Random Thoughts from Kevin Eastman

Every now and then we should just sit and think. Never know what you will come up with.


• Success has a price and players have to know that they have to pay it just as much as you and your staff have to.

• Success does have downpayments: work ethic, discipline, preparation, consistency.

• We are the sum total of the experiences we've had and the people we've met. What have you done? Who have you associated with?

• Preparation is so important because it can help eliminate fear and doubt.

• Before we can eliminate excuses that keep us from improving we have to recognize what those excuses are. Write down your top three excuses and then eliminate them for the next month. This will create a habit of not using them any more!

• It's very important to take a close look at your locker room. Whose voices are being heard? Are these the messages that you would want being sent?

• What messages are on your locker room wall? May seem corny but it's something that players will see -- and probably read -- almost every day!

• Never be concerned about repeating a message; repetitive verbal teaching is a great form of teaching. Teaching doesn’t always have to be physical.

Kevin Eastman’s 4 Whats to Create Value

1.What does my team need most (offensively, defensively, in the locker room, etc)?

2.What things am I good at that I can become great at AND meet my team’s greatest needs?

3.What are the little, nameless, oft unnoticed acts that I can do, that no ones wants to do – between the lines and outside the lines?

4.What things should I avoid – both on and off the court? (What things should I add to my stop-doing list as a basketball player, teammate or person?)

100 % 'In'

From Kevin Eastman:

Been thinking about areas where your players, your staff, and anyone associated with your group have to be 100% "in." There's no room for partial involvement when it comes to any of these areas:

1. Trust
2. Loyalty
3. Commitment
4. Truthfulness

Kevin Eastman on Leadership

Boston Celtics assistant Kevin Eastman (pictured right) on leadership:

There are so many players in so many fields that want to be in a leadership position but don’t want to deal with the toughest part of leadership. To be an effective leader, you must be able to tell the truth.Sounds simple, but there are lots of factors that go with this statement. First and foremost, a leader can’t discriminate as to who he leads. If you’re a leader, your job is to lead everyone, on your team, whether you like every person or not.

The hardest part often becomes: can you tell your best friend(s) the truth…especially when the truth will hurt their feelings and could jeopardize your relationship? Truth and leadership must work hand in hand! In order to be able to tell the truth, you have to be observant enough — and know enough — about what needs to be done for your group and that person to be successful. Before you can tell the truth, you must know what the truth is. True leaders are effective because they know and live what is right and wrong…on the floor and off the floor.

Are your leaders strong enough to deal with the truth? If not, they are simply filling a position of leadership and not executing the role of leadership!

The Power of Unselfishness

From Boston assistant Kevin Eastman:

Two words that never seem to go together or work together are selfishness and winning. On the other hand, when we study the key characteristics of winning organizations we find that unselfishness is of paramount importance. It's a necessary ingredient that enhances other aspects of success in a team endeavor.

So why is unselfishness so important? What does it do to teams? It has been my experience with the Boston Celtics (and in particular, as a coach in our 2008 NBA World Championship run) that unselfishness alone was extremely important for us, but the ways this unselfish attitude created additional advantages for us was also very important to our success.

Below are some by-products of an unselfish approach:

• the sprit of our team was much greater

• the intensity of our play was much greater

• the willingness to move the ball created easier, high percentage shots for us

• it helped us plug holes in our defense; we covered for each other

• it created frustration in our opponents, as the power of the pass can never be underestimated

• it kept us juiced up for the next game (which is very important when you are playing over 100 games in a season); our guys wanted to come to work

• it gave us confidence knowing that we could survive a player's off night because the ball always found the open player (and therefore, the high percentage shot)

• it allowed us the feeling that one guy never had to carry the burden

• it gave us a sense that we could not be beaten because opponents had to beat all of us together -- not just one superstar on his own

• most of all, it gave us a feeling that we wanted to be out there on the floor every night and that we knew it was truly US against the opponent; we knew our backs were covered every minute of every game; simply put: we knew if we absorbed ourselves in the team that we would have a chance to succeed at the highest level!Is unselfishness important? Yes -- important enough that every champion has it as a vital part of its DNA!

Possession Focus By Kevin Eastman

Focus is a big phrase in sports. We constantly hear coaches and players talking about having to “focus more” or “focus better” or “improve our focus." Without question, this is an aspect of sports that we all know needs to improve, yet we’re all still searching for the best way to make sure it gets done consistently.

