Re: No Best... now what?

["Lance Jacobson" <lancejacob@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mark Berry, you're totally correct about the free throws and the impact on a player.
Missing those first two of three attempts just solidified that Pierce doesn't set up
firmly and settle for the shot.  He's so talented that he doesn't believe he has to
prepare.

As to having gumption at the end of the game, it's true that PP and Miller were the
only ones willing to shoot.  Finley was covered, and O'Neal/Wallace can't make a shot,
never should have been on the team.  Where was Steve Francis, the poor man's Iverson?
Baron was horrendous, no confidence, no idea how to get inside.

Yet I still think that the Paulfest of the 3rd quarter makes the team lax.  Paul will
just turn it on and score when he wants to.  You also don't acknowledge his HORRENDOUS
defense on Gurovic, the two silly-hands on fouls in the second half.

A ten point lead is to be protected by a team that can't shoot.  You KNOW that Pierce
would be guarded tightly down the stretch.  The answer is to prevent scoring, not find
a way to score when you prove you can't.  Work the Defense and milk the clock.
Instead, it was allowing the outside shots, and our big guys don't block out, so there
were tons of putbacks.

Pretty lame.  Not knowing the international rules on contact are pretty lame as well.
I still don't know why the guy shot fouls on Andre Miller's bump into the pick.  The
dribbler was never touched, yet he took the shots.  Glad I don't have to coach in that
tourney  :)