The Four Factors and How You Can Optimize Them With Your Team (and win more games)
Ken Pomeroy made the 4 Factors for Success popular and common language in the basketball world with his analytical website (www.kenpom.com).
Here’s how you can use the 4 Factors to win more games:
For the uniformed, the Four Factors were first developed by Dean Oliver.
He concluded that 4 factors affected winning most:
1) shooting (40%)
2) turnovers (25%)
3) rebounding (20%)
4) free throws (15%)
- Shooting…or Effective Field Goal (EFG) %
FORMULA = FGM + .5 3PM/FGA
What this does is give more weight to 3 point makes which makes sense considering they are worth more points.
Obviously, the teams that can put in the basket more efficiently have a better chance to win
You can optimize this by:
- taking better shots than your opponent
- taking more efficient shots (the right players taking the right shots)
- forcing your opponent to rely on 3rd, 4th, 5th options (take away best 2 players)
- forcing tough shots (2s if possible)
2) Turnovers
To calculate turnover %, just take the amount of possessions in the game…and divide it by the amount of turnovers your team had.
Pretty simple concept.
You can optimize turnover percentage by:
- taking great care of the ball (keep it in best handler’s hands)
- shooting it before you turnover (i’m serious)
- forcing the opp. into MORE turnovers with pressure/surprise defensive tactics
- making their weak handlers handle the ball
3) Rebounding
More specifically, we are focusing on offensive rebounding here.
We’ve all experienced it. You lock a team down, have a great defensive possession, and it’s ALL FOR NOTHING because you give up an offensive rebound for a putback.
You can optimize winning the offensive rebounding factor by:
- sending 3, 4, or even 5 to the glass after every shot
- limiting the other team from offensive rebounding
This is a simple concept…but it’s not easy.
FILM is the best way to hold your team accountable with this
4) Free Throws
Basically, shoot and make more free throws than your opponent.
How many games have you coached where the opponent stayed in the game because you put them in the bonus too early?
How many close games have come down to one team shooting poorly from the line?
You can optimize this by:
- really emphasizing NOT fouling on defense (specifically during practice/on film)
- staying in attack mode…whether it’s transition, offensive rebounding, post entries, driving it — find a way to get to the line
- shoot more free throws in practice
There you have it — a breakdown on the Four Factors.
If you can optimize those four areas, you’ll find your team winning more games.
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