The Chicago Bulls’ new pick and roll defense under head coach Tom Thibodeau is a topic that we have looked at a few different times over the course of this season.  In Thibodeau’s system, he likes to have the defense “swarm” both the man coming off of the screen while having rotation to the roll man.  With the Bulls trailing the Pacers by three points in overtime, they needed their pick and roll defense to get a stop if they wanted a chance to tie the game.  A slight hesitation by Derrick Rose lead to a foul that not only extended the Pacers’ lead to 5, but fouled him out of the game:

After some time Paul George gets the ball at the top of the key with Josh McRoberts setting a screen for him.  George uses the screen, with Kyle Korver going over the screen and Taj Gibson hedging out on George.

With Korver going over the screen and Gibson hedging out, you see the “swarm” taking place.  After setting his screen, McRoberts rolls to the rim.  It is Derrick Rose’s responsibility to dive in and defend McRoberts’ roll.

Rose tries to get there but he hesitates, so as the pass gets made, Rose is behind McRoberts instead of being in front of him.

With Rose behind him, McRoberts is able to make the catch easily.  Rose still tries to make a play on the ball, but he is forced to go through McRoberts and a foul is called.  Rose fouls out, and McRoberts hits both foul shots to effectively clinch the game.  Here is the play in real time:

Watching the play in real time, you can see that Derrick Rose knows he has to step in front of McRoberts, but he just can’t get there in time because of his slight hesitation.  The reason why Rose hesitates is because the Pacers’ spacing is so good that Rose knows if he dives down, there is nobody close enough to rotate to Collison.  Because of that spacing, you have to give credit to the Pacers, but Rose still has to know that McRoberts rolling to the rim uncontested is more dangerous than Collison open behind the three point line.