Part 4/6:
Duke's decisions towards the final moments also faced scrutiny. The strategic choice not to apply double coverage on Houston's key player, Cooper, was baffling. Other decisions, such as playing straight up instead of fouling, further solidified the arguments against Duke’s management during crunch time.
Yet, amidst the harsh analysis, one must also recognize Houston's resilience. Their ability to capitalize on Duke’s mistakes spoke volumes about their mentality. They successfully harnessed the pressure, and unlike Duke, displayed remarkable poise in high-leverage situations.