Legendary star

Chapter 148 Change Style?

"In this round of the series, Meng has taken too many shots from the outside, right?" The battle began again.After breaking the halftime 5-pointer record in the playoffs in the last game, Meng Xu seems to want to break the record again in this game. He took 24 2-pointers in the first quarter alone, but only Hit two of them.

"Yes, Meng showed his excellent breakthrough ability in the series against the Lakers, but for some reason, until now, Meng Xu has not made a breakthrough in the game against the Blazers."

"Maybe this is Popovich's tactical arrangement. After the last game, some experts claimed that the Spurs actually played a triangle offensive tactic in the game against the Trail Blazers." In other words, Magic Johnson is also a little confused. In the series between the Spurs and the Lakers, Meng Xu's breakthrough caused great difficulties for the Lakers, and the breakthrough tactics with Meng Xu as the core also exerted great power , but Popovich did not use this simple and practical tactic, and insisted on imitating Phil Jackson's triangle offense. Although the Spurs players imitated it well, the magician was very clear , The Spurs' current tactics on the court are really nondescript.Because whether it is the Bulls or the Lakers, there is a very capable Terminator, and among the few players on the Spurs field, who is the Terminator?With Duncan's ability, he can fully play the role of supporter in the triangle offense, but support is not enough. Who will end the game?

In this game, Mike Dunville changed his defensive tactics against the Spurs in the previous game. He used Arvedas Sabonis and Jermaine O'Neal to defend Tim Duncan in turn, and never double-teamed Duncan. The outside line is strictly guarded, especially defending their outside shots.

"Meng's shooting is too casual." After seeing Meng Xu facing Scottie Pippen's defense, he took a horizontal step and took off from the spot to shoot. Popovich also shook his head on the sidelines. On the left side of Meng Xu, Mario Elli has already run out of space. Compared with Meng Xu, who is tightly entangled by Scottie Pippen, Mario Elli's chances are obviously better.

"Greg, didn't you always teach me to look at the long-term? I think that although Meng's style of play is becoming more and more selfish from these two games, it is still within a controllable range, and in the long run, This is not a bad thing.” For some reason, Mike Budenholzer always felt that Popovich was too spoiled by Meng Xu.For the ball just now, if it was Sean Elliott or Mario Ellis, with Popovich's character, he would have already yelled.As for Meng Xu's shot this time, Popovich just shook his head to express his dissatisfaction.

"Mike, what do you mean?" Popovich was also a little puzzled when he heard his assistant say such words. Popovich has always wanted to portray Meng Xu as Scottie Pippen and Grant. Hill, that kind of selfless style of play, although Meng Xu's current 3-point ability is also very much needed by the Spurs, and his shooting percentage has always been good, so Popovich is just a little worried, once Meng Xu If he likes the feeling of scoring crazy points, he will gradually drift away from the path he planned for him.So from the second half of this season, no matter how critical the game is, as soon as Meng Xu's score is close to 30 points, Popovich will replace him and let him calm down.

"The Spurs only need one core." After Mike Budenholzer said this, he kept staring into Popovich's eyes. Popovich's future plan for Meng Xu, Mike Budenholzer Holzer doesn't know, but one thing is certain now is that Meng Xu's tactical status in Popovich's heart must be above Sean Elliott and even Avery Johnson.

"Yeah, one core is enough." After hearing what his assistant said, Popovich also felt that he was suddenly enlightened at the moment. Duncan is still young, and his peak period is at least 10 years away. Fetal, it is indeed too early.Duncan is a player with a self-contained offensive and defensive system. Only by building a team around Duncan can he play his greatest role, but now there is another player with a self-contained offensive system in the Spurs lineup. Popovich subconsciously I just want to integrate the two of them together, but Popovich also knows that it is impossible for two players with their own systems to achieve a seamless connection. Only one of them can make sacrifices to achieve this. Purpose.And Popovich wants to copy the Bulls' triangle offense in the Spurs, in fact, he is trying to integrate Duncan and Meng Xu's method, but now it seems that under the framework of the triangle offense, neither Meng Xu nor Duncan can play their own. real ability.In the last game, although Meng Xu scored the highest individual score in the playoffs, in Popovich's view, Meng Xu's performance was actually extremely bad. Not only did the defensive end become worse than before, but he also connected his teammates. ability is almost gone.Although Duncan got a career-high 14 assists, Popovich could also see that Duncan was obviously struggling in that game.

The series against the Lakers is a good example. When the Spurs implement a breakthrough tactic with Meng Xu as the core, Duncan's deterrence will be greatly reduced, and in this tactic, Duncan's role is not as good as Shawn Liott, Duncan, who has been staying at the basket, will bring difficulties to Meng Xu's breakthrough, and David Robinson will return next season. Will the Spurs still have room for Meng Xu to break through?Even if it is a breakthrough, who will the basketball be distributed to?Similarly, when the Spurs return to the tactics with Duncan as the core, there is no need for Meng Xu to break through. In the combination of inside and outside tactics, the role of a 3-point shooter is far greater than that of a breakthrough player.And what Meng Xu is doing on the court is actually a sacrifice, a sacrifice made in order to better fulfill Duncan.

"Well, it would be great if he was the same as he was in the first half of the season." Although Popovich said so, he didn't want Meng Xu to become the Meng Xu who could only defend but couldn't even shoot.In fact, to put it bluntly, Popovich's current troubles are the troubles of happiness.Originally expected, Meng Xu's role should be similar to that of the Heat's Bruce Bowen, with excellent outside defense and certain outside shooting ability, but as time goes by, Meng Xu's growth rate is getting faster and faster, Popovich Qi's standard for Meng Xu has also become Pippen and Hill.

"Maybe, we can try to let him learn Reggie Miller's playing style." With Duncan's Spurs, Pippen is not needed at all. The star who can really achieve 1+1>2 with Duncan is precisely Reggie Miller. Style, excellent running ability, accurate shooting, and doesn't need the ball. Well, in fact, this kind of player is what any team needs.

"Give it a try." Although Popovich wanted to answer immediately, he told himself that doing so would be very unfair to Meng Xu. Meng Xu is still young and at the beginning of his career. , It is the most shaping time, what kind of playing style he shapes at this time, then what kind of style he will form in the future.But once Meng Xu is shaped into a playing style like Reggie Miller, then Meng Xu, who has lost his own system, will really lose the opportunity to become a super giant in the future.

. . . . . .

Due to Mike Dunville's tactics of not double-teaming Duncan, Duncan performed very well in this game, with 42 points and 14 rebounds in the game, but because the Spurs' outside lines were under the high-intensity defense of the Blazers, they collectively lost. Feeling, Sean Elliott made 11 of 3 shots, Mario Ellis made 7 of 2 shots, Avery Johnson made 9 of 3 shots, plus the bench lineup was once again overwhelmed by the Blazers. In the end, in this game, the Spurs Lost to the Blazers 87 to 93.Meng Xu made 12 of 6 shots, 3 of 9 4-pointers and 3 of 2 free throws. He contributed 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 assist.

After winning this game, the Blazers moved the big score to 1 to 1, but the next two games will be played at the Spurs' home court. If they can't win one of the two away games, then the Blazers' promotion The road is really dangerous.

　Thank you, actually all alone and -8 degrees monthly pass.

　　Thank you Actually Du Lonely and Wolong Zhuge for their rewards, thank you very much.

　　Finally, ask for a recommendation.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)