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[QUOTE="reedny, post: 1247886, member: 1423"]
Well I do understand (and agree with) limiting possessions in the last 4 or 5 minutes. This pressures the opponent -- because you're denying them enough possessions to close the gap (it only works with a lead, obviously).

My issue is, with a first half lead, we have to come out and play aggressively down the stretch -- the same way that got us the lead in the first half. MG needs to drive, TC needs to drive, get the ball down low to Rak, let TR crash the offensive glass ... etc. We're certainly not "deep", but when we have superior athletes we should be able to match the other team's intensity level at the 30 or 35 minute mark, not just the 10 minute mark. That's the next step. We've shown we can take it to the house in the first half. Now it's time to come out just as hard in the second. We won't always have a big lead as the schedule gets tougher. And even against teams we should beat, there are going to be runs (especially on the road), TO's and the like. That's basketball. But in games we should win, coming out flat or playing tentatively after half time invites the other team to pressure us and drive the lane. The Refs are happy to whistle us out of the game; while the other team gains confidence and plays above it's talent level. This was the recipe in the V-Tech and Nova games. Neither should have been close.
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