The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 471 Cavaliers' Defense Issues

Facing the group of reporters below, Zhang Xiaotian smiled calmly, "There are still four victories before the ultimate goal."

Ginobili said, "Our defensive intensity is amazing. We entered the state at the right time. I think we will be better. We haven't reached the upper limit yet."

Durant didn't recover for a while after the game, and finally he just said: "The Spurs deserve such a victory, they are great."

The Spurs were the slowest team before, and now they are the first to enter the finals.

On the second day, the Cavaliers also won another spot in the finals very smoothly.

The Cavaliers gained a relatively large advantage in the first half, and the battle was completely resolved in the third quarter.

After the game, Celtics coach Stevens was rarely excited in an interview. He said with tears in his eyes: "It makes me a little sad that I can't show a better performance at my home court. There is really no home court. The fans are like the fans in the Garden Arena. At the end of the game, the performance of the fans was incredible. I really hope that the team can perform better."

"I think we played too casually, but at the beginning of the game, the players worked very hard. The boys work hard every day, and this spirit will be passed on in the team."

"We've made progress, but it's not enough. For Celtic, good enough is the most important thing."

Thomas Jr. said that Stevens should be a candidate for the best coach.

Cavaliers general Love said in an interview: "We must stay focused. The Spurs are a very good and tough team. They have many excellent players and can form different starting lineups. We will rest and relax tonight. Week Six back into training to get ready for the Finals."

In the finals, Zhang Xiaotian stood on the stage for the fifth time.

He's used to it, but still excited.

Both players will have enough time to recuperate, and then there will be a strong duel without any excuses.

Both the Spurs and the Cavaliers entered the Finals with the same record, but judging from their performance in the regular season, the Cavaliers may have benefited from the fact that their opponents are not so strong. At least the Spurs are fighting the Warriors 4:1.

However, the Cavaliers acquired Korver and Deron Williams in the latter part of the season, which increased the depth of the bench, and their strength has indeed improved.

The key is that the Cavaliers' role players rely too much on James' passing, and their weaknesses are relatively obvious.

The Cavaliers' defense is really inferior to the Spurs.

The lack of help in inside defense is a pain for the Cavaliers, and it is James who has reached the finals level in single defense.

If Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard restrict James like Durant, is Irving confident that he can do better than Curry?

Of course, James and Durant have different characteristics, and the Spurs' defensive strategy will also change.

As for the Cavaliers, how to restrict Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard may also be a headache.

No matter how much they said before the game, it would be false. When the time came to June, the finals finally started.

Both sides are starting with two insiders, and they must be cautious in the beginning.

However, the Cavaliers, who have studied the performance of the Spurs in the playoffs, do not plan to start slowly. James will be able to exert his strength soon after the game starts.

Everyone is the same when defending against James. If you put in a shot to prevent a sudden attack, it must be a flank attack when you come in.

Consumption is also consumed, but not for Durant. James' physical strength is much better than Durant's.

James still felt good in the first quarter. The Spurs can only try to limit it, and they can't let him explode.

At this level of players, the offensive end must have the initiative, and it is impossible to lock up.

There is Owen, Mills can't stand it at all.

With the experience of defending Curry before, although the two are not of the same type, the Spurs are not too panicked. In the end, Danny Green must be required to switch defenses.

Although the two sides are already attacking fiercely, they are still in the testing stage.

Wait until the halftime break, according to the opponent's tactics and the state of the players, can we really make targeted arrangements.

Fortunately, the Cavaliers can't stop Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard, even if Aldridge is a bit miserable, and now Aldridge, as a supporting role of the team, can't play many tactics around him, so he is often defended very depressed.

However, the Spurs also aimed at Love. As far as the score is concerned, everyone did not suffer a loss, and they both played happily with their two strengths.

As for the substitute players, because Mills and Gasol both started this time, the Spurs are just average.

But Ginobili and Simmons are not bad, at least not worse than the Cavaliers.

Like the Cavaliers and the Warriors, the bench players look at some people, but they are actually not very reliable.

This is also a common problem of strong teams. They spend too much money on all-star players, and the tactics are the same. Role players can only be mediocre.

The Cavaliers do not yet have a tactical system like the Spurs. The biggest role of their substitute players is to catch James' points and hit three-pointers. Although it is a bit exaggerated, there are not many opportunities for substitutes in other styles of play.

Therefore, in the second quarter, the Spurs established a lead.

After the return of the main force, the Cavaliers chased up a little more points, but the Spurs still took the lead at halftime.

The lead at this time is nothing, and it's just a number, but the opponent's tactical choice and player status are very clear.

There is nothing to say, restrict James well, and the defensive rotation will be faster.

As for Irving, in fact, he is better defensively than Curry, and his shots are not so exaggerated.

As for the breakthrough ability, the Spurs have the ability to assist defense in every inside line. Although it is not strong enough, with the help of Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard, the defensive end can definitely play a big role.

The Cavaliers can't envy this point at all, they really can't help defending.

The Spurs started the second half with full firepower, and the defensive end also went all out to increase its strength.

The Cavaliers have the same plan, and everyone knows it well, and no one is a fool.

Only at this time, the Cavaliers' own offense went wrong.

Unlike the Spurs who experienced the baptism of the Warriors, the Cavaliers have never encountered this level of defense in the playoffs.

Not long after the third quarter, they had their own problems.

It's not a big problem, it's just continuous strikes on the offensive end.

It's okay to meet an average team, at most it is to strengthen the defense and wait for the touch to recover.

But they were facing the Spurs, and Zhang Xiaotian seized the opportunity to hit two consecutive three-pointers.

The Cavaliers quickly changed to one big and four small, not only to enhance the offense, but also to add an extra striker, so that they can work with James to limit Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard.

It's just that no one is suitable at all.

Richard - Jefferson is still Derek - Williams, it might as well add a three-pointer to Korver.

The Cavaliers' defense is not too bad, but it is at the bottom of a strong team.

There was no way to limit Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard when there were problems on the offensive end, and the Spurs quickly gained a double-digit lead.

(End of this chapter)