References On and Off the Court

The World of The GreaTleap References On and Off the Court

by Audrey Erickson Not familiar with The Warriors' roster? Don’t know a point guard from a pick? Read below for some basketball references that appear in The Great Leap!

The Players

Rick Barry: Richard Francis Dennis Barry III (1944-) is an American professional basketball player who starred at the NCAA, ABA, and NBA levels. A small forward, Barry ranks among the most prolific scorers and all-around players in basketball history, due to his skillful navigation of the game and his deeply competitive nature. Barry had a reputation of ruthlessness on the court, with aggressive play and determination to take shots by whatever means necessary. Known for his reckless drives to the basket that “landed him two points or a trip to the freethrow line,” his underhanded technique on offense was similar to basketball's early days, despite his otherwise modern play style. As a college player, Barry revitalized the University of Miami’s basketball program and earned All-American honors for his excellent gameplay and his points per game average, which was a staggering 37.4 in his final college season in 1965. The next year Barry won Rookie of the Year honors in the NBA. He helped lead the Golden States Warriors to the 1975 NBA title with his shooting record, particularly his outside jump shot. Barry picked up the Finals Most Valuable Player Award for his efforts.

KC Jones: KC Jones (1932-2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach best known for his association with the Boston Celtics, with whom he won 11 of his 12 NBA championships. He was a player on the Celtics for nine seasons (1956–1965) as a key member of many wins throughout his tenure. Like his fellow teammate and longtime friend Bill Russell, Jones was a strong defensive player who contributed to the legacy of the Celtics players of the ’50s and ’60s. Drafted as a reserve in his first season, Jones eventually took over as starting point guard, and solidified his reputation as an indispensable player by contributing to championship wins in the first eight seasons of his nine-year career. Following his career as a player, Jones continued his successes as an NBA coach, winning seven division titles, five Eastern Conference titles and two championships. In recognition of a career that produced more championship rings than Jones had fingers, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989. On Christmas Day in 2020, the Celtics and NBA announced that Jones had died at 88 years old. At the time of his death, Jones was one of seven players in history to have won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA championship, and an NBA title. Only Russell and Sam Jones won more NBA championships as players.

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Portland stage ComPany, 2022. PHoto By raCHel PHilliPson. Bill Russell: William Felton Russell (19342022) was an American basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969. His gameplay changed the landscape of basketball, as his skills in shotblocking brought greater strategic attention to defensive play. Russell gained attention for his skills in his college basketball career, playing for the University of San Francisco (USF). He was instrumental in helping the team become one of college basketball’s strongest and most successful teams, and he played alongside close friend and future Celtics teammate KC Jones. Following his time with USF, Russell joined the Boston Celtics. During Russell's career, Boston won eleven NBA championships, including eight consecutive

The World of The GreaTleap titles from 1959 to 1966. Russell was a five-time league MVP (1958, 1961–63, 1965), 12-time

NBA All-Star, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (1968), and The Sporting News Athlete of the Decade (1970).

The Warriors: The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco, part of the NBA and the Western Conference Pacific Division. Originally formed in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962. The team spent its early years finding its footing, and became an impressive team in the ’60s with the addition of Rick Barry and other aggressive players. In the late 1980s, the Warriors became associated with Don Nelson’s distinctive up-tempo playing style, which relied on smaller players and an emphasis on scoring over defense.

The Game

Bottom of the fourth: The end of the fourth quarter. A typical game of basketball has four quarters (although it extends into overtime in the event of aw tie); the beginning of each period can be called the top while the end of a period is the bottom.

Center: The center, also referred to as the five, is typically the tallest and most physical player on a basketball team. While they do not need to be the strongest ball handlers, shooters, or playmakers, centers are crucial when it comes to rebounding, blocking shots, and setting screens. (See Screen.)

Ejecting a player: In basketball, a player or coach can be ejected, or barred from further involvement with the game, if they accumulate two "type 1" flagrant fouls or two technical fouls of an unsportsmanlike nature over the course of the game. Ejected parties have to immediately vacate the court area for the remainder of play, and in the NBA, a fine of $1000 or more is imposed. Depending on the severity of the incident, ejected individuals can be further penalized with game suspensions. (See Flagrant fouls and Technical fouls.)

Flagrant fouls: Instances that involve unnecessary or excessive contact initiated against a player by their opponent, which lead to expulsion from the game. Forcing the mismatches: A mismatch in basketball is “a desired scenario where the offensive player has an advantage over the defensive player.” There are a handful of strategies a coach and team might employ to force a mismatch to their advantage. These include setting up a screen, handing off the ball between a guard and a center, and “screening the screener.” (See Center, Point Guard, Screen, and Shooting Guard.)

