Caitlin Clark - Iowa Hawkeyes

How can any team beat Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes?

Answer: hope she has an off night.

The opposing coach might try to get into her head. Caitlin Clark actually missed 11 three pointers in a row during one game in the Big Ten tournament.

The next team to play Caitlin Clark, the LSU Tigers, in an elite eight game, might try to back off from her and dare her to shoot the three. The defensive players might back up when she's behind the three-point line and scream, "shoot shoot shoot!"

Instead of stopping her three pointers, the defense could focus on shutting down her passing and driving to the basket. They might even play a box and one defense, with the one player guarding Caitlin Clark man to man always dropping off when she's behind the three-point line, daring her to shoot.

The risk of the psychological game is that Caitlin Clark could make a three-pointer or two in a row and go on a shooting streak.

The other way to beat the Iowa Hawkeyes would to be better at every position. This actually could happen. After all, LSU beat the Hawkeyes last year for the national championship.

[UPDATE: Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes beat the LSU Tigers and Angel Reese in their elite 8 game, 94 to 87. Iowa will play the Uconn Huskies in the final four.]

The three-point idea is interesting though. When Caitlin Clark's team beat Colorado, Caitlin only made 27% of her three-point shots, which actually hurt her team.

In the Big ten tournament against of Nebraska Caitlin Clark only made 29% of her three-point shots, which again hurt her team.

Sometimes, Caitlin Clark makes 37% of her three-pointers. At that clip, if she made 37% of 100 shots, she would score 111 points. Each 3-point shot would be worth 1.11 points.

Sometimes, Caitlin Clark makes 40% of her three-point shots. If she shot a hundred shots at that clip, she would score 120 points. Each three-point shot would be worth 1.2 points.

The Iowa Hawkeyes, as a team, make 50% of their two-point shots. That means if they shoot 100 shots, they make only 100 points. Each team shot that is a two-point shot is only worth 1 point.

(ESPN and television programs airing the games have provided some of these stats for my scholarly commentary) 

Women's March Madness has been far more entertaining than the men's March Madness this year. For me, it's because the women fast break more often, and because Caitlin Clark has uncanny ball handling and shooting skills reminiscent of Pistol Pete Maravich.

The women have more space in which to run and gun. Anecdotally, there seems to be a lot of fast breaks in the women's game. Very roughly, women are 5 ft tall. Every woman with a 5-ft arm span covers roughly 25 ft² on defense. Since there are 10 players on the court that's roughly 250 ft² of space taken up on the court.

Again, very roughly, men in the NBA are approximately 7 ft tall. That's roughly 49 ft² per man being taken up. Since there are 10 players, that's 490 ft² of the court being taken up by the players. 

The basic point is the more space taken up on the court by players, the harder it is to drive to the basket or pass to the basket.

The second basic point is that as players get better at shooting the three-point shot, it's far better to shoot a three-pointer than to play for two-point shots. 

You might think it's weird that teams tend to make only 50% of their 2-point shots, but it's because defenses keep getting better and better as players keep getting taller and faster. Getting an actual layup, or a dunk, is getting to be more and more rare in basketball.

The one great exception to this rule is 7' 4" Zach Edey. He's making about 65% of his two-point shots. If he shot a hundred times at that clip, he would make 130 points. Each shot would be worth 1.3 points. That's why the Purdue Boilermakers are winning. 

This blog is all about thinking outside of the box and disruption. I think the future competitor of the NBA will be playing four-on-four full court.

There is an excess supply of players who can handle the ball and dunk today. Just look at the men's March Madness tournament. Many of those players won't get a shot at playing professionally, yet they are still exceptional athletes.

Playing four-on-four full court will open up the two-point game and enable players to make a much higher percentage of their 2-point shots.

It would be like having four Michael Jordans playing against four Russell Westbrooks. The ideal player would have all the skills. 

Copyright (C) 2024. Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script for playing basketball with fewer players on the court yet still going full court. This copyright protection is for scripted and unscripted TV shows, games, leagues, and visual entertainment in any medium invented or not yet invented. 

Basketball Rule Changes Needed

Here’s a list of changes, but just one rule change, reducing the number of players from 5 per team, that is from 5-on-5, to 4-on-4 full court, 3-on-3 full court, 2-on-2 full court, or 1-on-1 full court, fundamentally changes basketball. Such games shift the style of play to fast break, run and gun, basketball. Basketball will be expressed far differently from today where players walk from three-point line to three-point line and pass around the three-point line. 

We basically keep changing the rules until the value of the 2-point shot equals the value of the 3-point shot, or is greater than the 3-point shot. But ideally, they will be approximately equal in value. Think of this way. If two teams shoot 100 shots, and Team A shoots only 2-pointers and makes 50% of them, they score 100 points. If Team B shoots only 3-pointers and makes 40% of them, they score 120 points. This is approximately what is happening today. The 2-point shot is worth 1 point and the 3-point shot is worth 1.2 points. We will keep using 4-on-4 as an example for all reductions in players per team.

Playing 4-on-4 will make players get easier two-point shots. Once they make 60% of 2-point shots, that shot will be worth 1.2 points. Once 2-point shots and three points are equal in value again, players can fast break all the time again. This makes more highlights. The more highlights the more fun for fans and players, and the better for advertisers. 

OFFENSIVE RULES - New Offensive Rules to consider or to implement right away until the math works out: 

Give three or four points for a full court fast break that ends with an alley-oop dunk. Could say all four players have to touch the ball?

The four-point shot. 

The five-point shot. 

The six-point shot. 

It's also time for the 4-point shot. Shooting from behind the half-court line will be 4 points, behind the three-point line at the other end of the court into your basket, will be 5-points. Shooting behind the free throw line at the other end of the court into your basket will be 6 points. If you make the shot of course.

Consider giving three points for a fast break alley-oop instead of only 2 points. If all four players touch the ball on offense and it ends up in a alley-oop 2-point basket, in this new system of four on four basketball It could be given three points.

