Chapter 1342 Three Don’ts

Lakers attack.

Mike Brown stared at the paint area. If the Lakers want to beat the Suns, they must contain the Hammer in the interior to prevent the most powerful defender in history from going out to help defend the Lakers' perimeter and then shoot from the outside.

In the four regular season games this season, Howard and Al-Alian were responsible for helping defend the Hammer, leaving Nene or Garnett, and then still blasting the Suns from the outside.

And in the playoffs, he still used this tactic.

Li Ba was active below the free throw line, with Al-Alian and Howard by his side, while Garnett was active under the basket.

When Garnett was young, he was very strong in both assisting and helping defense, and could even defend to the three-point line, but now it is impossible, his legs are slow, which is why the Lakers' two inside players are doing their best to contain Li Ba on the offensive end, because Garnett can no longer double-team the ball handler on the outside, and the powerful Lakers' outside players can attack wantonly.

Paul came to the top of the arc, and as soon as he arrived, Harden immediately rushed up and directly pressed him.

At this moment, Li Ba also bypassed Al-Alian in front and rushed to the top of the arc.

At the same time, Garnett, who was moving below, blocked Howard. If Paul could pass the ball in at this time, he would be the last defense of the Suns.

Paul did not pass the ball in time. When Harden was close to him, he immediately pulled the ball back and avoided the opponent's pressing. At this time, he also noticed Li Ba's help defense.

The first time he saw Li Ba's help defense, Paul's sight immediately turned to Howard in the paint area, and then he saw Garnett again.

With Garnett behind him, with Howard's skills, the biggest possibility of passing the ball in is that he will not be able to make the shot, or be double-teamed by the hammer, so Paul did not pass the ball in at the first time.

He wasted the opportunity to pass the ball in the first time, and at this time Harden rushed up again and finally created an opportunity for Li Ba's double-team.

Harden's position for pressing is particular, mainly blocking the front and the position between Paul and the right wing, which can cut off Paul's passing route to the basket and Kobe on the right wing.

Paul gave up the first pass. After he dodged Harden's second pressure, he found that the passing route with Kobe was cut off, so he had to choose to pass the ball to Tony Allen on the left wing, intending to transition first and then take the ball back.

But at this moment, Li Ba's double-team arrived. At the moment when Paul passed the ball, he cut in with a big hand, stole the ball, and then quickly went down, swept past the latter and rushed to the front court.

This kind of fast break only four or five meters away from the center line, no one could stop Li Ba, even Kobe on the right wing couldn't keep up. After Paul turned around, he was also left behind by Li Ba by two or three steps.

After Li Ba dribbled twice, he rushed into the paint area, flew up, and slammed the basket with both arms. With a bang, the Lakers' basket was sunk two feet.

5:0, the Suns led away.

Barkley shouted loudly: "The Suns' defense is too active, and the defensive intensity is completely beyond the regular season. The Lakers should be mentally prepared. This is not a regular season Suns team, but a playoff Suns team."

"The Lakers should sound the alarm and not indulge in the four-game winning streak in the regular season. Now it is the playoffs, the playoffs."

Kenny Smith shouted.

The Lakers attacked, and Kobe asked for the ball after passing half court.

Compared to Harden, George Hill's defensive attitude and defensive basic skills are better than the former. He is a real defensive guard. When Kobe got the ball, he immediately pressed forward.

But it was not close, because Kobe was still two steps away from the three-point line at this time, and the possibility of shooting was not very high. Kobe's biggest possibility was to break through and shoot one step inside or outside the three-point line, so he let go one step to prevent the breakthrough but not the shot.

But Kobe's personality is the opposite. If you dare to let go, he dares to shoot. He shot a three-pointer at two steps from the three-point line.

"Oh, a super long three-pointer, and it really hit?" Zhang Heli shouted in surprise.

"It means his hands are very hot tonight!" Yu Jiadao.

The Suns attacked, and Garnett was pulled outside.

The Lakers still followed the tactics used in the regular season against the Suns, double-teaming Li Ba on both offense and defense and letting the power forward play.

The power forward of the Suns did not have a three-pointer, and Nene was not very good at mid-range shooting, with a hit rate of just over 30%. Only Garnett's mid-range shooting was good.

But Garnett's peak period did not have that kind of strong scoring explosiveness. His career regular season highest score was 47 points, and he only scored more than 40 points four times, while his highest score in the playoffs was only 35 points, and he only scored more than 30 points nine times.

This is also the reason why the Lakers dared to leave Garnett open. As long as Li Ba's outside defense was restricted and the Lakers' outside defense got a chance to play singles, even if Garnett was released, he could not kill the Lakers by himself.

This tactic allowed the Lakers to win all four games against the Suns in the regular season.

Garnett got the ball in two steps at the right wing three-point line, shot in an open position, and hit a goal.

Mike Brown noticed a problem at this time. The Suns' starting small forward was not Parsons, but Jimmy Butler, who had poor scoring ability. Should Butler be left open?

At this time, Kobe passed by him on defense, and he hurriedly shouted: "Hey, Kobe, tell Tony to defend the fourth position."

"OK!" Kobe nodded.

The Lakers attacked, right wing, Kobe got the ball again at two steps from the three-point line, Hill still put one step on defense, he didn't believe Kobe could make continuous long three-pointers from this position.

This time Kobe didn't really shoot, but broke through with the ball very quickly. When he broke through to the three-point line, he suddenly made a quick stop and fade away jump shot, hitting another three-pointer.

7:6, the Lakers were only one point behind.

The Suns attacked, Tony Allen stood in front of Garnett, and Jimmy Butler on the left wing three-point line was empty.

This is Jimmy Butler's second season. He still hasn't practiced two-point shots and close-to-the-basket shots. His hit rate is only over 20%. His long two-point shots are barely 35%, and his three-point shots are okay, 38%. Half of his attacks are solved in the paint area. The regular season data is 9+4, averaging 21 minutes per game, which is an improvement over his rookie season.

He got Harden's pass and hesitated. The Suns didn't make the playoffs last season. This is his first time playing in the playoffs. He didn't dare to shoot even when he was open, and wanted to pass it out.

"Shoot." Li Ba shouted.

Hearing the boss's voice, Jimmy Butler was alert and quickly jumped up to shoot a three-pointer.

This kind of shot, how can you talk about the hit rate? He shot a three-pointer and fell directly out of the baseline.

"Haha..." Staples laughed.

The anxious Jimmy Butler looked at the boss, who yelled again: "What's the big deal about missing a shot? If you hesitate again next time, just sit down."

"Yes, boss." Jimmy Butler breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jimmy, stay closer to the paint next time, or screen for me, or rush in directly after getting the ball, or pass the ball to me after attracting the defense."

Li Ba followed and reminded.

"Got it, boss." Butler quickly replied.