Foul! Foul! Foul!
I simply do not understand why coaches do not want their players to foul their opponent when they're leading by three points with seconds remaining in a ball game.
Obviously, I'm not asking for players to commit a foul on someone while they're attempting the three-point shot.
Thursday night, the Orlando Magic blew a golden opportunity to tie the NBA Finals 2 games a piece when head coach Stan Van Gundy told his players to not foul the Lakers in the final 10.8 seconds of the fourth quarter. Orlando led 87 to 84 at the time; and, the Lakers even helped the Magic by choosing to inbound the basketball in the backcourt which provided Magic ample time and space to foul.
"We thought 11 seconds was too early to foul, especially the way we were shooting free throws (Orlando missed 15 foul shots in the game)," said Stan Van Gundy after the game.
What did Orlando do?
First, trap Kobe Bryant in the backcourt -- for some bizarre reason. Bryant passed over the trap to Trevor Ariza. Next, Ariza then passed the ball to Derek Fisher.
Still no foul.
Fisher dribbled the ball across halfcourt -- no foul, yet; then, dribbled into his three-point jump shot. Sure, Jameer Nelson stuck his hand up. Big deal! Fisher's feet were already off the court and his head was above Nelson's hand.
By the time Fisher attempted the shot, six seconds (or so) were left in the game. Give me a break!
Fisher shoots ... Swish!
Game tied at 87.
Overtime! Lakers win the game in overtime 99 to 91 and lead the series 3 to 1.
WTH!
It's bad enough Nelson was inside the three-point line when Fish attempted the shot. Why didn't Nelson simply foul Fisher when Fisher crossed halfcourt?!
Coaches who don't like to foul in this scenario are afraid. They believe the opposition is going to make the first foul shot; miss the second foul shot; rebound the missed shot; then drain a three (not a two, trust me, coaches are paranoid) and win the ball game.
Wow! That sure is a lot of things which must go wrong for you and right for your opponent in such a small amount of time.
My belief is simple yet consistent -- regardless of the shooter, in the final seconds of a ball game, the shooter is going to do one of two things -- make the shot or miss the shot. That's a fifty - fifty proposition.
Compare those odds to the other scenario. Fouling seems like the better choice to me.
Obviously, I'm not asking for players to commit a foul on someone while they're attempting the three-point shot.
Thursday night, the Orlando Magic blew a golden opportunity to tie the NBA Finals 2 games a piece when head coach Stan Van Gundy told his players to not foul the Lakers in the final 10.8 seconds of the fourth quarter. Orlando led 87 to 84 at the time; and, the Lakers even helped the Magic by choosing to inbound the basketball in the backcourt which provided Magic ample time and space to foul.
"We thought 11 seconds was too early to foul, especially the way we were shooting free throws (Orlando missed 15 foul shots in the game)," said Stan Van Gundy after the game.
What did Orlando do?
First, trap Kobe Bryant in the backcourt -- for some bizarre reason. Bryant passed over the trap to Trevor Ariza. Next, Ariza then passed the ball to Derek Fisher.
Still no foul.
Fisher dribbled the ball across halfcourt -- no foul, yet; then, dribbled into his three-point jump shot. Sure, Jameer Nelson stuck his hand up. Big deal! Fisher's feet were already off the court and his head was above Nelson's hand.
By the time Fisher attempted the shot, six seconds (or so) were left in the game. Give me a break!
Fisher shoots ... Swish!
Game tied at 87.
Overtime! Lakers win the game in overtime 99 to 91 and lead the series 3 to 1.
WTH!
It's bad enough Nelson was inside the three-point line when Fish attempted the shot. Why didn't Nelson simply foul Fisher when Fisher crossed halfcourt?!
Coaches who don't like to foul in this scenario are afraid. They believe the opposition is going to make the first foul shot; miss the second foul shot; rebound the missed shot; then drain a three (not a two, trust me, coaches are paranoid) and win the ball game.
Wow! That sure is a lot of things which must go wrong for you and right for your opponent in such a small amount of time.
My belief is simple yet consistent -- regardless of the shooter, in the final seconds of a ball game, the shooter is going to do one of two things -- make the shot or miss the shot. That's a fifty - fifty proposition.
Compare those odds to the other scenario. Fouling seems like the better choice to me.
posted by Kris Gardner @ 9:17 AM
2 Comments:
At June 12, 2009 3:11 PM,
SORF said…
Dwight Howard missing those last two free throws was disastrous...all he had to do was hit just one...yeah, WTH!
Orlando just handed the championship to the Lakers...the last time they did this type of screw-up, they handed the championship to the Rockets.
Dang....another championship to the Lakers...ughhhhhh!
At June 12, 2009 3:19 PM,
SORF said…
The one thing that could save the Magic is if Kobe had a season ending injury....c'mon Kobe, break an ankle like Yao! j/k
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