However, Li Ao analyzed it and found that it was not difficult to defend against this tactic, as long as he didn't expand.
He extended out, and Iverson and Mutombo stood on the left and right sides of the three-second zone. The former can rely on his explosive bounce to play center-style eating, and the latter is one of the highest centers in the league. O'Neal can only be selective. Block one of them.
If he doesn't extend out, O'Neal will cover Mutombo to eat the cake, and at the same time, he has the conditions to cover the air-cutting Malik Rose.
The real role this tactic can play is to contain his defense.
He is a team player and he believes in his teammates... O'Neal Jr., who ran forward, suddenly felt his shoulders became heavier again.
When it comes to the Clippers' offense, the 76ers' defensive strategy is simple and crude, but directly effective.
Giving pure relief pitchers a rough fight, Matt Halprin rarely had an advantage when facing a short power forward.
The point where the opponent's singles advantage is greatest when covering up and flanking is the No. 0 player who thinks "it's not difficult to score 25 points."
Use the strongest defensive point on the outside to defend the opponent's second scoring point one-on-one. Laga Bell defends Jordan. There is another receiving pitcher with excellent defense, Rodney Buford, waiting on the bench. Jordan, the wheel battle is ready.
After Jordan hit the first iron, he understood his mission tonight and started an iron duel with Iverson.
Iverson said no, but his body was still very honest.
When Jordan began to focus on the offense, Iverson played significantly more actively.
Spider-Man + God of Basketball, this opponent, Iverson was even more excited than seeing the OK combination.
Time is not forgiving. Also facing top defensive teams and opponents with strong defenses, Jordan's performance fell behind.
Only in a real match did the Clippers realize how terrifying Iverson's scoring ability was.
His hit rate is not very good, it will exceed 40%, but no matter how strong the opponent's defense is, no matter how slow the rhythm, he can still maintain this hit rate!
Moreover, Iverson's physical strength was so good that Jordan could still play back and forth with Iverson at the beginning, but when Jordan got tired and needed to take a break, Iverson could still continue to play.
At this time, Li Ao can only take on the main offensive responsibility, playing in singles, encountering defenses and flanking attacks, choosing to make strong shots or pass to flank teammates.
As the game progressed, Li Ao understood why Garnett, Webb and others took more than 20 shots with extremely low shooting percentages when playing against the 76ers.
Under the rough confrontation of the 76 team, the wing pitcher felt cold too quickly, and it was better to pass the open space himself.
Even Peja and Fisher, the two top wing catchers, were beaten 1 of 4 and 1 of 7 from three-point range. Within a few minutes of Matt Halperin and Bibby playing, open shots began. "哐哐哐".
Li Ao had no choice but to compete with Iverson like Jordan to see who could make a better sound when hitting the frame.
As the ancients said, the sound of wind, rain, and the sound of forging iron can be heard.
A new storm has emerged, and the hammer is on at Wachovia Center.
Halfway through the first quarter, Jordan got tired of hitting the iron and went down to rest. The core combination of Bibby and Odom came on the court, and the Clippers started a duel between the three of them and Iverson to see who could hit the iron louder.
As Li Ao missed the buzzer-beating shot from the middle line, the first quarter ended, and the two teams worked together to create a magnificent achievement of 30 irons in a single quarter.
The Clippers scored 18 points on 7 of 21 shots, and the 76ers also scored 18 points on 7 of 23 shots!
…
He made 3 of 8 shots, no free throws, and scored 6 points. Entering the intersection break, Li Ao wanted to find a place to lie down.
But with so many people watching, it was too embarrassing to find a place to throw himself into the street. He could only sit on the bench and watch his teammates continue to play.
After his broken mind calmed down, Li Ao reviewed the first quarter.
On Iverson's side, he scored 10 points on 4 of 10 shots and 2 of 3 free throws. He scored 9 points in singles alone. He continued to play in the second quarter and no one had this kind of energy.
However, playing against the club version of Iverson in person refreshed his understanding of Iverson.
Iverson doesn't always play alone, with or without the ball, and plays smart.
When Snow initiates a pick-and-roll attack, Iverson is always in a good position, which can create favorable conditions for the power forward to cut in.
He learned why the 76ers were scolded so badly for not re-signing Te'Lon Hill.
