Almon Guillem really couldn't break free. Without considering explosive power, Zhang Hao had the advantage in pure strength.
Seeing that Almon Gilliam was on the verge of a breakdown, Randy Whitman called a timeout.
Dale Davis was a little confused. He was ready to take a punch and be ejected from the game on the opponent's strongest single point.
But the rookie on the opposite side was too calm and directly pulled Almon Guillem away, and the way he pulled him was a little...special.
This is not important. What is important is that in his mind, Almon Gilliam is not as bad as he says. On the contrary, Dale Davis feels that Almon Gilliam is the one who has the potential to turn the game around.
Although their forwards are fierce and their center has first-class scoring skills, their interior defense is quite weak. They are better at double-teaming and intercepting breakthroughs and switching defenses in the mid-range.
The Nets had beaten the Heat before, and Dale Davis, the Pacers’ defensive caller, had to do something.
If it doesn't work once or twice, then just keep provoking the opponent. It's just a waste of saliva... and it will also be more of a waste of teammates. Derek McKay walked back to the bench picking his ears. Dale Davis's shout just now almost perforated his eardrum.
On the other side, the Nets bench.
Zhang Hao was thinking about what to say while pulling Almon Guillem back to the bench. When he got back to the bench, he finally thought of something and said to Almon Guillem, "Almon, don't be fooled by that guy. He is afraid of you, so he irritates you. He is afraid that you will rush to the basket to score, and he is afraid that you will attract double-teaming and then pass the ball. Do you understand?"
“Wuwuwu…”
"do you understand?"
“Wuwuwu…”
The teammates next to him saw Zhang Hao holding Almon Gilliam in a shoulder lock position and covering Almon Gilliam's mouth while asking questions ... This rookie is so cruel!
At this time, Jason Williams stepped forward to save Almon Gilliam's life: "Axel, you cover Almon's mouth and he can't answer you."
Zhang Hao was stunned, looking at Almon Gilliam, whose mouth... and nose were also covered by him, and he seemed to be trying very hard, and his eyes were already rolled up. He quickly let go of his hand and helped Almon Gilliam to stand steadily.
After Almon Gilliam stood firm, he pushed Zhang Hao away and gasped heavily.
"Sorry, sorry, I forgot I was still covering your mouth."
Almon Guillem calmed down at this time. If he had rushed forward just now, he might have lost his salary for several games. However, he rolled his eyes again and glanced at Zhang Hao, and replied, "I know!"
"Yeah!" Zhang Hao nodded quickly, breathed a sigh of relief, and continued: "Almon, let's cooperate more from now on. If you have a chance, you can attack the other side's basket. The center on the opposite side only looks tall. When I played against him, I found that his strength was average. He is only 116 kg, but 224 cm tall. He can't stop you. The opponent has already double-teamed you. We are in the same half zone, you should be ready to pass the ball to me at any time... Anyway, if you think it's time to pass the ball, come to me, and leave the rest to me.
PJ, you should focus on rebounding.
Boss Kenny, you go defend Miller and try to catch up with him. It doesn't matter if you can't defend him. PJ and I will try our best to provide backup defense.
Coach, we can replace Kevin first. He can shoot three-pointers and can be the third RBI point..."
As he was talking, Zhang Hao shut up consciously.
Too much talk leads to mistakes! Why are you already making arrangements while you're talking?
Teammates who had a good relationship with Zhang Hao became worried and looked at Randy Whitman.
Randy Whitman looked around at the team members, was silent for a moment, nodded and said, "Okay."
What the hell!
Randy Whitman is not an easy person to talk to!
Last year, when Coleman played randomly in the game, Randy Whitman would put Coleman on the bench for a whole quarter. This season, only Kenny Anderson and PJ Brown, the two leaders on both offense and defense, can communicate with Randy Whitman about adjustments on the field.
The difference in treatment between people is too great!
Zhang Hao was also very surprised about this situation...
…
The timeout was almost over. On the Nets side, Randy Whitman replaced Graham with Edwards, and the players walked onto the court.
Butch Baird sat down next to Randy Whitman and whispered, "See, Randy, Axe's leadership qualities!"
Without answering Butch Baird's words, Randy Whitman muttered, "Damn it, these guys are willing to listen to the arrangements of this kid Axe."
Butch Baird smiled proudly and said, "Because he's smart! Didn't you notice? He has been showing his strengths in training camp, preseason games, and the past few regular season games, especially in terms of basketball IQ. He has been showing his strengths in this area. I heard from Vaughn that Kenny always goes to Zhang Hao to analyze what he did poorly in the game."
