NBL GF: How ‘small ball’ propelled Jackies to one win from history
Jack McVeigh’s three-pointer was the highlight moment, but the seeds of the ‘small ball’ line-up which guided the Jackies to one win from a maiden title were sowed 14 years ago.
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The seeds of Tasmania JackJumpers’ miraculous game three victory over Melbourne United on Sunday were planted all the way back in 2010.
That year, JackJumpers coach Scott Roth was working as an assistant coach under Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson, renowned for using small ball line-ups that are often deployed with success nowadays.
With the JackJumpers trailing by seven at three quarter time and starting centre Marcus Lee ruled out with a leg injury, Roth decided to take a leaf out of Nelson’s book and go small.
It would be the move that kept the JackJumpers in the game and allowed Jack McVeigh the opportunity to produce an out-of-this-world matchwinner with a half-court heave for the ages.
“I should probably give a shout out to Don Nelson with small ball,” Roth said.
Stretch five Majok Deng made the JackJumpers small ball lineup work.
The 31-year-old, who usually plays at the four, all of a sudden became the focal point in the paint.
Such is Deng’s mobility, he was able to not only go to work inside, but have success from beyond the arc, draining two threes and forcing United into an uncomfortable small ball lineup themselves.
McVeigh owned the magical moment of the match-winning basket, but it was Deng who made it all possible with his remarkable 15 points in the fourth quarter.
“I just thought it was time for him to see if we can get him going and we came out of the huddle and drilled his first three on a set play that we just diagrammed,” Roth said.
“He’s a scorer and when he sees the ball go through, he’s obviously a deciding factor here.”
Roth is proud of Deng’s resilience to fight through injuries.
If Lee isn’t fit for game four, Deng will be called upon to repeat the dose.
“I think he’s proven over the course of time that he’s had moments,” Roth said.
“We wouldn’t be sitting here without his game two effort against Perth at home when we were kind of flat and he came in and got 17 or 18 points for us.
“He’s fought through injuries and been patient sitting over there, working hard every single day at practice.”
Roth praised the grittiness of his team and loves their never say die attitude.
He knows the third win in a best-of-five series is the hardest to obtain, but he wants the JackJumpers to seize the moment.
“It’s now or never,” he said.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever be back to this spot ever again.”
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