Basketball's No. 1 Anti-Fan

Chapter 351 Jokic - Level

On game night, Oracle Arena was packed.

Warriors fans couldn't stop smiling.

The Cavaliers were defeated by them, and the Warriors are much stronger than the last time they won the championship. They are determined to win this championship.

Even head coach Kerr's face was full of confidence.

Although the Warriors are still ranked first in the league this season, they did not over-consume energy in the regular season like last season. This is also the key to the core players' better performance in the playoffs.

Moreover, he had already done some ideological work on Green before the game, so the scene where Green lost control in the regular season would not happen again.

He will definitely lead the team to wash away the shame of being the runner-up in the Western Conference with 73 wins last season this season.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups of both sides were announced one after another.

Cavaliers: Hansen, JR, Covington, Tucker, Jokic
Warriors: Curry, Thompson, James, Green, Pachulia

When he saw the Cavaliers' starting lineup, Kerr was a little surprised, but quickly calmed down, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.

Ma Long showed his trump card at the beginning of the finals. It seemed courageous, but in fact he was risking everything, which he thought was a sign of cowardice.

As long as the Warriors can hold on at the beginning, when they put out five small players, it will be time for a reverse harvest.

The game is about to start, with Jokic and Pachulia jumping the ball in the center circle.

But there was a small detail at this time. After Jokic reached the position, he subconsciously rubbed his hands.

This is a very common behavior for others, but it is very unusual for Jokic.

After all, this is not his first time playing in the finals, and this eagerness to try is very unlike him.

With the referee's whistle, Jokic jumped first.

Although his jumping ability is limited, his arm span is there, and Pachulia on the opposite side is no less capable. After taking the initiative, he pushed the ball back to half court, giving the Cavaliers the opportunity to attack first.

Hansen dribbled the ball across half court, and Thompson began to lead the defense in the half court. James and Green were both facing Hansen's side, ready to double-team at any time.

Of course, it is impossible for Kerr to make no preparations at all. The Celtics played such a classic example in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and he naturally studied the game video.

Force the ball out of Han Sen's hands, and then do everything possible to restrict Han Sen from receiving the ball again. Although this may not be able to completely restrict Han Sen, it is already the best option at the moment.

However, Hansen did not rush to launch an attack after taking the ball to the frontcourt. Instead, Jokic immediately turned around and put his weight on Pachulia after reaching the frontcourt, then reached out for the ball.

And just when the Warriors began to try to double-team Hansen, Hansen did not pass the ball to his open teammates, but directly passed the ball to Jokic.

After a brief confusion of "you play yours, I defend mine", the court returned to man-to-man mode, and Jokic took the ball and started to play one-on-one with his back.

Pachulia doesn't have much dynamic talent, but he has decent strength and excellent low-post defense, otherwise he wouldn't be able to start in a team like the Warriors.

However, Jokic quickly created space by continuously turning around after the confrontation, and then sent the ball into the basket with an outside hook.

In fact, from the perspective of positional matchups, Jokic does not have much advantage in strength, but he knows how to use his advantages and appears confident enough.

The Warriors' offense started with James holding the ball. Pachulia set up a pick-and-roll to create a mismatch for James. At the same time, Curry was also playing off-ball pick-and-roll tactics with Green, and Thompson cut into the basket from the strong side corner along the baseline.

It can be clearly felt that after a season of running-in, the Warriors have found the tactical system that suits them best.

The Cavaliers countered the move. Hansen used puppy steps to quickly go around and follow Curry closely, while Covington also retreated in advance and did not switch defense, giving James some three-point opportunities.

James broke through with the ball and then threw it to the weak side corner.

It turns out that Thompson's cutting into the basket was not the end of the tactic. Green, who had just blocked the ball for Curry, quickly moved to the baseline and set up another pick-and-roll for Thompson.

Green opened his arms, and JR and Tucker were blocked by him alone.

Thompson got an open opportunity and his shot after adjustment went out of the basket.

Thompson would not have missed this opportunity before, but a long rest time is not always a good thing. It takes time to get back into the game after not playing a formal game for too long.

However, the Warriors retreated quickly this time and did not give the Cavaliers a chance to play fast.

When making arrangements in the last three minutes before the game, Kerr emphasized retreating on defense, and no one except Pachulia went for the frontcourt rebounds.