To ask a team to focus for a full game is a worthy demand, but to expect this to happen is often a frustrating exercise for a coach. Though I don't have a tested and proven solution, I strongly believe we must try to address the art of focusing, as it is a major factor of success.

Make focusing an every minute/every day endeavor for your team. Give it verbal repetition (coaches constantly reminding players) every time you hit the floor. Define it even more by having your team become a group that focuses on one possession at a time, no matter if it’s a drill or a scrimmage. Get them thinking and trying to maintain focus for short periods of time while in practice to start the habit.

Drills are designed to improve a specific area of the game; constantly remind your team what this specific area is for each drill they're working on. Demand that they truly focus on this intended area of drilling. Stop the drill when it gets sloppy, and remind them of the intent and focus of the drill. Get them to focus on the execution possession by possession in every drill and scrimmage.

I believe focus is the ability to know what to do, how to do it, and actually doing it that way every time through intense concentration. Demand this concentration every possession until it builds into a game in/game out habit.

These are steps toward developing focus. The major responsibility first falls with the leaders of the team -- your staff and any player who may be a leader. They actually have to have a focus first, before they can begin to remind the other players to focus and concentrate every possession. Just as we improve skills through repetition, we can improve focus through repetition. Focusing every possession every day will get you on the road to improving in an area that can be a big time difference-maker for your team!

Passion & Purpose

From Coach Kevin Eastman:

Another great exercise for players is to read up on players at the next level. Not only will it (hopefully) inspire them, but if they search well enough, they’ll get some guidance as to what it takes to get where they want to go. If players search enough and do their research on the best in the business, they’ll find that two words can sum up what these players are all about: (1) passion, and (2) purpose.

The best in any field have a true purpose as to why they are out there. It’s never about what they can do for themselves. It’s always about what they can do for the team. They know their purpose. They know what they have to do to get the team to win. They know that their personal success must come after their team contribution. This is how the great ones operate.

Once they have a firm grasp of their purpose, they then separate themselves from others by their passion. It’s a passion that’s with them at game time, in the weight room, on the track, and in practice. The best never leave their passion in their lockers.

I am fortunate in that I get see passion displayed on a daily basis by one of the best to ever play the game — Kevin Garnett. He has worked on his skills to hone them to the level of a true talent, but what puts him in a category of his own is his passion for the game. He brings it every time he gets into a basketball setting, from practice to pregame preparation.

Every player needs to evaluate himself in these two key areas. The results will tell if that players has a chance to reach the levels he seeks!

Kevin Eastman Newsletter

As I study successful teams, I see one common characteristic very clearly. Every one of these teams has a person or people who hold themselves personally accountable. These are the special people who only need a coach to teach them what and how to do something; then they take that and run with it. They understand that a major part of their job is to be self sufficient and personally accountable for their improvement and productivity. As I look around the NBA at these special players, I see some other distinct traits, all related to this personal accountability. These players:

• don't blame others first; instead, they look first for what they contributed (or did not contribute) to the situation

• don't complain; instead, they look for ways to correct things that aren't working

• don't procrastinate; instead, get things done now

• always give more than they ask of others

• always look to take on as much as they can handle, rather than look to pass things on to others all the time

• are constantly trying to improve their game so they can bring more to the team and consistently fulfill their role

• are self starters and study the game (and themselves) enough to know what needs to be done; then go about doing it

• do the unrequired work, knowing that it simply needs to get done -- extra shots, extra weight training, extra film watching, etc. – without constantly needing a coach to tell them to work

• hold others accountable for their jobs and roles because they know the importance of accountability as it relates to winning; this creates a collective responsibility

• always be among of the most trusted players on the team, by coaches and players

Championship Communication

Good stuff from Coach Eastman's website:

We all want our teams to talk on defense, but do we really get them to understand how important it is and what it does for us and to the opponent? Defensive communication is so important because it:

• Intimidates: especially when the opponent knows that you know everything they're running -- because your players are calling out the plays and coverages as soon as they hear the call!

• Gives your defense a head start: alerting a teammate of the action before it happens is critical to successful defense.

• Gives the man on the ball more confidence: if he knows he has help and protection behind him, he'll be much more confident and aggressive.

• Wakes up a disengaged defender: talking to a player who's not paying attention on defense can alert him to get back and re-engaged.

• Catches a mistake before it happens: so many times we have alerted a player to an offensive action before it caught him and that kept us from dealing with a mistake

• Energizes your teammates: talking teams always seem to play with more energy – it’s a fact of basketball!

