Chapter 1008
: The New Three-Corner Offense is Here! The Lakers' Insane Offensive Firepower!
"They're definitely going to change their defensive approach; their defensive focus will shift towards Kevin." Jackson's instructions during the break were quite simple and direct: "Be prepared. If Kevin gets double-teamed, Lin, Kobe, you two take over the offense at any time."
"And Andrew, if the three of them draw the opponent's defense out, then the three-second zone is yours!"
Jackson's arrangements were quite simple, mainly because the team had Lin Tian, so the old man was too lazy to make many arrangements and happily became a hands-off manager.
Jackson believed that once he explained it, Lin Tian would understand, and Kobe would understand at least 60%. As for whether the others understood, with Lin Tian and Kobe on the court, even if the others didn't understand, they could still execute the tactics.
With veteran players, that's how confident we are!
As the second quarter began, the Hornets, just as Jackson had predicted, began to shift their defensive focus to specifically target Durant in order to prevent him from continuing his scoring spree. It's no surprise that Jackson had already given the team these instructions and prepared them for this.
Even if Jackson didn't tell you, Lin Tian has an incredibly sharp eye, doesn't he?
Lin Tian immediately noticed this and saw Aminu and the others quietly adjusting their positions and moving closer to Durant.
Lin Tian slapped his forehead with one hand and called out the tactics.
It's time to switch players to attack!
Kobe, who was just strolling around, saw Lin Tian's gesture and immediately turned around to block Ariza. He then moved towards the inside, getting deeper and deeper into the paint. Just as Kaman was about to come over and put some pressure on Kobe, Kobe suddenly bounced back and ran out of the three-second zone.
Kobe was like a spring; he was pressed down hard, but bounced back even harder, sprinting outwards at an extremely fast speed.
Lin Tian's pass arrived in an instant, reaching Kobe who was running outwards.
After receiving the ball, Kobe immediately turned around and raised the ball into the air with both hands. Ariza, who was rushing in, didn't have time to react. He thought Kobe was going to shoot and instinctively tried to block the shot.
Unfortunately, as he jumped, Kobe had already lowered his center of gravity, dodged past him in one step, and in two steps drove to the basket and pulled up for another one-handed dunk over Kaman!
Kobe's moves, from outside to inside, from inside to outside, and from outside to inside again, were incredibly fast and disruptive, turning the Hornets' lineup upside down in the blink of an eye!
Of course, Lin Tian's perfectly timed pass also allowed Kobe to receive the ball in the most comfortable position without having to adjust or wait, and to start the attack from the most comfortable position!
These two don't seem like they've only been playing together for half a month; on the contrary, they seem like a pair of seasoned partners who have been working together for 7-8 years!
Their teamwork is amazing!
After that play, Lin Tian didn't give the Hornets any chance to adjust or react. This time, he didn't look for Kobe or Durant, but instead lobbed the ball into the paint, allowing Bynum to complete a dunk!
We're targeting the spots that the Hornets didn't think of and didn't focus on defending!
The Lakers' offensive resources are so abundant that they are almost extravagant. Coupled with Lin Tian, the perfect initiator, it would be extremely difficult to stop the Hornets' offense!
After playing for a while at the start of the second quarter, the Lakers' positioning gradually became more stable and clearer.
"This... seems to be a triangle?" Van Gundy hesitated for a moment before saying, "Their positioning is somewhat like a triangle attack!"
"But it's not entirely like that." Miller had also sensed something was wrong. He pondered, "In the traditional triangle offense, one person receives the ball in the low post. He doesn't necessarily have to finish the attack, but he must be able to see all four directions and be ready to support his teammates at any time."
"This point is also the most important point in the triangle offense, a 'pivot'!"
"With this 'axis' as the core, two offensive players, one on the strong side and one on the weak side, form an inverted triangle around the axis, and then look for one-on-one opportunities."
"This is the most basic and core logic of the triangle offense."
