“Split The Show”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfndMG6ulF8]

If you heard any of the post game comments last night… you heard people talking about Paul Pierce "splitting the show."  That video is the perfect example of what they are talking about.

In the play… LeBron James is guarding Paul Pierce… and PJ Brown sets the pick. 

Zydrunas Ilgauskas comes out to "show his numbers"… which means he steps out to a point where the number on the front of his jersey is facing Paul Pierce.  Its meant to impede the ballhandler's progress… and give the guy who got picked a chance to recover. 

In game 6… the "Show" worked.  The ballhandler backed off… sometimes almost to half court… and the offense stalled.  When Paul "split the show"… he anticipated a very aggressive show from the screener's defender.  In the video, you see Z step out to "show"… and Paul immediately hit the open gap and went into the lane.

When you show on the pick, you've got to be tight… but the Cavs often weren't.  They left just enough space for Paul to split it… and get past both defenders (because LeBron is still being picked).  It's a split second judgement on the ballhandler's part to know that he's going to have space… and the ability to attack that space and create a 4 on 3 situation below the foul line.  With Zydrunas out of the way, there was really no defender to challenge Pierce… and he got the easy layup.