Team Training
Your options here are basically stamina, free throws or game shape. This option will train the whole team, not just your trainees. Also, they will get full training regardless of how many minutes they received during the week. Game shape is just not something you want to do if you are training a world class player. Maybe in the future, when our talent pool is much bigger, game shape training may be useful when playing an important opponent. But I don't think we are there yet.
In general, I tend to value stamina for my starting players and a bit for my back-ups. In theory, the game engine should substitute in the best player. However, as BB-Forrest has stated during forum day, it is not so simple. The game will always tend to keep your starter in more than your back-up, even if you use "coach picks from depth chart". As such, starting a guy with atrocious-awful stamina is just a no-no. I personally would only make an exception for an extremely talented player. However, I have had big disagreements with some managers on this, so please fell free to make your own opinion.
My suggestion is, if your player has less than mediocre stamina, to get him stamina training whenever he doesn't get his full 48 minutes during a week (more on minutes later). If he has mediocre stamina, basically same thing, although if he is borderline 48 minutes (like 46), then you can probably just do his regular training. I would prefer average stamina and above for a starting player.
If stamina is not an issue, then free throw training is another option. I particularly like a high free throw skill for inside based players but it is useful for all players. For example, shooting 70-80% of your free throws can make the difference between losing a close game and winning it. Just like everything else, atrocious in this skill is really bad. In fact, just pushing the skill to pitiful is already a big improvement. But again, I would wait for weeks when you can't get your trainees full minutes.
Optimizing your minutes
It is really tough to get a player 48 minutes in a game unless you really work for it. Here are some tips that should get your guys 48 minutes in 95% of the cases in a 1 position training program:
-set your trainee as the starter, back-up and bench player for his training position
-only put 9 players in the line-up. If you have 10 or more players, your trainee could go off the court during garbage time
-make sure every player other than your trainee has a back-up and every player in the line-up needs to be either a starter or a backup somewhere.
-set your substitutions in the event of fouls to "let them play". If your guy fouls out, you are still screwed. But at least he won't come out in the 1st quarter with 2 fouls, for example.
-use strictly follow depth chart or coach picks from depth chart
Last edited by HeadPaperPusher at 9/22/2009 2:39:50 PM
Run of the Mill Canadian Manager