"That is, to find ways to create one-on-one opportunities."
"This is why the triangle offense is called a superstar tactic. Because the core idea of most tactics is to create open 1-on-0 opportunities. Whether it's a layup or a catch-and-shoot, the goal of most tactics is to create an absolutely open shot."
"But the triangle offense has never pursued this. The triangle offense is to clear out one-on-one space for the players and then let them go one-on-one."
Jackson said, "So in a sense, the triangle offense is simple because it's much easier to create a one-on-one opportunity than to create an absolute open one-on-zero situation. But conversely, the reason why most people can't adapt to this tactic is also because of this."
"Even in a one-on-one situation, most people don't have an absolute certainty of defeating their opponent."
Van Gundy said, "So, based on the principles and core ideas of the triangle offense, the Lakers are playing the triangle right now. They are using the triangle formation to create one-on-one space for their core offensive players."
"But it's completely different from the triangle that Jackson used before. To put it simply, the previous triangle was an inverted triangle, with the axis in the low position, at most not higher than the service line."
"The triangle we see today is an equilateral triangle, with the forest as its axis at the apex of the arc."
"If the Lakers' tactics work, then Jackson will have truly created a very innovative style of play."
"Unfortunately, not many people can learn this style of play," Miller added from the side. "Where can you find two of the league's top scorers and a top passer? Not to mention, this triangle is fluid."
"These three are all super scorers with no weaknesses in their offense, capable of defeating opponents one-on-one at any time. Putting these three together as a team is really a bit of a foul."
The tactics described by these commentators are essentially Lin Tian standing in the center outside the three-point line at the top of the arc to observe the situation and use quick and decisive ball movement to stretch the Hornets' defense.
Kobe and Durant positioned themselves on the left and right sides, respectively, to establish position and look for opportunities.
Then Lin Tian will decide who will finish the attack based on the Hornets players' positioning.
If the Hornets really put all their defensive focus on Kobe and Durant, flattening their lineup and exposing a lot of space on the perimeter, then Lin Tianzhen can truly thrive and easily defeat the Hornets with his shooting.
As Miller said: the three of them together are really a bit of a foul.
That's incredible, and the combination of elements is just too perfect.
In the second quarter, Lin Tian would pass one to Kobe, then another to Durant, and occasionally find an opportunity to feed Bynum.
Then the Hornets couldn't take it anymore and collapsed across the board. Even Deron Williams lost interest in battling Lin Tian and had to retreat to the three-point line to help his teammates double-team at any time.
But Deron Williams clearly forgot two things.
Lin Tian's three-point shooting is among the best in the league.
And Kobe just doesn't like to pass, not that he can't. Durant may not be a good passer, but when he's double-teamed, his vision is definitely good enough to use his height to pass the ball.
The Lakers will obviously make the most of this advantage!
With 5 minutes left in the second quarter, Kobe had the ball in the low post, and Deron Williams had no choice but to quickly retreat. Kobe immediately bounced the ball back to Lin Tian, who then launched a three-pointer from beyond the arc and made it!
In the next possession, Lin Tian passed the ball to Durant again. This time, the Hornets hadn't learned their lesson and once again chose to double-team him, hoping to steal the ball from Durant.
But Durant once again made a timely pass, finding Lin Tian at the top of the key.
Needless to say, from beyond the three-point line, he swiftly made a three-pointer!
Within 30 seconds, Lin Tian hit two three-pointers in a row!
New Orleans could only helplessly fall into silence once again.
The score difference between the two sides has now reached 15 points!
The Lakers didn't actually execute any high-difficulty plays or any particularly ingenious tactics in this run.
It's all about individual ability! It's all about the individual ability of the four main players!
The four men took turns attacking the Hornets' position.
The choice for the Hornets is both simple and difficult.
The simple thing is: I'm just playing one-on-one, whether you double-team or not is up to you.
The difficulty lies in this: being double-teamed is a death sentence, and not being double-teamed is also a death sentence.
