Chicago’s Final Play And What They Should Have Run | NBA Playbook

Chicago’s Final Play And What They Should Have Run

After an incredible comeback, the Chicago Bulls found themselves trailing the Heat by three points after two Chris Bosh free throws.  With no timeouts left, the Bulls had to take the ball the length of the court in 16.8 seconds and get a clean look at a three point shot.  However, they were unable to even get a shot to the rim, with Derrick Rose getting blocked by LeBron James:

In my opinion, it looked like the Bulls were trying to run Korver off of three screens away from the basketball, but he started a little too early, and it ended up being just a simple pindown from Taj Gibson.  Gibson whiffs on the screen (in part because Korver does a poor job using it) and this forces Korver to make the catch with his back to the basket then taking a dribble away from the basket.  He gets caught picking up his dribble, is forced to give it to Rose, who gets a screen, but with Haslem hedging and James recovering, the shot gets blocked.  Even though Korver ran the play wrong (starting early and not using the staggered screen that was being set for him), I just think Korver had too much area to cover with his run (we have seen this be a problem in the past), and it would have allowed Miller to recover either way.

Before looking at the actual call and what Chicago should have done differently, the Bulls definitely made the correct decision to go for the three.  With no timeouts left, it made little sense to go for the two and extending the game.  With that being said, I think the Bulls could have gotten themselves a much better look.  Now, I understand that the Bulls were in a tough situation here.  There are no timeouts left, so you can’t draw anything up.  You are down three, so the threat of a dribble drive/kick out is taken away.  However, there is a play that they could have ran (and that they actually had success against Miami), and that play was the Rose/Korver pick and pop:

As I mentioned before, I understand that the threat of Rose driving being taken away makes things less effective (and that would be the case with the pick and pop here), but if you can make the defense hesitate or overthink something, you could come away with an open look. If Korver’s man (Mike Miller) leaves him, Korver is open. If Korver’s screen causes LeBron to hesitate, Rose gets the open three.  There is no guarantee that the shot will go in, but it would have been a better look.  In my opinion, coach Thibodeau needed to do a better job putting his guys in a position to get a clean look.

27
May 2011
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POSTED IN 4th Quarters Chicago Bulls Eastern Conference Finals: Chicago vs. Miami Final Possession Breakdown Miami Heat
DISCUSSION 14 Comments
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  • Swedgin

    Looking at the way Haslem flashed off of Boozer, I don't think the PnP would have worked, either.  Miami was prepared to effectively triple team any PnP action involving Rose and Korver.  Haslem was in position to blow that play up, conceding a wide-open 3 shot for Boozer, a chance worth taking.

  • Swedgin

    …and by Boozer I meant Gibson.

  • Paul

    Kyle Korver should have dumped the ball off to Taj Gibson.  I know the 3 is the primary option, but you should plan to go for 2 if that option is taken away (as it was here).  Gibson man comes all the way out on Korver and he has to recognize that two players are on him and there is a man wide open in the corner.  Gibson could have taken one dribble and gone straight at a rotating Chris Bosh, which is not as good a clean look from Rose or Korver, but better than what they ended up getting.

  • Swedgin

    Looking at the way Haslem flashed off of Boozer, I don’t think the PnP would have worked, either.  Miami was prepared to effectively triple team any PnP action involving Rose and Korver.  Haslem was in position to blow that play up, conceding a wide-open 3 shot for Boozer, a chance worth taking.

  • Swedgin

    …and by Boozer I meant Gibson.

  • Paul

    Kyle Korver should have dumped the ball off to Taj Gibson.  I know the 3 is the primary option, but you should plan to go for 2 if that option is taken away (as it was here).  Gibson man comes all the way out on Korver and he has to recognize that two players are on him and there is a man wide open in the corner.  Gibson could have taken one dribble and gone straight at a rotating Chris Bosh, which is not as good a clean look from Rose or Korver, but better than what they ended up getting.

  • Squish

    The difference between the PnP that worked is that Haslem and Miller were in. They are better defenders. The Heat were also standing around.

    In the final game, they weren't and Miller was hounding Korver.

