The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 152

After the Heat beat the Raptors, they could return home. Although the team had a winning streak, Spoelstra did not dare to slack off. Before training the next day, he called Zhang Xiaotian to have a long talk alone.

Spoelstra believes that Zhang Xiaotian has not exerted his full strength.

After Zhang Xiaotian's outstanding performance in the preseason, as the coach of the Heat, he was thinking about how to integrate Zhang Xiaotian into the team.

The key performance of the two lore made Spoelstra more urgent.

After repeatedly observing the game video, Spoelstra felt that he had found the reason for Zhang Xiaotian's instability, that is, Zhang Xiaotian's style of play needs to hold the ball.

Many players in the league are like this, and they need to hold the ball to be efficient.

Therefore, the distribution of ball rights has always been a headache for various coaches.

As for the gap between Zhang Xiaotian's training and the game, Spoelstra subconsciously ignored it.

Spoelstra doesn't really believe in metaphysics. He believes that everything has an away reason.

Since he thought he had found the reason, he wanted to solve it, so he couldn't wait to talk to Zhang Xiaotian.

Spoelstra talked to Zhang Xiaotian mainly for two purposes. One is that he wants to stagger the ball holding time between him, James and Wade, so that he can enjoy the team's third ball.

It's not that he underestimated Zhang Xiaotian's strength. During this period of time, Zhang Xiaotian was bluffing, and Spoelstra actually overestimated Zhang Xiaotian's strength.

He was worried that Zhang Xiaotian had a bad temper, and his bad statistics would affect the team.

If the average player immediately falls into the sidelines, there is no explanation, but Spoelstra feels that Zhang Xiaotian is a player who can supplement the team, and he needs to help him integrate into the team.

In addition, he wants to talk to Zhang Xiaotian, can we discuss the starting position again.

He didn't want to withdraw Zhang Xiaotian's starting lineup, but some teams in the league are still very threatening inside, such as those teams that can be called twin towers, such as the Clippers they are about to play.

At this point, Spoelstra is mainly worried that James will be consumed inside. Unlike Popovich, the team does not have an old man who is particularly trusted. He is willing to give Zhang Xiaotian the most important tactical position outside the Big Three.

But the team's lineup cannot remain unchanged. He believes that he is still a coach who has studied tactics.

Zhang Xiaotian also took the opportunity to express his attitude, "I listen to the coach's arrangement, but I have a request from the coach. I must stay on the court at the critical moment of the team's final quarter. My state is always very good at that time. , has become my belief.”

Spoelstra agreed without even thinking about it. He also looked at Zhang Xiaotian's ability in this area. Although he believed in data analysis more, many players in the league also believed in metaphysics. He thought it was a psychological hint. It's good that the team helps.

In the game against the Clippers at home on November 11, Haslem started instead of Zhang Xiaotian.

This situation was expected by some people, but the actual occurrence still attracted the attention of many people.

A Big Three team like the Heat has already been put in the spotlight, and even if it is a normal adjustment, the media can tell the truth.

Zhang Xiaotian has already been able to predict that soon there will be news of conflicts between him and the team.

Fortunately, he doesn't pay much attention to all of this, the key is the victory of the game, and justice will always be on the side of the winner.

The Clippers have also done a lot of work this summer, the team framework has not changed, Paul, Griffin, Jordan, and the sixth man Crawford have not changed.

But they introduced shooters like JJ Redick and Jared Dudley who can open up the space, and younger substitutes like Darren Collison.

The team is younger and the configuration is more reasonable. No matter how you look at it, it can hit the championship level.

At the beginning of the game, the Heat were very passive. Even if Haslem started, they would not be able to grab rebounds in front of Griffin and Jordan.

But the biggest change is JJ Redick, a team with a strong inside, and a three-point shooter is really suitable.

When the Heat didn't pay attention, JJ Redick made consecutive hits.

Soon Spoelstra realized the reality, the defense couldn't defend at all, and he still had to attack.

You can't use the inside line to deal with the inside line, you can only break in and make fouls from the outside line. If you get rid of the idiot like Jordan, the Heat will definitely play a lot easier.

Spoelstra can only comfort himself. He adjusted the starting lineup not to be able to resist the inside, but to make it easier for James.

He is well-intentioned, but it is a pity that he will definitely not be understood by the outside world.

What else can I do, the goal has almost been achieved, let's replace it.

Once the small lineup is sacrificed, half of the inside twin towers will be abolished, and the other side will depend on whether they are able to break through and draw fouls.

There is no perfect team, that's the fun of the NBA.

After Zhang Xiaotian came on the court, he hit a three-pointer at the buzzer at the end of the first quarter, so the Heat only lost by 3 points.

The Big Three teamed up to score 20 points, which is actually a normal performance, but the inside line can't protect the rebounds at all, and it's not bad to lose only 3 points.

Zhang Xiaotian feels pretty good. He is usually replaced at this time, and he has no chance to use this skill. The feeling of buzzer is not bad.

In Spoelstra's view, it was his tactics that had an effect.

It doesn't matter if he was suppressed just now. He can fully display Zhang Xiaotian's attack power by staggering the time. It is foreseeable that even if the opponent has a super sixth man like Crawford, the rotation time will be crushed.

Facts have proved that the young coach thought too much. Apart from the highlight of the three-pointer at the buzzer, Zhang Xiaotian was mediocre.

Spoelstra was stunned, there was something wrong with the script.

In fact, Zhang Xiaotian's performance wasn't that bad either. He didn't make a lot of shots offensively, and he didn't lose his position defensively. He seized the opportunity and hit a three-pointer in the second quarter.

But now he doesn't show the slightest temperament of a star player, he is completely like an ordinary role player, which is why Spoelstra can't accept it.

Fortunately, Wade performed very well after he played, and the Heat only lost 4 points when they did not have an advantage inside the half court.

Not much loss, halftime is completely acceptable, but the whole game is not.

Losing more or less is losing. No team likes to lose, especially a team that wants to compete for the championship.

So when there is still no turning point, the Heat changed players in 4 minutes of the third quarter, not just one.

Go to his inside line and speed up directly.

The speed-up effect is obvious, and Jordan is obviously unable to keep up. James scored 6 points in a row and made Jordan a foul.

Next, Zhang Xiaotian caused the opponent's substitute insider Byron Mullens to foul, and the Heat took the lead.

Taking the lead into the last quarter, Spoelstra was finally relieved.

(End of this chapter)