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Chapter 529 - 230. The Mindset-Transforming Cat Group_2

Chapter 529: 230. The Mindset-Transforming Cat Group_2

Just like in the past few games, Felton wasn’t the main playmaker or scorer tonight; he simply started off attacking the basket aggressively and shooting three-pointers, hopefully making them to continue the threat of his six three-pointers from the last game, and better yet, keeping the Spurs’ fastest player, Parker, tied up in the corner.

Although Parker’s one-on-one defense was weak, he was one of the best at the Spurs when it came to rotating to defend shots and pinching in from the wings to block drives because he was fast and active. In the entire NBA, there were hardly a handful of players who could match his speed, making him a very important part of the Spurs’ team defense system.

However, letting Felton start off with aggressive plays to assert his threat was something only Bickerstaff would do. Another coach would definitely choose to try creating catch-and-shoot opportunities for Felton to exploit, but in Bickerstaff’s opinion, the likelihood of creating open three-point shots for the team’s leading three-point shooter under the Spurs’ defense was slim to none, so he took a gamble.

Luckily, the gamble paid off!

Parker dared not leave Felton alone in the left corner, Millsap’s threat of a backdoor cut on the left side of the three-second zone intensified, and Gerald Wallace kept Bowen occupied on the right baseline, creating a wide-open space for Zhang Yang to play high post isolation!

Zhang Yang turned around, got past Finley, drove to the right close in, stopped, gathered the ball, jumped for a shot... and scored!

Even someone as strong as Duncan, who had to watch for Okafor scoring easy baskets down low from the left side of the three-second zone and also had to be wary of Millsap cutting in, while also needing to defend Zhang Yang, had too much on his plate.

On the sidelines, Popovich felt immense pressure. He had guessed right again, the opponent was even more confident now, truly unafraid of Duncan!

Felton’s drives became more confident, and his shooting, more decisive.

Millsap was no longer nervous, timing his cuts to draw defenders well, delaying Duncan’s defensive rotation toward Zhang Yang.

As for Zhang Yang, Okafor, and Gerald Wallace... they were fearless, steady, and passionate. They weren’t afraid of Duncan to begin with.

When it was the Spurs’ turn to attack, Parker continued to run pick-and-rolls with Duncan.

The Bobcats’ defensive strategy was to first limit the shot attempts of the Spurs’ wing shooters with physical play to cool their shooting hands, sticking to man-to-man in the early stages with no one helping on Parker from the wing.

Felton chose to ignore Duncan during the pick-and-roll, retreating immediately and double-teaming Parker with Millsap.

Parker passed back to Duncan, who moved to the left 45-degree angle, caught the ball at mid-range... and hit the shot!

Duncan finally got going!

to 7, the Spurs kept close in the score, thanks to Parker’s aggressive plays!

Seeing Duncan make that mid-range jumper, Felton cursed under his breath, and Okafor, picking up the ball to inbound, comforted him, "Raymond, the double team was well done, keep it up next time."

This time, Okafor wasn’t talking trash; he was genuinely encouraging Felton to collapse on defense more often since Duncan hitting 40% or a little over on his open mid-range jumpers wasn’t as threatening as Parker’s league-leading floater from up close.

But Okafor’s words dealt a real blow to Parker, who was still within earshot as he retreated on defense.

Having taken the offensive lead the last two rounds, earning 2 points and 1 assist, Parker was feeling quite pleased with himself, his mood brightening considerably. But upon hearing Okafor’s comment, all his joy vanished.

Being poker-faced themselves, one should see how other poker-faced individuals are, and then look at their own; comparisons can indeed be infuriating!

During the switch from defense to offense, Zhang Yang continued with the isolation plays after receiving the ball.

On his part, after delegating the task of provoking Parker to the chunky vet, he completely dismissed it from his mind, indifferent to whether it was successful or not. He had one goal stepping onto the court—scoring!

