Grab Curry at the start

Chapter 122 It's Finally Done
"Actually, we didn't have any major problems defensively, but the offensive end was a bit out of order." Zhang Sixin said after analyzing the situation in the first half.

"There's nothing to panic about. This Lakers team lacks offensive power and has weak defenses. All we have to do is seize the opportunity."

Zhang Sixin thought that they were not very familiar with each other's routines in the first half. Except for Gasol, the Lakers performed well, and everyone else was normal, and there was no problem with three-point defense.

In the second half, as long as the team's offense is normal, they can still suppress the opponent.

The big deal is to play with stars, Curry still feels good today.

Anyway, don't test anything this time, just try your best to win the game.

The Lakers still played Gasol's main attack in the third quarter, and the others didn't have Kobe's restraint, so there was really nothing they could do.

And the back line composed of Fisher and Shannon Brown really can't stop Curry.

When Kobe was around, he could only bully Lao Yu, but now Curry plays casually, whether it is a pick-and-roll or not.

The Lakers' current lineup can play fast, and Gasol is also a rare flexible insider.

In the first half, the Lakers actually took advantage of playing fast.

However, Curry made a few three-pointers and scared the Lakers.

I really can't stand it, I'm always not so sure when I get up and defend.

So they took the initiative to lower the tempo, hoping to maintain a slight lead.

It's a pity that the more you want to stabilize, the more you can't stabilize. Curry's touch is not limited by the rhythm.

Besides, Love's performance in the second half was much better. Whether it was grabbing rebounds or facing Odom, he had a very obvious advantage.

Odom is also an all-around striker, which is somewhat similar to Love, but whether it is the desire for victory or confrontation, Odom is a younger brother. He is more flexible, but without the cover of a big boss, he can't affect the overall situation.

Under the aggressive offensive of the Timberwolves, the Lakers could not resist Gasol alone. The advantage they finally gained in the first half was gone all of a sudden.

When Curry scored, the team chased points really fast.

No one is aware of his real threat yet. The league has never believed that shooting players can stir up much trouble under the defense of the playoffs. At most, the regular season scenes are better.

After all, there were players like this before, and Ray Allen was like this when he didn't form the Big Three.

But at least today's Lakers can't stop Curry's three-pointer.

The Lakers are also constantly adjusting the lineup, but it's a pity that Farmar is not Curry's opponent.

So the Lakers took the initiative to speed up, hoping to launch a wave of attacks.

It's just that the Timberwolves are not in a hurry at this time. They have an advantage inside, so they play a combination of inside and outside.

Gasol lasted for a long time alone, and he was a little too exhausted in the final quarter.

It has been a long time since Gasol has such a person to support the team. Under the defense of the Timberwolves, he still feels a little uncomfortable.

Lakers head coach Phil Jackson didn't force it either. He increased his rotation, hoping to see some other bright spots, and he might also be testing the lineup.

The Timberwolves are not joking, but the Lakers must test the quality of some role players and prepare for the playoffs. They don't have to fight the Timberwolves.

Therefore, when the Timberwolves met a strong Western Conference team at this time, they played more easily in the final quarter for the first time.

It's not that the confrontation on the court is easy, and the Lakers' bench players are also working hard, hoping to get the head coach's favor.

It's the ease of tactics. The Lakers obviously don't intend to go all out, and Gasol also rested for more than half a quarter.

The Lakers didn't care that much about winning or losing, and the Timberwolves were not polite.

They worked hard and directly extended their lead to nearly 10 points.

In the last few minutes, the Lakers still played the strongest lineup and fought against the Timberwolves for a while.

At the critical moment, Gasol is still trustworthy, and Odom even played well.

But the Timberwolves still have a stable output. When the Lakers tried to focus more on Curry, DeRozan and Matthews also got the chance to hit the basket.

Without Bynum, the Lakers' ability to protect the frame has dropped a bit, and there is not much to do against the impact of the Timberwolves' flanks.

Of course, Gasol also sent a big hat, but it has little effect on the overall situation.

He has also fouled four times and cannot support the Lakers' inside defense alone.

Moreover, he was forced into several turnovers by the Timberwolves' defense due to his excessive possession of the ball.

The current defense of the Timberwolves can be said to be fast, accurate, and ruthless, and Gasol also suffered from physical confrontation.

When the time came to the last 2 minutes, Curry hit a key shot again, and the Lakers could only bet on a three-pointer.

With a gap of 1 points in more than 8 minute, the Lakers knew that they could not recover with ordinary offense.

However, the Timberwolves' defense at the moment will also guard against three-pointers.

As a result, only Odom made a hit, and Farmar, who seemed to be pegged, and Vujacic, who was replaced in the end, all hit the iron, and the game was settled.

After this game, the Timberwolves are already second in the West.

However, their position is not stable. Several teams have similar records, and the Timberwolves stay in this position temporarily because of the outcome.

But it doesn't matter. Zhang Sixin only cares about home court advantage in the first round. In fact, there is no problem in the second and third rounds. If he can go further in the first round, he will not meet the Lakers in the second round.

Even though it doesn't seem too difficult for the Timberwolves to beat the Lakers in the regular season, the playoffs are still different. Each team will use more stars, and the intensity will be completely different.

It turns out that the Lakers defended their title this season in history, and Zhang Sixin certainly does not want the Timberwolves to meet them.

Of course, the Timberwolves can enter the playoffs is a success.

If they can make it to the second round, it will be a big success. It is still too early for them to pursue the championship this season, but if they can treat the team better, they can also plan something.

After discussing with the coaching staff, Zhang Sixin decided that in the next back-to-back away games, the team will rest, even if they lose, it is acceptable. The current record of the Timberwolves still has some advantages over the competitors with the worst record, and there will be no surprises.

After all, everyone's opinions only care about the first round of the playoffs, and they don't plan to think so far.

In the final stage of back-to-back away games, the main players cannot be consumed too much, and they must be stabilized.

Of course, Zhang Sixin also wanted to let Milicic get the last three points.

If he can't figure it out, Milicic will not take a rest in these two games. Zhang Sixin feels that it is still necessary to increase his three-point shooting percentage by a little bit.

Fortunately, this matter did not cause any further disturbances.

In the next game, Dell Curry's long-awaited task is finally done. Zhang Sixin can also look forward to the team's three-point shooting in the playoffs. Can he surprise the outside world?

(End of this chapter)