The Clipboard Awards: February 10th – Celtics, Lakers, Suns
A team’s performance after a timeout may be the best way to judge a coach’s Xs & Os knowledge, and his ability to draw up plays. The Clipboard Awards is a competition where I choose the top three post-timeout plays each night, adding up the scores over the course of the season.
Play #3 (1 point)- Alvin Gentry/Phoenix Suns
This right here is a nice quick hitting play. It looks like Channing Frye is setting up to run a pick and roll with Nash, but at the last second he cuts through and gets a double screen on the block. After a dribble handoff to Grant Hill, Hill is able to hit a wide open Frye for the easy jumper.
Play #2 (2 points)- Phil Jackson/Los Angeles Lakers
On this play, we have a nice set up for a staggered pindown screen for Derek Fisher. It is defended pretty well, but that is not the end of the play. Pau Gasol (one screener) flashes to the corner as Andrew Bynum (the other screener) posts up. Kevin Garnett (the man covering Gasol) has to respect his outside shooting, and because of that he needs to go way out to deny the pass, clearing the lane for Bynum.
Play #1 (3 points)- Doc Rivers/Boston Celtics
Over at SBNation’s NBA page yesterday, I took a look at some plays the Celtics use to get Ray Allen the basketball in anticipation of his record breaking performance. This was one of the plays I looked at and my favorite of the bunch. How can teams stop it?
Updated Standings (Previous)
- Doc Rivers – 12 points (2nd)
- Frank Vogel – 11 points (1st)
- Erik Spoelstra – 9 points (3rd)
- Gregg Popovich – 5 points (4th)
- Rick Adelman – 5 points (5th)
- Monty Williams – 5 points (6th)
- Jerry Sloan – 4 Points (7th)
- Phil Jackson – 4 points (11th)
- George Karl – 3 points (8th)
- Tom Thibodeau – 3 points (9th)
- Rick Carlisle – 2 points (10th)
- Byron Scott – 2 points (12th)
- Stan Van Gundy – 2 points (13th)
- Scott Brooks – 2 points (14th)
- John Kuester – 1 point (15th)
- Keith Smart – 1 point (16th)
- Alvin Gentry – 1 point (NR)
Alvin Gentry adds his name to the leaderboard as Phil Jackson hops into the top 10. Doc Rivers reclaims the top spot as he finds himself in a battle with Frank Vogel. Who expected me to be typing that sentence?
