Chapter 74: Beaten into a Husky (Part 2)
When the game ended, it is obvious that the Timberwolves' cornerstones, Towns and Wiggins, performed poorly. Others say that their talent is so high and their performance is so good. However, one undeniable fact is that the Timberwolves' most painful record has not improved.
After 17 games, the winning rate of 50 has not reached 7 wins and 10 losses. Towns, Wiggins, or the sixth man in their team, Zach Laven, can average about 20 points per game.
There are not many players averaging 20 points per game, and having three at the same time is not a few teams in the entire league. However, the Timberwolves have three such players. More importantly, they are all young and have talent visible to the naked eye.
Bad results and excellent talent, these things have been written by the media around this Timberwolves. Timberwolves fans are very dissatisfied with the Timberwolves' performance during this period, and more of these are vented on the coaching staff.
But tonight they suffered a lot from the beginning, and then immediately substituted, another player in the trio, Lavin, finally made the field. Two strong points appeared on the outside, which finally made the Cavaliers' tough defense at the beginning.
The Timberwolves' attack was quick, and Lavin scored two consecutive three-pointers in the face of JR Smith's retreat. His youth and talent were fully demonstrated in this substitute's sixth man.
This made JR Smith very depressed. He was the sixth best player in the league after all. He won the award for Best Sixth. When did it be a rookie who had just entered the league for less than two years and got angry on his head?
Lin Sen saw the dissatisfaction of his thorny teammate. In the internal confrontation training of the Cavaliers, this guy was the kind who was not convinced by James. Even Irving was often not taken seriously by him. At this time, no one except James, who had just finished the break, could not take the right to take action from him.
The cooperation between Irving and Lin Sen was resolved, and the basketball was sent to JR Smith in the last few seconds. This opportunity was not good. He was better in height and wingspan than him. He was already considered a slightly larger figure among the shooting guards. Facing the larger LaVine, he did not have any good time to attack.
But JR Smith, a guard, has a characteristic. His name is JR. It's not difficult. I don't hit Smith. This may be one of the only players among the top fifteen three-point shooters who have no gap in open and top man shooting.
Before Lin Sen's cover came up, the latter's attack had already taken action. Seeing Lin Sen, the big center who was about to come up to cover, was awkward. Brother, don't you need my cover?
However, such a difficult goal was hit by the Red Heart with precision. A huge call for JR Smith sounded at the scene. A very beautiful goal was also a huge blow to the Timberwolves' momentum. After all, the Timberwolves were just ready to use LaVine's two consecutive three-pointers to catch up. In a blink of an eye, the opponent responded directly with a more straightforward and more difficult ball, especially at the Cavaliers' home court, which made the Timberwolves' group of young people with average psychological qualities even more uncomfortable.
"Rookie, why do you look at me? Let me tell you, my uncle's three-pointer never needs to be covered." JR Smith saw Lin Sen's resentful eyes without any repentance. Instead, he planned to blow up his glorious three-pointer history in front of Lin Sen. Unfortunately, Lin Sen didn't want to listen at all.
The successive setbacks on the outside made the Timberwolves' offensive tactics become more and more single. Former head coach Philip Sanders, who had been coaching the Timberwolves, died of cancer at the beginning of the season, and Sam Mitchell's tactics began to become very chaotic after taking over the Timberwolves. In the first dozen games, they could only rely on their talents to win.
But in terms of talent competition, I'm afraid this Cavaliers have an absolute advantage in facing most teams. Is Wiggins' talent outstanding? There is no doubt that it is top-notch. For this reason, the Timberwolves' return is expensive, but opposite him is James. The talent once in a few decades makes Wiggins ordinary.
Towns' talent may be unique among this rookie, but in the complementary defense of Lin Sen and Love, he is like a lonely wolf trapped in a cage.
Cut off the tactical starting point of these two Timberwolves in the offensive and lacking two sharp claws. This wolf is like a Husky, and has no deterrence to the Knights.
Originally, Timberwolves fans thought that the disadvantage of more than ten points at the beginning was already the limit, but the Cavaliers' crazy offense in the second quarter told the Timberwolves that what you thought was a little too simple.
Not to mention how many transactions of the two teams have had on social software, the strong defense that the Cavaliers encountered in their previous two consecutive losses made them very depressed. Now they have the opportunity to vent all their depression on the Timberwolves, a weak team. This naturally makes them not merciless.
The second quarter was Irving's performance time, and Lin Sen became the best assistant to the second-in-command of this comeback. Irving is not a player who is good at physical talent. What makes him even better is the rhythm changes when dribbling and his signature layup action, Jelly layup, which is unparalleled among the little guards.
Lin Sen's pick-and-roll is undoubtedly the best cover for him to start in the first step. Unlike TT who can only cut inside or Love can only pull outside, Lin Sen's pick-and-roll split routes are diverse, which also gives Irving, who is good at both the left and right players, more breakthroughs in the inside. He scored 14 points in 5 of 7 shots in a single quarter. There is no doubt that this is the best gift Irving gave to Cavaliers fans after returning to the arena.
The lead of 23 points in the first half was considered garbage time for the Timberwolves, but Love, the old Timberwolves player, did not give him any face at all. The chance in the second half was his performance led by him. James and Irving became his support and fed him the ball.
Chapter completed!