Hero Ball

[Isaiah 1:13]

Walt Clyde Frazier is our announcer and he always talks old school about how to handle hero ball situations. Keep it simple -- the hot hand. Make plays for, look for the hot hand. The guy was doing it all game under pressure, why look elsewhere for the final shot?

Odd thing about those final hero ball shots is everybody knows the guy is going to get the ball...yet, they still can make the play and sink the shot. Your best player (or super hot hand for that night) can make those shots. Let them take it. Come on, Kawhi's four bouncer on the rim to win that playoff series...you knew, everybody knew, that was the guy who had to take the shot. It went in.

I agree. The problem is that we go Iso Mitchell even when he isn't the hot hand. It's just too predictable as he very seldom considers the assist, even to Rudy in those situations.

 

[Dali]

We've definitely gone to Mitchell with a non-advantageous result on some occasions, and whilst he was definitely not the hot hand at the time.

 

[MeloTheJazzKiller]

I agree. The problem is that we go Iso Mitchell even when he isn't the hot hand. It's just too predictable as he very seldom considers the assist, even to Rudy in those situations.

You do have a fantastic second option - Gobert down low. Draw up plays for Mitchell with a look to Rudy. Hey, if Mitchell doesn't pass...what can you do? Basketball is thee game of ego.

But you can't knock going with Mitchell for the final shot. I don't understand why that would bother you. The guy is your best player. Wouldn't you rather lose the game with your best player taking the shot than with, say, Mudiay taking the final shot?

 

[test_name_please_ignore]

The only player that was really open was Jeff Green[/B] in the corner. Would a pass out to the corner to Jeff for the open 3 have been better? In hindsight yes.

I would like to see Bogey have more of the responsibility in those tight games, and to trust him to make a play.

I think Royce would disagree.

 

[Dali]

You do have a fantastic second option - Gobert down low. Draw up plays for Mitchell with a look to Rudy. Hey, if Mitchell doesn't pass...what can you do? Basketball is thee game of ego.

But you can't knock going with Mitchell for the final shot. I don't understand why that would bother you. The guy is your best player. Wouldn't you rather lose the game with your best player taking the shot than with, say, Mudiay taking the final shot?

We do have a great second option, but it's not Rudy. You need your second option to be able to score from anywhere. Bogey's waving hi.

 

[test_name_please_ignore]

We have a great closer as Bogey showed in the last Milwaukee game, and he had a small guy guarding him. Hero ball is right.

 

[MeloTheJazzKiller]

Hey, folks, just watch this forty second clip. It tells everything one needs to know about drawing up a play for the final shot in a basketball game.

 

[Dali]

I think Royce would disagree.

You have to take into account the ball travelling to the player. Neither Bogey nor Royce would have had a truly open shot. The respective defenders on those two would have been there in time.

Jeff green is wide open at the time of paint penetration. Giannis with his strides would have made pretty good ground, but it' still at least a semi-wide open shot.

If Mitchell wanted to pass to Royce for example, it could not have been a straight line pass. It would have needed to be a lob over the top, meaning ball travels slower.

EDIT: And to add, there's a clear passing lane to Jeff in the corner, a fast paced pass would have been possible.

EDIT x2: Actually you're right, Royce is open. It would have to take clear knowledge from Donovan that he is open, as he is behind him.

 

[MeloTheJazzKiller]

We do have a great second option, but it's not Rudy. You need your second option to be able to score from anywhere. Bogey's waving hi.

I don't know. Isn't your big man down low good for a 70% scoring percentage? Highest percentage shot in b-ball is big man down low. I ain't no Red Holzman, but it's kind of obvious the big man down low is a pretty stout option.

 

[test_name_please_ignore]

You have to take into account the ball travelling to the player. Neither Bogey nor Royce would have had a truly open shot. The respective defenders on those two would have been there in time.

Jeff green is wide open at the time of paint penetration. Giannis with his strides would have made pretty good ground, but it' still at least a semi-wide open shot.

If Mitchell wanted to pass to Royce for example, it could not have been a straight line pass. It would have needed to be a lob over the top, meaning ball travels slower.

EDIT: And to add, there's a clear passing lane to Jeff in the corner, a fast paced pass would have been possible.

EDIT x2: Actually you're right, Royce is open. It would have to take clear knowledge from Donovan that he is open, as he is behind him.

Don only had to look to see he was surrounded. Royce had a clear opening (look again-a pass to Royce causing Royce to slide a foot to Right would leave him wide open with farther for Giannos to recover than Green, and if he did, Green would be wide open...)with Giannis leaning and facing the wrong direction, making it a tough recovery.

One thing my college coach taught us was to look which direction defenders were leaning, and find the open player in the opposite direction. Worked wonders once you built awareness to see it.

 

[Dali]

Don only had to look to see he was surrounded. Royce had a clear opening (look again-a pass to Royce causing Royce to slide a foot to Right would leave him wide open with farther for Giannos to recover than Green, and if he did, Green would be wide open...)with Giannis leaning and facing the wrong direction, making it a tough recovery.

One thing my college coach taught us was to look which direction defenders were leaning, and find the open player in the opposite direction. Worked wonders once you built awareness to see it.

No you're completely right, my bad. Royce was open. It would have been a somewhat harder pass to Royce than the corner to Jeff, but Don has made tougher passes than that before. It just shows he doesn't have 'pass' in his mindset whatsoever during that play. It was a completely one track mind. Lopez just made a good play.

 

[Isaiah 1:13]

^I don't know if it's coach or what, but it seems like late game situations and Mitchell just gets tunnel vision to score it himself which isn't always the best option IMO.