180 degree, reverse dunk = 2.5 points.

360-degree, reverse dunk = 3 points.

Or other point amount variations for any of the above.

Free throws will be sped up. No more letting players leave their spots and slap hands between shots. Set up for free throws and have them done more quickly. 

When throwing in the ball, the players can move more than with the current traditional rules. They do not have to just stand in place. 

Add a red zone, or yellow zone, by extending the ends of the courts by 2 feet. This is so players can make moves to the basket from behind the basket. Players will be able to bank it in using the rim as a shield against the defense. They will also be running greater distances.

If the offense dominates too much, could have a rule have to let defensive player catch up sometimes. 

Again, the goal is to make the current two-point shots equal to the value of the three-point shots, or even greater than the three-point shot. This makes it better to fast break full court basket to basket.

Paint the 1, 2, or 3 feet, or some such length at the end of the court as the "red zone" or "yellow zone" or something so that there is more space to get to the basket, from behind the basket. Basically, increase the length of the court for more action behind and under the basket. This allows for using the basket and rim to block the defensive players. 

Consider point changes for other offensive shots and defensive plays. 

The one-handed, tip-in, offensive rebound could be given three points. 

Give three points for a backwards dunk or rotating more than 180 degrees to dunk. 

Speed up free throws because they really slow down the game.

Consider having no offensive rebounders at all.

Players can always grab the ball, and pass it into play immediately. Make it so the referee almost never holds the ball. 

Almost all players can dunk. It could even be a rule.

Almost all players can make a high-percentage of three pointers. This could be a rule as well.

Players cannot step out of formation and congratulate or high-five each other etc. between free throws as it slows down the game. 

OFFENSIVE SETS

Continuous motion offense.

Run and gun offense.

Alley-oop offense.

Three-point shot plays from behind the three-point line. 

Three man spread full court.

Four corners.

Stacked right or left.

Multiple picks set.

Single pick.

Double pick.

Triple pick.

Baseball passes.

DEFENSIVE RULES

Subtract 2 or 3 points for a blocked shot without fouling.

A block against the backboard, because it is such a difficult and unusual play, could be worth -3 points (negative three points). A block against the backboard, because it is such a difficult and unusual play, could be worth points, even up to -3 points (negative three points). 

PLAYER RULES:

Could have a rule that at least one player on each team has to be a "center." A center could be defined as someone over 7' tall. But there may not be enough of a supply of centers to mandate such a rule. In theory, four Michael Jordan type players could go against 4 Wilt Chamberlain type players. The all-around great players against the tallest great players. 

DEFENSIVE SETS

Back as fast as you can to the the half-court line.

Always between offensive player and the basket. 

Man to man.

Zone. 

TIME CHANGES

Time changes. Other things to speed up the games. 

Game duration. 

Consider playing to 200 points, or another number, for example. 

RECRUITMENT 

Playing with reduced players changes the type of player to one who runs all the time, can handle the ball great, can dunk, and is great at shooting 3-point shots. Playing 4-on-4 changes the recruitment to faster, quicker, taller, great dunkers and shooters. 

Almost all players can dunk. It could even be a rule.

Almost all players can make certain high-percentage of three pointers. This could be a rule as well.

Recruitment

Players that can dunk, players that can make over 33.3% of their three-pointers in a game. 

DUNKING 

Will want to recruit dunkers. Every player can dunk, as a rule, or as a publicity tool for teams that have it.

THREE-POINT SHOOTING

Will want to recruit players who shoot and make over 33.3% on three-point shots.

BALL HANDLING

Want Pistol Pete Maravich, or Caitlin Clark ballhandling skills for full-court high-speed ballhandling and passing. 

COPYRIGHT

COPYRIGHT (C) 2024 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This blog is an ongoing script and treatment for basketball related videos, TV shows, games, exhibitions, and tournaments, including scripted and unscripted entertainment. 

Basketball Better with Fewer Players

 

ACTOR ONE

Let’s talk about how to revolutionize the business of basketball.

ACTOR TWO

About time, I’m bored with all the slow ball we have today.

ACTOR ONE

We played basketball in the 1970s before the 3-point line. Our thing was fast break basketball. We ran the fast break every single time, so every play was exciting. Today, I see super athletes walking​ from three-point line to three-point line, and running in a semicircle behind the three-point line. That’s boring, that’s less fun to play. We were always running. We weren’t stopping and spacing all the time.

 ACTOR TWO

Yes. I agree that today’s basketball can be incredibly boring, slow speed, basketball. It was the 1980s when the three-point shot really started to get big. By the 2020s shooters got so good they were making 40 to 50% of their three-point shots.

 ACTOR ONE

That's why today I usually only watch the last 4 minutes of basketball games. The routine plays are not that exciting and the thrills are far and few between. There's too much walking and stepping backwards behind the three-point line.

 ACTOR TWO

The most spectacular plays are decreasing in number. There are fewer dunks, alley oops, no look passes, and blocks against the backboard.

 ACTOR ONE

It's a mathematical problem. If you shoot a two-point shot it's usually worth less than 1 point, because players usually make less than 50% of two-point shots. 50% of two equals one.

 For good shooters who shoot three-point shots, each shot is usually worth more than one point, because they often make over 40% of their 3-point shots. 40% of three equals 1.2.

 ACTOR TWO

That's why one college team has jacked up more than 100 three-point shots in a single game. That's why NBA teams commonly shoot more than 40 three-point shots a game

 ACTOR ONE

Why can't people think outside the box? It's mathematically obvious that non-stop, run and gun basketball with the three-point shot would be the best kind of basketball for speed and excitement, because it would combine the excitement of the best two-point shots with the best three-point shots.

 ACTOR TWO

Basketball needs to be fixed and it can be done with mathematics and analytics.

