NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

"You played well in the first half!" Lin Tian pulled up a chair, sat back, placed his hands on the back of the chair, and said casually in the middle of everyone, "You've delivered everything I wanted and wanted to see!"

"And there are many places that exceeded my expectations and were even better than I imagined."

"Lance and Demar, you two surprised me the most! The points you got and the game you played tonight were much, much better than I expected!"

"Of course, the performances of the others were equally pleasing, and their performances also excited me! You didn't get nervous or at a loss when the team fell behind by a large margin."

This proves that my vocational education for you this past year has been quite successful, and it also shows that each and every one of you is excellent! I am truly gratified.

"But that's not enough, honestly, it's not enough! In the second half, we must keep pushing forward, we must do even better!"

"The Cavaliers want to take the series lead and sweep us? Dream on! We can't lose, we can't fall here!"

"In the second half, give them a surprise, give them something unexpected!"

"Gordon!" Lin Tian suddenly called out to Hayward, saying, "If they continue with the matchups from the first half, you'll be guarding West! His ability to defend the point guard position is undeniable; his 191cm height gives him a significant advantage against most point guards."

"But he can only play point guard. He's only 191 centimeters tall, which makes him vulnerable to being targeted when matched up against players in other positions. It's an inherent disadvantage, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"But for us, this is our opportunity! If I'm not mistaken, they'll have Wade continue to match up against Derrick in the second half, and Anthony will continue to guard DeMar because of the grudge from the end of the first half. And given Brown's level, he won't change his starting lineup, so here's your chance!"

"You're almost 15 centimeters taller than West, and you also have a weight advantage. In the second half, we'll build our offense around you! Attack him, and crush him!"

"Then, we'll see when Brown makes substitutions and adjustments, and we'll make further changes based on his changes."

The idea of ​​focusing on Hayward was something Lin Tian had just come up with. After all, for most of the time before, Hayward's matchup was Anthony. The best way for Hayward to deal with Anthony was to handle the ball less, attack less, and run more.

We should target Anthony's weaknesses, such as his lack of focus when he's on the court and his poor ability to defend off-ball players.

However, this style of play also means that the score will be scored piecemeal, with only a couple of points coming up every now and then.

It is completely impossible to change the opponent's defense or the rhythm of the game.

But now Lin Tian saw an opportunity! He believed the matchups would continue in the first half, and that was when the chance would come!

Lin Tian has now regained his former confidence and composure. He no longer obsessively tries to figure out the best strategy to crush his opponent, unlike before the match.

Lin Tian was too extreme before. On the basketball court, what method is 100% effective and can completely suppress the opponent?
His anxiety stemmed from his previous success.

But now Lin Tian has figured it out.

There's no need to be anxious or make things difficult for yourself. Opportunities will arise as the game progresses. As the match goes on, your opponents will reveal weaknesses, giving Lin Tian a chance to succeed.

Stay calm and wait patiently until an opportunity arises.

Once an opportunity arises, be keenly aware of it and seize it.

Then, we'll definitely win!
In the following period, Lin Tian began to set up various tactics for Hayward, various tactics that could bring out his strengths and allow him to target West.

After all, Hayward's current ability is not enough to make all his teammates spread out and watch him go one-on-one in this situation.

He can't guarantee the success rate.

He needs tactical coordination; he needs to get the ball in the right position before he can complete an attack.

His opponent was just a little shorter, not the kind of truly leaky defensive wall.

Fortunately, Lin Tian is definitely a tactical master. As long as there is a clear advantage, Lin Tian has a way to maximize Hayward's advantage and a way to hide Hayward's weaknesses.

If your dribbling skills are average and you're not good at driving to the basket directly, then don't start your face-up offense from the high post.

If you lack lower body strength, you may be unable to generate power when backing down your opponent because they can block your lower body.
Then let him get to a deeper position, and let him shoot directly without much contact after receiving the ball!

Anyway, there are plenty of ways, and Lin Tian is quite confident.

If you don't change today, Brown, I'll kill you! Even if you do change, I'll still kill you!
……

Soon, the ten-minute halftime break ended, and players and coaching staff from both sides returned to the field.

