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Chapter 254 When the Sun Rises (First Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

At Staples Center, during the opening tip-off, Brown, who wasn't held back by Gasol, successfully won possession for the Warriors.

In the NBA, the key to defeating a fast-moving athlete like Brown in the jump ball is to keep him from getting up.

Otherwise, once Brown jumps up, you can only watch helplessly as he passes the ball to his teammate over your head.

On the court, Curry dribbled the ball across half-court for the Warriors, and Qin Yue moved up to the high post to receive the pass.

Amidst the chants of "FUCK" from the crowd, Qin Yue, who was playing a "1-3-1" zone defense for the Lakers at the start of the game, first took a step toward the free-throw line with the ball, and then passed the ball from Wallace to Green in the corner.

The latter's opening three-point attempt missed, and the rebound was grabbed by Pau Gasol.

Aside from missing the shot, the Warriors, guided by Qin Yue, executed a textbook example of breaking a zone defense in this offensive play.

But that's precisely what makes basketball so appealing.

On the Lakers' next possession, Kobe seized an opportunity that wasn't really a chance, hitting a difficult floater off the backboard from near the mid-range.

A good shot opportunity doesn't necessarily guarantee a score.

But even bad shooting opportunities can have a chance of hitting.

This is a basketball court that is just like life itself.

There were missed opportunities, and there were also lucky breaks.

Only when the ball hits the basket can you determine whether it was a successful defense or an excellent offense.

The Warriors retained possession of the ball, and in the previous possession, they used a "1-3-1" zone defense, gambling that Green missed a three-pointer, and continued their defensive strategy against the Lakers.

The only difference is that the Lakers, whose defense was easily breached by the Warriors, have become more vigilant about the baseline corners.

The two bottom corners are precisely the weak points of the "1-3-1" joint defense.

However, on the basketball court, where sometimes taking a straight path doesn't guarantee reaching the finish line, Qin Yue, who chose to take a detour to go straight, took the initiative to get the ball back just as Wallace was about to pass it to the corner again.

Next, Qin Yue signaled Green to move to the other side, noticing that Curry had already cut into the Lakers' paint under Brown's screen. He then used Green's movement to draw Curry's attention and Curry's reverse run to deliver a surgically precise pass to Curry.

Curry easily scored under the basket, tying the game at 2-2.

Since the Lakers have increased their vigilance on the two baseline corners, it means that their "1-3-1" zone defense will inevitably have gaps in the flanks.

Qin Yue and Curry both observed this.

Therefore, without even needing to communicate, the moment Qin Yue took the basketball back from Wallace, Curry and Qin Yue started working simultaneously.

On the Warriors' bench, watching Curry's rising star on the court, Nash, who knew he had been completely overshadowed, couldn't help but sigh, "They're simply a match made in heaven."

It was the Lakers' turn to attack.

The Gasol brothers, displaying similar chemistry, saw Pau Gasol fall into the low post after a crossover move.

ESPN guest Jeff Van Gundy said, "The growth of the Gasol brothers is the key to the Lakers being able to match the Warriors' offensive level in this series."

Van Gundy is right.

Although neither Marc Gasol nor Pau Gasol, taken individually, are as terrifying as those superstar centers.

But when the Gasol brothers team up, the offensive boost they bring to a team increases exponentially.

Brown feinted with his shoulder.

In the low post, Pau Gasol, who had already spotted Klay's movement, did not recklessly confront Qin Yue's help defense. Instead, he casually passed the ball to Klay, who then finished the game.

2:4.

In this Lakers-Warriors series, the players from both teams engaged in various kinds of strategic maneuvering in almost every possession.

Warriors' offensive possession.

Qin Yue broke through the Lakers' defense by employing psychological tactics under their half-double-team strategy.

He grabs the ball with one hand, feigning to break through the Lakers' double team, but actually dribbles back and cuts in from the inside.

In the Lakers' paint, Qin Yue suddenly passed the ball to Brown, who then slammed it home with a two-handed dunk.

This is Qin Yue's unique ability to break through all kinds of defenses.

Mike Brown's meticulously designed defensive wall for the Lakers has almost completely blocked their paint area, but Qin Yue, who can take down the enemy general in the middle of a massive defense at any time, can still move freely in and out of this level of defense.

At that moment, recalling his past belief that James was not much worse than Qin Yue, "Black Bread" Brown immediately lowered his head in shame.

Brown knew very well that this single play was a height that James would never reach in his entire life.

An extraordinary ability to combine human and ball skills.

Meticulous observation skills on the field.

Perhaps, in certain possessions, James will be able to break through this level of defense with his historic physical gifts and his crab-like dribbling that never travels.

But in Brown's view, no matter which era James was in, he did not have the ability to treat hard-hitting moves like eating and drinking as Qin Yue did.

