Raymond Felton - Game winning shots

I dont have a problem with him taking the shot. I do have a problem with LB not calling TO's when there is 6-10 seconds left and we get a board, etc and need to score. He is content to let Felton fly down the court and hoist up a shot vs scripting up a play that gives us a chance at a much better and more structured shot opporitunity.

Felton gets on streaks, personally i think running a play that frees up bell or Vlad or DJ in these situatons makes more sense

I like Larry Brown but he is not inallable, he is very poor at managing the last seconds of games with a young and inexperienced team

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Originally Posted by Big Slam

Career.

Fact is, he is a poor shooter/scorer/finisher/can be shaky at the line.

Taking into consideration all of those factors, I don't think he should be the main guy when it comes to taking game winning shots.

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Assuming we're not talking called plays and taking into consideration the guys who can actually create their own shot on this team...which would be your alternatives?

Boris has had 2 shots...disappointed. I'm more than willing to give him more opportunities tho.

Raja is shaky in getting his own shot, much better off a screen (we can certainly agree this scenario would be a good alternative...but again, no TO and it's left up to the player to make it happen).

DJ doesn't work well against doubles, and he'd have to deal with that coming up the court and the defense knowing he's going to try and score. If he gets a look he's probably more apt to hit it...but he's got to get the look first.

Crash is a good option, but a lot of his ability lately depends on the foul call off drives (note his poor FG% last night but his stellar FT%). Refs don't call fouls at the end of games.

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Originally Posted by Robertpel9

I dont have a problem with him taking the shot. I do have a problem with LB not calling TO's when there is 6-10 seconds left and we get a board, etc and need to score. He is content to let Felton fly down the court and hoist up a shot vs scripting up a play that gives us a chance at a much better and more structured shot opporitunity.

Felton gets on streaks, personally i think running a play that frees up bell or Vlad or DJ in these situatons makes more sense

I like Larry Brown but he is not inallable, he is very poor at managing the last seconds of games with a young and inexperienced team

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IMO this is the best argument about these "end of game situations". I don't know that he's "poor", but more his teacher's hat gets in the way of his coaching hat.

Spectre I'm with you on our "limited options" of players that can create their own...I'm hoping Vlady will help here...and Ray gets banged for us not having those options...it is not his fault and he does not set the line-up for end of the game plays either...

What I posted on the Orlando thread (2nd paragraph on describes an ideal scenario w/ our personnel IMO:

The problem is fans mischaracterizing the last second shot as a "hero" shot or on other threads as "losing the game." The reality is that you are trying to get the last shot so the other team doesn't get a chance to come back and win it. If you think that that is being repeated IN SPITE of coaching wishes, at this point, I don't know what to say. The reality is that there is ONE guy in the league who has consistently hit these types of shot and his name is Kobe. Whether it's Lebron, AI, or whomever, they have all missed WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more of these types of shots than they made. However, I doubt the fans of those teams are pinning losses on them for missing last second shots, which no one consistently makes or state that it renders the rest of the game nearly irrelevant. The kid has hit big shots for the team, even in late game situations, but buzzer beaters are an inexact science. The main thing is you want to get a decent shot up and not allow the opposition to get a shot if you miss. Finally, having Boris creating in that type of situation is not the same as off a pick and pop when someone is running at him. The time where he got the ball on the clearout earlier in the year and got blitzed by the defense w/o getting up a shot is an example of why they rarely run it through him.

My thoughts on the end of game play is one of strategy, not just individual player decision. I hear folks talking about drive and dish and I agree, but that still has to be SET UP by the coach and discussed. My idea for end of game situation like that is a 4 out 1 in set. You can have DJ, Raja, or Radmonivic on the wings (whoever is hot, in the Orlando game, DJ would have been on the floor) and have Boris setting a high screen for Felton to drive and initiate off of. Meanwhile, you have either Emeka down low or if you are going really small and making them scramble more, you put Crash down low.

This SPREADS the floor and the defense and puts them more in a scramble mode than the typical 1-4 sets that we have run. It makes the opposition commit to help defense to somebody, but leaves SHOOTERS open on the wings. It then means either a wide open pop opportunity for Boris up top, a driving lane for Felton going to the basket, which allows him to get in the lane for a dish to whomever's man helps (down low or on wings), or attack the rim with a chance of getting fouled or creating an offensive rebound opportunity for Crash or Mek, whomever is inside.

