Hey Coach, why didn't you send a 2nd defender at Le Bron?

[JustOneDennisBergkamp]

No game thread from last night, so I'll have to start one just to ask this one question. Without leaving Allen, someone should have come to help Iggy on that final shot. I try not to beat up Jackson like some others here, but man, what the hell was he thinking?

 

[msgkings322]

No game thread from last night, so I'll have to start one just to ask this one question. Without leaving Allen, someone should have come to help Iggy on that final shot. I try not to beat up Jackson like some others here, but man, what the hell was he thinking?

He probably makes that shot even over 2 people...a fade away 3 pointer? That's just a sick shot, kind of unguardable from someone that big.

My wife, who's a pretty solid sports fan but more into baseball, was watching with me and noted 'man, LeBron just fills up the court, looks like an unfair basketball monster created in a lab, you can't take your eyes off him'

She's right. Jordan had that too. He's pretty much on that level and we are watching it in real time.

 

[TobyTyler]

No game thread from last night, so I'll have to start one just to ask this one question. Without leaving Allen, someone should have come to help Iggy on that final shot. I try not to beat up Jackson like some others here, but man, what the hell was he thinking?

I don't care for Jackson as a strategist either but on this one, I think they did what needed to be done. I'd rather have James shoot that than Allen and if they did double him he'd toss it inside to someone for a two pointer that would have tied it.

I like gambling that James will miss a 25-27 footer with Iguodala in his face. Add the fact that James has never won a game in his career on a three pointer and I think they made a good decision,. James just beat them.

 

[CitySushi]

The Warriors weren't able to send a second defender because after the Curry and-1, the Heat took the ball out without calling time out.

There was no time for the Warriors to set up a defensive scheme against them. Plus Jackson has to inform, who he wants to double off of, and I'm sure yelling that across the court in a seriously loud arena was incredibly difficult.

Lebron hit an amazing fall away 3 point shot to win the game. Sucks, but the Warriors played a very good game (mostly). The best player (and probably the best team in the NBA) had to take that type of shot to beat us. It's not something I'm worried about.

 

[Heathbar012]

I don't care for Jackson as a strategist either but on this one, I think they did what needed to be done. I'd rather have James shoot that than Allen and if they did double him he'd toss it inside to someone for a two pointer that would have tied it.

I like gambling that James will miss a 25-27 footer with Iguodala in his face. Add the fact that James has never won a game in his career on a three pointer and I think they made a good decision,. James just beat them.

I agree. Shorter Coach-Speak Answer: "That's Andre Iguodala over there. He came here to guard the other teams' best player in that exact situation." Then, some variation of Nolan's last sentence.

 

[JustOneDennisBergkamp]

I agree with Barnett; I send a second defender at the game's best player who is having a good night even by his high standards. And between the time that Steph was fouled and when he shot his free throw, there was plenty of time to set up the D - if Coach was thinking ahead as he should have been.

Again, without leaving Allen, I send a second defender as soon as James comes into the front court.

 

[TobyTyler]

I agree with Barnett; I send a second defender at the game's best player who is having a good night even by his high standards. And between the time that Steph was fouled and when he shot his free throw, there was plenty of time to set up the D - if Coach was thinking ahead as he should have been.
Again, without leaving Allen, I send a second defender as soon as James comes into the front court.

That's a good point.

 

[Heathbar012]

I agree with Barnett; I send a second defender at the game's best player who is having a good night even by his high standards. And between the time that Steph was fouled and when he shot his free throw, there was plenty of time to set up the D - if Coach was thinking ahead as he should have been.

Again, without leaving Allen, I send a second defender as soon as James comes into the front court.

I understand your position, and it's difficult to argue against it given that we know the alternative was a loss. MJ's shortcomings have been obvious, but I think giving AI the nod try to stop The King was a good (non-)call, and he will improve his learning curve immensely after this season. Hopefully, we'll get to see how he approaches the exact same situation in The Finals.

 

[CohanHater]

LeBron misses that shot 70% of the time if not more, I take that over a catch and shoot from Battier or Allen. The percentages of LeBron finding the open shooter from the double-team is much higher than him making that shot. That's good coaching in my opinion.

 

[JustOneDennisBergkamp]

LeBron misses that shot 70% of the time if not more, I take that over a catch and shoot from Battier or Allen. The percentages of LeBron finding the open shooter from the double-team is much higher than him making that shot. That's good coaching in my opinion.

Really? Where do you get your "data" from?

I certainly wouldn't have left Allen, but with the game on the line, I'll take a chance on Battier's sphincter tightening up at crunch time as opposed to letting the best player in the game, with an off the charts sense of presence and having a good night, even have the chance to beat me.

 

[JustOneDennisBergkamp]

Allow me to take this a bit further. At some point, this talented team, with arguably one of the top five most gifted players on this planet, is going to need more than inspiration to climb the next hurdle. They'll need information at game speed, and I'm not sure that all the on-the-job training in the world will see Jackson ever being capable of delivering it.

