After five minutes in the second quarter, Matt Bonner went to the outside line to receive a breakthrough from Tony Parker.
Once again, Pau Gasol didn''t keep up with him. In this period, Gasol''s defense was not so versatile. Moreover, it''s not a time when all the centers went to shoot three points.
Suddenly appeared a can throw three-point Bonner, let the young Gasol very not adapt. He''s used to defending in the low post, which can''t be changed in a few minutes.
Bonner gets the basketball and shoots it without interference! Bonner''s three-point shooting rate is as high as 45.7%, which is the basis of his foothold in the Spurs.
Pau Gasol''s patching up defense didn''t work. When he went up, Bonner''s basketball had already flown to half.
Bonner didn''t let Popovich down, his open shot hit again! Yes, again!
This is Bonner''s second three-point shot in the second quarter. In the situation that both sides rely on close defense and contain each other, three-point ball is the best way to open the score.
"Again! Bonner played well today. On the defensive side, he didn''t let Pau Gasol take too much advantage. But on the offensive side, they have already scored 6 points! This guy may not be impressive. He may not be able to kill the game. Coach Popovich doesn''t have to trust him
Originally, the Spurs entered the second quarter with a one point disadvantage, but now, after Bonner hit the second three points, the Spurs are six points ahead of the Grizzlies.
To put it bluntly, you and I are fighting each other in positional warfare. What really widens the gap is these two three points.
Popovich smiles, this kind of ground grinding competition, even if only 6 points advantage, is an extremely huge advantage. Bonner didn''t play for a minute in the first quarter, so Popovich decided to keep "red Mamba" on the court and continue to suppress the Grizzlies.
But for now, link is still a big problem. So far, link has scored 10 points and 4 assists. In the second quarter, link took another 4 points with a catch shot after a run without the ball and a quick stop jump shot after a trial step. After that, he gave two more passes, with Conley and Tony Allen each scoring one.
To Popovich to evaluate, it is link in the Spurs this tight defense, led the Grizzlies attack. Now, the Grizzlies have two brains, Conley and link.
If you can''t solve link''s problem, the Spurs will never really have the initiative in their hands. It''s the first time Popovich has been so upset over a draft.
Before the old man could think of a solution, Hollins stopped. Hollins''s pauses are very timely, and there will be no pause after all the momentum is seized by the other side.
Link gasped off the field, although the Spurs and the game are slow rhythm, but under the high intensity of defense, even if the physical fitness of link feel a little difficult.
He is very happy that his performance today did not lag behind, two quarters of the game did not finish 10 points 4 assists, such a result can not be said to be bad.
But good personal data is not enough for link, he wants to win the Spurs, and now the Spurs are six points ahead.
Hollins is also in a bit of a quandary now, with a feeling that Popovich has won the first place. Pau Gasol doesn''t have the ability to defend three points, he needs to send a more flexible inside line. But who can choose? Darrell Arthur? He rebounded badly, and the stability made Hollins uneasy.
Haddad? Well... When he didn''t say it.
To be able to defend the outside three points and attack, Hollins suddenly had a bold idea.
"Matt, you''ll continue to look for three shots later. Today you''ve done a great job. Keep your hands on it!"
Popovich continues to encourage Bonner, the "red Mamba" once feel better, it is not without miracle.
Not long ago, in November of 10 years ago, Bonner made 7-for-3 shots against the thunder team, beating the young thunder to tears. Before that? He did six for six. In short, Bonner is the kind of player who can create magic.
So far today, Bonner has made two shots and Popovich wants him to try again. With Duncan and Parker both in poor offensive form, Bonner would have done twice as much for the Spurs if he could stay on target.
The Spurs continued to play with Parker, Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Duncan and Bonner.
But when the Grizzlies came out, Popovich was surprised. What''s the trick, Hollins?
Conley, Tony Allen, Battier, link and Randolph! The Grizzlies left only Randolph on the court! Battier and link two strikers play at the same time, and one of them must play the fourth position!
"The Grizzlies sent out a big four?"
"No," Steve Cole quickly vetoed his partner. "Randolph, the tallest of the Grizzlies, is only 2.06 meters, so to be sure, the Grizzlies sent a team without height."At that time, there was no five small such a statement, the Grizzlies lineup let everyone see is surprised.
