"The Raptors need to change their defensive tactics against Meng, who was just incredible today, hitting 5 of 8 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-pointers." Just after the start of the 3rd quarter, Meng Xu hit a 3-pointer again, raising his score to 14 points, the head coach of the Raptors, Butch Carter, was too stubborn, and unswervingly let Meng Xu shoot, even at the end of the 2nd quarter, Meng Xu hit 2 3-pointers in a row, narrowing the gap between the two teams to 4 points, Butch Carter did not make any changes, after the start of the 3rd quarter, although the efficiency decreased, Meng Xu still shot 3 of 6, scored 8 points in a row, and helped the Spurs equalize the score.

"After the timeout, the Raptors will strengthen their defense against Meng, so Tim has to play a little more resolutely." Taking advantage of the timeout, Popovich also stepped up his tactics. Today's Meng Xu really surprised himself, starting from the bench in the second half of the second quarter, to the pause just now, the 14 points he got in 5 minutes helped the Spurs directly fill the 8-point hole, although there are also reasons why the Raptors deliberately let him go, but compared with the previous games, how to shoot, and the vacant position can shoot 3 without sticking, it is a world of difference.

Looking at Popovich's satisfied look, assistant coach Mike on the side? Budenholzer also glanced at Chaggy Brown on the bench with a pitiful look, Chaggie Brown draped the towel over his shoulders and looked at Meng Xu on the court with a black face. When Elliteo missed this season because of surgery, Chaki Brown still came to the Spurs with ambitions, who knows that the psychological pressure and defensive pressure faced by playing as a substitute and playing the main force are not the same at all, Chaki Brown has not been worth playing, but was rated by the media as the Spurs' most failed reinforcement this season, and now with the outbreak of Meng Xu's game, he is likely to lose the position of the main force, or even be traded by the team.

After the game restarted, the Raptors really strengthened their defense against Meng Xu, Maddie defended mainly, Carter assisted on the side, once Meng Xu received the ball and stepped forward to wrap it, Meng Xu was also excited in his heart, and he even enjoyed the treatment of the bag. Although Meng Xu knew that with the continuous enhancement of his strength, sooner or later he would encounter the star treatment of a double bag or even a three-man bag, but he didn't expect this day to come so early. Maddie's height is a little taller than himself, and his arm span is about the same, and this guy has enough strength and speed, and he is also very uncomfortable to defend himself, trapped in the somewhat weak ball control attributes, and Meng Xu was almost cut off by Carter twice in a row, after that, Meng Xu also gave up the idea of wanting to play alone, but ran more actively, actively looking for opportunities.

The game between the two sides once again fell into a stalemate, and when we look at the two short interior lines facing the Raptors, although Duncan and David Robinson can score all the time, the efficiency is obviously not as good as before, especially David Robinson, under the constant forward and wrapping of the opposing defenders, the shooting rate is also very low. And Maddie and Meng Xu almost used all their energy to defend each other, without Maddie's cover, Carter no longer unscrupulously impacted the Spurs' interior line, but the Spurs' outside line still has no one to restrain Carter.

"Rookie, your defense is great, but it doesn't work." In this offense, Carter took the initiative to find Meng Xu, perhaps because the rest of the Spurs' outside line was not challenging for Carter, or maybe he wanted to stand up for his cousin, Carter took the initiative to switch positions with Maddie in the second half of the third quarter, and directly held the ball to Meng Xu.

"This guy has a lot of power." Carter didn't try to break through himself like Maddie, but arched inward with his back against himself, Carter was a little shorter than himself, and his weight looked similar, but this guy's strength was much greater than Meng Xu's, and in the face of Carter's back singles, Meng Xu couldn't resist him with all his might.

Just when Carter's back arched inward twice, while Meng Xu was pushing himself hard, Carter turned around and jumped up, Meng Xu jumped up and stretched his arm as far as possible to block it, and finally watched Carter throw the basketball without any interference from himself, and then hollow into the net.

Even after jumping in the air, the kind of scene that even Carter's elbow couldn't reach also made Meng Xu a little discouraged, this guy's bounce is really good, and the time in the air is also very perverted, Meng Xu has already begun to fall, this guy is still floating in the air, and the super long arm span, the terrifying backward amplitude, even makes Meng Xu a little suspicious of his defense, can such a shot really be defended?

After the shot was hit, Carter smiled slightly, opened his arms and turned to accept the cheers and worship of the fans.

"Meng, don't be discouraged, tell you a secret." John Qiu walked up to Meng Xu and patted Meng Xu on the back: "Do you want to know how I defend those players who are taller than me and have better bounce than me?" ”

"Hmm" Meng Xu looked at Johnson and nodded. Avery Johnson's official height is only 180, and his real height is even lower, so it can be said that he suffers a lot when he encounters most of the league's guards, but Avery Johnson's defense is not as bad as the stats show, relying on his years of game experience and unique defensive style, Avery Johnson is not very disadvantaged in the face of most of the league's point guards.

"If your hand can't seal his basketball, seal his eyes." Johnson said, holding out his palm.

"Seal your eyes, what's the difference between that and no defense." Hearing Avery Johnson's defensive method, Meng Xu was also confused, in Meng Xu's opinion, the defensive method of sealing his eyes is no different from covering his ears and stealing the bell, a player has already formed muscle memory in the accumulated shooting training, even if he closes his eyes, he will subconsciously throw the ball towards the basket, this defensive method is basically the difference.

"What a fool, you can do this." Johnson looked at Meng Xu with an angry expression, and then bent his outstretched palm forward slightly, and separated his fingers a little slit.

"Avery, you're dirty." In an instant, Meng Xu understood what Avery Johnson meant, Johnson's defensive style is actually a kind of psychological intimidation, and he will definitely not deliberately poke the offensive player's eyes, but he makes this obviously suggestive action to cause the opponent's mental tension, thereby causing the shooting action to be deformed and reducing his shooting success rate.

"Shit, can this be called dirty? I am an angel of purity. ”

"Do angels have dark skin?" Looking at Johnson's back, Meng Xu also smiled.

Since Meng Xu deliberately poked in the face when facing Vince Carter's shot according to the experience taught by Avery Johnson. I don't know if it's a psychological effect, or if I'm really afraid that Meng Xu will poke himself, Carter is also much more cautious when shooting, and the corresponding feel has not become as hot as in the first half.