Players Whom Coaches Love

During my three decades of handicapping sports, I have always found it useful to "get inside the heads" of players and coaches as much as possible. Once the oddsmakers place a pointspread on a game that theoretically makes the contest a 50-50 proposition, it behooves the shrewd analyst to know as much as possible about the mindsets of the participants in the game. It is a crucial part of the handicapper's job to accumulate as many edges as possible in order to have a chance of turning the odds on a game in his favor.

With the thought of gaining "as many edges as possible," I have always made it a practice to speak with and read about coaches, former coaches, assistant coaches, and intelligent players about what they are thinking before and during games. Many coaches can be quite forthcoming, especially if you show interest and flatter their egos a bit.

When it comes to basketball, I have found there are certain players whom coaches "love." I'm not talking about individual players, but the type of players they love to have on their team because they are so valuable - namely, the type that makes it much easier for them to win games, or the type that makes it the most difficult for them to beat an opponent.

While you think about that concept a little, here are the types of players they love to have:

Players who can create their own shot. These players tend to be few and far between, and are generally the stars of their leagues. Of course, this type is pretty obvious, because coaches can isolate these players in scoring situations (especially at the end of a game) or use them to distort defenses to give them extra attention. Prime examples are: Michael Jordan; years ago, Elgin Baylor.

Players who elevate their teammates' performances. This category includes excellent/willing passers and great shot blockers/defenders, even though they might not be great scorers themselves. Try a passer like John Stockton, or, years ago, a rejector like Bill Russell.

An off guard who can pass like a point guard. A shooting guard who is also a skillful passer is a valuable commodity against an opponent with a superquick defensive point guard who is going to limit your own point guard's effectiveness. Try Jordan again, or, years ago, Jerry West. A team with two virtual point guards in the backcourt is a nightmare for most opposing coaches, because they can't focus their defenses.

A small forward who can "handle." If his small forward is a good ballhandler, a coach can "turn his guards lose" after opponents' shots, looking for "opportunity" scores, or lots of three-on-two breaks. If a small forward is a poor ballhandler, he usually has to wait to find the point guard before advancing the ball. Clyde Drexler was one of the best.

Role players who can defend well and make free throws. Even if a player is undersized, a poor leaper, or a weak offensive threat, he can still be very valuable to his coach if he is a tough defender. And if that defender is a good free-throw shooter as well, he is doubly valuable in late-game situations.

A big man who can "face" and shoot (or who can drain his free throws). Centers and power forwards with decent midrange shots are valuable because they can pull their defenders away from the basket and open driving lanes for other players. Tim Duncan is the prototype these days. And making free throws is a big plus, because the coach doesn't have to make offensive/defensive situation substitutions at the end of tight games because his big man is a liability at the free-throw line. Refer to the "hack a Shaq" tactics in recent years.

Big men who hustle up and down the floor. It takes much more effort and desire to repeatedly run up and down the floor if you weigh 260 pounds than if you're 185. Big men who suck it up to hustle back can prevent lots of easy baskets. If you see big men who are repeatedly the last ones down the floor on offense and the last ones back on defense every time, you know their coaches are fuming.

Watch carefully as we wind down to the playoffs in college and pro hoops. You'll see the teams with lots of flawed and/or one-dimensional players slowly fall by the wayside. And the teams with the "coaches' dreams" will be the ones advancing strongly or pulling the surprise upsets.

Chuck Sippl is the senior editor of The Gold Sheet, the first word in sports handicapping for 46 years. The amazingly compact Gold Sheet features analysis of every football and basketball game, exclusive insider reports, widely followed Power Ratings, and a Special Ticker of key injuries and team chemistry. If you have never seen The Gold Sheet and would like to peruse a complimentary sample copy, call The Gold Sheet at (800) 798-GOLD (4653) and mention you read about it in Card Player. You can look up The Gold Sheet on the web at www.goldsheet.com.