    Different rotation by the Heat and being active.

    Also LeBron wasn't on Rose, but Chalmers was. LeBron takes away that pass because he's so big lol.

  • Squish

    The difference between the PnP that worked is that Haslem and Miller were in. They are better defenders. The Heat were also standing around.

    In the final game, they weren’t and Miller was hounding Korver.

    Different rotation by the Heat and being active.

    Also LeBron wasn’t on Rose, but Chalmers was. LeBron takes away that pass because he’s so big lol.

  • Fan

    In addition to what's been said, the reason the previous Rose-Korver PnP work is because the Heat chose to double Rose, the ball handler. But at the end of the game, up by three, they probably would have just switched any pick n pop/rolls.

  • Fan

    In addition to what’s been said, the reason the previous Rose-Korver PnP work is because the Heat chose to double Rose, the ball handler. But at the end of the game, up by three, they probably would have just switched any pick n pop/rolls.

  • TB3

    i don't think pnp would have worked since at the beginning of the play miller was shadowing korver. Rose had a chance to dish it when he led the double team left because Miller drifted towards the basket leaving Korver open and with enough time to hoist a shot. Rose is awesome, I feel like a true point guard wouldn't have been looking to shoot, but rather to dish. Kidd, Nash, Magic, Stockton, they all would've kicked that ball to Korver when Miller drifted. I guess I'm just old though, I'll have to accept that Rose, and Westbrook are the point guards of the future, and there will never again be point guards like the ones I mentioned above

  • TB3

    i don’t think pnp would have worked since at the beginning of the play miller was shadowing korver. Rose had a chance to dish it when he led the double team left because Miller drifted towards the basket leaving Korver open and with enough time to hoist a shot. Rose is awesome, I feel like a true point guard wouldn’t have been looking to shoot, but rather to dish. Kidd, Nash, Magic, Stockton, they all would’ve kicked that ball to Korver when Miller drifted. I guess I’m just old though, I’ll have to accept that Rose, and Westbrook are the point guards of the future, and there will never again be point guards like the ones I mentioned above

  • Alex

    I think that the main problem was how unimaginative the Chicago offense was, at the end of the game especially. For like 5 minutes, it was almost always the same play : Rose bringing the ball up and dishing it, then moving across screens and getting back on the other side of the court, with nothing really going on. Hence very bad shots, with no movement (and it's not like anybody in the Bulls team is able to create his shot off the dribble, especially against this Miami defense – except Rose).
    So I think that it essentially comes down to Thibodeau's ability to draw efficient and somewhat elaborate offensive plays, because the only player he could play iso with is Rose – and we saw that's not enough. He's got Rose, good role players, and a hell of a catch-and-shooter (Korver), but he hasn't been able to come up with a good enough play to convert all that in an efficient threat at the end of games. 
    So I guess what I'm saying is that Chicago needs whether a better offensive mindset (new assistant ?) or more firepower to have the ability to play some iso (Carlos Boozer's offensive game – if he ever finds it back, maybe Jamal Crawford ?) – or both.

    What do you think ?

  • Alex

    I think that the main problem was how unimaginative the Chicago offense was, at the end of the game especially. For like 5 minutes, it was almost always the same play : Rose bringing the ball up and dishing it, then moving across screens and getting back on the other side of the court, with nothing really going on. Hence very bad shots, with no movement (and it’s not like anybody in the Bulls team is able to create his shot off the dribble, especially against this Miami defense – except Rose).
    So I think that it essentially comes down to Thibodeau’s ability to draw efficient and somewhat elaborate offensive plays, because the only player he could play iso with is Rose – and we saw that’s not enough. He’s got Rose, good role players, and a hell of a catch-and-shooter (Korver), but he hasn’t been able to come up with a good enough play to convert all that in an efficient threat at the end of games. 
    So I guess what I’m saying is that Chicago needs whether a better offensive mindset (new assistant ?) or more firepower to have the ability to play some iso (Carlos Boozer’s offensive game – if he ever finds it back, maybe Jamal Crawford ?) – or both.

    What do you think ?