Y13 [EN]: Chapter 116

Y13-116 2010-2011 Playoffs Round 1 ==========================================================================

However, Portland wasn’t just going to concede. Andre Miller, matched up against Barea, began exploiting the size mismatch by posting up against the smaller 6’0″ (183cm) Barea, even though his jump shot wasn’t falling.

[J.J. Barea is hounding Andre Miller on defense! But it’s a tough assignment. Portland’s guards have a significant height and wingspan advantage over Dallas.]

[Everyone knows Andre Miller’s jump shot can be unreliable. That’s why Barea, despite the height disadvantage, is trying to disrupt Miller’s rhythm and throw him off balance!]

Despite Barea’s efforts, Andre Miller used his body skillfully, subtly creating space and backing Barea down towards the low post.

Swish!

[Despite J.J. Barea’s tenacious defense, Andre Miller manages to hit a turnaround jumper!]

Matt Devlin nodded, acknowledging the difficulty of defending Miller in that situation.

[J.J. Barea is giving it his all defensively. But considering Andre Miller’s hot hand today, it might be wise to give BoBoi more minutes; he’s taller than Barea. Dallas’s guards are struggling to contain Portland’s post-ups with both Kidd and Yoon on the bench.]

However, Dallas wasn’t about to let Portland extend their lead. Barea’s aggressive drives to the basket were becoming increasingly effective. Even with Youngjae on the bench, Barea was fulfilling his role as a slasher, ensuring the bench unit could run the same diverse offensive sets as the starters.

Thump, thump-

Barea, positioned at the top of the key, saw Haywood’s screen and immediately attacked the basket without hesitation.

[J.J. Barea!! He slices through the defense with incredible speed! What a drive!]

[Andre Miller is completely outmaneuvered by Barea’s quick penetration! Marcus Camby is forced to help!]

“Hmph!!”

Barea, recalling the lessons learned from the previous season’s playoffs, had been diligently working on his game, and now he was reaping the rewards. Undeterred by Marcus Camby’s significant height advantage, Barea took a step with his right foot and bounced the ball one last time. As Camby committed to contesting the shot, Barea gathered the ball with both hands and took a long step to the opposite side with his left foot.

[Is that a Euro step!! J.J. Barea, for a moment, he’s channeling Manu Ginobili with that incredible footwork! Marcus Camby is caught off guard!]

“Barea! Nice!! Keep attacking!”

“Faster, faster!!”

Youngjae and Brewer, watching from the bench, erupted in cheers, captivated by Barea’s daring drive. However, Marcus Camby, Portland’s premier defensive center, was a formidable opponent. Although initially fooled by the hesitation moves, he quickly recovered, closing the gap and pressuring Barea, who struggled against Camby’s physicality and was forced backward.

“Ugh!!”

Thump, thump!!

The ball was knocked loose to the side. Barea, pushed back by Camby’s physical play, stumbled backward, but the referee didn’t call a foul. Brandon Haywood and Rudy Fernandez, both nearby, simultaneously reached for the loose ball and roughly contested possession.

Beebeebeep!!!

The referee immediately stopped play, calling for a jump ball. However, Haywood, still frustrated by the lack of a foul call on Barea’s drive, snatched the ball aggressively as soon as Rudy Fernandez relaxed his grip.

[Such unnecessary aggression could be costly in a jump ball situation!]

[Brandon Haywood is fortunate not to be called for a foul, but he needs to control his emotions. In a tight game like this, a flagrant foul could easily swing the momentum.]

Following the jump ball, which Brandon Haywood secured, Coach Carlisle called a quick 20-second timeout and made a wholesale substitution, replacing all five players. He wanted to check on Barea, who had taken a hard fall, and the bench players had logged significant minutes, approximately 7-8, since the end of the first quarter, allowing the starters to rest.

[Dallas is reinserting the starting lineup, with one slight adjustment: Kidd, Youngjae Yoon, Brewer, Marion, and Chandler.]

[Inserting Corey Brewer suggests an attempt to exploit Portland’s defense with the high energy and speed of Youngjae Yoon and Corey Brewer. This game isn’t developing into the high-scoring affair Dallas prefers. Nowitzki has committed four turnovers due to tight coverage, and Atuul isn’t performing well. So, they seem to be trying to increase the tempo.]

[But with this lineup, the offensive burden falls heavily on Youngjae Yoon. He’s the only player who can consistently create his own shot. Nowitzki, Terry, and Barea are all on the bench. All five players on the court are strong defensively, and four of them (excluding Kidd) are fast, but they might struggle in half-court sets.]

[Nowitzki’s field goal percentage is down today, while Kidd and Yoon are shooting well. It appears they’re aiming to widen the lead by tightening the defense and relying on outside shots or pick-and-roll plays initiated by Yoon.]

The initial possession after the jump ball resulted in a failed attack, but Dallas quickly recovered, thwarting Portland’s attempt and securing the rebound.

[Portland seems determined to push the pace, especially with Andre Miller’s shooting touch. But this time, he’s facing Jason Kidd!]

[It’s nearly impossible to execute a turnaround jumper against Kidd. He possesses excellent size, skill, and basketball IQ for his position, and he’s arguably one of the league’s best post-up defenders among point guards. Andre Miller is roughly the same age as Kidd, and these two are considered giants in terms of post-up play among current point guards.]

[Okay! Jason Kidd grabs the rebound! He immediately fires a long outlet pass downcourt! It’s a fast break opportunity!]

Kidd, after securing the defensive rebound, launched a pinpoint outlet pass. Matt Devlin was astonished to see Youngjae and Brewer sprinting down the court after the ball.

[Oh my god!! It’s Youngjae Yoon and Corey Brewer! When did they get into that position! They’re running at full speed! And Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler are trailing behind them.]

