No.1 in basketball scoring-Chapter 851 - 366. Demon-Slaying Blade!_3

Vincent: "Why?"

Carlisle: "Actually, it was Jack who proposed it. His ideal team is where all players’ roles are tactical. I really like his concept, just like college basketball, but I’m not sure if he’s purely idealistic or truly willing. The tactical roles will inevitably reduce the ball possession of the star players."

Vincent: "From what I’ve learned about Jack over the past year, he doesn’t care much about ball possession. He just loves shooting."

Carlisle: "I decided to make this adjustment because of my understanding of him, but I’m still worried.

Although Jack is fully committed to helping his teammates adjust during tactical detail adjustments, it’s different from when we start executing the offensive tactics with him as the spearhead.

Back then, when we were planning the games, we didn’t specify who must be the primary attack point. He was strong, got more opportunities through tactical positioning, and thus shot more than his teammates. After the adjustment period, when we start executing tactics for real and designate him as the primary scorer, his game mentality will surely change.

I’ve been in the NBA for over 20 years and have seen countless superstars. Even players like Big Bird have necessary demands for ball possession. When competing against opponents, even if tactics create shooting opportunities for them, they’d still prefer to play one-on-one.

If that’s the case, then putting time and effort into ’tactical roles for all’ is meaningless. We might as well stick with traditional tactics, which would have the same effect and be much easier."

Vincent: "That’s true. We discussed many times whether the system adjustment details were too idealistic, adding a lot of workload. Even now, it’s not fully complete. In the future, when constructing the defensive system, the difficulty will increase for offensive lineup arrangements. Back then, I thought it was just your ’perfectionist nature’ at play, not realizing it was Jack’s initiative."

Carlisle: "But now I’m not worried at all. In the recent games after we started executing tactics formally, Jack’s performance, especially his offensive choices when facing Ginobili, actively prioritizes tactics, and he’s playing enjoyably..."

The two friends were discussing Zhang Yang when Zhang Yang led his team into an intense positional battle against Ginobili and the Spurs.

When Ginobili went all out, and Zhang Yang entered spearhead mode, fully utilizing tactics to create shooting opportunities, both teams’ offensive performance skyrocketed!

However, the way the two led their teams was completely different.

Ginobili, as a substitute, averages 19.5 points, with an average of 4 assists per game. It’s clear that his technique and playing style differ from Jokic’s, but his playing philosophy is similar—leading the team to win with individual efforts.

This was also the Spurs’ offensive philosophy during Duncan 1.0 to 3.0 versions: whole-team defense, superstar-led offense.

Ginobili’s playing style tonight was no different than before: scoring through solo breakthroughs, attracting double-teams and passing. If his teammates missed, he’d take the ball back and absorb possession, playing like a superstar guard, delivering a superstar-level performance.

Zhang Yang... shoot! Shoot! And shoot again!

He’s been searching for shooting opportunities within tactics. Organizing offense is Hill’s and Felton’s job; his first choice is shooting.

If teammates think he has a good chance, when he gets the ball, he tries to throw it out.

If his pull draws defenders and creates assists for others, he’ll start over in the next possession.

Of course, if he gets the ball and is heavily double-teamed, but a teammate is wide open, and he can pass accurately, he will. But his overall playing style looks as independent as can be!

Watching the broadcast from a bird’s-eye view, it’s fine, as teammates are used to Zhang Yang’s role within tactics and don’t find it odd. But Spurs players feel it’s exaggerated, as if Zhang Yang is always shooting.

Actually, in the latter half of the third quarter, Zhang Yang’s shooting percentage was just over half, basically one by a teammate and one by him. While this percentage is high, it’s not to the point of ’always shooting,’ but his mentality of seeing only the basket gives Spurs players the impression he’s challenging their entire team alone.

Ginobili and Duncan, having competed with Kobe for many years, once thought the old Ironsmith was the most self-centered player in the world. Now they’ve changed their minds—no one is more self-centered than the bad boy Jack!

Fortunately for the Spurs, their team’s style is stable, resilient. Duncan’s strong capabilities keep teammates confident, his mentality influences them, and with many veterans on the team, they maintain stability even when facing Zhang Yang’s highly sensory playing style. When Ginobili finishes, Duncan takes over, with the two taking turns to keep the struggle ongoing against Zhang Yang and the Bobcats.

In the latter half of the third quarter, excluding Pietrus’s post-timeout free throw, the Bobcats scored 16 points in under 6 minutes, significantly enhancing their offensive firepower compared to the previous two and a half quarters. Under Duncan and Ginobili’s full exertion, the Spurs also increased significantly, scoring 17 points.

At the end of the third quarter, the Bobcats led the Spurs by 1 point, with a score of 69 to 68.

In the latter half of the third quarter, the Bobcats shot 11 times; others went 2 for 5, including 1 for 3 from three-point range. Okafor, who came in at the end of the third quarter rotation with a put-back causing a foul, made two free throws, scoring 7 points.

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