Kevin Eastman's 3 terms for today's players to understand

Hard Work
-It is the price of admission
-If you don't work hard you don't get on the floor
-Everyone works hard so hard work won't seperate you. It will get you in the door

Competitveness
-Most are competitive once they seperate from a group
-Inside Determination
-Desire to win anything you are involved in

Committed
-This is an elite group (Steve Nash, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, etc.)
-People talk about it but don't understand it
-Think about what it takes to be great
-Everyday trying to get better, think long term, never have arrived

Tough vs. Dumb

From Coach Kevin Eastman:

In the Chicago – Boston series, both teams have very competitive players, staffs, and organizations. Both teams want to win so badly. Both teams are pretty evenly matched. So, without a doubt, emotion enters the equation. But it is important that it be intelligent and positive emotion. It is positive emotion that helps your team get over the hump. It can’t be bravado emotion that only registers with those who don’t understand the game anyway.

Both teams have to make sure that they make tough plays and not dumb plays. Tough plays are plays that are made of hustle and grit; often times they don’t even require skill. But they are definitely within the rules. Dumb plays are those made doing something that looks tough but gets your team nowhere and often times hurts your team. Players need to understand this if they are going to be champions. Championship teams make sure they protect their turf but they do so in an intelligent, disciplined, and tough way!

Truth be told, players today have to understand that in a run for a championship, often times the tough play is the one where you don’t retaliate to something done by the other team. Instead, you beat them on the scoreboard. The toughness comes in from the discipline that champions have to be bigger and smarter than the moment.

Cetlics assistant coach Kevin Eastman

Six musts to create "buy-ins"

1. Thoroughly study the game, let them know that you know the game.

2. Thoroughly study your system. Show players that they can get better in your system.

3. Catch your players donig something right- helps in understanding and belief in .

4. All players have labels- do you believe in them? Disspell the labels, improve them.

5. It is not what you know- it is what you bring- develop their heads.

6. Tell them the truth.

Bringing Your 'A' Game

Good stuff from assistant Celtics coach Kevin Eastman:

Bringing your “A Game” is important not only to go to the next level but also to be successful in any endeavor. It can be what separates you from the rest. And it’s something YOU can control. If you can get into the habit of bringing your “A Game” every day, you are on your way to creating the single best habit you can ever hope to have — the ability to get the most out of your ability.

There isn’t a coach or corporate leader who would pass on a person who not only understands the importance of bringing his or her best every day but who also has the discipline to actually do it.

Fakes

From an NBA Assistant Coach:

What I have found at this level is that players use every advantage they can find to be the best they can be. The art of faking is important to the point guard position as they have the ball in their hands a large percentage of the time. The best players in this league have mastered not only the eye fakes but also:

*the pass fake
*the head fake (as part of the shot fake)
*the foot fake (jab step)
*the voice fake (“use me, use me” — then they slip the screen)

Two Pains: By Kevin Eastman

From Celtics Coach Kevin Eastman:

The Pain of Discipline

Being disciplined is a great characteristic to have, but a difficult one to maintain over time. It’s not easy to work out day after day after day. It’s not easy to get in the weight room day after day after day. It’s not easy to do go to work and grind it out day after day. There is a pain factor involved — physical pain, mental fatigue (brought on by boredom of doing the same hard things over and over again), emotional pain from sometimes working your tail off every day and not being successful. The types and intensity of the pains will vary, but the constant is that they will be there!

In our careers it’s not easy to keep reading and studying the books, articles and reports or to continue to figure out how to become a better coach, salesperson, manager, CEO. Success is a disciplined process, not an overnight miracle.

Speaking from personal experience with our team last year, I think one of the reasons for our success was that we were willing to recognize and deal with that pain, to work through that pain, to invest in and commit to the grinding process that you have to go through to become successful in any meaningful challenge. For every NBA team, that challenge is to become the World Champions!

The Pain of Regret

Simply put, when all is said and done, if you haven’t invested in the discipline needed to be successful, you will look back and regret not having done everything within your control to make the outcome a successful one. This is the ultimate pain of regret. We know lots of people who do this — the ones who are constantly saying things like, ”I wish I had…” rather than ”I’m glad I did…”

So you, your team, your company all have a choice — do you choose the pain of discipline and continue to do everything possible (whether it hurts or not) to become successful? Or do you choose to shortcut things? Maybe you aren’t consistent in your energy and enthusiasm, or maybe you don’t maintain the focus needed to succeed. In any case, if you don’t choose the pain of discipline, you will regret it.

