Ya’ll need to see what I say and don’t add what I didn’t say. Russ was GREAT bringing us back, never said he didn’t deserve that last shot, certainly earned that and I hope he can fit with the other two. I stick to my coaching would have drive or drive and kick and give us a chance at a put-back. We win, I was wrong, we didn’t I am right.
Most times
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January 29, 2022 7 Comments
We’ll have A2D, Dave. Down 2 on the road, you go for 3. Down 2 at home, you go for the tie.
I’ve heard that many times, perhaps agree in most circumstances. If you think you’ll lose in OT, shoot the 3. If you think you can beat them in OT then try to get the best open shot you can.
When I saw him set his foot I knew he was going to take a low percentage three which is fine with me at that point. He was definitely feeling it but it also cost us the game. I don’t like going for those kinds of shots to end a game when all we needed was a high percentage two. I don’t care if it is LeBron or whoever it has to be a good shooter in the flow of the game to go for the winner in that situation. That would have capped an already magnificent night from Russ. I guess they were tired from the second night of a back-to-back on the road to go to overtime.
As usual my biggest problem at the end was the coaching staff. Two mistakes happened. First was letting half the time run off before fouling. But we almost had 10 seconds left. We don’t run plays so I don’t know why I expected us to this time. But there should have been some kind of action run. Maybe get Russ the ball while he moved and could have attacked or kicked out. Instead we did what we always do with LeBron. Have him dribble down to zero and shoot. Russ can hit 3’s when open and his feet are set. He’s under 25% off the dribble. The staff could have come up with something better.
“Instead we did what we always do with LeBron. Have him dribble down to zero and shoot.”
That was exactly what I was anticipating at that moment, and it is not always a good strategy. You are correct. The coaching staff should have come up with something better. It was an opportunity that could have salvaged a victory from the jaws of defeat.
Some of us are more critical than others, and that makes for a lively atmosphere. I just am not qualified to question the professionals, so I defer to their knowledge and experience. Been pretty happy with the results over the decades.
Sometimes a player earns the right to take the last shot for Russ. Had I been coach or point guard of the Lakers, I would have called a play for Russ because he was the reason there was even a miniscule chance of winning this game. He deserved that last shot. Period.