In the final seconds of the third quarter and at the start of the fourth, Lamar Odom scored 9 straight points on three threes, turning a 9 point lead into an 18 point lead in just three possessions.  While Odom was the one knocking down the threes, it seems that Dallas’ defensive strategy against Odom was the reason for the open shots rather than the Lakers’ offense.

On the first two threes, Odom was working off of a dribble handoff, and both times, the defense went under the man handing the ball off to Odom (basically turning him into a screener), giving up the three:

This is coming right out of a baseline inbounds set and Odom quickly gets the ball into Andrew Bynum and comes onto the court behind the three point line.  If the defense was worried about closing out on Odom, Shawn Marion shoot right out at him along the baseline.  Instead, Marion goes underneath Bynum as if he is more worried about an Odom drive.

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Down by eight points with about nine minutes left, the San Antonio Spurs were looking to put together a few stops so their offense could get them back in the game.  One way was trying to trap Rajon Rondo in the backcourt, forcing the basketball out of his hands.  However, a poor angle taken by one of the men trapping Rondo lead to a fast break coming out of a timeout:

This starts with Glen Davis entering the basketball to Rajon Rondo along the opposite baseline.  As soon as Rondo gets the basketball, both Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter head towards Rondo, trying to trap him.

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