NBA: Duncan feels uneasy coaching Warriors

Chapter 102 Strong Defense

"But looking back at this game, there shouldn't be much suspense."

O'Neill said next to him.

"Yes, Cole has gradually become familiar with the team recently, and Cole is also very good at the tactics Su Chen used last season."

"Today's Warriors are slowly returning to their position as the defending champions. As an almost rebuilt team, the Timberwolves still have a certain gap."

Johnson also nodded in agreement.

Despite the recent performance of the Timberwolves, it seems relatively strong.

But as the Knicks have recently started a losing streak, everyone can see that the Knicks are no longer at the second level in the Eastern Conference last season.

The Timberwolves' seemingly strongest opponent in the past winning streak is actually due to the decline in team strength, and there is no performance of a strong team in the playoffs.

"Although I like Su Chen's coaching philosophy, the Warriors are recovering from the championship status faster than expected. The Timberwolves don't even have an elite shooter."

Even Kenny Smith, who was so supportive of Su Chen last season, is not so optimistic about the Timberwolves.

Kenny Smith likes that kind of concept, and now Cole understands this concept well, and the current Warriors have not seen any regression from last season.

And at this time, the game is about to start.

For this game, Su Chen still paid more attention to it.

Su Chen didn't even use [Hawkeye] in order to keep his spirits up. This time, Su Chen's energy has already marked Cole's position in advance.

This game can also be regarded as a place where young players like the Timberwolves need to test their progress.

The Warriors also need to run the lineup now, so this game is a game that both sides will compete for.

At this time, players from both sides also entered the field.

Warriors starting lineup: Festus Ezeri (C), Draymond Green (PF), Corey Brewer (SF), Klay Thompson (SG), Stephen Curry (PG) ).

Timberwolves starting lineup: Giannis Antetokounmpo (C), Luol Deng (PF), Robert Covington (SF), Andre Iguodala (SG), Jimmy Butler ( PG)

Luol Deng and Iguodala returned to the starting lineup.

Before the game started, Su Chen had already communicated with them.

Iguodala has already begun to recognize his position, and Iguodala does not reject such a position, and he himself does not want to be the boss of any team.

As for Luol Deng, after seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo's talent, coupled with Giannis Antetokounmpo's age, he also recognized the role that he is willing to be a green leaf in reality.

Originally, he and Boozer led the Bulls last season, and he didn't think too much about being the boss of the team when he was crushed by the Heat.

After all, during the entire offseason, he was scolded by the media and fans throughout the offseason because of his performance in the playoffs.

As for Butler who came with him, Luol Deng didn't have any dislike. Others didn't know that he knew how hard this little brother worked.

The two had already recognized their roles, so Su Chen put them in the starting lineup.

After all, he spent those bargaining chips in exchange for them during the offseason, just to make them a help for the team, instead of sitting on the bench and watching rookies play.

As for Josh Smith, he still doesn't recognize the reality a little bit, and feels that the team can't do without him.

Su Chen also asked him to keep calm.

Now Su Chen's right to speak in the team has almost reached its peak, and no one can violate Su Chen.

The Timberwolves do not have a big-name star like James, and the Timberwolves' management and head coach are both Su Chen.

After signing the VAM agreement with the boss, Taylor, even the boss has no right to interfere, otherwise it would be a breach of the VAM agreement.

It can be said that at least this season, the Timberwolves are Su Chen's words.

This is also the reason why Iguodala and Luol Deng returned to their hearts so quickly, because there was nothing to cause trouble, and Su Chen was the highest authority of the Timberwolves.

Even Josh Smith tactfully stated with Su Chen that he still has the firepower to support the entire team's offensive possession.

He froze for a little bit, but he didn't dare to argue with Su Chen.

At the same time, in this fight against the Warriors, Gobert and Muscala did not play the two big insiders.

When playing against other teams, Su Chen usually arranges one of these two insiders to start according to the situation.

But there is no need to let the two of them start when playing the Warriors.

On the one hand, the Warriors' inside lines are all blue-collar, and they have no inside offensive position at all, and the inside lines in the Warriors' system are at most cut inside.

There is no such thing as post-back position tactics.

On the other hand, a big insider like Gobert who can't keep up with the Warriors will lag behind defensively.

