boyutpedia Chapter 343 A Familiar Wave of Injuries!
Chapter 343 A Familiar Wave of Injuries!
Lin Tian's steal and dunk not only allowed the Pacers to tie the score, but also robbed Kukoc of the courage to continue his personal offense!
This guy's intermittent sluggishness relapsed. From then on, whether facing Ben Wallace, Brad Miller, or Lin Tian, he would choose to pass the ball first, completely turning into a transitional point on the field.
But Westphal put him on the field, clearly not to let him pass the ball excessively.
Westphal values his offensive capabilities!
In particular, Kukoc is a representative of a player who is strong in offense but weak in defense. When his offense is completely ineffective or even afraid to attack, he is not only useless on the offensive end, but also a mere formality on the defensive end!
In the remainder of the first quarter, Lin Tian switched onto Kukoc's defense three times in a row through screens. He then scored on three possessions: a strong drive to the basket for a layup, a mid-range pull-up jumper, and a step-back three-pointer!
Lin Tian scored 7 points in 3 consecutive attacks, and with his two dunks earlier, he had scored 11 points in the last 2 minutes of the first quarter. His offensive firepower was completely unleashed in the second half of the first quarter!
In those few minutes, the 76ers went from having a slight lead to falling behind!
Even though Iverson scored 15 points in the first quarter and maintained good efficiency, he couldn't carry the team alone! Especially in the last two possessions of the first quarter, the Pacers changed their defensive strategy, assigning Lin Tian to guard Iverson. This change immediately made it very difficult for Iverson to attack.
He failed to score in two consecutive possessions! On the contrary, Lin Tian led the Pacers' offense, scoring continuously and rapidly increasing his score.
第一节的最后2分钟，步行者队一举轰出了一波11：2，双方的比分变成了24：33！
The Pacers' lead has now reached 9 points!
In the second quarter, the 76ers, who were almost down by double digits, dared not be careless and put Iverson, who had played the entire first quarter, back into the game!
In the first possession of the second quarter, Pacers' new addition, Best, drove straight to the basket for a layup, but his attempt was denied by the rim.
But Harrington, who followed up, immediately showed his impact and energy. He grabbed the backboard in front of Geiger, then jumped up with just a slight bend in his knees and slammed the ball into the basket with both hands!
This former first-round pick, after spending two seasons on the bench, is finally going to deliver a performance that matches or even exceeds his draft position and market value this year!
Harrington's dunk widened the gap to 11 points. Although Iverson started scoring again, he couldn't keep up with the firepower of the five-man combination of Miller, Harrington, Best, and Christie.
Old Miller's three-pointers, young Miller's playmaking, screens and handoffs, Christie's three-pointers and cuts, Harrington's energy and soft touch all made Iverson's scoring seem so powerless!
Four minutes into the second quarter, although Iverson had already scored 21 points, the gap between the two teams had widened to 14 points!
It was at this moment that Carlisle waved his hand, and Carter, Lin Tian, and Webber entered the game, while young Miller, Best, and Harrington left.
The Pacers' most lethal and insane offensive quartet from last year is back on the court!
Lin Tian, Carter, Miller, Christie, and Webber!
Back on the court, the Pacers' first change was that Lin Tian began to defend Iverson very aggressively from the backcourt. He constantly put pressure on Iverson and physically challenged him from the backcourt, so that even if Iverson managed to bring the ball up the court, he wouldn't have much energy to attack.
It's worth noting that Iverson had been playing for 16 minutes straight without missing a single second, while Lin Tian only rested for 4 minutes in the second quarter, making him a fresh and energetic player!
Add to that Lin Tian's overwhelming weight and agile skills, and Iverson really had a hard time moving around against Lin Tian, who almost completely covered him!
With the balance shifting, Iverson's first offensive play ended with him forcing his way to the mid-range and then taking a shot that missed all three attempts.
Webber, under the basket, didn't let the ball go out of bounds. Instead, he caught the basketball with one hand and then threw it towards the frontcourt! As the league's number one inside passing master, Webber's passes are always accurate, precise, and fast!
