Champion Creed
Chapter 572 - 572 205 Hi SPOY Asking for monthly votes!_4

572: 205: Hi, SPOY (Asking for monthly votes!)_4 572: 205: Hi, SPOY (Asking for monthly votes!)_4 But the SuperSonics retreated quickly and did not allow the Hawks to execute a counterattack.

George Karl asked everyone to give up on fighting for offensive rebounds; the primary goal was to retreat with full force, suppress the pace, and reduce the number of possessions.

As long as they did not let the Hawks play their favored fast breaks, and used double teams to contain the set plays, the Hawks were powerless.

The SuperSonics’ fast retreat was effective, and the Hawks’ lightning-fast breaks were unable to get going.

However, Roger remained calm and unruffled, slowly dribbling like a point guard nearing the three-point line and signaling with his hands.

Payton, unable to retract his step in time, found his front foot under attack, letting Roger complete the breakthrough.

When dealing with a top scorer of the scoring champion caliber, any tiny lapse could lead to a massive error.

But, merely breaking through Payton was not enough.

Vin Baker immediately stepped up to the defense, joining the perimeter players to double-team Roger.

Roger once again found himself caught in the signature double-team of the SuperSonics.

Roger jumped amidst the crowd, but it wasn’t for a high-difficulty layup in mid-air, it was a pass!

The basketball swiftly flew from the paint to the left corner, and Clifford Robinson was already there, aiming and ready to fire.

Swish!

6 to 2, the Hawks scored two three-pointers in a row!

Only then did people understand Lenny Wilkens’ purpose for substituting Clifford Robinson in.

Robinson was not there to defend Vin Baker; he was there to shoot threes!

Only a man knows what another man wants.

Similarly, as teams that both deploy perimeter double-teams excessively, they understand each other’s pain points.

Excessive double-teaming leads to many open opportunities beyond the three-point line, and if the opposing team can capitalize on them, it’s a disaster for the defense.

The Hawks have this weakness, and so do the SuperSonics.

Therefore, Lenny Wilkens placed another shooter beside Roger; aside from Kurt Thomas, everyone on the court for the Hawks could shoot threes.

In the opening stages, Roger’s role was to draw the double team and then pass the ball to one of three positions—the 45-degree angle on the strong or weak side or the left corner.

By doing this, they could fully utilize the Hawks’ advantage in three-point shooting.

In today’s NBA, having more than two players on the court who can reliably produce three-pointers is an incredible luxury.

Pippen, Stevie Smith, and Clifford Robinson could all provide support with their three-point shooting.

Of course, long-distance shooting was not favored by coaches of the ’90s because everything depended on touch.

Any long-distance shooting strategy had to be built upon having a good feel for the shot.

If the touch was not there, such a strategy could end up backfiring.

And in the ’90s, players’ shooting skills were not as refined.

For coaches, this was akin to gambling.

But as it turned out, Roger was quite lucky.

Stevie Smith and Clifford Robinson hit their threes, indicating that their touch was good.

George Karl had already seen the indications; continuing to double-team would grant the Hawks far too many easy three-point chances.

But he couldn’t change his strategy just yet.

If he shifted strategies, giving up double-teams to cover the three-point line, that would mean leaving Payton all alone to face Roger again!

Such a tragedy could not be repeated.

George Karl also didn’t believe the Hawks could maintain that level of accuracy.

In that era, the three-pointer was not a primary weapon.

As expected, on the third offense, the Hawks missed.

This time, Roger tried to test Pippen’s touch.

Pippen’s three-point shooting was the least reliable among them, and Lenny Wilkens even considered using Bowen temporarily in place of Pippen in the starting lineup.

But Pippen confidently thumped his chest, “I’m not good at shooting off the dribble, but I excel at spot-up jumpers; you all can trust me.”

Pippen was too eager to prove himself; his performance in every game was tied to the contract renewal next summer.

Then, the chest-thumping Pippen’s three-point shot bounced off the rim.

I trust you my ass!

However, this minor incident did not affect the Hawks’ overall shooting percentage.

After the first quarter, Stevie Smith and Clifford Robinson each scored two more threes.

Because the SuperSonics’ defense was focused on Roger, Smith and Cleveland’s Robinson were essentially unbothered, like they were in a shooting drill.

In an era where only five teams in the entire league averaged more than six three-pointers per game, the Hawks scored six in one quarter!

And it didn’t stop there!

Pippen finally scored one, and Roger added another.

In the first quarter, the Hawks shockingly made eight three-pointers!

35 to 24, the Hawks led by 11 points at the end of the first quarter!

The SuperSonics were rattled, having thought that without their super inside player, Roger would struggle against the double team.

Instead, the Hawks broke the game wide open from the perimeter.

With the Hawks players being in such good form, they could no longer let the Hawks have such easy three-point attempts.

Before the Hawks’ shooters cooled down, George Karl had no choice but to temporarily have everyone switch to man-to-man defense.

Only after the Hawks’ three-point touch dissipated would they go back to double-teaming.

But that also meant that he had no choice but to temporarily strip Gary Payton of his sturdy armor and push him in front of Roger!

Payton swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like he was being thrown into the fire.

“George, if you’d mentioned this strategy earlier, I’d have kept my mouth shut before the game!”

George Karl patted Payton on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, Gary, it will be over soon.”

In the first offense of the second quarter, seeing Payton defending him alone, Roger couldn’t help but break into a smile:

“Hey SPOY, this time, how do you want to embarrass yourself?”