"Okay, okay, okay, now I know you have good taste..."
On the court, Zhang Hao was surprised for a moment, and then he probably guessed that this was a reflection of the coaching staff's attention to him.
Perhaps, it is also sending a signal to other players in the team - Zhang is the player that the coaching staff values ​​most.
This is a good thing!
The timeout ended, the referee blew the whistle to continue the game, passed the ball to Derek McKay, Derek McKay passed it to Mark Jackson, and the game continued.
Mark Jackson advanced to the three-point line and began to quickly analyze the situation on the court.
The Nets' confrontation turned violent!
Even Kenny Anderson was chasing Reggie Miller like crazy, with big moves, pulling and dragging. Schmidt went out to set an off-ball screen for Reggie Miller, but was squeezed past by Kenny Anderson and caught up.
Mark Jackson made a gesture, and Schmidt saw it and returned to the inside, blocking Zhang Hao who was defending him... but he couldn't squeeze in!
A weight of 116 kilograms is not light among centers, but with a height of 224 centimeters, this weight makes him look very slender. With a strength of 83, he managed to lean on the ball, but was unable to reach deeper as he was held back by Zhang Hao!
At this time, Mark Jackson's lob had already been passed in. Schmitz didn't have time to be surprised that Zhang Hao, who was thinner than him, had such strength. He turned sideways and hit...
I pushed and pushed...but still couldn't get through!
I tried hard to squeeze...but still couldn't get through!
Damn it!
Schmitz prepared to use his footwork, turned around, grabbed the ball and tried to shoot high...
In Zhang Hao's opinion, Schmidt's turning steps were like slow motion. If it was another center, he might choose to withstand the interference. Zhang Hao relied on his flexibility, moved half a step sideways, reached out to cut the ball... The ball that Schmidt had just raised was slapped down by Zhang Hao!
Quickly pressing forward, Zhang Hao dived to the floor and hugged the ball. The other Pacers players reacted quickly, some interfered with the ball, some interfered with the ball's reception, and some retreated.
Zhang Hao waited for Edwards to come over and support, and when he got up, he looked at the opposing head coach Larry Brown.
The prototype of the Pacers team that could play the 1998 Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals until a game seven and only lose by 5 points, and could reach the Eastern Conference Finals for three consecutive years, has already been formed.
Perhaps, this head coach who laid a solid defensive foundation for the Pacers is not far from being fired.
Putting aside all distractions, Zhang Hao came to the frontcourt.
Almon Gilliam received the ball and started to face the basket for a one-on-one game. Under the spitting defense of Dale Davis, Almon Gilliam made a lateral pull, and Dale Davis was shaken off. Almon Gilliam forced his way to the basket, and this time he was not afraid. He confronted Schmitz. Schmitz could not stand it and pulled Almon Gilliam. The action was very obvious , and the referee blew the whistle!
As the referee blew the whistle, Almon Gilliam threw the ball hard towards the backboard, and the ball hit the backboard and bounced into the basket!
The referee signaled to the technical table that the goal was valid and a penalty would be added!
If he had scored a goal like this under normal circumstances, Almon Guillem would definitely have twisted his hips to celebrate, but this time he didn't. He walked to the free throw line with his head down. Obviously, he was more focused than ever.
The penalty kick also went in!
On the defensive end, it is still very difficult to defend.
Schmitz was very calm. He found it difficult to beat Zhang Hao in his first singles match. Unless he had to go to a deeper position, he would go to a low position again. He had more options and would not act recklessly.
Schmitz took the initiative to pull out and used his shooting ability to bring Zhang Hao out of the three-second zone, and once again gave Reggie Miller an off-ball screen.
This time Zhang Hao and Kenny Anderson did a good job in switching defense. Kenny Anderson was in an area where he had a chance to steal the ball. Zhang Hao switched to Reggie Miller, but Mark Jackson still passed the ball to Reggie Miller, but Reggie Miller did not shoot. He passed the ball to the middle, and Derek McKay took advantage of Dale Davis' off-ball pick-and-roll to cut into the middle and make a layup...hit!
Very beautiful team cooperation, the Pacers played very slowly, but the success rate was extremely high!
Mark Jackson's outstanding team command ability was fully demonstrated.
When it was the Nets' turn to attack, it was still left to Almon Gilliam to play one-on-one, with the back line pulling away to contain the defense.