The basketball hurtled towards the frontcourt. Miller caught it and threw it to Christie, who was following up in the middle. Christie stopped in place after receiving the ball, which caused the entire 76ers team, who were rushing back on defense, to pause noticeably!
Their steps halted, and that halting meant an opportunity had arrived!
Christie threw the basketball towards the basket!
There, Carter had just run to his position and had been very focused throughout the first quarter!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, the happy little motorcycle started moving again!
16 points!
The point difference between the two sides continues to widen!
But that's obviously not the end of it. When Lin Tian continued to harass Iverson from the backcourt, the 76ers' offense could not go smoothly!
When a team's leader is willing to do this dirty work that doesn't help the stats at all, the team's overall defensive strength will undoubtedly improve!
This time, Iverson forced his way to the basket again but missed the layup.
After interfering with Iverson's shot, Lin Tian quickly turned around and caught the basketball falling from the rim. This time, he dribbled the ball forward at high speed, and after dribbling all the way to the vicinity of the free throw line, he suddenly dribbled between his legs, letting the ball slip behind him.
Webber, who was following behind him, grabbed the basketball and immediately tossed it into the air. It was Carter again! Carter, who was following up on the wing, once again soared and slammed the ball into the basket with both hands!
"boom!"
The point difference between the two sides is about to reach 20 points!
At this moment, Westphal showed his superiority over Brown. His quick reactions and adjustments were indeed impressive. Although he didn't call a timeout or make substitutions, Westphal stood up and shouted across the court, "Screen! Set screens for Allen from the backcourt! Help him get open!"
Following Westphal's suggestion, the 76ers' two big men indeed began to drop back to screen for Iverson and help him advance the ball.
Upon seeing the 76ers' interior players retreat, Lin Tian didn't press the issue further. He opted for a more reliable defensive approach—retreating to take the lead—which would prevent the opponent from getting past him.
With the help of his teammates' screens, Iverson finally made a play this time. He once again asked for a double screen at the top of the arc, and then drove into the three-point line and took the moment when Lin Tian had not gotten around the screen before jumping and shooting!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Iverson scored 2 points!
He finally broke the team's scoring drought!
But he didn't even have time to be happy. He didn't even see if the ball went in or not, because the moment he released the shot, Lin Tian had already run past him!
This guy is starting to download quickly!
Iverson was chasing desperately, feeling like his lungs were about to explode from his own effort. He just wanted to catch up with Lin Tian!
To his despair, not only did the basketball fly over his head and land directly in Lin Tian's hands, but the distance between Lin Tian and him also grew further and further!
When Lin Tian rushed to the three-point line, Iverson had just crossed half the court!
Lin Tian, who had driven to the three-point line, didn't even continue his charge towards the basket. He suddenly stopped, paused for a moment, and even had time to glance back at Iverson, who was desperately chasing after him.
After giving a mocking smile that seemed to say, "You're wasting your time, kid," Lin Tian stopped waiting!
He leaped up and launched a three-pointer!
"Impossible!" Iverson shouted, dashing past Lin Tian to grab the rebound! He felt that this shot was impossible to make!
"Whoosh!"
Just as Iverson had run to the three-point line, Lin Tian's shot fell into the basket with perfect accuracy!
That was a clean and crisp goal!
"Wasn't my gaze clear enough, Allen?" Lin Tian quickly arrived at the 76ers' basket, standing close to Iverson and saying, "I told you not to run. You can't catch up, it's pointless!"
"It's pointless not to run!" Iverson muttered under his breath, then elbowed Lin Tian away, saying, "Get away from me! The game isn't over yet, it's not your time to swagger around in front of me!"
Allen Iverson's fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude are absolutely worthy of advocacy and encouragement.
But his height of 183 centimeters is a pain he can never escape!
Against Lin Tian, an opponent who was a whole size bigger and stronger than him in every aspect, even with his teammates constantly setting screens for him, Iverson's offense was still struggling and extremely inefficient!
The 76ers are once again facing the same predicament as last year, or rather, as they have faced for many years to come.
Apart from Iverson, the team has no other suitable and reliable scoring option. The team relies too much on Iverson, and everything the team can do is depend on Iverson. So when his offense is blocked, the team's threat is really not worth mentioning!