After the thrilling and adrenaline-pumping final minute of the first half, the fans were incredibly excited for the second half. So as soon as they saw the players from both sides walk onto the field, they couldn't contain their excitement and unleashed all the energy they had accumulated during halftime.

Come on, let's get excited together!

Let's deliver the most exciting match amidst our cheers!

"Neither side has changed their lineup! They're still using their most frequently used starting combinations." Miller naturally started his work immediately after both teams' players entered the field.

“But just because the players haven’t changed doesn’t mean the tactics haven’t changed either.” Jackson continued, “I have a feeling that both sides will make some changes to their tactics in the second half.”

"I absolutely believe Lin will proactively seek change and give us some fresh playing styles," Miller said with a smile. "But I don't believe Brown will do that!"

"Even the most die-hard Cavaliers fans would never think that Brown is the type who can execute brilliant plays and adapt to changing circumstances. Brown is steady and methodical, taking things one step at a time."

“That’s what I mean,” Jackson said. “But some things can’t be said too explicitly, or people will hate you!”

“I don’t care. I’m one of the most hated guys in the NBA anyway,” Miller shrugged. “I’m committed to telling the truth.”

On the field, both teams' players were fully in position. Rose received the ball from the baseline, signaling the official start of the second half.

The second half started exactly as Lin Tian had predicted.

Wade stuck to Rose, and Anthony immediately elbowed DeRozan, telling him that the first half wasn't over yet.

Lin Tian sat on the sidelines, unable to suppress a smug smile.

"Coach, you're truly a brilliant strategist!" Stevens immediately offered his praise, showcasing his professional competence as the lead assistant coach.

"We're going to win this game!" Lin Tian was brimming with confidence.

Rose received the ball at the top of the key, Boozer quickly moved up to set a screen for him, while Yao Ming moved towards the baseline, ready to wait for an opportunity to shoot a three-pointer.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Pau Gasol were also forced to leave the paint; they could no longer stay in the three-second zone and had to come out to defend.

Then, just as the Cavaliers' interior defense entered a vacuum, Hayward had already made a swift cut inside and entered the three-second zone. West was able to keep up closely and didn't leave anyone open, but Hayward received the ball too deep!
He jumped up and got the basketball, which was already within the restricted area. After landing, Hayward jumped again, turned in mid-air, and then put the ball into the basket with one hand.

The height difference of more than 10 centimeters left West completely helpless with the ball, unable to reach it at all.

"This is getting interesting!" As a point guard, Jackson's tactical acumen was slightly better than Miller's. He immediately said, "Lin seems to have really changed!"

"But we still have to wait and see if this round is a stroke of genius or a deliberate arrangement."

Jackson still doesn't understand Lin Tian, ​​and he's never been Lin Tian's teammate, which is why he asked such a question.

Anyone who knows Lin Tian would know that this was definitely not a stroke of genius, but something Lin Tian did intentionally!
Sure enough, in the next possession, the Bobcats followed the same pattern almost exactly. A group of players spread out to the perimeter, creating space in the paint. Then Hayward once again cut to the basket and successfully grabbed the ball. This time, he got the ball a little further out than before, making it more difficult to pull up and turn and shoot like before.

West's defense is really good. After suffering a loss in the last round, he immediately improved his positioning this round, preventing Hayward from getting into such deep positions again.

It was clearly well done, but not enough; the height difference between the two was still too obvious.

After landing, Hayward leaned back slightly, using his back to push West aside. The basketball slammed heavily on the floor, and he quickly spun around, took a step, and jumped forcefully. With a hook shot from his left hand, the basketball once again evaded West's defense and went into the basket!
"A four-point lead right from the start! This was definitely intentional! A diversionary tactic, drawing the Cavaliers' interior players away from the basket, allowing Hayward to use his height to bully West while Anthony is matched up against DeRozan." Jackson no longer hesitated and began his analysis.

"Amazing! They launched a strong attack on Hayward, who has the lowest profile and worst stats among their starting five, right from the start. That's really unexpected."

"Lin clearly anticipated that the Cavaliers would adjust their defense based on the first half. He must have guessed that Wade and Anthony would continue their matchup from the first half. At that point, passing the ball to Hayward, who has a clear height advantage, was a logical but unexpected choice."

