After the jump we'll take a look at how Ray Allen got open to sink the Sixers hopes of winning this game.
Here's the defensive set up out of the timeout. Thad was on Allen down on the low block, near side of the court. Dalembert on Davis at the near elbow. Ivey on House far elbow. Iguodala on Pierce, far elbow. Miller on the inbounder, Rondo. About 6 feet away from him.
Ray Allen received the inbound pass from Rondo at the top of the court. He quickly got the ball to Pierce on the far side, three-point extended. Iguodala fought through an Eddie House screen on the baseline to close on Pierce and prevent the quick three.
After faking a three, Pierce drives to his left. As you can see, Thad completely abandons Allen before Davis even has a chance to set the back screen. Dalembert steps up in the middle of the lane to stop Pierce's drive, should he get past Iguodala. Ray Allen, slips right down to the corner. His hand is already up in the air calling for the ball.
Finally, you can see Thad has to fight around the screen, but the ball is already in Allen's hands in the corner. Dalembert barely gets out of the lane. According to Kate Fagen, the plan was to switch all screens, but the problem was that Thad left Allen way before the screen was even set. You had both Thad and Dalembert worried about stopping the Pierce drive, and no one paying attention to Allen. It's not Thad's responsibility to overplay like that when his man is Ray Allen. It's his job to stick with him. If he does, Davis never even gets close enough to set that screen.
That's all I can take for tonight. Just a disgusting loss.
Absolutely right. Add to it the fact that we were up by 7 points with about 3:30 left. Then we let Pierce get five easy points in practically no time to cut the lead to 2. Great shots by Miller and Iggy kept us in a position to win and then Thad absolutely lost his mind by leaving one of the best shooters of all time (no exaggeration) wide f'n open for the winning shot.
Nice breakdown Brian. The reality is, it was just a systemic breakdown of team defense. Thad severly overcommitted on the help defense. Sammy was sagging to far down into the lane to even see the pick coming thus being unable to call it out to Thad. Sammy failed to rotate, Thad made it too easy of a pick by being out of position.
It was about as poor a defense as you can play. No excuse for that at this level of the game. None.
And we should all just dispense of this tlk of moral victories. There is no such thing as a moral victory in the NBA.
There were probably moral victories last season, but snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is not one of them. That's what this game was. It was a crushing loss, plain and simple. Their fourth in the past month and they don't get any easier to stomach the more they happen.
No one is doubting that the call was to switch. But when exactly did this effect Thad. His man did not set a pick for Pierce. That was House (and there was no switch on D.)
Brian shows that Thad left Allen well before any pick came. They were not in zone, so I can't see how this could possibly be on Sam, other than the fact that Sam makes the mistake the other 99% of the time.
So it's your contention that in the huddle DiLeo told Thad to lag off Allen by about 10 feet to help on Pierce if there was a chance that Pierce might get a contested look at a jumper from the foul line?
Nope - it's my contention that neither you nor I (nor Bart, whose opinion about me personally isn't really needed- or relevant to the discussion) knows what Tony DiLeo said in the huddle. Unless Tony Dileo or someone else says "Thad misspoke" then why should we think Thad is wrong in what he was saying.
Well, because what Thad said doesn't mesh with the video, or the images above. It's an excuse for why he was so far off of Allen when he should've been taking responsibility for blowing the play.
"Unless Tony Dileo or someone else says "Thad misspoke" then why should we think Thad is wrong in what he was saying."
Actually, Tony said the same thing as Thad.
But I agree with Brian. Thad didn't get screened. He committed to the double too early.
In a perfect world, Sam recognizes the screen and gets out there in time. But I don't expect Sam, and Thad was the one who ultimately started the problem.
"Nope - it's my contention that neither you nor I (nor Bart, whose opinion about me personally isn't really needed- or relevant to the discussion)..."
But this guy thinks his personal opinion of others, in particular myself on last Sat., is needed or relevant but when the tides are turned it is a different story. Considering who we are dealing with, go figure.
John-ism = I know everything (even when not watching the games sometimes) and the rest of you guys know nothing.
It's funny - everyone focusing on allens last shot when if one of the consistent issues (defensive rebounding) wasn't so bad last night - it might not have mattered
Then again, reggie evans 6-8 from the FT line - that's kind of an anomaly too
Seems there's a lot of reasons the sixers lost last night
But on the contrary - if they had boraded even slightly better (or defended better, i mean boston shot an obscene FG%) - the last 5 seconds of the game wouldn't have mattered...
Reggie is a great pick. I'd take Reggie on a contested shot, but Ray Allen if its wide open like this one. Reggie sometimes had more problems if he was wide open then if he was fading sideways with a hand in his face.
Honestly, I'm not interested in talking about that play. I hope the Sixers aren't thinking about it too much either, because the Pacers aren't a worse team than Philly at all when healthy and they are, for the first time this year, looking pretty healthy.
And, contrary to what anyone says, the best SF playing tomorrow night in this match up will not be a Pacer. The best scorer will, but not the best player.
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You must really, really hate the Celtics, huh?
No more than I hated them this time yesterday. This was the Sixers' fault more than it was the Celtics being good. Should've been a win.
