Grab Curry at the start

Chapter 139-Victory
After the Spurs started to rotate, the Timberwolves' offensive lineup regained all the score advantages.

After Duncan also went down to rest, the Timberwolves let Curry and Love end one after another.

Curry and Love were well protected by Zhang Sixin in the regular season, but when it comes time to fight in the playoffs, they have to fight hard, otherwise the protection in the regular season will be meaningless.

It doesn't matter if you face the Trail Blazers. Some of the main rotations of the Timberwolves against the Spurs will play more, and some will play less. There is nothing to say. If you win, it will be the Western Conference Finals.

After Curry and Love went down, the Timberwolves changed their rhythm again.

Partnering with Jefferson and Milicic, they began to focus on the inside and play a combination of inside and outside.

In fact, it is a partial defensive lineup, and Brewer is also there.

With this lineup, the Spurs don't allow all GDP to come up desperately, and it's not easy to chase points.

But now the Spurs must let GDP take turns to rest and prepare for the battle in the last few minutes of the final quarter. It is impossible to immediately put on a desperate posture like the Timberwolves.

In fact, the Spurs were a bit desperate in the third quarter, but when the Timberwolves worked harder than them, they were a little timid.

A traditional strong team with an aging lineup, they have a burden and dare not bet like the Timberwolves.

However, the team always failed to score. When the Spurs saw that the Timberwolves could continue to expand their lead, they still made a compromise.

If there is a team that can keep up in the playoffs, it must be because the threats they encounter are not big enough.

More than three minutes into the last quarter, the Spurs head coach replaced Duncan ahead of schedule, and then replaced Parker after one round. The GDP gathered and began to work hard.

It has to be said that the Timberwolves still can't stand the GDP together.

Fortunately, they couldn't fit together for the whole game, otherwise, no matter how targeted Zhang Sixin's tactics were, they wouldn't work well.

After all, tactics need players to play a role, and the strength of players can reverse the effect of tactics.

After all, tactical restraint can also be established in reverse.

After the GDP was combined, Duncan immediately attacked and scored in the interior, and then used the deterrence on the offensive end to create good singles opportunities for the other two. Parker and Ginobili also hit.

The Timberwolves' lead returned to single digits, and Curry and Love also returned to the court again.

The Spurs did not play McDyess again. As Zhang Sixin expected, Duncan hit five when the opponent was desperate.

In this case, he first let Milicic consume Duncan, and then see the timing for Jefferson.

Even if he has the advantage, Zhang Sixin will make Duncan more tired, and the wheel battle is just a routine operation.

If Duncan gets tired in the first game, even if he can break out in the next game, he won't be able to last so long.

"It's great. Duncan scored when he caught the ball. It's okay to slow down in the low post, and there is no problem with catching and shooting. It's good that our inside line can do the same." Zhang Sixin envied.

"It can't be compared with Duncan, that is the level of a historical superstar... However, I also hope that the players in the team can learn some defense from him. It is really stable." Ron Adams also said.

Fortunately, the Timberwolves' inside line is not bad, and they even have an advantage on the rebounds, so they can also analyze the situation on the court a little calmly.

The Spurs' lineup of one big and four small must also have defensive problems. Just when the Spurs were approaching the score, Love finally forced two opponents, one made a hit and the other caused a kill.

When not facing Duncan, Love can still perform this kind of performance from time to time.

At this time, it depends on who is more stable on both sides, more outsiders, because as the game time decreases, it is becoming more and more difficult for insiders to get opportunities.

The Timberwolves also began to attack Duncan. After Love hit the shot, the Spurs did not let him easily get a shot.

When the time entered the last 3 minutes, Parker hit a goal.

But for nearly 2 minutes, neither team scored.

Their respective defenses are in place, and it is really not easy to score.

At this time, it depends on the personal ability of the star. The Spurs will take turns from Parker and Ginobili, and the Timberwolves still hope that Curry can hit.

With about 1 minutes left in the game, Curry hit a three-pointer, and the Timberwolves' bench, including the coaching staff, stood up.

This goal also brought the Timberwolves' lead back to more than 5 points.

Then Parker and Ginobili also hit successively, and the Spurs still have a chance to win the game.

It's just that time waits for no one. When the two of them hit, there are only a few tens of seconds left.

At the critical moment, the Timberwolves played very patiently. Curry held the ball and Love repeatedly played pick-and-roll cooperation.

Finally found a chance for him, causing Hill's foul.

The foul is on Curry, and there is no doubt that it is a point.

When it was the Spurs' turn to attack, it was Parker who singled Curry.

Since the playoffs, Curry has gone through this process every game, and he is used to it now.

Parker also hit, but with less time, the Spurs will not go well if they don't score more explosively.

Or, they can defend against the Timberwolves' offense.

The Timberwolves are Curry looking for opportunities with the ball. Maybe sometimes it is easier for Curry to find opportunities without the ball.

So at the last moment, it is better for the ball to be in the hands of the best player.

In the same operation, Curry didn't find a chance this time, but he sent a second pass to Matthews, who made a mid-range shot.

In fact, the score gap is still not more than 5 points, but time is really running out.

The Timberwolves began to control the time, and the Spurs could only choose foul tactics.

They did not prevent the attack of the Timberwolves, and they were destined to have less and less chances of winning the game.

Curry stood on the free throw line and accidentally missed a free throw, but the Spurs did not seize the opportunity. During their offense, Ginobili missed a quick three-pointer.

The Spurs used foul tactics again, but then Hill missed a three-pointer.

There is no way around this. After two downs, the Timberwolves lead more and more, but the game time is almost exhausted, and the game has been settled.

In the Western Conference semifinals, the Timberwolves beat the Spurs in their first game.

The Spurs' GDP actually performed well, but it's a pity that the role players stretched their hips.

The Timberwolves win by scoring more points and by Curry's accurate shots.

In this game, Curry also set a new score in the playoffs, scoring the first 30+ in his playoff career.

After the game, Zhang Sixin was also full of praise for Curry. He said: "Stephen is great. Stephen can hit shots from any position on the court, and he will help his teammates get into a better state. In this game, he entered the state quickly at the beginning and helped us open up the game."

Spurs coach Popovich said helplessly: "Curry threw the ball into the basket in front of our defensive players. We tried our best, but it didn't help."

(End of this chapter)