The views of the commentary group are actually similar to the mainstream views of the past few days.

In the past few days, the outside world is basically optimistic about the Spurs for the game between the two teams, and feels that the Timberwolves' defense will not work in the Spurs.

This Timberwolves are not a strong offensive team, they win games, and they basically rely on defense to gain a foothold.

The Timberwolves' fast-break times are among the top three in the league, but the Timberwolves' fast-break is also above the defense.

For this kind of fast-break team, the Spurs are experienced.

The slow-paced Spurs, once they drag the Timberwolves into positional battles, then it will be difficult for the Timberwolves to have any effective tactics.

And although the Timberwolves entered the Western Conference Finals and were second in the West in the regular season, they always felt that the Timberwolves had not been formally challenged.

The regular season itself wasn't too convincing, and then both the Trail Blazers and Warriors had their lineups suppressed.

Su Chen was very calm on the sidelines.

Regarding the outside world's comments on the Timberwolves, Su Chen also knew something.

However, Su Chen doesn't care too much, the outside world can think that this is also very reasonable, after all, there are indeed some teams that reach the finals of the East and West and are swept away.

The opponents who have advanced all the way are all leak-picking.

But Su Chen knows very well that the Timberwolves are not such a team.

At this time, the game is about to begin.

Su Chen and Popovich briefly shook hands before the game, and Popovich wanted to say something flattering to test Su Chen, but Su Chen didn't say much and just smiled.

Seeing Su Chen's appearance, Popovich was not annoyed.

Originally, this was a war between the two sides, and there was no human affection to talk about at this time, both sides were enemies.

"Let me see how you're different from last season."

Popovich thought as he looked at Su Chen's back.

Not only did the two rival last season, but this season, Popovich's snatching of the best coach was also a hot topic.

Su Chen's votes have been announced, and he originally brought the Timberwolves to second place in the West this season, and he has a good chance of winning the best coach.

But not only did he not get the best coach, but he also had a humiliating number of votes, and only got a few votes.

For Su Chen, if he can win Popovich, it will also be a slap in the face of those love vote coaches in the league.

However, everyone is not optimistic that Su Chen can do this, this is too difficult.

Soon.

The starters from both sides walked into the middle of the field.

Spurs starting lineup: Thiago Split (C), Tim Duncan (PF), Kawhi Leonard (SF), Danny Green (SG), Tony Parker (PG)

Timberwolves starting lineup: Sergi Ibaka (C), Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF), Lore Deng (SF), Robert Covington (SG), Jimmy Butler (PG)

The Spurs' lineup is the most efficient five-man group in the league today.

It's not just because of Leonard's rapid growth, but also because Thiago Split and Spurs fit in better.

Thiago Splitt's strong body and improved quality of his pick-and-roll make him a great fit for both Parker Ginobili and Leonard.

With Duncan as the axis, he can also maintain a certain efficiency of cutting inside the basket.

At the same time, Danny Green's defensive level has also increased, while his three-point consistency has also improved.

Although the GDP of the Spurs is a year older, these newcomers of the Spurs have also grown and filled.

Both sides play the jump ball.

Duncan jumped the first ball for the Spurs.

Parker gets the ball and holds it to push forward.

The Spurs tonight are very resolute on the inside, whether it's Seroka Ibaka or Giannis Antetokounmpo, their single defense is not enough against Duncan.

Duncan opted for the ball in the low post.

As a team-based team, the Spurs rarely choose to play alone from the start.

But this is a tactic, and the opening tactic designed by Popovich is to use Duncan as a involvement.

Run in other positions, allowing Duncan to be a point of containment and move the whole team.

The man who defended Duncan was Ibaka.

This made Popovich on the sidelines feel a little unexpected.

He originally thought that Su Chen should let Giannis Antetokounmpo try to see if he could defend Duncan alone, and then start the next plan.

However, actually let Ibaka defend alone?

Ibaka has proven in the past season, both in the regular season and in the playoffs, that he really can't defend Duncan.

Duncan hits Ibaka once he sees him.

Duncan looked at the defense and found that the Timberwolves really didn't have anyone coming, so he let him play Ibaka?

