"With Ethan already rotating over to help and Isaiah positioned near the strong side, what you should do is read their passing lanes and try to cut them off. The corner and the wing are Derrick's most likely outlets, aren't they?"
"My bad. I'll keep that in mind."
Toppin jogged over to Chen Xi and nodded as he listened to his advice.
After responding, he changed direction and jogged into position in the frontcourt corner.
Only then did Chen Xi finally dribble across half court.
It wasn't an official game, so nobody was timing him for an eight-second violation. Nice and relaxed.
Once he reached the top of the key, Chen decisively switched things up.
Dribbling with his left hand, he pushed his right hand forward, then gestured for Ethan, who had come up again, to retreat. Next, he turned toward the opposite wing and signaled with his eyes for PG to come set a screen.
George showed no displeasure whatsoever. He immediately strode to the top of the key and set a simple screen for Chen Xi.
Chen Xi accelerated at once, bursting past the screen and dribbling inside the three-point line. After drawing a double-team, he delivered a no-look pass to George, who had popped out after the pick-and-roll.
Paul George caught the ball and used a shot fake to easily get the rotating Murray off his feet. Then he put the ball on the floor, took two strides into long-two territory inside the arc, and finished with a steady mid-range jumper.
Team 1 scored another two points.
On the sideline, Thibodeau nodded in satisfaction before turning to discuss things quietly with Nash.
"Honestly, I'm not worried about this lineup's offense at all. Chris can always find the approach that suits the situation best."
"Yes, his ability to