MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 05 May) — Scoring from the three-point line has become a crucial weapon in winning basketball games. From the Philippine Basketball Association to the National Basketball Association, and even in international amateur tournaments, teams have made it an indispensable part of their arsenal.
A closer look at many NBA games, for example, would show that while the ball moves around, at least two shooters would position themselves outside the rainbow territory, ready to receive passes and make the shot if inside plays fail to materialize. They wait while the point guard, center and a cutter try to execute a high-percentage attempt inside the paint or from mid-range.
Guarding a three-point shooter can be tricky. The defensive player couldn’t get too close to the shooter without risking a foul, either by tripping on the latter’s foot or hitting his hand or any part of his body. Note that either contact is considered a foul even after the ball is released.
Sometimes making a three-point shot is the only option left, like when the opponents are ahead by at least three points and time is running out. But for some it’s not just an option, there are teams that live and die with [their] three-point shots.
In the NBA the list includes the Golden State Warriors, where the most reliable triggermen are Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. In fact, in Game 1 of their second round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers the Warriors sank 21 of 53 three-point attempts, an equivalent of 63 points. That’s more than half of their 112-point output in that home court loss.
It was Curry’s triple that tied the game, 112 all, at the 1:38 mark. The Lakers regained the lead with a basket from D’Angelo Russell with 1:05 to go. The final score was 117-112.
The Warriors tried to come back but missed three three-point shots on one possession. Call it pressure or bad luck, but even with open looks at the basket, Thompson and Curry failed to make those shots when it mattered most.
Sadly, too, for the Warriors, they only made five of six free throws against the Lakers’ 25 of 29. The disparity suggests the failure of the Warriors to contain the Lakers inside the paint, arguably the deciding factor of that game. Apparently, LeBron James and company capitalized on their size and physicality to counter the home team’s edge in perimeter shooting.
Playoffs are all about making adjustments. However, it’s certain that the Warriors will never abandon three-point shots as a primary weapon. If they can maintain a good percentage from the arc and improve on their defense, the series can go either way.
(Body and Sole is the author’s sports and fitness column. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com)
