Similar to Li Ao's judgment, the media and fans also feel that the Timberwolves are going to collapse unless the Timberwolves can make some unforeseen operation, such as trading Andre Miller back.
Li Ao thinks this is impossible. James has not indicated that he will directly participate in the draft after high school. Andre Miller is still the core of the Cavaliers team and the assist leader, averaging 10+ assists per game.
A little regretful that the Timberwolves could not continue to cause trouble for the Lakers. After watching the excitement, Li Ao turned his attention to tomorrow's opponent.
After surviving the initial losing streak, the Suns' record has improved. Although 16 wins and 18 losses have not yet entered the Western Conference playoff competition, they have the ability to win.
At 7 p.m. the next day, the Clippers and Suns faced off at America West Arena.
Li Ao's caution was correct. Thanks to him, he urged his teammates not to be careless, otherwise they might really be defeated by the Suns.
The Suns scored 30 points in the first quarter. Marbury scored 9 points and 5 assists in a single quarter. Tony Delk and Dan Marley, who came off the bench, scored 4 three-pointers together, blowing up the Clippers.
Fortunately, under the leadership of Li Ao, the Clippers scored 26 points in a single quarter and sealed the score.
In the first quarter, the Clippers actually defended quite actively, but the opponent's role players were too accurate. Marbury's sudden points attracted flank attacks, and the sideline shooters caught the ball and hit three-pointers one after another.
In the second quarter, the Clippers' active efforts in confrontation paid off. The Suns' long-range shooting began to decline, and the score in a single quarter dropped to 26 points. The Clippers scored 25 points, slowing down the opponent's opening of the point difference.
After returning from the intermission, the Clippers finally took advantage. In the third quarter, they prevented the Suns from making 6 turnovers in a single quarter, and the Suns only scored 19 points in a single quarter. The Clippers' own offensive performance was solid. , scored 24 points.
75 to 75, the Clippers tied the score and entered the fourth quarter!
What should a lone wolf do if he encounters a problem? Of course, he does it by himself, breaking through and attacking the frame.
Li Ao turned on the fly swatter mode in the last quarter and cooperated tacitly with O'Neal, blocking and interfering with shots. He "pop bang bang bang" sent 4 blocks in a single quarter, 3 of which were given to Marbury, leading the team to defeat the Suns. The defense only scored 17 points in a single quarter.
Jordan and Bibby held up on the offensive end, and they worked together to lead the team to 21 points in a single quarter.
The Clippers had a clear division of labor and orderly offense and defense in the final quarter, and finally narrowly defeated the Suns 96-92!
Marbury scored 26 points and 8 assists tonight. In the first half, he relied on his teammates' accurate outside shooting and shot 6 of 10. However, in the second half, he only made 3 of 10 and was blocked 3 times in the final quarter. His shooting percentage was very low. It jumped to less than 50%.
Li Ao made 5 of 11 shots, including 1 of 4 three-pointers, plus 6 of 6 free throws, scoring 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 6 blocks.
Jordan performed well tonight and scored 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Bibby performed solidly with 13 points and 7 assists.
O'Neal Jr. faced Chakaridis and Marion tonight and had a poor shooting performance. He made 6 of 15 shots and 4 of 6 free throws, scoring 16 points, but he also had 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block. In terms of rebounds, Overwhelming Marion, who had 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
After the game, Li Ao was very happy to see Pence's performance of 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. The former Jordan successor was finally healthy and attended all 35 games before the season.
Tonight's task of being 'Jordan's successor' was successfully completed. Scores, rebounds, and assists were all higher than pennies. I got 3,000 achievement points. It wasn't much, just enough for a few days of extra practice. But no matter how small a mosquito is, it's still meat.
The Suns are in surprisingly good health this year. Miracle Carter has become an instant hit in the NBA. Only Gugliotta is unlucky and has no idea when he will return.
…
Li Ao and his teammates were very happy with this hard-won victory over the Suns.
Returning to Los Angeles the next morning, Li Ao received a notice from the league that he won the Best of the Week for the third time this season!
Last week, he had 3 wins and 1 loss. He averaged 22.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.2 steals and 4.5 blocks per game. While winning the best of the week, he averaged 3.4 blocks per game, beating Ben Wallace who averaged 3.37 blocks per game and returned to blocking. Top of the list.
