Biting the clock also works for the Pacers

” I won’t talk about it anymore. The reasons for doing so are clear. Talking about internal strategy is not a good idea. “Rick Carlisle will not last long with a strategy that is increasingly prevalent in the league and is also used by his Pacers: bite the clock before “money-time”.

This tactic has historically been used by teams behind to score who, by delaying the trigger of possession for 24 seconds, aim not to “waste” time for the ball to reach the opponent half, in hopes of maximizing their chances of returning. .

Now, this funny little game, which the Celtics have mastered this season, is used in the opposite direction: a formation in the lead can scrounge for a few seconds to limit the playing time in which the opponent can benefit from the return.

Note that when the ball is put back in play, after a basket or layup, the 24-second timer starts only when the player touches the ball. Ditto for the count of eight seconds a team has to cross the halfway line. Otherwise, the game clock runs continuously, except for the whistle, until the last minute of the first, second and third quarters, and until the last two minutes of the fourth.

This led to the recent completely improbable sequence in which Ja Morant, who also often uses this “trick”, caused 30 seconds of play, facing a ” incredibly rebellious The Charlotte team as commentator, before Terry Rozier came in to push him to start the possession. For the record, this action took place at the end of the third quarter when the Grizzlies already had a lead of almost 30 points …

The smallest advantage is good to take

Sporty or not, this attitude doesn’t seem to bother some formations that simply take advantage of the rules in place. ” We try to do everything possible to win matches. If there’s a way to get any benefit out of the way you brush your teeth in the morning, we’re going to try it. », formulated Carlisle very well, where the team will be one of those who benefit the most from this approach.

This choice is also linked to the type of play the Pacers play and the response given by their opponents. With an average of 19 points, Indiana is the team with the most points on the counterattack. In other words, the opposite team will more naturally withdraw very quickly, with five defenders in their half of the field, instead of pressing all-terrain Tyrese Haliburton and others. This phenomenon makes it easy to eat the chrono.

” This makes sense in the course of a match. Especially if you need to get the ball back, you might as well let it roll. Opposing teams don’t really carry me all the way. They have to respect my ability to pass players as well as our strength in transition. They’re not really taking me, so let’s try to get the ball rolling, run the clock, I think that’s important “The second best passer in the league will be judged.

His replacement, TJ McConnell, makes sure one of the team’s assistants, Mike Weinar, puts the point here. Therefore, the Pacers should not deprive themselves in the future. ” If they don’t press us and force us to get the ball, we have to continue to enjoy it. When our opponents try to slow us down because of our speed and they force half-court play, it’s important for us to get as much time on the clock as possible. McConnell said.