 ACTOR ONE

It's a simple change, for people who can wrap their heads around it. Basketball can be restored to fast break basketball with the three-point shot. Every single play of every single game would be exciting again.

 ACTOR TWO

I get it. I know how to do it. Play four-on-four full court instead of five-on-five full court.

 ACTOR ONE

Yes, that will make the mathematical probability of making a two-point shot higher than making a three-point shot once again. Both shots will be about equal value. This will bring back fast break, run and gun, basketball while keeping the three-point shot as an equally viable option.

ACTOR TWO

Math is beautiful. It has shown us how to fix basketball to make it the most beautiful game in the world again. The two-point shot and the 3-point shot will become equally balanced again, and basketball will be restored to its greatest possible entertainment value. Let's "run" again.

 ACTOR ONE

Every basketball game is an expression of art like a play, novel or movie. Definitely like board games, but I am changing the rules. Every junior high, high school, college, and professional basketball game is like a play, a performance. I am expressing the play in a new way by increasing the level of "violence." It's like a movie made more interesting by adding action. The violent acts are the highlights. By decreasing the numbers of players from the way it has always been, I am expressing a new play with more action, highlights, and running. I am making a better movie. And, it's all based on math. The expression is thinking outside the box, so far outside the box, people often cannot do it. Expressing an idea differently is never easy.

 ACTOR TWO

I can remember all the way back to when you first started.

 ACTOR ONE

Four-on-four full-court basketball, just like 3-on-3 full-court basketball, and 2-on-2 full-court, and 1-on-1 full court basketball, all change the game, expression, and the art of basketball. Changing the number of players changes the performance and the artistic expression of the players.

 ACTOR TWO

I like your other changes as well. You have other changes to make the games more exciting as well.  Blocking a shot against the backboard is one of the most exciting plays and basketball.  If you block a 2-point shot against the backboard it should be -3 points or -4 points. Blocking a 2-point jump shot should be -1 or -2 points. Because an alley-oop requires a pass and a dunk it should be given three points or four points.  If there is a steal, a fast-break, and an alley-oop, that should be three or four points. Throughout writing and talking about basketball we have come up with almost every innovative rule modification possible.

 ACTOR ONE

Changing the number of players from 5 down to 4, 3, 2, or 1, and playing full court is an outside the box, unique and creative idea.  These are very creative ideas that go beyond the basic concepts of the game of basketball.  We have come up with additional creative ideas such as the spread offense with various positions of the players. For example, there is the 4-corner offence around the three-point line and the point offense with the top of the three-point line and one, two, or three players spread to one side, or unbalanced with one player one side and two on the other side of the three-point line. The creative acts we have been discussing regarding organization, scheduling, mediums (all sound and video mediums, etc.), rules to increase highlights, and offensive and defensive plays have been amazing.

 ACTOR TWO

It's interesting some of the rules we have come up with. Every player on each team can dunk. Every player on each team can shoot the three. Every player on each team has to make at least 33.3% of their three-point shots. Perhaps, they have to prove this before every game.

 ACTOR ONE

Yes, we can do incredible rules and incredible expressions using those rules. This can be done, or may not be done depending on the circumstances.

 ACTOR TWO

I remember how when you first brought it up, the idea of playing 4-on-4, it was an idea so far out of the box that people could not even grasp it as being a good idea. Yet, you swung my mind around. The creative expression of getting more highlights and the math behind it finally changed my mind.

 ACTOR ONE

The overall game will change dramatically. The experience of watching basketball will change.

 ACTOR TWO

The impact on the players will be significant. They will always be running instead of stopping and spacing all the time. That alone with be more fun for the players.

 ACTOR ONE

I want to see a lot of double picks. Two players setting the pick for the point guard, so the pick is really solid and both the lane to the basket and the lanes for passing open up more than they can in the 5-man game.

 ACTOR TWO

Yes, we want to fundamentally adjust the game to running and gunning again. Not just the full court game but the half-court game as well.

 ACTOR ONE

If I was scouting for players, they would be all dunkers, all great three-point shooters, and all great ball handlers.

 ACTOR TWO

Fortunately, there is an oversupply of players like this today. Weekend warriors who can play like this exist everywhere today.

 ACTOR ONE

We could create software the do everything. Or, we could go to a company that is running software for pick-up games, or amateur leagues, and adopt it to create a 4-on-4 league. This would make sure all the players know when, and where, to play, and all the fans know when and where to show up. Every day there would be more fans and players contributing to the uniqueness of the games once the player count fundamentally changes the game. Crowd enthusiasm for certain plays could help determine point assignments.

 ACTOR TWO

Yes. Change the dynamics, flow, and character of games. Make basketball beloved again.

 ACTOR ONE

It's also time for the 4-point shot. Shooting from behind the half-court line will be 4 points, behind the three-point line at the other end of the court into your basket, will be 5-points. Shooting behind the free throw line at the other end of the court into your basket will be 6 points. If you make the shot of course.

 ACTOR TWO

Very innovative. And very exciting, because players can make those shots. I'm seen them, and I have done some of them myself.

 ACTOR ONE

Gameplay will change dramatically. Everything about basketball is fundamentally changed by altering the player count in full court games, exhibitions, or tournaments. New strategies and flows will have to be coached.

 ACTOR TWO

I can't wait. I'm tired of waiting for the last 4 minutes of today’s games to get interested. I want this fundamental change where every play might be amazing. This change creates an expression of a new work of art.

 ACTOR ONE

Originality and creativity are what these new games are all about. Why would anyone not step into a trillion dollar, worldwide, industry and disrupt it like this?

 ACTOR TWO

People can't be creative and people can't think outside the box. Everything we have ever discussed has been innovative. You are an artist man. You always see things 20 or 30 years before others do. We need a new and unique expression of basketball, because like I said, I am tired of no running and gunning, and all the other exciting plays that are disappearing.

 ACTOR ONE

Consider all these rule change ideas fixed. It’s just a matter of when and where now. These ideas rearrange the game of basketball.