The gap between the two sides continued to widen, and the difference in their strength was also clearly visible.
At the end of the first half, the score difference between the two teams had reached 21 points. From any perspective, the Pacers should have won a well-deserved victory tonight!
At the start of the third quarter, on the Pacers' first offensive possession, Snow, who had been guarding Lin Tian, was forced to guard Carter due to several screens, while Iverson became the one guarding Lin Tian!
As soon as Lin Tian saw Iverson coming to match up against him, he immediately perked up!
Bullying the weak has always been one of his favorite things to do!
Without a second thought, Lin Tian turned around and pressed his butt against Iverson.
"Bang!"
Lin Tian didn't give Iverson any chance to prepare. He suddenly exerted his strength and slammed his butt into Iverson's body!
After a muffled thud, how could Iverson possibly stay still? He stumbled back three steps!
Lin Tian shoved Iverson from near the three-point line all the way to the free-throw line area.
At this rate of efficiency in attacking, if Lin Tian comes up with another shot, he can get right to the basket!
You can go to the basket, but it's unnecessary!
After shoving Iverson back three steps with his butt, Lin Tian didn't move forward. Instead, he turned around, spread his hands, and gave Iverson an expression that said, "Where are you? Is that all?" This infuriated Iverson, who raised his leg to rush over and continue his defense.
Mr. Ke Lin is particular!
He didn't give Iverson another chance to humiliate himself, but instead rose up and swished the three-pointer into the net!
"Whoosh!"
"Allen, here's some advice: if you don't want to be humiliated on the field, you need to know your own limitations! You need to know what you can do and what you can't! For example, you can't defend me! Let Eric take the beating for you; after all, his pride isn't as valuable as yours, so it's no big deal if he loses it!"
"FUXX!" Lin Tian's words made Iverson completely furious!
His pride began to protest, and his pride made him beat Lin Tian to a pulp!
But clearly, he can't do it!
Not to mention that the Pacers' starting lineup has two top defensive players, Christie and Ben Wallace, who are always ready to help defend, and not to mention whether he has enough stamina to go crazy after playing the whole first half, Lin Tian's one-on-one defense alone is enough to give Iverson a headache!
Iverson even thought at one point that if he and Lin Tianyi scored 100 points in a game, he might not even get 50 points!
They were suppressed terribly!
At the very least, tonight's situation is that Iverson was completely shut down by Lin Tian!
Against Lin Tian, Iverson's attempts to score, whether it was a pull-up jumper, a direct drive, or a catch-and-shoot after a screen, all failed. Against Lin Tian, all of Iverson's proud offensive methods seemed to fall short!
He really had no other choice!
He knew very well that when facing Lin Tian, the only thing he could rely on was a sudden burst of form that would allow him to score every time he tried.
But clearly, Iverson couldn't do that today.
With Iverson completely shut down by Lin Tian, the 76ers' offense came to a complete standstill, and their score almost stopped increasing!
The 76ers failed to score even 10 points in the entire third quarter! They only managed 8 points in that quarter!
By the end of the third quarter, the score difference between the two teams had reached 35 points!
A complete and utter thrashing, a humiliating victory that utterly crushed the confident 76ers!
In the fourth quarter, both coaches took the initiative to remove their starting lineups and let role players kill time on the court.
It's obvious to everyone: garbage time has arrived!
Although Iverson scored 29 points in the first three quarters, 15 of those points came in the first quarter, and he only made 9 of 27 shots!
What's even more terrifying is that in the first quarter alone, Iverson made 5 of 11 shots. That means that in the second and third quarters, he made a total of 4 of 16 shots! It was truly a miserable performance!
At least 85% of the credit for that 4 out of 16 shots should go to Lin Tian!
Lin Tian only played three quarters tonight, and apart from his consecutive scoring in the first half, he didn't play particularly aggressively. He only took 14 shots in total, making 8, including 3 of 4 three-pointers and 5 of 6 free throws, for a total of 24 points, 13 assists and 4 steals!
The Pacers' top scorer tonight was Webber, who racked up an impressive 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists in just three quarters. During a timeout, he also went over to the 76ers' bench and yelled at Westphal.
