One of the fine new additions to the blogosphere is the work being done by Sebastian Pruiti, at NBAplaybook.com, a prime example of which can be found right here.
Comment #3 is the contribution today from yours truly.
If you take a look at the Play-By-Play for this game and the Boxscore, what you should be able to see is that:
1. When the Bobcats used Theo Ratliff [+14] as their Center, they were quite a bit better than the Mavericks.
2. Theo Ratliff played 26:39 of the first 33:39 minutes in this game, and then was not used by Larry Brown for the final 2:21 of the 3rd quarter and the entire 4th quarter.
3. When the Bobcats tried to use the following 5-Man Units, instead, in the 4th quarter, during the midst of this specific run by the Mavs:
i. Felton + Augustin + Jackson + Wallace + Thomas
[A. vs Barea + Terry + Butler + Marion + Najera]
[B. vs Kidd + Terry + Marion + Nowitzki + Haywood]
ii. Felton + Jackson + Wallace + Diaw + Thomas
[C. vs Kidd + Terry + Marion + Nowitzki + Haywood]
they played selfish basketball on offense and got hammered defensively.
4. Poss 1.
Felton keys the breakdown of the Bobcats during this entire sequence by failing to make the correct read when Nowitzki “shows and recovers vs this 1-4 Pick & Pop.”
Instead of making the “throwback pass” to Wallace … which was intercepted by Terry … Felton should have attacked Nowitzki’s “hedge” and, after bellying out towards the centerline, in order to string the play out, made the pass to either Jackson or Augustin, who were open on the weak side of the floor, defended only by Marion.
5. Poss 2.
Jackson jacks-up this shot because he was not passed the ball on the previous possession … when, what he should have done, instead, was make the “throwback pass” to Wallace, who would have been able to attack Haywood on the bounce, to either [i] score or [ii] get fouled.
6. Poss 3.
Felton and Augustin are not the proper defensive match-up vs Kidd and Terry.
Larry Brown made a mistake by using this tandem during this sequence of possessions; and, instead, should have been using either one of Felton/Augustin [vs Kidd] with Jackson [vs Terry].
7. Poss 4.
This is a well executed set play by Charlotte. Augustin was open and should have shot the ball. Unfortunately, however, he missed and, in general, is in the midst of a terrible shooting slump.
8. Poss 5.
Augustin and Wallace miscommunicate their defensive scheme/coverage and do a poor job handling this “Pick & Pop” play by the Mavs. i.e. Dirk changes the angle of his Pick at the last minute and Wallace doesn’t recognize this properly. Instead of steppin up towards Augustin’s right side, he should have stepped up towards his left side, where Dirk actually set the pick, or verbally called for Augustin to “trap” Terry on the play and not allow him to use the pick in the first place.
9. Poss 6.
This is a solid set play by the Bobcats … but, a poor decision to shoot the ball, and a bad miss by Thomas.
10. Poss 7.
It’s important to understand the individual match-ups involved in this set play, based on the way the Bobcats recovered in their defensive transition:
Kidd vs Diaw [who should have been on Nowitzki]
Terry vs Felton
Mario vs Jackson
Nowitzki vs Wallace [who should have been on either Kidd or Terry or Marion]
Haywood vs Thomas
Wallace is too small to defend against Dirk in the High Post [i.e. Nowitzki will simply shoot over him, if Wallace tries to gap him; and, in this case, will "sweep & go" by him to create the space he needs to get off his 1 dribble J going to his right, if Wallace tries to crowd him].
11. Poss 8.
Yes, Waalace is wide open on the left wing. But, he is also being checked there by Marion. Wallace going 1-on-1 vs Marion is not a better match-up for the Bobcats than Diaw going 1-on-1 vs Haywood at the top of the key.
Unfortunately, in this instance, Diaw missed a wide open 3PT-shot.
If this same situation occurred again, Diaw would still be the best Bobcat player to attack his check during this specific sequence of plays.
BTW, if you look at the Play-By-Play what you should be able to see is that on the Bobcats’ very next possession [at the 4:25 mark], it is Boris Diaw who hits a 3PT-shot, to close the gap to just 5 points [78-83] with plenty of time still left to play in the 4th quarter.
12. Poss 9.
Once again, the Bobcats are not in the proper defensive match-up situation coming out of their defensive transition with this “small” [i.e. Centerless] line-up:
Felton vs Kidd [good]
Jackson vs Terry [good]
Wallace vs Marion [good]
Diaw vs Haywood [bad-2]
Thomas vs Nowitzki [bad-1]
Despite his hyper-athleticism, Tyrus Thomas does not have the type of experience it takes to be able to defend properly on the perimeter against a crafty, quick-release jump-shooter like Jason Terry.
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In general:
- until the Bobcats can return 1 of their legitimate centers … i.e. Mohammed, Diop or Chandler … to their line-up, they are going to struggle against solid offensive teams like the Mavs
- until Larry Brown decides that playing Theo Ratliff at center, rather than Tyrus Thomas or Boris Diaw is a better option coming down the stretch of a close game for this crew of Bobcats, they are going to struggle closing out winnable games against other solid teams.
- this loss for Charlotte should be pinned on Larry Brown