[This is the up-tempo style of basketball that Rick Carlisle wants to play. Youngjae Yoon receives Kidd’s pass and delivers a perfect bounce pass to Corey Brewer, who’s streaking ahead!]

Brewer grinned as he caught Youngjae’s perfectly placed pass and accelerated towards the basket.

[The pass beats Gerald Wallace and Rudy Fernandez! No one can stop Corey Brewer with this kind of momentum!]

Kwaaang!!!

“Waaah!!!”

Brewer, with both hands, slammed the ball through the hoop with authority. While the dunk lacked the sheer power of a big man’s slam, the sleek, athletic finish was impressive.

[Corey Brewer!!!! An incredible two-handed slam!!]

[That’s his game! Corey Brewer! Defense, fast break! It might be best for Corey Brewer to focus on his strengths and become a specialist in those areas! He may not have a reliable outside shot, but his defensive prowess and athleticism more than compensate.]

[They had closed the gap to 40-36, but now it’s 42-36! The score difference remains significant!]

As soon as Brewer landed, he bumped foreheads with Youngjae, congratulating him on the assist, and they exchanged pats on the head. It was a display of camaraderie, like warriors celebrating a hard-fought victory.

The second half unfolded in a similar pattern: a back-and-forth affair. Portland managed to prevent the score from widening significantly, but they couldn’t close the gap. It was the low-scoring game they wanted, but their shooting percentage remained subpar.

[Dirk Nowitzki! He fights through the double team of Gerald Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge!]

[If you watch closely, Nowitzki’s movement from the top of the key, past the left elbow, towards the wing, draws Gerald Wallace away from Youngjae Yoon. He intentionally created that path to attract Gerald Wallace’s attention!]

Kevin McHale’s observation was spot on. As soon as Nowitzki saw Gerald Wallace commit to the double team, he passed the ball to Youngjae, who was open on the left side of the three-point line.

“Hmph!”

Youngjae raised his hands as if to shoot a three-pointer, but with a quick fake, he passed the ball to Jason Kidd on the left wing. Even Patrick Mills was rushing towards him, leaving Jason Kidd completely unguarded.

[JASON KIDD!! FOR THREE!!]

Swish!

[YEEES!!! HE SINKS IT! ANOTHER ONE!]

[Kidd’s three-point shooting has been a huge asset this year, continuing from last year. He shot over 40% last season and over 35% in the regular season this year. Today, he’s 3 for 7 from beyond the arc! Jason Kidd’s clutch three-pointers continue to deflate Portland’s comeback attempts!]

Jason Kidd’s improved three-point shooting made life difficult for Portland. Even Youngjae, playing alongside Kidd, was displaying excellent shooting accuracy, going 5 for 7 from the field, including 2 for 2 from three-point range. With Kidd’s consistent outside shooting, the Dallas offense became incredibly dangerous, capable of scoring from anywhere on the perimeter.

[Andre Miller! He lobs the ball towards the rim from the top of the key!]

[LaMarcus Aldridge soars!]

Andre Miller, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Marcus Camby continued to fuel Portland’s comeback efforts, but it wasn’t enough. Miller, from the top of the key, threw a perfectly timed alley-oop pass, catching Chandler and Nowitzki off guard, who could only watch to avoid conceding an and-one opportunity.

[BANG!!! LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE!]

[Aldridge has five alley-oop dunks today!!]

[But it’s not enough. They keep chipping away, but the score remains seven points apart. The deficit is now three possessions!]

Coach Carlisle managed the game conservatively as it entered the fourth quarter, with the score difference remaining steady. Portland, believing they could close the seven-point gap, relied heavily on their starters. However, Carlisle, aware of his team’s veteran status, strategically used defensive-minded players from the bench and younger players with more energy to manage playing time.

However, in the intensity of the playoffs, it was crucial to have scoring threats on the court. Despite Nowitzki’s struggles due to tight defense, Carlisle ensured that at least two of Nowitzki, Youngjae, Barea, and Terry were on the floor together as much as possible.

============================ Work Afterword ============================

★Thank you to those who gave advance subscriptions, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

@Now, most of the big-name contracts are over. It seems like there won’t be any contracts over 10M per year, as Reggie Jackson re-signed at a more expensive price than expected. LeBron will re-sign soon because Cleveland is holding on to all of its players.

@And the NBA Summer League has begun. Unfortunately, Lee Jong-hyun was not invited to the Summer League. The San Antonio Spurs called him in for a test, and the Brooklyn Nets seriously considered signing him, but in the end, it didn’t bear fruit. All teams offered to play in the D-League [NBA G League], but Lee Jong-hyun is still a student, so it wasn’t possible. In addition, he couldn’t raise his body to 100% because he had to receive 4 weeks of basic military training to be exempted from military service. Still, it was a good challenge. I hope he gets a chance next year or the year after.

Cheonsa’s Apology/// Oh, is this the first comment? Thank you!!

Cup in a Cup/// Now San Antonio also needs to fill the empty bench as a matter of urgency. The bench has become too empty compared to last year. Joseph, Belinelli, Splitter, and Baines left, and Manu, Duncan, and Parker are one year older.

Yabes/// Yes. If there is a lockout, the season will be shortened, so the players’ performance will be poor and the number of games will be reduced, so the popularity seems to plummet.

misscherry, Cabbage Night, Brilliant Legacy, Kundara, Lapierre and Jint, CountOfDark, Financier, Omarion/// Thank you for your comments!! Have a good day tomorrow~

H0h/// Haha… I have to watch and buy well, lol

papilion/// I’m proud that you feel that way, haha

1234567890123/// I’m here, Your Majesty!!

huhcafe/// Youngjae is really exploding, lol