161: 100.
What if it’s five against eight?_2 161: 100.
What if it’s five against eight?_2 Zhang Yang didn’t care about getting the assist, he just saw an opportunity for a teammate to connect a second pass and imdiately threw the ball, tearing apart the opponent’s defensive formation!
“This play, the TV comntator is once again saying how Zhang Yang pushes the counterattack like Kidd…”
70 to 71, the Spurs are biting on the score!
Attack!
Attack!
Attack!
In the following few rounds, the Spurs focused on offense, defensively marking the three-point shooters Mike Miller and Chalrs, Duncan boxed out to defend against direct drive attacks drawing fouls, if the Heat wanted to cut in, shoot mid-range shots, disrupt if you can, but if you can’t, just let it go, don’t give the opponent the chance to groan and put on a mask of pain.
The Spurs put most of their energy into offense!
Relying on one-point shooting threats, the Miami Heat created very good offensive conditions, executing excellent pass and cut coordination and mid-range shot opportunities, continuing their offensive firepower from the third quarter.
But the Spurs’ firepower was even fierce!
Although the Heat’s scoring efficiency was almost the sa as in the third quarter, their free throws had decreased, and they could no longer keep stepping to the free-throw line to disrupt the Spurs’ offensive rhythm like in the third quarter.
Zhang Yang pushed forward, racing ahead to attract the defense, Ginobili following up for support or coordination…
Anyti there was a chance for a counterattack, it was almost never missed; in set plays, Duncan would move to the high post to create space for Zhang Yang, Parker, Ginobili taking turns on pick-and-rolls, blocking defenders, moving out to the 45-degree angle for support or coordination, a simple and easy task, leaving the rest to the fiery Zhang Yang, Parker, Ginobili.
Even though Leonard was just a rookie, his offensive instincts were innate, catching the opportunities to cut in well in both counterattacks and set plays…
In the first half of the last quarter, the Heat went 7 for 12 in field goals, including 1 for 2 in three-pointers, and made all 3 free throws, rampaging with 18 points, exhibiting their best half-quarter performance of the Finals so far.
But the Spurs went 8 for 12, including 3 for 5 in three-pointers, plus making 2 out of 2 free throws, bombarding with 21 points!
With over half of the last quarter gone, the Spurs led the Heat by two points, 89 to 87!
Jas and Wade both looked stunned!
They had ramped up their offense, aiming for 35 points in the quarter, yet the difference in score hadn’t widened, and they had been overtaken!
Being overtaken in the score wasn’t even the most alarming thing for the Heat.
The continuity of the Spurs’ offense left the Heat unsure of what adjustnts to make during the official tiout.
Over the past half-quarter, it wasn’t always Parker, Zhang Yang, Ginobili, Leonard, and Duncan on the court; when any offensive player’s energy level dropped and affected his performance, Popovich would substitute them out like ‘a screw’, with Patrick Mills replacing Parker, Danny Green for Leonard, Stephen Jackson for Ginobili…
Ginobili rested for a while and then replaced Zhang Yang…
As long as one of Zhang Yang or Ginobili was on the court, their teammates felt assured, knowing if they couldn’t open up the team offense, soone would stand up to solve the problem, so they played more committed, without fear.
Even when Splitter replaced Duncan, it didn’t greatly affect the Spurs, as Duncan had already demonstrated the right and simple way to play to Splitter, who just needed to do the sa.
When the effectiveness of that style of play was over, Popovich would put Duncan back in.
Spoelstra and Pat Riley, sitting behind the Heat’s bench, couldn’t figure out a way to deal with the Spurs’ offense and could only choose to match the offense.
They still had a chance in a shootout, they had only lost by 3 points in the first half, just because the other side made two more three-pointers; as long as they could defend the three-pointers well, they still had a chance to win the ga.
But after the official tiout, Spoelstra and Pat Riley didn’t get to see the Spurs miss a three-pointer, their offense began to falter first!
Having already played for 36 minutes, Wade, who had scored 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting with 6 assists, clearly couldn’t keep up, missing two close-range floaters consecutively after the official tiout!
The Spurs executed two quick counterattacks, with Zhang Yang, returning to the court, and Parker each scoring two points, 93 to 87, the Spurs’ lead extended to six points!
Wade was responsible for creating offensive opportunities for Jas; when the team was locked down earlier, he had to break through, and in the first half of the last quarter, he still had to desperately chase Parker and Mills…
Regardless of what kind of person Wade was, after entering into the new decade, he indeed beca the ‘workhorse’ of the Miami Heat, doing the most exhausting work, and if they lost the ga, he would take the harshest criticism, only to be rcilessly cast aside later and having to shalessly return for a minimum salary if he wanted to end his career with the Heat.
Wade was exhausted, which severely affected the Heat’s simple play.
Over the next three rounds, the Heat managed only 1 for 3 in shooting.
Although they defended the transition well and didn’t allow the Spurs to execute counterattacks, they still couldn’t stop them in set plays.
The Spurs seized the opportunity to go on a 5-to-2 run, extending the lead to 98 to 89, a 9-point advantage!
Unable to play simply, Jas chose to take responsibility and do it himself!
When it cos to individual ability, Jas was undeniably the strongest in the league, and when he got serious, he was extrely fierce.
In the next few rounds, he scored 2 out of 3 field goals, along with making 2 out of 3 free throws, achieving 6 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal; that assist was to Battier for a three-pointer assist, leading his team to a 9-point rally in 5 rounds!
During that ti, the Spurs’ offense remained steady, scoring 5 points from two field goals over 4 rounds.
By 11 minutes and 16 seconds left in the last quarter, although there was 1 turnover, the Spurs still maintained a 5-point lead, 103 to 98.
The Heat needed at least two baskets to tie or take the lead, and that was without the Spurs scoring in the anti.
Reviews
All reviews (0)