Kerr became famous for his five-small lineup, and he certainly knows the key to limiting this style of play.

Jokic protected the defensive rebound and passed it to Hansen. Hansen was not in a hurry. He dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, waited for Jokic to get to the low post, and then slammed the ball in.

It was only then that Cole finally tasted the flavor.

The real purpose of the Cavaliers' lineup is not to play a trump card, but simply to prevent Jokic from being double-teamed when playing alone.

If TT starts, he can only stay at the baseline because he has no shooting ability and Green can assist in defense at any time.

But if Tucker or Covington squats in the corner, Green obviously can't get through.

Kerr couldn't help but straighten up and turn his head to look at the Cavaliers bench.

Malone has so much trust in Jokic, a second-year player, but the question is, can Jokic really withstand the pressure?

You have to know that in last season's finals, Jokic was just an ordinary starting player following Hansen and Irving.

The fans at the scene, including the live cameras, all focused on Jokic in the interior.

The finals stage is the focus of everyone's attention, and the pressure can be imagined.

At this time, Jokic's action of rubbing his hands before the game can be explained.

As an employee, it is unrealistic for you not to feel some pressure when your boss suddenly asks you to be responsible for the most important project in your department.

However, despite the pressure, Jokic's technical movements did not change at all.

After realizing that Pachulia was pushing him at the same time, he took advantage of it, used his elbow to push Pachulia behind him when he turned around, and then made a quick layup to put the ball into the basket.

This ball was played very smartly.

Of course, some of it was beyond Cole's expectations.

But in the end, Kerr decided to wait and see. Compared to Jokic, Hansen is the guy that people really fear.

Jokic is only a sophomore after all. Can he really break through the Warriors by just playing so hard in the interior?

The Warriors used a [whirlwind tactic] in the frontcourt. Curry set a reverse screen for Green and then bounced out to the side three-point line, received a pass from James and made a three-pointer.

The Warriors' core output is still the two outside guns. If one of them jams, then naturally they will try the other one.

This three-pointer also made the Warriors fans at the scene cheer, as three points are one point more than two points.

The Warriors opened up the outside shooting, but Malone did not adjust his tactics and still let Jokic play in the low post.

At this time, the Warriors' defense was forced to change. When Jokic received the ball, the Warriors' defense subconsciously shrank inside.

Players are not machines. When they see an obvious problem in a position, they will instinctively provide assistance in defense.

This also exposed the weaknesses in Kerr's coaching ability. Although he had tactical ideas and tactical level, his on-the-spot performance was relatively poor.

Whether he insists on single defense or double-teaming, he should give the Warriors players clear instructions in advance.

Han Sen noticed this change quickly. He put his hands on his hips after receiving the ball one second ago, and the next second he quickly started to move past Thompson.

Thompson's lateral movement ability is relatively slow, and by the time he saw it, it was obviously too late to chase.

And during this process, Jokic's one-on-one play did not stop.

When Hansen cut to the free throw line, Green, who was pulled to the corner, reacted and rushed to the basket to defend, but it was too late.

With a peripheral vision, he saw Jokic cutting in from the corner of Hansen's eye. In the previous second, he was still exerting force on Pachulia, and in the next second, he had thrown the ball into the air above the basket.

Han Sen leaped into the air and performed a one-handed tomahawk slam dunk.

The visual impact of this ball was explosive, causing a commotion at the scene.

Jokic's play has achieved an offensive containment effect similar to that in the Irving era. In this case, it will become very difficult to limit the offense of two people at the same time.

Kerr finally reacted at this time. He stood up and called McGee from the bench.

It can be seen that he still did not want to be dragged into the five-small consumption by the Cavaliers at the beginning, but wanted to make a concerted effort to widen the score after the stalemate.

After all, he is also wary of the depth of the Cavaliers' lineup this season.

At this time, James took advantage of the offensive space created by Curry and Thompson's running and broke into the inside, causing Jokic to commit a defensive foul.

Any lineup has its advantages and disadvantages. Without TT in the starting lineup, the Cavaliers' rim protection ability will naturally decline.

A substitution was made on the sidelines, McGee came on to replace Pachulia, and Malone called Covington to the sidelines.

The key to defending James is still Covington's first line of defense. If James really speeds up and rushes in, even TT will easily have problems in the interior on the court.

In this regard, Malone's on-the-spot ability is obviously much better than Kerr.

