frightfiction Chapter 553 Clippers' Ultimate Small Lineup
Chapter 553 Clippers' Ultimate Small Lineup
Jia Fei didn't ask for any screens and went straight for a strong drive to the round-faced player!
Round-faced Deng is also very fierce, going all out with his body. The two teams started with this kind of intensity, like a clash of titans!
Jia Fei attempted a layup, but missed!
But he has offensive rebounds!
Jia Fei grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it to Paul George in the corner!
Big open!
Tucker was already at the basket grabbing the rebound. That's how small lineups are; if you can't protect the rebounds, you need to collapse the defense. But if you collapse the defense, you'll leave open three points!
Paul George hits an open three-pointer! 3-0, the Clippers score first!
58 dribbled over and passed the ball to Harden.
The player guarding Harden changed from Jia Fei in the first three games to Dillon in this game, while the player guarding Tucker changed to Jia Fei.
Jia Fei is the Clippers' "true center" on the defensive end!
Dillon's defense is very good, and he is physically strong, making him a perfect fit for guarding Harden, who is also physically strong.
Back when he was with the Suns, P.J. Tucker was the perfect choice to defend Harden. In one game, Tucker guarded Harden, and the latter had an embarrassing record of 0 for 10 three-pointers.
The Clippers' defense was as follows: Dillon guarded Harden, Beverley guarded 58, Gallinari guarded House, George guarded Harden, and Jia Fei guarded Tucker.
"Why send Jia Fei to defend Tucker, who only shoots spot-up for the Rockets?" Wang Zixing asked, puzzled. "Wouldn't it be better to send Gallinari to defend him?"
Su Qun smiled and said, "This way, we can maximize Jia Fei's defensive support capabilities, as Gallinari's defensive support capabilities are not very good."
58 dribbled the ball against Beverley, Tucker came up to screen, and the Clippers immediately switched on defense.
58 vs. Jia Fei!
58 dribbles past Jia Fei and passes to Tucker under the basket!
However, Tucker missed a layup against Beverley's defense!
Jia Fei grabbed the rebound and launched a fast break!
The Rockets' small lineup gets back on defense very quickly, leaving little opportunity in the frontcourt. Jia Fei immediately slowed down and started a half-court offense!
Jia Fei, holding the ball, faced the round-faced Deng and passed it to the other side, where he played with pickled pepper.
Paul George tried to take a shot at Tucker, but missed!
Harden gets the rebound!
Harden pushed the fast break and passed to the round-faced Harden who followed up on the weak side, but the ball was stolen by Jia Fei!
Jia Fei made a pass to Gallinari in the frontcourt, who scored a layup!
5-0, Clippers lead!
"I get it now! So, having Jia Fei guard Tucker means that no matter who Tucker sets a screen for, the Clippers just need to switch. Plus, Jia Fei can help defend, maximizing his impact!" Wang Zixing exclaimed in realization.
Su Qun nodded: "The Clippers' strength lies in Jia Fei. He is too strong on the defensive end. The Rockets cannot break the Clippers' small lineup with Jia Fei at center without a strong inside player."
On the sidelines, Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni was deep in thought; his worst fear had come true. He wasn't unfamiliar with the Clippers' small-ball lineup; he'd watched those games countless times how the Warriors had fallen last season. The Clippers certainly didn't have a true small-ball center, but neither did the Rockets! Therefore, in this situation, Jia Fei's role as a temporary small-ball center was more important than any other player in the Rockets' small-ball lineup.
Unless the Rockets can acquire a star like Anthony Davis, it will indeed be difficult to break through the opponent's defense.
The defensive strategy was to switch on and off pick-and-rolls repeatedly. When Jia Fei was defending Tucker, he would rotate to the basket from time to time to help and sweep.
The Rockets were also leaving Dillon open from time to time, but Harden rarely helped on defense. Many times, he left Dillon open so he could grab rebounds under the basket. In this respect, he's just like the Running Man cast; everyone named "James" likes to grab rebounds...
The Rockets found themselves on the back foot. After a timeout, 58 and Harden began relentlessly targeting Gallinari. Of the Clippers' starting five, Gallinari was the weakest defensively.
Gallinari's one-on-one defense was actually passable, but he couldn't keep up with the relentless isolation plays from 58 and Harden. He started accumulating fouls and quickly went to the bench after accumulating two personal fouls.
After Gallinari went down, Jeff Green came in to replace him.
Jeff Green's defense is actually just average, not much better than Gallinari's. But Jeff Green's strengths over Gallinari lie in his better fast break offense and his superior ability to score in mismatches.
With Jeff Green, the Clippers have another player who can handle the ball, making their fast breaks even more potent, which makes it harder for the Rockets to execute their pick-and-roll tactics.
The Rockets are now hoping it will be time for their rotation so that Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, the two players who are good at giving away points, can come in and score.
The result was a huge surprise to the Rockets. The Clippers didn't play either of those two players, and the bench consisted of Jeff Green, Bridges, and White.
Until the end of the first quarter, the Clippers did not bring Lou Williams or Montrezl Harrell back into the game!
The live broadcast switched the camera to the Clippers' bench, and when it focused on Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, one of them was expressionless, while the other looked angry.
Were these two players banned from this match?
At the start of the second quarter, not only were Lou Williams and Harrell absent, but Olynyk, who had started in the previous few games, was also out.
Has Olynyk also been DNP'd?
Not only were the Rockets stunned, but even Wang Zixing, who was in charge of the commentary, was a little confused.
"Teacher Su, are the Clippers not letting Olynyk, Lou Williams, and Harrell play in this game?" Wang Zixing asked.
Su Qun frowned slightly: "It seems so. I think the coaching staff is probably determined to compete with the Rockets using a small lineup, so none of the three of them are playing."
The Clippers definitely don't plan to play these three players. They're going all out with an eight-man rotation in this game.
The Rockets are the first team to force the Clippers to play center and not use the Lou Williams and Harrell pick-and-roll duo.
The Rockets may not be stronger than the Warriors, but they are definitely a more extreme team. Even if Kerr plays Green at center, he wouldn't use only a 7-man rotation, but D'Antoni does.
The two teams went toe-to-toe, but the Clippers' overall defensive strength was superior, and their better and more effective rotation players came into play, giving them the lead at halftime.
Jeff Green can attack with the ball, break down the fast break, and shoot threes. Defensively, he can guard everyone, showcasing his versatility in this game. Rockets fans are incredibly envious; a player like that only needs a minimum salary, why didn't the Rockets sign him then?
Bridges is an amazing 3-and-D wing player. He's fast enough to lead the defense, and his help defense and switching are excellent. Plus, he doesn't dominate the ball and can shoot threes and mid-range shots, finally showing his unique value at a higher level.
As for White, he can handle the ball, plays solid defense, and has a clear mind. He's a solid performer as a backcourt rotation player!
Compared to the Clippers' three perimeter rotation players, the Rockets' Shumpert and Gerald Green are really much worse; it's truly a case of "comparison is the thief of joy."