Forward: Forwards are the players on a standard five-person basketball team who play both directly under the basket and out to the three-point line on offense and should be aggressive and rebound-minded on defense.

Free throws: When a player is fouled, they are often given one or two free throws to correct for the foul and penalize the other team. During the free throw, the player in question can take a shot on the basket from behind the free-throw line with no defense or other gameplay occuring.

Full-court press: A defensive style in which the defense applies pressure to the offensive team across the entire length of the court. Rather than the defense anticipating movement and hustling towards the basket, players stay close to the opposing team in an attempt to disrupt their attempts to set up a play and gain control of the game. Pressure may be applied man-to-man, or via a zone defense. (See Zone defense.)

Go outside: To travel outside the paint (the area inside the lane lines from the baseline to the free-throw line), often to open a player up for a pass or to take a shot. At times during a basketball game, the paint and the area immediately surrounding the hoop can get too congested for players to take a clear shot.

Point guard: One of five positions on court during a basketball game. It is one of the more specialized positions, as the point guard is responsible for running the team’s offense and executing the coach’s game plan during play time. This includes setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate in the best position to score, and controlling the tempo of the game. As its name suggests, the point guard is typically physically situated the closest to half-court of all five players, creating

a “point” in their formation and allowing them to have the clearest view of the court, helping them see which player is in the best position to score or assess what plays should be run. The point guard is not necessarily a high scorer on the team; often, coaches value agility, speed, and ball-handling over height when choosing a point guard.

Screen: An offensive move done in an attempt to throw off the defense and free up a player to receive a pass or take a shot. A screen (also called a pick) involves an offensive player unexpectedly planting themselves in the path of a defensive player, thus halting their path. Players setting up a screen are often run into as the defensive player moves to try to stay with their offensive counterpart, and players wetting the screen must make sure not to offer any resistance or use their arms to push them or hold on to them in any way, or else be called for a foul.

Shooting guard: Often the shortest player, the shooting guard is the team’s best outside shooter, important on offense for shooting from outside the paint, typically beyond the three-point line. The shooting guard needs to be skilled at dribbling fast, passing, and maintaining good “court view.” They are also responsible for driving the ball down the court and setting up offensive plays. A good shooting guard is able to score from anywhere on the court. (See Go outside.)

Split the post: A common offensive play that involves a player passing the ball to their teammate, then immediately running to set a screen or opening themselves up for a pass. The other players move to fill the gaps that the split has caused, and players can move as many times as needed to open someone up for a pass or shot. The consistent movement is meant to disorient the defense and make it difficult for them to cover their offensive player. (See Screen.)

Starting line-up: The five players who start the game. The starting line-up typically consists of the team’s strongest players and, in professional basketball, these players play as much of the game as possible in their designated positions, only being substituted out for short breaks, injury, ejections, or other reasons at the coach’s discretion.

The World of The GreaTleap Suicides: A common conditioning drill in practices to build speed, agility, and stamina. With a tongue-in-cheek name referring to the drill’s difficulty, players must do a series of continuous sprints of increasing distances across the court. While a great conditioning exercise for athletes, the high-intensity nature of the drill is physically tiring, and basketball coaches often use it as a punishment, motivating players to play well in practices and games.

Technical fouls: Infractions that the referee calls as a foul but don’t involve physical contact between players, or fouls that involve a non-player. Most commonly, technicals are given out for unsportsmanlike conduct, when a player or coach’s level of aggression is exhibited in an inappropriate manner.

Tip-off: The tip-off starts a game of basketball. One player from each team (the jumper) stands with the referee in the center of the court, with their teammates standing outside of the center circle. The two players stand facing each other and towards their basket, while the referee stands to their side and tosses the ball straight up into the air. From there, the jumpers both attempt to act quickly and be the first to jump up and tip the ball towards their team, thus giving them the advantage of being the first on offense. The jumpers are not allowed to grab the ball or wrap their hand around it, and can only attempt to tip the ball to their teammates once it has reached its highest point in the toss. The team who wins the tip-off receives the ball again to start the fourth quarter, while the team who does not win the tip-off gets possession at the beginning of the second and third quarters. Any overtime period begins with a new tip-off.

Zone defense: A defensive strategy that involves each player being responsible for a specific area surrounding their opponents’ basket. Players become responsible for defending any opponent who enters their designated zone. While there are benefits to this defensive strategy, it is not often used in modern professional basketball.