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From: lor@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: The NBA Finals...
Message-ID: <9036@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 17-Feb-86 04:43:34 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.9036
Posted: Mon Feb 17 04:43:34 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Feb-86 03:45:39 EST
References: <1293@pucc-i> <9020@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Reply-To: lor@ucla-cs.UUCP (Edward Lor)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 49
Keywords: Lakers, Kareem

In article <9020@ucla-cs.ARPA> srt@ucla-cs.UUCP (Scott Turner) writes:
>The recent Laker-Celtics matchup in the Forum was an interesting preview
>of what will probably be the championship series.
>
>Boston seemed to have an interesting strategy.  A league-wide tactic in
>defense is to double the man down low with the ball.  The idea is to prevent
>the high percentage inside shot, while giving away the (presumably) low
>percentage outside shot.  Boston is taking advantage of this by pushing the
>ball back outside, passing around the horn to the open man and taking the
>unguarded deep jump shot.  Why does this work?  Two reasons:
>
>First, teams are getting very good at taking (and taking advantage of) the
>three point shot.
> .........
>Second, Boston is in the interesting position of having a team with very
>consistent deep shooters.
> ........
>As with all outside shooting strategies, however, you live and die on the
>bomb.  A couple of bad shooting days could end you in a tournament situation.

        You miss another point, Scott. With all those big guys
banging the boards, they do not really live and die on the bomb.
What if they miss an outside shot? they grab the rebound and try
again. What if they miss again? They simply snatch the loose ball
from the showtime men and shoot one more time!

        This is nothing new. It is a typical Celtic strategy against
the Lakers. This method has been proven successful. It is just
annoying to see the Lakers standing around during those missed shots
(here, Kareem is the main culprit.)

        Pat Riley has to be responsible too, for:
i) not emphasizing rebounding enough. Since his became head coach four
   years ago, the Lakers have been outrebounded by Boston and Philly
   in most of their encounters. Remember Malone's dominance
   in the 1983 Finals? Today, the Lakers are still outrebounded by
   these physical teams from the East. How can a championship
   head coach make the same mistake year after year?
ii) not using Lucas, a good rebounder, at all in the second half.

        Boston had a good shooting day in yesterday's game.
However, if the Lakers do not hit the boards,
Boston can still beat them any day, good or bad shooting.

--
                                        Eddy Lor
                                        ...!(ihnp4,ucbvax)!ucla-cs!lor
                                        lor@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU
                                        Computer Science Department, UCLA