Luke Walton allowing Damian Lillard to attempt a potential game-tying 3-pointer in closing seconds is baffling

While you’re the Sacramento Kings, you do not go nitpicking wins. They do not come round usually sufficient. However I do not play or coach or work for the Kings and I am not a fan of the Kings, so I can nitpick all I need, and I’ve to say, for all good feels of beating the Blazers on the street of their season-opener on Wednesday, the truth that Luke Walton allowed Damian Lillard to stand up a possible game-tying 3-pointer, quite that instructing his gamers to foul, as the ultimate seconds ticked off, was completely inexcusable. 

It by no means ought to’ve been that shut. The Kings led by as many as 17 factors within the fourth quarter. They led by 5 with 19 seconds to play. Solely the Kings can almost be derailed by throwing away an inbounds move shortly after De’Aaron Fox had the ball stolen by his personal shoe:

Nonetheless, after a pair of Harrison Barnes free throws, the Kings managed to emerge from their meltdown with a three-point lead and eight.8 seconds to play. All they needed to do was foul. Drive Portland to shoot two free throws. The one and solely factor that might screw this factor up could be letting Damian Lillard — who we all know has a number of game-tying/profitable 3-pointers on his resume as most likely probably the most clutch shooter to ever stroll the earth — to aim a possible game-tying shot. 

What coach of their proper thoughts would let that occur?

Luke Walton, that is who. 

And we’re not speaking a couple of bang-bang sequence during which you would perceive Walton being cautious towards fouling Lillard as he went into the act of capturing proper off the catch. Lillard took the inbound move about 90 ft from the basket and sauntered up the courtroom with Moe Harkless simply shadowing him. Harkless had on a regular basis on the earth to foul. Walton had on a regular basis on the earth to inform his crew what to do through the free throws. As an alternative, watch as Lillard simply walks proper into the patented step-back that he has drilled time and again all through his profession. 

Are you kidding me? You are the Sacramento Kings. You’ve got a preciously uncommon street win towards a high-quality crew within the palm of your hand, and you are going to simply permit Lillard the possibility to upend all of the work you probably did with a single shot that he makes in his sleep? This crew cannot get out of its personal method. That’s shedding basketball. Shedding teaching. Plain and easy. Heck, Walton was even quoted after the sport saying that Lillard goes to make that shot “most nights.” 

You may’t make these items up. Walton knew Lillard, even when he was 0-fo- 8 from 3 at that time, was a very good wager to make that shot, and he nonetheless let him shoot it. He was actually asking to lose that sport for his crew. He is fortunate he did not. However luck would not final lengthy. Not in Sacramento, a minimum of. Again when Walton was teaching the Warriors to a 24-0 begin whereas Steve Kerr could not sit up, he had this sort of leeway. All he needed to do was put a tie on and watch the Splash Brothers drown everybody. Now he has to really coach, and never simply due to this determination, the prospects of that understanding for the Kings hasn’t appeared good for some time.