"If you can't play basketball, then shut the hell up and call a timeout!"
Westphal was completely baffled by this.
This pause was clearly called by your Carlisle, what does it have to do with me!
But clearly, no matter what Westphal's mood was tonight, everyone on the Pacers was incredibly happy. They won a resounding victory to celebrate their championship and to add another finishing touch to their perfect night!
After easily defeating the 76ers in the season opener, the Pacers' schedule has not been as smooth as expected!
In their second game of the new season, the Pacers, playing at home, faced off against the Heat, their Eastern Conference Finals opponent from last year.
Logically speaking, this season's Heat team is not worth mentioning compared to last season. Without Mourning and Malone, two top-tier big men, the Heat's goal this season has rapidly declined from contending for the championship to simply making the playoffs.
But this team, as if seeking revenge for being swept last year, played with unparalleled skill against the Pacers!
Payton sank six three-pointers, while Mashburn exploded for a game-high 44 points!
Not to mention that even without two key big men, the Heat still put on a top-notch defensive performance, catching the Pacers off guard and preventing them from responding as expected.
The Pacers' outside shooting, including Lin Tian, was collectively off target, making only 3 of 15 three-point attempts tonight – a truly dismal performance! Defensively, the Pacers also failed to show the Heat enough respect and toughness, not only allowing the Heat to grab a massive number of offensive rebounds but also proving ineffective in targeting key Heat players.
In short: The Pacers underestimated the game, and they underestimated the Heat!
Under these circumstances, they naturally failed to win the game, and the team lost their second game of the season with a score of 89-80!
Two matches have been played, with one win and one loss!
The Pacers' start to the season was far less impressive than last season!
Fortunately, they were just temporarily sluggish and didn't play with the intensity they should have. It wasn't that the team was really going to fail. They quickly regrouped and went on a five-game winning streak, returning to the top spot in the Eastern Conference!
Although they went through four games with alternating wins and losses, the Pacers quickly went on a three-game winning streak, finishing the first month of the new season with an 11-3 record!
In this month's games, the team gave Webber a lot of shooting opportunities and possession of the ball as the main scorer. Their goal was to get the slightly overweight Webber back into his game form as soon as possible. With the whole team feeding him the ball, the team's second-in-command has been playing better and better and getting into the game more and more!
在球队月末的3连胜中，韦伯更是连续3场比赛以50%以上的命中率拿下26分13篮板4次助攻的漂亮数据！
The King is back!
The entire Indianapolis team was overjoyed by Webber's return to form! They didn't even think that the team's 11-3 record was impressive or dominant enough!
The most important thing is for the players to be in top form!
Just when Webber was getting into a bit of shape, the unexpected happened!
On November 1st, the Pacers played against the Spurs, who were missing Duncan, on the road. This game, which should not have been anything special, took an unexpected turn near the end of the third quarter!
During a non-contact run, Webber somehow twisted his knee and immediately collapsed to the ground in pain, unable to get up for a long time.
The team doctor immediately came onto the field to examine him, but the results were not optimistic!
Anyone with a basic understanding of sports medicine and rehabilitation knows that the more seemingly random an injury occurs without any contact, the more likely it is to be very serious!
Webber's injury left the Pacers players somewhat distracted, and they failed to secure a victory, suffering another defeat in San Antonio.
The news that followed was neither good nor bad!
The good news is that Webber's knee has no structural damage, does not require surgery, and can recover with just rest, and is unlikely to suffer any long-term effects.
The bad news is that he will have to be away for at least 6-8 weeks to fully recover!
This means that Webber could not make a comeback until 2001!
Everyone knows how important Webber is to the Pacers; losing him would be a huge blow to the team!
The Pacers' entire system and playing style will have to undergo significant changes and adjustments as a result.
This directly led to the Pacers suffering another loss in their next game against the Rockets, led by Francis and Mobley!
The Rockets' newly formed backcourt duo showcased their formidable firepower in this game, scoring a whopping 14 points against the Pacers with a barrage of shots!
