NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 223 A Big Comeback

The Philips Arena erupted in cheers... Even the home team's most loyal fans hadn't expected them to start so strongly...

This was purely a relentless screen-and-shoot attack specifically targeting Gao Yuanyuan! Moreover, under these circumstances, the Hawks' defense was very tough and focused, they didn't foul easily, and they provided plenty of physical contact in one-on-one defense.

This is completely different from the Hawks in the last game!

Many fans are wondering why this strategy wasn't used in the last game.

Jia Fei knew the fans would have such questions, but how could you possibly make targeted adjustments to a strategy before the opponent could adjust? Besides, if he had actually used it in the last game, it wouldn't have had such a good effect as it has now.

To catch someone off guard and strike when they are unprepared is to strike unexpectedly. If the opponent is prepared, it is not easy to strike unexpectedly.

After the timeout, the game resumed.

After the timeout, the Pacers still had Gao Yuanyuan follow them out. But she didn't follow them completely out; she just moved slightly closer to the three-point line than before.

Paul George, who was chasing Jia Fei, and Stephenson, who was chasing Korver, became even more aggressive in squeezing screens, not giving Jia Fei an easy opportunity to shoot an open three-pointer.

Furthermore, the players defending Teague will choose to leave him open and instead help defend Jia Fei and Korver. Compared to the Hawks' other three players' three-point shooting, Jia Fei and Korver are clearly a greater threat.

The Hawks made quick adjustments, sending Jia Fei and others to the strong side, and having Korver and Millspin provide off-ball screens on the weak side, specifically targeting Gao Yuanyuan.

With Korver and Middleton on the weak side, if the Pacers help defend, they'll be outnumbered on the strong side. But if they don't help, Korver can really use screens to shoot them to death.

Jia Fei was issuing the ball from outside the three-point line on the strong side, and Paul George didn't dare to get too close to him because it would be easy for Jia Fei to speed past him.

The Hawks' move was ruthless; they were targeting Gao Yuanyuan almost constantly on offense.

Jia Fei knew this was the playoffs. There was nothing shameful about it; the playoffs were all about matchups. If you couldn't match up with your opponent, you'd be easily targeted. If Gao Yuanyuan was on their side, the opposing team would also have countermeasures.

Just like how A-Tan always uses pick-and-rolls to expose the opponent's defensive weaknesses, some naive fans might wonder why he doesn't go one-on-one with the defender like Kobe does? Why doesn't he choose to drive past the opponent's twin towers?

If your basketball world consists only of brute force, then there's no point in discussing tactics or techniques; just go all out with brute force.

Coach Vogel on the sidelines gritted his teeth; he and his team were in agony. He watched helplessly as Gao Yuanyuan, the core of his defensive system, was targeted, and he had no good solutions. Substituting Gao Yuanyuan would inevitably lead to a defensive collapse for them, as opponents would likely choose to attack the paint, just like in the first game.

When Jia Fei hit his second three-pointer of the first quarter, and Korver hit his third, Coach Vogel finally couldn't sit still any longer and chose to substitute Gao Yuanyuan.

He replaced Gao Yuanyuan with Mahinmi.

Mahinmi is a defensive-minded big man who isn't particularly fast, but at least he can defend the perimeter, and his defense isn't severely compromised. The first game, where Scola was played center, resulted in him being completely overwhelmed by the opponent; that horrific scene is still vivid in my mind.

After Mahinmi came on, the Hawks continued to target him, but instead of simply shooting three-pointers at him, they chose their offensive approach based on his defensive positioning.

When Mahinmi rushes out, the Hawks will choose to attack through the back door.

—This is the advantage of a full-space, five-person lineup.

Antić, who accumulated fouls quickly in the last game, was much more cautious on defense this game, sometimes preferring to give you two points rather than take the shot easily.

Mahinmi's threat in the low post is even less than Gao Yuanyuan's, and Antić doesn't suffer at all in a one-on-one situation.

The referees were less strict in this game than in the previous one, which meant the Hawks didn't have too many foul troubles, and the game's continuity was much better than the previous one.

At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks led by 11 points.

Jia Fei played the entire first quarter, hitting three three-pointers and scoring 14 points.

During the early part of the second quarter, Jia Fei rested, and the Pacers increased their defensive intensity, narrowing the gap to single digits.

But soon, Jia Fei returned to the court and immediately drew fouls on consecutive drives, getting himself to the free-throw line.

After Korver returned, the two combined their outside shooting prowess and began targeting Gao Yuanyuan relentlessly once again.

Gao Yuanyuan is going crazy! She just went out during off-peak hours and those two nemesis are back again. Is she trying to kill everyone?

The Hawks' offense reverted to the style of Game 1, with five players positioned outside the three-point line, constantly setting off-ball screens, moving the ball around, and occasionally cutting inside to sneak in backdoor plays, leaving the Pacers scrambling to cover.

Many Hawks fans at the stadium were also puzzled as to why the home team often resorted to individual plays against the Bulls in the previous round. The fundamental reason lies in the different defensive styles of the Pacers and Bulls. Both teams are strong defensively, but the Bulls applied more pressure on the ball and defended the perimeter better. As the team's core interior defender, Noah excels at help defense and rotations, while Gao Yuanyuan (Pacers' center) is better at protecting the rim. As the core perimeter defender, Paul George is taller and has a higher center of gravity than Jimmy Butler (JB), giving him better rebounding and shot-blocking ability and a larger defensive area. However, he struggles against fast guards and can't press them too closely, making him better at defending forwards. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, has a lower center of gravity, allowing him to stay close to his opponent and excels at defending ball handlers and smaller guards.

At halftime, the Hawks led the Pacers 60-46 by 14 points.

In the second half, the Pacers changed their defensive strategy, becoming more physical and no longer holed up in the paint. Even Gao Yuanyuan (a famous Chinese actress) came out to contest the shot.

However, this resulted in the Hawks frequently stealing their way in and committing numerous fouls, giving the home team frequent free throws.

The Pacers were unable to solve their defensive problems and ultimately lost the game on the road, falling behind 1-2 in the series.

贾飞本场比赛命中了6记3分球，全场贡献29分5个篮板10次助攻3个抢断1个盖帽，表现延续了首场的出色。

6记3分是他进NBA以来季后赛单场3分记录，他和科沃尔本场比赛合计命中11记3分，彻底射死了步行者。

Gao Yuanyuan was completely shot to death, shot by Jia Fei and Korver together, and had no power to resist.

After this game, even those who didn't believe the Hawks could win the series began to waver. The Hawks' performance on the court spoke for itself; they had truly outmaneuvered the Pacers. Against a modern offense with five foreign players, Gao Yuanyuan's presence was like trying to fight an automatic rifle with a machete—she was destined to be shot to pieces.

The scene of Gao Yuanyuan being humiliated by Jia Fei late in the game was truly cruel to Pacers fans. In an era where three-pointers are so prevalent, where is the survival space for these traditional centers?