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Second season In the playoffs, the show belongs to the coaches
While the regular season is frequently a showcase for the players, the NBA's "second season" puts more of the spotlight on the coaches. Following are a few things that will be on the minds of the guys running the show from the sidelines: Preparation time: Coaches have three days to prepare for the same opponent in the first round, which gives them plenty of time to change a few offensive sets and concentrate on their opponents' best players. Most coaches spend a lot of time -- sometimes too much -- on stopping their opponent, rather than attacking their opponents' defenses. There's so much talk about having to play great defense to win in the NBA -- and that's true -- but you also have to score. By the time the games are played, the players pretty much know what's coming, and, because the playoffs are so much of a half-court game, scoring can be particularly difficult. Elimination of the running game: Something else that makes scoring difficult in the postseason is that head coaches cut down on their teams' freedom to run the floor. They become more controlling over their offenses, and while we've all done it, it's a bit of a mistake, because it can cut down on easy baskets. Most easy baskets come from a transition game, but that also can lead to turnovers. So coaches take away some instinctive reactions from their players, and it's up to the stars to make the plays. Limiting turnovers and second shots: Turnovers and rebounding are the keys to any postseason game. Foul trouble is as well, but coaches can't control that; it just develops. There's a tremendous emphasis on your point guard, who's the key player on the team in the regular season, and even more so in the playoffs. Past records: Previous failure or success against your postseason opponent is a definite factor, because the style of a certain team will play well against other styles, and there are advantageous matchups. People say it's a new season, which is true, but the players know the records. When one team dominates the other during the regular season, it's crucial that the team that's been dominated have a good first game. In most cases, it will be on the road, and it's important that they play well. They don't necessarily have to win the first game, but they have to be competitive. Eight-man rotation: In most cases, coaches will use only three people off the bench. There might be a few teams that will go deeper, but you'll see coaches playing their starters close to 40 minutes a game, and that's very different from the regular season. They can do this because of the time off between games, which benefits a player like San Antonio's David Robinson or New York's Larry Johnson or older players who need time to rest up between games. Kevin Loughery is a former NBA player and head coach. He appears each Sunday on CNN/SI's This Week in the NBA./I>
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