970s. When Auerbach was the coach from 1950 to 1966, the Celtics were the most talented team in the Association. Under Russell, the team often finished second or third in its own conference and needed to win multiple tough playoff series. Wilt Chamberlain led his teams (Philadephia and Los Angeles) to better …
What I Learned this Summer, Part I
Earlier, I described a desire to become a more empathic leader. I hoped to become better at building relationships with other coaches, players, and people in general. I endeavoured to become more sensitive as to what others were feeling and discover how I can help student-athletes on and off the court and inside and outside the classroom. To do so, I read a couple of books which described examples of excellent relationships that resulted in personal development and basketball championships: Red and Me and The Gold Standard. Bill Russell’s tribute to his mentor Red Auerbach was a quick read that …
Go Up for Glory
Go Up for Glory – Bill Russell’s precursor to Second Wind (a frank and honest account of sport and life that I thoroughly enjoyed) and Russell Rules (a seemingly clichéd book about leadership that I hope to avoid as long as possible) – is a fascinating account of his youth and career with Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics. One particularly remarkable theme is the idea of an incredibly thin line between success and failure: choosing a collegiate scholarship instead of a job in a shipping year because of a chance encounter with a scout, focusing on the game of basketball skills …
The Rivalry
Can determination trump talent? Apparently so, according to The Rivalry by John Taylor. The battles between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain and their respective teams are detailed within the context of the growth of the game throughout the 1960s. Chamberlain was one of the most prolific post scorers in the history of basketball yet during the ten seasons that their careers overlapped, Russell and the Celtics claimed the Association title nine times. The book delves into the psychological warfare waged between the two. For example, once Russell blocked Chamberlain twice on the same possession. When Chamberlain recovered the loose ball, …
Is Mike Brown a better coach than Phil Jackson?
According to Mark Stein, Phil Jackson chose to downplay Kobe’s offensive role in Game 1 of the Phoenix-Los Angeles series in order to allow other Lakers to score more – at the risk of losing the game – therefore increasing individuals’ feelings of self-actualisation and the team’s chance to win the series. Interesting idea. Kwame Brown, Lamar Odom, and Luke Walton went off and the Lakers lost the game. Since the supporting cast played well, does that mean that L.A. is now more likely to win four out of the next six games? Perhaps, but I think it was an …