Scott Brooks Played His Hand Too Soon

[MannyIsGod]

Many Spurs fans hate to see Pop give up during a "burn the tape" game. Honestly, had Pop been the coach of the Thunder after the Spurs run in the 3rd he likely would have would waved the white towel and gone back to the drawing board for game 3.

Brooks on the other hand, found a solution. He played a smaller lineup and proceeded to switch on the screens and pile into the lane. It was pretty effective for about 7 minutes there in the fourth but eventually the Spurs adjusted.

And thats the thing. Brooks found something that worked, and he blew it on a game where he was on the road and down 22. Its likely they will try that lineup more over the next 2 games, but Pop will have solutions for it. For one, having Neal in the game is going to make that game plan a lot less attractive. Neal will have an easy time getting shots off with his quick release and if you're going to collapse the lane he's going to get looks like crazy. While Green is capable of hitting that corner 3 at a good clip (as is Kawhi) there is no one on the team I trust more in that situation than Neal. Assuming Fisher is on the court, Neal is not a defensive liability (unless he just goes full retard like tonight).

Brooks should have waited to make this adjustment. If you make it in a fresh game when you're at home you give yourself a much better chance for it to actually be useful in a win then if you try to toss it out when you're down 22. Your chances of success are so low when you're down 22 in the middle of the third that sometimes you should just give up and wait for a better situation.

[ALVAREZ6]

Spurs can definitely match the small ball with Jackson or Leonard as a 4 and have 3 of our 4 guards in the game.

[ElNono]

The problem for Brooks is that at this point he's probably fairly doubtful of what works or not against this Spurs team. He can't blow another quarter or so finding out if that small lineup will work. They're down 2-0, there's no time to fuck around. They lose game 3 and this series is over.

[NRHector]

Spurs can definitely match the small ball with Jackson or Leonard as a 4 and have 3 of our 4 guards in the game.

even Diaw can play a 4, he was great tonight

[Trainwreck2100]

He shit the fan on the hack a splitter
1)you're supposed to tell the refs you're doing it or they're just going to look at you like what the fuck are you doing
2)He decided to have his guys take quick tough shots instead of efficient possessions, there's a reason they only made up 1 point

[Obstructed_View]

Ibaka in the 4th quarter: 2 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 points, no blocks, one goaltend. Not impressed.

[Holt's Cat]

Brooks did this, along with hacking Splitter, because this was a must win for them (I know, every game is, but they now have to win 4 of 5 against a team that hasn't lost 4 in the last 50 or what not).

They can't stop this Spurs' offense, it's that good. The Spurs now impose their will offensively just as great as they once did defensively.

[MannyIsGod]

The problem for Brooks is that at this point he's probably fairly doubtful of what works or not against this Spurs team. He can't blow another quarter or so finding out if that small lineup will work. They're down 2-0, there's no time to fuck around. They lose game 3 and this series is over.

I don't disagree with that but it doesn't change the fact that outside of an amazing shooting performance from his role players he probably blew his best chance to win a game on a game where he was already down 22.

Instead of giving Pop something to adjust to and be prepared for he should have just mailed the game in.

[Spurs9]

He shit the fan on the hack a splitter
1)you're supposed to tell the refs you're doing it or they're just going to look at you like what the fuck are you doing
2)He decided to have his guys take quick tough shots instead of efficient possessions, there's a reason they only made up 1 point

The other problem is Chuckbrook is on the court, chucking up shots without any passing when they are down.

[MannyIsGod]

I really don't give any of the credit to the comeback on Hack A Splitter. For one, you allow Splitter to get into a rhythm and he'll revert to the near 70% shooter after he makes a few in a row. He's not someone who has struggled for years at the line and he's not someone who shoots 40-50% from there outside of isolated situations over the past month.

But really, even if Splitter only shoots 1-2 each time down, thats still a damn good rate of scoring. The Spurs increased their lead during the time frame. It really didn't work out in their favor.

