Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucla-cs.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ukma!psuvm.bitnet!psuvax1!burdvax!sdcrdcf!ucla-cs!srt
From: srt@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: The NBA Finals...
Message-ID: <9020@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 16-Feb-86 19:43:09 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.9020
Posted: Sun Feb 16 19:43:09 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Feb-86 03:46:44 EST
References: <1293@pucc-i>
Reply-To: srt@ucla-cs.UUCP (Scott Turner)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 41
Keywords: Lakers, Kareem

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.  There are players in the league now whose percentage on
an unguarded three point shot is very high for the distance involved; the
equivalent of an 18 footer.  Bird, of course, comes to mind.  And an
unguarded three pointer is exactly what tends to develop if you consistently
double down low.

Second, Boston is in the interesting position of having a team with very
consistent deep shooters.  With the exceptions of Parrish and Walton nearly
everyone in the first two strings is a consistent and unselfish outside
shooter.  When you can be confident in letting ANY open man take a deep
jumper, you've got the beginnings of a weapon against a doubling defense.

Of course, as with the pass in the NFL, you have to swing back and forth
between the low and outside games to keep a balance.  And you need good
passers and guard like Dennis Johnson.  But it works out to an interesting
strategy.

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.
The Celtics, however, have enough talent to overcome that kind of temporary
setback (unlike my beloved Bruins).

Anyway, the Laker-Celtic game gave us another Irishman to complain about -
Greg Kite, who laid some vicious hammers on McGee and Kareem.  Didn't they
teach that boy no manners at BYU?

    Scott R. Turner
    ARPA:  (now) srt@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA  (soon) srt@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU
    UUCP:  ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!srt
    FISHNET:  ...!{flounder,crappie,flipper}!srt@fishnet-relay.arpa