After the Damian Lillard trade, the stakes have been set high for the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though the team lost Jrue Holiday,?Dame‘s inclusion has changed the dynamics of the Eastern Conference. Moreover, in a recent podcast, NBA legend Gilbert Arenas compared the trade to Kevin Durant‘s 2016 Golden State Warriors trade. Additionally, he also laid out a special strategy for Giannis Antetokounmpo & Co during the clutch moments of the game in the upcoming season.
During his 11-season-long career with the Portland Trail Blazers, Lillard has produced several clutch plays. Especially the 7x NBA All-Star buzzer beater three-pointer to win a playoff series against the Houston Rockets in 2014 stands out. Similarly, after his Bucks’ deal, Arenas plotted a similar role for the star. Besides that, he also gave the major reason behind his decision.
Gilbert Arenas’s clutch strategy for Damian Lillard & Co
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Over the years, NBA legend Gilbert Arenas has emerged as one of the most respected analysts of the game. Through his show,?Gil’s Arena,?he dissects and lays down strategies for the games. In the latest episode of his show, he reflected on the Dame trade to the Bucks. Firstly, he compared it to KD’s 2016 Dubs trade. Secondly, he preferred Khris Middleton to play the No.3 option like Klay Thompson did for the Dubs during the KD era.
However, when it came down to No.1 and No.2 options, Arenas had a different strategy. He wanted Damian Lillard to be second option for the first 43 minutes, but number in last two minutes. He added,?“Last Minutes Of the Game Dame is the number one option absolutely and you know Giannis is the second one.”
He also reasoned why he chose Dame as the number one option in the clutch situation. It is Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s poor free throw record. Moreover, he compared the situation to the Lakers’ trouble with Shaquille O’Neal. He said,?“The Lakers couldn’t pass the ball down to Shaq because they’re gonna foul him. He got to shoot free throws right.
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Shaq always had issues with his free throw. Eventually, it turned into a strategy called Hack-a-Shaq for the opponent teams.
What is Hack-a-Shaq?
It is a strategy used by the defense team to intentionally foul a player with a poor free-throw record during clutch situations. This will lead the opponents to miss out on two points along with the ball possession. According to Rookie Road, this strategy was originally formed by former head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, Don Nelson. However, over the years, it received criticism across the NBA world, as it questioned the spirit of the game.
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What do you make Gilbert Arenas’ strategy for the Bucks? Let us know in the comments below.