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Friday, May 2
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Raptors – Nets: The Game Inside the Game
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It has been on-the-job training for Jason Kidd in his first campaign as an NBA head coach, perhaps even better compared to being a college freshman, and having a variety of courses being thrown at him. But that all accelerates in a major way now – he has to write a grad-level thesis as Game #6 approaches. And so do the betting markets, which face an equally daunting challenge, in the form of a multiple-choice exam.
OK Coach, what’s next?
The Brooklyn rally on Wednesday night was one for the ages, with an 85-59 deficit late in the third quarter being turned into a 101 deadlock in just 12:10 of court time. But in terms of carry-over to Game #6, the way that rally happened may supply more questions than answers.
Kevin Garnett was taken out of the game with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter, and the Nets down 71-50. He did not return. Paul Pierce went to the bench with 5:25 left in the third, and the score at 77-53. He did not return. Shaun Livingston was on the bench to begin the fourth quarter, and stayed there until there were 9.7 seconds remaining.
The Nets were a shocking -31 in the 24:01 that Pierce played. It was -15 over just 11:40 for Garnett. A team that appeared old and tired when the Raptors controlled them down the stretch in Game #4 looked ancient as game #5 was on the verge of breaking wide open. And when those two went to the bench in the third, one could not tell if Kidd was going to younger players to create a spark, or if he thought the game was out of reach, and was hoping to rest them a bit for Friday.
But then that reserve cast did ignite, with Mirza Teletovic and Alan Anderson combining for 30 points and nine rebounds, knocking down 10-17 shots, including 7-12 triples. And the new floor spacing opened things up for Joe Johnson, who scored 26 points ion the second half.
The turnaround was so dramatic that Kidd stayed with that group until the end, even though it meant long stretches for players that were not accustomed to that. Ultimately the rally came up short because the defense failed down the stretch, when Pierce and/or Garnett might have made a difference on that end.
So now what? Does Kidd go back to his base lineup, or the group that brought more energy on Wednesday? Not only is it a difficult tactical decision, but also one of coaching authority – Kidd celebrated his 41st birthday in March, while Garnett turns 38 in a couple of weeks, and Pierce is 36. That puts more pressure than usual on lineup changes, and will he feel the command to bench those veterans if he believes it is the right thing to do?
Kidd’s rotation conundrum also brings issues for the betting markets. In a perfect world, all game results would bring an integrity that could be trusted, generating meaningful numbers to use going forward. The reality, of course, is much different, and it is possible that there may not have been anything useful to takeaway from the Nets rally, because of the way that it happened. If Teletovic and Anderson are going to get more minutes, and also Marcus Thornton and Andray Blatche, it means a quicker pace and a more open offense, while at the same time creating a dubious defensive chemistry. Or is it back to the base lineup? And it is not just the marketplace that has to do a little guesswork, but also Dwane Casey as well – just what Brooklyn rotation will he be game-planning for?
Friday, May 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raptors – Nets: The Game Inside the Game
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has been on-the-job training for Jason Kidd in his first campaign as an NBA head coach, perhaps even better compared to being a college freshman, and having a variety of courses being thrown at him. But that all accelerates in a major way now – he has to write a grad-level thesis as Game #6 approaches. And so do the betting markets, which face an equally daunting challenge, in the form of a multiple-choice exam.
OK Coach, what’s next?
The Brooklyn rally on Wednesday night was one for the ages, with an 85-59 deficit late in the third quarter being turned into a 101 deadlock in just 12:10 of court time. But in terms of carry-over to Game #6, the way that rally happened may supply more questions than answers.
Kevin Garnett was taken out of the game with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter, and the Nets down 71-50. He did not return. Paul Pierce went to the bench with 5:25 left in the third, and the score at 77-53. He did not return. Shaun Livingston was on the bench to begin the fourth quarter, and stayed there until there were 9.7 seconds remaining.
The Nets were a shocking -31 in the 24:01 that Pierce played. It was -15 over just 11:40 for Garnett. A team that appeared old and tired when the Raptors controlled them down the stretch in Game #4 looked ancient as game #5 was on the verge of breaking wide open. And when those two went to the bench in the third, one could not tell if Kidd was going to younger players to create a spark, or if he thought the game was out of reach, and was hoping to rest them a bit for Friday.
But then that reserve cast did ignite, with Mirza Teletovic and Alan Anderson combining for 30 points and nine rebounds, knocking down 10-17 shots, including 7-12 triples. And the new floor spacing opened things up for Joe Johnson, who scored 26 points ion the second half.
The turnaround was so dramatic that Kidd stayed with that group until the end, even though it meant long stretches for players that were not accustomed to that. Ultimately the rally came up short because the defense failed down the stretch, when Pierce and/or Garnett might have made a difference on that end.
So now what? Does Kidd go back to his base lineup, or the group that brought more energy on Wednesday? Not only is it a difficult tactical decision, but also one of coaching authority – Kidd celebrated his 41st birthday in March, while Garnett turns 38 in a couple of weeks, and Pierce is 36. That puts more pressure than usual on lineup changes, and will he feel the command to bench those veterans if he believes it is the right thing to do?
Kidd’s rotation conundrum also brings issues for the betting markets. In a perfect world, all game results would bring an integrity that could be trusted, generating meaningful numbers to use going forward. The reality, of course, is much different, and it is possible that there may not have been anything useful to takeaway from the Nets rally, because of the way that it happened. If Teletovic and Anderson are going to get more minutes, and also Marcus Thornton and Andray Blatche, it means a quicker pace and a more open offense, while at the same time creating a dubious defensive chemistry. Or is it back to the base lineup? And it is not just the marketplace that has to do a little guesswork, but also Dwane Casey as well – just what Brooklyn rotation will he be game-planning for?
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