The best part of the strat was when he used Durant to commit one of the fouls and then Durant picks up his fourth before the end of the third because of this. That was some seriously stupid coaching.

[ElNono]

I don't disagree with that but it doesn't change the fact that outside of an amazing shooting performance from his role players he probably blew his best chance to win a game on a game where he was already down 22.

Instead of giving Pop something to adjust to and be prepared for he should have just mailed the game in.

Sorry Manny, but you can't mail in playoff games... I know Pop has done it back in '09 when Manu was injured, and I really felt Pop didn't think we would win that series, but you just can't do it. Especially since Pop knows his job isn't on the line. Brooks doesn't have a contract for next season, IIRC. He has to start pushing all the buttons and soon.

[ElNono]

Frankly, as I pointed out in the other thread, I though the Thunder getting in the bonus early had everything to do with their run. They shot freebies almost every time and obviously they were looking to draw fouls. A team that led the league getting there, knows what it has to do when they're in the bonus.

[Mr. Body]

Brooks is still a young coach, trying things out. I don't expect super-savvy placement of his strategies at this point in his career.

[J.T.]

The Thunder are still the Sonics at heart, pull some bootleg shit when it's not going your way in the playoffs.

[Mugen]

Agreed.

He tries any of the things that got them back in the game (Hack a Split, Smallball, Switching every pick) for an extended period of time and they will get systematically picked apart and he's gonna have to look for something else.

[Cow Eye]

Frankly, as I pointed out in the other thread, I though the Thunder getting in the bonus early had everything to do with their run. They shot freebies almost every time and obviously they were looking to draw fouls. A team that led the league getting there, knows what it has to do when they're in the bonus.

^This.

There was one point in the 3rd (maybe the 4th, I forgot already) where they were already in the bonus and only had 1 team foul against the Spurs.

[MannyIsGod]

Sorry Manny, but you can't mail in playoff games... I know Pop has done it back in '09 when Manu was injured, and I really felt Pop didn't think we would win that series, but you just can't do it. Especially since Pop knows his job isn't on the line. Brooks doesn't have a contract for next season, IIRC. He has to start pushing all the buttons and soon.

Its all about whether or not you put yourself in a better position to win a game by trying a new strat when down 22 or during a fresh game. If mailing in a game means you have a better shot to win the next one, then you sure as hell should mail it in. Playoffs or not.

How often are you going to come back to win down 22 against the Spurs on the road? Pretty much never.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Many Spurs fans hate to see Pop give up during a "burn the tape" game. Honestly, had Pop been the coach of the Thunder after the Spurs run in the 3rd he likely would have would waved the white towel and gone back to the drawing board for game 3.

Brooks on the other hand, found a solution. He played a smaller lineup and proceeded to switch on the screens and pile into the lane. It was pretty effective for about 7 minutes there in the fourth but eventually the Spurs adjusted.

And thats the thing. Brooks found something that worked, and he blew it on a game where he was on the road and down 22. Its likely they will try that lineup more over the next 2 games, but Pop will have solutions for it. For one, having Neal in the game is going to make that game plan a lot less attractive. Neal will have an easy time getting shots off with his quick release and if you're going to collapse the lane he's going to get looks like crazy. While Green is capable of hitting that corner 3 at a good clip (as is Kawhi) there is no one on the team I trust more in that situation than Neal. Assuming Fisher is on the court, Neal is not a defensive liability (unless he just goes full retard like tonight).

Brooks should have waited to make this adjustment. If you make it in a fresh game when you're at home you give yourself a much better chance for it to actually be useful in a win then if you try to toss it out when you're down 22. Your chances of success are so low when you're down 22 in the middle of the third that sometimes you should just give up and wait for a better situation.

Entire 4th Q of game 1 was played in small-ball mode, only Brooks made a poor decision and went with Perk rather than Ibaka.

