The common practice is you go to your superstar when the game is on the line. That’s just the way it is in the NBA. Check out who gets paid the most and that’s the guy who’s usually going to take the last shot: Do or die, sink or swim.
Somehow that thinking is accepted regardless of outcomes. But that thinking is why the Knicks suffered a gut-wrenching 90-89 defeat to the Wizards on Friday night at the Garden.
Carmelo Anthony was having one of his worst games of the season. He had just six points at halftime, made just three of his first 12 shots, played the second half with a sore right shoulder and would finish with nine turnovers.
Meanwhile, J.R. Smith was enjoying his best night of the season, burying 3-point shots from all angles and looking very much like the player who won the Sixth Man award last season.
By the time it got to the final 12.7 seconds of the game, Smith had 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range. He was the most dominant player on the court.
Yet, when the Knicks got the ball trailing by one point with 12.7 seconds left, the decision was made to get the ball to Anthony and let him work a two-man game with Amar’e Stoudemire for the last shot. Smith was only in the equation if the defense collapsed and left the perimeter open.
Normally, there would be no second-guessing. But it has been well documented Anthony has struggled on his late-game shots all season, and he’d been struggling throughout the game because of the right shoulder first injured against Brooklyn on Wednesday night. If there was ever a time to let Smith take the shot, this was it.
Instead, Anthony took the ball from Raymond Felton and tried to work the pick-and-roll with Stoudemire. Former Knick Trevor Ariza offered interference. Suddenly the ball popped loose and was batted back. It wound up in the hands of Smith, who fired a desperation attempt that didn’t come close.
“I tried to run and get the ball,” Smith said. “I didn’t know how much time was left exactly when I caught it. So I just tried to get it out of my hands. I should have dumped it down to [Stoudemire] for an easy layup.”
Nothing comes easy for the Knicks in the final seconds of a game. Coach Mike Woodson said he called the play anticipating Anthony would be doubled and then make a pass Stoudemire.
“But he ended up splitting the pick-and-roll and bobbled the ball going down the lane,” Woodson said.
That’s the kind of night it was for Anthony, who finished with just 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting. He said after the game he had no strength in the shoulder, which is why he was “causing turnovers and things like that.” He said his shoulder may have been a factor in the turnover. “Maybe from not having the strength and getting the dribble that I wanted,” he said.
That begs the question why the outcome of the game was put on his shoulders.
“I felt I had clear lane going to the left,” Anthony said. “I just lost the ball.”
Smith said he was more than willing to take a scripted last shot. Most nights this season you would have cringed from that statement. But on this night, Smith had the hot hand.
“No matter who is out there, I always want the last shot,” he said speaking generally. “That’s what I do. Whoever’s got it going, I always want the last shot.”
Somehow Smith should have gotten the ball earlier and had a cleaner look. Instead, Anthony got the last shot, sore shoulder and all.