 ACTOR TWO

They are certainly nonconventional.

 ACTOR ONE

The NBA has no idea how easily it could be wiped out. The Sportico website says NBA teams can be worth up to 8 billion dollars. Playing 4-on-4 would produce better games and thus could wipe out billions of dollars of value for an NBA team. There will be pushback.

 ACTOR TWO

It would be so easy to fundamentally change basketball for the better.

 ACTOR ONE

Yes, and you wouldn’t have to change the basketball courts. The gymnasium infrastructure has all been built. Just reduce the number of players. But what will change is all kinds of logos and trademarks. Lot’s of things would have 4-on-4, 4x4, four-on-four, three-on-three, 3x3, or 3-on-3, or some other permutation, to say a few, for example. Things might have FC for full-court. You would not have to put on new lines for the 4-point shot, 5-point shot, or 6-point shot, because you already have the half court line, top of the key, and the free throw line. These could be judgement calls at first. Later, light lines could be added.

 ACTOR TWO

It’s all new and unconventional, but so original, and you have certainly fixed basketball. You have done a one-of-a-kind blog about all this. There is originality beyond functionality in all that you have been doing with basketball.

 ACTOR ONE:

Here’s a list of changes, but just one, the number of players, changes everything important:

4-on-4 full court basketball, or even fewer number of players full-court.

The four-point shot.

The five-point shot.

The six-point shot.

Point changes for other offensive shots and defensive plays.

New offensive strategies.

New defensive strategies.

Almost all players can dunk.

All players can make three-pointers.

Time changes.

Other things to speed up the games.

Game duration.

Playing to 200 points, or another number, for example.

 ACTOR TWO:

You might be able to get the entire game under 1-hour, 1.5 hours, or under 2-hours which would be better for TV. More highlights in less time for sure. You could also have longer games. Sometimes players want to play until they are too tired to go. Some of these changes can be absolute. At least now they are set in print. The package transforms basketball. I would love to play games until the players got too tired or the score hit a mark.

 ACTOR ONE

There could be the stacked offense, the wide-open offense, the dare them to shoot defense, and the tight man to man defense. The zone and one, and it goes on.

 ACTOR TWO

I hope you consult me on the graphics, uniforms, trademarks, and all that stuff which will make things fan friendly and unique. The promotional materials will be fun.

 ACTOR ONE

I would love to make my own software for the mundane tasks. And of course, software games based on all these ideas. Simulations of games to play on computers and phones.

 ACTOR TWO

The world needs more and better video content.

 ACTOR ONE

That’s one reason I would like to start with a reality TV show immediately. Just start taping the process of getting all these going. The process would be full of interesting people and activities.

 ACTOR TWO

Fortunately, there is an oversupply of players like this today. Weekend warriors who can play like this exist everywhere today.

 ACTOR ONE

You could go to a company that is running software for pick-up games, or amateur leagues, and adopt them to create a 4-on-4 league. This would make sure all the players know when and where to play, and all the fans know when and where to show up. Every day there would be more fans and players contributing to the uniqueness of the games once the player count fundamentally changes the game. Crowd enthusiasm for certain plays could help determine point assignments.

 ACTOR TWO

Yes. Change the dynamics, flow, and character of games. Make basketball beloved again.

 ACTOR ONE

It's also time for the 4-point shot. Shooting from behind the half-court line will be 4 points, behind the three-point line at the other end of the court into your basket, will be 5-points. Shooting behind the free throw line at the other end of the court into your basket will be 6 points. If you make the shot of course.

 ACTOR TWO

Very innovative. And very exciting, because players can make those shots. I'm seen them, and I have done some of them myself.

 ACTOR ONE

Gameplay will change dramatically. Everything about basketball is fundamentally changed by altering the player count, or counts, in full court games or exhibitions, and tournaments. Strategies, rolls, and flows will have to be coached.

 ACTOR TWO

I can't wait. I'm tired of waiting for the last 4 minutes of games to get interested. I want this fundamental change where every play might be amazing. The very idea is a work of art.

 ACTOR ONE

Originality and creativity are what these new games are all about. Why would anyone not step into a trillion dollar, worldwide, industry and disrupt it like this?

 ACTOR TWO

People can't be creative and people can't think outside the box. Everything we have ever discussed has been innovative. You are an artist man. You always see things 20 or 30 years before others do. We need a new and unique expression of basketball, because like I said, I am tired of no running and gunning, and all the other exciting plays that are disappearing.

 

RULE CHANGE LIST for Blog Post:

Here’s a list of changes, but just one, the number of players, changes everything important:

4-on-4 full court basketball, or even fewer number of players full-court.

The four-point shot.

The five-point shot.

The six-point shot.

Point changes for other offensive shots and defensive plays.

New offensive strategies.

New defensive strategies.

Almost all players can dunk.

Almost players can make three-pointers. (Perhaps must prove it to play.)

Time changes.

Other things to speed up the games.

Game duration.

Playing to 200 points, or another number, for example.

 

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2024 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This blog is an ongoing script and treatment for basketball related videos, TV shows, games, exhibitions, and tournaments, including scripted and unscripted shows.

 

Make Basketball Better - Pitch

 

Pitch: 

I strongly suggest that you invest in basketball the same way you have innovated LIV Golf so magnificently, but with an important twist, play “four-on-four” full-court basketball instead of the traditional five-on-five format.

 Reducing the number of players to four-on-four would open up the game and revive the dynamic, fast-paced, style of basketball reminiscent of the 1980s, particularly the exhilarating “Show Time basketball” and the iconic Phi-Slama-Jama® style from 1982 to 1984. Reducing the number of players to 4-on-4 would reintroduce the faster playing styles of Magic Johnson, Pistol Pete Maravich, Michael Jordan, and Dr. J, who were beloved by fans worldwide.

