After a foul shot from Luis Scola, Argentina was getting back on defense looking for a stop with 30 seconds left and the game tied.  Based on past performances, you would think that Argentina would get the stop.  However, this time Argentina made a few mistakes on this possession, and it eventually cost them the game.

The set starts earlier, but this is where it makes sense to start looking at it for our purpose.  The matchup we are paying attention to here is Leonardo Gutierrez from Argentina against Dusko Savanovic from Serbia.

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With Russia up seven points with about two minutes left against Greece, the team was looking for a way to put the game away, and they were able to do so with two straight baskets.  The way that Russia went about getting these two baskets is pretty interesting because they were done in completely different ways.  The first was a quick-hitting lob, while the second was a set that saw Russia work through all of their options.

The Quick Hitter

This play looks simple, and while it is, there are a few little things that Russia did here (with some mistakes from Greece mixed in) that allowed for this play to work:

As Russia brings the basketball up the court you have a backscreen being set for Alexey Zhukanenko.  This is where Greece’s biggest mistake is made.  Why is Zhukanenko’s defender all the way out on him at the three point line?  He’s not a three point shooter.  If the defender is back where he should be off the ball (around the foul line), he would have a feel for the screen coming.

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