[Guide] News on January 8, , the Cavaliers lost 93-105 at home to the Rockets.
With 38 points, he supported the team alone when his teammates were in poor condition.
Owen
In an attack in the second quarter, Irving forcibly broke through and tore through Beverly’s defense and went straight to the penalty area. Beverly quickly caught up with Irving.
Irving made an emergency stop on his calf and jumped back with force, facing Beverly’s defense and stepping back to make a jumper. It was extremely difficult but he made it.
The scene shifted to the third quarter. Irving took the ball. The defender he was facing this time was Trevor Ariza.
Irving cut into the penalty area and changed direction again past Howard (Weibo), took off and pulled the bar in the air, once again avoided Howard’s interference, and picked the ball into the basket before Beverly who was chasing to defend him.
Still in the third quarter, this time it was Harden’s turn to defend Irving.
Irving has no defenders in his eyes at all, and the dribble changes to a pull-up jumper.
Harden tried his best to defend, but Irving just made another shot against the defense.
These shots seem unscientific and unreasonable. There is very little space for the defender to cling to them. Even if they take a step back, they are shooting against interference, and their vision is strictly blocked.
However, Irving threw the ball in.
I can’t help but think of Kobe’s three-point lore against the Kings on January 2, 2010. After the game, the reporter asked him why he didn’t shoot a more secure mid-range shot to tie the score, but took a risky long shot. Kobe raised his head in disdain: “We
Looking at the results, I put in.”
Whether you call it domineering or arrogance, after all, in a basketball game, it’s about who scores more points. The truth is to put the ball into the basket.
In the first half of this campaign, Irving made 9 of 11 shots and 4 of 3 three-pointers and scored 23 points. In the second quarter, he scored 7 of 8 and contributed 16 points.
Irving simplifies the offense to the extreme. Taking the ball is a single play. At most one screen can be shot. Many balls are thrown against the defense but can fall into the basket.
The Rockets used Beverly, Ariza and Harden to defend Irving in turn, and the Cavaliers used cover tactics. Howard would pounce to delay, but Irving could still make it.
As a point guard, Irving had only one assist in the first half.
If you didn’t watch the game, you will inevitably criticize him for being too independent.
In fact, when James was injured, Love was 0 for 7 in the half, Thompson was 0 for 4, and new aid Smith was 0 for 3. The Cavaliers players other than Irving made a total of 8 of 32 shots in the first two quarters.
Irving also patiently shared the ball, and the Cavaliers are bound to be blown up by the Rockets.
This is why the Cavaliers shouted “MVP” for Irving at home. He carried the team with his personal ability.
Irving, who exploded in the first half, scored 11 points in the third quarter. After the first three quarters, he scored 34 points.
The Rockets defended Irving intensively in the fourth quarter, and the defensive attention was all on Irving.
Irving was facing layers of defense, and he had fought for 41 minutes just after his comeback, so his physical fitness was a bit difficult to support. He made 1 of 6 shots in the fourth quarter and failed to stage the good show of the savior in the final quarter.
Although the Cavaliers lost and Irving’s performance in the last quarter was mediocre, he has tried his best to support the team despite the poor performance of his teammates.
Irving really can’t be blamed for the Cavaliers’ loss. Without him, the Cavaliers would have been beaten by the Rockets as early as the first three quarters.