Why JVG is insisting in giving the ball to SF at the end of each quarter

The play at the end of each quarter may not count much on the score board but it means a lot toward the momentum and the psyches of the players.

I don't know why coaches do not design play to make better use of this chance!

 

It's all a ruse. Ask Yao Ming, he's Chinese, he knows all about war-time strategems.

Picture this:

Game 7, NBA Championship series... 15 seconds left on the block, Rockets down by 1. Stevie brings the ball up slowly... he dribbles, staring at the clock. 10.. 9.. 8.. Stevie dribbles towards the wing, stops just inside the 3-point line, changes hands behind his back twice.. three-times... Everyone in the stadium recognizes this play: Stevie's about to jack up a shot. All 5 men on the Celtics (yes they won the East, shush and let me finish my story) charge at Stevie, hands out-stretched...

With a sweet side-step and a careful wink, Stevie uses both hands to throw a classic chest-pass to a wide-open Yao Ming. Yao dunks the ball with authority, breaking the rim as the horn sounds. Rockets win, Rockets win.

 

Steve said if he has to do it again, he will do it again. Haven't you heard the phrase, "Save the last ball for me".

 

I don't think Steve will be around for the NBA Final Series.

 

I've been one of the most outspoken proponents of trading Steve, but all this bashing is getting ridiculous. Think about this, if Steve isn't the one with the ball at the end of each quarter, who should?

If we give it to Yao, we are pretty much giving the other team another chance to shoot. Because he'll get called for 3 seconds for holding on for the last shot, not to mention I don't think it's a good idea for him to wait for people to double him.

Ditto MoT. Even worse than Yao, Mo gets the ball you know he's gonna shoot (the rest of the league knows by now too, eg. he was doubled last night even when Yao was on the floor).

Cato has no handles so he's out.

Would you count on JJ for a last second shot, especially considering that the Rockets shoot from the outside all the time instead of driving the basket.

Don't even mention Nachbar

Cat you can make a case for, but he's essentially the same type but worse 1 on 1 player as Steve.

And I wouldn't count on Steve making a good pass on the last play. Either way you look at it we don't have a lot of options.

 

Your argument is totally crap. If what you said is true, then we should have let SF play his crap iso on every posession, because according to you, everyone else cannot do nothing.

Hold the ball to 6 sec, move the ball, either let Yao play it down low or kick the ball out for an open shot. Anything is better than this SF iso.

Other teams also run similar iso, Kobe for Laker, Tmac for Magic, but they do have a few other plays. Besides, Kobe and Tmac are much much better clutch than SF.

The fact is this SF iso isn't working, as proved many many times this season. Keep doing something that is not working and refuse considering other options without even a try is idiotic.

 

That is pure garbage. We all know who the best option is on the team and he ain't wearin' #3. We all know who the highest percentage shooter is and he is wearing #11. We all know also where the future of this franchaise lies. There's pretty much no argument in that, but what about the game's end.

Let's say the Rockets with the ball with 11 seconds left in the quarter. Steve brings the ball up court. He can run a normal play (one which we know the best option is Yao) and give him the ball. One freakin' problem though. If he gives Yao the ball too early, we'll give the other team another shot, because Yao has 2 choices:
1. Try to hold on the ball in the paint to risk a 3 second violation (we also know he'll be hacked to death before they let him get a shot off)
2. Make the move early and give the ball back.

If he gives the ball too late Yao will be jus tripled, dishes out to say JJ and we end up shooting a low % outside shot.

Neither choice is significantly better than a Steve ISO.

 

Why is this a low percentage shot? JJ has actually been competent from outside this season.

 

JJ HAS been competent from the outside. But would you count on it game after game? It's also one thing to give JJ time on the clock and let him have a good look. It's another thing to give him like 1 second left and let him rush the shot. If we really wanted to do that we don't have to go through Yao. We can have Steve ISO, draw the double team, then dish to JJ. The prob is Steve never dishes out of a double team, so we might as well let him ISO.

 

Stevie has game, on the concrete floor of the playground that is. With today's NBA zone defense, Stevie has a hard time finishing around the net while everyone already figuring out what he's doing. Quick guards know as long as they get a hand in his face and force him into the middle, he's not going to hurt ya with his jump in the air and then figuring out what's next. Stevie remind me so much of KJ, only difference between the two is KJ can get by you and then shoot that 15' over ya all day. Stevie on the other, gets by you and get hang dry in the air.

 

Steve always jacks up some jumper after making a crossover. Yao doesn't even need to be down in the post. He can be in the high post holding the ball over his head. He can dish it off or shoot from that range. I just find it very annoying to see wasted possessions at the end of each quarter.

 

I think the league may be discouraging this kind of play. Steve is no longer get all the calls he used to get for piling into people in the paint. I think this is the international aspect the league is introducing. Reduce physical contact gradually to allow for global expansion to arrive earlier.

 

1) SF cannot time his move very well, as he has proved several times, and as he said he will take the early shots again and again. He is missing almost all of them and give opponents a chance to take the last shot. I cannot see how we can get worse off on the timing department.

2) I cannot see how we can get a lower % shot either. It is really hard to get any worse than this SF iso which has little chance of scoring as proven all season.

3) If you move the ball and get a good shot, take it. Even you leave a few seconds to the opponents, it is not too bad if you can score. It is still better than letting SF play iso, because all it does is missing the bucket and still give opponents a last chance.

As it is, I would rather SF hold on the ball for the entire posession and not to try anything at all. This is how bad it is.

 

Why not give it a try. SF has blown so many chances to justify a change of plan. You are so concerned with what may not work that you stick to what is known not working? What is the logic?

 

All of you people defending letting Steve keep taking the last shot every time are totally missing the boat.

Think we shouldn't be running another play? Fine. Let Mobley take it. He's outplayed Steve significantly all year long.

I prefer running a regular play... but even if you insist on the iso... go with a guy who's had a much, much, much, much better season.

 

Let's just hold the ball till time expired. Steve aint gonna make it anyways. JVG will come up with another play sooner or later. He is willing to give steve enough chances but he aint dumb.

 

I'm fine with Mobley taking the last shot. I like giving the player in a slump an extra shot opportunity to help him get going, especially in a low-risk affair like the end of a quarter shot. But, if Van Gundy had Mobley run it instead, I'd be fine with that. I just think the iso is the right play to run in that situation.

 

Ask yourself this: how many times have the Rockets ran a good play during the game even WHEN THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME ON THE CLOCK. I don't count too many of them. So what do you think are the chances of the Rockets successfully running a good play at the end of the quarter with time winding down? If we have the Steve pass to Yao, who holds the ball for say 8 seconds of the 11 left, then dish to JJ for a last second shot, we'd just be doing what we normally do (ie. waiting until there's no time left on the shotclock then rushing a shot). The only difference is instead of Steve dribbling out the clock, we're having Yao hold it.

If we are at least a bit more successful doing this then I'd be more inclined to give it a shot. But noooooooo. What normally happens is Steve dribbles the ball, gets trapped, then pass to JJ or Cat, who either gets blocked, shoots an airball, or turns the ball over. How many times does this happen? Count for yourself next time.

 

Because you have to put your confidence with your star or else bad things will happen. Ask yourself what's more important right now, is it winning the game, or making the team better?

I say it's still making the team better. The day you have to take the ball out of Francis's hands....well, that's one day too late for trading him - which won't happen by the way.