The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 184

With the departure of Rudy Gay, the Raptors started Terrence Ross at the [-]rd position.

Terrence Ross is young and energetic, but he is not at the same level as Rudy Gay. The most important thing is that this guy is too thin on the front line. Zhang Xiaotian can use his body to bully him without using his skills.

James, who played a lot of iron in the game, has recovered his form in this game, and he played very actively when he came up.

The Heat started sharply, but the Raptors quickly adjusted.

With DeRozan as the core of their tactics, they played steadily to catch up with the score.

I have to say that DeRozan's playing is much more reasonable than Rudy Gay.

And they were able to catch up with the score because Wade and Bosh did not take advantage of their respective matchups. Wade did have some troubles defending the young and tall DeRozan, but Bosh was an old problem.

Zhang Xiaotian played well, but not to the extent of changing the situation.

During the rotation period, the two sides were equally divided. The Heat shot well from the outside, and the Raptors had an impact inside.

However, the real battle still requires the main lineup of both sides, and the Raptors are still focusing on DeRozan.

Similarly, they can't limit James well.

The score rose alternately, it can be said that the game was very tangled.

Fortunately, another core player of the Raptors, Kyle Lowry, didn't feel good, and he failed several three-pointers.

Players on both sides played uncomfortable, which was also an important reason for the stalemate.

In fact, Wade's defense is very good. Although his height is not very good, his wingspan is very long. To be able to score under his blockade requires a certain ability.

DeRozan has indeed become better this season, but the current situation is still due to Wade's knee.

The injury slowed Wade's pace a little, and DeRozan happened to catch him.

Relying on DeRozan's outstanding performance in the first half, the Raptors ended the away game with a 1-point lead.

1 point is nothing in any professional league, but for the strength of the Raptors, the Heat must find a way.

Switching defenses or flanking, James is not very easy to change in the fourth position now.

Zhang Xiaotian's words are not the best choice to deal with DeRozan's nimble footwork. Of course, you can try it. He also played against DeRozan.

However, the team's tactical arrangements must also take into account the face of the main players. If Zhang Xiaotian is replaced by Wade, Wade may lose his face.

Unlike some core players who don't like to defend, James and Wade both want to defeat their opponents on both offense and defense. Zhang Xiaotian agrees with this point very much.

Basketball is more than offense. All-star players should lead the team in two ways.

Therefore, Spoelstra still decided during the intermission that after DeRozan entered a certain area with the ball in the second half, he would attack tactically.

The Raptors' outside three-pointers are only average. Even if they seize the opportunity to shoot a few shots, the Heat are not afraid.

At the beginning of the third quarter, the Heat implemented a new defensive tactic, and DeRozan was restricted at once.

It's just that this restriction is a bit incomplete. DeRozan has no shooting opportunities, but he can also pass the ball.

Slightly different from what the Heat expected, he passed it inside first.

When James comes to help, he passes to Amir Johnson, or to Valanciunas.

Bosh was a little tight inside, and the Raptors were right to increase their inside attack.

One minute after the Heat overtook the score, the Raptors re-established their lead.

James was also exhausted on both sides of the defense, but fortunately, the Heat also responded quickly, allowing Zhang Xiaotian to join this small defensive rotation.

Although Zhang Xiaotian's defense can only be said to be qualified, the tactical effect is still coming out.

It's just that the Raptors responded quickly. After sending Rudy Gay away, their tactical execution has indeed improved a lot.

They began to pass the ball outside again. This time Kyle Lowry was not soft and hit two three-pointers.

Spoelstra also frowned. Not only did they change their defensive strategy, they failed to control the situation, but instead allowed the Raptors to play team basketball, and their lead tended to expand.

Whether to change it back or not, Spoelstra is not easy to make a decision at the moment.

In the end, Spoelstra felt that it was better now than letting DeRozan maintain his touch. After all, it was the star's time at the last moment. If they strengthened their defense, the Raptors would not be able to play so smoothly.

The important thing is that although the Raptors took some advantage, they didn't really open up the points. The Heat can still face it calmly, and they can choose tactics according to the situation in the last quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, the Raptors led by 5 points, and James rested below in the last quarter.

In the past, this was a time when the Heat were relatively dangerous, but after Zhang Xiaotian joined, this weakness disappeared.

The Raptors are led by DeRozan, but they don't have as many shooters as the Heat, and DeRozan is not so comfortable leading the team.

Moreover, when Valanciunas goes to rest, the Heat will have some advantages in rebounding.

The most important thing is that the Raptors couldn't anticipate Zhang Xiaotian's change.

Every team in the league has several collisions in the regular season. The difference between Zhang Xiaotian in the game cannot be intuitively felt by looking at the data, so even if everyone knows that he is Mr. Key, no one knows the specific situation.

DeRozan still passed the ball after attracting the attention of the defense. Zhang Xiaotian, who had been expected for a long time, rushed directly to the point of the pass. As soon as Patrick Patterson was about to catch the ball, Zhang Xiaotian's knife came down.

The timing was perfect, and the Raptors made a mistake.

Zhang Xiaotian quickly pushed forward and hit a three-pointer, and the gap of 5 points became 2 points.

The Raptors didn't fully understand what this meant. Their second unit was not very offensive. Coach Dwyane Casey signaled DeRozan to increase his offensive aggression.

DeRozan practiced his offensive skills hard in the summer, and now he can be regarded as the core. It is not that he will completely lose his mobile phone opportunities if he is flanked.

And with his means, he can also make a shot before pinching.

Although his shooting range is not beyond the three-point line, he is a good shot in the middle.

During the offense, DeRozan forced a shot, but this time he was interfered.

Wade is not a vegetarian either. DeRozan ate a few times in the first half, and he was holding back his energy.

Zhang Xiaotian got the rebound in the backcourt and drove the ball forward. In the frontcourt, he passed it to Wade. Wade broke through and hit the ground to the inside.

84:84, not long after the start of the last quarter, the two teams tied.

The Raptors coach is not the type to react immediately as soon as a situation arises. He will observe patiently to prevent wrong responses.

But this time he paid the price for his calmness. With Zhang Xiaotian's sharp help defense, DeRozan continued to hit the iron, and the Heat took the opportunity to establish a lead.

(End of this chapter)