Chapter 1117 1116. Height Cannot Be Learned

After the second quarter, the Hawks replaced McGrady with Jason Terry, Iguodala, David Lee, and Mourning.

Duncan continued to play as the core of the Spurs, while Udrih, Ginobili, Finley, and Nesterovic continued to play.

Liu Mang and Jason Terry started the mode of whoever has a better touch will play mid-range.

The tense situation continued. In the middle of the second quarter, the score was still tense. Except for Mourning and David Lee who had too many fouls, the Hawks were not at a disadvantage, but they did not have an advantage. The two teams tied at 37 and entered the official timeout.

The tempo was slow, but the efficiency of both teams was not too low, with a hit rate of about 45%. The main reason was that the Spurs' style of play with Duncan as the core of the organization was difficult to defend this year. The Spurs were unable to effectively restrict the singles of Liu Mang and Jason Terry, two mid-range shooting masters on the Hawks side. The Hawks also had no way to deal with Ginobili, who played as the sixth man. This guy is the Spurs' most capable scorer. He was in good shape today, making all kinds of breakthroughs and passes. Even though Liu Mang's defensive strength has greatly improved, he couldn't restrict him. Ginobili, who is at his peak, has a lot of flaws, but it is impossible to defend him in normal condition.

The Spurs' tactics and skills were very good, and the cooperation was excellent, but the rhythm made the fans drowsy even if they cooperated smoothly.

On the contrary, the Hawks' singles were more popular with the fans. The comparison of the two sides' styles has made the impression of the Hawks and Spurs in the minds of domestic fans have undergone a qualitative change.

The Spurs' style of play is even more annoying.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, even if not every fan will watch this game, the ratings are higher than last year's finals when most people in the country are on holiday and most people are at home.

After the official timeout, the Hawks sent out the three eagles plus Josh Smith and Kwame Brown.

The Spurs replaced Parker and Duncan with Muhammad, Sprewell and Finley.

There is still not much difference between the two teams. On the Hawks side, Liu Mang was anxious for a while at the beginning, but he was not anxious anymore. He asked the coaching staff to slowly study the tactics and playing style for this game. He, McGrady and Jason Terry just need to compete with the opponent with their personal abilities.

If you have a good feel, you can have a few shots in a row. If you can't have a shot, try to keep the score close with the opponent.

At the same time, Liu Mang is still trying to learn Duncan's high-post coordination. His basic skills are really amazing. Liu Mang really envies Duncan's high-post coordination.

Seeing Duncan's excellent vision brought by his height advantage, he was able to pass the ball to his teammates as soon as they cut in. Regardless of whether he could make assists, such a pass and cut would undoubtedly disrupt the Hawks' defense. Then Duncan's purpose of pulling to the high position was achieved. When Duncan came to the high position, the Hawks' inside line would inevitably come out, and the Spurs would have a chance to play tactical cooperation.

And Liu Mang really couldn't learn such high-position coordination!

There is a saying that goes, you can learn anything, but you can't learn height.

Liu Mang thought of another inside line who was famous for high-position coordination, who also called himself a power forward but worked as a center. It was not Garnett, but Gasol!

Liu Mang felt sorry that Rasheed Wallace no longer had a personal offensive threat, but there was nothing he could do. Rasheed Wallace came to the Hawks at his peak, and he changed his style of play to focus on defense, three-pointers, and cuts. At that time, it was impossible to transform in this direction. At that time, the Hawks were the first generation of three eagles scoring and the whole team defending. At that time, there was no need for high-post coordination.

Liu Mang felt that if he had an inside player who could cooperate with him in the high position... his organization of offense would be easier.

Duncan was the core of the organization, but he was not the one who got assists. The assists were basically concentrated on the four outside players Parker, Ginobili, Finley, and Sprewell.

At the end of the first half, the Hawks and the Spurs played 49 to 50, temporarily lagging behind by one point.

...

Back in the locker room, Liu Mang already understood that to play against the Spurs, you must play superstar ball.

Moreover, to defeat the Spurs, the need for superstars is stronger than ever!

If you want to beat the Spurs by playing as a team, even the five Pistons in the original time and space can't do it.

Ginobili scored 11 points and 4 assists in the first half, which was amazing. Sprewell scored 6 points and 2 assists. Duncan scored 8 points and 6 rebounds. Udrih and Finley each made a three-pointer. Muhammad scored 6 points...

The Spurs' team play is not as perfect as Popovich's later love of three-pointers, but it has taken shape. This situation came much earlier than originally, mainly because they didn't win the championship last year and Bowen was abandoned by Liu Mang. The Spurs were forced to move forward. Popovich used all the plans for the future system construction, and Duncan's talent and basic skills as the first power forward in history made it easy for him to adapt to these changes.

