Cole s tactics are exposed! Locking the empty space and forcing the opponent to get out of place. The Warriors G1 wins have hidden secrets!

"If you don't have any space at the beginning, you can make a strong shot? Cole revealed the truth about the Timberwolves' miserable defeat in one sentence!" In the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Warriors defeated the Timberwolves 99-88. It seems that the score difference is not big, but in fact there is a hidden mystery. Warriors coach Cole hit the nail on the head after the game: "When the opponent cannot find an open position at the beginning, they will start to take random shots, and when there is a real chance, the rhythm will be completely messed up."

Core argument: "Psychological Trap" of defensive strategy 1. Lock the open three-pointer and force the opponent to "self-doubt". The Warriors focus their defense in this game on limiting the Timberwolves' three-pointer open position. Data shows that the Timberwolves made only 5 of 29 three-pointers in the game, with a shooting percentage as low as 17.2%. Cole revealed that the team formulated a strategy before the game to "compress the opponent's shooting space from the first second." This high-pressure defense puts the Timberwolves players in a dilemma: strong shots are inefficient, but if they are hesitant, the Warriors' counterattacks will immediately follow. 2. The “chain reaction” of rhythm collapse The “rhythm chaos” mentioned by Cole is not accidental. Modern basketball emphasizes rapid conduction and space pull, but the Warriors go the other way, cutting off the passing route with tight rotations. The Timberwolves core Edwards scored only 4 points in the first quarter, making 7 of 21 shots in the game, and admitted after the game that "every move is like a fight against the clock." This psychological pressure directly leads to the team's offensive end becoming more and more urgent, and even absurd scene of a vacant three-pointer making hasty shots. 3. The Warriors’ defensive philosophy: From “passive response” to “active setting up an issue” Cole’s tactics are “predicting the opponent’s mentality.” He knows that young teams are like Timberwolves, and once the start is blocked, it is easy to have an unbalanced mentality. The Warriors put pressure on defense, dragged the game into a "war of attrition" and then used their experience advantages to control the rhythm. Data shows that the Warriors scored 12 more fast break points in this game than the Timberwolves, which is a typical manifestation of defensive counterattack.

Defense victory has become a new trend in the playoffs this season, and many teams have failed due to excessive reliance on three-pointers (such as the Suns and the Bucks). The Warriors' success confirms the ancient rule of "winning the championship when defending". Cole bluntly stated: "Modern basketball is not just three-pointers. Finding the opponent's weaknesses and magnifying infinitely is the winning password."

Personal opinion: Why is Kerr's "scheming" successful? As a "master of psychological warfare", Cole can always lay the groundwork in the first game of the series. For example, in the 2022 Finals G1, he allowed the Celtics to make three-pointers and finally won four consecutive games with the adjusted defense. The strategy of restricting Timberwolves' vacancy this time is also the tactic of "suppressing first and then rising". If the Timberwolves cannot solve the mentality problem in G2, the series may be one-sided.