Thunder repeatedly fail to execute down the stretch

[Erick Blasco]

We have seen two late game situations in the past week or so from the Thunder and there are two things that are present in both of them. The first is Kevin Durant leaving too early coming off the screen. When he does this, he doesn’t allow for the screener to get set, and that results in an ineffective screen that the defender can get through.

 

The second theme in these two plays is what is drawn up. Both times Scott Brooks have drawn up long-developing plays, and both times they didn’t work. Because the plays take so long to develop (in the first one the loop before the screen, and here, Durant coming off the second screen takes too long), you see the ball get inbounded in tough positions (right on the sideline last week, and to the second option – Russell Westbrook – here). If the Thunder are going to want to be able to get things done in the playoffs, they are going to have to become much more effective coming out of timeouts late.

 

 

http://nbaplaybook.com/2010/03/29/the-thunder-fail-late-yet-again/#more-1371

[Real Deal]

Are you writing these up? It looks similar to the work you were doing earlier with the screenshots and videos.

[Erick Blasco]

Are you writing these up? It looks similar to the work you were doing earlier with the screenshots and videos.

 

Oh no, Grad school kills most of the free time I was using to edit, plus I hate my editing software. I found this site on the True Hoop blog and fell in love with it. Very nuanced stuff.

 

My own video editing will probably be put on hold until the summer.

[moeroadkill]

if u ask me their pretty good shots. if i recall one is of thabo with a wide open three and he just missed. and that one he shown i thought was a good look from kd i dont know wat this guy is trying to prove.. how many superstars get a wide open look?

[Erick Blasco]

if u ask me their pretty good shots. if i recall one is of thabo with a wide open three and he just missed. and that one he shown i thought was a good look from kd i dont know wat this guy is trying to prove.. how many superstars get a wide open look?

 

All coaches try to design great looks, not good looks. Durant had a decently contested pull-up three in one situation, and in the second situation, their fourth option was taking the most important shot of the game. As drawn up, Durant gets free off a curl in the first look and gets an open look in the post in the other video if he's better at using screens. Those scenarios both cause defenses to scramble because of the pressure put on them.

 

If you're, say the Spurs, which sounds more dangerous to you, Durant freed up in the post or Durant catching the ball at halfcourt with a defense all honed in to him? Sure the looks weren't terrible looks, Thabo was open and Durant can shoot over anybody, but all defenses will try to take away first options. If you don't think this kind of meticulous attention to detail is important, the Nuggets lost two playoff games almost directly because they couldn't execute inbound strategy.

 

It's why, even at home, and even as good as the Thunder are, they're going to be prone to struggling in the playoffs should games be close.

 

How many superstars get wide open looks? Here's an example where the Raptors gave Kobe a pretty good look at a pull-up jumper from the corner.

 

http://nbaplaybook.com/2010/03/10/how-the-lakers-free-up-kobe/#more-982

[His Greatness]

Great site; thanks for the bookmark. Are there more sites like this and coachingbetterbball?

[Real Deal]

Here's the problem with the article...

 

Because all of this took so long to develop, Durant can’t use the mismatch and get the two points because there wouldn’t be enough time. So he pulls up and takes a contested three pointer and he misses.

Actually, that's wrong. Durant had 10.5 seconds once he got the ball in his hands, and the mismatch was available with all of that time left. The ball was inbounded at 13 seconds, so not much time ran off the clock.

 

Also, the screen was weak because it was set by a point guard. If you want full effectiveness with a screen, you set it with a big, especially if it's a screen to redirect a forward.

 

Brooks went for the three, not the two, and that's all it comes down to. It has nothing to do with late screens or ball denial.

 

Why Kevin took the three early is beyond me.

[Erick Blasco]

Great site; thanks for the bookmark. Are there more sites like this and coachingbetterbball?

 

I hadn't seen anything NBA related from coachingBB so I deleted it from my bookmarks. I stumbled across this by accident, but the true hoop blogs are all pretty good. Haven't seen anything else, but I'll post if I ever do.

[Erick Blasco]

Here's the problem with the article...

 

 

Actually, that's wrong. Durant had 10.5 seconds once he got the ball in his hands, and the mismatch was available with all of that time left. The ball was inbounded at 13 seconds, so not much time ran off the clock.

 

Also, the screen was weak because it was set by a point guard. If you want full effectiveness with a screen, you set it with a big, especially if it's a screen to redirect a forward.

 

Brooks went for the three, not the two, and that's all it comes down to. It has nothing to do with late screens or ball denial.

 

Why Kevin took the three early is beyond me.

 

The one thing, the Thunder were down three and not two. Durant probably thought it would take too much time to drive in so he took the three, despite having Miller guarding him. The way the play is designed, Durant curls right around the three-point line and has the option to catch-and-shoot or drive, or go back and use the (is that Serge Ibaka?) screen again. He can go for a quick two if need be. When he's strung out, he doesn't want to waste time with a two.

