The title of this article is one of my favorite quotes by Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the show The Big Bang Theory.  I really relate to it.  For reasons way beyond my comprehension, I see sports on a much higher level than everyone else seems to.  I don’t know why this is but the people who play, coach, manage, and cover sports just don’t understand concepts that seem so obvious to me and clearly make the most sense.  I am going to rant about these as they come up.  Last night’s Celtics loss to the Hawks is a great example of one of these coming up.  I’ll explain. 

Usually, when a Celtics’ game comes down to the last possession, they will run out the clock and try to make a buzzer beater.  Most likely on a Tatum clear out.  When they miss, everyone who covers the game, and at least most of the fans will complain about their decision to run out the clock.  They will insist that the right thing to do is to go fast so that if you miss the shot, you can get an offensive rebound or foul and have the other team shoot free throws and then get another chance.  They insist “you have to extend the game”.  That sounds good but is completely wrong. 

If you notice, they never mention what happens if you go early and make the shot.  Last night, we found out what happens.  Going early and extending the game only works, and is only necessary, if you miss the shot. As I have been pointing out for years, if you go early and make the shot, you’re screwed. Now the other team has the ball and gets to take the last shot.  And like last night, they get to win the game.  I can’t tell you how many times I sat here watching the game when the Celtics have gone early and pointed out that they are going to lose and sat here and watched the other team come down and make the game winner. 

It’s an easy concept, you want the last shot.  You want the ball in your hands as the clock expires.  You do NOT want to give the other team a chance to make the game winner.  Especially nowadays when guys routinely pull up from 30 plus feet out and make shots in the middle of the game, never mind at the end.  A month ago, Max Strous hit a game winning buzzer beater from 59 feet away.  If you don’t know, that’s the wrong side of half court.  Is that going to happen all the time?  No.  But why risk it.  The point is you don’t want to lose on a lucky shot.  And he only had to throw it in from that deep because Cleveland was out of time outs.  Usually, a team has a time out left and just has to inbound the ball from half court.  Setting up a very common shot to win the game.

Basketball is an offensive game.  The offense has the ball, the basket never moves, it’s illegal for the defense to touch the offense.  It’s a game of scoring.  Especially this era with all the three-point shooting.  Relying on getting a stop in this day and age is a low EV play.  Sorry, it’s a play that has a very slim chance of working.  Be proactive and be the team going for the win. 

Now, is the iso Tatum play the way to go at the end of games?  Well, that’s a conversation for another day.  Today I just wanted to rant about this really poorly thought-out idea that is shared by the entire basketball world.