NBA: The God of Basketball Begins with Precise Scoring

Chapter 76: Off-the-ball passing and close-range cut-offs are unstoppable; second-half matchup adjus

In fact, ball-handling offense has never been a regular tactic for the Warriors.

In most cases, the Warriors will rely on a passing and cutting system with a lot of off-ball movement, creating simple ball-handling opportunities such as cuts or open shots through off-ball movement and ball movement.

However, after studying the Clippers' roster, Kerr discovered that the Clippers' starting lineup had a weak perimeter defender like Morris who could be exploited. Therefore, he devised a strategy to have Curry run pick-and-rolls at the start of the game to precisely target him.

But don't forget, Curry has the longest average off-ball running distance in the entire league. While his on-ball offense is incredibly sharp, his off-ball movement and cuts are even harder to defend!

The Warriors have possession of the ball on offense.

Following Cole's instructions, Green pressed down on the right elbow area.

Although he just made a floater that missed completely, the Clippers wouldn't dare to leave him completely open at such close range.

Such an incredible shot that missed all three balls was ultimately just an accident.

Soon, the basketball was handed to Draymond Green.

After he stopped standing at the top of the key, the "traffic jam" was indeed reduced, and Batum, who was guarding him, didn't dare to stray too far from him. The Warriors' offensive space became open again.

Immediately following this was a series of picks and screens.

When off the ball, attacking players will undoubtedly move faster and more nimbly, making them much harder for the defending side to keep up with.

Therefore, it is definitely easier to create opportunities without the ball, but this puts the team's passers to the test – when a teammate creates an opportunity without the ball, can the pass be accurate and timely?

If not, then it's a waste of opportunity.

On the weak side, Li Xingchen and Wiggins set a cross screen, but because Wiggins was too thin, the screen was not very effective, and Leonard easily bypassed it.

With no opportunity on the weak side, Li Xingchen ran to set a cross screen for Curry, and the Clippers switched on defense without hesitation.

If you trade Kawhi for George or George for Kawhi, neither of them has a bad defense, so why not just switch on defense?

However, things that are theoretically problem-free may not actually be so in reality.

Everyone has a different offensive rhythm. George, who had just adapted to Li Xingchen's offensive rhythm, will inevitably feel a bit out of place when suddenly he's matched up against Curry.

Curry then set a pick-and-roll with Looney on the strong side, and the ball was simultaneously passed from Draymond Green's hands.

Morris quickly stepped in to help defend Curry, giving George time to get past Rooney's screen.

However, just as George squeezed through the screen, the basketball disappeared from Curry's hands again, only to be passed back to Draymond Green.

Before George could react, Curry was already in the corner.

George wanted to chase, but found that his position was blocked by Rooney once again. It was obviously too late to get around the screen and chase to the corner to interfere with Curry.

With his back to the basket, Draymond Green comfortably passed the ball to Curry in the corner while blocking Batum's position.

George was blocked by Rooney, Batum was blocked by Green, and Morris, who was always a step behind, was still near the top of the arc and didn't even know where he should go.

That's too fast, it's just too fast.

One after another, layer upon layer of cross screens, before the previous screen has even been cleared and the defense is in position, the next screen will quickly take place.

Until the defensive player is completely out of position.

The Warriors have been using this off-ball movement and cutting system for countless years, yet it still possesses an almost unstoppable offensive power.

Curry received a pass from Draymond Green, only to find himself completely alone.

He flicked his wrist and easily sank a three-pointer from the corner, without any surprises.

27:28, the Warriors quickly closed the gap to just one point!

What followed was another offensive feast for both sides.

Despite the best efforts of both teams' defensive players to rotate, their star players were simply too high-caliber, and their offense remained unstoppable.

Even without creating good shooting opportunities, Curry's three-pointers, Leonard's mid-range shots, and contested shots can still score.

During this time, Li Xingchen took advantage of the opportunity after Curry drew the defense to cut to the basket and easily scored two points with a layup.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 35-36, which is a very high score even in the 21st century.

During the holiday break, Li Xingchen drank water in large gulps.

In the first quarter, he and Curry didn't rest for a single second, playing at full speed.

The first half of the quarter was about pick-and-roll offense, while the second half was about endless off-ball movement. How could they not be tired?

But this is only the first quarter. If this intensity continues until the end of the game, I can't even imagine what it will be like.

Then look at Curry, he's completely unfazed, no wonder he's the most physically gifted man in the league.

Li Xingchen secretly resolved that he must hone his basic physical fitness during the off-season, otherwise he would find it difficult to continue in such a sustained high-intensity competition.

While everyone rested, they listened to Kerr explain the next tactics:

"Stephen, Lee, you two take a break for a while."

"Andrew, our passing and cutting system doesn't work well when the pitcher is resting, so you'll be the main offensive player for the next period of time..."

……

In Tencent's live stream room.

Fans were also discussing the first quarter of today's game.

"Curry scored 15 points in a single quarter, shooting 6-for-10; Li Xingchen also scored 10 points in a single quarter, shooting 4-for-6... No way, they can still fall behind like this? Is it really that bad?"

"Kawhi Leonard scored 14 points in a single quarter, and Paul George scored 10 points in a single quarter. Are both teams packed with players?"

"The most outrageous thing is that neither side had any free throws in the first quarter."

"Who says modern basketball isn't exciting? If you like watching ancient ball-handling brawls, go ahead and watch. I prefer playing with my brain and using my intelligence. Today's game was so exciting! The Warriors' passing and tactical movement was simply a feast for the eyes..."

"Unbeknownst to many, Xiao Li has already become the second-in-command. This live stream is even comparing his stats with Paul George's."

"Nonsense. If George can be compared to our Star Brother, then he's really doing well..."

Back to the competition venue.

In the first quarter, Curry and Li Xingchen didn't rest at all, while the other three starters took turns resting for a period of time in the middle.

Kerr is now considering pairing Li Xingchen and Curry in terms of playing time, as he feels this would be the most effective approach.

So at the start of the second quarter, the Warriors' starting lineup only included Wiggins and Green.

Fortunately, on the other side, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George also took a break.

In fact, neither head coach intended to maximize the playing time of their starting lineup in the first quarter.

Actually, the main reason was that there were almost no opportunities to make substitutions during the first quarter, so they couldn't make substitutions at the more suitable times, and then they simply stopped making substitutions later on.

Without shooters drawing attention, the Warriors' passing and cutting system naturally couldn't function.

Therefore, their offense during transition periods was mainly initiated by Wiggins. Relying on his physical talent, and taking advantage of the absence of the opposing team's Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, he scored a significant number of points against the opponent's substitutes.

Besides Wiggins, Kyle Oubre, who returned from injury, has also had a respectable performance during this period.

He has never worked well with the Warriors' passing and cutting system, and now he needs to rely on his individual ability to score in isolation during transitions, which suits his strengths perfectly.

After half a quarter had passed and Curry and Li Xingchen returned to the court, the Warriors not only didn't fall behind the Clippers, but actually tied the score again.

When the starting lineups returned to the final stages of the first half, both sides reverted to the star-studded attacking style that characterized the opening game.

Both teams' star players were in excellent form today, making the game even more exciting.

At halftime, the score was 68-70, with the Warriors trailing by two points, but the game remained very close overall.

After halftime, the Clippers switched sides and started the second half, this time taking the lead on offense.

Keen-eyed fans immediately noticed the differences from the first half.

In the second half, although Kerr did not change the starting lineup, he did change the defensive matchups between the players!

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The next update might be tonight.