The rest is just noise

Chapter 259: It’s time for a showdown

The Lakers' home court advantage is gradually revealed. It is unrealistic to expect the referee not to blow their home whistle. After all, everyone sympathizes with the "weak".

The last thing Louis wanted to see was for the Lakers to use their home court advantage to attack the inside. As a result, before halftime was over, Sampson, Laimbeer, and Maxwell each committed three fouls.

Riley has figured out the Celtics' Achilles' heel. No matter how good the Celtics' pocket formation is, they have to let people drive the ball to the basket. As long as Sampson or Laimbeer are defeated, the situation will naturally change.

Was changed.

This is something Louis can't stop. The Celtics' pocket formation is not a display. If the Lakers insist on breaking in, their shooting percentage will definitely drop. Although they can cause fouls, their shots in the penalty area are not very efficient.

The Lakers went all out to cause multiple fouls on the Celtics inside, and fell behind by 4 points on the field.

"I said that Dick Bavetta is a 'dangerous' referee. He is very likely to blow away all the Celtics' insiders tonight." Tom Heinsohn sat in the national commentary box and said.

If the stance is serious, "He hates the Celtics."

The Lakers attack the inside, but the Celtics are more flexible.

Bird and Thomas quietly hit Dennis Johnson for three fouls. He is the core of the Lakers' perimeter defense. If they could hit him, it would be like exposing the butts of Magic and others.

Magic's defense cannot be trusted at any time.

Another offense, Bird misplaced and hit Johnson.

He committed three fouls and did not dare to take action when defending. Michael Cooper came over as quickly as possible to double-team.

The price was to let go of John Long.

Bird passed the ball, and Long's three-pointer was defended by someone. The Lakers released Sampson in the high post.

Long passed the ball, Sampson turned around and made a jumper, hitting the board.

This goal brought the Celtics' lead to 6 points.

"Pay attention to their breakthroughs and reduce fouls!" Louis shouted.

In terms of defensive focus, the Celtics' focus on Magic is already at full capacity.

John Long, who mainly confronts Magic, will never get within one meter of him. He will give Magic enough space. Using offensive space in exchange for reaction time is the key to defending Magic and all defenders who are not good at long shots.

A common method used by golfers.

Coupled with the help of legal hand-heking, even if his starting speed is as fast as Jordan at the peak, it is impossible for the defender to be unable to react.

To say the least, even if he passes someone, the pocket formation specially prepared for him at the free throw line is enough for him to drink.

With such a sophisticated defense, it stands to reason that the Lakers' breakthrough cannot make a difference, but the problem lies with Magic.

His dribbling is great!

The fact that big men are not good at protecting the ball does not apply to him.

Usually, a guard who is good at dribbling and passing may not necessarily be good at shooting. It has something to do with his shooting posture and legs.

However, throughout the ages, as long as there is a point guard who is good at passing the ball, there is no one who is not good at dribbling. As long as it is a ball game, it all pays attention to a ball feel. The dribbling of football, the feel of shooting the ball in basketball, when controlling the ball with both hands on the bed

Just pinch it at will and you will know whether it is the real material or the silicone base.

The Magic likes to dribble with his right hand, keeping dribbling without being fancy. There are less flashy changes of direction under the crotch. He does not need to change hands to dribble, because he usually does not break through; he dribbles the ball steadily with his right hand, reads people, and is ready to pass the ball at any time.

The ball can be played without hindering its own speed.

It would be a mistake to think that his breakthrough does not pose a threat.

When he lowers his center of gravity and breaks through at full speed regardless of the space Lang gave him, there are not many ways to stop him.

At most, Long was close to the body, allowing Magic to be surrounded by the Celtics. Then, everyone could only watch him pass the ball to Wilkins on the weak side.

Wilkins rushed to catch the ball and attacked the basket to score.

Sampson almost fouled.

"It seems they are really planning to fight to the end," Tomjanovich said in disbelief.

"Tonight is a good opportunity." Louis looked at the timer: there was a little more than 2 minutes left.

Tomjanovich looked at him, "What good opportunity?"

"Let's see if recklessly attacking the penalty area and putting our inside line into a foul crisis is the way to defeat us." Louis laughed, "It's too extravagant. I think only the Lakers can do this."

It is easier said than done to attack the Celtics' penalty area and cause their inside line to get into foul trouble.

A pocket formation is difficult for most teams.

Only a 206-centimeter elephant guard like Magic can find his teammates to pass the ball when surrounded by multiple players.

Only the Lakers can have Magic controlling the ball and attacking the basket, and Wilkins and Cooper, two physically gifted wings, penetrating inside.

Next, Thomas played fast and slow, and was fouled by Wilkins while rushing to the inside.

