Grab Curry at the start

Chapter 18 War of Attrition
"Stephen has encountered challenges this time, but luckily the defensive end doesn't need to worry too much." Zhang Sixin said looking at the field.

The Celtics are strong in defense, and their No. [-] Rondo has excellent wingspan and is a good defensive player among guards.

Before the start of the game, Zhang Sixin felt that Curry might be in trouble now. Now it seems that Curry is really playing a difficult game.

It's not just that Curry is restricted, under the defense of the Celtics, the Timberwolves don't have many outside opportunities.

However, the Celtics' own offense also did not play well, and the Big Three didn't feel very good after the start.

In the first few minutes of the game, both sides were struggling to defend and it was difficult to score.

But the first to break the deadlock is the Timberwolves at home, and Jefferson has a surprisingly good hand.

Zhang Sixin felt a little surprised, because the Celtics have Garnett and Perkins on the inside, and the two insiders are relatively good in single defense and auxiliary defense.

Zhang Sixin observed carefully and found that Janette's strength may have declined due to injuries last season.

But it's also because the Celtics didn't expect Jefferson to have such a good half-block touch. After the opponent noticed, Jefferson's offensive efficiency also dropped rapidly.

The Celtics' defense is still nothing to say, their slightly weaker offense is still.

Their tempo is too slow. Even though they have a few star players, it still feels difficult on the offensive end.

Also, Rondo holds the ball too much, and his shooting ability is a bit weak.

Rondo has good strength and excellent organizational skills, but he has a relatively high starting point and is a bit spoiled in the Celtics.

In other Big Three teams, the No. [-] player would definitely not have as many possessions as Rondo.

But this can also save the physical strength of the Big Three, which has advantages and disadvantages.

Like now, Zhang Sixin is very clear about the Celtics' routines, so he can be more targeted defensively.

They try not to let Ray Allen and Pierce make comfortable shots. As for Rondo, he can shoot outside if he has the ability.

Rondo really didn't have confidence. After he left the Celtics and no longer got favored, his shooting improved a little, so people were forced out.

With the Celtics on the offensive end, the Timberwolves used Jefferson's shot to gain the lead.

Then Frye from the bench came up and made consecutive hits, helping the team stabilize the advantage.

When Curry played with the rotation players, he finally hit a three-pointer.

After the Timberwolves increase their speed, they actually have an advantage, and the Celtics really can't run.

The main players in the Celtics rotation, such as Rasheed Wallace, who was introduced in the summer, are also older and less agile.

So after Jefferson goes down, the Timberwolves can still maintain their offensive power by speeding up.

For the Celtics, they really had to fight against fatigue while looking for a feeling.

"If the player's shooting improves a little bit, the game will be played better." Zhang Sixin and Dell Curry said.

Everyone deeply agrees that the Timberwolves are taking advantage of the Celtics, and the coaching staff is very happy.

The Celtics should have taken it lightly. After their defense was more targeted in the second quarter, it was much more difficult for the Timberwolves to score.

So, the defensive battle began, but the Timberwolves are leading now, and it doesn't matter if everyone doesn't score.

"Run, run as much as possible." Zhang Sixin told the players.

The Celtics obviously have some physical problems today, and the youngsters won with their speed.

"Unfortunately, a little bit."

Seeing the last moments of the first half, the players failed to seize two opportunities, and Zhang Sixin felt a little regretful.

In fact, the Timberwolves really had a chance to expand their advantage in the first half. Both times they came to the edge of double digits, but they still didn't rush over.

"The number one position still lacks an experienced rotation." Zhang Sixin and several members of the coaching staff said.

Curry can, but Mills is obviously not good enough. When Curry was resting, the Timberwolves did not maintain a good rhythm.

Sun Yue is definitely not good at this aspect. Unfortunately, veterans with ideas will not come to the Timberwolves now, so they can only practice the team's defense well.

In that way, even if the team's offensive rhythm is difficult to grasp at some times, there will be no major problems.

During the intermission, Zhang Sixin praised the players without hesitation.

But he also said: "The Celtics are a strong team in the league, and we cannot take it lightly."

"We were able to overcome fatigue and beat the Clippers in the last game. The Celtics will definitely not sit still. We are fighting at home, and we can spare no effort. After the game, everyone can go home and have a good rest. Therefore, we must concentrate more in the second half."

The Timberwolves' young players listened carefully, but they were still overtaken by the Celtics in the third quarter.

A strong team is a strong team, and the Celtics forcibly increased their intensity in the second half through adjustments during the halftime break.

Rondo, who has entered the league for the fourth year, deliberately targeted Curry, who was worse than the first half.

Zhang Sixin also shook his head lightly. The current Curry is still far behind when he was at his peak.

However, the Timberwolves were not taken away by the Celtics, their defense did not go wrong, and the Celtics still had no chance to get a three-pointer.

In fact, it is easier to do well on the defensive end than on the offensive end.

On the offensive end, sometimes exerting strength may not necessarily pay off, but defensive efforts will definitely pay off.

The key is that the Celtics' Big Three are not players with particularly strong personal scoring ability.

At this time, if the top scorers are on the scoring list, the Timberwolves may really be taken away by a wave.

But the Celtics' offense still gave the Timberwolves a chance to adjust.

Zhang Sixin's reaction was not slow, he let Frye appear on the court earlier.

Milicic's role in this game is not so obvious. The Celtics' inside line is originally defensive.

Although after Milicic goes down, the Celtics will have some chances to hit the basket, and Perkins may miss the basket, but the Timberwolves' offense will be better.

Milicic can also attack, but this time his style was restrained by the opponent.

After Frye and Belinelli came up, the Timberwolves got better offensively and a little worse defensively, just in time to match the Celtics, and the score between the two sides fell into a stalemate again.

The Timberwolves missed some opportunities, as did the Celtics.

Their big three haven't found a feeling today. They played a little better in the third quarter, but because of the high intensity of the game, their efficiency dropped again in the final quarter.

At this time, it depends on which team can persist. If the team fails to withstand at the critical moment, it may be taken away by a wave, and there will be no chance to counterattack.

Or there is a player with a big heart who can make a final decision and close the game.

Celtics coach Rivers began to plan carefully. He used Rasheed Wallace for offense and Perkins for defense, hoping to win with details.

At this time, Zhang Sixin left the offensive lineup on the field.

He felt that the Celtics were really struggling.

(End of this chapter)