Strategy Options (Optional)
Strategy Tip - FAST BREAK:
As noted above, you can use the "fast break" option in the game. A fast break
can be initiated anytime one of the two guards steals the ball, or anytime
one of the two forwards steals it on an odd-numbered roll (11, 13, 15, or 31),
but never when the center steals the ball. (We may want to make an exception
for Wes Unseld, who was known for throwing the ball 85 feet to a breaking guard.)
This is a reason you may want players with the highest steal ranges in the
uard positions, if possible.
Strategy Tip - OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS:
If the offense grabs the rebound, they can continue with the regular offense.
However, if they do, they only get one roll, and if the 8-sided die results
in a 6, 7, or 8, it results in a shot clock violation, instead of the usual roll
to determine the next action.
The only advantage to running the normal offense after an offensive rebound
is if the team is behind and needs to attempt a 3-pointer. However, if the
team decides to have the player who grabbed the rebound attempt a shot,
then, similar to a steal, if the 8-sided die rolls a 6, 7, or 8, the player will
take the shot. Regardless of who gets the ball, the offense will lower the
20-sided die roll by one for that shot attempt. The key difference between
attempting to score off an offensive rebound and a steal is that the player
who grabs the offensive rebound cannot make a 3-pointer. While the
20-sided die is lowered by one, it’s important to note that you’re
essentially trading a 3-point attempt for a 2-point shot.
Strategy Tip - AVOIDING FOULS:
If a player gets their 3rd or 4th foul, you may want to take steps to
prevent them from fouling out. There are two main strategies:
a. Change Who They Are Guarding:
If the player they are guarding gets the ball often (e.g., on rolls
of 5 or 8) and tends to draw fouls (e.g., 9-12 on the defensive card results
in a foul), you have the option to change the defender’s assignment.
You can move the player to guard someone who only gets the ball on a
single 8-sided die roll (e.g., a roll of "4") and who draws fouls only
on specific 20-sided die rolls (e.g., a range of 10-10).
b. Play Soft:
A defender can choose to "play soft." In this case, the player allows
a layup on all rolls of 33-36 on his defensive card, thus avoiding fouls.
The downside is that the defender cannot attempt a steal (11-16)
or block a shot (21-26). However, if the defender would have
blocked the shot or stolen the ball, the offensive player will not
get a foul called on them during the 20-sided die roll. For example,
if a roll results in a foul for 2 free throws (a 10 on the 20-sided die),
it is changed to a made basket.
Keep in mind, while playing soft significantly reduces the chance
of picking up a foul, it’s still possible for a player to get their 5th
foul if the 11-66 roll doesn’t prevent it.
Strategy Tip - STAMINA and RESTING PLAYERS:
For a simpler game, you can play the bottom row of reserves
for the first 7 possessions (44-38 on the scoresheet), then switch
to the starting players for the final 37 possessions. However,
to make the game more realistic, you can use the suggested
possession rotation at the bottom of most player cards, or
implement your own system to ensure no player exceeds
their Stamina number.
Playing a Player Who Is Out of Stamina:
If you need to keep a player in the game despite them being out
of stamina (e.g., because you need a 3-point shooter late
in the game or a key player fouled out), you must adjust
all rolls by one for the player who is out of stamina, or for
the player they are guarding.
For example:
If a player would block a shot on a roll of 21-26, but is out of
stamina, they can only block on 21-25.
If the player they are guarding normally makes a 3-pointer
on a roll of 1-3, they now make it on a 1-4.
If they grab a rebound on a roll of 1-4, they can only grab it on a 1-2.
If the player has played twice as many possessions as their stamina,
then all rolls must be adjusted by two.
In overtime, all players are considered out of stamina, so there is
no longer a penalty for anyone.
2 Strategies Usually Used by Teams Trailing in the Last 5 Minutes of the Game:
In the final 9 possessions of the game, write the running score in
smaller text in the upper-left corner of the box. This is because a
fast break or a foul by either team will add an extra possession in
the same box, which will need to be accounted for. If no extra
possessions occur, the game will have 44 possessions, but if
extra possessions happen in every one of the last 9, the game
could have up to 53 possessions.
A team trying to rally can try one of the following two strategies:
Go for a Turnover or Foul:
The defense can call or use the 20-sided die to NOT be rolled
to indicate they are trying for a turnover or foul. This strategy
automatically creates an extra possession, even if no foul occurs.
If the other three dice result in a turnover or steal, the defense is
successful and gets the ball. On any other result, the 8-sided die
determines who the defense fouled, and they will shoot two free
throws, but no basket is made.
This strategy can only be used in the last five minutes because
it would not create an extra possession before that.
Go for 3-Pointers: