MILWAUKEE -- The Sacramento Kings made a valiant comeback attempt on Saturday night. They trailed 14-0 early, and by as much as 23 points in the second quarter. But with less than two minutes to go, it was a 1-point game. Unfortunately for them, the Bucks then pulled away, winning 109-104.
However, we're not here to talk about the game as a whole, but rather one specific play from the second quarter. With about 5½ minutes to play in the frame, the Kings took the ball out of bounds along the baseline. Including the inbounder (Vince Carter), they lined up in essentially a 1-3-1 formation, with Garrett Temple out at the top of the key.
To initiate the play, Willie Cauley-Stein turns to set a screen for Temple, who cuts toward the basket.
After Temple has cut down, Carter gets the ball in to WCS near the elbow. The big man then executes a dribble handoff with De'Aaron Fox, who cuts up from the corner. Meanwhile, Temple turns to the weak-side corner, and pretends to set a screen for George Hill, and Carter steps inbounds.
At this point, it certainly appears to the defense that the play is going to the right. That's the way Fox is moving, and Temple appears to be setting a screen for Hill in the right corner.
However, it's actually a little misdirection action. As WCS and Fox execute the dribble handoff, Temple then turns and cuts back toward the strong-side corner. When he does so, Carter, who has stepped inbounds, sets a screen for him. Brogdon gets caught ball watching, and is slow to react to Temple's cut back the other way.
Running along the baseline, Temple then gets another screen from WCS, and finds himself wide open in the corner. Fox alertly whips him the ball.
Temple takes his time, sets his feet, and hits the open look.
Now, this was merely one second-quarter basket during one regular-season game. In terms of importance in the season, it's pretty low. The Kings didn't even win.
Still, it was a really nifty little set, and sometimes it's just fun to break down cool plays.
