So…I’m reading Bret Dawson this morning on newsoksports an he’s quoting Billy Donovan talking about the inches we fight for in sports on every play. My jaw dropped. Because if ever there was a basketball team which doesn’t consistently fight for those inches…it’s this bunch he coaches in Oklahoma City.
By my count this team ranks near the bottom of the NBA in my category of ‘inch fighting’.
But I was somewhat heartened to at least see that Billy Donovan knows his team needs to be better in fighting for those inches a mere six inches in front of our faces every day.
My thought would be…the guys who finally showed to play defense in Game No. 80 in Houston need to find those inches tonight in Salt Lake or else they’re going to be down 2-1 in this series at around midnight.
In the NBA, teams which win Game 3 in a series tied 1-1 go on to win the series 73% of the time.
I’m thinking if were coaching this team…Paul George would be defending Donovan Mitchell and let Corey Brewer take Joe Engles. Just a thought from a casual fan.
You know, and some effort wouldn’t kill anyone.