188: 093: Ignoring the specifically arranged players, dad, I’ve wasted my learning!
(Ask for monthly tickets!)_4 188: 093: Ignoring the specifically arranged players, dad, I’ve wasted my learning!
(Ask for monthly tickets!)_4 1 to 2.
Grant’s recent help defense was fast enough, and O’Neal had filled the paint, but Jordan still managed to score.
He looked very dominant, and most Jordan fans believed that he, having entered playoff mode, could definitely take down the Magic.
On the Magic’s second offense, Roger controlled the ball beyond the three-point line.
He had intended to make the play himself, curious about what kind of targeted tactics the Zen Master would use against him.
But the indignant O’Neal signaled for the ball; he didn’t believe some damned Aussie could stop him from advancing.
“Damn it, Roger, give me the ball!”
Roger passed the ball in; he too had yelled at O’Neal countless times, so when the game wasn’t at a crisis point yet, he didn’t refuse O’Neal the ball.
The instant Shaq got the ball, Jordan appeared beside him.
The Bulls’ targeted tactics against O’Neal today were more than just a simple Hack-a-Shaq; the Zen Master had set up a complete double-teaming strategy for Shaq.
In the regular season, it was Kukoc and Webber who double-teamed Shaq.
But this meant that Grant would get many opportunities for mid-range shots.
Today, when in the right position, the Bulls would use their perimeter players to double-team Shaq.
Not to mention that passing the ball out for Shaq wasn’t easy, but even if he managed it, with Jordan’s ability, he could immediately get back in front of Harper—that was the crucial difference between him and Webber.
Webber would always struggle to find his original matchup after a double team.
The only flaw to this approach was that it was very draining for the Bulls’ perimeter players, but to limit Shaq, the Bulls had to do it.
O’Neal tried to force a turnaround jump shot, but as soon as he turned, Jordan swiped the ball away.
Shaq threw up his arms: “That Aussie idiot almost ripped my jersey off, and that damned number 45 nearly swelled my hand!”
Such complaints were futile.
Bulls’ defense held off Shaq once more; their targeted strategy worked again.
Of course, Phil Jackson knew that such defense couldn’t work every round.
Jordan or another person coming to double-team O’Neal couldn’t succeed in stealing the ball or forcing Shaq to pass each time.
The Bulls couldn’t completely shut down O’Neal, but if they could reduce his efficiency to a level where the Bulls should win, that would be enough.
Quickly countering, after Jordan’s steal, he sent a long pass to Pippen, whose strong athleticism allowed him to dunk the ball easily with both hands.
NBC’s Steve Jones remarked, “Black Jesus is still great, exerting force on both offense and defense, aiming to suppress the Magic from the start!”
Pippen also began to smile: “Roger, without you holding us back, I can finally win the championship.”
“Are you talking about holding back like when a teammate refuses to play and still hits the game-winning shot?”
“You’re the one who started talking to me, idiot.”
In this exchange of trash talk, Pippen was completely outclassed by Roger.
But it didn’t matter; Pippen believed as long as he could win against Roger on defense, that was enough.
Pippen was very confident about this because the Zen Master had also prepared several targeted tactics for Roger.
He just had to follow them to take down that bastard!
This time on offense, the Magic, O’Neal behaved and didn’t ask for the ball.
After consecutive misses, he needed to let Roger try.
Roger gestured, calling Grant up for a screen.
Pick and roll, the strategy that Roger had used to destroy the Bulls’ defense during the regular season.
Chicagoans would never forget the first game of this season against the Bulls when, with O’Neal fouled out, Roger scored a career-high 50 points to slaughter the Bulls that night.
Roger’s secret in that game was pick and roll, incessantly running it with Grant.
Thanks to Webber and Kukoc’s poor help and switch defense, Roger exploited every gap left after the pick and roll.
Naturally, Roger was going to continue doing the same today.
With Grant’s screen in place, Roger quickly maneuvered around, but Webber aggressively hedged out behind Grant—the Bulls planned to limit Roger’s pick-and-roll penetration with a strong hedge!
This was indeed the best tactic against scoring guards.
Of course, every strategy has its pros and cons.
Because the defense hedged too far out, the strong hedge was most vulnerable to the ball-handler passing out quickly.
Therefore, Pippen had been blocking Roger’s passing lane, ready to cut it off at any moment.
Roger appeared to look down at the rolling Grant, seemingly intending to pass.
Seeing this, Webber prepared to move toward Grant.
After all, his role was just to delay Roger, not to double-team him outright.
But the next second, Roger suddenly accelerated past Webber’s side.
Webber couldn’t react in time and was easily bypassed by Roger.
Although Webber extended his arm to disturb Roger’s pull-up jump shot, such a minimal disruption was negligible for Roger.
The ball went in, two points scored.
Unlike with Shaq, the Bulls’ targeted tactics were utterly useless against Roger!
The Zen Master’s idea was right, but the person was wrong.
With Webber’s current defensive abilities, he simply couldn’t execute the strong hedge to limit Roger effectively.
3 to 4, the Bulls only led by one point.
On the next play, Jordan’s fadeaway missed under Harper’s strenuous defense, giving Roger the chance to take the lead.
The Bulls still intended to use the strong hedge to defend Roger and Grant’s pick and roll, but this time Webber hedged too hard, and when Roger passed the ball to Grant, Webber couldn’t get back in defense.
Grant took an easy mid-range shot and scored.
Roger smirked at Pippen, his former teammate: “Scott, cherish last summer because you’re going to find out soon that you won’t even make it to the Finals.”