We\u2019re back! Welcome to the five highest-IQ plays of the week!<\/p>\n
Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game.<\/p>\n
Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one\u2014one being the smartest\u2014and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from December 24th to December 31st are considered. The C\u2019s went 3-1 this week, with wins over the Bulls, Kings and Clippers and a loss to the Nuggets.<\/p>\n
5. Using slowness to your advantage<\/p>\n
Anthony Edwards once said that he learned his slow-step move from Luka Garza, and people laughed. But Garza has long been using his lack of athleticism as an advantage. Here, Batum gets completely confused and jumps way too early to contest Luka\u2019s layup. I don\u2019t blame him, though; Garza throws an incredibly heady and convincing up-fake during his first step (this is known as a pinoy step), and he uses a super slow second step to take advantage of Batum\u2019s poor timing. Special stuff from Garza.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll often hear coaches tell players not to throw cross-court passes, especially those with lots of air time. But here, White knows a lollipop pass is the only way for the ball to get through to the corner without being intercepted, and he throws it early enough that the defender doesn\u2019t have enough time to react to it\u2014he literally passes Hauser open. Furthermore, Garza makes an incredible last-second exit screen to buy Hauser some time, making for an awesome zone buster.<\/p>\n
3. Blind pig and then some<\/p>\n