NBA: Duncan feels uneasy coaching Warriors

Chapter 174 Su Chen's Defense Plan

The views of the commentary team are actually similar to the mainstream views these days.

In the past few days, the outside world is basically unanimously optimistic about the Spurs in the games between the two teams, thinking that the Timberwolves' defense will not work in the Spurs.

This Timberwolves is not a strong offensive team. They basically rely on defense to win games.

The number of fast breaks of the Timberwolves ranks among the top three in the league, but the Timberwolves' fast breaks also stand above the defense.

For this kind of fast break team, the Spurs are experienced.

The slow pace of the Spurs, once the Timberwolves are dragged into a positional battle, it will be difficult for the Timberwolves to have any effective tactics.

Moreover, although the Timberwolves entered the Western Conference finals and were second in the Western Conference during the regular season, they always feel that the Timberwolves have not received any formal challenges.

The regular season itself is not very convincing, and then both the Blazers and the Warriors are suppressed in lineup style.

Su Chen was very calm on the sidelines.

Su Chen also knew something about the outside world's comments on the Timberwolves.

But Su Chen didn't care too much. The outside world thought it was reasonable. After all, there were indeed some teams that reached the Eastern Conference finals and were swept away.

The opponents who advance all the way are all leak-seeking.

But Su Chen knew very well that the Timberwolves were not such a team.

At this time, the game is about to start.

Su Chen and Popovich briefly shook hands before the game. Popovich wanted to say some flattering words to test Su Chen, but Su Chen didn't say much and just smiled.

Seeing Su Chen like this, Popovich was not annoyed either.

Originally, this was a battle between the two sides. At this time, there is no favor to talk about. Both sides are enemies.

"Let me see how you are different from last season."

Popovich looked at Su Chen's back and thought.

The two were not only opponents last season, but this season, Popovich snatched the best coach is also a hot topic.

Su Chen's votes have been announced. Originally, this season brought the Timberwolves to the second place in the Western Conference, and they have a good chance of getting the best coach.

But not only did he not get the best coach, but it was also a humiliating vote, only getting a few votes.

For Su Chen, if he could win Popovich in this match, it would be a slap in the face of those favored coaches in the league.

However, everyone is not very optimistic about Su Chen's ability to do this. This is too difficult.

soon.

The starting players from both sides walked into the field.

Spurs starting lineup: Thiago Splitter (C), Tim Duncan (PF), Kawhi Leonard (SF), Danny Green (SG), Tony Parker (PG)

Timberwolves starting lineup: Serge Ibaka (C), Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF), Luol Deng (SF), Robert Covington (SG), Jimmy Butler (PG) )

The Spurs' lineup is the five-man team with the highest efficiency in the league today.

This is not only the reason for Leonard's rapid growth, but also the reason why Thiago Splitter and the Spurs are better integrated.

Thiago Splitter's strong body and improved pick-and-roll quality make him very integrated no matter whether he is partnered with Parker Ginobili or Leonard.

With Duncan as the pivot, he can also maintain a certain efficiency of cutting inside the basket.

At the same time, Danny Green's defensive level has also increased, and the three-point stability has also improved.

Although the Spurs' GDP is one year older, the newcomers of the Spurs have also grown and filled.

The two sides perform a jump ball.

Duncan jumped to the first possession for the Spurs.

Parker got the ball and advanced with the ball.

The Spurs tonight are very determined to play inside. Whether it is Ibaka or Giannis Antetokounmpo, their single defense ability is not enough to fight Duncan.

Duncan directly chose to ask for the ball in the low post.

As a team team, the Spurs rarely choose singles from the beginning.

But this is a tactic. The opening tactic designed by Popovich is to involve Duncan.

Run from other positions, let Duncan become a pinning point, and move the whole team.

The man who defended Duncan was Ibaka.

This made Popovich on the sidelines feel a little unexpected.

What he originally thought was that Su Chen should let Giannis Antetokounmpo try to defend Duncan alone, and then start the next plan.

However, actually let Ibaka conduct a single defense?
In the past season, whether it is the regular season or the playoffs, Ibaka has proved that he really cannot guard Duncan.

