"The endgame is where you have to know a lot." - Garry Kasparov, Chess Grandmaster
What artificial intelligence says. One option for a baseline out of bounds play with only 3 seconds remaining and the score tied would be to inbound the ball to a player cutting towards the basket for a quick layup or shot attempt. Another option would be to inbound the ball to a player who can catch and shoot quickly, such as a 3-point shooter. The key is to get the ball in quickly and give the player a chance to score before time expires.
Brad Stevens studied over a 1,000 endgames looking for edges.
Here are some actions that worked and why.
1. Reverse. I think of it as the reverse of America's Play, where the corner player screens for the inbounder. It's always about finding the right combination of players who can execute.
2. Gonzaga box. Diagonal screen and "the screener is the second cutter."
3. Fence. Here's the 'small' fence with multiple options. The first play is run to bring the cutter off the screen. The second allows the cutter to basket cut instead. And the third uses screen-the-screener action.
4. Triangle. This is another version of baseline overload which mostly won't get a layup but will get an open corner 3. It depends on the inbounder read and the actions of x3 and x5.
5. Lion. It's the opposite of Tiger (lining the players across the free throw line.
6. "4" uses screen-the-screener action out of a box set. We once scored FIVE times in a game with this.
7. "33." Another box set slip action. It has to be 'set up' with previous back screen actions and requires 3 to sell the screen and to cut urgently.
8. 54 Blast. Screening the middle is one key, along with timing.