Miller said, "And Lin must have guessed that the Cavaliers would change their matchups, but not their starting five. Only in this way could his strategy succeed! If Brown had brought in Pavlovic or Moon at this point, his plan would have been completely impossible to implement."

"Hayward only has such a clear height advantage when facing West, and he can score in the paint time and time again!" However, although Lin Tian's arrangement was ingenious, West's defense was quite good. In the next possession, he did not give Hayward the opportunity to receive the ball directly in the paint and launch an attack. He firmly blocked Hayward's route to cut to the paint and always stood in front of him.

"Wow, that was fast! I thought I could steal a few more rounds, but I didn't expect West to adjust so quickly." Lin Tian sighed with some regret, but quickly continued, "We can only enter the second stage ahead of schedule. Now we'll have to see how Gordon plays tonight."

After several rounds of silence and failing to achieve his goal of cutting through enemy lines, Hayward suddenly changed.

He made another cut to the basket, but West blocked his position. Suddenly, he used his arm to push West away, then stepped back, disappearing beyond the three-point line in the blink of an eye. Boozer, who had just received the ball, passed it to Hayward at just the right moment.

Hayward, finally getting an open look, immediately pulled up and took a decisive three-pointer.

"Shh!"

After the crisp sound, Hayward scored his 7th point in the second half!
"Exploded! Absolutely exploded! After Rose and DeRozan, Hayward exploded too! The Bobcats' three-man backcourt has all had a breakout night!" Miller shouted. "Cavaliers, you need to respond! If you don't, you're going to be down by 10 points!"

Although the Cavaliers players on the court didn't hear Miller's commentary, they clearly shared the same thought as him: they all knew that things couldn't continue like this!
So this time, Wade took the initiative to run out beyond the three-point line and reach out for the ball.

When the Cavaliers' offense faltered, that's when Wade stepped up to solve the problem.

But this time, he paused for a moment as soon as he got the basketball. Rose barely paid him any attention and instead stood near the free-throw line watching him.

Ross even waved at him arrogantly.

"Shoot it! Don't defend the three-pointer!"

It's no secret that Wade's three-point shooting is poor. You don't even need to study his game footage; just looking at his three-point percentage is enough to know that his poor three-point shooting is obvious to the naked eye.

Throughout his career, his three-point shooting percentage has only exceeded 30% in two seasons, and both were just over 30%. At the same time, he has never attempted more than 1.5 shots in a single game in any season, and he has never made more than 1 shot in a single game in any season.

It won't work if it's neither good in quality nor in quantity.

The fact that his opponents occasionally give him three-pointers is also a major headache for him.

Faced with the huge space Rose gave him, Wade looked up at the basket twice but ultimately decided not to shoot.

He chose plan B.

When the Cavaliers struggle offensively, they have two key strategies and one minor one.

Ultimate move #1: Wade's one-on-one.

Ultimate move #2: Anthony's one-on-one game.

Tip #1: Gasol one-on-one.

The reason for the distinction between "big" and "small" is mainly because Gasol's one-on-one skills and success rate are not comparable to those two.

Now that Wade has been given a free pass by Rose, he's not gambling on his three-point shooting percentage; it's not the right time yet.

Wade immediately passed the ball to Anthony, letting Anthony continue to bully DeRozan.

DeRozan's defense also changed noticeably at this moment; he was no longer standing directly in front of Anthony, but to his right.

This defensive strategy prevents Anthony from attacking from the right side, forcing him to move to the left.

It is generally used to target players who are weak on their weak side and can only attack from their strong side.

But a star like Anthony, nicknamed the 'offensive kaleidoscope,' is obviously not afraid of this kind of defense. His left hand may not be as good as his right, but it is definitely not the kind of hand that opponents can just let go of.

If you dare let go of his left hand, he will definitely make you pay the price!

After giving a disdainful snort, Anthony immediately accelerated with his left hand, trying to squeeze past DeRozan, but just as he accelerated, Hayward's help defense arrived!
The two men flanked Anthony from both sides, putting him in a somewhat awkward position.

