Last night, the Orlando Magic devised a blueprint to lose the NBA Finals. Sure, the series technically isn’t over but losing Game 4 on your home court when you are holding a three-point lead and shooting two free throws with just 11 seconds left in the game isn’t the way a team wants to enter Game 5.
There are so many “ifs” this morning for the Magic.
If Dwight Howard hits the first free throw with 11.1 seconds remaining, then it’s a two-possession game and Orlando most likely wins.
If Dwight Howard hits the second free throw with 11.1 seconds remaining, then it’s a two-possession game and Orlando most likely wins.
If Orlando makes more than 22 out of 37 free throws in the game, then the Magic most likely win.
If Phil Jackson isn’t so darn smart and takes the ball out of bounds at mid-court instead of the length of the court in the game’s final moments, then maybe the Lakers’ players are too bunched together to create spacing for a game-tying three-pointer, and the Magic most likely win.
If Jameer Nelson decides to play up on Derek Fisher (the proper play) instead of giving him so much room to shoot, then the 34-year-old Fisher, who had been struggling with shot, is forced to nail a much more difficult three-pointer, and the Magic most likely win.
But, the biggest “if” of all might be Stan Van Gundy’s decision not to foul with 11 seconds remaining and a three-point lead in regulation. He was quoted after the game as saying 11 seconds is too much time on the clock to start fouling to preserve a lead, considering the troubles of his own squad at the foul line all night.
So, as a coach, what do you think? What is your strategy when leading by three points in the final 10 seconds of game? Do you foul? Do you let it play out?
Share your thoughts with our coaching community and let’s get a dialogue going on this subject.
