basketball hero

Chapter 644 The opponent is the Spurs
Craig Sager and Reggie Miller explained the game.

"Reggie, the playoffs are starting again this season. This time of year is also the most exciting time." Craig Sagel said with a smile.

"Yeah, Greg, you can tell by looking at these fans, they are so enthusiastic, our voices can hardly be heard, hahahaha..." Reggie Miller laughed.

Valanciunas and Antić prepare for a jump ball near the middle circle and the game is about to begin.

Valanciunas grabs the high point, hands the ball to Amir Johnson, and the game officially begins.

Jeremy Lin slowly dribbled the ball over.

Ying Xiong is cruising in the frontcourt. Naturally, it is not his good friend Kyle Korver who defends him, but Carroll, who looks exactly like Gerald Wallace with dreadlocks.

Speaking of Carroll, like DeRozan, he participated in the draft in 09. He was selected by the Grizzlies with the 27th overall pick in the first round.But his fate has not been smooth sailing. From the Grizzlies to the Rockets to the Nuggets, he has always been a marginal player on the team, even the kind who can't play, commonly known as the "water cooler administrator".He went through the tough years of being cut, signed again, and cut again.It wasn't until he was signed by the Jazz that he got a relatively stable playing time and also showed his potential as a forward 3D player.On July 7 last year, he signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Eagles.This season, he was reused by the head coach Budenholzer. He played 500 games and all started. He averaged double digits per game and made rapid progress. He is getting better and better as a 73D player. He has also become one of the most cost-effective players in the league.

Carroll's characteristic is that he is conscientious as a small forward, spares no effort to defend physically, strictly implements the tasks assigned by the head coach, and he doesn't talk much, plays low-key, and is a very good role player.As a player selected at the end of the first round, his static talent and dynamic talent have not reached the level of becoming a superstar, but in fact, there are 30 first-round picks selected in a year, and he can eventually become a superstar or an All-Star. Also very few.

Budenholzer studied under Popovich, so their defensive routines and concepts are very close to the Spurs. On the defensive end, they advocate restricting the center and forcing the opponent to go to the side. I like the strategy of strictly guarding against blocking the middle lane, emptying the side lanes and adding weak side defense.

Although in the finals last season, the Spurs' defensive routines were cracked by the excellent mid-range Raptors, Budenholzer still retained the shadow of the Spurs' defense. Give the middle a chance and always try to drive them out to the side.

"Craig, Mike's coaching style is really like Greg (Popovich)!" Reggie Miller said.

"Reggie, are you referring to me?" Craig Sager smiled slyly.

"Yes, it's you, when will you coach an NBA team!" Reggie Miller joked.

Jeremy Lin gave it to DeRozan on the right, who made a sudden stop and missed a jumper.

Millsap received the rebound and gave it to Jeff Teague to advance.

Jeff Teague, like DeRozan and Carroll, was also a rookie in 09. He can be regarded as a point guard cultivated by the Eagles themselves.Teague is good at breaking through and scoring well. Shooting is a weak part of his skills.Of course, the height of 188cm and the weight of less than 90kg can't take any advantage on the defensive end.

The Eagles' offense is very holistic, and the players run quite frequently. No matter whether it is an outside player or an inside player, there is no one who stands and waits for the ball stupidly. The players move without the ball, cover, cut, and block. His job is to maximize the team's offense.

"Atlanta's offense, no matter whether it goes in or not, it's pleasing to watch!" Reggie Miller praised.

"Atlanta is called the 'Eastern Spurs' for a reason!" said Craig Sagel.

Through a series of transmissions, Antić took a chance and made a mid-range shot—and missed!

Ying Xiong received the rebound and gave it to Jeremy Lin to advance.

In the first half of the first quarter, the offensive efficiency of both sides was not high, and it seemed that they were still testing each other.Ying Xiong's desire to attack is not strong, he seldom attacks with the ball, and his offense is mainly without the ball.

"Reggie, the situation is so anxious now, why don't you attack by yourself?" Craig Sager asked.

"It should be a test. I think the game is a 48-minute contest. It doesn't mean anything to be anxious now. Last season's championship made Toronto a lot calmer, and its ability to control the rhythm of the game is better than last season. Maybe it's time to think , he will stand up and control the situation. I don’t know when exactly.” Reggie Miller said.

But even if Ying Xiong is suspected of playing soy sauce on the court, the stronger Raptors still rely on the joint performance of DeRozan and Jeremy Lin to slowly gain a certain score lead.DeRozan, a mid-range master, is like a fish in water against the Spurs team, as if adding a "Buff" to him.

In the competition between the second teams of the two sides, the Raptors are still led by Jeremy Lin, while the Eagles are led by Louis Williams and "2 No. 99 pick" Elton Brand.

The Eagles have a high level of tactical literacy. Whether it is the starting lineup or the rotation lineup, they all play team basketball and maximize the players' abilities.

"Mike is really an amazing coach. It's not easy to train such a group of players to this level. You know, the opponent is the defending champion Raptors, the number one in the league!" Reggie Miller sighed.

Yingxiong replaced Terrence Ross with 2 minutes and 7 seconds left in the second quarter.At this time, the Raptors are only 56 point ahead of the Eagles, and the ball is still in the opponent's hands.

Lou Williams dribbles the ball to Mike Scott.Korver is constantly using off-ball screens to run quickly.

DeRozan tried his best to follow up the defense, but he was still a step too late. Korver got a shot and made a 3-point shot-hit!
"Sharp shooter Kyle hit a 3!" Craig Sager explained.

"Kyle's running without the ball is excellent. But DeMar's defense needs to be tighter!" Reggie Miller said.

"A sharp shooter like Kyle, if you give him a little chance to make a shot, he may hit it! Reggie, you were also a sharp shooter back then. How do you defend a shooter like this?" Craig Sager said.

"Kyle plays a very important tactical role in a team like Atlanta. I think such a player needs to confront him without the ball, and try to disrupt his shooting rhythm without giving him an easy shot!" Reggie Miller said.

(End of this chapter)