Thomas was playing very uncomfortable tonight. He wanted to speed up and use his speed to solve the opponent. The Lakers gave him a chance to speed up but did not give him a chance to finish. Every time he committed a foul or was not called a foul, he was already fast.

Forgot the feeling of a normal breakthrough layup.

The Celtics spent the final minutes of the first half smoothly, but Sampson failed to commit the fourth foul as the Lakers wanted.

Louis breathed a sigh of relief.

He was just relieved. He knew that the real challenge was in the second half. The lead in front of him was what the Lakers had expected. In the second half, they would rush to the inside even more crazily.

In the locker room, Louis spent half the time asking the inside to control fouls, especially Sampson.

I spent half my time telling others how to protect the inside line from fouling.

For example, someone else fouls before someone fouls inside;

For example, don’t let Sampson take too much coverage;

For example, appropriately abandon the pocket formation and strengthen the intensity of man-to-man marking;

For example, when Sampson was called for a foul, the people around him had to show a sincere expression, raise their hands at the speed of light, and rush to take the foul on themselves.

Louis' plan was very thorough, but in the first possession of the second half, Sampson committed a foul.

Moreover, it is still the kind of foul that cannot be denied.

The Lakers finally found the right usage for Wilkins.

When Byron Scott and Cooper are together, the Lakers have two players who can shoot three-pointers, and they can open up the floor and give Wilkins the stage.

As long as Wilkins gets the ball near the paint, he's a beast.

Think about the destructive power of the penalty area in Burial of Love and Life for Love. Wilkins is not as strong as the former, but lighter and more flexible. He jumped to the front of the basket, and his feet seemed to be tied with explosives.

rise.

Sampson showed a unique trait among contemporary insiders, sweeping outside the paint area and quickly returning to the basket.

But this time, Louis would rather his steps were slower and not return to the basket.

Wilkins jumped up on the spot, bumped into Sampson's arm, folded his hands and slammed them down like a giant cannon.

"BANG~!!!"

"Andone!"

"Ralph Sampson's fourth foul!"

Even Heinsohn did not dare to question the penalty. He could only say in a strange tone: "If the Lakers players were so defensive, the referee would not necessarily blow the whistle. This is the home court advantage. It really exists, and the Lakers make good use of it."

Got it."

Louis breathed out and called Maxwell.

Sampson didn't want to leave the game. He knew very well that if he wasn't there, the Celtics' interior defense would be useless. The pocket formation could only solve a temporary emergency.

What will stop the impact after he comes off the field?

Louis replaced Sampson, which was the turning point of the game.

Everyone can foresee what happens next.

The Lakers defended with intensity and attacked inside. The Celtics had pocket formations that could block the first and second waves. But when the third and fourth waves came, Laimbeer, Bird, and Maxwell all

They are good team defenders, but they can't protect the rim.

Even standing on defense requires talent.

The effect of having Love/Jokic/Nowitzki/Vandeweghe standing in the correct defensive position is vastly different from having Duncan/Olajuwon/Chamberlain/Russell.

inside.

In three minutes, the Celtics went from leading to falling behind.

Louis asked for a timeout.

He boldly replaced Maxwell and replaced Ainge.

The Celtics' lineup on the court became Thomas, Ainge, Long, Bird, and Laimbeer.

"What kind of lineup is this? Is Little Lu crazy!"

Louis yelled before the game restarted: "The main focus is the No. 3 system! If the No. 3 system fails, switch to the No. 4 system! Although there is still a lot of time in the game, the time for a showdown has arrived!"

Pat Riley looked sharply at Louis not far away.

Looking at the Celtics' lineup, he knew that his opponent was forced by him and decided to give up defense.

This lineup, even if all five players are placed in the paint, cannot form a strong enough pocket formation, and the Lakers' difficulty in attacking the basket is greatly reduced.

Next, as long as the Celtics increase their intensity on the defensive end to limit the Celtics' offense and hit the basket every round on the offensive end, the Celtics' defeat will be doomed.

Riley's idea is wonderful, but he underestimated the Celtics' offensive power.

Thomas held the ball at the top of the arc, and his teammates spread out in all directions.

A standard four-corner offensive formation is completed. The Celtics have four three-point threats on the field. There will never be a better four-corner offensive position than this.

At this time, the Lakers' defense was forced to open up. Thomas passed Johnson again, but no one fouled him like before.

There was no smile on the face of the Smiling Assassin. He turned into a cold killing machine, thrusting into the penalty area, throwing shots, and hitting the boards.

Celtics overtake!

This scene told Riley that the flexibility of the team under Louis on both offense and defense was unique among the teams he had ever seen.

It seems that the moment of establishing victory is a little slower than expected.