3 Things Every PG Should Know

The point guard position is the most important position on the floor.  The PG is the floor general and is essentially the coach on the floor.  He or she needs to be able to command the respect and cooperation of his or her teammates.

A quality point guard is like the perfect girlfriend.  She makes you a better person, she makes all your other girlfriends look like garbage, and you never realize how good she is until she leaves you and your life falls apart.  Bad analogy but you get the point.

A PG is the glue that holds the team together.  They may not score all the points or get a lot of glory but they are essential to winning.   All great teams have a solid point guard.   I believe it is the one position you cannot hide a weakness on the court.  You can hide a center or a forward but you can never hide a “bad” point guard.

While I was playing at a showcase in Vegas my coach was talking to our point guard.   I overheard what he said and made a point to remember it because I really liked it.  Here is a little inside info you may have never heard or thought of.

3 Things Every PG Should Know

1. Score

When the PG gets the ball he should know the score.  He should know by how much his team is winning or losing.  This will dictate how he coordinates his team and directs his offense.

2. Clock

The PG always needs to know what the clock is.  He is the game manager and he will not be able to manage properly if he does not know the clock.  This is especially critical at the end of quarters and the end of games.  It amazes me how many times players I hear from players “I had no idea what the time was.”  This mistake could cost a team the game.

Here is a  quick example:  the clock is at :38 seconds the PG should be looking for a 2 for 1* and letting his teammates know.

*A two for one post is coming in the near future

3. Possession

The final and probably most important thing every PG should know is what his team has done on the last three possessions.  Like I said earlier the PG is the general on the floor.  He or she controls the tempo of the game.  Did your team just have two turnovers and a bad shot?  This time down the floor the PG should be slowing down the tempo and looking for a really good shot, maybe even a lay-up.  If the team is playing and shooting well maybe push the tempo a little bit.  The PG controls the flow of the game.

If you are a point guard keep these things in mind and I guarantee your coach will want you on the floor at all times.

TJW