Better execution without the timeout would have improved their chances. (For example, any play that resulted in a shot being taken would have improved their chances). To me, the fact that they could not execute a play that resulted in a shot there strongly weighs in favor of the timeout.I will accept your language. There is still no proof that it would have *improved* their chances. It may well have but nobody here can say for sure, yet folks feel pretty sure of their view.
Forgive me if I am open to the argument that the best chance there is against a scrambling defense and lesser personnel. I am not saying its correct but its a strategy NBA teams use regularly.
Again, I would have called a timeout there but I am not confident at all that it would have improved the team's shot at winning.
Maybe Mazzulla is right to want to go off the made basket, but wrong (for now) to think his players are able to execute that play.