Williams's Gamble

"I can't even catch the ball, huh?" Danny Green taunted, grinning.

Lian Dao just smiled and stayed calm. It seemed Roy Williams had changed their defensive approach.

In previous games, North Carolina rarely took such risky chances for steals. If Lian Dao had been a bit more careful, Danny Green wouldn't have succeeded, and he would have lost his defensive position for taking the risk.

Despite the tie, Tim chose not to call a timeout, trusting Lian Dao to make the necessary adjustments.

Unfazed by Danny Green's trash talk, Lian Dao called Gibson for a strong-side pick-and-roll, aiming to draw enough defenders to pass to DeRozan on the weak side.

However, UNC steadfastly adhered to their single-man defense, denying USC any clear opportunities.

Thus, Lian Dao was forced into a rushed shot that missed its mark.

Roy Williams smirked at Lian Dao's expense, revealing his stubborn resolve. He preferred Lian Dao taking outside shots rather than facilitating his teammates' chances.

Roy Williams had studied Southern California's tactics in depth. He noticed that whenever other teams double-teamed Lian Dao, the game shifted to USC's rhythm. Double-teaming Lian Dao would always leave either DeMar or Gibson open.

Both DeMar and Gibson had strong offensive skills. DeMar could break through with the ball and had a reliable mid-range shot, while Gibson also excelled in mid-range shots and scoring at the basket.

Roy Williams realized that double-teaming Lian Dao allowed USC's offense to flourish. So, he decided to switch to single coverage, figuring that limiting DeMar's and Gibson's opportunities would reduce USC's overall threat.

This strategy echoed the famous "Jordan Rules" used in the NBA. The Jordan Rules had two main approaches: heavily defending the opponent's star player or letting the star score while shutting down everyone else. Williams opted for the latter.

This strategy was usually effective against typical shooter small forwards. However, Lian Dao was no ordinary shooter.

In the next round, Lian Dao focused on playing solo instead of trying to set up his teammates. Tim saw through Williams' tactics and wasn't worried, knowing it would open up opportunities for Lian Dao.

Lian Dao showcased his versatility with three-pointers, slam dunks, and mid-range shots. He demonstrated his strong scoring ability, helping USC regain the lead. During this period, he also drew two fouls from Danny Green.

Next, Southern California adjusted their tactics. The other players focused intensely on defense, increasing their efforts since there were no easy scoring opportunities. Tim decided to rely on Lian Dao for offense, betting on his scoring ability.

Tim felt grateful for having kept Lian Dao last summer. Without him, USC wouldn't have made it to the finals this year.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle. USC maintained a lead, but it never exceeded five points.

North Carolina had a balanced scoring approach. Initially, Tyler Hansbrough was their main scorer, but as the game progressed, the points were spread out among their perimeter players. Their tactical execution was impressive, and their players had plenty of experience in high-stakes games, enabling them to exploit USC's defensive gaps.

Lian Dao led USC in scoring, with DeMar as the second-highest scorer. Wayne Ellington couldn't stop DeMar's emergency stop jumper, and DeMar helped ease some of the pressure on Lian Dao.

The toughest situation was for Gibson. With Vucevic out, Gibson bore the brunt of the offensive pressure inside for USC. He faced intense focus from North Carolina's center, Tyler Hansbrough.

With 3 minutes left in the first half, Lian Dao managed to draw a foul from Danny Green with another outside shot attempt. Although he didn't make the three-pointer, he was very excited. He was tired of Danny Green's persistent defense.

The first half wasn't over yet, but with Danny Green now having three fouls, Roy Williams decided to replace him.

Looking at the bench, Roy Williams faced a tough decision. Danny Green was the best perimeter defender for North Carolina, and even he couldn't completely shut down Lian Dao. How could the other players manage to contain him?

At this time, Roy Williams looked at Ed Davis. Yes, who said that outside players must be used?

Ed Davis, North Carolina's top shot-blocker, was perfect for dealing with Lian Dao. At 208 cm tall, he could limit Lian Dao's shots significantly, although his speed was a disadvantage.

Roy Williams made the decision to put Ed Davis in the game and directed the team to focus on inside offense. With Danny Green benched, North Carolina lost some of their perimeter defense, but Ed Davis could compensate with his rebounding and shot-blocking abilities. Although he lacked outside shooting and ball-handling skills, he excelled in rebounding and blocking shots.

However, after Ed Davis entered the game, Lian Dao adjusted his strategy and stopped shooting from the outside. Instead, he drove to the basket, causing significant damage to the players under the basket. In the last three minutes, Lian Dao went to the free-throw line three times, completing two and-ones against Ed Davis and drawing another foul from Tyler Hansbrough on a layup attempt. Hansbrough had already accumulated two fouls.

Roy Williams soon realized that Ed Davis's lack of discipline and reckless defense were liabilities. Despite his height, Davis was two kilograms lighter than Lian Dao, making his attempts to block Lian Dao's dunks ineffective.

By the end of the first half, USC led 47-40, maintaining a seven-point advantage.

After Ed Davis left the court, he faced Roy Williams's frustration and criticism. It was clear that Davis's shortcomings were exposed, and he likely wouldn't see more playing time in this game.