When the regular season starts, not many people are going to remember the buzzer beater that took place during the Wizards’ game against the Hornets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from it.  Lester Hudson’s game winning shot showed how important a second option can be when running set plays late in games.  Off the top of my head, I can think of a number of sideline out of bounds plays that fail because their is only one option for the man inbounding the ball, and the result is usually a turnover or a bad shot.  Here, with the first option taken away, the Wizards’ simply moved on to option #2 and ended up winning the game:

This play is initially run to either get Cartier Martin an open shot on the curl off of a Javale McGee brush screen (he doesn’t really get set for the screen, they just rub off of each other) or to hit McGee on a backdoor lob.

The first two options for the Wizards are well defended by the Hornets.  Both Martin or McGee are well covered, and the Wizards needed to move on to the second option.

That option is a downscreen for Lester Hudson to receive the ball at the top of the key.  While the simple downscreen won’t get Hudson a wide open look, it does provide a safety valve for John Wall (the man inbounding the basketball).

Wall hits Hudson with the pass, and since he has a big man covering him (the defense was forced to switch the downscreen) he was able to take a dribble to create some separation.

That is just enough room for Hudson to rise up and take the jumper.  He knocks it down, winning the game for the Wizards.  Here is the play in real time:

If the added option of hitting Lester Hudson coming off the downscreen wasn’t drawn up in the play, Wall would have had to either force it to Cartier Martin or Javale McGee for a low percentage shot (or even a turnover).  Instead, the Wizards were able to get the win because they had multiple options late.