May 6, 2010

Game 2 Preview: Hawks vs. Magic, or Isolation vs. the 3-Ball


Playoff basketball is a much different beast than the regular season brand of basketball. Veterans playing +40 minutes a game, stadiums full of fans, final scores being under 100 and lots of other weird things we don't see when no one really cares during the first 82 games. All of these things help teams win, you can see most of the elite teams (see: Spurs, Lakers, Celtics) all use these tactics to give themselves a better chance at winning.

One thing that we are used seeing in the regular season that really doesn't work come playoff time is the isolation offense. It was the offense that the Mavericks used when they lost as a #1 seed, and it's the offense that gave the Hawks their biggest playoff loss a few days ago in game one.

The offense that the Magic use focuses on two things - 3 pointers (usually from the corner) and shots at the rim (usually dunks.) The Spurs focus on getting these types of shots, the triangle offense tends to result in shots at the basket and open threes, and clearly it has been working for these teams.

This series won't come down to the players in the end, the coaching and systems will decide how the cards fall. Orlando's ball movement allows the whole team to get involved, rather than letting their individual talents decide the fate of the team. Look for the Magic to win again tonight, and in a big way.

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