This game not only caused the Pacers to relinquish their top spot in the Eastern Conference and be overtaken by the Magic in terms of record, but also resulted in them suffering a two-game losing streak for the first time in a whole year!
They hadn't had a losing streak for a whole year! The Indians had even almost forgotten what a losing streak felt like.
Fortunately, in the next game, although it was still in Texas and he was facing the Dallas Mavericks, who were in good form and had a good record this year, Lin Tian made his move! Lin Tian, whose performance this season has not been particularly outstanding, completely destroyed the Mavericks' entire defense in this game.
他在这个晚上31投16中，其中3分球12投6中，罚球14罚12中，爆砍个人赛季新高的50分！另外他还顺手送出7次助攻，抓到了8个篮板！
Tonight, Lin Tian once again demonstrated his brilliance as a two-time MVP!
It was also after this battle that Lin Tian once again overtook O'Neal in the MVP rankings and returned to the number one position!
After Lin Tian's outburst, the Pacers seemed to have finally found their rhythm again. The whole team fought with all their might and won four more games, extending their winning streak to five.
Then, the Pacers lost!
The main reason for their loss this time was that Ben Wallace accidentally stepped on Vince Carter's foot while grabbing the rebound, causing Wallace to sprain his ankle. Carter also suffered a toenail fall off due to Wallace's kick and will need to rest for at least 4-6 weeks!
Two key players were injured in one match!
The Pacers have already lost three players to injury in less than two months of the season!
This unfortunate year and painful wave of injuries also reminded every Indiana player of the 1999 playoffs!
That year in the playoffs, they were aiming to defend their title but suffered a series of injuries, which led to their loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals!
The injuries of that year remain a sore point for the Indiana Pacers! After all, they all believed that without those injuries, the Pacers would have been the champions that year! And that would mean that the Pacers would now have a three-peat instead of two championships in three years!
The Native Americans knew all too well the feeling of a dynasty being extinguished by a sudden illness!
But for the Pacers, this isn't entirely bad news.
On the bright side, it's better to be injured now than to be injured near the end of the season!
If the team suffers another wave of injuries during the playoffs, then they will truly be in a terrible predicament!
With both Carter and Ben Wallace injured, the Pacers' starting lineup has become almost unrecognizable!
After Carter and Ben Wallace got injured, their starting lineup for the next game against the Timberwolves has changed to Lin Tian, Miller, Christie, Harrington and Brad Miller!
With two Millers being promoted to the starting lineup, it means that the Pacers' already depleted bench is even weaker. Apart from Best, they now have almost no reliable players on their bench!
In their upcoming matches, they will almost entirely rely on these key players.
The Timberwolves have been playing very well this year. Their acquisition of "Madman" Sprewell at a low price last year has been increasingly effective in integrating with the team. He is now averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, and has become the team's leading offensive player on the perimeter and their most reliable perimeter defensive specialist.
1999年的第六号新秀，神射手斯泽比亚克也适应了NBA的尺度，他今年能以51%的投篮命中率和39%的3分命中率场均拿下13分！
In addition, the team also has former All-Star point guard Trier Brandon, who is the Timberwolves' biggest acquisition in the Marbury trade. So far this season, Trier is averaging 11 points, 7 assists and 2 steals per game, and is the team's most reliable offensive initiator and team brain!
Of course, the team's strongest player and absolute core is still Kevin Garnett!
这名今年在奥运会上折戟但已经奉献了全力的大前锋本赛季场均能够拿下22分11篮板5助攻，另外还有1.5盖帽和1.5抢断入帐！这家伙当然是当今联盟最抢手的顶级大前锋之一，仍旧是攻守兼备的最好代言人之一！
Some even say that he is the only man in the new generation of the league who is qualified to be traded one-for-one for Lin Tian!
This year, under the leadership of head coach Saunders, the Timberwolves team has gradually united and become a cohesive unit!
Their record has been steadily improving, currently sitting at 14 wins and 8 losses, temporarily ranking fourth in the Western Conference! The Timberwolves have a very good chance this year to finish in the top four and enter the playoffs! This will also be their first opportunity to start a playoff run with home-court advantage!
Of course, it's really too early to say all this now. The season has only been going on for less than two months, and there are still two weeks until Christmas. It's really impossible to tell how well a team will perform this season.