If the Sonics weren't all shooting from the outside, his average blocks per game would have improved a bit.
Over in the East, the winner of the week is his next opponent-Tim Duncan.
3 wins and 0 losses last week, statistics...averaging 35.7 points, 10 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1 steal, and 2.7 blocks per game, and shooting 54% from the field.
Li Ao previously complained about the decline in the value of the Best of the Week split between the East and the West, but now... he thinks the split is good!
Regardless of the Eastern and Western Conferences, how can we compete with Duncan for Best of the Week?
With Shi Buddha having a truly giant perimeter teammate, it's simply terrifying, better than he was with the Spurs in the original time and space.
Parker and Ginobili are very good players. They are better than McGrady in some aspects, but their overall strength is not at the same level at all.
The McGrady here cannot be directly compared with the McGrady in the original time and space, and there is a huge difference in playing style.
But comparing McGrady, who was not successful in the original time and space, with Parker and Ginobili, his ability is also crushing. Before the serious injury that completely disabled his athletic ability in 2008, McGrady was selected to the All-NBA Team seven times in eight seasons. Parker Together with Ginobili, he only has 6 best team appearances.
The troika is played by Duncan and his two younger brothers. Duncan needs to sacrifice himself to accommodate them and take care of them. Many, many years later, Duncan is old, but he is still the one who supports the entire team system.
Here, Duncan also protected McGrady in the first year, but this season, McGrady has been able to provide him with all-round help.
Just like last month, Duncan won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in December. He averaged only 1.5 assists per game in 16 games in a single month. This was a 'poor' performance that he had never had in his career, but he averaged 30 points per game in a single month. Career high.
After three games last week, Duncan's season scoring average jumped to 27.1 points per game, surpassing Paul Pierce and ranking third in the scoring list, second only to Iverson and Kobe Bryant.
If Duncan's current momentum can be maintained until the end of the season, he may surpass Webb and become the power forward with the highest scoring average in a single season after Malone.
With outside teammates like McGrady, Duncan's powerful offensive ability is completely unleashed.
And with Duncan, one of the best teammates in the league, McGrady doesn't have to fight alone and has a more consistent style of play...
So the question is, should Duncan, who entered the NBA after graduating from college, retire earlier, or would McGrady, who entered the NBA directly after graduating from high school, retire earlier?
Li Ao is looking forward to... striving to retire later than these two!
In addition to the good news of winning the award, Gentry also told him another good news - Odom, who has been injured for half a month, will train with the team this afternoon!
In fact, Odom received permission from the team doctor to play on the day he played against the Sonics.
But Gentry saw that the two major pitchers of the Sonics were absent. To be on the safe side, he did not let Odom play for the time being. Instead, he arranged a few days of intensive training for Odom. After all, he had not conducted high-intensity training for half a month. Readjust to the intensity first.
Went home for lunch and moved little Roy. At 1:30 in the afternoon, he came to the Memorial Stadium to prepare for the game with the team.
The Clippers' preparation training today can be said to be the most meticulous since the season opener.
Gentry has been preparing for this game for several days, studying all the tapes of the Magic's games so far this season.
Although they just played a game yesterday, the entire Clippers team is very enthusiastic about training, the coaching staff pays close attention to the details of training, and the players also persevere.
During the training break, Gerald Wallace asked his senior brother in confusion: "Boss, usually everyone is lazy in training the day after we finish the game. Why are you so active today?"
Li Ao glanced at his junior brother strangely and suddenly remembered that this guy had no enthusiasm for basketball and might not understand the feelings of his teammates.
He responded: "Tomorrow's opponent, the Magic, is the top seed in the Eastern Conference Finals, which is different from the previous opponents."
In fact, Gerald Wallace's passion for basketball has been aroused, but he is still relatively calm.
He continued to ask: "Is it possible for us to reach the finals? The OK team is as good as the playoffs."
Li Ao didn't think there was anything wrong with this. Although they are currently ranked first in the league, judging from public opinion, not many people really regard them as a championship team. Their Clippers fans just hope They can defeat the Lakers in the future, after all, they are an OK combination, but...
Li Ao responded: "People, you have to have dreams, otherwise what's the difference between them and salted fish?"
"Salted fish?"
