The Timberwolves had spent the entire summer practicing their Pick and Roll system.
They'd hoped today's first game would finally let them see the two players' Pick and Roll in action.
But what happened? The Raptors simply adjusted the matchups on the floor, and that was enough to dismantle the Timberwolves' Pick and Roll system.
A simple change in matchups had broken the Wolf Team's Pick and Roll, rendering an entire summer's effort futile.
Coach Finch felt as if he'd swallowed a fly.
Of course, not every team could break the Wolf Team's Pick and Roll.
The Raptors could because they had Big Lock Rock.
He could defend on the perimeter and inside.
Whether Rock was matched up against Wazi or Juan, he was a headache for either of them.
Other teams couldn't defend like the Raptors with a single switch unless they had someone like Rock: incredibly strong, fast, and over two and a half meters tall.
The game continued.
After Edwards passed the ball, the Timberwolves players moved it quickly, just as their coach had instructed.
But to their frustration, since Edwards hadn't managed to get past the defender in front of him, the Raptors didn't need anyone else to provide Help Defense. No matter who the Timberwolves passed to, that player had a defender in front of him.
In the end, they could only move the ball quickly to Juan.
As Juan received it, he had a defender behind him, too.
That defender was none other than Wang Yi.
Wang Yi had originally been guarding Wazi, but when Wazi and Juan ran a Pick and Roll just now, Wang Yi had switched onto Juan.
This left the Timberwolves' coach a little worried.
Juan had a 24-centimeter height advantage over Wang Yi, so it looked like a mismatch.