By playing 4-on-4 there would be more dunks, alley oops, and blocked shots including “blocked shots against the backboard,” spectacular passes including “no look passes” and “behind the back passes,” more 3-point shots, bank shots, and short-range jump shots.

 Moreover, playing 4-on-4 would make money, given that traditional 5-on-5 basketball is a worldwide, trillion-dollar industry, where amazing highlights drive advertising revenue.

I am one of five brothers, who all played basketball, and possess knowledge of the history, economics, science, and mathematics of basketball. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall (193 cm), I could dunk a basketball backwards, as could my 6-foot-7-inch (201 cm) brother and my 6-

foot-6-inch (198 cm) brother, both of whom played college basketball. I became a physician, a medical doctor, and my journey has given me a unique perspective on basketball.

To briefly explain the mathematics: players were 5-feet tall (152 centimeters) when basketball was invented, but today’s players are nearly 7-feet tall (213 centimeters). Because 7-foot-tall players also have 7-feet of arm reach, removing two players from the court by playing 4-on-4 creates 98 square feet (9.1 square meters) more space on the basketball court to pass the ball or drive to the basket. To be concise, today’s super-tall players take up too much space on defense.

Who is going to stop a “freight-train-like” player such as Lebron James from driving to the basket if there is 98 square feet (9.1 square meters) more room for him? No one!

The 3-point line combined with taller players and players becoming better long-distance shooters has changed today’s game. If you make 50% of 100 two-point shots you score 100 points, but if you make 50% of 100 three-point shots you score 150 points. These are today’s approximate shooting percentages, and they have resulted in walking from 3-point line to 3-point line and moving in a semi-circle around the 3-point line, which is boring compared to high-speed dramatic fast break full-court basketball. 

The 3-point shot is so valuable in today’s game, one college team, Grinnell College, shot 111 three-pointers in a single game. NBA teams are often shooting 40 three pointers per game. Keeping the 3-point line while reducing the number of players to 4-on-4 will allow players to make 75% of their 2-point shots from running full court basket-to-basket, doing alley oops, and shooting shorter distance jump shots and bank shots. Both 2-point shots and 3-point shots will be equally valuable again, but the best fast break teams will have the advantage.

This proposal represents a revolutionary transformation for basketball. The resulting increase in dunks, alley-oops, “no look passes,” shot blocks, and fast breaks while keeping the 3-point shot, will elevate each game’s entertainment value, leading to each team scoring over 200 points per game instead the 100 points per game they score today.

Today, there is a surplus of great players who can dribble the basketball like a guard and dunk. Even the center for the Denver Nuggets, the 6-foot 11 inch (211 cm), Nikola Jokić, sometimes plays point guard.

 The passion and love for the game among the surplus players, who have no professional league to play in, could facilitate the 4-on-4 league’s establishment. Players would be willing

to play for free during the league’s inception, or in tournaments, because basketball players have so much passion for playing ball. Players love to hoop! In fact, many basketball players considered “average players” in the USA could blossom into highlight producing super-stars when playing 4-on-4 instead of 5-on-5. A player who could thrive playing 4-on-4 is the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, Mac McClung. He’s already gone from the NBA. He’s only 6’ 2” tall (182 cm), but he is a human highlight reel because of his incredible dunking ability. But when playing 5-on-5 there are too many 7-foot-tall giants defending the basket. Mac McClung needs more space on the court to create highlights. He needs the 4-on-4 game.

 Other players could be recruited from the end of their NBA career, like Russell Westbrook, who has recently been demoted from the starting line-up. He would thrive when playing 4-on-4, because he is a natural “run-and-gun dunker” who needs extra space to be a superstar again.

Fans around the world of the trillion-dollar basketball industry deserve a better product than walking from 3-point line to 3-point line, stepping backwards, and moving sideways around the 3-point line. Fans need more running, points, dunks, alley oops, blocks against the backboard, and more hard-to-believe, thrilling passes.

Four-on-four basketball could easily compete with the NBA and the NCAA Colleges for sports highlights by creating tournaments, games, TV shows, and even a reality TV show about the start-up of a business to do 4-on-4. It would all work, because 4-on-4 basketball is more spectacular.

Fans love basketball so much they could act as the press and create publicity by posting highlights using their cell phones. Advertisements could be automatically attached to video clips of highlights. Four-on-four basketball could be done inexpensively if advantage is taken of every good idea.

Mathematics and analytics predict success, so I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible by Gmail, or regular mail, and my telephone number is available by request:

ACTOR ONE 

How can we make basketball better for fans, players, coaches, and advertisers? 

ACTOR TWO 

There's one rule change that will fundamentally change the game. We start playing four-on-four full court instead of five on five full court. 

ACTOR ONE

Explain it simply. 

ACTOR TWO

This creates more space for the offense. Today's game has become too much about walking from three point line to three-point line and passing around the three-point line. We want basketball games that are non-stop running and the have the maximum number of all our favorite highlights per game. 

 ACTOR ONE 

How do we fix basketball using mathematics and analytics?

 

 ACTOR TWO We want to fundamentally change the style of basketball too fast break basketball. That style and expression of basketball has more highlights. It's running all the time. That's much more fun for players and fans. It produces more highlights for advertisers. ACTOR ONE Being a better more exciting game correct? 

ACTOR TWO 

Yes! Change the game to always be producing more highlights. I have a list of rules, and the goal of these rules is to make the two-point shot as valuable, or more valuable than the three-point shot. 

ACTOR ONE 

What is the simplest easiest way to explain this outside the box change of the game of basketball? 

ACTOR TWO 

The big picture is that we keep adjusting the rules to maximize the number of highlights per basketball game. The very first thing is to reduce the number of players to four-on-four full court. Even three-on-three full court two-on-two full court or one-on-one full court. 

ACTOR ONE 

Yes I can see what you mean now. One rule change, playing four-on-four full court, will make the court wide open again for basketball players. 