Gobert's ability to switch guards is average, and he will directly become a scope when he meets a top guard. Curry Thompson obviously has the ability to use Gobert as a scope.

This makes the team with Gobert generally choose to let Gobert retreat, and normal games will give the opponent a lot of three-point opportunities.

Gobert's original intention was to use his defense to improve the team's overall defense, but Gobert's defensive efficiency would decrease instead, so there was no need for Gobert to play.

Using Giannis Antetokounmpo to play inside gives him more options to defend the pick-and-roll.

The Warriors' starting lineup is roughly the same as last season's starting lineup.

One difference is that Brewer was put on the starting lineup.

Originally, the starting position belonged to Iguodala, but because Iguodala was robbed by Su Chen, even Rubio threw it away.

When the Warriors couldn't grab it, they won a cheaper Brewer and made him the starter.

But the current Warriors are not much worse than the Warriors in the original timeline.

Although the Warriors do not have Iguodala, Brewer's addition is pretty good.

The second is that Su Chen helped them discover a veteran, Richard Jefferson. As last season's champion small forward, he was naturally not traded out this offseason.

In the original timeline, Richard Jefferson was the bargaining chip for Iguodala.

And because of the experience in the playoffs last season, Barnes is also more mature than before, showing some confidence.

The Warriors' forward reserves have not weakened much because Iguodala did not come.

If Su Chen does not grab Iguodala, the Warriors will not only introduce Iguodala, but also Jefferson and the more mature Barnes.

The reason why Richard Jefferson did not start is not that he lost Cole's trust. On the contrary, Cole also recognized Richard Jefferson.

But considering that he is a veteran after all, Cole intends to allow Jefferson to get more rest time in the regular season and wait until the playoffs.

At this time, the referee threw the ball into the air.

Giannis Antetokounmpo gets the ball.

Azeri's athletic ability is still not as good as Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The ball was given to Butler.

Iguodala comes up and sets a screen for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This ball played a simple horn tactic.

The ball was in the hands of Giannis Antetokounmpo for a singles breakout opportunity.

Giannis Antetokounmpo also bullied Azeri's speed and couldn't keep up, so he directly forced a breakthrough and completed a layup.

Recently, the whistleblowing standards for breakthroughs have become stricter, making Aizeli afraid to make moves behind him, after all, he has lost his position.

It is easy to send 2+1 by doing actions.

If this was the playoffs, you'd have to push the opponent down even if you were out of position, but it's just a regular season.

And the opponent's coach was Su Chen, who led them to the championship last season, so there was no need for malicious fouls.

Warriors 0:2 Timberwolves.

Giannis Antetokounmpo kicked off the game with a layup driven by physical talent, which lifted the morale of the team.

They don't have much burden in the first place. After all, they are not favored by the outside world, and no one will be disappointed with them no matter what they do.

On the contrary, if you play a good performance, you will be greatly praised, and your evaluation will rise rapidly.

Today's Warriors are not only the defending champions, but because of the smooth play of last season, this season has also maintained it.

The popularity of the Warriors is already very high now.

Playing a good performance against the Warriors is an extremely revealing behavior.

Cole seemed a little displeased when the Timberwolves played a tactic in the first round.

But he didn't say anything to the court.

After all, the Timberwolves are a rebuilding team, and he did not study the Timberwolves, and he is not familiar with the Timberwolves' style of play.

If it wasn't for Su Chen's sake, Cole didn't want to watch a few more videos before the game.

Warriors attack round.

In the first round of the Warriors, they chose to play an off-ball screen around the pick-and-roll tactic.

Draymond Green gets the ball near the free throw, and Luol Deng guards him.

After all, Luol Deng's defensive skills are well-known, and Draymond Green himself is not good at offense, so he will naturally not challenge Luol Deng.

Draymond Green watches with the ball.

This is Curry running a false screen, but it is actually Thompson running a true off-ball pick-and-roll three-pointer.

But after running for a while, neither Curry nor Thompson ran out.

Draymond Green was a little anxious, and quickly called for a change of tactics, asking Curry to play hand-to-hand.

After Curry handed over, Iguodala, who was defending him, was blocked by Draymond Green, but Lol Deng stepped forward and made an oppressive defense against Curry.

After Curry dribbled the ball twice in a row, he found that he couldn't get rid of Luol Deng.