Whether shooting or driving, Zhang Yang played one-on-one at the high post as he pleased. If he scored, he’d shoot again; if he missed, he’d adjust his posture and continue shooting in the next round. This carefree style of playing was making Popovich miss Malik Rose.

During the 2003 Finals, Malik Rose held Richard Jefferson, who had been averaging 16 points at a 51% shooting percentage through the first three rounds, to a 41% shooting percentage and 13 points, playing a key role in the Spurs’ 4 to 2 victory over the Nets and effectively crippling Kidd’s efforts.

If Malik Rose were here to face Gerald Wallace, that would free Bowen to guard Zhang Yang at the shooting guard position... but money was tight! For a role player on a 6-year, $42 million contract, they could only afford the first year at the minimum salary.

Needing a breather after several rounds of exertion, Zhang Yang passed the ball to Gerald Wallace or Okafor to hammer it inside.

On the other side, Parker took up the mantle of leading the attack, guiding his team to contend with the Bobcats, closely trailing in the score.

Both teams started with the same defensive strategy, blocking off long-range passes and preventing their opponent from combining inside and outside plays, opting for one-on-one defense against ball handlers.

Both teams had a decent scoring efficiency, and by halfway through the first quarter, the score reached 16 to 13, with the Bobcats maintaining a slender lead!

Zhang Yang’s performance at the start was still solid, making 2 out of 4 shots, plus 1 out of 2 free throws for 5 points.

Felton only scored 3 points, but tonight his role in drawing the defense was at its peak.

Gerald Wallace scored a driving layup, drew a foul on another drive for two successful free throws, Okafor started with an alley-oop, then followed up with a one-on-one score.

On the Spurs side, Parker started with 2 out of 4 shots and 2 out of 2 free throws for 6 points and 2 assists, single-handedly carrying the team’s offense.

Heading into an official timeout, both teams started making personnel and tactical adjustments.

Popovich subbed in Jacque Vaughn, Elson, and Ginobili, taking out Parker, Finley, and Oberto.

After making the substitutions, Popovich wanted to praise Parker but ended up not saying anything.

Parker had no expression on his face as he grabbed a towel from a staff member and sat down to wipe off sweat.

On the other side, Zhang Yang was benched, and the lineup on the court was Rondo, Felton, Gerald Wallace, Okafor, and Muhammad.

Zhang Yang sat on the sidelines, patiently resting and recovering his energy.

The timeout ended and the game continued, with Zhang Yang’s gaze fixed on Ginobili, who was going for a one-on-one after receiving the ball.

The worrying situation arose: after two off games, Ginobili started tonight’s game by nailing a step-back three-pointer from behind a screen!

However, Zhang Yang felt that his teammates were not affected... no, there was some effect, they were playing even more fiercely on the offense!

Okafor’s strong post move against Duncan resulted in a missed hook shot, but Rondo grabbed the offensive rebound for a successful second-chance floater!

Over at the Spurs, Popovich sensed the overwhelming confidence from the Bobcats, and Zhang Yang also noticed the shift in his teammates’ mindset.

If Ginobili had started heating up in the last game, their Bobcats team would likely have already collapsed by now.

In Game 3, Ginobili played terribly, 6 out of 16 shots, shooting below 40%, with the Spurs pressing against them the whole game and ultimately securing the victory. If Ginobili had even an average performance last game, the Bobcats would not have stood a chance.

But now, things are different!

Duncan’s one-on-one play at the start was poor, but his defensive performance was still stellar. After realizing his one-on-one was off, he actively adjusted his play style, relying on mid-range jump shots, cutting to support, and storming the boards, still putting on a dominant performance, his presence in the Bobcats players’ minds is still the heaviest of anyone on the court.

Parker also had a great showing tonight, taking advantage of the space created by Finley and Bowen.

Under such circumstances, Ginobili’s surge didn’t faze the teammates at all, as they bravely countered!

It’s just that... a group of guys around 6’7" couldn’t beat the 5’11" "Coach Rondo" at grabbing rebounds...

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