ACTOR TWO 

Yes it is a fundamental change in basketball. It changes the game, the offensive sets, the defensive sets, the recruitment of players, and the number of highlights. 

ACTOR ONE 

The fundamental mathematical principle is to make the two-point shot as valuable as the three-point shot. 

ACTOR TWO 

I don't think people understand this. What's the simplest way to explain it? ACTOR ONE Imagine there is a basketball game. The three-point shot is the dominant shot today because it is a more valuable shot. Watching the NCAA tournament, March madness, it's easier to see that the emphasis is on shooting and making the most three-point shots possible. 

ACTOR TWO 

Why is the three-point shot more valuable? ACTOR ONE Imagine this. Players today are making about 50% of the two-point shots, had about 40% of the three-point shots. 

ACTOR TWO 

Yes, exactly. Let's say there's a basketball game and team A shoots 100 2-point shots. Since they make 50% of them, they will score 100 points total. Mathematically, each shot is worth one point because they make 50% of each shot taken. 

ACTOR ONE 

Yes! And then team B shoots 100 three-point shots in the same game. They make 40% of them so they will score 120 points. Mathematically each shot is worth 1.2 points because they make 40% of their three-point shots. 

ACTOR TWO The overall concept is to make the two-point shot as valuable as the three-point shot.

ACTOR ONE 

And the first fundamental way to change the game is to create more space on the court so the 2-point shooters can do more fast break basketball. Players make nearly 100% of their dunks. So you want more dunks. You want more close to the basket bank shots and jump shots. 

ACTOR TWO 

That one rule, decreasing the number of players per team, will change the style of game from slow walking and spacing around the three-point line to non-stop fast break basketball. 

ACTOR ONE 

The overall concept is to keep playing with the rules until the two-point shot is just as valuable as the three-point shot, or slightly more valuable. 

ACTOR TWO 

The greatest highlight for me is a fast break with an alley-oop slam dunk. 

ACTOR ONE 

That's why those kind of games, that style of basketball, has had the trendy names like "Showtime" basketball and Phi Slama Jama (R). 

ACTOR TWO 

The overall concept is to keep changing the rules until the two-point shot and the three-point shot are equal in value again. Or, until the two-point shot is slightly more valuable. 

ACTOR ONE 

I predicted in 4-on-4 full court basketball players will start making 60% of their two-point shots. That means if a team takes 100 shots and makes 60% of them, they will score 120 points. Thus each basket will be worth 1.2 points, just like the three-point shot has become worth 1.2 shots. 

ACTOR TWO 

Yes those figures are approximately what I would expect and based upon what is happening today. 

ACTOR ONE 

In fact, at the end of this essay we're going to put all kinds of rules invented by the writer to change the game of basketball into a format and style that emphasizes maximizing basketball highlights for the fans and the players. It will also change recruitment of players. You will see that the player of the future should be a player that runs non-stop, that is the biggest, tallest, quickest, highest jumping athlete possible. 

ACTOR TWO 

In the sense that basketball is gladiators in a stadium, we will change the players back to being the most awesome style of players. 

ACTOR ONE 

The numbers of players per team alone fundamentally changes the game of basketball. All the other rule changes are like icing on the cake. 

ACTOR TWO What are some of the other rules? 

ACTOR ONE 

We should have the four-point shot, five-point shot, and the 6-point shot. 

ACTOR TWO 

What are the lines? 

ACTOR ONE 

Behind the half court line should be considered a four-point shot. Behind the top of the key at the other end of the court should be a five-point shot. And behind the free throw line at the other end of the court should be a six-point shot. That way you don't have to add a bunch of new lines to the basketball court. It's the simplest easiest way to make that rule change. 

ACTOR TWO 

Yes, and you would never be safe at the end of the game unless you had at least a 6-point lead. 

ACTOR ONE 

I'm going to go on and just make a list of rule changes that are possible for making the four-on-four full court game maximize the number of highlights. The overall ideas that you want non-stop running basketball. You want to maximize every kind of highlight that fans love, dunks, alley-oops, spectacular passes, and the three-point shot as well. You definitely want to keep the three-point shot.

ACTOR TWO

You could have a rule that every player must be able to dunk, and that every player must be able to shoot and make a certain percentage of three-point shots. 

ACTOR ONE

There could be a reality TV show about getting all this off the ground, or a scripted TV where actors play people who come up with these ideas and get something going.

RULE CHANGE LIST: 

Here’s a list of changes, but just one rule change, reducing the number of players from 5 per team, that is from 5-on-5, to 4-on-4 full court, 3-on-3 full court, 2-on-2 full court, or 1-on-1 full court, fundamentally changes basketball. Such games shift the style of play to fast break, run and gun, basketball. Basketball will be expressed far differently from today where players walk from three-point line to three-point line and pass around the three-point line. 

We basically keep changing the rules until the value of the 2-point shot equals the value of the 3-point shot, or is greater than the 3-point shot. But ideally, they will be approximately equal in value. Think of this way. If two teams shoot 100 shots, and Team A shoots only 2-pointers and makes 50% of them, they score 100 points. If Team B shoots only 3-pointers and makes 40% of them, they score 120 points. This is approximately what is happening today. The 2-point shot is worth 1 point and the 3-point shot is worth 1.2 points. We will keep using 4-on-4 as an example for all reductions in players per team.

Playing 4-on-4 will make players get easier two-point shots. Once they make 60% of 2-point shots, that shot will be worth 1.2 points. Once 2-point shots and three points are equal in value again, players can fast break all the time again. This makes more highlights. The more highlights the more fun for fans and players, and the better for advertisers. 

New Offensive Rules to consider or to implement right away until the math works out: 

The four-point shot. 

The five-point shot. 

The six-point shot. 

Consider giving three points for a fast break alley-oop instead of only 2 points. 

Consider point changes for other offensive shots and defensive plays. 

The tip-in offensive rebound could be changed to a three point shot.

