Trailing the Denver Nuggets by two points, the Los Angeles Lakers sent Nene to the free throw line for two foul shots. After making the first, Nene missed the second, opening the door for the Lakers. That door quickly slams shut however, as Kenyon Martin tips home the offensive rebound.
Before I get any further, lets get something out of the way, this was a foul on Kenyon Martin. He basically bullies Lamar Odom under the rim where he is allowed to tap in the basketball, but that isn’t what we are concerned with right now. We aren’t concerned with that because the Lakers, Ron Artest in particular, makes a key mistake here that allows Martin to get in position for the offensive rebound:
The Lakers box-out strategy for this free throw miss was to pinch it. This means that on the side where the two Lakers stood, would both box out Kenyon Martin, “pinching him.” As that takes place, a man from behind the three point line would come and box out the shooter.
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 2 (2 Points) – Lionel Hollins/Memphis Grizzlies
Here, you have O.J. Mayo coming off of a cross screen set by Shane Battier. It looks like Mayo is turning back and setting a cross screen for Battier, however at the last minute Mayo comes off of a pindown set by Darrell Arthur. Mayo comes off of the pindown wide open and knocks down the jumper. The reason why this play works is because the defense doesn’t really know what is coming until it is too late.
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) – Tom Thibodeau/Chicago Bulls
We catch this play in the middle of it (due to the Pistons broadcast showing a full-screen interview with Dennis Rodman), but here you have Kyle Korver coming off a staggered pindown screen to get a wide open look off of the screens.
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) – Jay Triano/Toronto Raptors
Coming out of a SLOB set, the Raptors get the ball into Jerryd Bayless. Bayless gets the ball into Andrea Bargnani, and it looks like the Raptors are working a two man game (in fact they ran this play to start the game). However, this is not the case as Sonny Weems cuts through the middle and Leandro Barbosa comes off of a pindown screen open behind the three point line.
