Monday, March 20, 2006
Free Falling
Let's role play! You're the coach of a young team on what you hope to be a run to the playoffs. You're on your last extended road trip where you've already dropped a close decision in the first leg of a three game trip.
Your squad is up 11 with 4 or 5 minutes to go. You've been up the whole game but the home team is starting to make a final push. Your team's field goal shooting has considerably cooled down and your 15 point fourth quarter lead is no more. In fact, a minute and a half later your 11 point lead has been trimmed to 5. At what point do you call a timeout?
Your 5 point lead is now a one point deficit. Timeout seems like an option here as well, luckily there's a tv timeout...
Your 15 point fourth quarter lead, lost because you wanted your young, inexperienced, and not overly confident team to 'play through it' and now you sit with another loss, at .500, in the last seed for the playoffs, barely holding onto that spot. Phil Jackson is a mediocre coach.
Your squad is up 11 with 4 or 5 minutes to go. You've been up the whole game but the home team is starting to make a final push. Your team's field goal shooting has considerably cooled down and your 15 point fourth quarter lead is no more. In fact, a minute and a half later your 11 point lead has been trimmed to 5. At what point do you call a timeout?
Your 5 point lead is now a one point deficit. Timeout seems like an option here as well, luckily there's a tv timeout...
Your 15 point fourth quarter lead, lost because you wanted your young, inexperienced, and not overly confident team to 'play through it' and now you sit with another loss, at .500, in the last seed for the playoffs, barely holding onto that spot. Phil Jackson is a mediocre coach.