Give three points for a backwards dunk or rotating more than 180 degrees to dunk. 

Speed up free throws because they really slow down the game.

Consider having no offensive rebounders at all.

Players can always grab the ball, and pass it into play immediately. Make it so the referee almost never holds the ball. 

Almost all players can dunk. It could even be a rule.

Almost all players can make a high-percentage of three pointers. This could be a rule as well.

New defensive rules: 

A block against the backboard, because it is such a difficult and unusual play, could be worth -3 points (negative three points). 

TIME CHANGES

Time changes. Other things to speed up the games. 

Game duration. 

Consider playing to 200 points, or another number, for example. 

RECRUITMENT 

Playing with reduced players changes the type of player to one who runs all the time, can handle the ball great, can dunk, and is great at shooting 3-point shots. Playing 4-on-4 changes the recruitment to faster, quicker, taller, great dunkers and shooters. 

Almost all players can dunk. It could even be a rule.

Almost all players can make certain high-percentage of three pointers. This could be a rule as well.

COPYRIGHT 

Copyright (C) 2024 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This blog is an ongoing script and treatment for basketball related videos, TV shows, games, exhibitions, and tournaments.

NBA Playoffs Prove that We Need Freedom Slamma Jamma (TM)!!

ACTOR-1

Set the basketball players free! Economics, mathematics, and analytics all agree that we can easily improve the multi-billion dollar, worldwide, industry, of basketball. Economically, we have an oversupply of great basketball players that can dunk it backwards. 

ACTOR-2

Yes! Entrepreneurs, businessmen, and businesswomen, who can think outside the box, will see a worldwide scalable opportunity. 

ACTOR-1

Mathematically, basketball players need more space to fly. 

ACTOR-2

Play 4-on-4 full court! Such a new league could become a massive entertainment platform with a startup reality TV show, an ongoing reality TV show, and a scripted TV show, with the new basketball league having streaming games, games on television, tournaments on television, a social media partner for instantaneous highlights, super fan engagement as courtside reporters, and much better revenue streams, because of being a much faster and more thrilling product. Every commercial could come with a fantastic highlight, because there would be too many to count! 

ACTOR-1

The Boston Celtics lost big in Game-1 of the NBA playoffs against the Milwaukee bucks, despite shooting 50 three-pointers. What do you think of that?

ACTOR-2

Bob Ryan said, "Do you know that they had fewer 2-point-field goals in that game than any playoff game in their history dating back to 1951."

He said this on "Around the Horn," on ESPN just the other day, on Tuesday May 3rd, 2022.

ACTOR-1

Isn't it ridiculous that the Milwaukee Bucks won 101- 89 over the Boston Celtics in Game One of their series, this past Sunday May 1st 2022?

Analytics say that game was boring, and it was boring. Ironically, it was the best running and jumping athletes in the world going from three-point line to three-point line, sometimes stepping backwards, which truly is ridiculous if you stop and think about it. All this walking instead of full-court fast break running all the time.

ACTOR-2

Sigh! Freewheeling basketball by the greatest athletes in the world is dead. 

ACTOR-1

Imagine, yes think outside the box, how much better a game would be when the unbelievably talented players had 80 square more feet to maneuver towards the basket. 

ACTOR-2

Yes, I've done the math. I've done the analytics. NBA players with their tall wingspans of approximately 7 ft create a circular zone of defense basically equivalent to the area of a circle 7 ft in diameter. The offensive player, similarly, takes up the same amount of space on the court. If you remove two players, you are opening up 2 x 38.48 feet of space, which equals 77 square feet, which rounds up to 80 square ft, easily, because they are moving around not just standing still. 

Imagine if Ja Morant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Klay thompson, Russell Westbrook, or Kevin Durant, had 80 square feet more space to attack the basket! They would be highlight machines! 

ACTOR-1

Every player today is a point guard they can all handle the ball so well. So, set the players free. Let them run and gun. 

Today's highlights should all be about dunks, alley oops, and blocking the ball off the backboards, not stepping backwards to shoot a three-pointer. Many of my friends, and I, only watch the last 3 minutes of the 48-minute games, and only if close, and if we watch the entire game we're busy on our cell phones 50% of the time minimum, because most of the routine plays are not engaging. They are totally NOT stimulating or intoxicating.

ACTOR-1

The Boston Celtics came back to win Game-2 with the score of 109 - 86 in their favor this past Tuesday, May 3rd 2022. This is also laughable, because with Freedom Slamma Jamma(TM), the scores would be up near 150 points for each team every game, just like they used to be in the old days when the world's most exciting player, Dr. J, also known as Julius Irving, played in the ABA. and there would be many more dunks and alley oops and great highlights. There is no better basketball than fast-break, basket-to-basket, full-court run and gun basketball. 

Analytics say we can have this exhilarating basketball again simply by playing 4x4 full court. This new basketball league could literally be started for next to nothing with great programmers, basketball players willing to play for free on the weekends, and by renting out high school and college gyms all over the USA for the games. The fans could be the camera operators with cell phones, the fans could be the ones shooting the shots in conjunction with a social media platform, or a streaming video company. Good programming could do all the scheduling, and make all the games reliable, and insure that all the best run and gun Superstars played. It would be like the McDonald's App, but for basketball. There has never been greater demand for entertainment content in the history of the world! 

ACTOR-1

When you watch the rest of the NBA games, the Philadelphia 76ers against the Miami heat, the Dallas Mavericks against the Phoenix Suns, and then the NBA finals think about how low scoring the games are, and how few and far between fast breaks are in today's game. Every time a 3-pointer clunks, think about how much more exciting it would be to switch to 4x4 full court.

ACTOR-2

Yes! Basketball needs to quit boring me out of my mind. I'm tired of all the walking from three point line to three point line. Set the players free! Do the Freedom Slamma Jamma (TM). 

