new lord of the rings

Chapter 368 Long Butou and Lu Yizhong

In the night, the sunny Phoenix during the day is covered with a layer of black veil. The temperature difference between day and night here is large, the sun is shining during the day, and the night is icy cold, but this has not stopped the enthusiasm of Phoenix fans. In front of the Holiday Inn Talking Stick Arena Crowded with fans queuing up to watch the game.

Near the start of the game, the arena of the Holiday Inn Talking Stick was full of people. The temperature emitted by the human body and the heating of the arena complement each other. A warm and addictive atmosphere.

So far this season, the Suns have played 16 games and won 14 of them, ranking first in the West. It may be overtaken by teams such as the Warriors and Thunder, but becoming a strong team in the playoffs has become a foregone conclusion. For Phoenix, which has been sinking for many years, this is simply a gift from God. How can fans not come to cheer.

If Zhang Xin knew what the fans thought, I’m afraid he would start complaining again. The Americans just entered this continent, and instead of thanking the Indians who made room for them to live, they thought it was a gift from God, and then massacred the natives. Got it out for Thanksgiving.

Obviously it was the changes they brought to Phoenix. Instead of thanking themselves, they thanked God for going. What is wrong with this.

Game start.

Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau's lineup is: Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Gorgui Dieng and Ricky Rubio.

The Phoenix Suns are still regular starters: Zhang Xin, Rajon Rondo, Paul Gasol, Tyson Chandler, and Devin Booker.

Towns and Gasol jump ball in the middle circle. Towns is 213cm tall, the same as Pau Gasol, but Downs is only 21 years old this year, and his athletic ability is not as good as Pau Gasol, who is old and frail. So high, as soon as the referee took the ball, Towns jumped up and took the ball away.

Gasol shook his head, his long blond hair fluttering, and muttered in his mouth: Rejoice, you are so confident, oh no, what he said is: I can dance when I was young!

Ricky Rubio had high hopes when he first entered the NBA. The Spanish golden boy is famous, but he has been in the NBA for 7 years, and his performance is not satisfactory, but in fact he has played well. From 2013-16 In the past three years, he has averaged more than 8 assists and 4 rebounds per game, and has averaged 08 points per game. For a guard, he is quite good, but compared to his performance in the [-] BJ Olympics In terms of the highlights in the game and people's high expectations for him, he still failed to meet expectations.

What's interesting about tonight's game is that it pits two of the most shoot-averse point guards in the league against each other, both of whom have similar traits as typical passers but mediocre shooters.

In fact, even their stats are similar:

Rubio averaged 10.3 points, 8.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his career;

Rondo has career averages of 10.7 points, 8.5 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.

They are the only players in NBA history whose career averages are less than 11 points per game and more than 8 assists. Although their personal scoring ability is not outstanding, they have a high level of passing and very distinctive characteristics.

Although the two have similar characteristics, their NBA status is much different:

Rondo has won a championship, was selected to the best team three teams, and was selected to the All-Star 4 times;

And Rubio is just the starter of a weak team. Apart from being in the All-Rookie Team, he has no other honors.

As for why there is such a difference, it was fully reflected in tonight's game:

At the beginning of the game, Rondo continued to break through high pick-and-rolls with Gasol. Although Rondo was not good at shooting, he was good at breakthroughs. In the first quarter, Phoenix led by 8 points;
And Rubio's breakthrough efficiency is very low, and his ability to finish at the basket is very poor. He can only help a few young people such as Towns and Wiggins with the ball, but Towns is facing the veteran player Chandler. He can't even carry Chandler, so he can only avoid Chandler and shoot outside. Such a hit rate can be imagined.

Facing Zhang Xin's defense, Wiggins couldn't even use his usual [-]-percent power. The breakthrough was intercepted, the shot was interfered, the layup was interfered by Zhang Xin, and Chandler or Gasol behind him made up the cap. Fearing that he would be irritated, Thibodeau hurriedly replaced Wiggins.

Facing the main attacker in the team being restricted and turned off, Rubio tried to break through by himself, but Rubio's breakthrough efficiency was much worse than Rondo's. Sometimes when he broke into the basket, he could make a layup. The gap between Ou and Rondo was immediately obvious.

In the second quarter, Zhang Xin brought Eric Bledsoe, TJ Warren, PJ Tucker, and Batty Hield on the court.

Thibodeau sent Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Gorgui Dieng and Ricky Rubio to start the original class.

Zhang Xin curled his lips after reading it, and he really deserves to be No.1 in the ranking version of the main coaches who play deadly. Except for Wiggins, who took half a quarter off, the other four almost played the first quarter, and they were sent in the second quarter. You shouldn't use people like this for the sake of victory. Is it possible that apart from these few people, are the other players of the Timberwolves CBA players?
Phoenix has the ball, and Bledsoe quickly dribbles across half court. Since the Suns are playing a small lineup, they will naturally sneak up and play against a team with tall insiders like Towns and Gorgui Dieng.

The five people in Phoenix moved quickly under Zhang Xin's order. Zhang Xin continued to help his teammates pick and roll without the ball. Desso's pass turned around and blocked LaVine and Bledsoe handed each other a hand, and then went down to help Hilde block it. After blocking a few times, Gorgui Dieng couldn't keep up. Batty Hield got a chance to shoot a three-pointer from the bottom corner, and Hilder didn't hesitate to pull up a three-pointer and hit it!
Although Rubio can't shoot, he can't break through, but his overall view and calmness are top-notch. He quickly dribbled across the half court, commanded and gestured at the top of the arc, and signaled to help Downs open the space for singles. Rubio saw The current Phoenix is ​​playing with a small lineup. The small lineup has a smooth offense, but it is a disadvantage to defend the basket. Towns is 213cm tall, and now the opponent is Zhang Xin. Zhang Xin’s official height is only 203cm, which is a full 10cm. With the height difference, Towns should be able to win steadily.

Should be right?When Rubio passed the ball in, he suddenly had a sense of foreboding.

(End of this chapter)