"Beep!" The referee blew a whistle, bringing Xu Xin back to reality from his thoughts. He looked towards the center of the field. Asik jumped up and won the jump ball with Pekovic, dialing the ball to the backcourt. Jeremy Lin, the game has begun.
Jeremy Lin smacked the ball hard, did a Samgold dribble, and jumped up to the frontcourt. The Target Center was packed tonight, which also aroused his desire for expression.
Jeremy Lin dribbled the ball to the top of the arc, and Harden and Butler quickly ran to the corners on both sides. Garnett and Asik quickly stepped up and set up double screens.
This is a tactic specially arranged by McHale before the game. During this period of time, Jeremy Lin's role in the offense has been further weakened. The proportion of offense with the ball is a career low, and he is more often an off-ball shooter.
McHale was a little helpless when he made this decision. After all, there are two masters of ball-handling offense in the team, Harden and Butler. If Jeremy Lin's ball-handling offensive tactics are set up, the ball will obviously not be enough to score points. So he could only sacrifice Jeremy Lin's ball rights.
But during this period, Harden and Butler were obviously not in good condition. The long-term accumulation of fatigue emptied their fuel tanks. Their current physical reserves can support an explosion for a period of time, but they are absolutely unable to be efficient throughout the game.
McHale then thought of Jeremy Lin. In fact, Jeremy Lin's abilities have steadily improved this season, and he is even better than during the "Linsanity" period in New York last year.
The decline in statistics is due to the reduction in his role, and his efficiency has reached a career high.
On the court, Jeremy Lin faced the golden boy Rubio. He misdirected the ball with an "in&out" dribble and successfully deceived Rubio. The latter chose the wrong direction and missed.
Jeremy Lin used a screen from the other side to speed up the breakthrough. Seeing that Pekovic was in a higher defensive position, he stopped and started quickly, accelerated twice to pass the big winter European center, and easily scored with a left-hand underhand layup.
At 2:0, Jeremy Lin played very resolutely with the ball in hand, helping the Rockets score the first sports game score of tonight's game.
Rubio advanced with the ball, constantly making gestures to direct his teammates to run tactics.
Ridnour, Derrick Williams and Pekovic all run to the left side.
Love saw the right moment and made a smooth turn to the low post on the right side, just in front of Garnett, and opened his hand for the ball.
Rubio played the ball quickly without any sloppiness.
Xu Xin nodded secretly. Rubio and Love were the Timberwolves' most glorious achievements in the draft in recent years.
At this time, Rubio's ability to score independently and shoot is a big challenge, but his passing level and defensive ability are definitely the best among all point guards in the league.
Love caught the ball and quickly hit the ball with his back.
"Bang bang!"
Two consecutive collisions pushed Garnett toward the basket.
Then he turned his back and hit the hook easily.
2:2.
Garnett sighed, time is not forgiving, and now he is more than capable of confronting the young and strong Love head-on.
"Kevin Love is really thick."
Sitting next to Xu Xin, the Rockets' meritorious assistant coach Lucas Lao sighed.
"He should weigh 240 pounds. Garnett really can't bear it."
Xu Xin replied.
At this time, Love had not yet lost weight and ran like a fat man on the court.
"It should be okay to reward him with a Tucker."
Lucas Sr. thought.
"You can have this."
Xu Xin smiled.
Love has not yet mastered shooting. He mainly scores at the basket. He does not take many outside shots this season and his shooting percentage is only a pitiful 22%.
According to his current technical characteristics, Tucker's defense is just the right medicine.
On the court, Jeremy Lin organized the offense and once again called for double coverage.
This is what McHale specifically explained. The two insiders of the Timberwolves, Pekovic and Love, are both slow-moving types. As long as they stay away from the basket, Jeremy Lin's breakthrough will be like no one else.
The same is true this time. Jeremy Lin once again used the change of dribbling rhythm to get rid of Rubio through the pick-and-roll, and once again faced Pekovic, he passed in one step.
Derrick Williams stepped in from the corner to cover.
"Just what I wanted."
Jeremy Lin secretly thought, he faked a real pass to the bottom corner. Butler received the ball and there was no one three meters away. He glanced at the basket and made a jump shot.
"Uh-huh!"
The basketball hit the net, 5:2.
The Timberwolves attacked and used the same tactics again. Love pushed inside, turned around and hit another goal with a small hook.
5:4.
Jeremy Lin came to the frontcourt and responded to the ever-changing situation with stability. The double screens once again gathered at the top of the key.
Jeremy Lin once again got rid of Rubio. Seeing that Pekovic and Love's defensive positioning was still high, he no longer hesitated to force Pekovic again.
Derrick Williams was afraid of Butler's outside shooting. After all, he made the shot just now. He hesitated for a moment between covering up or not covering up. At this moment, Jeremy Lin had already completed a layup, and the score was on the account. Add another 2 points.
7:4.
"The head coach of the Timberwolves is also very interesting. He was beaten by the same tactic three times in a row and he didn't even adjust."
Lucas Sr. laughed.
"Not only did the head coach make no adjustments, there was no backbone on the field telling everyone how to defend."
Xu Xin said.
This is the epitome of the Timberwolves this season. The offensive ability is not outstanding. The team basically relies on the low post of Love and Pekovic, and when the opponent deploys heavy troops in the interior.
The Timberwolves' outside players are not accurate enough to shoot the ball. Whether it is Rubio, Ridnour, Derrick Williams, including Barea, Budinger, and Cunningham on the bench, these people have Counting them one by one, no one can shoot more than 35% of three-pointers.
The offense is weak and the defense is like paper.
Logically speaking, it is understandable that the inside defense is not good. Love and Pekovic themselves are not players known for their defense. Moreover, the two of them bear a huge responsibility in the team's offense.
But Rubio and Derrick Williams on the outside should undoubtedly be defensive heroes in terms of scouting reports and physical talents, but their defense has not been reflected in this team.
The most fatal thing is that the team does not have a core player to remind everyone what to do and how to do it correctly.
The team just plays wherever it goes, with no goals and no motivation.
The same goes for this game.
Rubby passed the ball halfway and found Love again.
The Timberwolves' offense has not changed at all, and it basically starts from Love.
But it's also interesting to say that the Rockets did not choose to flank Love like most teams, or use a semi-circling defense to prevent him from catching the ball.
Just let Garnett take the lead alone.