Regardless of whether you can tell what level the Timberwolves are or not, the sight of their star players lined up on the court immediately made the Pacers' starting lineup look rather pathetic.
Three out of five
The Timberwolves' home crowd at Target Center was incredibly excited and full of anticipation!
They all felt that their team would be able to play with great momentum and win the game against this depleted Pacers team!
After both teams finished warming up, the starting players from both sides took to the field.
All five of the Timberwolves' strongest starters – Trier Brandon, Wally Szczerbiak, Trariel Sprewell, Kevin Garnett, and Rasul Nesterovic – were present!
With players like Anthony Peele, Chauncey Billups, and LaFonso Ellis on the bench, this year's Timberwolves are definitely a formidable and united team!
Soon, the referee blew his whistle, and Nesterovic and Brad Miller jumped simultaneously. Miller, who was nearly 220 centimeters tall, had the advantage and slapped the ball to Lin Tian. Lin Tian, after receiving the ball, wasn't in a hurry and stretched out a hand, saying, "No rush, let's take it one ball at a time!"
The Pacers' current roster really doesn't support them continuing their aggressive fast-paced style of play. After all, apart from Lin Tian, the other players on the roster aren't very good at running and jumping.
Playing a positional game, taking it one ball at a time, is the most suitable tactic for the Pacers right now.
"The game has begun! Let's see how the Pacers, missing so many key players, will cope with the challenge from the young and highly aggressive Timberwolves. And can they build a system that suits their new roster?"
TNT chose to broadcast this game live across the United States. After all, it was a match between the league's top team and a top emerging force, and the game attracted a lot of fans.
Lin Tian slowly dribbled the ball to the frontcourt. Facing Brandon, who was only 180 centimeters tall, Lin Tian had an absolute advantage in height and weight. Without passing the ball, Lin Tian turned his back at the top of the arc and used his weight and strength to crush into the paint!
As he pushed forward, Lin Tian looked around. Just as he was about to break into the three-second zone, the Timberwolves finally double-teamed him!
The newly launched Szebiak quickly recovered, intending to double-team Lin Tian.
As soon as the Timberwolves double-teamed him, Lin Tian reacted quickly, turning towards the baseline and directly bypassing Brandon to enter the three-second zone. Garnett's help defense was never a problem; he stepped forward to block Lin Tian's offensive route, standing between him and the basket.
But Lin Tian reacted even faster, taking a lateral step and somehow managing to jump directly from between Garnett and Brandon to the top line, avoiding both defenders, and then easily scoring 2 points with a one-handed layup!
"KG, where are you? I can't see you!" After scoring, Lin Tian returned to defense while making a telescope gesture, looking for Garnett, still as arrogant as ever!
"Just two points, what's there to be so smug about!" Garnett said, his face dark—well, maybe his face was naturally that dark. "We'll get back at them!"
"Fight back?" Lin Tian pointed to Harrington beside him and said, "Let me introduce you to our new buddy, Al. He has a nickname: Kevin the Terminator! Or 'Wolf Slayer,' or 'Hunter'!"
"Come on, Al, say hello to Kevin, show him your teeth!"
"Oh, oh, oh!" Harrington, who had recently been promoted to the starting lineup and was in excellent form, readily cooperated, giving Garnett a fierce look: "But Lin is wrong, I'm not some 'wolf slayer,' I'm at most a 'dog abuser' or 'dog killer expert'!"
"You can't even be called wolves, you're just wild dogs in the meadow at best."
"You little brat, you're asking for it!" Garnett's eyes widened, and he immediately got angry!
If you, Webber and Ben Affleck, act this arrogantly towards me, I'll just let it go.
What the hell are you, kid?
"Come on, ball!" Garnett, positioned high up, backed down Harrington, who was a head shorter than him, and reached out for the ball.
As for Harrington, he simply lowered his center of gravity to a very low position.
This was the defensive strategy that Carlisle had instructed him to use before the game.
"Kevin's lower body is weak and lacks strength. If you block him below the waist, he won't be able to generate power to drive or pull up for a jump shot, which will cripple his scoring ability! This guy doesn't have the ability to force a shot. Hold him down and shut him down, and you'll definitely become a star tonight!"