Spurs "adjusted" after 7 minutes tonight because Green sat and Diaw came back on. In that 7 minute stretch Green had 4 or 5 open 3s and missed them all - he makes 2 of them (as we'd usually expect), and we're not even discussing this.

As for Neal, he has repeatedly sagged off Fish for 2 games now and I don't get it - his "help" isn't needed when everyone else is sagging anyway... hasn't Pop told him to just stick to Fish like glue? Why does he find it so hard???

[ElNono]

Its all about whether or not you put yourself in a better position to win a game by trying a new strat when down 22 or during a fresh game. If mailing in a game means you have a better shot to win the next one, then you sure as hell should mail it in. Playoffs or not.

How often are you going to come back to win down 22 against the Spurs on the road? Pretty much never.

I don't necessarily disagree he might not have a shot. But comparing to what Pop would have done, I don't think it's necessarily fair. Not just because of the coaching acumen, but also because one of them isn't potentially losing his job after the season is over. You could already see that with the criticism in Game 1 for not playing Ibaka. Do you think anything like that would ever happen to Pop? No way in hell.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Frankly, as I pointed out in the other thread, I though the Thunder getting in the bonus early had everything to do with their run. They shot freebies almost every time and obviously they were looking to draw fouls. A team that led the league getting there, knows what it has to do when they're in the bonus.

Of course it did. Thunder's comeback was all about the stupidity of putting the best FT team in the NBA in the penalty with over 9 to go in the 4th. As soon as that happened I said "uh-oh". Very dumb move on part of the 2nd team. Please don't do that again, Spurs. That is why one of your team rules is to avoid fouling, especially against these guys! :rolleyes

[ajballer4]

^This.

There was one point in the 3rd (maybe the 4th, I forgot already) where they were already in the bonus and only had 1 team foul against the Spurs.

They were in the bonus with 9 min left in the 4th. Thats where all the points came from. They shot barely 40% for the game I believe.

All the Splat-a-Splitter did was make the game last longer. They went from 16 down to 16 down

[MannyIsGod]

Thats fair, but coaching out of fear of what the media says about you is less than ideal. I don't believe that is the case, in any event.

[ElNono]

Thats fair, but coaching out of fear of what the media says about you is less than ideal. I don't believe that is the case, in any event.

Sure, but that's the reality for 95% of the coaches out there... heck, now that Phil and Sloan are gone, it's probably the reality of every coach not named Pop.

[ElNono]

well, scratch that... Del Negro got an extension :lol

[ginobilized]

It's Chess vs. Checkers

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

well, scratch that... Del Negro got an extension :lol

What? Today? Oh fuck me, poor Clipper fans. My friend Al will be suicidal. Dumbest move EVER.

Wouldn't be surprised if CP3 and Blake walk after next season now.

FUCK YOU STERLING YOU SLUMLORD FUCKTARD.

[crc21209]

I agree. He pretty much gave Pop and the Spurs glimpses of what they are going to do in Game 3 and beyond. Bad move on his part because now the Spurs have a day at preparing for these kinds of looks that the Thunder are going to throw at them....

[Capt Bringdown]

Brooks getting called out in the media:


As the Spurs started to build a second quarter double-digit lead on the Thunder, Durant and Westbrook were forced to watch. Scott Brooks chose to stick to his rotational guns and go with the bench.

Brooks' stubborness often pays off. He's a coach that likes stability and consistency, and he handles playing time much in that way. He trusts his players to execute and do their job and with one of the league's better benches, he saw no reason for them to not do their job there.

Except this is the playoffs and there's just not a ton of room for error.

In Game 1, Brooks was left answering questions about why he sat Serge Ibaka in the fourth quarter. This time around, it was two choices that are left to be picked apart: Sitting Westbrook and Durant the first five minutes of the second quarter as the Spurs started rolling and playing Derek Fisher the entire fourth as stopper Thabo Sefolosha sat.

