Team Argentina won their two FIBA World games this weekend by a total of six points.  Normally when a team takes two close games back to back it is due to solid execution on both ends of the court.  However, this isn’t what happened with Team Argentina, as they ended up winning despite poor execution on the offensive end.  In both games Argentina suffered a key turnover late when they were looking to put the game away, forcing the defense to step up.

Poor Execution On Offense

Game 1 vs. Germany

Up by one with 47 seconds left, Argentina wants to run some clock and get a good look at the basket.  Argentina’s point guard dribbles the clock out for 12 seconds before they get into their offense.  When they do, they decide to run a pick and roll with Luis Scola as the screener/roll man:

As the PG comes off the screen with Scola rolling the German defense switches.  Mismatch for Argentina right?  Well, no, because Germany just doesn’t switch once, they essentially switch twice.  The German PG, passes Scola off to a bigger help defender, then picks up the open man.

However, good German rotation isn’t the only reason for the turnover.  Argentina shoots themselves in the foot pretty bad here.  Even with the good double switch, Scola still gets the ball in very good position.  However, he isn’t able to complete a move because Hernan Jasen inexplicably cuts into the lane right as Scola starts his move.

Scola wants to go with the hook over his right shoulder, but with all of the traffic now in the paint, he is unable to get the shot off.  He is forced to make an up and under move, and he gets the ball knocked loose.

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Game 2 vs. Australia

In game two Argentina found themselves up by two points with 3.7 seconds left on the clock.  To secure the game, all Argentina needs to do is throw the ball in, have one of their players touch it, and get the clock running.  However, Argentina outsmarts themselves and it is a move that almost costs them the game.

Here, Argentina sets two screens that try and free up cutters heading towards the basket.  The reason they are sending players to the basket is that they don’t want to turn the basketball over in their own backcourt.  That happens, and Australia gets an easy lay-up.

However, Australia defends it well and despite having the size advantage Scola isn’t really open heading towards the rim.

This is where lack of execution (or lack of a smart call, whatever you want to call it) hurts them.  Because Scola is really the only feasible option, the inbounder Jasen, has to throw it to him.  However, because of the long arms of the man covering Jasen as he makes the pass, he is forced into throwing a pass high and Scola can’t get his hands on it, and the ball simply rolls out of bounds.  This is the worst kind of turnover in this situation.  Not only does the clock not run, but because nobody touches the basketball Australia gets to inbounds it right from halfcourt, instead of the baseline.

Click to view it in real time.

If I was Argentina here, I would have sent at least one player running to the basketball to be the safety valve.  They needed one here.

Defensive Stop That Followed

Game 1 vs. Germany

After Scola’s turnover at the rim, Germany had a chance to take the lead with a basket.  They bring the ball up, and it is obvious they are looking for one man.

That man is Demond Greene.  Covering him is Jasen, the man who basically caused the turnover on the other end.  Greene starts off on the wing, but as the German point guard brings the ball up, Greene is going to run off of two screens.

To get through the first one, Argentina creates space by having the man covering the screener get off of his man and allowing Jasen to go through the middle.

Jasen now faces another screen, but because he was able to get through the first one with ease, he is in perfect position to defend the second one.

Jasen fights through the second screen as Scola opens up to prevent a quick curl to the basket.

All of this causes Greene to make the catch about five feet behind the three point line.  Jasen is able to knock the ball loose and cause the game clinching turnover.

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Game 2 vs. Australia

After Argentina turned the ball over, Australia had the ball at halfcourt with 3.5 seconds left, looking to either tie or get the win.

Australia starts off here in a box set.  The key thing move made here by Argentina is that they decide not to pressure the inbounder.  They instead decide to put a defender right on the wing, in case any player comes off the screen towards the wing looking for a shot.

Australia starts the play with two downscreens and both men coming off the screen towards the middle.  My guess is that Australia was looking for a quick hitter on the nearside wing, but because of the Argentinian defender there, the play can’t be made.

The play continues with the near-side screener setting a screen for the away side screener as he sprints towards the corner.

The defender gets caught up in the screen, but Argentina did a great job of funneling the basketball all the way into the corner.  This is one of the farthest passes that can be made, and that allows for time to recover.

That is exactly what happens here as the defender is able to close out on the shooter and force the miss.

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