IN THE POST

A few years ago pundits were discussing how our big men here in America need to work on their outside shooting. They wanted American coaches to allow the “bigs’ to step outside and shoot from three-point range. These same critics called for the ‘International Model’.

While watching the NBA Draft Combine this past week there was some good talk about the lack of scoring in the post from the college “bigs.”  In the NBA, Zach Randolph and Roy Hibbert have shown the ability to score in the post in the 2013 play-offs.

I would agree that there is a lack of scoring in the post.  This is due to many reasons.  One being, your guards have to give up the ball and two, inside players need to work on their low-post game. It’s not hard to develop scoring in the post, it just needs to be emphasized and worked on. We spend so much time on drills for perimeter players, are we spending enough time with the “bigs?”

On a different note, players that really care are important to your team’s success.  Some get it, some don’t.  Gregg Popovich on Danny Green:

“He’s just really matured to the point he takes things personally if we’re not playing well.”

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

POP LIFE

Jack McCallum on Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

Great thought from McCallum:

“As Pop sees it, every minute that he’s talking about himself is one minute away from the mission, which is preparation and, ultimately, winning.”

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

WHO WOULD WIN?

As we sit back and watch both New York professional basketball teams in the NBA playoffs (Knicks-Celtics and Nets-Bulls) for some strange reason I thought back to the 1975-76 season.

The Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets that year 4-2 to win the ABA championship, their second ring in three years. The Nuggets, coached by Larry Brown had the best record in the league and were led by David Thompson, Dan Issel and Bobby Jones. But Julius Erving was too much for them in the finals; Doc averaged 37.7 PPG in the finals. Over in the NBA, the Celtics had captured the title beating the Phoenix Suns 4-2. It was the Celtics 13th ring.

75-76 was the ABA’s last season.

Their “swan song.”

The red white and ball was no more.

Four teams (Nets, Pacers, Nuggets and Spurs) joined the NBA on June 17th, 1976.

Or like my friend Glenn Thomas likes to say, “Suspended operations.”

There was talk of a possible game between the Nets and Celtics to determine the real champion.

No such luck, it never happened.

While researching for this entry, I found this piece of information from http://www.remembertheaba.com/abastatistics/abanbaexhibitions.html

After the 1974-75 regular season, the ABA Champion Kentucky Colonels formally challenged the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors to a “World Series of Basketball,” with the winner to take a $1 Million purse (to come from anticipated TV revenues). The NBA and the Warriors refused the challenge. Again, after the 1975-76 season, the ABA Champion New York Nets offered to play the NBA Champion Boston Celtics in a winner-take-all game, with the proceeds going to benefit the 1976 United States Olympic team. Predictably, the Celtics declined to participate.

In my neighborhood we had Celtics fans, Nets fans and Knicks fans.  My guy Jack Kelly from 7th avenue is one of the biggest Celtics fans around so I’m sure after he reads this entry, he’ll have something to say about the meeting that never took place. My good friend Kevin Molloy was a Celtics fan too. It was not hard to root for them. They played the game the right way.

The Celtics were fundamentally sound. They had Dave Cowens, Paul Silas and John Havlicek up front. “Hondo” was 36 at the time and nursing a sore foot. Boston had three players (Cowens, Hondo and Silas) make 1st team all-defense.

The Nets, coached by Kevin Loughery played a run and gun style led by the “Big 3″ in Julius Erving, Brian Taylor and John Williamson. People tend to forget that Larry Kenon and Billy Paultz were NOT on this Nets team.

Doc was incredible. He was the leading scorer that year and had captured his third straight league MVP.

When the merger took place Red Auerbach said that we’re going to see one of the greatest forwards to ever play this game. He was talking about Julie.

The backcourt battle between Jo-Jo White and Charlie Scott vs Taylor and Williamson would have been sweet.

Overall for the ABA, the players and teams did well in the NBA after the merger.

“The ABA was like the wild west, and Julius Erving, George Gervin, James Silas and all the other ABA stars were gunfighters. They are men of legend known to millions, but whose actual deeds were seen by few,” Bob Costas said in Terry Pluto’s fantastic book about the ABA.

The following season after the merger, the Portland Trailblazers won the NBA championship (thanks to Maurice Lucas). Their opponent in the finals was the 76ers (thanks to Doc), the Nuggets won the Midwest and the Spurs led the league in scoring. The Nets on the other hand were a mess. They had the worst record in the league at 22-60 but they did do something to make the NBA history books. In February they became the first NBA team ever to have an all-left-handed lineup: Tim Bassett, Al Skinner, Bubbles Hawkins, Dave Wohl and Kim Hughes.

Nets-Celtics in 76 would have been special.

So, who wins, Nets or Celtics?

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE!

Please keep in mind in no way am I questioning anyone’s strategy or philosophy on the following study. There are way better coaches than me out there who do what they feel is best for their team. This is just a research study to see what coaches prefer to do in this late game situation.

Last night in the NBA during the Memphis Grizzlies win over the San Antonio Spurs in overtime, the Grizzlies were in a Foul or Defend twice!

In regulation Memphis was heading back on defense and the Spurs Tony Parker rushed the ball up the court and got off a three-point attempt from the left-wing (27 feet away)…nothing but net at the buzzer.

“That was an incredible shot by Tony to give us a chance to stay in the game and get five more minutes to figure it out,” Spurs forward Tim Duncan said.

Parker on his shot: “Pop told me to push it and if nobody came to help then to take it.”

“I had told them when Tony Parker hit the 3, I said, `You have two ways to go. You can hold your head and feel sorry for yourself, or you can suck it up and go back and win the game again.’ We got down, we fought back, and we did win the game. It was a good test of our mental toughness and our togetherness because we did stick together.” -Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins

In overtime, the Spurs took the ball out on the left sidelines with 3.2 remaining in the game. Manu Ginobili caught a pass and threw up a shot from the left side…no good.

The Grizzlies gave up a three in regulation but still elected to defend in OT.

This was the second meeting of the year for both clubs and the second time the game has gone to OT.

There were three other Foul or Defend situations last night around the country.

In high school basketball there were two.

Mt. Clemens decided to rely on their defense against New Haven and what do you know? New Haven banged a three to force overtime.

At Olivet, the Eagles were up three and decided to defend against Pennfield and got the stop.

And in college basketball last night, the University of Dallas played defense against Colorado College and came up with the stop. Dallas assistant coach Matt Grahn told me, “We haven’t practiced fouling.”

If you happen to see or are involved in any Foul or Defend situations, please let us know. Up three, on defense and :07 or less remaining in the game.

Numbers:

268 total “Foul Or Defend” situations

Teams that have fouled have won 27 of the 28 games.

240 times a team has defended and 46 have given up a three-point shot. (19% success rate)

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

HIT THE OPEN MAN

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich after their win Saturday night:

“[The Spurs] did a great job of finding the open man; hitting somebody with a little bit better shot.”

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore