Guarding Klay Thompson and the rest of the Golden State Warriors, Tony Allen has demonstrated tenacious effort and modelled solid defensive skills for younger players to follow. The Grizzlies have played competitively so far and forced the N.B.A.’s highest scoring team into some poor shooting performances. Guarding the Ballhandler: Allen turns Thompson to the left and keeps his hands active. However, he is not riding his man or reaching down. Instead, Allen reaches for the ball between Thompson’s hand and the floor. He pops it loose from below as it is on the way up, avoiding a foul. Allen is able to tip it …
Cost Effective Ball Movement
In Real Life: Atul Gawande speculates that one of the key drivers behind rising health care cost is overtreatment: excessive and gratuitous procedures which give the impression of thorough treatment without actually improving results. Patients may suffer complications from needless operations or doctors may neglect a low cost preventative measure in favour a more expensive and risky procedure. Certain “anchor tenants” influence the culture of particular hospitals and communities. The key to better health care lies in prescribing the appropriate care for each patient and treating the cause instead of all of the symptoms. Western countries agree that health care costs …
Pick & Roll Defense
Despite the trouble that the Grizzlies had with this play, it is not that difficult to defend. The Spurs gave up 47% in the paint and 44% mid-range to the Clippers during the year.
Free Kobe
During a 102-96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown was criticized for leaving Kobe Bryant on the bench for about four out of the final six minutes. During this time, Memphis continued their run and sealed the victory (the margin would have been nine points except Andrew Bynum made a three-point shot as time expired). As the Staples Centre crowd chanted for Kobe, Brown left the N.B.A.’s leading scorer on the bench. When Kobe went to the scorer’s table to check in, play did not stop so he waited an additional minute of …