novelraw Chapter 577 Popovich's Fatal Weakness!
Chapter 577 Popovich's Fatal Weakness!
After McGrady made that basket, he excitedly yelled at Wallace and the other defenders, "Come on! Guard me! Your defense isn't even as good as my grandma's!"
McGrady's trash talk clearly provoked Wallace. In the next possession, the guy ran around relentlessly and aggressively, constantly using his teammates' screens and picks. He eventually managed to create some space from McGrady's chase and defense. Lin Tian knew his little brother needed the ball, so he quickly passed it to him!
Wallace, after receiving the ball, faked McGrady and slightly raised his center of gravity. Then, he immediately bent over and accelerated, passing McGrady in one step. After two steps, he arrived at the basket and was about to make a strong move.
Although Bosh couldn't handle those traditional tall big men, and occasionally struggled against exceptionally talented players like Stoudemire and Smith, this time he regained his defensive touch. As Wallace pulled up for a layup, he slapped him away, sending the shot directly to McGrady's hand.
After grabbing the basketball, McGrady sprinted towards the frontcourt, driving all the way to the Knicks' three-point line. When he looked up, he found that no one was guarding him!
The Knicks players either didn't have time to retreat on defense, or they retreated without actually defending and had already reached the basket.
Lin Tian, the team's only player skilled in defense, was currently entangled with James and couldn't get over at all.
Seeing this, McGrady didn't hesitate. He paused slightly beyond the three-point line to aim, then pulled up and shot, the three-pointer going in.
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, McGrady scored 5 points in a row, leading his team to quickly catch up!
67: 73!
The score difference between the two sides is only 6 points, with 1 minute and 20 seconds left in the second quarter!
"Wow! McGrady's here!" Kenny shouted. "Never underestimate this guy who almost won the scoring title last year! If he hadn't had so much bad luck, I think he would definitely be contending for MVP, and he would definitely have won the scoring title by now!"
"Only those who lack skill complain about bad luck!" Barkley corrected him from the side. "I never complain about bad luck!"
"Yes, because you found the thickest thighs in NBA history!" Kenny mocked. "If Lin's legs were even a little bit thinner, you would never have won a championship in your life."
"Yes, you found someone with thin legs. Hakeem is just an average center, right?" Barkley glared at Kenny and retorted fiercely.
"Hakeem is certainly one of the greatest players of all time, but the problem is, I'm not one of the best point guards of all time! Who would think of me when making lists of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time, or selecting MVPs, or choosing the top 10 point guards in NBA history?"
"I'm just an ordinary player! So it's not shameful for me to play alongside top stars, but what about you?"
"Who is the MVP, rebounding champion, multiple All-Star, and All-NBA First Team member? Who achieved all these accomplishments but had to rely on others to win championships? Who had to take their talent from Philadelphia to Phoenix, Houston, and then to Indiana? Was it me?"
"Charles, tell me now, between the two of us, who is more shameful?"
"Just wait until you kiss my ass!" Barkley was momentarily speechless; he knew he couldn't win an argument with Kenny on this topic.
Who told Kenny to be so shameless, saying he's just an ordinary player and it's normal for him to embarrass himself?
Even with his thick skin, Barkley couldn't bring himself to say that he and Kenny were players of the same caliber, and that it was only natural for him to cling to Kenny's coattails.
This story teaches me once again: if you want to save face, you'll have to take a beating.
McGrady is now completely in form on the court!
Although Lin Tian quickly widened the gap again with a layup, McGrady turned around and tricked Wallace in the mid-range, jumping to draw a foul and scoring 2 points!
"Beep!" The referee's whistle blew, and McGrady stepped up to the free-throw line.
With his second free throw, the gap between the two sides narrowed to 5 points!
70:75!
The competition between the two sides in the first half officially entered a heated phase.
Lin Tian came to the frontcourt again. Facing Bibby's entanglement, he turned his back and began to crush the inside!
Bibby is also a monster with nicknames like "Devil Muscle Man". If you only look at strength, this guy who loves fitness and strength training is definitely one of the top guards in the league. But now, when facing Lin Tian's head-on collision without any feints or tricks, he was actually forced to retreat.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
After several consecutive impacts, Lin Tian suddenly used a half-turn dribble towards the middle, tricking Bibby into shifting his weight. Then, Lin Tian quickly used another turn to the other side, raising his leg to try and drive directly into the paint.
But this time, Lin Tian knew something was wrong as soon as he turned halfway around!
There's someone else on my other side too!
James!
This guy somehow let go of Anthony and came to Lin Tian's side, then double-teamed Lin Tian at the most crucial moment!
If it were anyone else in the league, they would definitely not be able to react in time, and would run straight into James's arms, either committing a traveling violation or having the ball snatched away by James.
This guy's awareness and choices regarding defensive coordination are truly excellent!
James himself was extremely satisfied with his defensive choices this time.
I'm a genius!