As long as Luol Deng is not the main attacker, with his height and arm length, he has an advantage in defensive shooting.

Moreover, Luol Deng himself is a defensive player, and his judgment on defense is rarely wrong.

This kind of singles dribble, he may not be able to defend every one, but he can also give a lot of restrictions.

Today's Luol Deng has not degraded too much in terms of moving steps, and today's Luol Deng is still on the tail of his peak.

Originally, according to Curry's style of play, he should call another pick-and-roll at this time, and then find an open shot by dribbling.

But when he ran without the ball just now, he wasted too much offensive time.

This ball library can no longer call the pick-and-roll. You must choose to carry the defense of Lol Deng or pass the ball.

Draymond Green cut in at this time and had already raised his hand for the ball.

Curry took a look at Luol Deng's overwhelming defense, and chose to pass the ball to Draymond Green, making a dislocation cut from the inside to the outside.

But the inside line is Draymond Green with 1 meters, and the outside line is Iguodala who is also 98 meters.

Iguodala is very strong, facing Draymond Green's confrontation, he was not pushed away.

Draymond Green's attack at the basket is not a technical flow. He cut inside to hit Iguodala, and Iguodala directly blocked him.

The entire layup movement was deformed.

Draymond Green tried to grab a rebound and play a second offense but failed. Iguodala not only defended Draymond Green alone, but also took the rebound.

After getting the ball, Iguodala went around with a bad luck.

This ball directly turned into a fast break opportunity for the Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves' fast break will naturally give priority to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is tall and strong, and he rushed towards the Warriors' penalty area alone, squeezing all the Warriors who could return to the defense under the basket.

This is mainly because the Timberwolves do not have shooter-level players.

But if there is no shooter, there is no shooter, 3D is still there.

Giannis Antetokounmpo also chose to pass the ball directly to Covington who ran to the baseline.

Covington is very diligent and puts a lot of practice into open three-pointers. At the same time, the 10% bonus of the striker bond also allows him to shoot some open three-pointers.

Covington did not live up to the team's trust. After receiving the ball from the bottom corner, he made a steady hit.

Warriors 0:5 Timberwolves.

At the beginning, the Timberwolves scored two goals in a row through tactics and defense.

This made Cole frown.

But fortunately, Curry is not to be outdone.

Relying on his own ability and picking and rolling with Azeri, Giannis Antetokounmpo's defense was a little slower, giving Curry a little time and space to shoot.

But Curry relied on his high-speed shooting rhythm to throw the ball directly.

The ball goes in.

Warriors 3:5 Timberwolves.

Curry also gritted his teeth and shook his head in celebration.

After the baptism of the finals and winning the FMVP award, Curry has now entered the real personal peak.

On the next ball, the Timberwolves drew the defense through Giannis Antetokounmpo's breakthrough and gave the ball to Luol Deng.

However, Luol Deng didn't feel good about the ball and didn't make it.

The Warriors got a chance to switch offense and defense.

Both Curry and Thompson were near the three-point line. After Curry received the ball, he attracted the Timberwolves' defense and directly passed the ball to Brewer who cut inside the basket.

There was no one in front of Brewer.

Brewer's breakthrough score is still relatively high. Faced with such an opportunity, Brewer will not let it go.

But just as Brewer made a layup, Giannis Antetokounmpo suddenly appeared behind him.

boom!
A big shot on the top board, the ball was caught directly on the backboard and stopped.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is starting to show his outstanding talent.

Exaggerated wingspan and explosive bounce!

Breuer fell to the ground by this inertia.

Giannis Antetokounmpo also buffered forward because he rushed to chase the risk.

But the ball was picked up by Covington.

The Timberwolves defended the fast break and got a fast break opportunity at the same time.

Covington threw the ball directly to Iguodala.

The Warriors' two insiders are still in the second half. They simply did not keep up with the fast break, so they are still in the second half.

Luol Deng ran directly to the corner of the three-pointer, forcing Draymond Green to defend him.

The frontcourt formed a chance for Iguodala and Butler to play two-on-one.

Iguodala's breakthrough caught Azeri's attention, and he passed the ball to Butler when Azeri had already jumped to block him.

Aizeli had lost his balance in the air, but he still wanted to take the ball down.

beep!
Ezeri's action was called a foul.

But at the same time, Butler hit the ball.

2+1!

(End of this chapter)