The art of winning...

"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."

-Vince Lombardi

Winning is something that we as people strive for on a daily basis without even giving it a thought. We try to beat the freeway traffic, be the best at work, be first in line, or hit the game winning shot! It's an art that commands a certain understanding. Winning is a part of us as people because the truth is no one likes to lose or be second best. Winning is everything! No one remembers the runner up, only the winners! But when it comes to basketball, winning is all that matters, but for some winning is not that important. Winning is an art that paints the picture for success and in basketball, winning is tough, but it is accomplished only by those teams and players who understand the art of winning.

Winning in the NBA from what I have observed over the last decade comes down to having heart, dedication, motivation, and a couple of star players. Not to mention role players. Even though the NBA is star driven in every aspect, it seems that having a complete team will guarantee success, but  how can one create a winning team? It's simple... Here's how.

Teams are built with some kind of structure; Purpose, trust, respect, and a killer instinct. If those aspects of a team are not in place then there will be endless problems. Look at the Lakers from last year, they had no structure. They had one guy with that killer instinct, but the rest of the team lacked that trait. A team full of future hall of famers is not always a clear path to a championship if no can get along or accept their roles and become one as a team.

The Chicago Bulls teams from the 1990's were complete teams filled with tons of leadership. Yeah, they had Jordan, the greatest player to grace the hardwood and the best sidekick who everyone wouldn't mind being; Scottie Pippen to go along with Phil Jackson and his mastery of basketball zen. Those Jordan and Pippen Bulls teams were put together so good, it hurt the other teams in the league. By hurt, I mean losing... No one could beat the Bulls in a seven game series. It was a hopeless dream, Utah knows first-hand. They had the role players and the stars that meshed well together. Management builds the team around Jordan and Pippen because the window for success was wide open. Opposing teams tried to copy the Bulls philosophy of winning, but couldn't. Management was careful of whom they brought in and had to make sure that when someone new came to the team, the blueprint for success was also expected from them. This is where management comes in.

There has to be a plan in place from ownership, management, and the coaching staff.. These three branches of a team are the ones who set the tone for an organization's structure and leadership. Without smart owners, general managers, and coaches any chance of success will be a desert mirage.

Bringing in capable and coachable talent is the key to winning. Not every guy on the roster will be a star. It's impossible! Everyone has a different game to go along with a different personality. This is where a general manager has to be very selective of the players that he brings in every year. Scouts will tell them one thing, but it all rest's on the GM's shoulders of who to select for the team. Of course there have been disasters of teams committing to a player with a troubled past or having a bad rep, but that's the business of pro ball, not every player will help the team.

Look at the current New York Knicks team. They are just a team that was thrown together. Don't get me wrong they have some players that can score thirty point's on any given night, but they are not a team. No one is willing to sacrifice their role for the ultimate goal that is winning. And sooner or later, the Knicks will make some awful trades out of desperation. This organization has no idea of how to win. If you thought the Clippers front office was terrible, do some research on New York's, it's a disaster that sometimes turns into a side show. The owner of the team consistently makes bad decisions every year, and if anyone tries to show him up, he throws them under a bus. And it's just a matter of time before the Knicks turn into a sitcom; a terrible one at that. Trust me; the writing is on the wall.

Another example of a bad team is the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets obviously didn't watch to many Laker games last year. Again, having future hall of famers on your team doesn’t guarantee you success. The team does have leadership with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, but the problem is both of these guys are past their prime and their voice may not really matter anymore. This is an old team that is playing with no passion and has no chemistry as a team. Jason Kidd is rookie head coach with no kind of coaching experience and the Nets invested so much into him, that it seems they are stuck in a corner. There's really no way out. They should have brought in a coach with some experience who would have gotten a team full of isolation players to come together as one. They still have time to fix the mess that they are, but it won't be easy. This is also where coaching flies in with success...

"I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor."

- Phil Jackson

Coaching takes leadership and the ability to be fearless. It is the biggest and most stressful job, but a good coach knows how to win and how to get the best out of his team. Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, Roy Williams, John Calipari, Mike krzyzewski, Tom Izzo, John Wooden the list goes on with great basketball coaches who have not only brought the best out of their players, but who have taught players that winning is important not just on the court, but in life. Winning is a part of what any coach sells to their team, and it's the most important component to any sport, not just in basketball.

A great coach can have a team full of B plus players and have them compete against a top team every night. It doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong their still has to be some kind of talent on the floor, but a coach has to get his 15 man roster to buy into what he is selling. Every coach’s vision is to have a star or two and have everyone including the stars accept their roles and create an identity of a winning basketball team. So yes, a good coach is a must have, but again players have to set aside their egos for the greater good of the team.

“Sometimes a player's greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team.”

-Scottie Pippen

Players sometimes have a hard time accepting their roles on a team. It's natural to feel out of place or wanting to leave because the coach may not be giving that player enough playing time. In reality, this is probably the most important trait that every team needs to have; acceptance.

Stars are always at the forefront, but sometimes they are not the leaders of the team.  Not every star player can have the leadership of a Michael Jordan, it just doesn't happen. If a star player isn't willing to take on the leadership role then it is taken over by one of the role players who has accepted their role on the team. Scottie Pippen is a great example of a player accepting his role and relishing in it. Pippen bailed out Jordan on many occasions over their career as teammates. It was great seeing that role being relished at a time where stars then and now continue to overlook at the importance of a player like Scottie Pippen. He was winner, who knew his role, what else can you say about the guy. Getting every player to accept their role is not easy, but if the star players are willing to trust them, than winning becomes more of an easy task.

Winning is everything, and without it, competition means nothing. It's easy to point out that art is something that our eyes behold as something beautiful, magical, or miraculous. Some art is taken for granted and over-looked, while some art is over-hyped and over-priced. That is what the NBA is, a game of art and design. Designing a team for success doesn't always happen, but when it does it's a sight to see because the art of winning is only accomplished by those who understand how to win... Peace...