The Spurs Execute, But Can’t Finish | NBA Playbook

The Spurs Execute, But Can’t Finish

Usually when I talk about plays late in games, they end up resulting in a win or a tie.  Last night against the Cavs, the Spurs missed a game tying three point shot, but we are still going to talk about it here.  Why?  It was one of the best late game play calls I have seen in a really long time.

The Spurs start this play by sending George Hill into the far corner, Manu Ginobili into the near corner, and Roger Mason off of a Tim Duncan screen right to the ball.  It looks like the Spurs are trying to set up a quick hitter for Roger Mason off the inbounds, but Richard Jefferson inbounds it to Manu instead.

As Ginobili starts to back down his man, it looks like Roger Mason is going to continue off of the Duncan screen and get a handoff for the three point shot.  Mason’s man, Anthony Parker, recognizes this and seems to try and beat him to the spot.

However, as soon as Parker gets in front of Mason, he stops and comes off of another Duncan screen on the opposite side.  This action happens quick and the Cavs aren’t really expecting it which is why there is no help from Anderson Varejao as Mason comes off the second screen.

Manu makes the pass, and now Jamario Moon is put into a pretty tough spot.  He is one guy who has to now defend two.  If he closes out too hard, there is still enough time for Mason to pass it to Hill for the open three.  Trying to figure out what to do causes Moon to hesitate a bit.

This hesitation is what allows Roger Mason to get off a wide open look.  He misses it, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great play.  Here is a look at it in real time:
09
Mar 2010
POSTED BY admin
POSTED IN 4th Quarters Cleveland Cavs San Antonio Spurs Video Xs & Os
DISCUSSION 18 Comments
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  • Justin Dif

    Spurs actually ran this same play a few weeks ago. Except it was Duncan in Ginobili’s spot, Hill was in Mason’s spot and Ginobili was in Hill’s spot.

    And that time Hill made the extra pass to the corner for a wide open Ginobili three only he missed. Surprised Cav’s weren’t prepared for that play.

    http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/100204.html – At the end of the game recap clip.

  • Adam

    That is a really nice play, I wonder why Varejao helped with the first screen and not the second one.

  • http://www.backseatgmblog.com Ricky

    I wonder why Delonte didn’t foul Manu when he had the ball inside the 3 pt line

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/03/09/masons-open-look/ Mason’s open look | 48 Minutes of Hell

    [...] you want to look at this play in detail, and you should, Sebastian Pruiti has a frame by frame breakdown at NBA Playbook.I agree with Pruit, it was a magnificent [...]

  • Bobby

    Thx Ricky, I’m not the only one…

    The Cavs are leading by 3, if they foul Manu he goes to the line and has to intentionally miss the second FT and hope that the Spurs grab the offensive rebound.

    It’s a nice play, but not when you’re down 3.

  • Bran

    The Cavs didn’t foul because of the time left on the clock. Manu hits the first, now it’s a two point game with about 7-8 seconds still on the clock. Better to force a tough three than a two near the basket. Yes, the Spurs still have to get the rebound off the missed second FT, but it happens all the time. AND, it’s theoretically possible that they have time to foul the Cavs player who gets the rebound on the missed FT and still have about 4-5 seconds at the offensive end to again try a game winner. No, if I were a Cavs fan, I’d rather see the Spurs take a three just like it happened, instead of risk fouling and setting up an in-close two.

  • http://stacheketball.neswblogs.com/2010/03/the-mid-afternoon-milk-mustache-featuring-jordans-tarnished-legacy/ The Mid-Afternoon Milk Mustache, featuring Jordan’s tarnished legacy | Stacheketball, an NBA Blog

    [...] The Painter’s Brush: Sebastian Pruiti breaks down a last-second play by the Spurs, in which they did everything perfectly except make the shot. [NBA Playbook] [...]

  • Bobby

    A offensive rebound on a missed FT happens “all the time”? Really? I doubt it.

    If Manu is fouled, hits the first, (intentionally) misses the second and the Cavs get the rebound, what happens? San Antonio sends them to the line. If the Cavs make just one FT, they’re again up 3 with less time on the clock.

    So, if I were a Cavs fan, I’d rather see the Spurs going to the line ;-) . All they have to do is box out on the second FT. And I think Varejao and Hickson can do that.
    The Cavs were just lucky that Roger Mason was completely off last night…

  • MQ

    That second Duncan screen looked more like a shove to me. As the moving screen has disappeared from the ref’s lexicon, players are testing the boundaries.

  • ge

    George Hill would have a better chance of making the 3 had Mason made the extra pass.

  • gunso

    But what if he fouls manu, he hits both, 8 seconds left, they foul immediaetly and the cavs miss one of their free throws? you have 4-6 seconds left on the clock, spurs ball and a 2 point game, you’re risking losing the game vs. risking overtime (where of course you could lose)…too much time left to foul in my opinion

  • LoL

    Foul manu inside the 3 pt line with 6-9 seconds on the clock? Are you serious? do you guys know how to play basketball?

    You foul, he hits both free throws, now cavs have to inbound. The spurs get to go for the steal, and if they dont get it, foul. And now we are back to square one if the cavs hit them, with only 2-4 seconds off the clock, or they miss one and now spurs can go for the win .

    Point is, you foul with this much time left, and you basically give up more chances to mess up the game than chances to outright win it. (missing FT’s, badly bounced rebound, inbounding badly).

  • I’m Mike Dunleavy

    Jamario Moon, with epically bad defensive position + the clothesline, love it.

  • Saif

    That pass by Manu was gorgeous, youre right the execution, and the deception which is what wins a lot in sports and in life, was flawless, this is a good example of the difference between a perrenial championship contender and why the Cavs choke every year with their of model of one superstar and a bunch of less than mediocre players, which is what the Lakers figured out last season, wont work, with the aqcuisition of Pau.

  • justin

    the spurs run this out of bounds play quite often, just the location of Mason and the personnel changes a bit. as always, mason comes of off duncan’s screen, but then uses duncan again going the other way. i’ve seen the ball make it’s way to duncan for the pass to mason, or even back to the inbounder to give to mason. i’m surprised (but then again, not really, considering the cavs’ coaching staff) that they weren’t prepped for this.

  • Matt

    Agree this play was a major fail by the Cavs defense. Rather than helping on the 2nd screen, perhaps Varejao should step back into the passing lane with his arms out. Keep the ball away from Mason, who is a legit late-game bomber and make Ginobili back out for a contested three. He can’t get it over Moon to Hill — the only path there is through Mason — so he’s left shooting it himself, letting Duncan try a 3, or maybe putting it up in the air to Mason, which gives Varejao time to close out or Parker time to recover (and they maybe even trap Mason who isn’t a good passer).

  • R.

    Sweet play + blatant illegal screen by Duncan. I’m not saying he’s the only one that gets away with it

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/05/25/roger-mason-jr-an-unfinished-portrait/ An unfinished portrait of Roger Mason Jr. | 48 Minutes of Hell

    [...] But like a brilliantly designed play that executes perfectly in every way except the finish, Roger Mason Jr.’s work here was incomplete. If there were a moment to sum up his season, it would be such a play against the Cleveland Cavaliers. [...]