"Uh... I've explained it to you and you can't understand it, but in short, no matter how difficult or impossible the goal is, you have to go all out and work hard for it. That way you won't regret it. This is the charm of sports competition."
After speaking, Li Ao waved his hand and walked onto the training ground, taking advantage of his teammates' rest to practice more mid-range shots.
Gerald Wallace was ignited at this moment. He really wanted to tell his senior brother that he really enjoyed playing ball now, but his senior brother obviously didn't want to talk to him... salty fish?
Although he doesn't know what this means, he doesn't want to be a salty fish!
Keep up with senior brother and practice more!
…
At 7:40 pm on January 9, 2002, the Magic and Clippers entered the Staples Center.
The usual visiting team stars meeting Joe's boss is happening again.
Unlike other stars, the first thing McGrady said to Jordan was: "Retire, Michael, you are old. Now is the era of Tim Duncan."
A high school student with a hot temper, Jordan was well prepared. He often met the little snake next door and would exchange a few words every time. He was used to it.
But this time he was caught off guard.
How do you respond to this?
This high school student doesn't play by the rules!
What does it mean to show off how strong your boss is? Don’t you care about the traditional virtues of high school students at all?
Look at the Black Mamba next door, everyone is saying that he is the best on the Lakers.
Seeing Spider-Man on the sidelines tilting his head and snickering, Jordan responded: "Duncan's era? Is the championship in the shortened season considered a championship? I think Spider-Man will win the real championship earlier than Duncan."
Li Ao Zhuzi turned around and stared at Jordan. This old bastard actually dragged him into the water.
knock! The evil stone Buddha looks over!
He felt for O'Neal again.
no!
Li Ao interjected: "I think Little Shark is the most talented center. It's a pity that he was delayed by the Trail Blazers for a few years, otherwise he would be invincible."
O'Neal: ∑(O_O;)
Why does it still matter to me?
No, it’s none of my business if you argue with each other!
Vaco! The big devil is looking over!
In recent games, O'Neal Jr. has been making waves in the paint, beating everyone he sees. With his surname being O'Neal, he plays in Los Angeles, so he naturally earned the nickname "Baby Shark."
He was originally complacent about this, but now, he feels that he doesn't want this new nickname!
Duncan watched silently, and the exchange of words between the stars of the two teams ended hastily.
Returning to the bench, Li Ao ignored O'Neal's sad and angry gaze.
He opens the player evaluation report.
"Orlando Magic, 27 wins and 7 losses, averaging 98.1 points per game, allowing 91.6 points per game..."
"Tim Duncan, 25 years old, 211 cm, 120 kg, comprehensive evaluation 101...averaged 27.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.9 blocks per game...shooting rate 53.6%, free throw rate 58%..."
"Tracy McGrady, 22 years old, 203 cm, 95 kg, comprehensive evaluation 94...averaged 20.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game...shooting rate 45%, three-point shooting rate 38.6%... …”
Tsk tsk, Duncan, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, has also become a scorer. His rebounds and assists are all career lows, and his points and blocks are career highs.
The free throw shooting percentage is also comparable to O'Neal's, O'Neal's seems to be 55%.
I didn't see it, it was a bit too strong.
McGrady's number of shots has increased a lot this season, from 12.9 last season to 16.9 this season. His shooting percentage has dropped a bit, his three-point performance is better, and his rebounds and assists have reached new highs.
It's really just to help the top pick of the same class, there is no future!
Forcibly despising the opponent, Li Ao eased the pressure brought by the two superstars on the opponent.
To his relief but regret, Hill was still reimbursed.
Hill played 13 games in the first month and his statistics were not bad, averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game.
But one thing is that when Hill was here, he caused trouble for the TT combination. In order to accommodate him, the Magic's performance was affected in the first month.
After Hill was reimbursed, the Magic's performance improved instead of falling.
It was mainly a matter of running-in. Hill only got permission to conduct regular training in September. Not long after training, he went to training camp. His body had not yet found the feeling. Naturally, the running-in was not smooth. The physical feeling was almost the same. The game has begun.
It seems that Hill is averaging 16 points per game, but his shooting percentage is 39%, and the Magic lose much more when he is on the court.
After playing more than a dozen games, Hill gradually found the feeling of cooperating with Tracy McGrady and Duncan. Oh well, he was reimbursed again.