James made one of two free throws, and the score was 6-4.

McGee has excellent physical talents, but he is not as good as Pachulia in terms of pushing up against people, and Jokic has to play in a much deeper position.

However, this time after Hansen passed the ball in, Jokic's shot was directly blocked by McGee, and the shot was directly confiscated in the air.

It’s not that Jokic didn’t use fake moves, but McGee’s talent is too outstanding.

In comparison, Howard is 2 meters tall and has a wingspan of 08 meters, while McGee is 2 meters tall and has a wingspan of 25 meters. He is a real Spider-Man, and his jumping ability is enough to allow him to participate in the dunk contest and compete for the championship.

If God hadn't given this guy an equally outstanding brain, Olajuwon would no longer be just a joke.

Kerr also stood up excitedly when he saw this. If McGee could hold off Jokic, then his strategy could be successfully implemented.

And he is actually not too afraid of Hansen's explosive scoring at the beginning of the game. The Warriors' lineup is not comparable to that of the Bulls, and is also stronger than the Celtics.

Hansen consumed a lot of energy at the beginning of the game, so in the second half, the Warriors could win the game with a wave of "Warriors Three Crazy Moves".

Even if they fail to win the game, there is a high probability that the Warriors will win the game in the final quarter.

The Warriors also made a fast break on the court. Thompson received a pass from Curry and took a three-pointer. This time he seized the opportunity.

The Warriors needed time to find their game feeling after a long rest, but they found it quickly.

6:7.

This three-pointer also allowed the Warriors to overtake the score.

The Warriors fans at the scene also started to get excited, shouting "defense" in unison to cheer for the home team.

At this time, Kerr waved his hand on the sidelines to indicate that Hansen should be marked.

If Jokic can't play, the Cavaliers will only be left with Hansen holding the ball and the pick-and-roll offense between him and Jokic.

However, Kerr's on-the-spot performance proved to be very bad in the end, because Hansen still fed the ball to Jokic.

Isn't it just covered?

It’s okay, just keep taking the ball and keep playing!
Jokic also made adjustments at this time, and his positioning was obviously further outside than before.

This unconventional choice was soon proven to be correct.

Because after getting the ball in a more outside position, there is distance between him and the basket, which allows him to perform more confrontations and technical moves.

In other words, Jokic was using his experience against Howard to play against McGee, but it turned out that McGee's "air defense ability" is stronger than Howard's.

Jokic continued to exert force with his back to the basket, putting all his weight on McGee and moving inward, forcing McGee to lower his center of gravity. He then made a layup, while at the same time using his supporting hand to lift McGee behind him with his elbow, keeping him away from his shooting hand.

McGee wanted to jump but couldn't, and he reached out to block the ball but couldn't, so he could only watch Jokic easily score on the rebound.

At this time, Kerr, who was already standing on the sidelines, was holding his chin with his hand and was in a thinker state.

This kid Jokic's mentality has become more stable!
Was McGee’s block just now fake?
James continued to break through the basket, but this time Covington did not lose the first line of defense and forced him to stop the ball. Curry received a pass from James in the last 2 seconds and shot the ball, but the ball went out of the basket. The rebound was protected by Tucker.

The Cavaliers pushed the speed a bit at this time.

Jokic followed up quickly on the fast break without getting a rebound this time and received a pass from Hansen at the free throw line.

This time he showed off his footwork and made a layup after receiving the ball, which made McGee think he had seized the opportunity again.

Unexpectedly, after McGee jumped up, Jokic turned around and completely shook off McGee, then scored an easy layup.

This forced Kerr to call a timeout.

Less than five minutes into the game, Jokic had already scored 8 points!
What is this concept?
This means he blew up the Warriors' inside line!

Malone seemed very excited at this time.

Long before Irving was about to leave the team, he had been constantly adding tactical status to Jokic. In the playoffs, Jokic faced off against Howard and Towns one after another, and Jokic's game experience increased exponentially.

Jokic's performance tonight was worthy of all the Cavaliers' efforts!

Of course, Jokic's talent is also on display here.

Without sufficient talent, such intensive training will only be counterproductive and will overwhelm the players.

But now Jokic, from being a rookie in the regular season last season to emerging in the playoffs, and then to some success in this season's regular season, has now reached the fourth stage: showing his talents.

(End of this chapter)