When I was coaching at Claremont McKenna, I always wanted to have a 1 or 2 point victory very early in the season. After the game, I would ask the team who made the game winning shot, and they would always name the player who made the last shot. In fact, it was each player who made a shot or a free throw during the game. It was also each player who got a key rebound, or prevented the other team from making a basket. This was something I learned in college -- my senior year, first game, we beat Susquehanna 81-79, and had the grand total of 2 points. I made the winning basket (sometime in the first half). Unlike the game show Jeopardy, where the stakes double in the second half, that first half basket counted just as much as if I had made it in the second half -- or at the buzzer.
Last night, the Lakers had one of the more painful losses I can remember. If they had won that game, they go back to Staples with a legitimate chance to win the series, especially if they win Game 3. Everyone is focusing on (1) Kobe's terrible turnover to Durant with 2 minutes left that led to a dunk. reduced the lead to 3, and clearly changed the momentum and (2) the missed last shot by Steve Blake. While those were clearly important, what frustrated me was the numerous times the Lakers either had a shot clock violation or were forced to take a terrible shot because the 24 second clock was about to expire. The Lakers seemed unable or unwilling to flow into their offense smoothly and early such that they were not bumping against the shot clock. Its one thing to want to slow the game down, its quite another to not be able to run an offense to get a good shot. And from the lesson above, each one of those shot clock violations cost the Lakers the game. Other points:
1. Blake: I had absolutely no problem with Metta passing the ball to Blake or Blake shooting the shot -- other than it didn't go in. Lakers had burned their final time out, and needed to get the ball in-bounds and shot. A fairly open 3 in that situation is better than the Lakers' normal strategy of hoping Kobe makes one of his hero shots -- if they can even get him the ball. On the replay, it is obvious that Kobe was NOT getting open. My only criticism was the play call. After being unable to enter directly to Kobe before the burning of the time-out, they went back to a play that again required the in-bounds pass to go to Kobe. Why not release Bynum or Pao to the ball at the top of the key, and let Kobe take a hand-ff if they really wanted him to take the last shot? Even better, let Pao catch the ball, fake the handoff (everyone would follow Kobe) and attack the rim himself.
Of course, the irony of Blake taking the shot was that the Lakers' second choice to take that shot was wearing a Thunder jersey with number 37 on it. jersey.
2. Some wise pundit earlier wrote that Ibaka is one of the best shot blockers in the league for this decade. Last night he blocked 7 (!). If you do the math, that is a lot.
3. Lakers shot 2 - 15 from three, including some good looks. As Stu Lantz would say -- that does not get it done. If they go 3 - 15, they win, and the extra one didn't need to be Blake's at the end.
4. Since I talked about rebounding stats last time, I note them here. Thunder got only 6 offensive boards on 40 misses, well less than 20%. Lakers had 11 offensive boards on 48 misses, well less than 25%. Since the Lakers rely on offensive boards more than the Thunder, essentially a wash.
5. I read recently that studies show that playoff experience for the players in a game is an overrated factor. Instead, the more important factor is the coach's playoff experience. Kobe's playoff experience certainly didn't help him in those dreadful last 2 minutes. And could Brown's lack of playoff experience, and in particular his lack of playoff experience with this team explain the Lakers inability to get a good look in those last two minutes? While Brown deserves much credit for making between game adjustments that put the Lakers in a position to win, I think it is a fair question to ask.
6. Another study I read is that these painful losses generally do not carry over to the next game. The Lakers may have found a way to beat this team. The problem is that they are now forced to beat them five times -- last night's game which was all but won, and now four more times, including at least once in OKC. Don't bet on it. Instead, look forward to an outstanding Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Thunder -- the winner will likely be this year's NBA champs. I will continue to root for the Lakers for as long as they are alive, but will not get my hopes up -- at least until and unless they win Game 3 when Blake's shot goes in or Pao tips it in at the buzzer.
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