But Anthony is Anthony. Faced with the sudden double-team, he didn't panic. Instead, he calmly dribbled in place and quickly stepped back, then pulled up before the two could catch up and launched a long-range jump shot!

"Boom!"

After a muffled thud, Anthony's beautiful but extremely difficult step-back shot missed.

Lin Tian, ​​sitting on the sidelines, laughed again. This was Anthony's weakness!
If Wade's weakness is his three-point shot, then Anthony's weakness is his confidence.

This guy is too confident; he's not afraid of any defense or defensive strategies like double-teaming.

I don't care how many people you have, if I think it's worth voting for, then it's worth voting for!
His balanced left and right hands and shooting range covering the entire half of the court give him the confidence to take shots with complete confidence, no matter what opponent he faces.

However, everyone should also know that the success rate of using the weaker hand to attack when facing a double team is definitely lower than that of a one-on-one situation, lower than that of using the dominant hand to attack however one wants, and also lower than that of a one-on-one situation.

No matter how talented you are, Anthony, or how outstanding your offensive skills are, you can't possibly score every single time with such difficult shots.

Of course, there are always a few nights when a star player of this caliber is simply unstoppable. Even when double-teamed, he can score one shot after another with his weaker hand, making him impossible to defend.

If Lin Tian encounters Anthony in that form, there's nothing he can do. Stars in that state simply can't be contained by defense. If Anthony is really that accurate tonight, then Lin Tian will give up on focusing on defense and instead try to score more points on offense.

But judging from at least the first shot, Anthony wasn't that accurate today.

And more importantly: Anthony's playing style.

This guy is essentially a lone wolf. He only wants to make those stylish and direct passes that get the ball to the target. Most of the time, Anthony is more superstitious about his one-on-one play.

Well, this bad habit was actually instilled in him by Lin Tian.

When the two played together on the Knicks, Lin Tian always managed to feed this guy until he was full. When this guy was on the same team as Lin Tian, ​​he basically only thought about one thing: taking a shot and scoring!
This is a large part of the reason why he was not a good leader for the Knicks.

No one is feeding him the ball anymore. Felton is good, but he's still lacking something.

Lin Tian chose to let Wade have his three-point shot.

Lin Tian forced Anthony to take difficult shots.

In the second half, Lin Tian's changes weren't limited to the offensive end; they also extended to the defensive end!

Furthermore, instead of having his players make changes right away, he suddenly introduced a completely new defensive tactic when his team's offense was on fire and they were scoring consecutively.

The biggest advantage of doing this is that it allows you to hold onto this tactic at crucial moments. When the team's offense is poised to gain momentum and create a surge, you can suddenly raise the defensive intensity, catching the Cavaliers off guard and leaving them no time to react.

Only in this way can efficiency be maximized!

Judging from the current situation, Lin Tian's strategy has clearly been successful!

Because in the next possession, when Hayward made another sprint and cut towards the paint, he suddenly stopped and pulled back, rushing out to receive the ball outside the three-point line.

After receiving the ball, Hayward followed suit, gathering the ball and raising it as if to shoot. West, due to his height disadvantage, could only extend his arm and rush forward to block Hayward's shot, even though he knew it might be a fake.

Hayward immediately seized the opportunity, lowered his center of gravity and accelerated, leaving West behind and driving into the paint.

This time he successfully drew a lot of help defense from the Cavaliers. After completely disrupting the Cavaliers' defense, Hayward passed the ball to DeRozan on the wing, DeRozan passed the ball to Rose, and Rose, after receiving the ball, immediately threw it to the baseline.

After Yao Ming received the ball in the corner, the Cavaliers' defense couldn't keep up at all, and a vast space appeared in front of Yao Ming.

Without hesitation, Yao Ming swiftly swished his three-pointer from beyond the arc, and the ball swished through the net!

During the playoffs, Yao Ming's three-point shooting was more consistent and accurate than in the regular season. He had unknowingly become the Bobcats' number one three-point shooter, averaging 1.9 three-pointers per game with a 41% success rate. In this era, he was a top-tier three-point shooter in terms of both quality and quantity.

With this 3-pointer, the Bobcats finally extended their lead to 10 points for the first time tonight!
They've taken a double-digit lead for the first time tonight! (End of Chapter)