Almon Gilliam continued to drive to the basket, and the Pacers double-teamed him quickly. Dale Davis even kept his mouth shut, and he and Derek McKay double-teamed Almon Gilliam, preventing him from going to the basket to continue causing damage.
At this time, Zhang Hao's role was reflected!
Edwards came up from the weak side and passed the ball to Zhang Hao on the left side of the free throw line.
Zhang Hao felt a lot of pressure when he received the ball. He knew he had to score the ball to help his teammates create better offensive space. However, the greater the pressure, the more focused he became!
Jump up, shoot mid-range shot...all in one smooth move!
In!
This is very important for Zhang Hao. He himself understands that he must shoot the ball when Almon Gilliam attracts a double-team, because under normal circumstances, unless the opponent double-teams the player with the ball, it is difficult for him to run out of open space with the Pacers' mid-range defense ability. Such an opportunity cannot be missed.
This is also very important for Almon Gilliam. Because of Zhang Hao, he can choose to pass the ball after attracting a double-team, because the players who are double-teaming him are defending Zhang Hao. Zhang Hao is free, and other Pacers players cannot cut off his passing line to the high post, otherwise he can only keep his head down.
The Nets' style of play became firmer, and Kenny Anderson focused his energy on chasing and defending. His defensive ability was not that good, but he was able to keep up with the pace and had top-notch speed, so he was not afraid of pick-and-rolls. From this perspective, Kenny Anderson's interference with Reggie Miller was much stronger than Graham's.
Without being allowed to double-team players without the ball, the Nets were not very good at switching defense. Kenny Anderson kept his head down and pursued the defense with determination, which was more effective. At least it prevented Reggie Miller from going crazy.
The key point is still the determination on the offensive end. The old players have long had the impression that Almon Gilliam is timid when facing strong opponents. Dale Davis wants to stimulate him in this regard tonight.
Before, Almon Gilliam was either very hot-headed or played uncalmly, but tonight was different, he played very calmly!
Almon Gilliam's coordination with the high-post pass, Edwards' singles after receiving the ball or passing it to one of Zhang Hao and Kenny Anderson, and PJ Brown's rush and steal, it was a simple play, but the effect was very good.
The scores of the two teams rose alternately. Overall, the Pacers had a slight advantage. They were very skilled in slow-paced cooperation, while the Nets were relying on a burst of momentum to rush forward.
The game was deadlocked until 11 minutes and 39 seconds in the first quarter, with the Pacers leading the Nets by 3 points, 27 to 24, and the Nets had the ball.
Zhang Hao passed the ball to Kenny Anderson, who advanced with the ball under tremendous pressure.
Just now, Reggie Miller made a three-pointer over his head, and they finally tied the score, but now the difference has widened to 3 points.
All the physical energy is used on the defensive end, and the offense is slowed down. This is different from the previous style of play... In fact, it is just the energy spent on both sides is swapped, but Kenny Anderson knows that this style of play is more effective in the current game, so he gave the ball to Edwards after advancing across half court.
After the offensive time was exhausted to 8 seconds, Edwards continued to pass the ball to Almon Gilliam. Almon Gilliam was very excited tonight and had already scored 11 points, the highest in the game! It was higher than Reggie Miller's 10 points in a single quarter!
But this time the Pacers' double-team was quick and fierce, blocking Almon Gilliam's breakthrough. Zhang Hao tried to support from behind Almon Gilliam, but Almon Gilliam couldn't pass the ball!
This allowed Mark Jackson to focus on cutting off Edwards' passing lanes, and Schmitz also moved toward the free throw line to interfere with Almon Gilliam's passing route to the high post.
There was no other choice, Almon Guillem threw the ball outside the three-point line, trying to end the remaining seconds of the first quarter. This operation can be said to be a reckless act in a hurry. If the opponent grabbed the ball, he would be counterattacked.
The Pacers had already rushed forward to grab the ball, and at this moment, a hand took the lead in intercepting the ball! Zhang Hao, who had been paying attention to Almon Guillem's passing action, grabbed the ball first!
11 minutes and 58 seconds, with two seconds left in the offensive time, Zhang Hao received the ball and turned over directly. He didn't even have time to shoot. He grabbed the ball with one hand and pushed it towards the basket like a shot put...
As soon as the ball left Zhang Hao's hand, the whistle for the end of this quarter sounded...
With the sound of the whistle, the ball fell from the air and went into the basket!
The referee on the sidelines confirmed that the three points were valid!
27 square meters!