Chapter 36: The Christmas War (6)
"This guy is so heavy. "In the second half of the third quarter, Popovich changed his defensive strategy against O'Neal, and Duncan replaced David Robinson to defend O'Neal.www.biquge.info Just after O'Neal leaned Duncan with the ball, under O'Neal's huge power, Duncan also took half a step back, continued to top O'Neal, and clinged to it tightly.
With little rest in the first half, Duncan and O'Neal also sat off the court for most of the third quarter before returning to the court. After resting for most of the quarter, the energetic O'Neal also returned to the state he was in at the beginning of the game, ravaging the basket frantically, and attacking again to cause David Robinson to foul in a row, and David Robinson, who had already committed 4 fouls, could only sit on the bench.
O'Neal singled Duncan twice in a row, but did not achieve the expected effect, Duncan's strength was much stronger than the aging David Robinson, at this moment, Meng Xu, who rushed over to help defend, directly knocked the basketball in O'Neal's hand away. At the moment when the basketball was knocked out, O'Neal was also stunned, and looked at Meng Xu who was fighting for the basketball with some incredulity.
Popovich off the field saw Meng Xu stealing O'Neal, and he also nodded, and this somewhat helpless defensive method also had an unexpected effect. In this game, under O'Neal's huge killing, David Robinson 4 fouls, Samaki Walker 4 fouls, Jeromy Corsi 4 fouls, Tim Duncan 3 fouls, the team's 4 interior lines have 3 on the bench, in desperation, Duncan was once again pushed to the center position, and Meng Xu also appeared in the power forward position. Meng Xu cooperated with Duncan's pinch-attack defense against O'Neill, but it was more effective than David Robinson and Tim Duncan's blockade of O'Neal, Duncan is younger than David Robinson, and also has an advantage in physical fitness and strength, while Meng Xu's mobility ability and prediction are even better, but Meng Xu's small body is really a bit of a loss on the inside, and even Robert Horry can't withstand one-on-one.
The outcome of this game, Popovich actually doesn't look very seriously, and the commentator said at the beginning, the Spurs and the Lakers are the two strongest teams this season, and this season's championship must be born from these two teams, although the schedule is not more than halfway through, but Popovich is already thinking about the playoffs, how to limit O'Neal, how to find a way to limit the Lakers' triangle offense, is the main purpose of this game, in the first half, the Spurs have experimented with multi-clock defensive strategies, such as putting Kobe Bryant to hit O'Neal, put O'Neal to defend the Lakers' outside and other defensive strategies, but the effect was not very good.
At this time, Meng Xu, who picked up the basketball, also quickly moved forward, although Meng Xu's speed was very fast, but he rushed out from under the basket, just after Meng Xu dribbled over half the court, Kobe Bryant also returned to the defense in time, Meng Xu was once again blocked by Kobe Bryant at the top of the arc outside the 3-point line. Facing Kobe Bryant, who was one step away, Meng Xu shot directly outside the 3-point line, and shot with a slight back, just avoiding Kobe's block.
Looking at Meng Xu who shot in front of him, Kobe Bryant was also a little depressed, originally after blocking Meng Xu's offensive route, Kobe Bryant thought that Meng Xu would definitely choose to wait for his teammates, who knew that this guy did not hesitate to shoot, taller than himself, with an amazing arm span, although the jump was not high, but there was a certain amount of backwards, Kobe Bryant could only watch Meng Xu throw the ball.
When the basketball left Meng Xu's palm, drew an arc and fell into the basket, Meng Xu also clenched his fists tightly, this shot was Meng Xu's first 3-point shot in this game, and it was also Meng Xu's 9th point in this game. According to the experience of the previous game, as long as the first 3-point can be hit, then the 3-point shooting rate of this game will not be bad, and as long as the first shot is not hit, then the shooting rate of the whole game will not be good, even in the 4th quarter, when the long-range shooting attribute reaches 100, it can only reach the average. In Anna's words, Meng Xu has a serious mental illness and needs to find a doctor for timely treatment.
"Pretty, that's it, that's it." After Meng Xu hit this 3-pointer, Spurs' assistant coach Mike? Budenholzer also applauded while shouting loudly at Meng Xu on the field.
"Boy, how's my shot?" Seeing Kobe Bryant's embarrassed expression, Meng Xu said with a smile.
"Hmph." Kobe Bryant didn't respond, but left Meng Xu and ran towards the frontcourt.
"Shaq, concentrate." Lakers head coach Phil Jackson shouted at O'Neal with a black face. For this defense, Phil always believes that O'Neal's lack of concentration is the cause, knowing that even David Robinson and Tim Duncan can't limit O'Neal together.
After being stolen by Meng Xu, O'Neal also calmed down, the previous game was too smooth, and he had already made himself fluttering, this game really wanted to beat Duncan and beat the Spurs. With O'Neal's ability to hold the ball, it is so easy to make a tackle, and it was definitely an accident to lose the ball this time.
After sinking his mind, O'Neal received Ron Harper's pass, and leaned on Duncan again, this time attacking, O'Neal, who was highly concentrated, did not leave the slightest room and slammed into Duncan fiercely, Duncan still clinged to O'Neal after being hit by O'Neal and took a step back, and pressed against him hard.
This kind of blood-pumping duel also stimulated the enthusiasm of the fans at the scene, in the continuous shouts of the fans in the audience, he slammed into Duncan behind him, not only to win this game, but also to crush the opponent behind him, only by blowing him up, can he prove that he is stronger than him, and he is more worthy of the MVP title than him.
After hitting 3 consecutive back-to-back singles, looking at Meng Xu, who gave up his defensive object and rushed over, O'Neal also gave up the idea of wanting to knock Duncan into the basket, but directly threw the basketball with a half-turned hook hand with Duncan.
"It's still a little late." Looking at O'Neill, who was one and a half steps away from him and had fallen from the sky, Meng Xu felt a little self-blamed. Because he couldn't fight Robert Horry with his strength, Meng Xu could only rely on his advantage in movement speed to circle Robert Horry. Due to the distance between the players in the triangle attack, in this way, the timing of the pinching O'Neal is not easy to grasp, the package is too early, I am afraid that O'Neal will pass the ball to Holly, and the package is too late, just like this attack, after the shots are completed, Meng Xu came over.