If the Bullets are the team that values three-pointers least and is the worst in the entire league, then the Hornets may be the team that values three-pointers the most and is the most accurate in the league.
There is an extremely exaggerated statistic. The Hornets' team's three-point shooting percentage per game so far this season is 42.8%!
This is no longer the number one in the current era. If the number of shots is not taken into account, it can even rank first in history. Even the Golden State Warriors who won three championships in four years later, their most accurate three-pointer in one season was only 41.5. %.
It can be said that the three-pointer is the signature skill of the Hornets. However, after the opening, they were beaten by the Bullets' three-pointer. How could Dave Cowens endure it?
He immediately called a timeout with a livid face and made lineup adjustments.
Lin Yu is speculating on how Cowens will deal with the Bullets' backcourt duo.
The reason why Legler was able to shoot so comfortably in the opening game was because the Hornets' backcourt defense was too awkward.
Expecting Bugs Boggs to defend Legler's three-pointer in a pick-and-roll defense is a plot that only appears in novels, and it is impossible to happen in the real world.
One is 160 centimeters, and the other is 193 centimeters. Anyone who has played golf should know what a gap this is.
Xiaochong's body is completely like a mini version of a bone crusher. Before playing basketball, he practiced wrestling. His lower limbs are extremely thick and his strength is very good. This allows him to play a certain role in defending the breakthrough of opposing players.
But when defending a front-facing shot, it's very embarrassing.
This is why Lin Yu had to find someone to play pick-and-roll with Legler. The only way to break the double pick-and-roll on the outside was to switch defenses, and Boggs had to face Legler.
If Legler is allowed to hold the ball alone and shoot three-pointers, he will need to face Dell Curry. Even if the old Curry's defense is not up to par, it is absolutely impossible for Legler to achieve the current effect of open three-pointers. .
Lin Yu dared to conclude that the Hornets must have replaced Xiaochong and replaced him with a tall outside defender.
The brief pause called by Cowens ended quickly, and players from both sides returned to the court.
As Lin Yu predicted, Xiaochong was replaced and 38-year-old veteran Ricky Pierce was replaced.
Coaches who are players, their coaching style is more or less the characteristics of their player days. Cowens's player period was characterized by being good at offense, so he paid more attention to Ricky Pierce, who was accurate in three-pointers.
If Unseld were in Cowens' position, he would definitely be replaced by Tony Smith, who is younger and better defensively in the Hornets.
It is impossible to say which of these two completely different employment strategies is better or worse.
The game restarted, and Lin Yu soon discovered something strange. Cowens not only replaced the little bug, he also swapped the fourth and fifth positions on the Hornets field.
That is to say, Mason Jr. plays center to face the big Ben.
Even though they were opponents, Lin Yu couldn't help but applaud Cowens' arrangement in his heart.
Mason Jr. is 201 centimeters tall, about the same height as Big Ben. He is also a muscular inside man, and his rebounding ability is much better than Divac. He averaged 11.4 rebounds per game this season, temporarily ranking third in the league, second only to Rodman and Muttom. Bo.
Of course, Mason Jr. only has 2.5 offensive rebounds in his rebounds. In terms of rebounding attributes, he may not necessarily be better than Lorenzo.
Cowens knows that the team's lagging behind is not only a problem of outside defense, but also the inside rebounds are very deadly. Let Mason go against Big Ben, and he thinks that his own rebounds will definitely not suffer again.
Lin Yu applauded Cowens' adjustment, but it doesn't mean that he really thinks this adjustment will be effective.
Mason Jr.'s rebounding attributes aren't bad, but what can he do against Ben's incredible 104 points of strength? He can't stand at the basket, and his rebounds will also be crushed by Big Ben.
The game has already begun.
The Hornets made a three-pointer from veteran Pierce, and the goal was extremely beautiful.
In the Bullets' offensive round, it was still a two-man game on the outside. Legler did not take a shot, but made a layup from the speedster.
Under the interference of old Curry, he failed to hit the basket while driving.
The rebound appeared, and Big Ben flexed his muscles to fight hand-to-hand with Mason under the basket.
Of course, little Mason is not as unbearable as Radia or Divac, who will be broken into pieces when touched by Big Ben, but he is also under great pressure at the moment, and his gums are almost bleeding from biting, and it is still difficult to shake Big Ben.
When the basketball fell, Ben, who was in a favorable position, exerted force to push Mason away and jumped up to collect the rebound.
Before the flying car left the penalty area, Ben simply passed the ball back, and the flying car took the shot and scored two points.
"Be careful, Ben, that guy Mason is not easy to mess with."
"Those old New York guys will hit people if they can't beat the ball. You must protect yourself."
Speedy has completely regarded Big Ben as one of his own, and when he saw little Mason being suppressed by Big Ben and blushing, he couldn't help but remind him in a low voice.
"But don't worry too much. I will protect you and stand behind me if something happens. He has to give me some face no matter what."
