LeBron returns; Pistons win 11th straight; Warriors face long-man lineup

Curry scored 34 points and Jimmy (a career high for the Warriors) scored 33 points. However, the Warriors lost to the Magic.

Old topic: Before Jimmy came last season, the Warriors had no second point.

Now there is Jimmy, but the Warriors do not have the third point.

Usually, when the passing and cutting play is in full swing, you can win the ball.

But today when we encountered the Magic Long Formation, we couldn't pass the ball and the truth came to light.

The Magic's average height is 201 centimeters, ranking fourth in the league, while the Warriors' average height of 198 centimeters ranks last in the league.

To be more straightforward, today’s starting lineup:

Curry 188, Moody 193, Richard 196, Jimmy 201, and Dream Chaser 198.

Suggs 196, Bain 196, Da Silva 203, Wagner 208, and Carter Jr. 208.

So the whole game: Magic breakthrough, shot or free throw. If the shot fails, the front board will make up for it. Blakes back cut.

Curry and Jimmy closed the gap, and then the team hesitated and made mistakes, and the Magic opened up double digits.

Curry and Jimmy tried their best, and the rest of the Warriors were extinguished by the Magic's long formation.

Bodger, Hield, Payton and Moody, none of them are taller than 193. The back line versus the front line of the Forest is destined to end: a replica of last season's game against the Timberwolves.

Old topic:

The Warriors may have the highest average golf IQ in the league, and their passing and cutting are extremely smooth, but their average height is the lowest in the league. Smart, but short, and unhappy.

When you encounter an opponent with a strong bridge and a strong horse, they will not play tricks with you. For example, the Bucks without Giannis can give the Warriors a headache by relying on two-guard pick-and-rolls and long forwards.

The Magic didn't have Banqueiro today, so they relied solely on Black's breakthroughs to run over them all the way.

Post can work with Valanciunas, and Pojie is effective against slower and shorter teams; Moody's diligence and enthusiasm can outperform all kinds of back-and-forth. They are all smart and hardworking.

But just like last season's series against the Timberwolves: when encountering the forward forest, no matter how clever you are, there is no room to display. The same goes for the new Richard.

The Warriors are not short of reasonable people, but they are short of someone who can be unreasonable. For example: Monk of the Kings, Kawhi of the Bulls, and combo guards who shoot and kill birds.

It would be better if Kuming was here today - against the Timberwolves last season, he was the only one who could continue to attack the basket, but that was it.

You can see that Jimmy really wants to win. Curry took over the first three quarters, and Jimmy took over the fourth quarter, scoring a career-high 33 points for the Warriors. However.

When he was in Miami, Coach Spoelstra really wanted to risk his life to win. He just surrounded Jimmy with a group of tough shooters, added Adebayo to support the defense, and then Jimmy rushed forward.

But in the fourth quarter today, the Warriors couldn't even put together a team that could not only withstand the Magic's impact but also make three-pointers.

The Pistons won 11 consecutive games today and continue to be first in the Eastern Conference. The young team - starters Cunningham 24, Jenkins 24, Duren 22, Situ 24, only Dun Luo 31; O'Sal 22, Horan 20 - but very retro:

ranked first in the league in scoring inside and lost the fewest points in the inside. Ranked second in the league in three-point attempts.

Inside, inside, inside.

The Pistons selected Cunningham in 2021 and then conducted random experiments. When Cunningham missed the entire second year due to injury, the Pistons also created a strange formation of four long men + Killian Hayes, which wasted Cunningham's three years of youth.

Last season, the Pistons hired coach Bickerstaff and found a group of people who were suitable for Cunningham - to put it bluntly, it was a traditional ball-carrying core formation:

Give ace Cunningham with Duren to play pick-and-roll, and Situ went to the second team to defend; surround a group of shooters: the offense is fine.

Osar and Situ fight for defense: Defense is fine.

Last season the Grizzlies and this season the Heat tried to increase the speed without playing pick-and-rolls or even just pick-and-rolls; but this season, the Pistons scored eighth in the league with the ball in every pick-and-roll game, and third in the league in points scored along the pick-and-roll. The final meaning is that the scoring inside is also mid-range in the league, making up for third in the league: scoring inside is first in the league, and conversely:

Only 17% of opponents' shots per game are under the Pistons basket, the second lowest in the league; the opponent's basket shooting percentage is 61%, the lowest in the league.

I can hit you inside, but you are not allowed to hit me inside.

Inside, inside, inside.

The routine is very solid:

Cunningham and Duren are the team's first choice in the pick-and-roll. Per 100 possessions this season: Cunningham 35 points, Durham 34 points.

Duren is a perfect pick-and-roll finisher - thunderous bounce, soft touch, smooth movement, hard contact - all of them, but this season has added face-to-basket penetration and small post: a little Stoudemire, a little Rainman, and even a little early postman.

Today's eagle hunting, the routine is very clear.

Can Cunningham find Duren in a pick-and-roll? try to find.

Don’t let Cunningham go directly to Duren? Someone else is looking for it.

Dulun is on the line, but the opponent dare not let go? Cunningham himself broke out.

Dulun is on the line, but the opponent dare not let go? Others cut inside, and Du Lun fed.

