Healing Basketball

Chapter 922 922. Sometimes you can't be too expensive

Liu Xiu didn't expect that a casual sentence back then would become their most critical move now.

The opening offense has indeed improved qualitatively. Even if the warden fails to activate the 'Kobe Time', he will not lose against the Spurs in the opening attack!
Part of the reason is that their style of play has changed a lot compared to the last time they played against each other.

Mostly, though, Hill's entry into the starting lineup has given them a boost to their opening offense.

But leading at the beginning is not a win, and the most troublesome moment is next.

The Spurs' rotation!

After the timeout, the Spurs sent a combination of Jacqui Vaughn, Ginobili, Udoka, Matt Bonner, and Duncan.

The Trail Blazers sent a combination of Liu Xiu, Ray Allen, Korver, Kwame Brown, and McDyess.

The Spurs attacked first, and after three passes and catches, Duncan received the ball at a reasonable position outside the collision zone. He turned against Liu Xiu, who was forced to switch defenses here, and avoided Kwame Brown, Get up and hit the throw without leaving the ground.

Kwame Brown was jumping high, a little too high, and he hit the empty spot higher than where Duncan threw the ball and landed...

Parallel champion is now in a very complicated mood. The Flying Devil, who was not weaker than him in physical fitness back then, has become a floor runner. He was tortured by plantar fasciitis and lost his bullet speed and explosive acceleration, which made him feel the pain of time and injury. cruel.

But this guy can't jump, but it's even more difficult to guard against!
How irritating!
If Liu Xiu knew what Kwame Brown was thinking, he might comfort him: don’t be too angry, you will get used to it after a long time, maybe he will retire later than you, if you don’t think about it, you will always be angry until retire...

After playing a few rounds, Liu Xiu once again felt the point that the Spurs are now ridiculously strong-offensive continuity!
The three major scorers Parker, Finley, and Scola went to rest, and the Spurs' offense hardly fluctuated!

The Suns rely on 8 people to rotate the main force of dead grass to ensure the offensive firepower throughout the whole process, while the Spurs rely on tactical cooperation and use the ability of the troika to drive others.

Matt Bonner, an insider who has almost no other advantages except shooting and running, has become a key part of the Spurs' tactical play. Jacqui Vaughn's stability, Udoka's enthusiasm, and Duncan's personal ability , Ginobili's demon... The functionality of each player of the Spurs is demonstrated in tactics.

but……

At 11 minutes and 37 seconds into the first quarter, Korver made another three-pointer, which was his second three-pointer in half a quarter.

28 to 25, the Trail Blazers once again took a 3-point lead!
Immediately afterwards, Ginobili rushed to the inside and made a layup with a European step, but Liu Xiu immediately made a fast break and rushed to the front court against Udoka. Liu Xiu's emergency stop jump shot from the free throw line...hit!
After this kind of confrontation, the emergency stop jump shot can be made, and Udoka can't do it either.

With the Spurs missing a three-pointer in the last 2.8 seconds of halftime, after the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Spurs by 30 points 27 to 3 and entered the intermission!
...

Back on the bench, Liu Xiu hummed a little tune and took the towel handed over by the extrajudicial lunatic to wipe off his sweat, looking quite in a good mood.

It's the singing, the extrajudicial lunatic really wanted to remind him, but he was afraid of being beaten... No, it was because he was afraid of hurting the warden, so he endured it.

After drying off her sweat, Liu Xiu put on her training clothes, took out the vegetable juice in her bag, and drank it while reviewing her performance in the first quarter.

The help that Hill brought to the starting lineup is not a surprise, it is just the expectations of the coaching staff that come true, and this expectation is a reasonable expectation based on Hill's performance in the past month.

Korver is a surprise!

Gritting his teeth, he sent Stevenson and a first-round pick, defeated the Jazz and grabbed Korver, but there will still be pain.

Even the management and coaching staff of the Trail Blazers felt that the deal was a loss, and they could only imply to themselves that although Stevenson had trade value, staying in the team was negative equity...

But when he got it in his hand and used it for half a round, he felt that he had earned it!
The first is Korver's strong tactical understanding, plug and play.

In terms of ability, Korver must be much worse than Ray Allen.

Korver also catches the ball for three-pointers, and he can barely wrestle with Ray Allen.

As for Korver's future fame in running, catching and shooting, his running ability and experience are still accumulating, far inferior to Ray Allen's ability and rich experience.

but!Korver has one 'strength' that Ray Allen doesn't have, he's a role player.

Ray Allen will be heavily marked by the opponent, even if Liu Xiu and Randolph are present, but Korver will not.

Such a pitcher is so comfortable to use!
Of course, there are many shortcomings, the running ability needs to be improved, and the defense is poor... But as a substitute, these are not important. If the performance is good, he will be replaced, and if the performance is not good, he will be replaced.

As for the reason why the 76ers traded Korver, which is the biggest shortcoming of Korver in the eyes of the 76ers, it doesn't matter to the Trail Blazers.

The 76ers don't want Korver because of his five-year, $05 million contract extension in the summer of 5. Including this season, there are still three years left, and his salary will be $2200 million in the next two years. Above the knife, it's too expensive for a pure pitcher with a lot of technical flaws.

On the other hand, Spurs coach Popovich is a little bit hurt.

At first, he just thought it was great to have a big dog supporting his life, and he was a little jealous.

But if the Trail Blazers only strengthen the starting lineup, he is not so afraid.

The rotation stage is where he has the most confidence.

After entering the rotation, the Spurs' defense will decline, but the opponent will also enter the rotation, some starters will be replaced, and the offense will also decline. The two decline at the same time, which can be regarded as offsetting each other.

But the opponent's defense will inevitably decline, but their Spurs' offensive performance can remain stable!

This advantage is huge.

But I didn't expect that Korver on the opposite side made two three-pointers in the half quarter, Randolph was replaced for a rest, and when the inside restraint weakened, Korver helped the Blazers prop up the offense.

He also considered trading Korver to stop him, but he thought it was too expensive for a first round, and it was too late to regret it now.

...

After the intermission, Liu Xiu was placed on the bench to rest, observe and think.

Maurice Cheeks sent a combination of Blake, Korver, Outlaws, Millsap, and McDyess.

On the Spurs' side, the combination of Parker, Barry, Finley, Scola, and Francisco Elson played.

After playing 3 rounds, Maurice Cheeks took advantage of the dead ball and replaced Millsap, replaced by Ray Allen, and let the extrajudicial fanatic go to the power forward position.

Morris Cheeks' timely and well-placed adjustments lifted the Trail Blazers' declining offense all of a sudden!

(End of this chapter)