Getting to the point

After conversing with a coach on Sunday, here are the prerequisites for a point guard if maximizing your game beyond mastering skills and drills is desired:

* Clock management: no, make that CLOCK MANAGEMENT. Winning basketball is not based on he who gets his shot off the quickest or who wins the YouTube hoops video promo of the day but rather placement of the attempt within the tick-tock of the 35-second clock, what kind of shot and its degree of difficulty and how many teammates get touches each possession. Make opponents do what they don't want to -- have to move defensively.

* Does your presence make your teammates more effective? No, an affirmative here isn't because you were the high scorer but rather based on to what degree you get your teammates involved? Are you making that 'extra' pass that creates an even easier shot attempt, thereby influencing your teammates to do so? Does your dribbling create an advantage most of the time?

* When you penetrate, can you still see what's happening elsewhere on the court? Or is your head down with the sole intent of getting a shot off regardless of how many are defending against you and the only way to release the ball requires a circus-like attempt?

* Can you defend your opponent? If you are getting beat more than a few times then that creates a 5-on-4 mismatch with teammates having to continually slide over to defend the dribble penetration and thus begins a greater likelihood of full-fledged defensive breakdowns.