Does the opponent pay attention to Cunningham's pick-and-roll? Find the shooter.

Did the opponent put pressure on the strong side? Cunningham looks for Dun Luo on the weak side.

It is concise and clear at a glance: around the pick-and-roll of Cunningham and Duren/Situ, teammates will make three-pointers or cut inside; when Cunningham is away, Jenkins/Denro/Osar will take the ball.

Duren's biggest improvement this year is that he is facing the basket: last season, his average shooting distance was 2 feet 5, 2/3 of his shots were under the basket, and 44% of his shots were dunks; this season, 52% of his shots were from three meters away:

facing the basket, throwing shots, and hooks. He can face the basket and catch the ball away from the basket, which opens up space for his teammates. Situ and Osar will have more room for maneuver.

Of course, coach Bickerstaff also took great pains to arrange Osar. Whenever the Pistons do not need to counterattack this season, Osar often pushes the ball across half court.

Situ has no basket? Then go and be a transfer station for chasing dreams! Situ had three assists today, all of which were Cunningham → Situ → teammate.

The significance of Osa and Situ was revealed at the end of today.

Jayo cuts in, Osar starts with lightning and cuts the ball.

counterattacked, Duren rose up into the air and beat Dyson vertically.

Osar followed him like a shadow, covering up Jeyo.

Jie Yue singled out Situ, but was interfered with by Situ.

Trae Young might sigh after seeing this: The team still needs me...Jayo and Dyson are still young after all...

But the Pistons' configuration is extremely scary:

Situ and Osar are both tough bones, and Duren's bounce can knock you straight up and down. Cunningham was a master of back defense last season; Jagr and Horan are not fuel-efficient lamps; the most frightening thing is that the entire Pistons team can not only switch defenses, but also quickly encircle them: Osar and Duren both left Okongwu open to make up for the inside. The Pistons had 12 steals and 3 blocks in the last half.

The defense of the forward group guarantees the lower limit, and the ace pick-and-roll combination raises the upper limit.

And this is not the limit of the Pistons:

Even though Cunningham averages 28 points and 10 assists per game, he is just more comfortable breaking out of flanks. His touch - 28% three-point rate, 44% shooting rate - has not even returned to the level of last season.

Even Pistons starting forward Harris only played half of the game, and secondary attacker Ivey has not yet returned.

LeBron comes back, the Lakers beat the Jazz.

Today’s Luka role is a bit like LeBron’s in 2020. LeBron's role is a bit like Rondo in 2020.

——Laravia: "I'll get one too!"

Golf quotient is on the table.

The Lakers started with three ball-handlers, and then maintained two ball-handlers throughout the game:

Smart replaced LeBron in the half quarter.

Luka and Reeves take over, then Luka + LeBron.

At the beginning of the second quarter, Reeves + LeBron + Ayton + Laravia + Vincent.

After that, Luka played Reeves and LeBron respectively.

In the third quarter, Smart replaced Hachimura, Smart + LeBron + Reeves + Luca + Ayton. The back four played for a short while, and Hachimura replaced LeBron.

At the end of the third quarter, Luka + Laravia opened the score in one breath: After Luka lost weight, the "forward one-handed long throw" commonly used in the European Championships continued to flourish today.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, LeBron connected Ayton and Laravia with 6 assists in one breath, opening up 17 points in one breath, and the game ended.

The Lakers basically maintained a dual-ball core throughout the game, but their roles were different:

Reaves scored 26 points on 11 shots and 12 free throws, a season low of 1 assist.

LeBron had 11 points and 12 assists on 7 shots.

Luka made 22 shots, 16 free throws, 37 points and 10 assists.

Reeves scored, LeBron instigated, and Luka had the whole package.

The most interesting thing about the Lakers today: Hachimura started, but Laravia spent more time than him in the follow-up. It's a bit straightforward to say this, but it's clear that Laravia's golf business is higher than Hachimura's.

When Luka took the lead in the third quarter today, Luka broke through and scored Lalavia → Lalavia then broke through and transferred → Luka made a three-pointer from the bottom corner.

Luca: It’s so fun to make your own cake and eat it yourself!

In the fourth quarter, LeBron received the ball at the waist, Laravia immediately cut inside the back door, received LeBron's pass and dunked.

With these two balls, Laravia's role is like the Lakers version of Braun: taking over, stitching, and creating new opportunities.

Hachimura, on the other hand, is shooting three-pointers...

LeBron moved generally today - he just came back - but his golf savvy is: at the end of the third quarter, he understood the Jazz's cooperation, switched to the weak side to defend Markkanen, filled in, rotated, and interfered with Markkanen's long shot.

Then pushed to the frontcourt and made a signature long pass across the field, allowing Vincent to succeed in a long shot.

Starting from this pass, LeBron made 7 assists in 5 minutes and opened up 17 points, contributing to Ayton's sixth game of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds - he had a total of 20+10 games in six games last season.

Luka took over and opened up the score difference. LeBron passed the ball to clear up the mess.

The Lakers' highest 30 assists in half a month, Laravia's highest 16 points:

After LeBron returned, the passing and cutting was indeed beneficial to golfers like Laravia - of course I didn't mean to say that Hachimura was not smart...