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Message: [QUOTE="Bone Dog, post: 5078977, member: 12088"] I like your analysis. I'd add in one caveat that the 2 v 3 question is not just a scoring issue. The psychology of dominance also plays a role and contributes to defense as well. This is one reason why a smart player -- like Paige -- is key. A well-timed shot takes into account more factors than just the likelihood of it going in. A dagger from 3 can be devastating, but so can a seemingly effortless 2 pt shot. This is going to get anecdotal, but it's still objectively valid: many times we've seen Paige sink a quick 2 in the midrange when the rest of the team's offensive confidence is shot. This can be like a shot in the arm for her teammates, and is something she is very attuned to. Similarly, after a tough defensive stand in which the girls force the other team into a tough shot at the end of the shot clock (or maybe even force a a shot clock violation), if Paige sinks an immediate midrange or perimeter jumper before any time has elapsed on the shot clock, it can be utterly demoralizing to an opponent. It also puts even more pressure on the opponent's shotmaking confidence -- they struggle to get even an awkward shot off and then Paige converts it to 2 pts at the other end in the blink of an eye. Similarly with transition 3s. Paige can sink those all day, but she only takes them under certain conditions. If she has a numbers advantage, she'll often pass for the transition layup. But if her teammates are following close behind and she's about to have an advantage she'll take that 3 because she knows the team will be in better position for a long rebound. That's the PG mentality she has, in addition to everything else: court balance is always on her mind. An ill-timed perimeter shot that leads to a transition layup is like a gift to the opponent, and Geno teaches them to do this to others, not to themselves. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach

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