James drove to the basket in the frontcourt and scored, helping the Cavaliers keep their offense going.
But on the way back, Tang Tian once again passed out of a pick-and-roll to Davis, who scored another 2 points.
Lue and Drew stood at the sideline with grave expressions.
After so many possessions, unless they were idiots, they already knew the Pelicans had prepared a response in advance.
The Warriors' approach was no longer effective against Tang Tian.
Whiteside missed his shot in the frontcourt, and on the return possession, Tang Tian pulled up after another pick-and-roll and scored.
8-4. The Pelicans held firm control of the game.
"This isn't right."
Lue still couldn't figure it out.
Even if the Pelicans had known about the tactic beforehand and practiced against it, it couldn't possibly have had no effect at all.
"Maybe our defensive ability isn't as good as the Warriors'."
Drew hesitated for a moment before speaking.
He was someone who understood.
The same tactic produced different results in different hands. The difference could even be worlds apart.
The simplest example was the Princeton Offense in the Early 2000s. The Kings ran it brilliantly, but the Rockets made it look utterly ordinary.
The biggest reason for that was still the players.
The Cavaliers' wings and overall defense were far worse than both the Pelicans and the Warriors.
Lue froze for a moment, then slowly realized it as well.
The tactics Lue and Drew had prepared before the game had completely failed. By the end of the first quarter, the Pelicans led the Cavaliers 30-21, a 9-point advantage.
The on-site fans were still waiting.
They did not understand the game of wits between the two teams. They were simply waiting for the targeted tactic Whiteside had mentioned.
The Pelicans scored 30 points