Back in October, Grantland’s Zach Lowe wrote about a bonkers experiment new owner Vivek Ranadive wanted to try with his Kings. The 4-on-5 defense with a cherry picker on the other end never materialized, but in the wake of Mike Malone’s firing, new reports leaked the strategy would be employed. Last night in Brooklyn it happened, but certainly not by plan.
The full video of the sequence is below, but we’ll map it out for you so you know it wasn’t be design — much as it’s amusing to think so. The Kings turn the ball over on offense with a palming call, and Reggie Evans plops down on the bench thinking DeMarcus Cousins has subbed in for him. Cousins was still checking in, so the Nets effectively played 5-on-4 before Reggie realized his error and got back on the court.
By that time the Kings already had the ball back and he was wide-open under the rim — just like Vivek DID NOT draw it up; Evans blows the jam anyway, while grousing he got fouled from behind.
But the Nets couldn’t capitalize on the four-man Kings defense. They missed a contested jumper, and Brook Lopez missed the tip after the easily winning the battle on the glass:
This is not a sound stratagem, as any halfway competent basketball watcher will tell you, but now Vivek has proof it doesn’t work. We’ll see if an example of its failure is enough to eliminate all those rumors he’s fascinated with the idea, but his track record proves he might just trade Reggie.
(Video The Brooklyn Game)
What do you think?
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