Chapter 128 Continuous dunks, the sun is about to rise!
"Get tougher! Don't stand there and be a softie. You are not allowed to play to escort your opponent to an empty basket!"
After Chen Yan played a string of 4 fast breaks, Popovich stood directly on the sidelines and roared!
Popovich often uses curse words to convey information to the entire team, and the Spurs players have long been accustomed to this.
On the other side of the coaching bench, D'Antoni shook his head and laughed.
He asked Chen Yan to attack when the stalemate was reached, and didn't let this kid attack as soon as he came up!
However, D'Antoni is very satisfied with Chen Yan's performance. He is not a traditional coach. No matter what method the players use, they just need to put the ball into the basket smoothly.
In the first quarter of the game, the Spurs did a good job in transitioning the Suns' offense and defense, barely allowing the Suns to play any decent fast breaks.
It is impossible for Chen Yan to force 1 against 4 in every round. Playing this way is unreasonable. Not only is the efficiency not high, but his physical fitness will also be affected.
The main point of attack for the Suns in this quarter was Stoudemire. Stoudemire was on fire tonight and had a strong desire to attack.
In the 2005 series against the Spurs, Stoudemire played his career masterpiece, averaging 37 points and 9.8 rebounds per game!
Facing the Spurs' big man Stoudemire has a certain psychological advantage, even if Duncan is guarding him alone, he is not afraid at all.
Just halfway through the first quarter, Stoudemire scored 9 points and 5 rebounds with an efficient performance of 4 of 5. The Spurs' strategy of not competing for offensive rebounds made Stoudemire's defensive rebounds very comfortable.
Faced with Stoudemire's outstanding performance, Popovich still insisted on single defense, not only not being double-teamed, but not even assisting in defense.
The Spurs' defensive strategy is mainly to lock down Nash. Popovich's philosophy is that as long as Nash's engine stalls, the Suns' sports car will never be able to run.
The Spurs mainly play Duncan. They know very well that the Suns' weakest point is the interior defense. After Duncan scored a few goals in the interior, the Suns began to attack Shifo.
The Suns' defensive strategy is different from that of the Spurs. They will not let Duncan wreak havoc inside.
Duncan did not choose to fight hard when he was double-teamed. As recognized as the number one power forward in history, Duncan's ball-playing skills are also top-notch in the paint, and he can always find teammates who are open on the outside before the ball is dead.
The Spurs' outside players performed quite well tonight, with a half-shot shooting percentage.
At 6 minutes and 7 seconds, the score was 16 to 14, with the Spurs temporarily leading by two points.
The Spurs replaced Ginobili with the ball when the ball was dead, and the game also ushered in the first turning point.
Ginobili is 198cm tall and weighs 93kg. This season is his peak season. So far, he has averaged 20.7 points per game, with a two-point shooting rate of 46.4% and a three-point shooting rate of 40.5%!
Ginobili is the most outlier that does not fit the Spurs' temperament. His style is incompatible with the Spurs system. He is the only player on the team who is not controlled by Popovich.
The fact that a player can receive special privileges in Popovich's dogmatic team basketball speaks volumes about his strength.
Ginobili made two consecutive serpentine breakthroughs, one caused a foul and made two free throws, and the other assisted Parker for a three-pointer.
His appearance suddenly changed the Spurs' offensive rhythm. It was not only smoother, but also more aggressive!
At the end of the first quarter, the two sides were tied 27-18, and the Spurs took a 9-point lead at home.
In the second quarter, Popovich asked Ginobili to lead the second team. At this time, the five players on the court were Jacqui Vaughn, Ginobili, Brent Barry, and Robert Holley.
Bonner.
D'Antoni deployed a small lineup of Barea, Chen Yan, Hill, Azubuike and Barnes.
In the first quarter of the game, D'Antoni only allowed Chen Yan to play for 7 minutes, just to allow him to have enough energy to deal with Ginobili in the second quarter. Due to the depth of the bench, the Suns had already suffered too many losses from the Spurs.
The Suns took the lead in the second quarter.
Chen Yan mentioned the high post as a screen for Barea. The Suns' second lineup does not have an inside line in the traditional sense, so it is not surprising to see pick-and-rolls between outside players.
The Spurs did not switch defense, Barea used his speed to get into the paint at full speed, and ended with a layup!
27 to 20, the score difference came to 7 points.
Chen Yan stepped forward and touched the back of Baria's head.
The Puerto Rican is very resolute in handling the ball, and Chen Yan appreciates this in him. This is why Chen Yan recruited him in the summer league. A team needs such a resolute player on the bench.
In addition to being resolute on offense, Barea also worked hard on defense, harassing Jacqui Vaughn all the way through halftime.
You must know that a year ago, Barea averaged 5.1 minutes per game and 2.4 points per game. So far this season, he has averaged 15.8 minutes per game and 10.2 points per game. All statistics have tripled.
More than twice as much!
He is personally very grateful to Chen Yan for recruiting him, and also grateful to the Suns for providing him with such a platform.
