Radnicki KG was about 3 min to secure place in Euroleague. Coach Nikolic come in this semifinal game with better plan than opponent, both in defense and offense. But what has happened at the end, they was simple beatten by themself.
The big lesson from this game are little things. What realy make deference from looser and winner is the little things and those positive or negative always have a big impact on final score.
For example small detail: if instedad to drive stright to the basket player just change direction, the final outcome of the game I'm sure would be different.
With 3 min to go and 7pts up, Radnicki showed unconsistency both in offense and defense. It's adlways said that a bad offense lead into bad defense and reverse.
Radnicki haried up in all of their 8 possesion and has been beatten on defensive board, they also made bad decisions with the ball. First of all, let see some stats:
Above is stats from full game and also from the last 3 minutes. But what realy had big influence on Radnicki loss?
When you up 7 at the end of the game, usualy the clock is your greatest enemy, not opponent. You don't need to look for open 3, just slow down pace, be double focused, mentaly tough and execute plan to the end of the game.
Defense
Coach Nikolic prepared great strategy in defense, limiting the best C.Zvezda player, Rakocevic (see Breakdown C.Zvezda 3's) from the touching the ball and provoked other opponent players to be wide open and shoot from long range.
It's tottaly brought out C.Zvezda of off the game and it payed off, specialy in 4th quarter, what put Radnicki on the edge over opponen.
What Radnicki did wrong during the entire game is failed to box out and rebound missed shot.
Offense
During the game they realy did an exelent job playing single pick and roll.
Coach Nikolic employed various options from horns aligment.
Radnicki has protected better the ball than C.Zvezda (14 turnovers), commited only 10 turnovers. But they commited 4 of them in the last 3 min of the game.
In my oppinion Radnicki commited 2 more turnovers in the last 3 min, see how:
Turnover 1
PG Capin(showed lack of court vision) was loked on his long drive from the top to the baseline and finished without good angle to pass, only option was open player on the top of the key, but he hasn't seen him.
Turnover 2
After good isolation on the low block Bryan(lack of footwork) hasn't recognised that he's corraled by 3 opponents, instead he commited travel. Notice, shot clock and time left.
Turnover 3
Almost 7 sec to the end of shot clock Markovic(lack of patience and shot selection) pulled and missed contested 3's. Statisticaly it's missed shot but for me it is bad shot selection and it's turnover.
Turnover 4
Once more, Capin penetrated from the top toward the baseline and it was the prety same situations when he previously commited turnover but this time he falled down.
Turnover 5
C.Zvevda did a good job in defense coraling opponents big players when they have the ball. Bircevic had options to pass the ball, he lowered the ball and opportunity left, there were 3 wide open playes.
Turnover 6
It was last possesion, Radnicki was 1 down and 7 sec to go. C.Zvezda decide to defend possesion, however it was full court possesion it was ridicoulous decision but worked because Markovic huried up and 4 sec to the end he passed to White. Opponent defender desperatly scrambled to close out and he was in unbalanced situation to defend drive, but White pulled 3's and win has gone.
It was enough time to make a better angle for shot or force defense to commit foul or sink 2 pointers.
Radnicki haven't sized momentum and won a game, however opportunity was great. Mainly because of players lack of killing instict.
I very appreciate what once legendary coach Bob Knight said: "Win favours those who are better prepared".
But we know that is not true at all, at least watching this game?
.bmp)