A power forward who cuts sharply and has a good sense of eating pie is perfect for Iverson.
With or without the ball, Iverson can create good opportunities for the power forward to cut into the frame.
Li Ao remembered a post that vindicated Iverson's shooting percentage.
He opened the player evaluation report, looked at Iverson's career data, and saw something interesting - before the 76ers played iron-blooded defense, Iverson was an efficient scorer.
Efficiency and Iverson don't seem to be equated at all. However, in the 1997-98 season, the second-year Iverson averaged 22 points and 6 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 46.1%, a three-point shooting percentage of 29.8%, and a true shooting percentage of 53.5%. , shooting efficiency 48.6%.
This scoring efficiency is very efficient for a ball-holding offensive shooting guard who averages 20+ per game.
Li Ao compared Jordan in the 1997-98 season.
He averaged 28.7 points and 3.5 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 46.5%, a three-point shooting percentage of 23.8%, a true shooting percentage of 53.3%, and a shooting efficiency of 47.3%.
Jordan was definitely better, scoring so much more, with a higher overall shooting percentage, and a better record, but Iverson was not bad that year, with reasonable passing and shooting choices and efficient performance.
The turning point was before the start of the 1998-99 season. The 76ers successfully eliminated all the players Larry Brown did not need, created a defensive lineup, and started an iron-blooded strategy.
Iverson became the league's scoring leader in the 1998-99 season, but his efficiency plummeted.
Li Ao thought for a while, if Iverson had not met Larry Brown, continued his college and freshman and second-year playing style, and developed normally, there is a high probability that he would have become the enhanced version of Isaiah Thomas with scoring ability mentioned in the draft report.
Efficient scoring, excellent passing, and no hindrance in defense were the evaluation made by Iverson's head coach Johnny Davis during his rookie season.
Li Aoting regretted not seeing Iverson like that. Now Iverson is 26 years old and his playing style has long been finalized. Even if he changes teams and coaches, it will be difficult to change his playing style.
On the bright side, Larry Brown also gave birth to the eternally tenacious fighter in the minds of fans.
Moreover, Larry Brown's iron-blooded tactics did quickly realize Iverson's talent and turned it into a record. In the 1998-99 season, he was able to achieve a record of 28 wins and 22 losses. The results were remarkable, and he continued to make great progress in the 99-00 season. To 49 wins and 33 losses, last season reached the finals in one fell swoop...
If the 76ers management does not act blindly and destroys the iron-blooded tactical lineup required by Larry Brown, but honestly supplements defensive players, the 76ers will not say anything about Iverson's peak period in the next few years. It is a team that competes for the championship every year, but the probability of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals consecutively like the Pistons did in the years after they won the championship is still very high.
After sighing, Li Ao withdrew his attention and looked at the field.
Jordan, who reappeared, and Odom continued to compete with Iverson to see whose striking posture was more handsome.
In terms of score, the two teams played back and forth.
The 76ers defend well, and so does the Clippers.
Even if they continue to play like this, even if their side doesn't surge, Li Ao feels that they still have a chance to win.
However, it felt so uncomfortable for him!
The rhythm is on the opposite side of the 76ers. Although the opponent does not have the initiative in the situation, the way of the game is controlled by the opponent. They are quite passive here.
Li Ao rolled his eyes and sat next to Gentry.
Gentry was also worried about the same problem now. When he saw his beloved disciple taking the initiative to sit next to him, his eyes instantly lit up.
But after hearing a few words from his beloved disciple, he almost fell off his chair.
He felt that his aggressive behavior from time to time was outrageous enough, but he didn't expect Spider-Man to be even more outrageous.
Li Ao asked: "It's like this anyway, so it won't get worse, right?"
Gentry suddenly understood, yes, he won't play worse, so why not give it a try and fuck him! Tonight, he will deceive his teacher!
…
At 3 minutes and 55 seconds of the second quarter, the Clippers called a timeout.
The two teams tied at 25-26, with the Clippers trailing by 1 point.
The score was 7 to 8 in nearly 4 minutes, which was slightly higher than the scoring efficiency in the first quarter. Both O'Neal and Mutombo were replaced. In order to continue the performance of protecting the frame, the two teams tightened their defense more and had more outside opportunities. Okay, but the scoring performance is still not much better.
