[monty55555]

I found this article to be profoundly well-written. I thought I'd share it with you guys.

May 26, 2011

Several months ago, ESPN.com’s Henry Abbott wrote a brilliant piece debunking the myth of Kobe Bryant as the unquestioned, unimpeachable king of crunch time. Predictably, Abbott took a ton of heat from those who worship at the throne of Bryant’s clutch credentials, but to do so was missing the point: this was no ad hominem attack, laced with a hidden agenda meant to undermine Kobe’s accomplishments. It was simply an impeccably well-researched, insightful, thought provoking and provocative piece delving into the heart of what works and what doesn’t when the clock is ticking down and the game is on the line.

In other words, Abbott’s column wasn’t so much about Bryant as it was about our own misconceptions concerning “closing time” in the NBA. Hero shots are hardly the way to go. Because while ball-hogging might earn you a rep, ball-sharing will ultimately lead to more wins. And isn’t that the point?

It’s a topic that’s just as relevant today, despite the fact Bryant and the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs nearly three weeks ago. Time after time over the last few days, we’ve watched close, incredibly intense games that see teams seemingly ditch their offensive schemes and systems in favor of a steady stream of isolation plays for their respective superstars. And far more often than not, the results have been no different than the underwhelming crunch time numbers Kobe’s team tends to produce relative to how the Lakers’ often-stellar offense performs outside of those situations.

Whether it’s Derrick Rose repeatedly attempting to beat LeBron James one-on-one, or Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant trying to do the same to various Dallas defenders, the outcome – a bevy of missed shots and turnovers – has already led to the elimination of one team (Oklahoma City), while putting another (Chicago) on the brink. It’s also drawn the ire of critics (though bear in mind many of the same talking heads crushing the Bulls and Thunder right now are the same people who love to trumpet Kobe’s classification as the game’s ultimate “closer”), who are rightfully begging for these clubs to employ better ball distribution, movement and offensive diversity when the game is on the line.

That’s easier said than done given the elite competition they’re facing, but it’s doubly difficult because the “give the ball to the superstar and get the heck out of the way” mentality has become the accepted go-to offense of nearly every team in the NBA. Somewhere along the line it got ingrained in our minds that that’s simply the way it’s supposed to be. It should hardly be surprising, then, to see crunch time play calls routinely abandoned in favor of far simpler, but frequently less successful, isolation sets that ask Player X to put the game on his shoulders and deliver the goods.

One team, however, has largely steered clear of this strategy and, perhaps not surprisingly, they remain very much in the title hunt. Throughout this postseason the Dallas Mavericks have executed their offense at a far higher level than any other club, scoring a jaw-dropping 111.2 points per 100 possessions, a number that’s more than four points better than the league’s second-ranked team (OKC). The Mavericks, of course, have enjoyed the electric offensive exploits of Dirk Nowitzki, and it would be disingenuous (not to mention flat out absurd) to suggest they have not reaped the immense benefits of riding his superstar coattails down the stretch of tight games.

Dallas differs, however in its approach to riding said coattails. When the going gets tough, Dirk does not become a black hole but rather the sun of the Mavs’ magnificent solar system. Everything revolves around him and instead of being sucked in to a ball-hogging vortex, the satellites in orbit are made all the more vibrant and vital precisely because of the life-giving light he exudes and is ever so willing to share.

Put in less prosaic terms: Dallas stays true to its schemes and principles regardless of the situation and its crunch time offense is so much the better for it. So while the easy story is to say that the Mavs are enjoying this success because they’ve finally shed their "soft" label, the far more accurate tale should focus on the fact that Dallas is simply unwavering in its identity. And that has far less to do with toughness than it does to a tireless devotion to proper execution.

The looming dénouement to this particular postseason’s passion play lies in the fact that the Mavericks’ likely Finals opponent is none other than the Miami Heat, a team that has had well-documented issues with its propensity to devolve into superstar isolation mode. Miami has certainly shown improvement in that regard thus far in the playoffs, but still suffers from the occasional fit of handing the ball to a member of its Big Three while the other four players on the floor stand around watching.

It is, in fact, a testament to the breathtaking skill of the Heat’s triumvirate that Miami has repeatedly come through in the clutch despite an excessive reliance on hero shots. LeBron James especially has delivered time and time again, most memorably against Boston and Chicago, but you’d be hard pressed to call many of his big shots the by-product of exquisite offensive execution. Far more often he has, for lack of a better term, pulled a Kobe, winning the day and bucking the odds by hitting shots of extreme degree of difficulty. To be sure, Nowitzki has done this too, but when he’s done so it’s often come in the flow of Dallas’ offense, whereas James’ heroics have frequently had more one-on-one origins.

If Miami does move on to face Dallas then, this delicious matchup would not just be a mere grudge match of the 2006 Finals. Nor would it be as simple as the Good vs. Evil motif that is sure to be bandied about by the population at large. What it likely would be, however, is a fascinating contrast of crunch time style. Can Dallas’ execution hold up in the face of Miami’s withering defense? Can the Heat keep relying on acts of singular brilliance to carry the day in the clutch? Or will the Mavericks make Miami rise to their level of offensive trust and telepathy – in other words, conform or be conquered – in order to emerge victorious?

Fascinating questions all. The answers won’t provide a final referendum on the issue of the most effective means of crunch time execution – the sample size will be far too small for that – but you better believe the topic will be front and center on several occasions. Kobe Bryant might not be involved, but the discussion was never really about him, anyway. This is a matter of basketball philosophy, plain and simple. And in a matter of days it could be time to choose a side, consider the evidence and watch as the players make their closing arguments on the court.

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