The Hornets are in a really bad situation.
Fortunately, Jackson paid close attention to the players' rest time and playing time.
With three minutes left in the second quarter, Jackson made a decisive move, sending Lin Tian and Kobe off the court to rest, leaving Durant and Bynum on the court to continue the game.
This substitution really gave the Hornets captain a huge sigh of relief.
While it wouldn't be accurate to say they escaped death, they certainly climbed back from the edge of a cliff.
With two key scorers and the team's best playmaker gone, the Hornets immediately launched a counterattack, with Deron Williams and others taking turns attacking the Lakers' defense and scoring points.
But even though the Lakers are down two players, they still have two!
Their firepower has only declined, but it's not to the point where they're in a scoring drought and the Hornets could easily catch up.
In the final three minutes of the second quarter, the gap between the two teams remained almost unchanged.
60:48! The two sides were still 12 points apart at the end of the first half.
The Lakers still firmly control the game.
The likelihood of them continuing their winning streak is increasing.
"Well played." During halftime, Jackson looked at his players with ease and said, "In the second half, let's continue with the same rhythm as tonight, just keep playing like this!"
"However, the second half will definitely be a bit more difficult, because the Hornets will definitely not give up so easily, nor will they continue to fly around like headless flies."
"In the second half, the Hornets will definitely stick to their defensive strategy and execute it no matter what! Do you understand what I mean? In the second half, they will definitely choose one person to guard tightly and gamble that the rest of the team won't completely overwhelm them."
"Otherwise, if we continue fighting like this, they will be completely destroyed by our barrage of arrows and cannon fire!"
"As for who they will choose to double-team in the second half..." Jackson squinted, wanting to show off his wisdom, to keep the suspense and make his players admire his perfect strategy even more.
He has been doing this ever since he returned to the Lakers as head coach a few years ago.
This time, however, he did not get his wish.
He forgot there was a jerk on the team.
"I bet 100 yuan that they will definitely double-team Kobe!" Lin Tian raised his hand with a smile and said, "Kobe has already blown out four games in a row. If they continue to be scored on by Kobe like this, they will be laughed at."
"But on the other hand, if Kevin or Andrew score a lot of points and Kobe is contained by them, then they can say: We did our best, we contained Kobe that no one can contain, and as for the others who then broke out, we really couldn't do anything about it. If anyone disagrees, let them try it themselves."
Lin Tian grinned mischievously, mimicking Hornets head coach Scott's expression and tone, then looked at Jackson again and asked, "Coach, am I right?"
Is that right?
Jackson was internally cursing.
Lin Tian is absolutely right.
It was almost exactly what he wanted to say.
But Jackson hated it!
How could I have forgotten about Lin Tian, this scourge?
How could this guy not know that he had prepared a whole bunch of things to say? How could he not know that he was deliberately keeping him in suspense and acting all innocent? Now he's saying it all with an innocent look on his face, stealing his thunder, clearly exposing him on purpose, and deliberately trying to annoy him.
Jackson looked at Lin Tian, his teeth itching with hatred.
Two tigers cannot share one mountain, and it's also difficult for a locker room to accommodate two pretentious sly guys who are quite knowledgeable about psychology.
Lin Tian was staring blankly at Jackson, almost as if he was about to say, "Coach, I was just guessing. Can you tell me if I guessed right?"
Jackson was certain that if he remained silent any longer, this bastard would definitely add that last sentence to continue disgusting him.
We can't give this bastard a chance!
"Just as I thought!" Jackson spoke first, before he could even open his mouth!
Jackson secretly vowed in his heart: I will never pretend again, and I will never give Lin Tian another chance.
You absolutely must do it yourself!
"Kevin, you'd better step up your game in the second half! They'll most likely continue to double-team and defend Kobe like they did in the first quarter, which will give you a lot of one-on-one opportunities. Are you confident?"
"Yes!" Durant may have an outstanding presence, but don't be fooled by his demeanor. This guy's confidence is absolutely genuine.