Duncan has strong adaptability. Before McGrady came to the Magic, he was a substitute. Now that he comes to the Magic, he is willing to play. If you give him an extra month or two, Hill should be able to integrate.
But injuries are always so cruel.
Hill's big body is like playing for Iverson, and it will be difficult to play in the NBA for a few more years without getting injured.
Outside of the TT combination, the Magic's best performer is Li Ao's old rival Mike Miller.
Averaged 13.4 points per game, averaged 2.6 three-pointers per game, shot 50.1% from the field, and 43.4% from the three-point range. He was nicknamed the South Coast Fathead Fish.
This nickname was given by O'Neal, teasing Mike Miller as the Fisher of the South Coast, who will always be ignored.
The Magic's role player lineup has strengthened a lot this season.
In addition to the addition of Horace Grant and Patrick Ewing, and the selection of Trenton Hassell and Steven Hunter, the Magic's bench has been enriched.
The dual-core is currently not as good as the OK combination, but the role players are stronger and younger. It's hard to say which one is stronger.
Li Ao was about to shut down the system, and the mission prompt came!
"Jordan's successor?"
Task target: Tracy McGrady.
Goal 1: The host must make more pull-up shots than the opponent in this game, and must make at least one pull-up jumper against the opponent.
Goal 2: The host’s total score + assists in this game must be higher than the opponent’s.
Goal 3: The total value of steals + blocks of the host must be higher than that of the opponent.
Goal 4: Win the game.
Reward: 3,000 achievement points for each goal. If you complete 3 goals, you will receive an additional reward of the T-Mac version of the pull-up jump shooting action package and the accompanying level 1 training method. If all goals are completed, the pull-up jump shooting training method will be upgraded to level 3. "
()
Some people are already saying that he just takes off and shoots like Tracy McGrady. Good guy, now just feed him a set of moves.
etc!
McGrady doesn't do many pull-ups here, but his movements are good-looking. Some people regard this as McGrady's performance.
If Spider-Man uses it a lot in the future, can he steal this tag and let McGrady be like him?
It’s interesting to think about it!
…
Little O'Neal came to the center circle with endless grief and anger. Seeing Shi Buddha staring at him, he stared back.
Who are you trying to scare?
Is he, the little shark, afraid of trouble?
He's not afraid of big sharks, and it's not like he hasn't been hammered before.
Duncan showed a rare hint of surprise.
High school students have grown a lot!
In the match last season, although O'Neal Jr. played very fiercely, he was actually still afraid, and he just used his ferocity to cover it up.
This time, the high school students are really not timid anymore.
Abusing high school students like this will give you a greater sense of accomplishment!
Duncan, who had always been sullen, couldn't help but smile when he thought of this.
This time it really scared little O'Neal, it was so evil!
What does the referee do for a living? Hurry up and call the technical foul!
The other starting players from both teams also came on the court. Gentry did not send Odom into the starting lineup tonight. Bibby, Li Ao, Jordan, Matt Halprin, and O'Neal Jr. continued to start.
The Magic sent out a starting lineup of Troy Hudson, Tracy McGrady, Mike Miller, Brian Grant, and Duncan.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, the Clippers' home game against the Magic begins!
Stimulated by Shi Buddha's evil smile, O'Neal was extremely focused. When the ball thrown by the referee reached the highest point, he quickly bounced up and moved the ball backward before Duncan.
The Clippers attack first!
Li Ao started a fast break to no avail. He felt the difference between this season's Magic team and last season.
Not only has the lineup gotten better, this team has been imprinted with Shi Buddha's mark.
The Magic retreated defensively in a steady and orderly manner, with an excellent rhythm of blocking and switching defenses.
After the players from the two teams settled into position, something unexpected happened to Li Ao.
McGrady guards him!
You don't have to fuck him!
Jordan didn't ask for the ball for the first attack. He opened up the space and prepared to respond and support.
After Jordan reduced his main attack midway through the six-game series before the Christmas game, he discovered something he was reluctant to admit - Spider-Man's first attack had a higher success rate than him.
His skills are definitely not as good as his, but he scores all kinds of unreasonable goals.
As time goes by, he will have to admit it even if he doesn't want to admit it. Being tall and having long hands is an advantage.
