The Billups Layup Play
X's and O's of Basketball has an excellent breakdown of that backbreaking play where the Pistons were able to get a layup when the Celtics desperately needed a stop or foul.
They have diagrams, video, the whole 9 yards. Check it out. (hat tip to TrueHoop)
Here's a blurb.
As you can see, because O2 (Rip Hamilton) comes off his screen to the 3 point line. This is important because it forces Kevin Garnett to make a decision. Should he switch to cover Chauncey curling off the double stagger? Or switch to cover Rip on the 3-point line? And he has to make the decision in a split second. My philosophy would've been to protect the paint first, so obviously KG made the wrong decision if we use that philosophy. But you could make the case that leaving Rip (who was the leading scorer for the Pistons in the game) open for the 3-pointer would've been wrong.
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This just seems like it is KGs fault, he has to recognize that Chauncy’s man is beat and help him out. I mean he didn’t even look, who did he think was going to stop him? Maybe the man on the in-bounds player is supposed to sag and protect the basket, I dunno.
That said, I play mostly pick up basketball games now, but when I play an organized game it is incredible how I have forgotten how to switch on defense. And on screens and pick and rolls between gaurds and big men, switching and playing team defense is critical.
Communication and practice helps, but really it is just a sixth sense which I seemed to have lost.
I admit pierce does look guilt afterwards and he should have been closer to the paint but i still think its more KGs fault. The ball could still have been passed nearly under the basket for the bucket, or if pierce sags into the paint, billups could have curled off to the corner for a jumper. That is obviously better, but the point is you have to stop the open man. KG could have done it.
I think its weird that you either see the in-bounds defender either guarding the in-bounder face up, or facing away. Maybe pierce could have guarded the play better if he split the difference and could have seen billups coming.
Maybe they practice inbounds plays where the paint is shut off, so KG didnt bite on the cutter because he thinks hes covered. But he seems oblivious to what is happening behind him.
KGs decision comes 2 seconds into the video, billups is wide open 3 seconds in, rip doesnt come off the screen until 4 seconds in, play over.
According to the analysts on NBA TV last night, the play was Pierce’s fault for jumping the inbounds pass towards the 3 point line as opposed to the lane.
Take that for what it’s worth but probably doesn’t matter in the long run. Hopefully they learn from it and lets get on to taking games 3 and 4.
by CelticsPrideKG on May 23, 2008 3:33 PM EDT reply actions
“My philosophy would’ve been to protect the paint first, so obviously KG made the wrong decision if we use that philosophy”
“My philosophy would’ve been to act like I would have known what I was doing to make KG look like he wasn’t making 20 million more dollars a year than me.”
by bleedingreen on May 23, 2008 10:25 PM EDT reply actions





















