Zak Irvin's struggles... Got to get better

I feel that way too. If the game is tied with the shot clock turned off and Michigan has the ball, there should be no way we lose in regulation IMO. I’d rather see a contested mid-range jumper as time expires than an open three from a terrible shooter with time left for our opponent to still score.

He also got hit on the follow through. Not for nothing they high fived us on almost every three ball attempt. Is the ball released? Yes technically but it’s s a foul still and alters the shot. Also when zak got the ball he was wide open he shot it with like 2.7 or so. It’s hard to have It in your head if you have time to pump fake dribble then kick. That leaves Duncan with little time. How bad does he look if he does that and Duncan doesn’t have time or has to catch and toss in the air? It was a wide open look where the defender high fives him on the shot. I can’t fault him.

Dylan literally just posted the video of the shot. You don’t have to lie about how much time was left when he shot it.

In fact:

Some people are really underestimating how long 5 seconds is.

Yep agree fully on being okay with a contested jumper last second. Personally I’m always a fan of trying to drive with 5-6 seconds left and see what happens. Although I was fine with that look and Zak taking it, but moreso if there was 3 seconds left.

There’s a lot that can happen in two seconds. We just saw a lucky play so I’m not necessarily calling that to light. But Mo kind of almost fouled going for the board if he hits his wrist/arm there, that could’ve been brutal. Also, look at DJs shot at Minny, Derrick got in front of the guy and could very easily have been called for a block.

He shot it with 4 seconds by that video. I was guessing by how much time they had when they first grabbed it which was 1.3 about where I thought he shot it which I thought was around 2.5-3. Either way I’m very comfortable with the look he took. I actually thought it was going in. I actually think Maar should hAve attacked himself with a full head of steam. Either way I really love what he did today. I thought he was pretty close to perfect all day in his decisions and the role I see him best in. Had he pump faked and something went bad or we got a rushed look I would have been pissed. Later on down the line if he starts to try and be a hero and screws us believe me I’ll be the first one ripping him. But I can’t fault him for that shot or anything he did today.

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Also they slapped him 5 on the follow through. For like the tenth time this game. Wish they would have called that a bit. Kinda frustrating cause it makes a three hard to hit when they can overplay it and high five you every shot.

Chris Balas agrees with some of us here.

He played good today. Absolutely. He can play good and still deserve criticism for that final play, though. I can promise you that even though we disagree, though, I’m not going to imply that you’ve never played organized sports though. I don’t expect everyone to agree on everything.

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“5 seconds is not enough to for a drive and kick”

Weird to hear any Michigan fan say that considering:

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McIntosh 's 6’3 and was the only person within range to contest 6’9 Duncan Robinson’s shot. I’d rather Robinson take a three over McIntosh as time expires than Irvin take one with time for Northwestern to still score. Even if you don’t think there was enough time for Irvin to drive or drive and kick (demonstrably false IMO), there was plenty of time to swing it for Robinson to shoot from the corner.

Passing up a good shot with 5 seconds left in order to take a more difficult, contested shot with less time is Lloydball, plain and simple. No one plays for overtime in basketball when you have the ball and the game is tied.

If Irvin tries to drive when he catches the ball, I think you end up with a step back jumper from the elbow. Maybe that goes in, maybe not.

This was the time to drive and get down hill IMO and MAAR seemed to kind of be hesitating to go anywhere. Maybe the best case scenario is MAAR sprints the ball up the court and you call a timeout with 8 seconds left and run something.

I don’t really see the swing to Duncan in the corner as an option when Irvin catches it, McIntosh is already on him. The difference between that and the Chatrman shot is that Chatman’s defender was in helpside for the pick and roll which drew him in.

It’s not the shot anyone would have drawn up, but you are gambling a bit by going unsettled in a spot like this. I’m generally okay with that gamble, but wish Walton had the ball in his hands rather than 20 feet behind the play.

I’m confused by the organized sports comment. Did I say something like that to you? Also after watching the play a few more times there was a lot more time than I originally thought. I’m still not upset by his shot but I see the point,

I think this is exactly why Beilein made the “you need stars to win on the road” comment.

Mostly lost in the last shot debate is the possession prior. Very hard to knock Walton for anything but that was a really bad possession and shot. Dylan reminded me of his last possession at Iowa too.

There’s not a guy who can air the ball out and go get himself a good look or get to the paint for a decent look. Zak has hit them in the past so that’s why I’m fine with him taking it, struggles and all.

This is the most well-reasoned post on the last sequence.

In that type of situation, I generally favor not calling the time out if you can attack before the defense gets set. You’re also almost twice as likely to draw a foul. I remember reading a study on offensive efficiency after timeouts versus in the run-of-play in the NBA (can’t find it now). The study concluded that not calling a time out is generally more effective. Obviously all end-of-game situations are unique, and I’d think JB would be one of the better coaches at drawing up a last-second play, but we got a good look.

Monday Morning QB’s are out in full force today.

I have a feeling Irvin didn’t realize there were exactly 5 seconds on the clock when he shot it nor had the luxury of freeze framing and analyzing each option.

I would have liked him to either drive at McIntosh and kick but I think it still would have been a contested three. OR pump fake and see if his defender leaves his feet. But the way he shot it, I think he thought there was less time on the clock and that may be the only opportunity to get a clear shot. I can’t blame him for that. Also Northwestern played excellent transition defense from matching up to funneling MAAR, playing helpside and rotating to their men.

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People suffer from outcome bias – judging a decision based on the outcome. You have to judge decisions based on what you know at the time. Would it have been better for MAAR to get Walton the ball or to drive? Maybe, but getting out and going quick is not a bad decision, and Zak was wide open. Should Zak have used a shot fake and drove/looked for an open elbow jumper? Maybe. But he had a wide open look and had been shooting the ball well, and it’s one thing to be aware of the clock and another to know whether there is 4.1 or 5.1 seconds. And you also give yourself a chance to get that rebound – if Wagner holds his position he probably gets the board and has a good look.

And who knows what happens in some other scenario. Was it perfectly played? No. But it’s easy to pick out a couple last second plays that worked. I’ve watched countless times in that situation where a team seems a total mess and gets nothing. MAAR and Zak made pretty good decisions. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. They didn’t play quite well enough and got a couple bad breaks to be in that position in the first place.

I felt bad for Zak because he played a good game and it would’ve been really nice for him, especially with his recent struggles.

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