Just as he began to accept the rotation after trying it once, he also gradually accepted the loss of the first attack.
However, Li Ao did not play in singles. He took Tracy McGrady to start running, and Bibby played in singles against Troy Hudson.
Li Ao took advantage of the screen, and the Magic team did a good job of delaying, helping McGrady successfully follow Li Ao.
Troy Hudson, with the help of Duncan, did not allow Bibby to complete the breakthrough score, and also cut off Bibby's opportunity to pass the ball directly to the left side of the three-second zone to O'Neal Jr.
Bibby passed the ball to Li Ao who went around the free throw line. Although neither Li Ao nor Bibby got a chance to shoot, they created an opportunity to pass the ball and score easily!
When the captain cuts in and O'Neal Jr. enters the basket, he can catch the ball and directly attack the frame!
With such a good position, Li Ao pushed McGrady with his head and jumped straight away!
McGrady jumped up in time to interfere, but Li Ao was not afraid and made a jump shot from the free throw line...
If you score, it's two points. If you don't score, you'll get two points. You won't lose any blood!
O'Neal Jr. guessed that this would be the case, and immediately blocked Duncan who was retracting the guard to help the captain create a second offensive opportunity.
O'Neal Jr. and Duncan were all in vain this time. Li Ao hit a pull-up mid-range shot against McGrady's defense!
Not only did O'Neal know that Li Ao would shoot this ball, but Jordan was already sure that Li Ao would shoot this ball and retreated directly.
Jordan was not surprised if he entered.
The fans at the scene also cheered immediately after Li Ao jumped up.
Spider-Man's first shot at the beginning was so exaggerated, with a 70% hit rate. Although some of the scores were connected, it was still exaggerated. It was about the same as O'Neal's first shot at the start.
After landing, Li Aoping looked at McGrady and said, "It's your turn, Duncan's little brother."
McGrady responded, "I know you envy me for being Duncan's little brother," and then ran forward.
Li Ao quickly followed. He was as speechless as Jordan.
This guy's guess is so accurate!
Who wouldn't want to have a teammate like Duncan early in his career.
Only Duncan can do this when he was at his peak, sacrificing ball rights to train rookies.
In the transition between offense and defense, Troy Hudson went to the frontcourt and passed the ball to Duncan in the low post.
Li Ao glanced at Troy Hudson. After such a long time, he was still full of resentment towards the celebrity next door. He felt that the entire league was a high-quality role player for their Clippers team. This season, this 185-centimeter shooting type Point guard, 40.1% three-point shooting rate, 42% long two-point shooting rate, 43% mid-range shooting rate, averaging 11.2 points per game, the Magic's fourth scorer, a perfect triangle offense reliever.
Forget it, at least Lord Baylor didn't send this guy to the next door.
As soon as Duncan received the ball, Matt Halprin flanked him.
Duncan passed to Horace Grant, and Jordan switched defense in front of his old teammate in time.
Horace Grant wanted to pass the ball to Mike Miller who was moving up the line, but was covered by Li Ao!
McGrady was also covered by Li Ao's waving long arms.
Jordan actively pressed on, and Horace Grant was about to make a mistake. McGrady bypassed Li Ao and ran to catch the ball in time.
Li Ao followed up and stuck to McGrady who received the ball. McGrady opened his eyes and looked to the other side. Matt Halprin had already extended out to make up for Mike Miller, who was running around the three-point line. He looked at Duncan, who wanted to attack for three seconds, also pulled out of the three-second zone.
I have no choice but to do it myself.
Thinking of Spider-Man's attack in the last round, McGrady was impulsive. He suddenly jumped up, raised the ball, and shot a mid-range shot...and leaned back...increased the angle...
"哐"
The ball hit the neck of the basket, it missed hard!
The same shooting action, the same defensive interference, but the feeling of the person taking the shot is completely different.
O'Neal Jr. blocked Duncan, and Jordan protected the defensive rebound.
Maddie raised her nose and said "oh" and turned around to retreat.
This wingspan and this bullet speed are simply incomprehensible when combined!
Facing Garnett's direct shot, there is no such strong sense of oppression.
In one-on-one shot interference, Spider-Man is the best in the world.
The TT combination retreated to the backcourt, and the pressure was on.
There is something scary about the opponent in front of him that most teams don't have.