- more -> (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/19197082/instant-analysis-spurs-fight-off-the-thunder-120-111-to-take-2-0-lead)

[Spurtacus]

No question the Spurs can match up for small ball. But the Thunder were more effective than the Spurs tonight. 22 point lead cut down to 6, I believe. Thunder are going to get their FT so Spur fan here needs to get use to that idea.

People have already forgotten the Thunder were beating the Spurs by 9 going into the 4th quarter of Game 1. That was without small ball and without hack a Splitter killing momentum.

[The_Worlds_finest]

Usa usa usa usa

[Spur|n|Austin]

Manny my name is also, Manny. Oh, I agree with you too..

[Kidd K]

Manny, I'm not sure I agree that having Neal on the floor would be such a great idea against that small lineup. Think about what happened late in the 3rd and early in the 4th. OKC had Harden and Westbrook out there at the same time and all we had was Manu and Neal. .Neal was getting burned over and over on defense, and can't do anything but catch and shoot long distance shots (putting almost no pressure on one of those two defensively). Manu/Neal doesn't work is Westbrook is out there. Imo, Neal should never play against Westbrook. He will get destroyed.

He might get some shots, but it just lets Westbrook go off offensively which isn't worth the tradeoff seeing as how Neal is a streaky shooter. Neal goes cold while Westbrook's going off and we're fucked.



Ibaka in the 4th quarter: 2 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 points, no blocks, one goaltend. Not impressed.

Those sound like pretty decent stats for a defensive player. Extrapolate that over 4 quarters, and that's 8 steals, 12 boards, 12 points. Not exactly bad. Ibaka's blocks seem to get blocked either out of bounds or back into the opposing teams' hands, so they really aren't always that useful. Ibaka had what 4 blocks tonight? I'm pretty sure we scored on the same play on at least 2 of his blocks tonight if not 3.



Frankly, as I pointed out in the other thread, I though the Thunder getting in the bonus early had everything to do with their run. They shot freebies almost every time and obviously they were looking to draw fouls. A team that led the league getting there, knows what it has to do when they're in the bonus.

Was more refs blowing the quick whistle to assist them than anything OKC did imo. Too many ticky tack calls.

[mercos]

At this point, OKC just has to hope the Spurs have a bad game. After tonight's game, I believe a good game from the Spurs beats the best the Thunder can offer. OKC got nearly 90 points from their big three, and Duncan had a poor offensive outing, yet the Spurs won. I don't really see anything they can do to stop the Spurs. When this team is clicking, there is simply no answer to them. They have to many diverse weapons. Their best hope is that the Spurs just don't play up to par. That is a strong possibility in one of the next two games. The team is human, and a letdown after 20 straight wins is to be expected.

[Trainwreck2100]

i love how everyone's on his ass for not doing stuff he did to get them there. Derek Fisher brought them within 6 and manu hit a crazy shot to put them back.

[Capt Bringdown]

Brooks getting nuked in the media:


So the Ibaka matter was resolved, but why Derek Fisher played the final 17 minutes of the game was mystifying, while Thabo Sefolosha played fewer than two of the final 18 minutes. Sometimes it’s too easy to critique a coach after the fact, but there was something dubious about Brooks’ decision to stay with Fisher. At critical moments, don't you have to ask yourself as a coach, “What are my goals?” and “Who among my personnel can help me achieve them?”

Who’s the better helper, Sefolosha or Fisher? Who gives you more flexibility defensively? Who’s twice as likely statistically to get you a rebound? Who can make the rotation more quickly? Who’s more likely to stay with Leonard as he curls around two screens to the hole on a baseline out-of-bounds play (Leonard's second-easiest bucket of the night as Fisher trailed)?

What was Brooks' return on that investment in Fisher? A 3-pointer that nipped a 12-point deficit to nine with a hair over two minutes remaining. Apart from that shot, Fisher was 1-for-10 from the field.

