The Spurs' Danny Green – 2 Things Guaranteed
To Get You More Playing Time

Danny Green busted out on the scene last year with his 3-point barrage during the 2013 NBA Playoffs. He has become a consistent scoring threat on the basketball floor.

While watching a little bit of game 4 during the 2014 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat, I noticed two critical things that Danny Green does very well.

These things will earn you more playing time.

1 – Think Shot

The first one is that Danny Green THINKS 'SHOT' on every catch within scoring range.

One time during the game, LeBron was within 3 feet of him! But LeBron had his hands down. Danny Green instantly caught it, shot it, and drilled it.

Had Danny Green been thinking about dribbling or passing when he caught the ball, he would have lost that split-second advantage. This would have turned into a blocked shot.

Actually, all of the Spurs played this way.

For those of you familiar with Don Kelbick's Attack and Counter principles, "Think Shot" is one of his first principles. He teaches that when you catch the ball, you "Think Shot."

By thinking shot, the feet automatically get in the right position. This reduces turnovers.

The eyes automatically are up on the rim. You can see the entire floor. If a better scoring opportunity is available, you can immediately make the appropriate action.

This doesn't mean you jack up the shot every time you touch the ball.

Your shooting range determines whether you shoot it or not. You probably need to consistently make 7 out of 10 unguarded during practice. Maybe 6 out of 10 for 3-pointers.

Time and score are also important. You're not going to shoot when you need to run out the clock. You may not shoot when the opposing team is on a 10-0 run and your team needs to get your post man a touch.

"Think Shot" – Be ready to shoot. And shoot if you can make a high percentage. Do that and you will instantly become a better player.

2 – Good Teammate / Extremely Coachable

Ray Allen was defended by Danny Green. Ray got open and made a 3-pointer.

Coach Popovich tore into Danny Green and instantly sent him to the bench. How did Danny react?

He took the information in. He nodded his head and looked at the coach.

He didn't argue. He didn't pout.

And as soon as he sat down on the bench, he focused on the team and the game. He cheered for his teammates.

Actually, the very next play, he was standing up clapping and waving his towel after a nice play by the Spurs.

As Jim Huber always says at his basketball camps...

You can't always control what happens to you. However, you can always control how you react to the situation.

This isn't only true on the basketball floor. This is true in life.

You get a flat tire. Are you going to sit and pout and let it ruin your day? Or are you going to fix the problem and move on with having a good day?

The Super-Talented Player That Goes Nowhere

Unfortunately, I have also seen bad attitudes. Players become their own worst enemy.

I've seen a kid who could shoot 3s and hammer down 360 dunks. He had a great skill set and elite athleticism. However, his attitude was terrible. He was uncoachable. He was a bad teammate. He was selfish.

This D-1 talent didn't get recruited by anybody! And this includes D-3 schools as well.

Coaches play players that have a positive influence on their team.

If you're coachable and a great teammate like Danny was in this situation, you're going to better your position in the basketball world.

Related Resources