In the 1980s, the Los Angeles Lakers played a brand of basketball that earned the nickname “Showtime.” Under the direction of Coach Pat Riley, the Lakers ran a fast break-oriented offense that excited fans each night and won the franchise four NBA championships.

Longtime assistant Bill Bertka used a simple tool to help run the system. Each game, Mr. Bertka could be spotted on the bench with a clipboard in hand that held a flow chart for the game. Central to Showtime was the idea of outrunning opponents. But he says the teams...