Spurs Have Trouble Defending The Three Point Line | NBA Playbook

Spurs Have Trouble Defending The Three Point Line

After falling behind double digits in the 4th quarter, the Spurs were trying their best to get back into the game.  They were playing well offensively and scoring, but the Spurs just couldn’t get a stop.  To make matters worse, the Mavericks were hitting three pointers, while the Spurs were getting two.

As Jason Kidd backs down Tony Parker, Dirk sets a screen for Jason Terry who runs down to the block.

Dirk then sets a screen to free up Jason Kidd.  This play is actually designed to free up Jason Terry in the corner, so after Dirk sets the screen for Kidd, he then sets a downscreen for Terry.  Terry cuts off the screen to the corner, where he then looks for the basketball.

Kidd finds him, however Dirk doesn’t get a great screen on Ginobili, and that allows Ginobili to close out.  Instead of forcing the jumper, Terry pump fakes and attacks the middle of the court.  This attack sucks Tony Parker in.

Now, Parker helps and stops the attack, but if I am the Spurs, I would much rather have Richard Jefferson come and bring the help.  I would prefer Jefferson for two reasons.  The first, Caron Butler was having a worse shooting night than Kidd.  The second, and most important, is that a cross-court pass to Butler is tougher to make than an easy kick out to Kidd.

Kidd makes the catch, and Tony Parker is sucked too far in to effect the catch.  Kidd sets himself up and takes the three, knocking it down.  Here it is in real time.

After the Spurs use the hack-a-Damp, they get themselves two more points, and once again cut the lead to single-digits.  However, that is short-lived, as the Mavs knock down another three pointer:

You can tell that the Spurs’ main focus here is to get the ball out of Dirk’s hands, as two times they send a triple team at him.  However, the second triple team seems a little unnecessary in my opinion.  Dirk is dribbling away from the triple, so Manu (the third defender coming over) has a lot of ground to cover.  He doesn’t get there in time, and that is what allows Dirk to spin out of the triple team and find Jason Kidd.  The Spurs try to rotate, but Kidd finds Terry wide open for the three in the corner.

19
Apr 2010
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POSTED IN 2010 Playoffs 4th Quarters Dallas Mavericks San Antonio Spurs
DISCUSSION 4 Comments
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  • http://www.thetwomangame.com/2010/04/heard-it-through-the-grapevine-107/ Heard It Through the Grapevine | The Two Man Game

    [...] Sebastian Pruiti broke down two critical late-game possessions for the Mavs, both of which I noted in my recap: JET’s assist to Jason Kidd for an open three, and Kidd returning the favor after the Spurs tried to throw two defenders at Nowitzki. Great stuff from Sebastian, as usual. [...]

  • drbearclaw

    On the first play, it seemed to me that Terry didn’t come around the screen correctly in stead of Dirk setting a bad screen. Dirk’s screen was set for Terry to go to the wing instead of the corner, which makes a lot more sense that for Terry to go to the corner considering the positioning of himself and Dirk.

  • Mark

    Wow, Dirk drew three guys in that second clip. Still put up 36 and missed only two shots. He’s pretty good.

  • vic

    The first play was botched by Parker. McDyess (and Duncan, if Terry chose to drive middle) had Terry’s drive covered, with Ginobili rotating to Dirk. Parker was sucked in for no reason, as he had no chance of helping out on Terry’s drive (too late). Should’ve stayed on Kidd. The worst that should’ve happened was a contested Terry jumper/lay-up, or a Dirk v. Ginobili mismatch iso.