Mavericks (24-21) at Celtics (23-24) Game #48 3/31/21

[SDceltGuy]

Oh, totally, but he basically threw it above the square. It is almost as if he didn't know that he actually needed to hit the rim. It was really off. For somebody who is actually a decent shooter when he has space/time, as well as very good passer, this attempt was...not great.

Seems like something teams should practice once a season. 
Quick article on missing intentionally.  Article also mentions intentional lane violation - something I've never heard of or seen. 

https://coachbobwalsh.com/2019/06/06/the-best-way-to-miss-a-free-throw-on-purpose/

[footey]

After Smart brain fart in the jump ball v Pelicans, I would not be surprised if he didn't even realize he needed to hit the rim to have a chance. His slam against the backboard was not within a foot of the rim, it was pathetic.

[td450]

I had to step out at halftime, I see they did their usual "wake up when 20 pts down and do a last minute charge that falls short" again. Haven't watched the 2nd half on DVR yet but watched Post Game and Perk really got stuck into Mo Wagner, saying he did "absolutely nothing but pick up crazy fouls and mess up everyone's positioning" and questioning when Wagner was bumbling through the 3rd qtr "at what point does Brad look at this and say 'maybe I need to take Wagner out and put Kornet in'...at what point does he stop being passive and actually do something when the game is slipping out of reach?"

Was Wagner really that bad? He was pretty bad in the first quarter, I didn't know how he could end up being even worse. And was Brad too passive (again)?

Perk is, after all, the expert at doing absolutely nothing besides getting in the way and picking up fouls

Tonight we had Sad Brad at the podium...

"The most frustrating part is we let adversity take us out of what we're doing for too long," Stevens said. ... "It's just the same old story. It's like, 12-minute droughts because we don't respond. ... "We've got to respond better in the middle of the game, and we just haven't. That's the bottom line. I feel bad that the new guys are hearing this because they don't deserve it, because they haven't been a part of it, but it's been the same old script. ...

"They took us out of it and they forced us, because that's probably our reputation to not respond for 10 to 12 minutes,"  Stevens added. "And that changed the game."

https://youtu.be/P8i_Pjs3E1Q

What does he mean by adversity? Getting outplayed is adversity?

The body language vibe Kemba was giving off in the first half was creepy.  Stevens should have called timeout and benched him. He was that bad. I had expected him to be a mature guy and a leader, but he really doesn't bring any of that at all.

I also don't understand the Wagner/Kornet thing. One guy is clearly better suited to playing a role on this team right now and that's Kornet. Its not close.

[Donoghus]

I remember hitting a free throw once in game when I was purposely trying to hit the rim & miss.

Trying to purposely miss a free throw is a weird mind screw.

Still I would hope a professional would do a better job at it than a middle school aged kid did back in the day.

[100% Celt]

What was the purpose of Smart deliberately missing the last free throw? I get he was trying to hit the rim and missed but what would the purpose of hitting the rim be? Only logic I can think of is so that somebody else could catch it and move out to have a shot at three?

They were down three at the time. With no timeouts left, it made more sense to try and get the offensive rebound and a 3 than to hope the Mavs miss one of theirs and we are able to hit a half-court shot to tie the game. I have no idea why Marcus Smart messed that up so much, but the game was pretty much over at that point anyway...so whatever.

Thanks. I thought it was that but wasn't sure.