It's tempting to play a guy based on past performance or because he's been there before, but at a certain point you have to enumerate for yourself the attributes that can help your team win this basketball game -- athleticism, speed, length, better base defense. Even setting aside the fact that Sefolosha is a 43.7 percent 3-point shooter, while Fisher has shot below 32 percent this season, there's no good reason to stay with a pokey veteran when you're trying to double down on those other qualities.

- more - >> (http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/44215/the-spurs-good-looks)

[DAF86]

Well he may have played his hand too soon but he has no other choice. If he keeps doing what he has been doing all year he's not going to beat the Spurs, he has to shake things up.

If I was him I would go with Westbrook, Harden, Sefolosha, Durant and Ibaka to start the games and play small all the time.

Perkins is useless in this matchup, I wouldn't give him any minutes. Collison should be Ibaka's backup.

Play Westbrook, Harden and KD each 40+ minutes, make some changes (tricks) on the defense schemes and just hope for the best.

Oh, and Sefolosha or Cook are definitely better options than Fisher to end the games.

[Capt Bringdown]

OKC ain't gettin' to the finals without a real coach. Ahem:
http://www.leadership-with-you.com/images/philjackson.jpg

[polandprzem]

Brooks needed to do it.

You fight in the playoffs no matter what. Thunder were close.

And again - Brooks knows Pop knows. This coach gonna do some adjustments as well and figure all the small ball strategy from the beginning. The minutes who on who and hoew to rotate and on who switch and how etc.


Brooks is a good coach

[100%duncan]

I thought it was the right move. Brooks never folded it and gave the team chance until the turn. The river was just nasty for 'em cos our guys finish the shit that they are supposed to finish.

[MannyIsGod]

Manny, I'm not sure I agree that having Neal on the floor would be such a great idea against that small lineup. Think about what happened late in the 3rd and early in the 4th. OKC had Harden and Westbrook out there at the same time and all we had was Manu and Neal. .Neal was getting burned over and over on defense, and can't do anything but catch and shoot long distance shots (putting almost no pressure on one of those two defensively). Manu/Neal doesn't work is Westbrook is out there. Imo, Neal should never play against Westbrook. He will get destroyed.

He might get some shots, but it just lets Westbrook go off offensively which isn't worth the tradeoff seeing as how Neal is a streaky shooter. Neal goes cold while Westbrook's going off and we're fucked.


Notice that I said as long as Fisher is out there.

[417]

Brooks also needs to reign in his point guard. Westbrook gets crazy still.

[Mal]

Brooks found it, by mistake or not, he tried, he found and he pushed. Cant blame OKC for trying. They fought hard , but you cant play 11 min on such intensity at defense and then at offense. Brooks isnt Del Negro, OKC will adjust in whole new game 3.

[100%duncan]

Brooks found it, by mistake or not, he tried, he found and he pushed. Cant blame OKC for trying. They fought hard , but you cant play 11 min on such intensity at defense and then at offense. Brooks isnt Del Negro, OKC will adjust in whole new game 3.

Doesn't say much. Pretty much one level above him.

[Bruno]

In game 1, Thunder outscored Spurs when their played big and were outscored playing small with Perkins at the C spot. In game, 2, they decided to stay big with a poor result. They then play small with Ibaka at the C spot, it worked for a half quarter before failing.

My conclusion of all that is coaches have little to do tactically in this series. Spurs and Thunder are just two teams playing a great sound basketball. There isn't some kind of miracle lineup that will give a big edge to one team.

I think Pop see this series like that too. When you listen at what he says during timeouts, it's more pep talks than technical coaching. There was the whole "Nasty" talk in game 1 and in game 2 he went after Parker and said things like "it's a big boy game"... . Pop main focus is to keep players motivated instead of doing adjustments. On the other hand, Brooks try to answer with tactical tricks like diverse small ball lineups, hack a splitter, switching on screens...