After the timeout, the Clippers just replaced Big Q with Li Ao, and Greg Anthony, Jordan, Odom, and Campbell continued to play.
The 76ers sent a combination of Iverson, Raja Bell, Rodney Buford, Coleman, and Dalembert.
The Clippers attacked, and Jordan and Odom continued to cooperate in the triangle offense.
Li Ao relied on Rodney Buford on the left baseline to stop moving. Jordan hit Laga Bell on his back and turned around to rush in. Odom came out around the baseline and received a pass from Jordan on the right side of the three-second zone.
When Jordan was passing the ball, Li Ao suddenly started to lift it high. After receiving the ball, Odom turned around and passed the ball to Li Ao.
Rodney Buford was very active in defense. He immediately rushed to Li Ao and interfered when Li Ao caught the ball and lifted it up.
But Li Ao didn't stop, jumped up, and shot against the defense... "Bang"... 3 out of 9.
If he doesn't score, it doesn't matter. He will still play like this in the next round. If the ball comes, he will shoot. If it doesn't, he will watch his teammates shoot.
Jordan mainly attacks, loves to shoot, loves to pass, and can play however he wants.
Jordan was very happy with this tactic. He felt that Gentry was still very sensible sometimes. He didn't always oppose him like he usually did, so he would say less to Gentry tonight.
Odom plays more relaxedly, he doesn't have to bear the pressure, his CPU doesn't have to be overloaded, and his timing of passing the ball is better.
On the offensive end, Li Ao doesn't have to worry about singles or even running positions. He only needs to think about what posture to use after receiving the ball, which saves most of the energy.
When Jordan was tired and wanted to rest, Bibby and O'Neal Jr. came to take over and start a pick-and-roll attack.
Odom changed his position to support, and Li Ao raised his stance from the baseline to outside the three-point line at a 45-degree angle on the left. His movement changed from lifting up to pressing down, shooting in the baseline area or cutting into the frame.
This style of play failed to improve the Clippers' offensive efficiency, but! They spent more than a quarter of the first quarter trying to adapt to their own needs, and they worked hard and their offensive efficiency did not improve. They really might as well just play like this.
Yes, Li Ao's suggestion is to stay flat on the offensive end, as simple as possible, and as low-pressure as possible.
Focus on defending Iverson!
After that timeout, Iverson suddenly felt that the offense became more difficult.
However, his ability to withstand pressure is strong enough and his passing ability is good. If he is severely flanked, he will pass the ball when he needs to, and there is no need to worry about mistakes. They retreat quickly, have strong delaying ability, and are the best in the league in preventing fast breaks.
After the first half, the two teams were tied 39-40, and the Clippers and 76ers scored 21-22 in a single quarter.
The score is still tight and the game is still difficult, but the Clippers coaching staff and players feel more relaxed than at the end of the first quarter.
They have also fought fierce battles before, but there is still a gap between the defense of those opponents and the 76ers. It was quite a headache at the beginning, and the brain was racing and could not open the situation for a while.
It's better now. Although we still have to find a way on the defensive end, we don't have to use our brains on the offensive end. The coaching staff is much more relaxed and the pressure on the players has been reduced.
But Larry Brown is miserable right now.
If the Clippers play like this, what will happen to his defensive changes? It’s no use!
Using endless defensive changes to strangle the opponent's offensive changes is his greatest pleasure when coaching.
No need to strain now, the fun is gone!
And now he's missing more than just fun.
The core combination of Jordan + Odom is paired with Li Ao, and the core combination of Bibby + Odom + O'Neal is paired with Li Ao. With these two lineups of the Clippers, the 76ers can restrict them very well, but they cannot lock them down. The Clippers' scoring efficiency is very low, but they can always complete the offense through tactics. This is a great guarantee for continuity and leaves the opportunity for the response point to explode.
Even Larry Brown can't make the Clippers unable to play tactical coordination, he can only limit it. Therefore, he needs the Clippers to adapt. He can disrupt the Clippers' offense through defensive adjustments and weaken the Clippers' tactics. Spend.
He didn't have the initiative in the situation originally, but was in a state of mutual consumption. Now the initiative in the rhythm of the game is no longer in his hands!
At this moment, Larry Brown feels very uneasy. It is not a question of losing or winning. They have lost many games this season, but they have no idea how to respond. This is the first time this year.
