The Rockets’ teamwork and defensive rotations were exceptionally good! But...
After receiving the ball, Mike Miller did not force a tough shot against the help defender. Instead, he turned to face Battier sideways, avoiding a steal, waited a moment, and then passed the ball towards the foul line with his back to the baseline...
After passing the ball, Millsap immediately moved down the left side of the paint to screen McGrady, who was helping Zhang Yang on defense.
Zhang Yang received the ball at the foul line, turned around, and hit a jump shot!
McGrady, "No doubt, Mike has really good passing instincts."
Thibodeau, "Damn! This offensive play is something special!"
In McGrady’s view, it was Mike Miller’s pass that made the play successful.
Of course, that’s true. Mike Miller’s timing in passing from the sideline was impeccable. Throughout his career, he averaged 3.3 assists per game, with 60% coming from passes made after receiving the ball beyond the three-point line, mostly from the sidelines. Even for a top-tier shooter like Peja, it would be difficult to match that passing timing, which really highlights Mike Miller’s skills.
But Thibodeau saw something more—that from the start, the Bobcats’ offensive strategy wasn’t just a high post play to create shooting opportunities for the wings. Mike Miller’s seeming moment of inspiration after being blocked was actually intended to get the ball to Zhang Yang, who was running off screens at the high post!
In Thibodeau’s view, it was impossible for the other team not to have studied their defense. Even if they hadn’t, the Rockets’ perimeter defense and their ability to switch and help were noticeable in just the first half of the game, ranking them at least in the top three in the league. A single pass couldn’t possibly have created open shot opportunities for wings like Felton and Mike Miller.
However, Thibodeau thought that what really made this Bobcats’ offensive strategy brilliant wasn’t just Zhang Yang’s choice of running paths, Mike Miller’s timing in passing, or the quality of Millsap’s screens.
Those factors relied on individual player skills; the bald opponent coach just positioned his players correctly.
The truly brilliant aspect was the spatial manipulation—initially concentrating players on the right side of the paint and then, as Zhang Yang and Felton utilized the space on the left, defenders had to move over a greater range, inevitably lowering the quality of their defense!
Like just now, McGrady moved from the right three-point line to the right elbow and then to the left elbow. Although he managed to immediately follow Zhang Yang, who slipped out from the left side of the paint, he couldn’t keep up nor limit Zhang Yang’s acceleration using the screen, ultimately leading to Yi Jianlian failing to properly switch on defense.
Thibodeau felt things were getting tricky...
Now it was the Rockets’ turn to attack. McGrady received the ball outside the three-point line, facing Zhang Yang’s defense; he didn’t choose to pull up for a shot. He had recognized last season how outstanding Zhang Yang’s timing in shot interference was; he gestured for a pick-and-roll.
Yi Jianlian blocked Zhang Yang, and McGrady used the screen to drive, drawing in both Zhang Yang and Millsap, then passed it back to the high left side where Yi Jianlian, from just inside the foul line, took a long two-point shot... and made it!
Yi Jianlian, with his ability to outperform Scola and Landry and secure a starting position, had commercial reasons as one factor, but him securing a starting role contrasted drastically from when he started in the Bucks under similar circumstances in the original timeline—when American media and fans harshly criticized him—was due to his help defense and this kind of pick-and-roll followed by a long two-point shooting!
Yi Jianlian had a 58% field goal percentage under the basket, which was poor for someone reliant on assists like Muhammad and Perkins, whose under-the-basket field goal percentages were around 65%; his mid-range 31% field goal percentage was also poor; a 42% close-range shot percentage was decent, but he rarely had opportunities in that range; a 34% three-point shot percentage, averaging 0.8 three-points per game, merely offered some spacing on the floor, not a major scoring method.
But Yi Jianlian, with a 45% field goal percentage, averaging 2.5 long two-pointers per game, was exceptional!
His quality in setting screens was also commendable, accurately choosing his positioning during screens, quickly opening up, and effectively finding shooting opportunities.
against 7, the Rockets continued to maintain a slight leading advantage.
During the Bobcats’ offense, they continued to unfold a tactic centered around Millsap, wing supports passing the ball, creating shooting opportunities for Zhang Yang cutting through the middle.
As David Wesley followed Felton around the foul line towards the left sideline, he didn’t continue but stopped at mid-range. As Zhang Yang slipped out from the baseline, he went to help McGrady delay Zhang Yang’s movement...
Millsap sharply discerned David Wesley’s intention; he didn’t immediately pass the ball to the right sideline but waited until David Wesley closed in before passing to the left side where Felton, from the corner, took a three-point shot... and made it!
against 9, the Bobcats took the lead by 1 point!
On the sidelines, Carlisle threw a punch into the air. Though he wasn’t too excited when Zhang Yang made a challenging long-distance running jumper, it was that kind of shot by Zhang Yang that laid the foundation for the tactic to unfold.
Millsap’s choice of pass this time excited Carlisle even more! What is called a playmaking talent? This is it!
Now it was the Rockets’ turn to attack, playing simply—McGrady and Yi Jianlian in a pick-and-roll. This time, Zhang Yang and Millsap didn’t double-team but chose to switch. McGrady used the screen to push to just inside the foul line on the right side of the paint, and took the shot... missed!
Zhang Yang grabbed the defensive rebound, with no fast break opportunity, he passed it to Felton, continuing a slow, set play.
The recent shot by McGrady even left his opponent Zhang Yang feeling somewhat regretful.
It wasn’t that the shot was poorly taken; McGrady, with his speed, stopping ability, and quick release, entirely avoided interference from the switching defender, Millsap.