Chapter 101: Battle for Spurs

Popovich retracted his gaze and asked lightly to Duncan, who was drinking expressionless water next to him, "Who do you think this Chinese kid looks like?" ”

Duncan was stunned for a moment, turned his head and glanced at Popovich, and found that his old man's eyes were on the tactics board for writing and drawing, but he was the only one beside him, obviously asking himself.

But that's not a good question to answer!

Duncan touched his head, and Mu Ne's calm face revealed a bit of thought.

Naturally, his coach will not deal with it like he does with media reporters, to be honest, he still really pays a little attention to the Chinese kid, as for the answer to this question, he still has to think about it.

Popovich's question was very targeted, he didn't ask Li Shihao what the template was, he just asked lightly who he looked like, which proves that Li Shihao is obviously a brand new player in his eyes, and will not become the second generation of Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Magic as the expert media say, proving that this kid has something worthy of the attention of head coach Popovich.

Duncan thought for a while, as if he had thought of something, brushed the warm towel above his head, and said lightly: "This kid looks a bit like Chauncey, but I seem to see Kobe's shadow in him, this kid is a complex combination!" ”

Popovich's cloudy eyes flashed with a gleam when he heard this, he raised his head, his eyes burned, stared at his beloved apprentice Duncan, who he had known for many years, and asked in an inexplicable tone: "Do you really think he looks like a complex of contradictions?" ”

Duncan glanced at Popovich suspiciously, not understanding why his old man cared so much about this kid.

Popovich sighed, his eyes revealing a bit of gloom, stared at his beloved disciple and said, "I see your shadow in him!" ”

Duncan's expression changed, and he no longer had the previous wooden expression, and his flat expression couldn't hide his surprise at the moment, the Chinese kid actually had his own shadow in the eyes of his teacher?

It's incredible!

Is it possible to see the shadow of an inside player in an outside player, or two players with no similar style of play, two generations of players who have been separated by ten years?

But it was Popovich who said this, and Duncan's heart was false to say that he was not shocked.

Popovich stretched out his hand, raised his index finger with age spots and tapped it on the tactical board, and his tone became a little heavier: "Although this kid is in a different position from you, I see your shadow on this kid!" ”

"Outside players are very different from inside players due to their shooting position, range, defensive intensity, etc., and the degree of stability is also very different, but this kid is not simple, and it doesn't seem too difficult for him to do the same thing as you!"

Duncan was silent, he understood what Popovich was saying, he played in the league for more than a decade, and many people said that he was not of high commercial value, that his style of play was not good-looking, that he was not as dominant as O'Neal.

But Duncan understands his strength, he is better than stability, he is stable because he is ordinary, and he is great because he is ordinary.

When Garnett was crowned as an all-around power forward, when the German tank Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to the Finals in '06, and when one power forward after another passed the league, Duncan still maintained the same consistent double-double data as in his rookie season.

Some people praise him for his stable scoring ability and the pillar of the team's championship, and some people laugh at him for being old, and even his scoring ability has deteriorated.

But when the Spurs' fourth championship ring was on his hand, Duncan understood that the greatest power forward of all time had to be himself!

Not one of them!

Now, is there a rookie who says he's going to be a consistent scorer like himself, or is he a defender?

Duncan was silent, he really couldn't find the words to deal with it!

Popovich sighed, put down the tactical board, and looked away: "This game will be a good experiment!" ”

"Let's see if this kid will become Jordan or Chauncey, or finally take his own path and create a new him!"

"Again, I'd love to know what Tim Duncan would be like on a guard lineback!"

Popovich laughed, his eyes sparkling, full of a color that only ignorant children have, that is called "anticipation"!

In the following time, the Spurs and the Timberwolves launched an offensive and defensive battle, and the two teams continued to stage tactical competitions in the game.

The aging Spurs and Celtics are among the few teams in the league that are seen as ageing powerhouses, but unlike the Celtics, San Antonio is more adherent to their tactics.

Although most of this Holy City team is old and decrepit, they have too much experience in the game, and their years of playing experience have made their knowledge of the game far more than the Timberwolves boys in front of them.

This Spurs team is well-balanced in attack and defense, and it is too stable! But they also have the fatal weakness, which is that they are too balanced, and even make them mediocre at times!

The Timberwolves launched a fierce counterattack in the third quarter, and the outside line teamed up by Lee Se Ho and Brewer continued to set off an offensive on the outside, and the two connected with each other, using the breakthrough to attract the bag, forcing the opponent to lose position, and creating offensive opportunities.

Gomez on the outside has a certain accuracy of long-range shooting from the outside, and it is impossible for this kid to expect him to fire like a marksman in the league, but he still has a certain accuracy in shooting three or five three-pointers in a game, and in the third quarter of the game, Li Shihao created many opportunities for him to shoot in the open space.

Fortunately, this kid's hand did not live up to Li Shihao's expectations, but the shooting rate of 3 of 5 in the third quarter shared part of the team's offensive firepower, which greatly relieved the pressure on the Timberwolves on the offensive end.

The situation on the inside line is not very good, Marc Gasol and Kevin Love face the spicy Spurs inside duo, some can't resist, although the other party is older and weaker than himself, but Duncan has been immersed in the inside position for many years, and his skills have long been perfected, even if he can barely resist one against two on the inside, not to mention that there is also a veteran Antonio McDyess next to him to help and support on the side.

Fortunately, Love and Gasol Jr. gave the Timberwolves the two things they lacked the most, interior defense and rebounding, and it was to ensure these two things that the Timberwolves could always be entangled with the old Spurs and fight non-stop.

The score has reached 87:82, the Spurs lead by 5 points, and the third quarter is about to end, and the Spurs do not have that kind of strong explosive outside scorer in the current lineup, and they cannot take the young Timberwolves away in waves for the time being.

The winner will be announced at the end of the quarter!