CLIP
UCManny hits a killer three from the corner to increase Magic Gaming’s lead to six over Celtics Crossover Gaming.
This three isn’t a miraculous shot a finely crafted play. It’s simply Fab pinching on a KontruL dribble penetration; UCManny, Fab’s mark, fades to the corner, and KontruL finds him.
Really, this spotlights a trend throughout the league. It’s not just about pinching off shooters—acceptable and worthwhile, if you know how to do it quickly. It’s about creating space for yourself as a shooter.
Some pure sharpshooters, or off-ball players using a shooting build, are really good at. All it takes is a second of lapsed concentration by the defender, pinch or not, to slide a couple steps to the corner to create room for a catch-and-shoot.
Here’s the Grizz’s DDouble doing it to the Heat:
He goes just as AuthenticAfrican penetrates. He gets the room, and, though the release is slow, nails the three.
It’s worth it to work in a little movement, because it gets you the possibility of an open three. Catching the defense unaware is a very worthwhile endeavour, and sometimes all it takes is a few well-timed steps off-ball.
It pays not to be a pylon.
