I've seen the analogy be made that it is comparable to avoiding the grounding of a big vessel, say an ocean tanker. The sooner you act the smaller the course and velocity changes will have to be, the later the more extreme and violent they will have to be.

We're already well into the territory where we will in all likelihood not escape a grounding. But we can still choose the spot where we ground how much work it will be to get the boat afloat again once that happens.