There is a Reason They are Great Shooters

From Celtics Assistant Coach Kevin Eastman:

Ray Allen always shoots three hours before every game — like clockwork. Since the main floor wasn’t available for another hour, we had to find an alternative. We found out there was another court in the arena, so we headed down there. So as we’re walking into that small gym we hear a ball already bouncing — it’s Mike Miller already into his shooting workout. Two of the best shooters in the game today, three hours before the game, making sure that they continue to work and prepare for the game!

There is no magic formula that makes them two of the best shooters in the league. They work at it all the time. There they were, at opposite ends of the court working on their game shots — game shots from game spots, and each repetition at game speed.

We had three assistants on our end working with Ray and there were two on the other end with Mike. Very little talking — just tremendous concentration — both players proving that even though they are the best, they continue to work to stay there. Being the best gets harder as time goes on so you need to continue to work on your game. Both guys went full speed and had a lather going by the time they were done.

When I walked into that gym I wished every player in the country — at any level — could have seen Ray and Mike working ON GAME NIGHT! Small gym, opposite ends of the floor, opposing teams, but one common denominator — working to get better and focusing on preparing for the game.

The lesson is that preparing for the game is what the best do so well. Working at your game at every opportunity is what makes a player the best at his skill.

Dummy Offense- Boston Celtics Philosophy

There are 3 levels at which teams go about running their Dummy Offense:

*Running through the set: this is a team that actually goes through the proper patterns of the sets but with no purpose; they feel that getting the patterns down is all there is to it

*Execution: this is a team that understands it’s more than just getting the patterns down; it’s an emphasis on timing and spacing, putting passes on time and on target, cutting hard with game speed cuts, cutting with a purpose. It’s an emphasis on the details of the pattern and the fundamentals of the pattern that separates them from other teams

*Perfection: this is a step that only the very best understand. Only the best know it’s not just a warm up and that it’s execution with perfection — (1) on every rep….(2) from every player….(3) every time!

Defensive Communication by Coach Kevin Eastman

Communication gives the defense a head start on the play or the action. If your teammate tells you a back screen is coming, you are able to react to it prior to the contact; if your point guard yells out the set that the opponent just called, it allows your entire team to “sniff out” what is about to be run

Communication develops trust. If we communicate properly and follow the talk with the appropriate action defensively then we begin to trust each other; once we get that trust we find that our defense gets more aggressive and more confident because we know someone always has our back

Communication intimidates. We strongly feel that if we can constantly communicate with each other that we can — and will — gain an advantage because they know that we know what is about to be run and who the play is for; this becomes a tremendous strength of the defense.

Communication keeps every player more alert. In order to communicate, you must be paying attention to what is going on on the floor. The more you pay attention, the more you can cover up a mistake made by a teammate; you can “plug a hole” in our defense.

Effective communication is a three-step process. It must be (1) early – communicate as early as possible; (2) loud – communicate as loudly as you can so that your teammate can hear it; and (3) continuous – you must repeat your command three times to ensure that your teammate hears it — “PICK RIGHT – PICK RIGHT – PICK RIGHT.”

Communicate with more than your voice. Many arenas are very loud so you should communicate with your hands and fingers by pointing at actions. You can also communicate intensity by your body language; players and coaches know who is into the game by the body language on the court.

Entitlement vs. Investment

From Celtics assistant coach & individual workout coaching guru Kevin Eastman:

As I travel around the country and work out with the best from the High School, College, and NBA levels, I am continually reminded of what these players have in common that makes them great:

*They want to get better

*They want to know everything they can that will help them become a better basketball player

*They are committed to improvement of their bodies and their game

*They are very serious about the game every time they hit the floor

*They want to be coached

The best example I can give you is Kobe Bryant. He once told me that he does not work out anymore.... he now blacks out. He said that a workout just isn't enough anymore if he's going to stay on top of his game and take on all the players he knows are going to challenge him. He said he has to go beyond what all other players do. He took his to a higher level. He took his to black out status!

What Kobe also was saying is what all players need to hear and need to know. He is willing to invest in his improvement and not stay the same. He was willing to invest in his future and not stay the same. He is willing to invest in his game and not feel that he is entitled to be great, entitled to take every shot, entitled to have everything given to him. He was, and is, going to earn it.

The lesson here is one that I tell every one of the great players I work with: it's not about entitlement if you want to be the best. It's about investment.