 

[Heathbar012]

Allow me to take this a bit further. At some point, this talented team, with arguably one of the top five most gifted players on this planet, is going to need more than inspiration to climb the next hurdle. They'll need information at game speed, and I'm not sure that all the on-the-job training in the world will see Jackson ever being capable of delivering it.

I think Jackson understands his limitations better than it seems. Every coach has them and it is taking longer than I expected for him to recognize, notify the front office of what type of assistant he needs and make changes accordingly. I think (barring major injuries) that if this team isn't a Top 4 seed with a trip to the WCF under its belt by the end of next season (2014-15), he will be shown the door. Until then, he is adapting... a little slower than I'd like, but personnel and coaching changes make for slower development.

 

[NBKLee]

I blacked out at halftime, apparently the Dubs were awful in the 3rd quarter and shot lights out in the 4th? Let me catch up and I'll report back.


My standard response would be the game shouldn't have come down to "one shot", I could probably find 5-6 plays where the Dubs lost the game prior to that last heave by Bron.

 

[CitySushi]

I blacked out at halftime, apparently the Dubs were awful in the 3rd quarter and shot lights out in the 4th? Let me catch up and I'll report back.


My standard response would be the game shouldn't have come down to "one shot", I could probably find 5-6 plays where the Dubs lost the game prior to that last heave by Bron.

The 20+ point deficit against the Heat would probably be the biggest reason why it shouldn't have come down to 1 shot.

 

[_so_money_]

Don't think it would have helped. Iguodala was right in his face, the shot was well-defended. Just an incredible shot. So I don't have any problem with the last play, but there are some things you could nitpick earlier in the game. Overall, I really can't complain about this game, the Warriors had no center, did everything right, and just got beat by the best player in the league. It happens.

 

[TobyTyler]

I would not be surprised if the Warriors beat the Heat in a 7-game series. They match up well against them.

 

[DonyellFreak]

James deserved a technical for that idiot show he put on after the shot, slapping his chest is one thing but the miming of breaking a bat over his knee twice or whatever the hell he was doing should have been a tech.

Also Mr. Jackson's ass is probably very warm right now.

 

[CohanHater]

Really? Where do you get your "data" from?

I certainly wouldn't have left Allen, but with the game on the line, I'll take a chance on Battier's sphincter tightening up at crunch time as opposed to letting the best player in the game, with an off the charts sense of presence and having a good night, even have the chance to beat me.

My facts are that James is a Career .339 3 point shooter. 36% this season, and I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that he'd average would drop at 25 feet and fading right to left. He's only made 8 game winning shots in his career, and 1 of them was a 3 pointer. Does that count?


Also for Battier, I wouldn't bet against him being tough. His role is to spot up and shoot
http://www.pageqsports.com/2013/11/heat-playbook-the-shane-battier-curl/

"Synergy tells us over 73 percent of his offense this season has come via spot-up jumpers. Your dog could have told you that — Battier’s primary role is to catch and shoot the basketball."

 

[Heathbar012]

My facts are that James is a Career .339 3 point shooter. 36% this season, and I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that he'd average would drop at 25 feet and fading right to left. He's only made 8 game winning shots in his career, and 1 of them was a 3 pointer. Does that count?


Also for Battier, I wouldn't bet against him being tough. His role is to spot up and shoot
Heat Playbook: The Shane Battier Curl | Page Q Sports

"Synergy tells us over 73 percent of his offense this season has come via spot-up jumpers. Your dog could have told you that — Battier’s primary role is to catch and shoot the basketball."

"... and play stifling D on the other team's best wing player so that LBJ can take it easy on the other end and Ray Allen won't be completely exposed as the defensive liability that he has been throughout most of his career. It's the D-Wade role without the stress of ever having to create his own shot or bring the ball up."

 

[JustOneDennisBergkamp]

My facts are that James is a Career .339 3 point shooter. 36% this season, and I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that he'd average would drop at 25 feet and fading right to left. He's only made 8 game winning shots in his career, and 1 of them was a 3 pointer. Does that count?


Also for Battier, I wouldn't bet against him being tough. His role is to spot up and shoot
Heat Playbook: The Shane Battier Curl | Page Q Sports

"Synergy tells us over 73 percent of his offense this season has come via spot-up jumpers. Your dog could have told you that — Battier’s primary role is to catch and shoot the basketball."

Forget Le Bron's career numbers. After years of being a talented player who deferred to others at crunch time, he now has sense of presence that dwarfs just about anyone's in the game today. The 36% figure for this season is indeed applicable, but the extra couple of feet and the fade away are more than offset by the man's ability to now be the man.

Barnett knew that, and that's why he agreed with me that he needed to be doubled there.