This season, there are three teams' main lineups, which are their team's strongest offensive and defensive lineups.
The Kings, Lakers, and this lineup of the Clippers.
The main lineups of other teams have some flaws. This is the case with the Magic. Darrell Armstrong is their best defensive point guard. Monty Williams, a small forward from New York, is 31 years old and his defense is better than 23. Year-old Mike Miller is strong.
But the offensive ability and fitness of these two people are not as good as those of the starting two.
The starting lineup of the Clippers is a perfect match. Both offense and defense are the Clippers' strongest 5-man group, and they are also strong. So far this season, the only one who can face the Clippers in the main battle stage is the Lakers. The two starters of the Kings and Kings are also the strongest five-man lineup of their respective teams, or they are the ones of the Timberwolves and Mavericks who take the opposite direction.
When the Clippers face other teams, unless they are in bad shape, this five-man group will have an advantage.
The defense just now was that McGrady felt that Li Ao, Jordan, and Matt Halprin had erected a barrier in the middle of the court!
He felt that having a good teammate like Duncan was not always a good thing. After he learned how to win, he became less courageous. When he was with the Raptors, he didn't have so much "feeling" with his cousin. Just keep working together, focus on momentum, lose and lose, without any fear.
Troy Hudson and Mike Miller are not good enough in individual defense, but they are very motivated to cooperate defensively.
Under the Magic's highly targeted defense, Li Ao failed to get rid of McGrady when he received the ball.
However, McGrady followed Duncan and learned to be cautious. Li Ao... caught the ball, turned around, faced McGrady's interference, and then shot...
Just throw it and that’s it!
His next door neighbor is not a cautious person!
If you score one at the beginning, of course you have to vote again!
This ball, he was as impulsive as McGrady in the last round. He didn't know why. He was easily impulsive when he saw McGrady, Jordan, and Carter.
But, he got in!
Just looking at the mid-range shot, he is a 'catching and shooting expert', which is much better than McGrady who has 89 mid-range shots! The difference between two gears!
There were thunderous cheers!
Spider-Man scored two goals in the face of McGrady's interference!
"Congratulations to the host, the catch-and-turn shot has improved from 89 to 90, which has reached the top level."
Li Ao saw the tip floating by, turned around and ran to the backcourt excitedly with arms spread out.
This style of play feels so good!
He was also obsessed with the feeling of being the main attacker in the opening game.
Last season, his main attack was always "clang, clang, clang". He hit the ball more than ten times in each game and felt the pressure.
But now that his strength has improved, his offensive methods have become much richer. After Jordan's physical strength problems, he temporarily stepped in... How can he break it if he doesn't want to give it back to the God of Basketball?
Then compete!
When the Magic team attacked, McGrady decided to play it safe and ask for the ball to break through!
McGrady's first three steps were unparalleled in the league, getting faster and faster, and Li Ao could only follow closely to cover the shot.
Suddenly reaching close range, McGrady attracted O'Neal Jr. to cover, jumped up, and passed the ball.
Duncan caught the ball from the left side of the three-second zone, jumped high in two steps, and smashed the ball into the basket with one hand.
TT connection!
When Duncan charged like this, O'Neal couldn't stop him. Spider-Man and Little Shark could only look up.
2 to 4, the TT combination went straight to the game and refused to fall into a scoring drought at the beginning.
Looking back, Li Ao caught the ball, dribbled one step behind his back, took a jump shot and hit it again!
Generally speaking, if the receiving point actively moves and fails to catch the ball, it will be frustrating, but if the teammate who forced the shot makes the ball, it is completely different.
The teammates were even more excited than Li Ao who scored the goal. They rushed out to high-five Li Ao and quickly retreated from defense.
Spider-Man has a hot start and their chances of winning tonight are greatly increased!
The small morale boost of 'Pumper Level 2' is usually quite useless for the Clippers, which has mostly young players, but when they add up to three goals in a row, the effect is suddenly different.
When the Magic were on offense, McGrady's eyes widened and his brows furrowed as he looked at the players on the opposite side as if they were vibrating.
How does this feel so much like meeting another high school student in Los Angeles?
As long as the heart is strong enough, it can be contagious?
There is no other way but to continue the TT connection!
OK connection and TT connection are the two most powerful killer moves in the NBA this season.