It is said that Popovich made Duncan, but in fact, it may be the opposite. Perhaps Duncan's talent to adapt to the play of any era made Popovich.

Just watching the video and studying the reports given by the scouts, I just know that the Spurs are firmly ranked first in the West this year, but the Spurs have always been the team with the best record in the West. The Lakers only ranked first in the West once in three consecutive championships, and the Spurs were almost always first in the West, so I don’t feel much.

I just think that the Spurs have a high hit rate this year and play well together.

But now, the Hawks players and coaching staff know how terrifying the Spurs’ stability is!

Liu Mang scored 18 points in the first half, McGrady scored 10 points in the first half, Jason Terry scored 6 points in a single quarter, and the Hawks’ three eagles scored 34 points, and the whole team only scored 49 points.

There is really no good way to deal with the Spurs’ excellent three-pointers and defense under the basket. During the halftime break, the Hawks were ready to completely enter the mode of playing superstar ball.

…

After the halftime break, Liu Mang and McGrady continued to play on the Hawks side, and no pitcher was sent up. Instead of looking for pitchers to create space for Liu Mang and McGrady, it was better for them to do it themselves. The frontcourt sent out Iguodala, Josh Smith, and Kwame Brown.

On the Spurs side, after the halftime break, the three horses were all on the court, and Muhammad and Finley came on the court.

"System boss, use Jimmy's madness."

"The host uses the special card Jimmy Butler's madness. When the host successfully shoots in this quarter, the three-point hit rate will reach at least 50%."

It's a bit of a waste to use this in a regular season, but Liu Mang only made two three-pointers in the first half!

If this situation continues, Liu Mang will definitely not complete the task of eight three-pointers in a single game, and he must beat the Spurs in this game. He has already fouled Ginobili twice, a 2+1 and a foul in the middle distance. He is now short of 6 three-pointers and a foul by Ginobili, and then there is victory!

Curry's star card is much more important than a special card.

The effect of this special card is only for one quarter of the game. Experience the star card of the strongest pitcher in history. The effect it brings is long-lasting!

Although Liu Mang feels that he will not lose to the opponent if he fights to the end and fights at the critical moment.

Liu Mang is very confident about this, but this cannot guarantee that his task can be completed smoothly.

If you fight to the end, you can't pay attention to your own data. You can only try to find advantages that can be used as much as possible like in the first half. The opponent will definitely defend his three-pointer, but the most important part of his task is the three-pointer!

...

At the beginning of the third quarter, the Spurs attacked, and Parker advanced to the frontcourt. He only scored two points in the first half, but he successfully restrained Liu Mang's defense.

However, this time when Parker advanced to the frontcourt, he saw that McGrady was defending him!

Liu Mang did not defend Parker, but Ginobili, who performed very well in the first half.

McGrady, Iguodala, and Prince all failed to defend Ginobili well, so Liu Mang directly faced Ginobili.

After Parker used up the offensive time, he passed the ball to Duncan in the high position. After Duncan received the ball, the Spurs began to run.

Ginobili was no longer able to penetrate as easily as in the first half under Liu Mang's pursuit. Liu Mang's speed restricted Ginobili's cuts. The Hawks' lineup was very fast. Whenever a Spurs player just had an open position to receive the ball and was about to shoot, the Hawks had already blocked him.

Finally, the ball came to Parker. Parker's small floater one step inside the free throw line did not go in due to the interference of Iguodala who switched to defense, and McGrady grabbed the defensive rebound!

The Spurs' current style of play requires high stability on the offensive end, otherwise there will not be too many offensive rebounds, after all, Duncan was pulled to the high position.

Mike Woodson studied for so long in the first half. Although he could not completely restrict the opponent's offense, he also had a clear defensive focus, and that was Parker!

But more importantly, the offense, Liu Mang pushed forward to the frontcourt, the defense can make fewer restrictions on the opponent's three-point lineup, but there is no particularly good tactic to deal with the opponent's defense.

Liu Mang pushed forward to the frontcourt, Ginobili came up, this time Ginobili did not reach out, he defended Liu Mang four times in the first half, and Liu Mang got 4 free throws.

Liu Mang did not care whether it was his usual shooting point or not. Under the defensive action pushed by Ginobili, Liu Mang came to the left side of the top arc, facing Ginobili's defense, and shot a three-pointer directly!

Ginobili did not react, did not pass the ball to McGrady, did not fall to the high position?