If there is such an opportunity, then Duncan is not welcome.

However, Ibaka's defensive style is a bit strange, Ibaka obviously can't stand him, but he doesn't guard the interior well and is guarding his hook jumper.

Originally, Duncan wanted to finish with a signature 45° angle board, but Ibaka just wouldn't let him throw, so he went straight to the inside.

After sitting on his back a few times in a row, Ibaka was directly seated in.

His lower body strength is too weak, and he is not at the same level as Duncan at all.

However, Ibaka's ball, he himself is retreating, just to put Duncan in.

As soon as Duncan entered the three-second zone, Giannis Antetokounmpo immediately rushed over.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is tall and has long arms, and he intends to block Duncan's pass path directly.

However, when Duncan was playing on the side, he had already observed the defense in advance.

This is where Duncan is different from other back-to-back interior players, who still have a wide passing vision even when maintaining a high-intensity back-to-back play.

Duncan made a direct pass and Split rushed in from the other side to catch the ball.

Bang!

Splitt's powerful dunk from the side ignited the whole court.

Spurs 2:0 Timberwolves.

Although the Spurs don't advocate this approach, this ball dunk is indeed more stable than a layup, after all, Ibaka and Giannis Antetokounmpo both have good bounce and arm span.

If you go to the basket, it is easy to be disturbed or even taken off.

After being dunked, the Timberwolves didn't rush to serve.

The camera also gave Su Chen on the sidelines.

Su Chen stood on the sidelines without saying a word, not expressing dissatisfaction with the players' behavior, as if they were all in the arrangement.

"Why do you defend Duncan like this, that's Duncan, his organizational skills should not be underestimated."

Johnson said with some incomprehension.

"How do I look familiar with this defensive strategy?"

O'Neill said with some confusion.

"Shaq, it's kind of like Big Ben and Wallace's defensive strategy against you when you play the Pistons in the Finals."

Barkley immediately remembered at this time and said to O'Neill.

"Yes, I'll just say it's so familiar, one person on top of one person."

O'Neill patted his big bald head and remembered for a moment.

"Hahaha, but Duncan is still very different, the biggest difference between the two of you is the difference in the way you break the bag."

"Shaq you just choose to carry two people for dunks, Duncan has better playmaking skills, he can find open teammates."

Kenny Smith quipped.

"Su Chen is also a talent, Duncan attracts the bag, and then creates opportunities that is the Spurs' signature system."

"He actually wants to beat the Spurs with a bag, thinking too much."

Johnson shook his head.

At this time, the game on the field was still going on.

Just now, it wasn't just the camera, even Popovich couldn't help but glance at Su Chen.

He wanted to confirm whether the player had executed the wrong tactics, but it didn't look like Su Chen was indifferent.

The Spurs' signature tactical system is to rely on Duncan to attract the bag and then give the opportunity.

This is the system that Spurs have been playing for many years, and it is already ripe.

"Could it be that he is overestimating him, he actually doesn't have that level of ability at all?"

Even Popovich had some doubts in his heart.

To be able to come up with this kind of plan to defend against Spurs, at least not at the level of a coach, a mediocre coach's strategy.

However, Popovich did not take it too lightly and continued to watch.

At this time, the Timberwolves put on the corner position that they often played this season.

Butler, Serge Ibaka, Giannis Antetokounmpo were the corners.

Giannis Antetokounmpo made a screen and went straight inside to attract the defense.

The defender prioritized Ibaka, who had made up for the three-point line, and Butler's mid-range had chances.

Butler didn't hesitate to take the ball, and raised his hand to shoot.

Clang.

Didn't throw in.

Obviously, Butler's hand was not very good at the beginning.

However, Su Chen nodded, this is the right model.

The Spurs' defense has always been more focused on the interior and three-point line, and their mid-range defense is looser.

And Butler's mid-range shooting is still very reliable, especially Butler in the playoffs, his mid-range shooting is the kind that can be connected in a string.

In the Black Eight season, he relied on his mid-range shots one after another to lead the Heat all the way to the Black Eight to the Finals.