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Originally Posted by spectre

Assuming we're not talking called plays and taking into consideration the guys who can actually create their own shot on this team...which would be your alternatives?

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I wouldn't run an iso for anyone. I think it's super dangerous unless your a Kobe/LBJ/Wade type.

Sure, put the ball in Felts hands (or DJ's if he is at the point) but have them drive and create for someone else with a drop off or a kick out. Heck, run a high pick and roll.

You don't need to call a time out to draw up a simple, set play that LB could call from the bench and everyone understand.

The move that Felts pretty much always busts is that start to drive, pull up around 17ft, take a massive step back, shoot off balance and miss.

It's a really, really low percentage shot.

The crazy thing is if you look on that list and look at Kobe Bryant's numbers, WIDELY regarded as the most clutch player not named Jordan in the last 15-20 years. He's converted 25% of his opportunities. It should be clear to people that it is a "GAME OF FAILURE" much like baseball. The thing is you need a guy to not be afraid of failure and be willing to take the crap from the papers or fans if the shot doesn't go down while allowing everyone else to rest easy. It's not as much about trying to be a "hero" as it is not being afraid of taking the "goat" label.

Again, my issue is that many of our fans seem to have a misguided notion that not hitting the last shot = losing the game. I've read it here plenty of times, but never seen the appopriate time to dispel this myth. I read a person say that Felton lost another game in regulation for us, by rimming out the last shot against Orlando. The reality is that us not switching and allowing a 1 dimensional player (who is quite strong at that dimension) in Redick tie a game that we could have won in regulation if we crowded him and made him put it on the floor.

Again, I have no problem with the ball being in Felton's hands at the end, BUT I would like to do something that more incorporates the other players more as it benefits all parties involved. And contrary to popular belief, I don't think it is Felton calling the set as it has been called. Trust me, if it were, and the coach had a problem with it, he would not get the opportunities to repeat it.

I agree with you Big Slam. But again, I don't think Felton is going out there and "audibling" into this.

In my first post, I mention my ideal final play being the high pick and roll with Boris (who can hit the shot on the pop) as the screener, multiple SHOOTERS (preferably 2 of DJ, Radmonivic, or Bell) on the wing and a finisher down low (preferably Mek/Crash) to create multiple options that will MAKE THE DEFENSE MOVE and create a higher percentage shot for someone.

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Originally Posted by Big Slam

I wouldn't run an iso for anyone. I think it's super dangerous unless your a Kobe/LBJ/Wade type.

Sure, put the ball in Felts hands (or DJ's if he is at the point) but have them drive and create for someone else with a drop off or a kick out. Heck, run a high pick and roll.

You don't need to call a time out to draw up a simple, set play that LB could call from the bench and everyone understand.

The move that Felts pretty much always busts is that start to drive, pull up around 17ft, take a massive step back, shoot off balance and miss.

It's a really, really low percentage shot.

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Originally Posted by 110oldeast

My thoughts on the end of game play is one of strategy, not just individual player decision. I hear folks talking about drive and dish and I agree, but that still has to be SET UP by the coach and discussed. My idea for end of game situation like that is a 4 out 1 in set. You can have DJ, Raja, or Radmonivic on the wings (whoever is hot, in the Orlando game, DJ would have been on the floor) and have Boris setting a high screen for Felton to drive and initiate off of. Meanwhile, you have either Emeka down low or if you are going really small and making them scramble more, you put Crash down low.

This SPREADS the floor and the defense and puts them more in a scramble mode than the typical 1-4 sets that we have run. It makes the opposition commit to help defense to somebody, but leaves SHOOTERS open on the wings. It then means either a wide open pop opportunity for Boris up top, a driving lane for Felton going to the basket, which allows him to get in the lane for a dish to whomever's man helps (down low or on wings), or attack the rim with a chance of getting fouled or creating an offensive rebound opportunity for Crash or Mek, whomever is inside.

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This is EXACTLY what I am talking about.

Make the D collapse on Felts/Dj when they drive which creates a LOT of other options for everyone else.

Get Crash on a weakside baseline cut, Boris for the sweeping hook, EO50 for the hand off under the rim or Raja for the pop.

I'd MUCH rather than than Felts (or any Bobcat) trying to break his defender down and go one on one - especially if that one on one results in an off balanced, step back J from a guy who isn't a great, heck, isn't even a good shooter.

...any plays that would make what we will do less predictable (to the other team) would be a nice change and take pressure off Ray...and that is a coaching decision...