I like what the Spurs do here. I have always wondered why more teams don’t do this, take the ball out of the hands of the best player on the opposing team. I would much rather have anyone besides KD to take that final shot.

For the love of god why is Sefolosha taking that shot with 7+ seconds left? He’s got a partial lane to the basket open ahead of him and has some options (Ibaka under the basket and the two guys on the right wing assuming their defenders move down a little on help). He’s surely got to try and get fouled here. For a better shooter that’s a good shot to take, but a better shooter would never be left that open. Even if it drops, the Spurs are looking at 5+ secs left on the clock to make a two-pointer for the win.

You could make an argument that with that much time left there’s a chance for the board and the putback, however on a three you’re going to get a long rebound and the Spurs have great inside position on the boxout (even though Manu nearly flubs it by ball watching and not finding the incoming OKC player).

Ok so their primary option disappears because of the poor baseline screen action, but it was still a salvageable play before the dodgy decision-making by Thabo.

[...] Sebastian Pruiti of NBA Playbook does a far better job breaking this all down if you want to have a look.) [...]

[...] at the Express-News). Or you can see it all beautifully diagrammed and broken down over at NBA playbook. Durant took an in-bounds pass from Russell Westbrook in the left corner, hounded there by Keith [...]

You could say poor screen by Ibaka, but watch Timmy D blow up the pick. He knows its coming – he pushes Ibaka out of the way and doesn’t let him get set in front of Bogans. That’s why Bogans is able to stay with Durant and push him out.

Sebastian,

PART I

The specific reason Kevin Durant is not open as he cuts baseline to the left block position is not because Serge Ibaka sets a poor screen for him.

Durant is not open … simply because he is still exceptionally poor at using screens properly.

i.e. There is not even a hint of an initial mis-direct when he originally moves to use Ibaka’s cross screen.

e.g. stepping first with his left foot, hip and shoulder in the direction Jeff Green [located at the top of the key, for Durant to use as a down screen in an effort to pop out high for a 3PT shot] and then changing direction to cut hard baseline into the left block position, by going shoulder-to-sholder off Ibaka’s cross screen.

If you watch the video closely, you should be able to see that Durant:

i. Is impatient and … instead of waiting for Ibaka to set his feet;
ii. Leaves early;
iii. Takes no mis-direct steps;
iv. Takes a wide path around Bogans;
v. Leaves a wide space between his left hip/shoulder and Ibaka’s left hip/shoulder for Bogans to move through, in order to maintain physical contact with him; which, then,
vi. Allows Bogans to ride him out of the left block position.

PART II

The design of the play is faulty, if the original intention was to have Durant post-up vs Bogans in the left block position.

i. Russell Westbrook should have continued his original cut all the way into the left corner position; and,
ii. Ibaka should have set his cross screen for Durant and then flashed back toward the ball in the high post position, providing Durant with an isolation vs Bogans, either: A. on a direct entry pass from Sefolosha, or B. on a high-low pass from Ibaka [after catching the initial entry pass from Sefolosha].

PART III

When Durant caught the entry pass from Sefolosha, both players read the defense properly and executed the proper “action” to create an uncontested 3PT shot for a 36% [3FG] shooter this season.

IMO …

Scott Brooks could take his coaching clip-board and diagram as many different set play options as humanly possible and he will never be able to create a higher percentage/efficiency shot attempt in an effort to win a game, down by 2 points, with 7 secs left in regulation time, and with each of Westbrook, Green, and Ibaka in perfect position to obtain an offensive rebound on the weak side of the floor should Sefolosha just happen to miss his open shot attempt … not to metion the shot fake & drive options which were also open to Sefolosha, as the defense hurriedly tried to close-out on him.

————————–

Durant will need to improve his ability to use screens properly, if he’s going to be able to free himself from tenacious defenders and connect for game winning shot attempts during the final seconds of a contest.

Why is Sefolosha in the game? I’d rather have Weaver, but probably Maynor in this spot.

khandor :
IMO …
Scott Brooks could take his coaching clip-board and diagram as many different set play options as humanly possible and he will never be able to create a higher percentage/efficiency shot attempt in an effort to win a game, down by 2 points, with 7 secs left in regulation time, and with each of Westbrook, Green, and Ibaka in perfect position to obtain an offensive rebound on the weak side of the floor should Sefolosha just happen to miss his open shot attempt … not to metion the shot fake & drive options which were also open to Sefolosha, as the defense hurriedly tried to close-out on him.

You watched the video right?

There is a HUGE gap in the defense to attack. And those guys are NOT in a good rebounding position. They’re all VERY distant and the Spurs have good inside position. Even on a long rebound, the Spurs have got the position locked down. Sefolosha is an athletic player and just needs to dive for the rim with this, he’s got plenty of time to score, get fouled or dish to Ibaka. The space that the Thunder have created for the driving lane is actually amazing and yet they go for the three.

John,

1. Yes, there was a huge gap to attack in the Spurs intial defense … which is why I wrote:

“… not to mention the shot fake & drive options which were also open to Sefolosha, as the defense hurriedly tried to close-out on him.”

But …

2. Do you understand that there is an advantage to being the further player from the hoop when attempting to rebound a 3PT shot, as an offensive player positioned on the weak side of the floor? [i.e. where Westbrook, Green and Ibaka were located]

3. Do you understand that Russell Westbrook is a very good rebounding PG and that he is totally unchecked on this play, as Sefolosha’s 3PT shot carooms off the rim … and that Manu Ginobili simply gets a “lucky bounce” when Thabo’s miss falls toward the strong side of the floor, which is the opposite direction to where the majority of this type of miss usually goes?

4. Do you understand just how good the Spurs’ defense is when reacting to dribble penetration which occurs from the original strong side of the floor? … given their overall defensive system and the way in which they slide to challenge uncontested drives to the basket, rotate to help-the-helper, repeatedly force the extra pass, and eliminate easy interior scores derived from lay-off passes deep in the lane?

——————————-

There was actually a fairly high percentage chance that the Thunder were either going to:

i. Take the lead outright;

or,

ii. At least, be able to tie the game [i.e. by scoring a FG, following an offensive rebound];

on this possession, if Sefolosha chose to shoot the 3PT shot which the Spurs’ defense presented to him with 7 secs left on the game clock.

@khandor

[comment deleted]

***Let’s keep it civil in the comments everyone***

Oklahoma City should have run a simple quick-hitter for Durant to have an ISO at the middle of the free-throw line….give Durant, LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Dirk a catch at the FT line with a live dribble and they would take that each and every time…..the offensive player is only 15 feet from the rim and it’s too difficult to double team in that spot.

[...] like the last time a screen was set for him late, Durant leaves a little too early and that negates the effectiveness of the screen.  His man [...]