Capítulo 30: Ahead By Double Figures
Timeouts always seemed to drag on when Lian Dao watched games in his previous life, but now, playing as a main player, he found them passing swiftly.
Darren Collison initiated the attack, leaving Daniel Hackett unable to defend against his sudden burst of speed.
Collison drove inside, expertly evading Gibson's block attempt before banking in a shot off the backboard. His agility and physical prowess were evident.
Returning to defend against Lian Dao, Collison tightened up, making it harder for Lian Dao to receive the ball cleanly, although Lian Dao's height advantage helped.
Daniel Hackett passed the ball to Lian Dao. Immediately, Josh Shipp closed in, applying tight pressure. Lian Dao used his back to create space, pivoting with a dribble to step back.
But before he could fully execute, Holiday double-teamed.
Undeterred, Lian Dao swiftly passed the ball to an open DeMar.
DeMar caught the ball and smoothly sank a mid-range jumper.
"DeMar DeRozan! Such precision in his movement!"
"The chemistry between them is remarkable. DeMar's decisive runs make him a reliable target for passes from Lian Dao."
Commentator Mike Brin was enthralled by their synergy.
Van Gundy chimed in, "DeMar is crucial to the perimeter offense. His support for Lian Dao against double-teams has been pivotal."
"With DeMar and Gibson anchoring the defense, and Lian Dao orchestrating plays and scoring from three-point range, USC has a solid system."
"Their defense is formidable too. With Lian Dao's size and wingspan, he dominates NCAA opponents defensively."
Collison drove, drawing DeMar, then passed to Holiday for a shot. DeMar reacted swiftly, slapping the ball to midcourt, but Collison recovered it.
Despite DeMar's effort, Collison, with his speed and agility, maintained control.
Seeing Holiday leap for a shot, Lian Dao's fingertip barely deflected it. Gibson secured the rebound and passed to Daniel Hackett.
USC swiftly transitioned into a defensive counterattack, with Lian Dao already near the center line.
Hackett fed the ball to Lian Dao.
Lian Dao surged forward, Josh Shipp trailing closely.
Lian Dao abruptly stopped, executed a sharp turn, evading Josh Shipp and driving to the rim.
Inside, only Holiday returned to defend.
Lian Dao's drive drew attention from both defenders, allowing him to pass behind his head to DeMar.
DeMar caught the ball in stride and went up for a dunk.
Holiday attempted to intervene, causing contact, resulting in a 2+1!
At the free-throw line, DeMar completed the three-point play.
The score now stood at 11:26.
USC had surged to a 15-point lead.
Coach Ben Howland promptly called another timeout, just four minutes after the last one.
With only two timeouts per half, USC had exhausted theirs.
Ben Howland didn't want to use the second timeout so early, but the game risked slipping away if he didn't act now, especially after DeMar's electrifying dunk had fueled USC's momentum to its peak.
His decision to call timeout was aimed at disrupting USC's rhythm and slowing down their surge.
Before the game, Howland had meticulously planned tactics against USC. Defensively, Lian Dao was closely guarded beyond the three-point line, often double-teamed, while DeMar faced pressure to prevent mid-range shots and drives.
Offensively, his team was instructed to capitalize on their perimeter strength for quick scoring opportunities, avoiding prolonged battles inside where their weaknesses lay. Howland's strategy was sound, leveraging his team's strengths effectively.
However, Howland had underestimated Lian Dao's impact. Despite lacking a mid-range game, Lian Dao's accurate passing and Josh Shipp's struggles in one-on-one defense against him proved problematic. Whenever doubled, Lian Dao adeptly passed to open shooters, with USC's high shooting percentage compounding their difficulties.
Post-timeout, Tim substituted Lian Dao with Dwight Lewis, and Gibson was also benched. Howland and Josh Shipp breathed easier with Lian Dao and Gibson off the court, believing it would help narrow the score gap before halftime.
But things didn't go as planned. While USC's outside organization waned without Lian Dao, it unleashed DeMar's scoring prowess without restraint.
DeMar now had free rein to score through drives, mid-range shots, and dunks, showcasing his offensive versatility to the delight of the crowd. Collison's continued assists further bolstered USC's lead.
Despite Holiday's commendable scoring efforts—penetrating the defense for mid-range jumpers and three-pointers—closing the gap seemed impossible.
It was only when Howland resorted to double-team tactics that they momentarily stalled USC's offense. DeMar, caught in these traps, made uncharacteristic errors, including turnovers intercepted by Holiday and blocked by Josh Shipp.
Although these turnovers provided a brief momentum shift, time wasn't on their side.
From the sidelines, Tim shouted instructions to steady DeMar, urging him to play smarter after his errors.
As USC slowed down, they effectively utilized Vucevic's presence.
By halftime, USC had firmly established an 11-point lead.
"I didn't expect USC to be this formidable this season. This is turning into a rout!" Odom remarked, absorbed in the game.
Kobe shot Odom an annoyed glance.
Puzzled by Kobe's reaction, Odom turned his attention to the cheerleaders, trying to avoid further scrutiny.
"It's not enough. An 11-point gap means they can still turn this around in the second half if they find a way to break USC's rhythm," Kobe remarked, despite Odom's confused expression.
"What if they can't break it?" Odom inadvertently blurted out, regretting his question immediately.
Caught in Kobe's intense stare, Odom shrunk back, focusing awkwardly on the cheerleaders, hoping to divert attention from his slip-up.
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