Become famous in World War I!
Hearing this word would instantly energize Harrington, unleashing tremendous fighting power.
After all, he had been waiting for this opportunity for two whole years!
At that moment, Garnett felt as if there was an iron weight in his lower body. Not only could it not push inward, but it also completely pressed down on the inside of his calves, making it impossible for Garnett to even jump.
Simply put, whether Garnett tries to drive to the basket or pull up for a jump shot, he'll struggle to generate power and make an impact.
If it were any other inside player, choosing to post up and force their way in would also be a very good strategy.
However, while Garnett possesses top-tier speed and help defense, he naturally sacrifices his size and strength. If he had enough strength to back down Harrington, he wouldn't have been so badly humiliated by Harrington's low-body defense.
Pass the ball!
After briefly testing Harrington's strength, Garnett stopped thinking about it and started observing his teammates, preparing to pass the ball.
"Kevin, watch out!" Szczerbiak shouted, warning Garnett to be careful, but it was too late!
Lin Tian searched for Garnett's blind spots, approaching from directions Garnett couldn't see. Finally, just as Garnett gave up on one-on-one play and was about to look for a teammate to pass the ball, Lin Tian suddenly appeared from behind him and stole the ball!
Lin Tian's shot sent the basketball flying into Harrington's arms. Without hesitation, Harrington made a lob pass, sending the ball towards the frontcourt!
After receiving the ball, Lin Tian sprinted all the way to the basket and slammed it home with a powerful dunk, giving the Pacers another 2 points!
In the next possession, Garnett was still calling for the ball at the high post, but this time he didn't back down to Harrington. Instead, he faced the basket and kept his center of gravity very low, just like Harrington!
However, this guy clearly underestimated Harrington!
You have to understand, Harrington is a standard power forward, the kind of short, stocky guy with average build but plenty of strength. Asking him to defend traditional big men like O'Neal or Duncan is like sending him to his doom.
But if you let him defend against softer, more shooting-oriented, agile players like Garnett and Nowitzki, he's incredibly accurate every time, and he can always come up with something new to defend against!
This time, as soon as Garnett lowered the ball, Harrington immediately reacted like a hyena seeing meat, his hands quickly tangling around it. He didn't care whether he touched Garnett's hands or the ball; he just clapped his hands together, then exerted a lot of force, using his waist to drive his upper body and fling the basketball violently!
Garnett couldn't withstand such a sudden burst of power. The basketball was out of his control in the blink of an eye and Harrington stole it from his hands!
"Run!" Harrington was overjoyed after two successful defensive plays. He let out a loud shout and quickly found Lin Tian, passing the ball to him.
"You run too!" Lin Tian grabbed the basketball and sprinted towards the frontcourt. Then, as the player cut from the wing to the edge of the three-second zone, he suddenly delivered a one-handed crossover pass.
The basketball slipped between Lin Tian's legs, bounced heavily on the floor, and was caught by Harrington's hands.
Then he leaped up and smashed the rim with both hands!
"boom!"
After a muffled thud, the Pacers continued to extend their lead!
"Is this something new the Pacers have come up with? Strengthening their defense and playing fast breaks?" The Pacers were in complete control of the game for the time being, and Barkley was chatting with Kenny next to him with a smile.
"It's all about fast breaks and transition offense, but the previous Pacers didn't have a defender like Harrington in the high post! Chris's offensive talent goes without saying; his ability to grab rebounds and pass the ball near the baseline is arguably the best in the league."
"But he definitely won't just engage in physical battles at high positions and then intercept the ball to launch a counter-attack! Harrington's defensive plays against Garnett tonight were truly impressive!"
"But what I want to say is that not every team has a power forward like Garnett who likes to initiate plays from the high post and act as the team's engine. Harrington's height and defensive style will make it difficult for him to be effective against stronger players."
"Therefore, I think this game was more like a defensive strategy specially tailored by Coach Carlisle for Garnett and the Timberwolves, which is difficult to sustain and unlikely to work against every team!" (End of Chapter)