Mountain Peak System: a Path to NBA-Chapter 566 - 188: If he can score 50 points, then I can score 60 points! (Only 1 update today~ Mwah!)
The first game defeat, in Phil Jackson’s view, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Because this loss at least unified the defending champions mentally.
Even though the Warriors’ offense appeared unbeatable in the first game of the Western Conference Finals,
in Jackson’s eyes, most of their offense was still concluded through shooting.
In other words, as long as the Lakers can maintain defensive intensity, the Warriors are bound to have moments when they aren’t shooting well.
Jackson clearly understands that to win, the Lakers must capitalize on the times when the Warriors are off their game.
And exploit the defensive weakness at the Warriors’ point guard position to aggressively attack.
So, two days later, on the suggestion of the think tank, Jackson changed the Lakers’ starting lineup.
They moved Battier up to the starting lineup and switched Kobe to playing point guard.
The average height of this Lakers starting lineup was astounding.
Most importantly, with screens from Battier and Odom, Kobe would surely have plenty of opportunities to single out Nash.
"Kobe, once you get double-teamed, I want you to pass the ball quickly," Jackson specifically instructed Kobe before the game, "We can’t beat the Warriors with mere heroism."
Hearing this, Kobe nodded and said, "I understand, Phil."
If the "number 8 Kobe" was the most difficult player to coach on this planet in Jackson’s mind,
then the "number 24 Kobe" is a reassuring leader.
Additionally, seeing Big Gasol unable to showcase his offensive talent against Qin Yue, Jackson, on the suggestion of assistant Brian Shaw, redesigned a low post pick and roll tactic for the Gasol Brothers.
Of course...
Rather than saying redesign, it might be more accurate to say they copied the Spanish Men’s Basketball Team’s offensive approach.
After the first game of the Western Conference Finals, Jackson had clearly seen the true capabilities of the Warriors’ so-called historical second-best center.
So...
Since Qin Yue couldn’t be overpowered, the Lakers naturally found a way to let Big Gasol attack the Warriors’ "Wang Jiale."
At Oracle Arena, the Lakers’ proactive lineup change worked wonders in the opening phase of the game.
To cover Nash, Wallace and Bell had to repeatedly leave their defensive zones to help Nash.
This caused one of the Warriors’ wings to consistently need inside support.
The Lakers focused their offensive efforts on the side guarded by Brown.
Little Gasol’s massive body had a clear advantage that night.
And, in an attempt to prevent Qin Yue from circling the screen, the insightful Little Gasol unexpectedly discovered he could use a "backside pick" on Qin Yue.
Thus, on the court, to provide Big Gasol with a direct chance to face Brown and help the Lakers move Brown to the side of the imminent attack...
Little Gasol decisively turned into a moving wall.
During the game, facing Little Gasol’s illegal screens, even Qin Yue couldn’t switch on Brown every possession.
Therefore, it was a night destined to test Brown.
So, the question arose.
Could the historical second-best center withstand such a test?
On the court, it was the Lakers’ offensive possession.
Kobe, quickly passing the ball after drawing a double team on the right side, transferred the ball via Odom to Big Gasol in the low post.
Then, with his pivot foot still, after tricking Brown with a rhythm shift, Gasol gracefully spun the other way to smoothly scoop the ball into the net.
Since Qin Yue’s defensive success, this was definitely an experience Big Gasol hadn’t enjoyed against the Warriors.
The next offensive possession followed the same pattern.
The only difference was that the more elegant Big Gasol this time fooled Brown twice, then contentedly put the ball in the basket.
Qin Yue didn’t want to say that Big Gasol was completely indulged in the fun of playing tricks.
But from a viewer’s perspective...
Big Gasol’s performance indeed gave Qin Yue that impression.
The strengthened Lakers significantly improved their offense by repeatedly exploiting Nash and Brown.
Meanwhile, the Warriors, who weren’t always in extraordinary form every night, in the first quarter alone, forced Qin Yue to step up and take control of the game actively.
It is worth mentioning...
In the final moments of the first quarter, Qin Yue also personally experienced Battier’s increasingly perfected "eye-blocking" defense.
Although the final result was Qin Yue stylishly shooting over the Lakers’ defense to score,
it must be stated that Battier’s defensive technique was definitely potentially bannable.
Why did the NBA later ban this eye-blocking defense?
Because in the notoriously ruthless NBA, eye-blocking defense can easily turn into eye-poking defense.
Without banning it, one could foresee that inevitably some day due to a defender’s clumsiness, a tragedy where an offensive player ends up as a "blind monk" would occur.
At Oracle Arena, by the end of the first quarter, it was 36 to 31.
The single quarter lead let the defending champions quickly regain their confidence to win this Western Conference Finals after the initial game defeat.
This confidence was especially evident in Ellis, who led the Lakers’ bench with enthusiasm during the substitution phase.
Every time he faced the Warriors, Ellis came alive, and during this rotation phase, he scored 12 points by shooting 4 of 5, including free throws.
It’s no use; since the Warriors’ second-string lacks rim protection.
And Jack wasn’t adept at dealing with guards like Ellis.