Absolutely right. Add to it the fact that we were up by 7 points with about 3:30 left. Then we let Pierce get five easy points in practically no time to cut the lead to 2. Great shots by Miller and Iggy kept us in a position to win and then Thad absolutely lost his mind by leaving one of the best shooters of all time (no exaggeration) wide f'n open for the winning shot.
I'm disgusted too, Brian. Completely.
Nice breakdown Brian. The reality is, it was just a systemic breakdown of team defense. Thad severly overcommitted on the help defense. Sammy was sagging to far down into the lane to even see the pick coming thus being unable to call it out to Thad. Sammy failed to rotate, Thad made it too easy of a pick by being out of position.
It was about as poor a defense as you can play. No excuse for that at this level of the game. None.
And we should all just dispense of this tlk of moral victories. There is no such thing as a moral victory in the NBA.
There were probably moral victories last season, but snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is not one of them. That's what this game was. It was a crushing loss, plain and simple. Their fourth in the past month and they don't get any easier to stomach the more they happen.
Who brought up moral victories?
Good breakdown of the bad breakdown. You should email this to Fagan, as she was completely off the mark when she (and Thad) put this on Sam.
It's possible that Thad knows what was supposed to happen from the huddle a bit better than the folks watching the game.
No one is doubting that the call was to switch. But when exactly did this effect Thad. His man did not set a pick for Pierce. That was House (and there was no switch on D.)
Brian shows that Thad left Allen well before any pick came. They were not in zone, so I can't see how this could possibly be on Sam, other than the fact that Sam makes the mistake the other 99% of the time.
Don't waste your time explaining things to him, TK. He just doesn't get it... even when it's painfully obvious.
So it's your contention that in the huddle DiLeo told Thad to lag off Allen by about 10 feet to help on Pierce if there was a chance that Pierce might get a contested look at a jumper from the foul line?
Nope - it's my contention that neither you nor I (nor Bart, whose opinion about me personally isn't really needed- or relevant to the discussion) knows what Tony DiLeo said in the huddle. Unless Tony Dileo or someone else says "Thad misspoke" then why should we think Thad is wrong in what he was saying.
Well, because what Thad said doesn't mesh with the video, or the images above. It's an excuse for why he was so far off of Allen when he should've been taking responsibility for blowing the play.
"Unless Tony Dileo or someone else says "Thad misspoke" then why should we think Thad is wrong in what he was saying."
Actually, Tony said the same thing as Thad.
But I agree with Brian. Thad didn't get screened. He committed to the double too early.
In a perfect world, Sam recognizes the screen and gets out there in time. But I don't expect Sam, and Thad was the one who ultimately started the problem.
"Nope - it's my contention that neither you nor I (nor Bart, whose opinion about me personally isn't really needed- or relevant to the discussion)..."
But this guy thinks his personal opinion of others, in particular myself on last Sat., is needed or relevant but when the tides are turned it is a different story. Considering who we are dealing with, go figure.
John-ism = I know everything (even when not watching the games sometimes) and the rest of you guys know nothing.
I love the guy in the bottom left hand corner point at Allen
He's the only one that saw what was happening soon enough :)
It's funny - everyone focusing on allens last shot when if one of the consistent issues (defensive rebounding) wasn't so bad last night - it might not have mattered
Then again, reggie evans 6-8 from the FT line - that's kind of an anomaly too
Seems there's a lot of reasons the sixers lost last night
It's kind of hard to focus on what else went wrong when none of it would've mattered at all if they'd executed on 5 seconds of basketball at the end.
But on the contrary - if they had boraded even slightly better (or defended better, i mean boston shot an obscene FG%) - the last 5 seconds of the game wouldn't have mattered...
I'll give you the chance to have any player in the history of the NBA to take a shot to win it down 2.
Can you pick a better shot then Ray Allen from the corner for 3 with no defender within 8 feet?
I'd think they could execute such that Boston has to win in a way other then the highest % chance possible (in NBA history.)
I'd take Reggie Miller over him, but it's a fair point.
Reggie is a great pick. I'd take Reggie on a contested shot, but Ray Allen if its wide open like this one. Reggie sometimes had more problems if he was wide open then if he was fading sideways with a hand in his face.
Honestly, I'm not interested in talking about that play. I hope the Sixers aren't thinking about it too much either, because the Pacers aren't a worse team than Philly at all when healthy and they are, for the first time this year, looking pretty healthy.
And, contrary to what anyone says, the best SF playing tomorrow night in this match up will not be a Pacer. The best scorer will, but not the best player.
Amen.
How brain dead IS thad young for double teaming pierce ??
3 things you should NEVER, EVER do in life...
Put a safety on Larry Fitzgerald in the NFC championship game...
Ask Donovan Mcnabb to win the game for you in the last two minutes...
Leave Ray F****** Allen wide open for a three at the end of the game !
Is it THAT friggin hard to understand ? sheesh
This post reminded me of this:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/10310/saturday-night-live-bad-idea-jeans
Classic old SNL skit- I think from 1990. Probably only John will remember it...
Yeah Yeah, i'm old - smart ass