I didn’t realize that the Sunday Portland-Bucks game was an early start, so I only happened to tune in just in time to catch the last few seconds of regulation and overtime.
The Bucks late-game execution is simply sickening. How many times can Mo or Redd take fadeaway jumpers after a big guy has switched out onto them? Mo refused to drive on LaMarcus Aldridge at the end of regulation and did the same in overtime, while Redd tried to juke and fade away on Joel Pryzbilla!
The times that Mo and Redd did it in overtime is one thing because that’s what these guys do, but seriously — how could Krystkowiak allow that to happen at the end of regulation? The Bucks came out of a timeout with 15 seconds left and the best play he could draw up was: “Mo, work it down and then do whatever you want.” You have to design a play that goes to the basket in that situation. At the very least a drive and kick. Even if Mo drives and commits an offensive foul at the last second it’s not the worst thing (still probably overtime), and if he gets into the lane there is probably a 75% chance of something good happening (either he makes the shot or gets fouled).
But the end of overtime was even worse.
8 seconds remaining, the Bucks down three taking the ball out on the side. Knowing that the Bucks need a 3, Portland has gone with an “almost-all-athlete” lineup of Steve Blake (6’2″), Brandon Roy (6’6″), James Jones (6’7″), Martell Webster (6’9″) and Travis Outlaw (6’8″), but they do have to leave someone guarding Bogut under the basket because the Bucks could have taken a quick two pointer and fouled again. The Bucks had gone the whole OT with Williams, Ivey, Redd, Villanueva and Bogut (who may or may not have been playing with 6 fouls).
No matter what, the Blazers are going to have Roy sticking Redd. The Bucks need a 3, so clearly the ball is going to either Redd or Williams.
Krystkowiak subs in Charlie Bell for Ivey, and the Bucks get a contested corner three from a double teamed Redd which is blocked by Roy (and Webster). Redd gets the loose ball and is able to fire up another contested shot. Clang, game over. No good looks at the basket.
Here’s my problem. The Bucks absolutely have to pack the floor with 3-point shooters there. Simmons is not available, and Bell is shooting 26% this season. It was obvious coming out of the timeout that the ball was going to Redd or Williams, but with Bell in the game than he can be guarded by Steve Blake (which is what happened).
Don’t you want to force Blake to guard Williams?
So why not bring in Yi instead of Bell? Then you force Portland to adjust, keeping their bigger players on Yi and Villanueva. Roy stays on Redd, and either Blake guards Williams or he chases around one of three 7-footers that the Bucks would have on the floor.
While that probably takes the ball out of Redd’s hands, I’d rather see Williams take a 3 one-on-one against Blake than I would Redd while double teamed by two guys who are bigger than him. If Blake takes someone else, then you get a 3-pointer by a 7-footer while guarded by a 6’2″ guy.
I don’t want to start saying that Krystkowiak is a bad coach but I have not been very impressed with the Bucks’ late game execution more than once this season. Hopefully it’s just growing pains.
1 response so far ↓
1 ry // Dec 9, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Likewise was totlly diasappointed by the late game execution. Was entertaining game until the last few minutes of the 4th and OT. You’re not prepared to call coach K a bad coach but I’ll say it. He clearly does not recognize the teams strengths (offense – OK, potential offense); this team’s D is so bad they should try to out score teams and try to run teams out of the gym. Bogut is really the only lumbering big guy and he can still get up ad down fairly well, CV, YI, DG and quick big guys that can get up and down in a hurry. The most interesting stat from the game is that both teams made 40 shots, but the Bucks took 21 more shots!!!!! This huge discrepancy does not point to the Blazers great D, but to poor execution and poor play design by the coach. The team is actually quite tallented offensively but are constraned to coach K’s poor play design . . . enough said, just disgusted with what this team has resorted to, contested jumpers on offense too often, and uncontested jumpers on defense too often!
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