I'm awesome!
"Bang!"
Then came a muffled thud as Lin Tian crashed into James.
But the referee didn't blow the whistle, and James's hand didn't touch anything when he reached for the ball.
I didn't encounter anything!
Where's the ball?
James stared in disbelief, but what he saw was Anthony taking the basketball, rushing into the paint, leaping high into the air to battle JR, and then powerfully shoving the ball into the basket!
"boom!"
When did he make the cut? And how did Lin pass the ball out?
James, who was right next to Lin Tian, couldn't see Lin Tian's performance, but the fans in the stadium, the fans in front of the TV, and the commentators could see it clearly!
In that split second, just before Lin Tian turned around and collided with James, he miraculously flicked his wrist, sending the basketball flying through James's legs and into Anthony's hands behind him!
"How many eyes does Lin have?" Barkley exclaimed incredulously. "If he weren't wearing basketball shorts, I'd definitely suspect he could see through his ass! Otherwise, there's simply no way to explain how he could see the absolute blind spots on the court while posting up!"
"Whether it's LeBron's help defense or Carmelo's movement, Lin shouldn't have been able to see them at all. How could he possibly do that?"
"So you're planning to pull down your idol's pants and study him properly...?" Kenny couldn't help but directly criticize Barkley on the spot.
"FUXX! You damn bastard, how could you say such disgusting things?" Barkley was stunned for a moment, then felt a wave of nausea. How could Kenny be so vicious?
"When you're kissing my ass, I won't shower for a week!"
The increasingly vulgar language of the two commentators and the gasps from the entire Madison Square Garden were enough to demonstrate just how amazing Lin Tian's shot was!
Breaking double teams, passing with one hand, finding teammates in blind spots and completing nutmegs... these things, taken individually, are not particularly praiseworthy.
But if they all appeared at the same time, concentrated in a very short moment, then everyone would be clapping with their mouths agape.
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
"It's okay, LeBron, we'll get back on track! We're catching up!" McGrady patted James's backside, flashed him a smile, and then yelled at JR Smith on the baseline, "Ball!"
JR paused for a moment, then quickly passed the ball to McGrady, who dribbled straight to the frontcourt without a second thought.
McGrady must win this game!
How dare you say I'm just an assistant to some young guy?
I can do this kind of thing, but you fucking can't say it out loud!
Tell me, and I'll make you regret it!
After McGrady made his way to the frontcourt, he was once again guarded by Wallace. He started with a series of crossover dribbles, constantly using his upper body to deceive Wallace. Then suddenly, McGrady's crossover became more pronounced. After two consecutive extremely wide crossover dribbles, he accelerated forward and broke through!
With such a simple crossover and acceleration, he easily left Wallace behind! This is McGrady's signature move when he drives to the basket!
He doesn't rely on too many skills or details to move the defender around; he doesn't need to do that.
He finds his rhythm by using his crotch, and once he finds his rhythm, he uses his height, stride length, and speed to shake off his opponent!
Given his absolute talent, even if many people criticize his breakthroughs as being too straightforward and simple, that's enough!
No one can stop it.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, McGrady was stopped.
Lin Tian appeared in front of him incredulously, blocking his way, and stood firmly on his feet beforehand, falling to the ground after the collision.
"Offensive foul! Change possession!" The referee's call was timely and accurate; he immediately gave McGrady an offensive foul.
"I won't fall for that again!" McGrady muttered to Lin Tian before turning back to defend.
"I thought you were the team leader, LeBron." Lin Tian stood up with ease, and as James passed by him, he said happily, "Now it seems that Tracy McGrady gave you the title of team leader."
"When he really wants the ball and starts scoring, that's when he's the real leader of the team, that's the guy who calls the shots, right?"
"wrong."
James wanted to say that, but the past minute or so proved that Lin Tian was right.
"Everyone, get your act together! Let's defend this play!" McGrady, who had returned to his half of the court first, started clapping enthusiastically and then shouted to boost the team's morale: "That last play was my fault, I overlooked Lin! Let's get back on this possession!"
After saying that, McGrady couldn't help but look at James, and their eyes met in mid-air.
This is my team!
The same thought occurred to both of them at the same time.
"Wow, his eyes are filled with murderous intent!" Lin Tian, being a shrewd person, naturally noticed immediately that the two of them were starting to have a falling out.
It's good that you're being difficult!
If I don't make a scene, wouldn't all those minutes I spent just now have been for nothing?
Let's put in some effort and see if we can take these two apart tonight!
In the final minute of the second quarter, neither side had any particularly exciting moments. Lin Tian scored another basket and had an assist, while McGrady and James each scored on their own possessions for the Spurs.
With one minute left, the score was tied at 4-4!
The score difference between the two sides remains at 7 points.
74: 81!
Both teams scored an astonishing number of points in the first half. Many teams these days can't even score that many points in a full game, but these two teams did it all in just the first half tonight!
