Thibodeau looked at the situation on the court with a serious expression.

Although expectations have been raised, the Mavericks' overall strength is still stronger than he expected.

Especially on the defensive end.

As the saying goes, an expert judges an expert, and he can tell whether something is good or not just by looking at it.

The Mavericks have never been a team that excels in defense. When the Warriors eliminated the Mavericks in the first round, Nowitzki was asked by "Little General" Johnson to play center and compete with the Warriors with a one-big-four-small style.

Even after Carlisle came, the Mavericks' average points lost per game was still around 100 points all year round.

Changing the team culture is not something that can be done overnight. Of course, more importantly, a good cook cannot cook without rice. Dampier, the former starting center of the Mavericks and the self-proclaimed "second center in the league", is a real fake and was once squeezed to the bench by Diop.

But the addition of Tyson Chandler changed all that.

This center, who was beaten by Yao Ming before entering the league, has made significant progress in the league in recent years. He is excellent in one-on-one defense, especially his rare assisting defense ability that can cover the three-point line, which has directly brought about a qualitative change in the Mavericks' inside defense.

With the addition of Kidd, Stevenson and Marion, Carlisle finally built an excellent defensive system.

In a sense, this is very similar to the defensive system of Digital Man in 2001, which is "four protecting one".

It’s just the same system, the biggest difference lies in the “one”.

Although Nowitzki's defense is average, it is still much better than Iverson.

A little-known fact is that Nowitzki's average number of steals and blocks per game in his career is about 1.

In the 2004 playoffs against the Kings, he averaged 1.4 steals and 2.6 blocks per game.

The impression that he is not good at defense comes more from his lateral disadvantage when playing big defense. In the confrontation in the interior, he is much better than many people think.

Therefore, the overall defensive strength of the Mavericks is a level stronger than that of the digital man back then.

The key for the Bulls now is to try to break the scoring drought on the court.

Xu Yong continued to hold the ball in the positional battle, but he did not play one-on-one like before. Instead, he signaled to move away and let Yao Ming fall to the low post, and then fed the ball in.

The Mavericks' defense is so good that the simpler the game is, the better.

Facts have proved that this was the right choice. After receiving the ball, Yao Ming turned around and made a hook shot, breaking the Bulls' scoring drought.

Chandler is excellent in confrontation and moves quickly. He is no match for Howard and O'Neal. He is even good at capturing breakthrough players.

However, facing Yao Ming's style of play that uses softness to overcome hardness, his effect will not be much better than Howard's.

Moreover, Yao Ming is now very experienced and his flexibility has increased a lot due to his weight loss. He doesn't even wait for your help in defense and goes straight to attack.

During the Mavericks' offense, the ball finally came into Nowitzki's hands. Nowitzki faked a shot from the three-point line, shook off O'Neal and rushed to the free throw line. After attracting Yao Ming's help defense, he passed the ball directly to Marion who cut in with the help of Chandler's screen. The latter flew and shot the ball off the bank to score two more points.

This attack was so powerful that it was extremely entertaining.

And the Mavericks players really don't stick to the ball.

This is European style of basketball played in the NBA.

This may not be noticed by many people, but it is very similar to the Spurs in the 2013-2014 season, a serious team basketball.

The Bulls players were a little panicked, and Rose made another mistake in passing the ball, sending it out of bounds.

There was a commotion at the scene.

Playoff experience is a relatively abstract thing, but to describe it specifically, it is the ability to withstand pressure and the ability to adjust on the court.

The Bulls have a stronger lineup, but they are far inferior to the Mavericks in playoff experience.

Not to mention the playoffs, the only person on the Bulls who has experienced the finals is head coach Thibodeau, and that was as an assistant coach.

As for the Mavericks, Kidd and Nowitzki, who are on the court right now, have both experienced the baptism of the finals.

On this field, they were clearly the more experienced side.

8 to 2, and the Mavericks have the ball.

The Bulls got off to a bad start.

Thibodeau stood up from the bench and shouted to remind his players to focus on the game.

But this reminder did not work, or the Mavericks, who had just finished a big battle with the Thunder, were obviously in better shape than the Bulls, who had not played for nearly a week.

Nowitzki cut into the basket, received the pass from Kidd and made a flying layup.

But just before the ball reached its highest point, a figure suddenly rushed out from the side and slapped the ball directly onto the backboard.

It’s Xu Yong!

The player he was defending tonight was Stevenson, who was under the least defensive pressure tonight.

This allows him to provide more assist defense on the court.

Of course, more importantly, although he has never played in the finals, as he showed in his previous conversation with Thibodeau, he knows the strength of the Mavericks, so he was the most focused player on the Bulls side tonight.

After completing the block, Xu Yong took advantage of the air time to grab the rebound, then turned around and passed the ball to Rose on the outside.

The Mavericks' three-man perimeter lineup has a quick retreat awareness and speed, but Rose is even faster.

After accelerating past Kidd, he faced Stevenson and made a fast break layup without slowing down and pulling up the lever.

This goal made up for the previous pass error.

