Scott Brooks strikes again

[superjohn]

Brooks got lucky that Blake Griffin missed a layup. The Clippers had the ball with 27.5 on the clock a 2 point lead and OKC had no timeouts, you would have to be an absolute idiot to not foul in that situation, of course Brooks doesn't have them foul.

 

[tzznandrew]

Brooks got lucky that Blake Griffin missed a layup. The Clippers had the ball with 27.5 on the clock a 2 point lead and OKC had no timeouts, you would have to be an absolute idiot to not foul in that situation, of course Brooks doesn't have them foul.

It was a really poor decision, and lucky for him the Clippers didn't just hold out and shoot with about 5 seconds left.

Thunder needed to move the ball better, and they needed another option out there.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

He doesn't have them foul, the Clips miss and they get the ball back with 7 seconds left. Not sure Brooks told Westbrook to pull up from 28 feet with 4 seconds on the clock.

 

[tzznandrew]

He doesn't have them foul, the Clips miss and they get the ball back with 7 seconds left. Not sure Brooks told Westbrook to pull up from 28 feet with 4 seconds on the clock.

Were there 4 seconds? I mean, the shot rolled out, and by the time Ibaka touched it the buzzer already sounded. That usually doesn't take 4 seconds.

I actually didn't mind the shot. The crowd was crazy, they looked exhausted, and he was open. It was closer than the Napier shot against Villanova...but a similar idea.

 

[superjohn]

He doesn't have them foul, the Clips miss and they get the ball back with 7 seconds left. Not sure Brooks told Westbrook to pull up from 28 feet with 4 seconds on the clock.

You realize it was a horrible coaching decision not to foul right away, right?

 

[Nnocu]

Thunder went full Brooks. Never go full Brooks

 

[dogfan96]

Were there 4 seconds? I mean, the shot rolled out, and by the time Ibaka touched it the buzzer already sounded. That usually doesn't take 4 seconds.

I actually didn't mind the shot. The crowd was crazy, they looked exhausted, and he was open. It was closer than the Napier shot against Villanova...but a similar idea.

Nah not even close.. more like 1.5 when he released it

 

[dogfan96]

What killed them today is what kills them always. Clippers started playing better defense and OKC resorted to hero/iso ball with Durant and Westbook doing your turn/my turn.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

You realize it was a horrible coaching decision not to foul right away, right?

I realize that the Thunder got the ball back down 2 with 6 or 7 seconds left on the clock. Do you realize that? Or were you too busy finishing up your draft of "Superjohn's Guide to Being the World's Best Armchair Quarterback"?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Were there 4 seconds? I mean, the shot rolled out, and by the time Ibaka touched it the buzzer already sounded..

I watched it again, looked like around 2.5 when he shot it. If it was Durant I'd say go for it but Westbrook could have gotten to the free throw line.

 

[tzznandrew]

I watched it again, looked like around 2.5 when he shot it. If it was Durant I'd say go for it but Westbrook could have gotten to the free throw line.

Fair enough. In an ideal situation Durant would have had the ball. I didn't hate the shot, though, given the circumstances. He didn't want OT.

 

[tzznandrew]

I realize that the Thunder got the ball back down 2 with 6 or 7 seconds left on the clock. Do you realize that? Or were you too busy finishing up your draft of "Superjohn's Guide to Being the World's Best Armchair Quarterback"?

To be fair, they shouldn't have. It was only because the Clips made a mistake. The fact that the Clips' mistake almost gave OKC the game didn't mean the Thunder didn't make a mistake in not fouling. When your strategy is "Hope the other guy makes a mistake" rather than "Take the game into your own hands," I think it's safe to say it was a poor one.

 

[UConnNick]

Brooks got lucky that Blake Griffin missed a layup. The Clippers had the ball with 27.5 on the clock a 2 point lead and OKC had no timeouts, you would have to be an absolute idiot to not foul in that situation, of course Brooks doesn't have them foul.

Perhaps he's another victim of "Calipariosis", which is a rare affliction causing a coach to give up late in the game because the other team ALWAYS makes its free throws (see 4/7/2014 NCAA national championship game, North Texas).

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I realize that the Thunder got the ball back down 2 with 6 or 7 seconds left on the clock. Do you realize that? Or were you too busy finishing up your draft of "Superjohn's Guide to Being the World's Best Armchair Quarterback"?

