When they were outside the locker room, Sandek said, "I want you to play pick-and-roll in the second half. Is there any problem?"
There is a difference between pick-and-roll and pick-and-roll tactics. Pick-and-roll tactics require the participation of the entire team. It is like flying an airplane. The operating system is complex and requires a lot of training.
But the pick-and-roll is just a tactical unit, just like driving. Once you know how to do it, you can drive on any road.
But it's simple, when both sides of the pick-and-roll attack are threatening enough, it becomes a nuclear weapon.
Marlon Stockton, Parker Duncan, Kobe Gasol, Curry Durant...the tactics are timeless, and the pick-and-roll is forever.
Although the strength of Xu Yong and Harden is still far behind them, Harden's breakthrough kills and Xu Yong's touch from beyond the three-point line were verified in tonight's game.
When opponents encounter a pick-and-roll and need to make multiple choice questions, their pick-and-roll lethality will naturally increase.
Of course, this will test the two of them. One is Harden's speed in handling the ball, and the other is Xu Yong's touch.
Xu Yong nodded first.
This is a test, but it is also an opportunity. If they can be lethal tonight, Sandek is likely to use it as a regular tactic in subsequent games.
Harden nodded as well.
He and Xu Yong actually played pick-and-roll before, but Xu Yong went in and he went out. Now Xu Yong feels hot on the outside and has more options. He also wants to know how much sparks the pick-and-roll between the two can create.
…
"We are looking forward to the Wildcats' adjustments in the second half, and at the same time, let us pay attention to Xu Yong's three-point touch from the outside." After halftime, the home commentator began to warm up the game.
The commentator, who was beaten by Xu Yong in the first half and exclaimed God, knows very well what the key factors of the game are.
Because the two teams faced off tonight, Ayers was suppressed by Hill, and the rest of the Devils couldn't make outside shots. Harden's breakthrough alone was not enough to win the game.
Back from halftime, the Devils attack first.
"Defend! Defend!"
As soon as the second half started, the home fans, led by the DJ, cheered for the home team in unison.
The Devils started to play Harden's off-ball tactics, but failed under the active defense of the Wildcats.
At this moment, the two wings opened up, Xu Yong moved to the high position, and the pick-and-roll between the two officially began.
Xu Yong opened the ball and cut inside, while Harden took advantage of the situation and went outside.
Budinger's save was slower, and Harden chose to retreat to the three-point line.
There is nothing wrong with this choice, and it is full of rhythm, classic Harden territory.
However, he had never taken a shot from beyond the three-point line tonight, and his first attempt ended in a blacksmith.
The rebound was picked off by Hill, and Xu Yong and Harden's first pick-and-roll attempt failed to score.
Wise advanced to the frontcourt with the ball, suddenly accelerated and rushed to the basket, passing the ball to Hill in the middle, and Hill scored with a shot off the board.
After adjustments in the midfield, the quality of the Wildcats' offensive and defensive ends has obviously improved.
"This is the beginning of the counterattack!" the home commentator shouted excitedly.
The pressure came to the Devils again. The 8-point difference looked like a lot, but it only took a few rounds for the Wildcats to gain momentum.
Harden continued to play without the ball in the frontcourt and continued to play pick-and-rolls with Xu Yong. However, the difference was that Xu Yong shot out directly after the pick-and-roll this time.
The Wildcats chose to switch defense, and Harden's bomb hit the inside, directly causing Hill's third personal foul.
There were boos at the scene. Harden's goal was obviously looking for confrontation, but Hill couldn't do it without confrontation. He didn't want to be scored twice by Harden.
Harden stepped to the free throw line, took a breath and then made two free throws.
He continued to show breakthrough kills and continued to pose O'Neal problems.
As long as the Wildcats don't double-team him, he can beat the Wildcats inside until they can't take care of themselves.
Bayless scored again from mid-range in the frontcourt, and the score on the court was 37 to 29, still an 8-point difference.
In the transition between offense and defense, O'Neal waved his hand, and when Harden broke through again, the Wildcats once again launched a double attack.
Harden was the first to withstand the test, swinging his hand and passing the ball back to the top of the key before the attack was formed.
Xu Yong just bounced to the three-point line and received Harden's pass.
The Wildcats responded quickly to the Devils' sudden change, and Bayless quickly swooped over from one side.
Xu Yong made a shooting motion, and Bayless jumped directly to interfere.