However, Hollins is not worried about the team''s height, although the highest value is not high, but the average value is not short. Compared with the Spurs, only Duncan''s height is more than 2.10 meters, so Hollins is not afraid of losing the team.
Before the Spurs fans shut their mouths, the Grizzlies began to attack. Battier gives link a cover. The purpose of this cover is not to let link get a vacancy, but to force Richard Jefferson and Bonner to change positions!
Bonnard was in front of link, and a misplaced opportunity was formed in an instant. Popovich clenched his teeth. Is that grizzly''s strategy?
Link held the ball outside the three-point line, very calm. He made a few tentative steps, but Bonner remained unmoved. So link decisively three point shot, suddenly pull up to throw!
Bonner jumped off the cover in a panic, but was too anxious to hit link''s hand. The referee whistled and link missed, but still got three free throws from the line.
"It''s decisive. Don''t you think that since winning the rookie MVP, link''s attack is more mature than before? Bonner''s defense against link seems to be a little hard
Link went to the free throw line, and he had countless ways to get Bonner to eat flat. Bonner is actually very tough on the defensive side, which is why Pau Gasol suffered a loss in the head.
But outside defense, Bonner is not so good at. This guy is not fast, and his judgment of link''s ghost steps is not so accurate. Just now, for example, he thought link didn''t dare shoot directly. Who knows, a shot is fatal.
Link 3 penalty 2, although a penalty ball, but at least let Bonner pay the price. Hollins''s strategy is very simple, let link continue to attack Bonner, let Bonner become the Spurs in the defensive end of the biggest loophole.
As a result, Popovich would not dare to play Bonner again. In that case, Hollins will be able to play his own "black and white bear" tactics with ease.
Popovich knew that Bonner had been targeted, and it was no coincidence that link and Battier had just changed places. But Popovich also wants to see Bonner on the offensive end, he wants to see who the Grizzlies are using to play number four.
As expected, it was link who defended Bonner on the defensive end!
"Link defends Bonner, which means he''s in position four. Magic player, in the Grizzlies, he has played three positions: shooting guard, small forward and power forward. In position two and three, link''s performance is very good. Now let''s see how he performs in position four
Bonner is a space type four position, low position threat is not big. That''s why Hollins dared to let link defend him.
This time, when Bonner pulled back to the three-point line, he was no longer alone. Link is not Pau Gasol. Wherever Bonner goes, he can keep up.
Bonner also wants to sit in the inside line to single link, but link''s rough pushing and shoving makes Bonner unable to even stabilize his position.
Parker can not easily drop the ball to Bonner, the inside players in the case of no stable position, catch the ball is also unstable. The Spurs are not the kind of adventurous team, so Parker eventually chose someone else.
Richard Jefferson catches the basketball in the right corner and throws it. But unfortunately, Battier''s defense did not make Jefferson much easier. His blindfold made Jefferson lose his sight.
Link in Jefferson shot the moment on the back of Bonner, and then protected the offensive rebound. The Grizzlies didn''t lose rebounds because of their height. Link has always been an excellent rebounder, even better than Bonner''s serious number four.
After grabbing the basketball, link personally controlled the ball and pushed forward. Just after half-time, he suddenly started to hit the long pass. Hitting the ground long pass is the most difficult way to grasp, but once the pass is good, the ornamental and practical are very gratifying.
And link, has more than once performed his excellent long-distance hitting skills.
Link''s pass went through the crowd and rebounded into Tony Allen''s hands who had cut into the box. The Spurs'' defense was not faster than link''s pass, which passed through the whole defense line and finally formed an auxiliary attack.
Tony Allan picked up the ball easily and scored a layup. Ginobili didn''t take off at all because if he took off, he would only get one foul.
The entire Grizzlies bench are jubilant, watching the Spurs to control the situation, link''s appearance, let Grizzlies come back from the dead again!
"Blair, get ready to play. After the next dead ball, you''ll replace Bonner." Popovich walked up to Dejuan Blair and he had to admit that he couldn''t keep Bonner on the court any more.
If Bonner continues to play, it will only become a burden. At both ends of attack and defense, he is targeted by link. Replacing Blair is Popovich''s only option. Bonner may still be able to perform miraculously in the future, but not today.
As a result, Popovich''s plan failed again, and both sides must fall into the fight between you and me again. And it was link who destroyed all this.
Popovich suddenly found that he could not find a way to deal with the boy.No. 1 in the west, it''s likely to be dragged down by a draft.
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