Analysis of group‐tactical offensive behavior in elite basketball on the basis of a process orientated model

Abstract

Up to now systematic game observations have insufficiently been used to describe basketball's tactical structures in detail. Thus, it seems to be urgently necessary to evaluate literatures and coaches' recommendations by objective game data. Basketball literature has been analyzed to build a process-orientated state-event model that represents players' offensive-defensive interactions, especially within group-tactical plays in set offense against man-to-man defense. Based on this model, a specific observation system has been introduced to describe game reality by using the method of systematic game observation. Furthermore, the so-called inter-rater reliability of two separate observations has been calculated to guarantee a sufficient quality of the observation system (Cohen's kappa [κ] for each observational category: coefficients between 0.685 to 1.000). Sixty games of international elite-level basketball were analyzed by using the interactive video computer system VIDEO AS. Results show a surprisingly wider variety of offensive-defensive interactions (as sequences of opening action, defensive constellation, and following action within group-tactical plays like screen actions) than described in literature. Suggestions for basketball training can be made considering also rates of success of the different interaction sequences. We conclude that a wider spectrum of group-tactical action patterns, especially within screen actions, has to be developed when practicing with junior basketball players.