Who would have thought that Xu Yong was just making a feint, and after seeing Bayless flying past like a wild goose, he took an adjusted three-pointer and then took the shot.
The fans at the scene held their breath.
After halftime, is Xu Yong still feeling good?
Xu Yong quickly gave the answer.
"Uh-huh!"
He raised the knife and hit his fifth three-pointer tonight!
Confident people are always tough!
O'Neal reached out and slapped his forehead. He couldn't help but take another hard look at Bayless, and at the same time he had a new understanding of Xu Yong.
The ball just now is actually very illustrative.
Because of the four three-pointers in the first half, Xu Yong played more of a fixed-point open three-point shooter, but with this ball just now, Xu Yong did much more than that.
From calmly responding to help defenses, to using his three-point threat to dazzle defenders, to his ability to combine with the ball, that is far beyond what a fixed-point shooter can do.
The score difference between the two sides returned to double digits. The Wildcats were pinned down and rubbed for a long time. As soon as they raised their heads, they were pinned down again.
Bayless's mid-range also failed at this time, and Els blocked Hill to protect the defensive rebound.
The opportunity for the Devils has arrived. If they can take advantage of the situation and pull the point difference to more than 15 points, the game can be decided in advance.
The Wildcats obviously knew this, and they worked hard on the defensive end.
Harden wanted to repeat his old tricks, but the Wildcats cut off his passing route, and he could only dribble to one side to reorganize the offense.
At this time, thanks to the NCAA's 35-second attack time in a single round, they still have a chance to restart the offense.
But this time, with O'Neal's shouts, the Wildcats did not give Xu Yong a chance to pick and roll.
Xu Yong did not hesitate when he saw this, and directly adjusted his posture. He no longer wandered outside, but instead ran straight into the penalty area.
Harden showed excellent passing vision, and the long pass came to Xu Yong, who met the shrinking Hill.
At this time, Hill received a chain reaction of fouls early in the game. Because he had already been involved in three fouls, he did not dare to make any unnecessary movements with his hands and could only try his best to raise his hands.
Seeing this, Xu Yong made a sideways jump and then pulled the ball up from Hill's right side.
Hill couldn't exert any force with his hands raised, but Xu Yong rushed forward very powerfully and knocked him away.
Then from the perspective of the fans, the familiar scene from the opening played out again, with Xu Yong standing across Hill...
"Bang!"
He turned sideways and smashed the ball into the basket!
There was silence in the audience, and O'Neal opened his mouth.
When you thought Xu Yong was the dunker, he fired five shots at you from the outside.
Just when you thought Xu Yong was the shooter, he rushed directly into your penalty area!
The Devils' bench erupted.
The Devils' momentum in the first half relied largely on Harden's dunk, and then Xu Yong did the same thing in the second half.
No, Harden was on the left and Xu Yong was on the right. The two of them took full care of Hill!
Hill was completely confused. He played very well in the invitational tournament and was a real core inside the team. Who would have thought that he would be attacked from both sides as soon as the regular season started!
O'Neal looked up at the score, 42 to 29.
The University of Arizona came very close to losing this derby, and in a very embarrassing way.
But he found that he was powerless at this moment.
"Uh-huh!"
Fortunately, the Wildcats once again received God's favor. Budinger completed a difficult three-pointer against Ayers who was assisting in defense, helping the team to make another run.
However, the cheers of the fans had not yet died down. Looking back, it was Xu Yong again. After taking the outside, he received Harden's return pass, ignored Bayless who was assisting in defense, and also hit a three-pointer!
This is to build confidence, no matter how you shoot, you will get it! !
The Wildcats' defensive confidence is already on the verge of collapse.
"Dang!"
Budinger once again tried a three-pointer, and Ayers picked up the defensive rebound.
The Devils played a defensive counterattack, and the Wildcats' defense was in chaos at this time.
Harden seized the opportunity to break through to the basket, tearing the Wildcats' defense to pieces and then scored the ball.
After a burst of transmission from the outside by the Devils, the ball came to Xu Yong's hands again.
Xu Yong took the ball and shot with open hands.
The moment the ball was released, he knew it was there.
What does it mean to feel hot and tactically lean back!
There was despair in the eyes of the fans at the scene, and they knew that praying to God was useless.
"Uh-huh!"
Xu Yong hit his 7th three-pointer tonight!
At the same time, it was also a goal that completely destroyed the Wildcats' defensive confidence!