And more importantly, with this attack and defense, the Bulls finally turned around the momentum that had been under pressure.

"Defend! Defend!"

The fans at the scene also started to get excited and cheered for the home team in unison.

However, the Mavericks have really come through many ups and downs, and they are not at all panicked in the face of this situation.

Kidd continued to control the court with his back to Rose on the outside, and he passed the ball directly to Nowitzki after he went outside the three-point line.

Nowitzki faked a breakthrough and then shot directly from beyond the three-point line.

“Swish!”

The ball's parabola was very high, but it fell straight into the net like a meteorite from outer space.

Nowitzki's condition is absolutely fine.

11 to 4.

The Mavericks continued to maintain their lead.

Thibodeau was a little restless at this time. At the beginning of the game, Nowitzki did not play one-on-one in the high and low posts as he expected, but kept floating on the outside looking for opportunities. O'Neal's footsteps and reaction were at a great disadvantage.

This is the same situation as when playing against the Thunder. Ibaka and Perkins were unable to stop him, and it was also difficult for O'Neal Jr.

The scene was also very restless.

The pressure that the Mavericks brought to the Bulls was completely different from that of the previous Heat.

This is like playing a game. Everything is easy and fun at the beginning, but suddenly the next level becomes hellishly difficult. Regardless of whether you can pass it or not, you can't adapt to it all of a sudden.

During the Bulls' offense, Xu Yong continued to hold the ball from the outside and passed it inside.

This time, Yao Ming encountered Stevenson's double-teaming as soon as he received the ball.

The Mavericks' defensive reaction speed is as sensitive as a woman's emotions.

However, Yao Ming reacted quickly and returned the ball to Xu Yong.

Xu Yong did not rush to shoot. He waited until Stevenson came back to defense, then he sped up the pass and stuffed the ball in.

After receiving the ball, Yao Ming turned around and made a jump shot directly to the baseline.

The movement wasn't that big, but Chandler had no idea what to do.

It is absolutely unprecedented for a 2.26-meter tall man to do this kind of action, and so fast.

Of course, there is another very important point, which is shoulder width. Good shoulder width can allow players to separate themselves from defenders when turning around to attack and avoid being disturbed.

Yao Ming's shoulders are so broad that O'Neal looks like a little shark when he looks at him from the sidelines.

Carlisle rubbed his chin vigorously with his hand at this time.

Although the Bulls were still behind in the score, Yao Ming's consecutive scores in the low post also put pressure on him.

The Mavericks are slightly better in terms of form and experience, but the Bulls are undoubtedly superior in overall strength.

And the Bulls are slowly adapting to the Mavericks' intensity.

Marion's layup was blocked by Yao Ming again, and the Mavericks' offense was also interrupted.

Fortunately, the Mavericks retreated quickly enough this time and did not allow the Bulls to launch a fast break.

Both sides continued to play positional defense in the front court, and Xu Yong continued to pass the ball in.

This time, Yao Ming shot against the assist defense, causing Chandler to commit a defensive foul and go to the free throw line.

After making two free throws, Yao Ming scored 6 points in a row, bringing the score to 11 to 8.

The Mavericks' lead was eroded to one round in the blink of an eye.

This is the importance of top inside players in this era.

This is not the era when Kerr played small ball with five players in the World Cup.

Chandler played an indispensable role in the Mavericks' victory over the Heat. At the Mavericks' championship celebration party, no one started eating until he arrived.

Because of his presence, the Mavericks' restricted area can be impregnable on the defensive end, and even forced Spoelstra to make a game strategy of causing Chandler to foul at the beginning of the game; he is also underestimated on the offensive end, as he can directly bombard the restricted area by cutting down and receiving the ball after the pick-and-roll.

But the Bulls are not the Heat. The Bulls have an advantage in the interior because of Yao Ming.

"Defend! Defend!"

The fans' cheers and shouts rang out again.

Chicago is destined to be restless tonight.

The Bulls' defensive intensity continued to increase amid the cheers, and it was obviously not as easy for the Mavericks to score as at the beginning.

Nowitzki continued to receive the ball from the outside, and this time his shooting action forced O'Neal to rush forward, and he directly received the ball and went to the basket.

His movements were not fast, but he had a strong sense of rhythm. Facing Yao Ming's assisting defense, he almost lost his balance and turned around to make a low-hand layup.

It felt like the Silver Horn King was dancing a tango at the entrance of the flat-top cave.

The shouts from the scene disappeared instantly. What is the away silencer?

Nowitzki's condition is just like those people in the martial arts world who have mastered martial arts to perfection. A second-rate master like O'Neal is completely defenseless against him.

During the transition from offense to defense, Carlisle stood up and waved to the sidelines, and the Mavericks adjusted their defensive strategy from man-to-man defense to 2-3 zone defense.

He recognized Yao Ming's advantage in the interior and used a double team to protect the restricted area.

As experienced users of double-team defense, the Bulls naturally knew how to break it. Yao Ming went straight to the free throw line to receive the ball and assist.

The Mavericks' zone defense was very skilled, and the Bulls didn't get any chances to cut into the restricted area. At this time, they could only rely on the outside shooting accuracy.