The Lakers were on offense, and Paul's jump shot against Curry on the perimeter missed.

With the Warriors in possession, Qin Yue responded to Paul with a missed three-pointer.

In both of these offensive plays, the Wake Forest duo, facing the same predicament, made the same choice.

That is, when the team's tactics were not in place, both Paul and Qin Yue chose to avoid mistakes by taking one-on-one shots.

In the NBA, the choice between executing tactics and engaging in one-on-one play is always a crucial test of a player's ability to win. In a game, neither blindly following tactics nor recklessly engaging in isolation plays is advisable.

Because when tactics are not executed effectively, the former can cause a team's offense to stagnate.

Even if you're on fire, your teammates might gradually lose themselves due to being marginalized for too long.

Contrary to what many people imagine.

In fact, Paul has always been a player with the qualities to be a winner.

However, Paul's inherent talent dictates that if a team intends to build around him and contend for the championship, that team may end up making even reaching the conference finals a distant dream.

However, it was different for Paul, who played alongside Kobe.

Because the second-in-command role is exactly the one Paul is best suited to play.

Paul's control of the game ensures the Lakers' floor.

As for the upper limit?

Of course, it also depends on Paul's teammates.

On the court, the Lakers were on offense. With Kobe's screen, Klay Thompson received an assist from Paul and drained a three-pointer.

As a second-generation star, Klay Thompson has already won over Lakers fans who initially thought he was just living off his father's name this season with his performance on the court.

Klay's greatest strength as an outside shooter is undoubtedly his fearlessness in big situations.

However, Klay also has to thank Kobe for this goal.

Kobe's transformation in this year's Western Conference Finals was evident in his efforts to defeat Qin Yue.

Kobe knew very well that Qin Yue, even the black Jesus wearing the number 23 jersey, would have a hard time competing with him now.

Therefore, if Kobe wants to defeat Qin Yue, the "Great Demon King," he must learn how to rely on his teammates and fully unleash their potential.

"To date, he has only lost one playoff game."

"Despite that loss, the entire Warriors team was plagued by injuries at the time."

"But the SuperSonics, led by Rick Carlisle, have shown all NBA teams of that era a clear path."

What is Carlisle's most distinctive coaching style?
Of course, it's about constantly sharing the ball to unleash the potential of every player on the field.

In Qin Yue's previous life, whether with the Pacers, the Mavericks, or back with the Pacers, Carlisle never changed his fundamental coaching logic.

And in a sense, Carlisle's view that ball-dominant playmakers harm teams is actually correct.

why?
Because if a player holds the ball too much on the court, it will inevitably lead to his teammates becoming increasingly functional, and they will completely become players who can only catch and shoot, or only score easy baskets under the basket.

In Qin Yue's memory, this was precisely the main reason why Carlisle would have an irreconcilable conflict with Doncic and leave the Mavericks.

So now comes the problem.

Why is Qin Yue, the ball-handling powerhouse, always able to lead the Warriors to victory?

Because in their repeated encounters with the Warriors, Carlisle had already seen through Qin Yue's true nature as a ball-handling powerhouse.

Qin Yue was fundamentally different from the ball-handling big men of later generations.

The most obvious difference lies in Qin Yue's off-ball movement.

Unlike Doncic and Harden, who would simply stand on the court and watch the show if they didn't have the ball in their hands, this was different from later generations.

In the possessions where Qin Yue chose to pass the ball, this key ball-handler for the Warriors was also the team's key off-ball player.

That's right.

Qin Yue is both a key player with and without the ball.

On the court, it was the Warriors' turn to attack.

First, he set a screen for Curry at the high post, then moved to the free-throw line and switched positions with Brown.

In this offensive possession where Qin Yue didn't touch the ball at all, he successfully disrupted the Lakers' entire defense, using his off-ball ability to create a path for Curry to feed Brown an easy basket.

ESPN's Jeff Van Gundy, who has been studying the Warriors for years, couldn't help but remark, "Messiah is probably the greatest team player in the history of basketball."

At Staples Center, the score after the first quarter is 29-27.

Despite facing a star-studded Lakers team, the Warriors failed to establish a significant lead in the first quarter.

But on the Warriors' bench, as the game progressed, veteran coach Hollins gradually understood why Mike Malone could always calmly direct from the sidelines.

Do you remember what Brown once said to Ben Wallace?
Why are humans never afraid of the coming of night?
Because everyone knows that the sun will rise as usual the next day.

According to Hollins, under Qin Yue's methodical command and coordination, the Warriors are currently in the stage before sunrise.

Los Angeles truly boasts a constellation of stars.

But as soon as the sun rises, even the most brilliant starlight will be overshadowed by its rays.

……

PS: First update! Oh no, die-hard LeBron fans haven't eaten for two days. (TnT)

(End of this chapter)