JJ is one of the world's best 1P players. Because the 1-ball bank into the stack is such a strong shot, but yet he did not shoot it, he must have determined that the proper bank angle was not there. And that shot too would have broken up the wired combo to Efren's hole.
The way the stack was situated would make me a little nervous coming 2 rails into it, because I'd be afraid of something leaking out. I don't know if would even have occurred to me. As it happened the shot did leave a cut on the 9.
Again, I'd probably have looked hard a several shots, including the 8, but in the end I'd probably 2-rail the 9 and try to leave the CB a little lower on the rail.
~Doc