Mental focus in a game.

This post is not about lacrosse, but about the need to not just play hard but to understand what exactly are the team's needs in a game.

Here is an example of a pro basketball player not thinking about what the team needs:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/video-minnesota-martell-webster-forgets-dunk-isn-t-152607231.html



It happens to the best of us. There we are at work, with a mohawk. We use our considerable length and expert timing, as one of 450 professionals in our field amongst potential millions, to steal the ball and dash from one end of the court to another to possibly pull up for a 3-point basket (based on our ability to hit 37 percent of the shots we've taken from 24 feet and out over our seven-year NBA career). But in the heat of the moment and in that thin Denver air, we forget our team is down three points with mere seconds to go, and move in for a 2-point dunk attempt that sees us bounding through the air and throwing a basketball down into a goal that is perched 10 feet in the air. Typical Monday, for most of us. Not unlike Minnesota's Martell Webster: Oh, Martell. And Brad Miller's expression (at the 24-second mark of this clip) is the best, though we assume he sits and reacts like that through most Timberwolves games. Here's the team's explanation to Wolves beat writer Jerry Zgoda, working with the Minnesota Star Tribune, following the game: "We talked about we needed a three," Adelman said. "I think he caught the ball, stole it and maybe emotions got the best of him." Webster afterward said he was well aware of the time and situation. He said he hoped to either create a foul and 3-point play or score with enough time to foul the Nuggets yet again. "I don't know, I don't know if it was a mental thing, like I shot [a three] before that and didn't knock it down," said Webster, who missed a three with the score tied with 53 seconds left. "I just wanted to be aggressive, get to the rim, possibly get a foul. But I didn't. "Most people probably would have pulled up for the 3-point shot. Yeah, I can see why they would. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably pull up for a three. Why not?" Agreed. And Martell continued that positive tone following the game on his Twitter account. Salutations to him for that: (Courtesy twitter.com/MartellWebster) Thanks to Trey Kerby at The Basketball Jones for the heads-up on this.