Daben felt that Speedy car cared about him, and he still had that innocent smile. He patted his majestic biceps and said with a smile: "I'm not afraid of him."
Speedy felt helpless, wishing he could be smarter, but he didn't know if he had found such an idiot ally, and he didn't know if he would be able to come in handy at the critical moment.
…
Cowens' arrangement was effective. The speedster and the leg brother could no longer attack as efficiently as they did at the beginning. In addition, veteran Pierce performed well on the offensive end. After one change, the situation was much better than when Xiaochong was on the court.
But Cowens still can't deal with the big money. As the saying goes, rebounders win the world, especially offensive rebounds. Every offensive rebound is equal to one more opportunity for a second offense. Even if the shooting rate is low, Can rely on more shots to create a point difference advantage.
Throughout the first half, the Hornets made few substitutions, and Lin Yu simply followed suit. Their players were younger than their opponents, and the Hornets were not in a hurry to make substitutions. Why should they be in a hurry?
The ordinary regular season, because of the feud between Cowens and Unseld, became more desperate than the life-and-death game of the playoffs.
Returning to the locker room after halftime, Unseld also came in.
"Guys, you played so well, leading them by 8 points at halftime, and maintaining the advantage in the second half. Cowens can't even try to steal the victory from my home court!"
"Ben, thank you for your hard work."
Unseld patted Ben's head lovingly, like an elder in the family praising a junior who scored 100% in the exam.
Lin Yu is also very happy. The situation is extremely favorable to them. This is a game that is guaranteed to win.
Speedy and Legler were in good moods. Even if the opponent started to target Legler's three-pointers, he had already hit seven three-pointers in the first half!
He made 7 of 11 three-pointers. If he continues to shoot in the second half, it is not impossible for him to break the NBA single-game three-point record tonight.
Speedy's statistics are also extremely gorgeous. He scored 14 points and 11 assists at halftime. If everything goes well, he can even touch the point guard hall-level statistics of 20 points and 20 assists.
According to the law of conservation of smiles, smiles never disappear, they only move from one person's face to another.
Lin Yu and others laughed, but Weber and others couldn't laugh anymore.
The team is in the lead. As the biggest star in the team, they should be happy, but after looking at their shabby data, they can't be happy.
Weber scored 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal in the first half. Howard was not much better, with 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. It's hard to believe that he just got the first 100 million yuan contract in history.
Speedy is a point guard, and the ball is in his hands. If he doesn't pass the ball to Webb or Howard, it will be difficult for them to get the right to take action.
Even if Ben grabs an offensive rebound, he will definitely pass it to the speedster who helped him get ahead.
Unseld was so nervous that he didn't even notice the dissatisfied expressions of Webber and Howard, but he kept praising Ben.
After the start of the second half of the game, the Hornets veteran began to be unable to bear it. His physical fitness declined rapidly, and his shooting touch was definitely affected.
About half of the third quarter was played, and the original 8-point difference had widened to 14 points.
The Hornets are gone.
The Bullets fans at the scene were very excited. They suddenly discovered that Lin Yu, the ridiculously young coach, seemed to have something.
After taking the position, Ben and Legler were promoted to the starting lineup, and the effect was incredible, especially tonight against a powerful team like the Hornets, they were able to suppress the entire game.
This would have been completely unimaginable in the Lenam era. Even the most optimistic fans would not dare to imagine that their bullets could suppress the Hornets in this way.
Some fans knew that Lin Yu had made wild remarks at the press conference before, and they suddenly had an idea that they thought was ridiculous. Maybe Lin Yu was not bragging. Can he really bring the Bullets to the Eastern Conference finals?
…
With such a huge advantage and our own physical advantage, how could we lose this game?
Lin Yu sat on the bench, adjusted his posture to a comfortable position, and waited quietly for the end of the game.
Time has come to the end of the third quarter.
Legler made a three-pointer but failed to score. Under the basket, Ben took another offensive rebound over Mason. This was already the seventh offensive rebound that Ben had recorded tonight.
The three quarters haven't even finished yet, and Ben has already scored 16 rebounds. This is because both sides have a higher shooting percentage, otherwise Ben will definitely have more rebounds.
On the other hand, Mason Jr. has only scored six rebounds so far, and he has been completely beaten by Ben.
Seeing Ben grabbing another offensive rebound and preparing for a second attack, the fierceness that Mason had suppressed throughout the game completely burst out.
Just as Speedy commented, the tradition of the New York old man is to be impatient when losing, and to hit others if he can't beat the ball. Even if Mason came to Charlotte from New York, he still has his true nature.
He could accept that Daben was slightly better than him, but he absolutely could not accept this humiliating crushing.
Daben has already jumped up, holding the ball with both arms, still making the same unpretentious make-up dunk.
Little Mason suddenly jumped up and rushed forward, slamming his strong right elbow into Big Ben's ribs.
The force of this elbow was so great that even though he had rough skin and thick flesh, he was knocked to the ground by the elbow. He lay on the floor and became motionless for an instant.