Su Chen is still very clear about Butler's technical characteristics.

His mid-range shot is different from the mid-range of those of ordinary players, his mid-range shot is physical, and the average defense may not affect him.

And once he gets into the rhythm, coupled with his own physical confrontation ability, the mid-range shots can also be one after another.

Butler was mainly scheduled to shoot mid-range shots, and as for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Serge Ibaka, they did the same when they had mid-range shots.

In the face of Spurs' defense, the mid-range shot must not hesitate as long as there is an opportunity.

If you don't shoot in the middle, then you won't be able to find a chance for three-point shooting and inside.

The Timberwolves are very quick to retreat.

Today, the Timberwolves' lineup should have the fastest average speed in the league.

As long as Su Chen does not arrange shooting and grabbing tactics, it is difficult for the opponent to catch the opportunity to convert.

Moreover, the Spurs are not so good at tackling the transition offense, and they prefer to drag the pace of the game to positional battles.

Especially in the face of this young and strong Timberwolves, Popovich must slow down the rhythm and not fight with the Timberwolves.

Spurs possession.

This time, the Timberwolves' defensive strategy has not changed.

It's still Ibaka who faces Duncan alone.

There's nothing to say, Duncan can't see him, so he'll beat him.

Ibaka, in particular, has played too many times in the playoffs, and that has taught us a lesson.

But this time, the whole Timberwolves started moving.

Before Giannis Antetokounmpo could wrap up, Lore Deng on the outside had already let go of his baseline defender and leaned in.

Duncan saw this.

But at this time, Butler was leaning towards the baseline again, letting go of his 45° three-point defender on the left side.

Duncan saw that again, but Covington immediately let go of his defender and leaned 45° to the left.

This made Duncan look a little confused.

But he couldn't continue to watch the defense at this point, as his backshot was about to run past five seconds, and Giannis Antetokounmpo was starting to rush over.

Arc top threes or in-cut Split?

Duncan appeared with two passes at once.

But without much thought, Duncan just looked a little messy about the situation outside the three-point line, so he gave it to Split who cut inside first.

When Split received the ball, Lore Deng had already wrapped it up early, and Ibaka also turned his head towards him to defend.

Split doesn't have a lot of individual ball handling ability, Lore Deng's tall and arm span doesn't suffer against the average inside, and then Ibaka is ready to defend him in front.

If it were any other team, Split would have thought about it, but this is the Spurs.

Split saw that there were three people on the inside, so he immediately looked for an opportunity on the outside.

He found a three-pointer in the corner.

When Butler went to fill the bottom corner just now, it was actually just to confuse Duncan, and he immediately went back to defend his own people.

Split immediately passed to the bottom corner for a three-pointer.

When Butler was passing the ball, he was running towards the bottom corner.

Green in the bottom corner immediately passed the ball to Leonard, who was a 45-degree three-pointer on the left side, but at this time, Covington's very quick help defense was also in place.

Leonard didn't stop the ball either, and immediately continued to throw it to Parker.

But Giannis Antetokounmpo had already rushed out of the interior at this time and made up for Parker's position.

As soon as the ball was upside down, most of the offensive time was consumed.

Parker took the ball and took a look, and although Duncan was still against Ibaka, it would have been hasty to reorganize the offense.

Split is also not good at single-handing Lore Deng, Lohr Deng's defense, defense and defense of this kind of blue-collar interior singles are still enough.

Parker looked at the offensive time and chose to come by himself.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's ability to cover the outside is still relatively strong.

Parker is not a peak sports car anymore, and as a classic car Parker, it is still more difficult to get past Giannis Antetokounmpo in one step.

Parker opted for a breakaway, a pullback, and then a mid-range shot.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's long reach interfered with the ball.

Clang!

The ball didn't go in, it was a successful defense.

At the same time, Ibaka accepted the rebound, didn't look too much, and chose to pass directly to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After Giannis Antetokounmpo got the ball, he directly chose to run wild with the ball.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's height and size combined with his speed are like bugs on the court, and the Spurs' old arms and legs are simply difficult to catch up with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

(End of chapter)