But since it is a killing move, it means it is not a conventional offensive method.
The two killing moves were initiated from outside.
OK can't even play all the time, let alone McGrady, whose physical strength is much worse than Kobe's.
Just like the Lakers make more use of the containment power of the OK combination to create easy shooting opportunities for corner shooters and cutting power forwards in the triangle offensive tactics, the Magic also uses the TT combination in the same way.
But now, McGrady can only continue to push forward.
Duncan once again received the ball at a close range at a 45-degree angle. After confronting Mike Miller, Jordan shrank in time and stuck to Duncan.
Duncan scored the ball from the bottom corner, and Mike Miller responded and hit a three-pointer!
5 to 6, the Magic clenched the score.
Scoring goals is not a problem. McGrady is confident. The combination of him and Duncan is invincible in the world, and he and OK combination can be tough.
Defense is the problem, he can't stand it if he keeps playing like this.
When the Clippers attacked, Li Ao and Bibby continued to cooperate.
This time, Duncan extended out to delay the block and then closed in quickly. As long as McGrady prevented Li Ao from shooting, he was confident to get the rebound.
McGrady also defended very actively. After Li Ao received the ball and made a shooting motion, he jumped faster than before.
But too anxious!
Li Ao dribbled from behind to avoid McGrady and accelerated the breakthrough!
His movements were a little stiff, and he was obviously not used to this kind of breakthrough. People who were familiar with him knew that he was getting high.
But without the ball hitting his feet, he successfully completed the start and broke into the inside!
Duncan is known for his solid defense, and he can also be said to be an empiricist. After taking back the basket, he first hit Matt Halprin who rushed in. When he turned around, he saw that Li Ao had already rushed in!
Duncan didn't expect that Li Ao could pass McGrady. At this time, it was too late to make up for the jump, but he still made up for it and tried his best to create opportunities for McGrady to chase the shot... But as soon as he stepped on the reasonable collision area and turned around in an arc, there was something in front of him. black……
"哐"
Li Ao took off more than one meter away from the reasonable collision zone and dunked on Duncan!
McGrady, who caught up, was stunned.
The arms of this big spider are too exaggerated!
At this distance, if it were him, he would definitely dunk over Duncan's head.
But they can catch the basket!
The referee's whistle sounded and Duncan blocked the foul!
This ball is actually ambiguous. It doesn't matter if Duncan is not called a foul. If McGrady catches up and blocks the ball, the referee will not blow the whistle.
But when the dunk went in, the referee blew the whistle decisively, giving the TV station time to replay and the fans at the scene a chance to cheer.
Duncan was called for a foul and angrily... held Li Ao's waist, took two steps back, let Li Ao land smoothly, and then silently walked to the side of the three-second zone.
This feeling, how should Li Ao put it, is very awkward.
The person being buckled showed no emotion at all, and felt as if he had been punched in cotton.
Fortunately, he already had experience in this matter. He didn't look at Duncan and focused on the cheers of the fans and the excitement of his teammates.
At the referee's urging, Li Ao, after celebrating with his teammates, walked to the free throw line and made the extra penalty.
Li Ao scored 9 points and beat the Magic 9-5 at the beginning. Rivers called a timeout!
…
Caught off guard is how the Magic coaching staff and players feel now.
They didn't expect Spider-Man to start soaring.
As for Li Ao, who is soaring, he really has no answer in one-on-one situations. The mid-range shot cannot directly flank him, otherwise the flank defense will be completely gone.
Of course, it is not impossible to limit. If they anticipate it in advance and let Duncan prepare in advance, they can at least allow Li Ao to pass the ball while moving quickly. In that case, the probability of making a mistake will be greater.
But the opponent had already scored 9 points in a row at the beginning of the game. Everything he thought about was an afterthought. The opponent's momentum was already showing.
Rivers was at a loss now. After a long pause, he held back the names of two players...
On the other side, the Clippers did not expect such a start. Li Ao himself was simply throwing to get excited, but their mood was completely different from that of the opponent. The morale of the entire team was high, and Gentry actively adjusted.
After the timeout, neither team made any substitutions.
The Magic attacked and took a free throw from the midline. McGrady received the ball, Troy Hudson and Mike Miller opened up, and Duncan hit a low single.
