The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 295 Battle Spurs

The Spurs' poor performance this season is mainly due to the degradation of GDP. They can't reach the All-Star level. Leonard has gradually taken over in the second half of the season.

In fact, the Spurs are still a little more conservative. If Leonard was the core earlier, the results might be better.

Popovich is also in a complicated mood. He has coached Duncan and the others for too long. Seeing that the three are getting older, he has the feeling that he will quit the league.

But in the face of various strong teams, Popovich has more means than Rick Carlisle.

In the Spurs' starting lineup, there are three players who are excellent in single defense and auxiliary defense, and they can also attack. This is a configuration that other teams cannot have.

At the beginning of the game, the Spurs' tactics were very targeted, but not on defense, but on offense.

The Spurs have changed more and more in recent years. From a defensive team to a current offensive and defensive team, and even more talented offensively, it can be said to be a miracle, after all, it is under the same coach.

The combination of offense and defense, the combination of stars and groups, the Spurs have really done a good job.

Under Danny Green's strict defense, Zhang Xiaotian's enhanced three-pointer was not of much use, and he didn't insist, and instead fought with Danny Green.

On Danny Green's side, at least it doesn't take much effort to attack Zhang Xiaotian.

Owen and Parker must have exploded with each other. Both of them have this characteristic, but Parker's attack power has declined a bit as he grows older.

Surprisingly, Leonard and Ke and James exchanged blows.

Since the Spurs increased Leonard's weight, he has grown very fast.

For this kind of talent, Zhang Xiaotian can only be extremely envious.

Throughout the first half, the protagonists were Irving and Parker. Irving scored 22 points and Parker scored 19 points. I don't know whether to praise them for their strong offensive ability or weak defense.

Irving scored more, but it turned out that the Spurs led by 2 points, and Parker had four more assists than him.

Because of the offensive battle between the two of them, both sides scored quite high.

In the second half, Irving will definitely have to play on this point. Even if it has something to do with the Spurs' defense, such things as touch will not lie, and the second is targeted defense.

Parker is not as fast as he was at his peak, so the Cavaliers can switch defenses.

Zhang Xiaotian was sent to defend Parker in the third quarter, and it was his first time defending the No. [-] position. However, there is not much difference between Parker's attacking No. [-] position and No. [-] position.

Moreover, Parker rarely takes shots outside the three-point line, Zhang Xiaotian's familiarity with his former teammates can really limit it.

Obviously Popovich was also dissatisfied with the Spurs' defense in the first half, and the Spurs invested a lot more energy on the defensive end in the second half.

The longer the system is built, the deeper it becomes. There is really nothing to say about the Spurs' system.

The Cavaliers' defensive skills are slightly inferior, but the Spurs' offensive talent is not strong enough.

If it comes to head-to-head, the Spurs' strongest singles ability is actually Leonard, and Leonard is better defensively than offensively in the third position.

It's just that the Cavaliers were also protected enough. In this game, apart from Irving showing great power, James and Zhang Xiaotian performed normally, Love was locked up, and JR Smith also frequently hit the iron.

In fact, Zhang Xiaotian is also quite distressed. The Spurs have been eyeing him from the very beginning. It is estimated that his performance this season has left a deep impact on his old club.

Zhang Xiaotian is also a little depressed, the Spurs are quite familiar with him.

There are only two ways to crack the Spurs' defense. One is that the team as a whole is better than them, and the other is unreasonable.

Owen is a little unreasonable now, but unfortunately it is not enough.

James can only be said to be playing so-so now, and the Spurs may know him better than Zhang Xiaotian.

After Zhang Xiaotian went to rest in the third quarter, JR Smith failed to score a few shots, and the Spurs took the opportunity to expand their lead to 7 points.

At the beginning of the final quarter, the Spurs' defense against Zhang Xiaotian became tighter.

Danny Green's playing time is to follow him, and Popovich has also arranged tactics. If Zhang Xiaotian just wants to play Danny Green in the low post, he will be greeted by flanking.

The Spurs have already made plans and will not give Zhang Xiaotian any chance.

It's just that they didn't expect that Zhang Xiaotian's shooting ability has made great progress compared to the last time he played.

When the Cavaliers launched an offense, Zhang Xiaotian seemed to be dribbling the ball from outside the three-point line very casually.

Danny Green didn't dare to neglect, and was ready for Zhang Xiaotian to squeeze over.

He has studied Zhang Xiaotian's move thoroughly. Although his strength is a little weak, as long as he delays a little, the team's attack will come. If he does it well, he can force Zhang Xiaotian to make a mistake.

It's just that Zhang Xiaotian was lucky, and suddenly pulled it up without any warning.

The three-pointer hit the net, and Popovich suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart.

Zhang Xiaotian is getting more and more demonic, and his defense is also good, Popovich rarely has a trace of regret in his heart.

He couldn't help shouting to Danny Green: "Stick to him, don't give him a chance to shoot."

Danny Green felt a little wronged, but he did it according to the requirements before the game. Zhang Xiaotian was too unreasonable.

But he was not discouraged, defense is what he used to eat, and he believed that he could do better.

Duncan was not on the court at this time, but the Spurs' inside line was a little empty.

Danny Green kept close to the defense as promised, but Zhang Xiaotian was not a pure shooter. He swayed after taking the ball, bumped into Danny Green hard secretly, and then accelerated and squeezed past.

Dior immediately rushed over to help defend, but it was still a bit slower, Zhang Xiaotian had already started.

Dior had no other choice but to foul.

Zhang Xiaotian is second only to Irving in free throws, and ranks second in the Cavaliers. Fouls and points on him are similar.

Popovich was even more dissatisfied, and Danny Green spread his hands, indicating that it was not his fault.

To be honest, there should be less than ten players in the league who can restrain Zhang Xiaotian in the final quarter. Danny Green's defensive ability is strong enough, but the effect is not so good due to his physical condition.

Now the Spurs will either flank ahead of time to give the Cavaliers other players a chance to open, or let Zhang Xiaotian shoot or break through, betting that Zhang Xiaotian will not be so sharp.

But the Spurs don't have many leads, and they really can't afford to gamble.

The key is that they hit the iron during the offense. When Zhang Xiaotian assisted his teammates to narrow the gap to 2 points, the Spurs chose to make a substitution. The lineup became one big and four small. They wanted to bet on offense.

There is no way, it is really hard to prevent.

The Cavaliers were more direct. James and Irving both returned to the court. Only Tristan Thompson was left inside, and he also played one big and four small.

And the four players are not the usual JR Smith, but pure shooters.

(End of this chapter)