He could never imagine that an opponent would choose to lie flat on the offensive end, and the opponent's head coach was still his student for 20 years.
Is it possible that he now wants to run over and teach his former students on the spot? Tell the student how to adjust the offense to deal with himself?
Even if he really loves education so much, he still needs to know how to deal with his defense!
…
It feels good to lie flat for a while, and it feels good to lie flat all the time.
Tonight, Li Ao learned something again.
When he has a core combination of Bibby, Jordan, and Odom as teammates, he doesn't have to work so hard on defense. He can just turn on the goat mode.
But Iverson felt uncomfortable. He kept working hard on the offensive end, trying hard to ensure that the team scored. For what reason?
Only when Larry Brown, that dead old man, can keep the opponent down on the defensive end can they have a chance to win.
But their defense has not improved for a long time!
This made Iverson feel very uncomfortable. You must know that when they played OK combination, they could toss the opponent to only 88 points, which made the hair explode.
Look at the Clippers again. The God of Basketball is playing more and more excitingly, with all kinds of fancy shots. Spider-Man is making more and more free throws. Oh, here it comes again, lying down and shooting at this angle. Iverson heard a sound from the rim that he had never heard before.
Mainly because the Clippers' scoring efficiency has been maintained and has not declined!
The 76ers' defense has not changed much. There are some detailed adjustments, but the effect is not strong.
The Clippers firmly lay flat, and Larry Brown did not dare to make any big changes. He had already used targeted methods, which made the Clippers players more and more familiar with the opponent's defense, although the confrontation became more and more difficult. The strength and physical exertion are increasing, but the hit rate is maintained.
On the other hand, the 76ers are gradually losing their nerve.
In the second half of the third quarter, the 76ers hit 4 irons in a row. The Clippers scored 5-0 during this period and took the lead 56-53!
Seeing Li Ao make three-pointers, Iverson couldn't sit still.
Pass the thread! He wants to write the answer himself!
One person, one team, no, one person, one city mode starts!
This is the moment the Clippers have been waiting for! Gentry was already prepared for defensive emergencies!
A defensive package of Li Ao's solo defense, Jordan or Matt Halprin's wing defense, and O'Neal Jr. or Campbell's frame protection was presented to Iverson!
This is the highest defensive courtesy from the Clippers!
This defense, let alone Iverson, Jordan thought about it, even if he was 3 years, no, 5 years younger, he would peel off his skin when encountering this defense.
Iverson wants to pass, but they don't stop him. The Clippers' wing shooters are now useless. The 76ers' three melons and two dates on the wings block the cut-in route and don't give the opponent an easy opportunity to eat the cake.
Iverson scored 10 points in the first quarter, 7 points in the second quarter, and 4 points in the first half of the third quarter. He made 8 of 19 shots, including 1 of 3 three-pointers, plus 4 of 6 free throws, 42.1 % shooting performance is still good tonight... I can't say it is good. He is the one with the highest scoring efficiency tonight.
Li Ao made 6 of 16 and Jordan made 5 of 13. Both of them were less efficient than Iverson.
But at the end of the third quarter, Iverson bravely surpassed the two men and only scored 1 goal in 6 shots.
Moreover, at this point in the game, the referee's standards for calling penalties are becoming more and more relaxed, and no obvious fouls will be called!
Star whistle? Sorry, who is not a big name, the God of Basketball or Spider-Man? Spider-Man is still the one that Stern promoted in order to open up the Chinese market. Have you ever seen an off-ball shooter averaging 6+ free throws per game?
Reggie Miller averaged 4 free throws per game this year, Peja 4.4, and Alan Houston averaged 4.5, which is one notch behind.
The 76ers only scored 4 points in the last 4 minutes of the third quarter. Iverson made a big shot from close range, Mutombo, who came on the rotation, made a tip-in, and there was no other score.
For the Clippers, the offense is still solid and inefficient, but at least they can score, scoring 8 points in 4 minutes.
With this wave of 8-4, the Clippers made the score 64-57, extending their lead to 7 points!
Li Ao made 8 of 21 shots in the third quarter, including 2 of 6 three-pointers, plus 4 of 4 free throws. His score increased to 22 points, only 1 point away from Iverson's 23 points!
(End of chapter)