Duncan hit Ibaka once he saw Ibaka.

Duncan observed the defense and found that the Timberwolves really had no one coming, so let him play Ibaka?

With such an opportunity, Duncan is welcome.

However, Ibaka's defensive method is a bit strange. Ibaka obviously can't stand him, but instead of defending the inside, he is guarding against his hook jumper.

Originally, Duncan wanted to use a signature 45° angle to hit the board to end it, but Ibaka refused to let him throw it, so he went directly to the inside.

After sitting on his back for a few times, Ibaka was directly seated.

His lower body strength is too weak, and he is not at the same level as Duncan.

But Ibaka himself is retreating the ball, just to put Duncan in.

After Duncan entered the paint, Giannis Antetokounmpo rushed over immediately.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is tall and long, and he intends to directly block Duncan's passing path.

But when Duncan was playing, he had already observed the defense in advance.

This is the difference between Duncan and other post-up insiders. Even while maintaining a high-intensity post-up, he still has a broad passing vision.

Duncan made an early pass, and Splitter rushed in from the other side and received the ball.

boom!
Splitter's powerful dunk rushing in from the side directly ignited the audience.

Spurs 2:0 Timberwolves.

Although the Spurs don't advocate this method, the dunk with this ball is indeed more stable than the layup. After all, Ibaka and Giannis Antetokounmpo have good jumping wingspan.

If it is a layup, it is easy to be interfered or even taken off.

After the ball was dunked, the Timberwolves did not rush to serve.

The camera also showed Su Chen on the sidelines.

Su Chen stood on the sidelines without saying a word, and did not express dissatisfaction with the players' behavior, as if it was all within the arrangement.

"Why do you defend Duncan like this? That's Duncan. Don't underestimate his organizational skills."

Johnson said with some incomprehension.

"Why does this defensive strategy look familiar to me?"

O'Neill said with some doubts.

"Shaq, it's kind of like how Ben and Wallace defended you when you played against the Pistons in the Finals."

Barkley immediately remembered at this time, and said to O'Neill.

"Yes, I just said that I am so familiar, one person is worth one person."

O'Neill patted his big bald head and remembered it all at once.

"Hahaha, but Duncan is still very different. The biggest difference between the two of you is the way you break double teams."

"Shaq, you directly choose to carry two dunks, while Duncan has better organizational skills, and he can find open teammates."

Kenny Smith joked.

"Su Chen is also a talent. Duncan attracts double-teams and then creates opportunities. That is the signature system of the Spurs."

"He actually wants to beat the Spurs by double-teaming, thinking too much."

Johnson shook his head.

At this time, the game on the field is still going on.

It wasn't just the camera, even Popovich couldn't help but glance at Su Chen.

He wanted to make sure if the players had executed the wrong tactics, but it didn't look like Su Chen was indifferent.

The Spurs' signature tactical system is to rely on Duncan to attract double-teams and then create opportunities.

This is the system that the Spurs have played for many years, and they are already familiar with it.

"Could it be that he overestimated him? He actually doesn't have that level of ability at all?"

Even Popovich was a little puzzled in his heart.

Can come up with this kind of plan to defend against the Spurs, at least not at the level of a famous coach, a strategy of a mediocre coach.

But Popovich didn't take it too lightly, but continued to watch.

At this time, the Timberwolves played the corner position that they often played this season.

Butler, Ibaka, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have become the horns.

Giannis Antetokounmpo runs a screen pick-and-roll and rolls straight in, drawing the defense.

The defender gave priority to Ibaka who filled the three-point line, and Butler's mid-range opportunity appeared.

Butler didn't hesitate to take the ball, just raised his hand and shot.

clang.

Did not invest.

Obviously, Butler didn't feel very good at the beginning.

But Su Chen nodded, this is the right way.

The Spurs' defense has always focused on the inside and the three-point line, and their mid-range defense is looser.

And Butler's mid-range shots are still very reliable, especially Butler in the playoffs, his mid-range shots are the kind that can be connected in a row.

In the black eight season, he relied on his mid-range shots one after another to lead the Heat all the way to the finals.

