Phoenix- Clippers Game Winning Shot

[NightKnight]

Ayton grabs the alley-oop and jams it home for the win and a 2-0 lead in the West Conference finals. It's not basket interference since an inbound cannot be a shot at the basket.

#1) I'm usually not a fan of a pass that is more difficult that a 40 ft jump shot. I get the temptation to draw this up but there are so many things that can go wrong. Anyone in an unexpected floor position will mess-up this play. There was a time in the middle of the season that RU was having highlights with long passes and alley-oops. When the team started losing, it was one of the things Pike reeled in. Doesn't make sense to have a pass for 2 that is harder than a shot for 3. Mathis who looks up court and likes the long aggressive pass was probably more constrained than anyone else.

#2) Love to see how a big man who is a decent (about 75%) free throw shooter is a solid alternative to a perimeter shooter that's a <40% chance. That's real basketball. Personally I would have looked for something with Ayton with 0.9 seconds left that had more of a chance of getting a foul. That's not a lot of time so it is a quibbling point.

 

[NickRU714]

Winning mindset: Devin Booker, their superstar, set the pick in the lane on Zubac to free up Ayton.

Also, Ayton's had an earlier alley-oop over Zubac.
Can't believe that dunk got overshadowed.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

 

[toby83]

great job by Ayton throwing his guy into the pick...unlikely to be called in that situation

 

[MADHAT1]

That was a shot that will be talked about for years, in my opinion.
Does anyone remember seeing that done before ?

 

[RUtrumpet92_rivals498139]

If that was us on defense, we would all be calling for the moving pick on Booker.

 

[Shell21]

Great offense , but bad defense. Have to stick a guy under the rim and make them rush a shot with .9 on the clock which is very difficult to do

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

Great offense , but bad defense. Have to stick a guy under the rim and make them rush a shot with .9 on the clock which is very difficult to do

Seriously, take the guy off the inbounder and place him in front of the rim just to jump straight up for a pass like this.

 

[Shell21]

I coach high school ball and we always no matter what put the man guarding the inbounder under the basket . You always want to prevent a layup on a b.o.b. .. let alone with .9 left where pretty much a lob is the highest percentage play for the offense

 

[MADHAT1]

Suns took advantage pf George's poor free throw shooting when he could have just about Iced the game and it would have talen a 3pt shot just to tie..
When the pressure was on Phx delivered, SD choked

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

Suns took advantage pf George's poor free throw shooting when he could have just about Iced the game and it would have talen a 3pt shot just to tie..
When the pressure was on Phx delivered, SD choked

Yeah, and George had come up so big in the last game of the prior series. Missing those two free throws was simmonsonian.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Awful job by the defender on the inbound passer ...I mean beyond awful. He should have angled himself more to make it much harder to make that straight pass and he should have been jumping up and down like he meant it

a good defense by the defender on the ball woikd have meant that ball only could have gone to the corner or straight out from there

 

[NickRU714]

I coach high school ball and we always no matter what put the man guarding the inbounder under the basket . You always want to prevent a layup on a b.o.b. .. let alone with .9 left where pretty much a lob is the highest percentage play for the offense

Cousins was standing in the worst possible spot.
Someone (HC Ty Lue) needed to tell him stand between the inbounder and the rim.
Can't give him a free look for the alley oop.

 

[RUforJERSEY]

Awful job by the defender on the inbound passer ...I mean beyond awful. He should have angled himself more to make it much harder to make that straight pass and he should have been jumping up and down like he meant it

a good defense by the defender on the ball woikd have meant that ball only could have gone to the corner or straight out from there

Yeah I remarked at the time how that was the laziest attempt to harrass a guy inbounding the ball that I've ever seen. He basically just stood their and raised his arms. He may as well not even have been there.