It stands to reason that an offense that doesn't work out isn't a big deal, but it's a big blow to Colorado. Previously, they could lie to themselves that this tactic was very effective, and they might be able to erase the point difference and counterattack Duke to advance to the next round...... But now they have to come to their senses and see the brutal truth with their own eyes.

Any top star in NBA history known for scoring might be able to help his team win games with his constant ball-handling singles, but Palesio can't. Despite all the training he has received and his personal abilities have improved a lot, in the end he is still not strong enough to lead the team to victory on his own.

In fact, Chang Wei can save the team, for example, like when he used Dantley's player talent card for Battier, just exchange a talent card for Palesio in the Miracle Shop. But firstly, this can only be done before the game, and he did not expect Duke to force Colorado State to continue to play with the ball, and secondly, Palesio's talent is much lower than Battier's, and it is not difficult to find a player who can match and has strong scoring ability.

So now Chang Wei can only watch Palesio shoot outside the three-point line again and again, and the number of times the basketball smashes the frame is significantly more than the number of hollow shots. He could clearly see that Palesio's lips were tightly pursed, and his eyes were shining with anger and unwillingness, as if he were competing with himself.

Chang Wei's guess was right, and now Palesio just wants to prove himself, and that's his responsibility as the team's captain and top scorer. There are a lot of Colorado players who can shoot three-pointers, but not many who shoot more than 37 percent, let alone 41.2 percent like Palesio, so when the team needs three-pointers, Palesio has a responsibility to shoot wildly from the outside because he doesn't want to disappoint his teammates.

The more you can't shoot, the more you have to shoot, which is a very dangerous mentality, but it's very common on the basketball court. Any player who has confidence in himself or a high sense of responsibility can find themselves in such an endless loop, and now it is Palesio's turn. If it weren't for the occasional mid-range jumper and the second offense under the basket, the margin would have been stretched to more than 20 points, and even then, the situation for Colorado is very bad.

Soon 12 minutes into the first half had passed, and it was already time for McKay to rotate his regular players. Taking advantage of a dead-ball opportunity, he replaced McCans, Palesio and Ford, who were also the most physically demanding players during the period. Although Duke did not make a substitution, McKay gritted his teeth and removed three starters out of the overall consideration of the game, but once it collapsed with less than eight minutes remaining, his substitution would be the biggest failure.

When he walked back to the bench, Palesio did not high-five his teammates and coaches, he just silently took the towel handed to him by the staff, covered his head all over his head, sat on his ass, and put aside the sports drink. Everyone knew why he was so depressed, so they didn't bother him.

Chang Wei, as the team's part-time psychiatrist, was supposed to comfort Palesio, but he didn't. In his opinion, the victory or defeat of a game is far less important than a player's career, and Palesio's demons need to be solved by himself, if he crosses this hurdle, with his current level, he will definitely not be as obscure as in his previous life.

Lao K is still a little disciplined, and he also replaced himself as a substitute half a minute later. However, he also had to make substitutions, after all, with the physical fitness of the big players in Colorado, Duke's players will not last long, and he has enough confidence in his team, and there is still a lot of time in the second half to end the game.

Because of this, Colorado State was not spent, and thanks to Sven's shot and Patick's steal, they also narrowed the gap to 13 points, ending the first half 40-53. It's a shame for Colorado State this season to score only 40 points at halftime, but any pundit and fan who saw the game will understand their offensive malaise, after all, Duke's defense is really good.

At halftime, Palesio was still silent in the dressing room, and even the atmosphere of the whole room was a little strange. McKay felt it, too, and strode to the middle of the locker room, clapped his hands vigorously, and said loudly: "Everyone played well in the first half, 13 points is not too much of a point difference, and there are still hopes of winning with 20 minutes left in the second half." ”

As he spoke, he looked at Palesio sitting in the corner: "Milt, you didn't hit very well in the first half, but you were already the team's top outside scorer, so in the second half I hope you can pick yourself up and continue to support the team on the outside." The rest of us had to run a lot more and make the most of our speed and create opportunities for Milt. ”

Everyone was stunned, and then seized the time to do their own thing. Chang Wei saw that Palesio was still sitting alone in his place, and he didn't react to the manager's instructions, so he had to walk over and pat him on the shoulder, and asked softly, "Are you okay Milt?" In the second half, the team still needs your contribution. ”

Palesio looked up, his eyes full of confusion, and he muttered, "But I played like a piece of shit in the first half, can I still contribute to the team from beyond the three-point line in the second half?" ”

Seeing Palesio's frustrated look, Chang Wei had no choice but to nod him: "No matter how you play, you are the leader of this team, and it is your responsibility to lead the team to victory." Whether you want to continue to play outside the three-point line according to the coach's instructions, you have to think about it yourself, since you are the number one star of the team, you have to show the appearance of the number one star. ”

After saying that, Chang Wei smiled at him, and then turned around to check the physical condition of the other players, leaving Palesio there alone in a daze. Chang Wei said that he had said enough, whether Palesio can regain his strength depends on himself, cheer up, the team still has the strength to fight, sink, this game is over.

Chang Wei thinks it's worth it to be able to see if a player is fit to be a real leader, even if it's an NCAA national tournament, and in his heart, players are always the most important.