What Happened On That Pacers’ Double Team?
With 1:15 left in the game and the Indiana Pacers trailing by two points, they really needed to get a stop. Instead of trusting their rookie Paul George, who was defending Rose for most of the game (doing a very good job, more on that later), the Pacers wanted to send a double team. While the double team got there on time, a combination of the Bulls being prepared for it (and acting accordingly) and the Pacers not finishing their rotation back off of the double left Kyle Korver wide open for the three point shot:

Seeing the ways that the Bulls lined up, you can see that they are expecting a double team (or at least want to prevent it). The players one pass away from Rose are good shooters, making it impossible for the Pacers to double from those spots, and they have their two bigs on the opposite side of the court. Eventually, the Pacers send Tyler Hansbrough to Rose to try and double him.

As soon as Tyler Hansbrough leaves his spot on the court and goes to double team Rose the Bulls’ bigs take advantage as both of them cut to the paint. Noah cuts more to the top of the key in front of Jeff Foster while Carlos Boozer cuts behind Foster to the ball side block.

You now have the Bulls forcing Jeff Foster into making a decision on the defensive end. Either guard Boozer or Noah. In addition, the flash from Boozer actually causes AJ Price to sink in off of Kyle Korver in the short corner and help on Boozer on the block.

Because the double team came from so far away, Rose sees it coming and makes the pass to the open Noah at the top of the key. Granger looks like he is in position to make a defensive play on Noah, but his man does a great job of flashing towards the corner, maintaining spacing and pulling Granger away from the basketball.

Noah turns and faces, taking one dribble into the lane and sucking the defense towards him. Not only does Jeff Foster step up, but Price now turns his back to his man and focuses all of his attention on the basketball. Also, with Rose passing out of the double team, you have two guys who need to rotate back out of the double team. Paul George looks like he is staying with Rose so this means Tyler Hansbrough has the responsibility to rotate to the open man, which is Korver in the corner. This is actually not that tough of a rotation since he isn’t too far away from him.

However, that rotation never comes as Hansbrough gets drawn to the basketball as well. You now have three defenders covering Noah in the paint, leaving Kyle Korver wide open in the corner. Noah does a great job of spotting him and getting the pass out to the corner.

Korver makes the catch and he is able to pull up and get the shot off before Price closes out on him (it takes longer since he had his back turned), knocking down the shot and putting the game out of reach. Here is the play in real time:
Usually in a situation like this, one team either makes the great play or makes the big mistake. In this case, I feel like it is more 50-50. The Bulls do a great job of being prepared for the double team, maintaining spacing, and executing their strategy, but they are helped by a few Pacer mistakes (A.J. Price turning his back/Tyler Hansbrough not rotating back to the open man).