For game 3, Spurs should stick with their gameplan and put the focus and thing s as simple as matching Thunder energy and not letting them scored in transition. If Brooks comes with something that really bother Spurs, it will be time for Pop to make an adjustment.

[Nathan Explosion]

During the broadcast, the question of Fisher vs Sefolosha was brought up, and the one point that was mentioned for Fisher was that you know he can hit a big shot (which he ended up doing a few minutes later).

I don't like Fisher, but if he's on the bench, then who's there to steady the team when it goes south on them? Fisher's best attribute is his leadership and if you doubt that, just look at LA without him. With no one to reign in Kobe, the Lakers offense (and big men) suffered.

But in the end, again, it's pick your poison with the Spurs.

[Spurminator]

OKC ain't gettin' to the finals without a real coach. Ahem:
http://www.leadership-with-you.com/images/philjackson.jpg

This will now be a recurring nightmare for me throughout the summer. Thanks.

[Vito Corleone]

Ibaka in the 4th quarter: 2 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 points, no blocks, one goaltend. Not impressed.

That is a solid quarter, if he matched that for the entire game his numbers would have been 12 pts 12 rebounds 8 steals, I'd take that from Diaw, Splitter on any Spur not in the Big 3 and call that a very solid night

[AFBlue]

I couldn't agree more. Not only did the comeback test the Spurs' mettle in-game, but they have the ability to adjust to the new strategy between games. It seems the Thunder's sole advantage going forward is whatever momentum and energy the home crowd gives them. Not that it's a small factor, just that I don't think it will carry them in and of itself.

[spurraider21]

Of they try to use that small lineup with ibaka at the 5 we'll be more than "just fine" if Duncan shows up offensively. He should be able to abuse ibaka in the post and neutralize him as a weakside shotblocker. Duncan-jax/Leonard-green-Manu-tp or something along those lines. I would still play Neal whenever fisher is on the court

[T Park]

In game 1, Thunder outscored Spurs when their played big and were outscored playing small with Perkins at the C spot. In game, 2, they decided to stay big with a poor result. They then play small with Ibaka at the C spot, it worked for a half quarter before failing.

My conclusion of all that is coaches have little to do tactically in this series. Spurs and Thunder are just two teams playing a great sound basketball. There isn't some kind of miracle lineup that will give a big edge to one team.

I think Pop see this series like that too. When you listen at what he says during timeouts, it's more pep talks than technical coaching. There was the whole "Nasty" talk in game 1 and in game 2 he went after Parker and said things like "it's a big boy game"... . Pop main focus is to keep players motivated instead of doing adjustments. On the other hand, Brooks try to answer with tactical tricks like diverse small ball lineups, hack a splitter, switching on screens...

For game 3, Spurs should stick with their gameplan and put the focus and thing s as simple as matching Thunder energy and not letting them scored in transition. If Brooks comes with something that really bother Spurs, it will be time for Pop to make an adjustment.


I agree, however, TNT is supposedly not allowed to broadcast the technical parts of the time outs.

[Budkin]

Scott Brooks.

[101A]

At this point, OKC just has to hope the Spurs have a bad game. After tonight's game, I believe a good game from the Spurs beats the best the Thunder can offer. OKC got nearly 90 points from their big three, and Duncan had a poor offensive outing, yet the Spurs won. I don't really see anything they can do to stop the Spurs. When this team is clicking, there is simply no answer to them. They have to many diverse weapons. Their best hope is that the Spurs just don't play up to par. That is a strong possibility in one of the next two games. The team is human, and a letdown after 20 straight wins is to be expected.

Spurs HAVE had plenty of letdowns over the streak; they've just won those games

[Thompson]

He tries any of the things that got them back in the game (Hack a Split...) for an extended period of time and they will get systematically picked apart and he's gonna have to look for something else.

Pop: "Tiago, we're winning tonight anyway, so I want you to miss half of your free throws for this game."
Tiago: "Okayyyy..."
Pop: [evil twinkle in his eye]