Introduction
The Houston Rockets are playing the Memphis Grizzlies in a Western Conference matchup. Carmelo Anthony, the Rocket's power forward, receives the ball just outside the three point line on the left wing. He feints a shot, causing his defender to catapult into the air in an attempt to block a three-point attempt that doesn't come. While his defender flails in midair, Anthony takes one dribble inside the three point line, raises up for an uncontested shot, and drains it. Two points for the Rockets. As Anthony jogs back to the defensive end, he smiles, looks over to the Rocket's coaching staff, and mouths, "my bad." Why the need for an apology? Anthony stymied his defender and put two points on the board. The reason: you don't take long twos. For the Houston Rockets, the only acceptable shots are either three-pointers or a layups, everything else is analytically unsound |