Facing a double attack by Matt Halprin, Duncan didn't pass the ball. He turned around and squeezed away Matt Halprin in a one-on-two, and hit a strong shot with O'Neal's interference!
This is Rivers' strategy...
Rivers was very satisfied with watching Duncan score strongly and seize the score.
Let’s see which combination of Spider-Man and TT lasts longer!
Rivers' expectations are good, and he is right to be confident. The Clippers, including Li Ao himself, do not think he can continue to have the advantage in a long-term duel with the TT combination.
Therefore, Li Ao, who had attacked for 4 consecutive rounds, chose the flanks to contain the movement this time.
Li Ao was not tired from playing like that, but it was time for Bibby, who had made continuous breakthroughs, to rest.
Jordan caught the ball in the high post and hit Mike Miller behind the back!
Mike Miller didn't take any chances and just stuck it up, as long as it interfered with Jordan's turning over and taking off for a jump shot.
Jordan turned and charged forward, and Troy Hudson stepped in.
Li Ao cut in from the left, Duncan stepped up to block, Horace Grant received it in the middle, and went around O'Neal who was one step inside the free throw line.
Jordan distributed the ball... Bibby cut in from the baseline and made a flying layup!
The Magic defended this ball very well. Bibby's response from the corner was interfered by Troy Hudson.
But Bibby had good consciousness and judged that Jordan's pass from the corner could not be passed, so he cut in directly. The most important thing was the containment of Li Ao, who scored 9 points in the beginning, and attracted Duncan to the left side of the three-second zone.
Bibby caught the ball and made an easy layup, but Rivers had nothing to do on the sidelines.
The players on the Magic team... are very emotionally stable, and Duncan's influence on the team in this regard is quite useful.
But another characteristic of Duncan is also reflected - they can't get excited when encountering an explosive opponent!
Duncan is not an explosive player, and his team is not an explosive team, but a type that relies on hard power to defeat its opponents head-on.
McGrady may have that explosive ability, but playing with Duncan, he has never had the idea of solving the game on his own.
Just like now, what he is thinking is - hold on, as long as they hold on and get through this stage, they will be able to make a comeback.
At this time, if the Magic team has a head coach with strong adaptability on the spot, such as Zen Master, Flip Saunders, Magic Fortuner, and Big Bird, there may be a solution. After all, they have two super giants.
But Rivers' level is as good as Popovich's during Duncan's first and second peak years. Rivers is not 'controlling' Duncan, he is just taking advantage of Duncan's strength.
When it came time for Duncan to need his help...
The TT combination is very strong. The two kept going at it in the first half of the quarter. They used the TT connection as a killer move to create shooting opportunities for the wings, leading the team to score 8 points in the next few minutes.
But the Clippers relied on Li Ao's containment at the beginning and scored 10 points during this period!
At 6 minutes and 27 seconds of the first quarter, the official timeout was entered.
Later, Li Ao scored a layup and scored 11 points in half a quarter, leading the Clippers to a 21-15 lead over the Magic by 6 points!
…
The Clippers bench was in a frenzy.
With a score difference of more than 5 points, it is a clear opening lead.
And it's not just as simple as leading by 6 points. During half a quarter, the Magic's scores were almost all created by the killer move of TT connection, and they held on! Stay ahead!
Gentry replaced Bibby, Big Q, Li Ao, Odom, and Campbell.
Odom has just returned and his status is uncertain, but Gentry is not afraid. Unless the opponent continues to let the TT combination attack fiercely, the disadvantage should not be big, and he is eager for the opponent to continue to fight against the dual core.
But he felt that the opponent's operation would not be so wise...
Well, he was wrong, terribly wrong.
After the official timeout came back, the Magic actually let the TT combination continue their onslaught!
And this time, the TT connection was used to the extreme. The other three players Rivers sent were Darrell Armstrong, Monty Williams, and Horace Grant.
The two major pitchers gave up their restraint and locked horns with the superstar!
The opponent's unconventional operation calmed down Gentry's excited brain. He took advantage of the dead ball to make adjustments, replacing Bibby with Gerald Wallace, allowing Odom to take control and play pure defense.
We don’t expect this lineup to hold on to the lead, but focus on consumption!
It's Xiaofeng's fault that I couldn't make up the update. Try your best tomorrow and write down the 10,000-word guarantee today~
(End of chapter)