Copyright (C) 2022 BradMD (Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D.) All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script about playing four on four full-court basketball, or playing with even fewer players full-court. Freedom Slamma Jamma (TM) Set the players free! 

Why Not Compete with the NBA?

ACTOR 1 

Why don't entrepreneurs try to compete with the NBA by creating a better product? Why not create a new basketball league with better highlights? I want more dunks, more fast breaks, and more great passes. Investors and entrepreneurs have tried to compete with the NFL, with one major success, so why not the NBA. 

ACTOR 2 

Don't forget about the football AFL–NFL merger, the Arena Football League (AFL), the Alliance of American Football (AAF), the World Football League (WFL), the United Football League (UFL) and so on! Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson has been talking about the return of the XFL. Where are the basketball competitors? 

ACTOR 1 

Basketball and football are billion-dollar businesses. But basketball is worldwide and far easier to do. The first step is to create a 4-on-4 full court basketball league, because it would become non-stop fast break basketball. There has never been a better time to combine basketball, social media, and fan participation. Every fan who wanted to, could become a viral video creator. 

ACTOR 2 

It would be far easier to produce a better basketball product by playing 4-on-4 full court basketball, because of the increase in awesome highlights that would naturally occur. Mathematically, it would make sense to run basket to basket, instead of walk from three-point line to three-point line. 

ACTOR 1 

I am sick of today’s game. The greatest athletes in the world are walking around all the time, they are tracing the three-point line, sometimes they are even backing up, instead of running and gunning. Let's fast break again!

Copyright (C) 2022 BradMD (Brad Hennenfent, M.D.) All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script. 

Basketball - Billion Bollar Business - Competition & Innovation

Basketball is a billion dollar industry. Mathematics and #analytics tell us that we can take this monopoly down with a better product by playing 4-on-4 full court, and that we can return to non-stop #running and #gunning, Dr. J style ABA basketball, Lakers "Showtime" style basketball, and Houston Cougars' Phi Slama Jama(R) [their trademark] basketball. 

We have an excess supply of basketball players today that can dunk, that can handle the basketball like a point guard, and can block the basketball against the backboard.

All we have to do is make the game more wide open to have great highlights on every single play. Have you ever wondered where have all the great passes gone? Why so few alley oops?

No more walking from three-point line to three-point line. We need a new marriage between a social network, a video on demand streaming service, entrepreneurs, and innovators. 

I put this on Twitter and Twitter warned me that "tweets like this can be 'intense.'" Why is that? I don't usually do four part tweets, but otherwise I don't see why it was "intense." Perhaps my writing is outstanding? Full of emotion? 

I love #basketball! 

I love fast break 🏀 

I love run and gun all the way to the rim 🏀

Let's bring back fast break basketball! Let's bring back running and gunning basketball!

Copyright (C) 2021 BradMD (Bradley Hennenfent, MD) All Rights reserved. This is an ongoing script and treatment for a TV show, reality TV show, series, web series, games, tournaments, leagues, and all forms of video or motion picture entertainment, including those yet to be invented. All media and all mediums and all forms included. 

NBA Basketball can be Fixed!

CHARACTER ONE

Watching today's NBA basketball is a thousand times less interesting than it should be. Today's NBA is like watching a game of H-O-R-S-E. There are a bunch of long 3-point shots taken. But the fast break basketball game has mostly disappeared in favor of pulling up for long shots. 

CHARACTER 2

I want to see the greatest players running and gunning instead of all this slowpoke stuff. The games were far more interesting in high school because all we did was run and gun. 

CHARACTER ONE

I want to see Ja Morant, Russell Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant on one team.

CHARACTER 2

That's exactly what we need to do! Play four-on-four full court, because mathematically it would pay off to run and gun again. And, I would put those four great players as a four-player team up against anyone!

CHARACTER ONE

How about the other team's four players being Trae Young, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry?

CHARACTER 2

Those would be two unbelievably talented teams playing four-on-four full court against each other! I love it.

CHARACTER ONE

Mathematically it has to happen. We can't keep playing this slow old man's basketball. Entrepreneurs and investors can start a brand new TV series, a new basketball league, reality TV, and scripted TV, all about playing high-speed, full court, run and gun basketball again. We have an oversupply of great basketball players today that can play full court. They can all handle the ball like guards. Every player has handles. We have an oversupply of social media companies that need sports highlights. We have an oversupply of cable stations that need sports highlights. We have streaming media that needs sports.

CHARACTER 2

People have to think outside of the box. They have to adapt and change. Four-on-four full court, three-on-three full court, two-on-two full court, and one-on-one full court are the future of basketball.

CHARACTER ONE

I love how we're doing this. I love how one person is copyright protecting his material by blogging about it while at the same time getting the entire world to see it. There's no better investment than sports, because they are entertainment. Sports are fun and basketball is worldwide. TV shows, games, and leagues could all be done very cheaply using today's technology, programming, and all the other tools we have. 

CHARACTER 2

You could practically do the entire thing with weekend basketball players because there is such a huge oversupply of great basketball players. And, with today's software on cell phones everything could be scheduled, and it would always be easy to make sure the four-on-four games took place. Then, the fans could film everything with their cell phones and create tomorrow's basketball celebrities by putting all the highlights, the dunks, and the magical passes on social media, cable stations, or streaming media. Everything would be like a rave!

CHARACTER ONE

For the cost of one professional NBA basketball player, the entire NBA could probably be taken down with a better, faster, product.

CHARACTER 2

Actually, it could cost far less than that because the whole thing could practically done for free because so many people love to play basketball.

CHARACTER ONE

Showtime baby. Let's run and gun again. Let's get back to Phi Slama Jama(R), like the University of Houston once had with Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon. You never got bored watching those games, because you loved the fast breaks.

Copyright (C) 2021 BradMD (Brad Hennenfent, M.D.). All Rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script for videos, TV shows, movies, and entertainment in all media forms, including those yet to be invented.