Problem Growing by Leaps and Inbounds
In three of the most critical situations of the series the Denver Nuggets have failed at one of the most routine acts in basketball. They are unable to successfully inbound the basketball without it getting stolen or turning it over. In two instances it sealed a victory for the Lakers and in the third it lead to a game tying 3 pointer right before half time, which totally swung momentum. Now, I don't want to take too much credit away from the Lakers for playing good tough defense but the fact is, this is all George Karl's fault. I know what you're saying, "Oh, another blogger blaming it on the coach." Listen buddy, just shut the fuck up and let me make my case.
Tom Friend, wrote a great piece on Chauncey Billups' return to Denver for espn.com. In the article, The Disposable Superstar, Friend describes how Chauncey is amazed that the Nuggets don't have an inbounds play for underneath the basket.
Next, they go over all of the team's plays. Chauncey nods, but, inside, he has a sick feeling. For instance, the Nuggets don't have an underneath-the-basket out-of-bounds play. This isn't high school. He can't throw the ball off someone's back and dunk it. What's going on here?
What makes this comment really fucking interesting is that it was written way before this play.
I guess they still don't have an inbounds play because Chauncey literally had to throw it off someone's back .
With 2:54 left in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets are clinging to a 99-98 lead, when the ball goes out of bounds to the Nuggets underneath their own basket. Chauncey's fear is realized. The team has no out-of-bounds play. Karl just wants them to improvise, to use their basketball instincts, but Chauncey can't live that way. So he calls time.
In the huddle, they're all stumped. Smith tells Anthony: "He just got here, and he's calling timeouts?" But Chauncey waves them close and starts in: "Look, George, I need you to draw me up an out-of-bounds play, man, to get the ball in. Because if we don't and we turn the ball over and lose this game because we didn't have something, that just won't sit well with me."
Karl and the team's response is: wow
Are you fucking shitting me! Karl just wants them to improvise and use their basketball instincts! He might as well of said, "I don't want to coach," or "I don't know how," or what I always say, "Just go out there and do something cool!" Then he should have just sat down and cracked a beer, because at this point he is basically just a fan.
Karl and the team's response to Chauncey drawing up a play is, WOW!? Again, you have got to be fucking shitting me! It is not like the guy just solved the damn Da Vinci Code, he drew up an inbounds play. This signals to me that none of the players or COACH knew what the fuck they were doing before Chauncey got there.
Next time you watch a game notice how every team during inbound plays tend to group together in a line and then set a pick for one guy to get free and if that doesn't work they have a second option. Then watch the Nuggets inbound the ball. All of their guys are all over the place running around like a bunch of idiots, "impovising and using their basketball instincts." With the loss last night the Nuggets might have just improvised themselves right out of the playoffs.
Tangent
Does George Karl look like a B-Movie Villian? Like a Polish mobster guy in an awful, low budget Godfather take-off? He does to me. He has the scar above his lip. He has the flashy suits. He is a little pudgy. I just picture him sitting behind a desk and cracking walnuts as a shady character is pleading him for just a few more weeks so he can pay of his gambling debts.
He might be able to, "Make you an offer you can't refuse," but he can't draw up an inbounds play.
Posted by Brad Ass at 5/28/2009 11:37 AM 
Categories: Sports
Tags: nuggets karl lakers inbounds chauncey
Categories: Sports
Tags: nuggets karl lakers inbounds chauncey
Fuck the Lakers
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Fuck you
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