met free Chapter 831 Alexander's First Show
Chapter 831 Alexander's First Show
Chapter 831 Alexander's First Show
It can be seen that the Thunder's offensive and defensive system has not changed much because of Paul George's departure.They are still the same as the previous two seasons, starting from defense, using unlimited defense changes to the extreme, forcing the opponent to make mistakes, and then seizing the opportunity to fight back.Westbrook is still the starting point, and at the same time, he is also the core player for the Thunder to counterattack and score fast breaks.His speed and explosiveness can easily get rid of the pursuers behind him, and his scoring efficiency under the rebound is also very stable.Moreover, his vision and passing ability can give three-point shooters such as An Luo and Gallinari more opportunities.
As far as the current situation is concerned, the Thunder still maintains their level of last season very well on the offensive end.Gallinari's performance in this half of the game has satisfied everyone in the Thunder.Especially the suppressive firepower of him and An Luo on the outside made it impossible for the Raptors to deal with it.Two three-point shooters with a shooting percentage of more than [-]%, and both have relatively good breakthrough ability. Either one needs to be strictly guarded against death, and the Thunder has two at the same time!
Based on this alone, the deal between the Thunder and the Clippers is not too bad.There is no significant decline in combat effectiveness, and the hidden dangers in the locker room have also been resolved.What's more, they have a second-year player who played well in the preseason on the bench.If the Clippers can't go further than the Thunder this season, then they will become losers in this deal.However, Paul George's ability is beyond doubt. With the new team getting more opportunities, he will definitely perform better than last season.
Of course, the problem is also obvious.Like everyone agreed before the game, the Thunder's defensive strength has declined.Although under Donovan's "unlimited defense" system, the individual's defensive ability is made up for by the team's overall defense, but those problems always exist.For example, Siakam continuously faced Gallinari through the pick-and-roll of his teammates, and then used his personal ability to force the latter.Once Robertson assists in the defense, Anunobi is not a fuel-efficient lamp.It is precisely for this reason that Donovan finally made up his mind to put Grant, who improved greatly last season, on the bench. Robertson's offensive ability is still the same, but he is on the court no matter whether it is a matchup or against other Thunder players. Defensive help is bigger.
It would be great if Grant and Robertson became one!But where in the world is there anything perfect?Donovan already feels lucky, and he is full of hope for the current Thunder team.
Nearly halfway through the first quarter, Westbrook took a break.He is also 32 years old!Although this age should still be at the peak for many stars, Westbrook's peak has passed.Last season, he further delegated power and planned to abdicate.This is of course for the harmony of the team as a whole, and it is also related to his long-term style of play.Many stars began to transform after their thirties and began to eat technology. Westbrook also tried to use other offensive methods to score, but it was obviously not very successful. Instead, he went further and further on the road of the traditional No. 35 position .Coupled with the fact that he has some minor injuries all the time, his playing time will be reduced this season.At least in the regular season, he will no longer play 6 or [-] minutes as often as in previous seasons.
Second-year player Alexander made his debut with the Thunder.Donovan directly asked him to play in the second position, and An Luo was replaced in the first position.It's a decision Donovan made after trial and error in the preseason.An Luo's ball handling, vision and passing ability have been unanimously recognized by everyone. Even Westbrook lamented that An Luo is enough to become an All-Star point guard.Alexander can pass the ball, but compared to his performance in scoring, his organizational skills are relatively weak.Especially in the two aspects of singles with the ball and breakthroughs, he has done better than most players in the Thunder.Another point is that this guy's shooting with the ball is far less accurate than catching and shooting.This is destined to make Alexander more suitable as a scorer.
Resting with Westbrook was Robertson. After all, he had just recovered from a serious injury, and he fought with the aggressive Siakam for 5 minutes.He was replaced by Grant, a player who can serve as the starting four.
In this way, the Thunder's lineup on the court became An Luo, Alexander, Gallinari, Grant and Adams.The defensive threat of this lineup on the field has indeed been reduced, but the offense has also been upgraded again.
As soon as he came up, An Luo helped Alexander score his first goal in the Thunder.
He takes the ball to the top of the key, throws off the defense with Adams' screen, and then drives straight into the paint.At the same time, Adams also took advantage of the trend to lean towards the basket, pressing Van Vleet, who had switched defenses, and squeezed into the penalty area; Gallinari settled outside the three-point line on the right, involving the Raptors' perimeter defense.Almost everyone focused their attention on the free throw line, but An Luo kept observing the positions of his teammates.He is very aware of his situation, as long as he gets the ball, no matter where he is, he will be taken care of by the opponent.Especially without Westbrook on the court, when the team needs him to hold the ball, he must use the "preferential treatment" given to him by the opponent to create opportunities for others.
Soon, An Luo seized the opportunity to pass the ball through the crowd.The Thunder teenager Alexander just walked around the sideline to a 45-degree angle on the left.If it was An Luo and Gallinari, they would have shot a three-pointer directly, but Alexander's three-pointer was not brilliant.So, after he received the ball, he shook Powell with a fake move, then stepped to the left of the free throw line in two steps, made a 180-degree turn around the supplementary defense, went up to Ibaka, flew up, and picked the ball into the basket .
A beautiful attack.An Luo and Alexander are two guys, one dares to pass and the other dares to fight.But whenever a certain player of the Raptors leans a little to the left, An Luo will pass the ball to the opponent's arms.And Alexander's offense is also very good, he is very aware of his ability, did not take a shot, but made the most correct choice.
On the way back to defense, Alexander and An Luo clapped hands in the middle circle.
The image thrilled fans at Chesapeake Energy Arena.No team can continue to be strong, and everyone will experience troughs.But the current Thunder does not seem to have this concern. With 23-year-old An Luo and 21-year-old Alexander, with these two people, even if Westbrook retires in a few years, the Thunder will not lose their competitiveness.
(End of this chapter)