NBAC: Defensively, what do coaches tell their teams in close games? Do you point out who the hot players are, specific team strategies, or tendencies?

Smart: As you get into a close ball game down the stretch, you have already identified who the hot guys are. More than anything, you are trying to keep your team alert to rebound and take care of the basketball. I think those are some key points you can identify. We must secure every rebound down the stretch and we must take care of the basketball, we can't have any unforced turnovers. Players can't be losing concentration down the stretch of a ball game. NBA players make some mistakes but, for the most part, those guys are pretty locked in and focused down the stretch.

NBAC: How closely is the coaching staff paying attention to fouls and free throws?

Smart: Within your coaching staff you have someone who's trying to keep you alert if your team is in the bonus. If we're close to the bonus or in the bonus we're trying to get to the foul line to keep the heat on the opposing team. Offensively, teams want to keep the heat on their better players because sometimes in a close ball game the best offensive player is not going to foul you because he knows he's very important offensively for his team.

The emphasis would be on "let's get to this foul line down the stretch and chew up some clock". If we're behind one great thing to do is to get to the foul line so that you can shoot some free throws without time moving on the clock. You can kind of cut at your opponent's lead that way without wasting valuable seconds.

Smart knows about pressure shots. While playing for Indiana University, he made a last-second jumper against Syracuse (and future pros such as Derrick Coleman, above) to win the 1986 NCAA Championship. (NBAE Photos)

NBAC: How much do the fans, the noise and the hometown advantage come into play?

Smart: When you're at home and you're making a push to try and catch up in the ball game, the crowd energizes you and you forget about the fact you played a long hard game. The team is fighting for the last couple of minutes of the game to try and get this win for the hometown crowd.

On the road, you're fighting an uphill battle because you're dealing with the team that's on the floor but also the deafening crowd noise. Often, you can't clearly communicate the plays that you're trying to get across to your players. From a coach's standpoint, you may see some things that your players don't and you may want to adjust the play that your point guard has called out. However, because of the noise in that arena, the message doesn't get relayed to your point guard.

NBAC: Are there certain players who you always want to have in at the end of the game?

Smart: Coaches deal with scouting their own team during the course of the season and coming up with combinations that work real well down the stretch. Your statisticians have given you data that this particular group of players works extremely well down the stretch in a close ball game. You try and go with those kind of combinations and hopefully you pull a win out, especially on the road. You have a different set of combinations of players that play well at home down the stretch and you have the different group that plays on the road well. You try to go with a combination that gives you the greatest chance of winning, at home and on the road.

NBAC: Who do you think are some of the best players to have at the end of the game?

Smart: One of the great players at the end of a game just came back: Michael Jordan. Right now, guys like Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are some of the league's best clutch players.

Jason Kidd puts the heat on the opposing team because of the way he pushes the basketball and keeps his players moving because they know they are going to receive the basketball.

Glenn Robinson and Latrell Sprewell are guys who can create their own shots. You want players that can put the heat on the team defensively because they have the ability to get to the basket, get fouled, but they also have the ability to take the jump shot as well. The bonus plays a big part down the stretch, because you want to get yourself to the position where the guy with the basketball can keep the pressure on the defensive team, because he's going to get two foul shots or he's going to get a bucket. At this level, these guys are pretty good when they have the basketball and they have space to work with.

(Former Cavs player) Andre Miller has shown that down the stretch he wants the basketball, the team knows he wants the basketball, and he's strong and can finish plays. He also shoots free throws real well. Andre has a knack of getting to the basket against better defenders; he's what we call a "late-gamer". Late in the game, we know, as coaches, Andre has the ability to make plays by creating off the dribble. When he gets to the basket, he's looking to finish the play because a foul may not be called. Andre creates a lot of three-point plays by how he attacks the rim first. Often he's being guarded by the opposing team's best point guard and this player has to stay in the game too, so he can't afford to foul him.

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