Jacqui Vaughn was turned around for half the game continuously. As a veteran who has been in the NBA for 10 years, his basic skills are still online.
At the top of the arc, Ginobili stepped forward to respond, and it was Barnes who was responsible for guarding him.
D'Antoni did not arrange for Azubuike, who is more similar in height and body shape, to defend Ginobili. The 'Demon Knife' playing machine is deceptive. If Azubuike, a second-year rookie, is allowed to defend him alone, he may be deceived into looking like a Muggle.
.
Facts have proved that even a veteran defense like Matt Barnes is not much better.
Ginobili opened up singles with Barnes, changed gears continuously and used his rhythm to get into the paint.
Ginobili's talent is not outstanding in the NBA, and he rarely relies on pure speed or strength to get rid of defenders. If he had amazing talent, he would not be selected by the Spurs with the 57th overall pick.
But Ginobili's flexibility and body coordination are absolutely epic!
In the penalty area, he twisted his body into a twist and threw the ball between Barnes and Azubuike!
This is Ginobili's extremely weird style of play, and no one can imitate it so far.
The moment the ball was scored, the referee's whistle also sounded.
twenty one!
The cheers from the home fans suddenly became enthusiastic.
Barnes showed a grimace. The ball was not out of position, but Ginobili not only scored it but also caused an extra penalty.
"It's okay. He defended well. He can't score goals like this every round." Chen Yan patted Barnes on the back and encouraged him.
The second quarter has just begun, and he wants to ensure that the mentality of his teammates is not chaotic.
"Whoa!"
Ginobili stepped to the free throw line and made the extra free throw.
30 to 20, the score difference widened to double digits.
The Suns served from the baseline, and Chen Yan passed half the ball by himself in this round.
His teammates consciously pulled away to create space for him to play singles.
Chen Yan faced Brent Barry's defense without making any extra moves. After a quick crossover, he cut directly to his right!
One step over!
This ball is so sudden and completely unreasonable.
Brent Barry used to be able to run and jump, and created classic moments like "White men can fly", but he is old now and cannot keep up with Chen Yan.
Holly was also a step too late in his defense, and watched helplessly as Chen Yan dunked with one arm in the penalty area!
"Boom!!"
The Suns bench instantly stood up, and everyone waved their towels wildly. This kind of dunk was a great morale booster when the score was behind.
Popovich didn't curse on the sidelines. It's not Barry's fault that he couldn't keep up with Chen Yan...
Popovich made a switch gesture and asked Ginobili to mark him in the next round.
Spurs offensive possession.
Ginobili's sudden score attracted double teams and found Jacqui Vaughn at a 45-degree angle.
Jacqui Vaughn catches the ball!
Chen Yan came in from the flank.
Although this ball was not blocked, it caused some interference to Jacqui Vaughn.
"Clang!"
Three-point strike!
After grabbing the rebound, Barnes raised his elbows, a standard move for a tough guy!
After securing the rebound, Barnes handed the ball to Barea.
After half the game, Barea passed the ball to Chen Yan.
After Chen Yan caught the ball, he discovered that the Spurs' defense had changed, and the player standing in front of him became Ginobili.
Barnes wanted to come up and block Chen Yan, but Chen Yan waved for him to pull away.
Ginobili is not an excellent defender, it's just that he is younger and faster than Barry.
Ginobili's characteristic is his quick hands and feet, and he is very keen on gambling steals.
"boom!"
"boom!"
After Chen Yan made consecutive crotch moves, he suddenly suspended the ball in his hands and broke through with a shoulder-crossing step!
Ginobili failed to cut the ball and instantly lost his defensive position!
Chen Yan easily passed by Ginobili.
After this, Ginobili no longer wanted to chase...
Riding alone to break through the barrier, facing Horry's defense, Chen Yan took two strong steps.
Look back at the moon and succeed with a reverse kick!
"Boom!!!"
Duncan was not protecting the basket in the Spurs penalty area, and Chen Yan hardly felt the pressure.
"Double-team him!"
Popovich yelled directly from the sidelines!
These two dunks also directly ignited the Suns bench!
The players on the bench showed signs of atavism, dancing and screaming like apes!
Not only the bench, but also the emotions of the players on the Sunshine Court were aroused by Chen Yan's two dunks.
In the next defensive round, the Suns players almost defended the Spurs for 24 seconds through teamwork!
This is a very rare phenomenon for the Suns, which focuses on offense but not on defense.
Finally, Horry took a shot in a hurry, and the ball hit the neck of the basket and bounced high.
Chen Yan grabbed the rebound with one hand and advanced forward alone.
The counterattack is underway!
Like a magnet, Chen Yan attracted the attention of three Spurs players just after halftime!
Outside the three-point line, before a double-team was about to form, Chen Yan suddenly slowed down and sent the ball out with a single hit.
Azubuike stepped in from behind at high speed and dunked hard with both hands facing the empty basket!
After beating the basket, Azubuike beat his chest and roared at the bottom line camera, looking very excited!
Chen Yan rushed over and gave Azubuike a shove. This was their way of expressing their excitement!