One-on-one is exactly the kind of offensive strategy he excels at!
Soon, the break ended, and both teams returned to the field to start the second half.
In the first possession, the Hornets had possession of the ball. Deron Williams quickly dribbled up the court and directed his teammates to make runs.
Are you mute?
To Delong's surprise, while he was carefully directing the tactics, Lin Tian's words had already come flying at him.
"Not saying a word? Did you sneak some shit during halftime, afraid that the smell would be revealed if you opened your mouth?"
"Well, you're quite cultured, Delong. But what are you trying to do by not saying a word?"
Do you think silence can mask the fear you're feeling right now?
"I believe that silence will only increase fear, to the point that when you come home at night, lift the covers and see your wife, you'll think of me!"
"Are you ever going to stop?!" Deron finally couldn't hold back anymore. But this guy was also very cunning. He knew that Lin Tian's trash talk was definitely due to his ghostly hand. Lin Tian always trash-talked while making his tackle.
Deron Williams knew very well that if he and Lin Tian started arguing, he would most likely be overwhelmed by Lin Tian's sudden increase in defensive intensity, resulting in either a scrambled pass or a complete turnover.
Having anticipated this, Deron passed the ball first before launching into a trash talk at Lin Tian: "Your tactics are outdated! You can't fool anyone, and we're not afraid of you!"
"No, you're not afraid of me? My approach is outdated. Why the hell would you pass the ball to Yi, who's been marked out of the game, just to let him drive past Kevin and shoot a three-pointer?"
“I appreciate your trust in my little brother, but this is really not the job he should be doing.”
"Fuck!" Delong glanced at it and couldn't help but curse out loud.
I was just thinking of passing the ball quickly and exchanging a few words with Lin Tian, but how did I end up passing the ball to Yi Jianlian?
While Delong was still having self-doubts, Lin Tian suddenly increased the intensity!
Who says you need a ball to go for high-intensity play? You can do it without a ball!
This time, Lin Tian's intensity was just right, because Yi Jianlian on the other side really didn't have the ability to solve problems beyond the three-point line. He dribbled around with the ball, hesitated for a long time, and just as he was about to pass the ball to Deron, he found that the angle to pass the ball to Deron was gone.
Lin Tian filled the spot!
"Also, I think you need to step up your game, Deron. You need to get the ball as soon as possible, otherwise you'll commit a 24-second violation on your first offensive possession of the second half!" After marking Deron closely and blocking his angle to receive the ball, Lin Tian immediately and kindly 'reminded' Deron to get the ball as soon as possible.
Seeing that Deron Williams couldn't receive the ball, Yi Jianlian could only gather it in his arms again, turn around and use his butt to block Durant, then wait for his teammate to come up and hand off him.
Yi Jianlian felt like he had waited for a century; he felt this round had been incredibly long!
Fortunately, even the longest stories eventually come to an end.
Ariza suddenly appeared from the side, completed a handoff with Yi Jianlian, and after receiving the basketball, he wanted to dribble directly into the paint.
Unfortunately for Ariza, Kobe was faster and anticipated the move earlier, completing a lateral shift and blocking Ariza's path.
With just this one lateral movement, Ariza's breakthrough route was completely blocked. This guy's dribbling breakthrough is quite monotonous, just a crossover step followed by a direct acceleration.
Now that Kobe had blocked his way, he could only stop, dribble backwards twice, and then try to pass the ball.
It's beyond repair!
Ariza's ball-handling ability is about at this level.
He really doesn't know how.
Ariza's high center of gravity while dribbling, lack of variation in his dribbling style, and monotonous rhythm were weaknesses that accompanied him throughout his career.
Even after he retired, this didn't improve much, let alone now that he's facing Kobe's defense.
Facing Kobe's defense, all Ariza could do was protect the ball, aiming to avoid mistakes rather than make any significant contributions. (End of Chapter)