The ball was finally passed to Rose on the outside, who attempted a three-pointer.

"when!"

Missed the basket.

Chandler secures the defensive rebound.

The Bulls' first wave of attack against zone defense was not successful.

Fortunately, the 2-3 zone defense made it difficult to launch a counterattack, and the Bulls quickly retreated to their position.

Rose tried to steal the ball from Kidd but was called for a foul.

Seeing this, Thibodeau turned around and called Hinrich and Battier, and the two of them came on the court to replace Rose and O'Neal Jr.

Rose looked a little depressed when he left the court. Apart from that fast break layup, his performance tonight was generally struggling.

Although this is actually normal, after all, it is the first time for a third-year player to play in the finals.

As for O'Neal, who was replaced at the same time, Thibodeau also adjusted his defensive strategy and prepared to use a small player to defend Nowitzki.

The game continued, and Nowitzki reached out for the ball from the high post with his back to Battier.

This is the label of a mature star. If you use a big guy to defend me, I will kite you. If you use a small guy to defend me, I will play one-on-one.

The other Mavericks players also quickly moved away, and Kidd passed the ball in.

Hinrich double-teamed Nowitzki, who turned toward the baseline and threw the ball back to Kidd.

Facing Artest's rotation, Kidd calmly passed the ball to Marion at the free throw line, and Marion made a mid-range shot.

The Mavericks' offensive coordination is so tacit!

By exploiting one of your defensive weaknesses, we can break your entire defensive system.

Chicago fans are restless. Their biggest feeling now is that the Eastern Conference is really too weak.

From the Eastern Conference Finals to the Finals, it's like going from Asian basketball to European basketball.

At this point all the pressure is on the Bulls. If they can't break the Mavericks' double team defense on the offensive end, the Mavericks' offense will widen the gap again.

However, Yao Ming was restricted by the double team defense, so it was not easy for him to catch up with the score.

Yao Ming continued to assist at the free throw line and passed the ball to Hinrich. Hinrich did not dare to shoot and passed it to Xu Yong. After receiving the ball, Xu Yong shot directly.

The key to breaking the double team defense is the three-pointer. If you can't make the shot or don't dare to shoot, the opponent will continue to defend resolutely.

However, as the Mavericks' key defender, Xu Yong's shots will obviously not be that easy.

When Hinrich passed the ball, Marion had already let Artest rush over.

Xu Yong did not pass the ball. He resolutely completed the shot before Marion jumped.

The basketball flew over Marion's legs and headed for the basket.

“Swish!”

With a crisp sound, the basketball went straight through the net.gif.

At the critical moment, it was Xu Yong who stood up from the Bulls again!

"God, you tell me this is a second-year player?" On the commentary stand, Barkley, who had just tasted the "tiger urine", exclaimed.

He blocked Nowitzki in the first half and made a key three-pointer. The sophomore Xu Yong's debut on the stage of the finals was quite impressive.

Especially when compared with Rose, the new MVP of the same team, he looks even more dazzling.

Back on the defensive end, the Bulls continued to double-team Nowitzki, and this time Kidd got the chance to shoot directly from the outside.

"when!"

Kidd's response three-pointer was accompanied by a sound of iron hitting the target.

Although the Mavericks are in good shape, it is impossible for them to make every shot.

Yao Ming protected the defensive rebound, and Marion wisely chose to foul on the spot before he passed the ball.

The two sides continued their positional warfare.

In this round, the Mavericks' zone defense was even faster than in the previous round, and the Bulls did not have the three-point opportunities like in the previous round.

At this time, Xu Yong exchanged glances with Battier, and then the two exchanged offensive positions, and he squatted in the bottom corner.

The Bulls passed the ball from the outside for a while but had no chance, and the ball returned to Yao Ming at the free throw line.

Just at this moment, Yao Ming discovered a white figure flying quickly towards the baseline.

When he saw it was Xu Yong, he just passed the ball.

After receiving the ball, Xu Yong took a big step and flew into the air.

However, Chandler demonstrated his top-notch rim protection ability, quickly retreating to the basket and blocking Xu Yong.

Chandler is 2.13 meters tall and has a wingspan of 2.21 meters. Coupled with his confrontational nature, it would be virtually impossible for even Xu Yong to dunk over him head-on.

However, what he didn't expect was that after seeing his action, Xu Yong directly made a large horizontal pull-up in the air and completed the shot after avoiding his block.gif!

Chandler just watched the ball fly past his eyes and tried to catch it but failed.

At this time, the scene was already filled with exclamations.

The difficulty level of Xu Yong's shot was extremely high.

"Bang!"

The basketball went over Chandler, hit the backboard, and then fell diagonally into the net.

Cheers instantly filled the United Center.

Xu Yong, Xu Yong, it’s still Xu Yong!

15 to 13.

After Xu Yong scored 5 points in a row, the Bulls narrowed the gap to one goal!

In the audience, Jordan even raised his hand to applaud Xu Yong's performance.

White horse and long spear, the Bulls' home jersey looks so suitable!