Basketball concepts: isolation plays in the clutch

Why do teams do this?

From all the basketball I've watched over the years (doesn't include Euro), it seems that teams opt only for flat isolations or P&R (usually high) when trying to close out tight games.

Obviously some teams such as the Taipans run more set than teams like Adelaide, but regardless, they all do the same come the crunch.

I realise it reduces risk of turnovers and gets the shot/play made from the player you want, but surely coaches would have set plays for such scenarios, involving some misdirection or maybe crossmatching?

Am I missing something or are teams too worried about making mistakes in those scenarios?

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catching fire
Years ago

give it to Brett

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PlaymakerMo
Years ago

I'm with you, Statsheet.

Flat isolations after timeouts in particular has statistically shown to be a low-% scoring option. I'd be willing to bet that P&R situations are only marginally better.

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David97
Years ago

I agree, especially in teams where there is little iso run. The Taipans tried it last year in the do-or-die game vs Melbourne and ended up being called for an offensive foul. Why not run with the sets that have been working.?

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Anonymous
Years ago

At the end of the day... you want to get a good shot. You want it to be your "go-to" player/ closer... And you have to understand keeping it simple, generally results in this. Players get a little caught up in the situation, you cannot run an overly complex set... generally you won't get the shot you want. & Its all dependant, if you are down you need time for a put back, if you are tied you don't want to turnover... I believe most coaches want to 1) get the ball in safety 2) get it to there stud 3) let then go to work (with shooters spaced) or a PNR 4) crash the boards (get a put back)... let the players decide the game... not over-coach it and lose. At the end of the day it is a players game and great players make great plays in the clutch!

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Anonymous
Years ago

If you watch the NBA, for example, I think things work because the players are studs - players make plays and the coaches know where to go to get wins. It's a players league and the coaches know this. Without getting bogged down in a discussion about the quality of the NBL, there's not too many NBL players you would throw the ball to in the clutch and say "bail us out".

Clutch situations are going to happen more in other leagues because there are more games...that's called being good at your craft. Coaching 82 games in a 6 month stretch and being immersed in video and the day to day as opposed to once a week (NBL).

And the NBA haven't got this ridiculous pre-conception that you have to have played at a high level to coach. For every Doc Rivers, there's a Gregg Popovich or a Brad Stevens or a Spoelstra. Guys that cut their teeth in the video room and worked their way to the top. Not an Anstey or Heal who get jobs because they of who they are and have managed to convince everyone they "think" they know what they are doing. People just don't know any better.

You look at the plays that get run after time-outs in the NBA and how often they score. These are the Xs and Os they don't show you in the "wired up" portion of the broadcast.

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koberulz
Years ago

It has nothing to do with the quality of the players in the NBA and everything to do with the fact that the NBA has adopted rules and interpretations with the goal of making basketball an individual sport.

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Anonymous
Years ago

NBA who cares. They take 27 steps and its not a travel. Yet everything has to be NBA inclusive because its the beast. Bollocks

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m
Years ago

It has everything to do with the quality of players, Koberulz... but I agree with your second point. If the quality of players didn't matter as you seem to think then you could say that giving the ball to Kevin Durant for a go-ahead basket against the Cairns Taipains is a low percentage shot compared to running a play. I believe that due to the lower quality of players there would be no one that could guard KD, but I could be wrong.

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koberulz
Years ago

That only follows if the NBA also lacks better individual defenders than the NBL has. But then in the NBL, the individual defense doesn't matter nearly as much as the team defense does (which is really also true in the NBA, although to a lesser extent). Look at what happened to Ennis and Young when they first came into the league, for example. So many turnovers caused by help defense merely existing.

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Mick
Years ago

There are multiple essays and pieces with reams of data from people more knowledgeable about me on the subject, and most of them conclude that isolation plays down the stretch are not the way to go.

The argument FOR going iso is a valid one though, depending on circumstance, and how you value completing a possession.

For example: Kobe for a long two - like Kareem's skyhook - is not a high percentage shot compared to a look at the rim. HOWEVER, both are unguardable: you are going to get the shot you want off and there isn't much the defense can do about it but hope for a miss.

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3ball
Years ago

I think the most annoying thing bout an iso at the end of the game is the fact that a timeout needs to be called, especially in nba. We all know who is going to dribble for 10 or so secs then pull up for a jump shot. Making the game go so long cause they already had a heap of timeouts in the last 3 mins. Timeouts should only be called for the classic bulls v suns game where jordan played the point from full court, penetrated, dished to pippen to paxson for 3 and lights out good night.

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Hoops

Basketball concepts: isolation plays in the clutch

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