In the first half, Lin Tian easily achieved a near triple-double with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. If nothing unexpected happens tonight, Lin Tian will most likely get another triple-double! In addition to Lin Tian, Stoudemire scored 11 points, Anthony scored 14 points, Okur scored 6 points, and Houston also contributed 4 points.
McGrady was the Spurs' highest scorer and the key contributor to the team's comeback in the latter part of the second quarter.
He scored 10 points in the final moments of the second quarter, finishing the first half with a game-high 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
James also had a stellar performance, scoring 11 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists, continuing to showcase his all-around abilities.
During halftime, Barkley and Kenny continued their analysis of the game as usual.
"The second half was quite unfavorable for the Spurs! Their key players played too much time! Especially LeBron, who played the entire 24 minutes of the first half. Although McGrady didn't play the entire game, he still played more than 20 minutes, including the entire second quarter."
"On the Knicks' side, not only are they still maintaining their lead, but their key players are also enjoying ample playing time. Whether it's Lin, Carmelo, or Amar'e, their playing time is all less than 20 minutes!"
"Judging from the score, the two sides are evenly matched and the difference in strength is almost negligible. However, considering tactics, strategy, and physical reserves, I still favor the Knicks in the second half!"
While Barkley was analyzing the game, the atmosphere in the locker rooms of both teams was completely different.
The Knicks team was quite relaxed. They drank water and chatted as usual. Don Nelson's successful prediction of Popovich's tactics multiple times in the first half gave them immense confidence!
We are better than you, and our coaches are better than yours.
What makes you think you can beat us?
As Barkley said, the Knicks players weren't very tired. Although Lin Tian and Stoudemire played for more than 15 minutes straight, they also got a lot of rest. They played quite easily throughout the game tonight.
As for Nelson, he simply gave a brief tactical briefing, pointed out a few minor shortcomings in the first half, and then let the players rest to prepare for the second half.
As for the Spurs, although Popovich didn't yell at the players or lose his temper, his brows were furrowed and he looked very worried.
It wasn't just because the atmosphere within the team was terrible; the most important reason was that James was panting heavily, while McGrady sat next to him drinking water, and these two guys, who usually got along well, weren't saying a word to each other.
Both of them remained silent.
Popovich had seen this scene many times before, but he had only seen it with players from other teams. This was the first time he had ever encountered his own players suddenly fighting amongst themselves.
Popovich was at a loss for what to do.
He didn't know whether to advise the two to let go of their little conflict, or to side with one of them, or to turn a blind eye and pretend he hadn't noticed it.
Popovich was completely dumbfounded at this moment.
This is the biggest shortcoming of his coaching career, and also the biggest gap between him and Phil Jackson besides the number of championships.
In terms of technical and tactical skills alone, these top coaches are about the same level, not too different. The difference between them lies more in their on-field command and luck.
Yes, luck is one of the most important indicators for head coaches to advance from the first-class to the top.
Popovich is definitely a top-notch coach in terms of system building, on-court adaptability, and personnel changes, but why did he only win 5 championships, and not a single consecutive championship?
Is it really because he doesn't have Jordan or Kobe, or because Duncan is inferior to Shaq?
Well, that is indeed a very important reason.
但这不是11：5以及3个三连+1个2连对上五个单独冠军的最重要原因。
The difference between him and Jackson lies in how they handle internal team conflicts and player relationships.
Popovich is not good at handling internal conflicts within the team, nor is he good at dealing with troublesome players.
Throughout Jackson's coaching career, no matter what kind of birds, beasts, or demons came to his team, they all had to play obediently and obediently. Looking at his entire coaching career, the only serious conflict he had was with Kobe, who was eager to stand out and become the leader.
But the result?
As a result, Kobe realized Jackson's worth just one year later, and after a decision with the management, he brought Jackson back, which led to the second peak of his career.
What about Popovich?
Players with a temper or a strong sense of self-importance tend to have a bad relationship with him; he can't handle any of them, from early players like Derek Anderson, Stephen Jackson, and Turkoglu, to Richard Jefferson and Hudson Blair...
And most importantly, Kawhi Leonard, who directly shattered the Spurs' status as a strong team.
Throughout his career, Popovich has had far too many falling out with players.
He has never proven that he can handle troublemakers and integrate the team.
He can make marginalized people who can't find jobs in the league an integral part of the team and maximize their potential, but there's always something missing from his teams.
The fact that GDP met under Popovich's discerning eye and teamed up for more than a decade to win countless honors is a testament to their good fortune!
Popovich's incredible luck is to encounter three players like the GDP trio who are top-tier in ability, yet completely untroubled, don't ask for team status, and don't even ask for much money.
But even Ginobili and Parker had disagreements with their teams and Popovich towards the end of their careers.
In short, Popovich was a bit at a loss at this moment.
No, it's more like utter confusion?
What should we do? (End of Chapter)