Not fouling doesn't allow Brooks to sub/draw up any plays either. An awful Westbrook chuck is about the best you're going to get under those helter skelter circumstances.

 

[champs99and04]

I have to pin that loss on Durant. He allowed Chris Paul to completely take him out of the game for much of the fourth quarter, and when the double came he had a lot of trouble making quick reads. He had three turnovers in the fourth quarter that led directly to baskets.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I have to pin that loss on Durant. He allowed Chris Paul to completely take him out of the game for much of the fourth quarter, and when the double came he had a lot of trouble making quick reads. He had three turnovers in the fourth quarter that led directly to baskets.

8 TOs total

But I blame the rest of the Thunder to need KD and Westbrook to score 55+ ppg just to keep them in games.

 

[champs99and04]

8 TOs total

But I blame the rest of the Thunder to need KD and Westbrook to score 55+ ppg just to keep them in games.

Yup. There just isn't a lot of weaponry there beyond Durant and Westbrook. Ibaka is a great mid-range jump shooter, but he can't do much else. At the wing they're stuck relying on a washed up Caron Butler and Thabo Sefolosha. Jackson has been a solid third creator at times, but OKC loses a lot defensively when he's on the floor.

I still blame the coach first and foremost for the majority of these struggles. There just isn't any sort of rhythm to what they're doing offensively. He got out-coached pretty badly by Doc Rivers in the fourth quarter - I mean, how hard is it to set a cross screen or do whatever else you need to do to get Durant in the post against Paul? And wasting all of his timeouts so that they had none left at the end of the game wasn't smart, either. LA had no rim protection in the game late with Jordan on the bench and OKC resorted to taking jump shots. It's really hard to imagine the Spurs not coming out of the west at this point.

 

[superjohn]

I realize that the Thunder got the ball back down 2 with 6 or 7 seconds left on the clock. Do you realize that? Or were you too busy finishing up your draft of "Superjohn's Guide to Being the World's Best Armchair Quarterback"?

Wow, if you thought that wasn't terrible coaching I don't know what to tell you.

 

[huskyharry]

I have to pin that loss on Durant. He allowed Chris Paul to completely take him out of the game for much of the fourth quarter, and when the double came he had a lot of trouble making quick reads. He had three turnovers in the fourth quarter that led directly to baskets.

He certainly had a ton to do with the loss...those were the worst kind of turnovers, live ball turnovers that led quickly to the opponents scoring at the other end. The passes also seemed to demonstrate very poor judgment...the type that would land a 9th grader on the bench for instructional time with the coach.
Also, when you are 6'10" & being guarded by a player who is 10 inches shorter, why would you not set up in the low post? At a minimum, he would demand a double team and leave someone else open. Instead, he sets up at the top of the key or sometimes the elbow then gets stripped as soon as he turns and brings the ball down.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I mean, how hard is it to set a cross screen or do whatever else you need to do to get Durant in the post against Paul?

Well to go back to what we agree on (an I have toa dmit I was popping in and out of the second half so I might be off on this), I imagine when all you really have is Westbrook's athleticism and setting up KD for a shot 25 times a game, a coach like Doc Rivers is bound to figure you out eventually. Maybe Brooks just doesn't have 26 go-to plays. Devil's advocate.

 

[mauconnfan]

OKC coaching: "Okay get the ball to Kevin but if you can't get it to Russell to make something happen"…………..this would be different if it were someone other than Brooks right?

As far as fouling, if they got the ball back with 7 seconds left and a chance to go to OT or win, I'm thinking he's either lucky or brilliant.

 

[Horatio]

Jeremy Lamb. If he played on the Clippers , Doc would've found a way to get him some meaningful minutes. If he played on most of the play off teams , he would've gotten some meaningful minutes. JMHO

 

[UCHuskies08]

Didn't get to watch this one live, so I watched a replay. My mind is blown how uncreative and uninspired the Thunder offense has been in nearly every 4th quarter. Scott Brooks is terrible. Which scares the hell out of me. I hope they hang onto him. Or Westbrook & Durant manage to chuck in enough 3s to win a couple more games.

 

[nomar]

My mind is blown how uncreative and uninspired the Thunder offense has been in nearly every 4th quarter.

Hey, it's not like they have Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook.

 

[willie99]

I happen to think his biggest problem is that he enables a two man game, there's no team on offense.

He's also shortened his bench during the playoffs, increasing his emphases on his two man team and his two star players. Ugly