Su Chen is still very clear about Butler's technical characteristics.

His mid-range shot is different from those of ordinary players. His mid-range shot has physical confrontation, and ordinary defense may not necessarily affect him.

And once he enters the rhythm, coupled with his own physical confrontation ability, he can also shoot one after another in the mid-range.

Butler is mainly arranged to shoot mid-range shots. As for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ibaka, they have the same chance to shoot mid-range shots.

Facing the Spurs' defense, CIC must not hesitate as long as it has the opportunity.

If you don't shoot in the CIC, then there will be no opportunities for three-pointers and inside shots.

The Timberwolves retreated very quickly with this ball.

Today's Timberwolves lineup should have the fastest average speed in the league.

As long as Su Chen doesn't arrange to shoot and grab tactics, it will be difficult for the opponent to catch the opportunity to switch.

What's more, the Spurs team is not that good at catching transition offenses. They prefer to drag the rhythm of the game to positional battles.

Especially when Popovich faced this young and strong Timberwolves, he had to slow down the pace and stop fighting the Timberwolves.

Spurs ball rights.

The Timberwolves' defensive strategy this time has not changed.

Ibaka is still facing Duncan alone.

There is nothing to say about this, if Duncan can't see him double-teaming, then he will fight.

Especially Ibaka, who has played too many times in the playoffs, has learned from experience.

But this time, the Timberwolves team started to move.

Before Giannis Antetokounmpo double-teamed, Lol Deng on the outside had let go of his baseline defender and came over.

Duncan saw this.

But at this time, Butler was leaning towards the baseline again, letting go of the defender with a 45° three-pointer on his left.

Duncan saw this again, but immediately Covington let go of his defender and leaned towards the 45° position to the left.

This made Duncan look a little confused.

But he can't continue to watch the defense at this time, because his post-up time is about to exceed five seconds, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is also starting to charge.

A three-pointer at the top of the arc or an inside Splitter?
Duncan suddenly had two passing options.

But without thinking too much, Duncan just looked a little messy about the situation outside the three-point line, so he gave Splitter who cut inside first.

When Splitter was receiving the ball, Luol Deng had double-teamed him ahead of time, and Ibaka also turned his head to defend him.

Splitter doesn't have a strong personal ability to handle the ball. Lol Deng's height and wingspan do not suffer from the average inside line, and Ibaka can defend him at any time.

If it was any other team, Splitter would have thought about it, but this is the Spurs.

Split saw three people on the inside, so he immediately looked for an outside opportunity.

He found a corner three-point opportunity.

When Butler went to cover the bottom corner just now, it was actually just to confuse Duncan, and he immediately went back to defend his own people.

Split immediately made a pass to the corner for a three-pointer.

When Butler passed the ball, he was running towards the corner.

Green in the bottom corner immediately passed the ball to Leonard who made a 45° three-pointer on the left, but at this time, Covington's very quick help defense was also in place.

Leonard didn't stop the ball either, and immediately continued to throw it to Parker.

But Giannis Antetokounmpo had already rushed out from the inside at this time and filled Parker's position.

With the ball flipping like this, most of the attacking time was consumed.

Parker took a look after taking the ball. Although Duncan was still facing Ibaka, it would be too hasty to reorganize the offense.

Splitter is also not good at singles against Luol Deng, and Luol Deng's defense is enough to defend against this kind of blue-collar insider singles.

Parker saw the attack time and chose to come by himself.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's ability to cover the outside line is still relatively strong.

Parker is not the peak small sports car anymore. As a classic car Parker, it is still difficult to pass Giannis Antetokounmpo in one step.

Parker chose to break through and then pull back from an emergency stop, and then made a mid-range shot.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's long wingspan interferes with the ball.

clang!
The ball was not scored, it was a successful defense.

At the same time, Ibaka accepted the rebound, didn't look at it, and directly chose to pass it to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After Giannis Antetokounmpo got the ball, he directly chose to run with the ball.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's height and shape match his speed, which is like a bug on the court. The Spurs' old arms and legs can hardly catch up with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

(End of this chapter)