 

Also, with how it's drawn up, If Batum can't get around the first screen and the Blazers switch that, and then switch onto Durant, Westbrook comes get the ball and Ibaka runs to the post against Miller for a quick score. But it wasn't to be.

 

Not all point guards set bad screens. If Deron Williams sets a screen, you aren't getting around it. Same with Derek Fisher, and a lot of other well built points. Westbrook isn't that stocky, but I guess Scott Brooks practiced the play and thought Westbrook could do a good enough job. All you need is a split second to make the defender lose contact with KD, but Westbrook isn't to fault. His screen wasn't set up at all by Durant. Veterans know how to set up their screens, something Durant is still learning.

[Real Deal]

The one thing, the Thunder were down three and not two. Durant probably thought it would take too much time to drive in so he took the three, despite having Miller guarding him. The way the play is designed, Durant curls right around the three-point line and has the option to catch-and-shoot or drive, or go back and use the (is that Serge Ibaka?) screen again. He can go for a quick two if need be. When he's strung out, he doesn't want to waste time with a two.

 

Also, with how it's drawn up, If Batum can't get around the first screen and the Blazers switch that, and then switch onto Durant, Westbrook comes get the ball and Ibaka runs to the post against Miller for a quick score. But it wasn't to be.

 

Not all point guards set bad screens. If Deron Williams sets a screen, you aren't getting around it. Same with Derek Fisher, and a lot of other well built points. Westbrook isn't that stocky, but I guess Scott Brooks practiced the play and thought Westbrook could do a good enough job. All you need is a split second to make the defender lose contact with KD, but Westbrook isn't to fault. His screen wasn't set up at all by Durant. Veterans know how to set up their screens, something Durant is still learning.

Right, but all of that has no meaning to the clock. Durant had 10 seconds to work with, and he had the mismatch. The problem was Durant just taking the three with all of that time left to drive. No screen (good or bad) would have changed the outcome of the game, because Kevin was already set on taking that shot.

 

If those extra two seconds ran off the clock alters Durant's decision, and there was that much time left, his problems lie in that, not the screen.

 

Clinching to the topic again, I watch a lot of Thunder games, and Kevin doesn't maximize screens well...but with this particular scenario, I don't believe any of it decided the game.

[Erick Blasco]

Right, but all of that has no meaning to the clock. Durant had 10 seconds to work with, and he had the mismatch. The problem was Durant just taking the three with all of that time left to drive. No screen (good or bad) would have changed the outcome of the game, because Kevin was already set on taking that shot.

 

If those extra two seconds ran off the clock alters Durant's decision, and there was that much time left, his problems lie in that, not the screen.

 

Clinching to the topic again, I watch a lot of Thunder games, and Kevin doesn't maximize screens well...but with this particular scenario, I don't believe any of it decided the game.

 

If he catches the ball off the curl and is inside the arc, he probably goes right to the rim and scores. From there, anything can happen---a turnover, Portland missing free throws, and there's still some time. He panicked and made a judgment that there wasn't enough time for a two-for-one. On that one, it's a judgment call. I can't kill him for it.

 

It's not so much that the play decided the game, but an example of a situation where a team doesn't execute a play of significant importance. How many times have the Spurs or Lakers saved their asses by ingenious creative and perfect execution? It's why you trust those teams with the game on the line. OKC hasn't reached that level of resolve yet.

[Real Deal]

Not sure about the Spurs, but the Lakers run the same plays for Bryant at the end of every game. Same exact ones. It's more of Kobe saving us than any play or coach.

 

But yeah, I get what you're saying. I think Brooks should've drawn it up to where a big is the screener, though. That would've helped a bit more, even if Durant left his position early.

[Erick Blasco]

Not sure about the Spurs, but the Lakers run the same plays for Bryant at the end of every game. Same exact ones. It's more of Kobe saving us than any play or coach.

 

But yeah, I get what you're saying. I think Brooks should've drawn it up to where a big is the screener, though. That would've helped a bit more, even if Durant left his position early.

 

He tried to get creative and throw two screens to free up Durant. I think Jeff Green was inbounding. Maybe having Green at the baseline setting the first screen and Westbrook inbounding would've been more effective. But then, you put a shot blocker at the rim as opposed to having Aldridge out near the three point line. Interesting play design nonetheless.

 

Kobe's on such a level that all Jackson needs to draw up in a play where there's spacing to let Kobe go one-on-one.

 

Here's a play from the site that Jackson used to free up Kobe. Everyone is out high after Artest cuts so if they deny Kobe, a lob gets him to the rim. If Kobe catches he either has the entire baseline, or if he gets trapped hard, Odom at the top of the key. I would've put Fisher over but that's just me. But look where Kobe catches the ball. Right at the elbow. Not 40 feet from the hoop. Much easier for him to attack.

 

http://nbaplaybook.com/2010/03/10/how-the-lakers-free-up-kobe/#more-982