This season, every time the Spurs sacrifice their "five-small" lineup, it's when they light up their butcher's knife and prepare to harvest heads.

In this season, Popovich created the "five small" style of play like a groundbreaking one (in fact, Qin Yan provided Popovich with the playing style of the later warriors, and Popovich improved it), and when the whole league did not know much about this tactic, the Spurs relied on this trick to block and kill God, and Buddha blocked and killed Buddha, and won the second highest 30 consecutive wins in history!

Pat Riley's words seem to have been confirmed here by Popovich.

The Trail Blazers really tried their best, and it didn't make much difference, the Spurs' current lineup, offense, defense, and organization on the court are all at the top level of the league!

Aside from the fact that the inside height is a little worse, this lineup has almost no shortcomings!

Unbelief? Let's take a look:

Offensively, the combination of the five of them is: active scoring champion (Qin Yan) + former scoring champion (Maddie) + best sixth man + three-point turret + mid-range shooting kid.

On the defensive end, they have three strong defensive combinations: outside defensive general (Green) + all-round defensive genius (Leonard) + copied all-round defensive genius (Qin Yan copied Leonard)

Organizationally, they have two old demon-level characters: Ginobili who is getting older and more demonic + Maddie, who has successfully transformed.

Look, this combination of three generations of old, middle and young, 360 degrees without dead ends, is the strongest combination in Popovich's hands.

Texas fans joked that if Texas Hold'em was used to explain the lineup in Popovich's hands, then these five people would be the strongest trump card - the Royal Flush! (The biggest hand in Texas Hold'em, the only combination that can't be beaten)

The probability of a royal flush appearing in a game is low and pitiful, if you are lucky to catch it, then you must make good use of it, maximize your interests, and if you use it well, it is not impossible to directly kill everyone's money.

Popovich is the same, it is estimated that he usually plays poker with his old comrades, and even if this lineup in his hand is not out, it is basically a wave that is directly taken away from the opposite side.

The Trail Blazers coach looked at the score that was pulled away, his face was quite ugly, he really didn't expect Popovich to arrange tactics like this, he called two timeouts in just over five minutes, but the corresponding tactics arranged each time were not effective, if it weren't for Lillard and Aldridge scoring a few goals by their individual ability, really, the Trail Blazers' face would have been lost.

Alas...... There's no way to go back to heaven.

The Trail Blazers coach shook his head, this time he made a mistake and lost to Popovich at the start of the third quarter after battling him for half time.

One wrong step, one wrong step, really worthy of being the top 3 level coach in the league!

Thinking like this, the Trail Blazers coach stretched out his hand to greet everyone on the bench, come on, come on, forget about this one, let's talk about the next game.

"Coach, it looks like the Trail Blazers are going to come off the bench."

On the Spurs bench, Parker suddenly said to Popovich.

"Huh? Are they preparing to surrender early? ”

Popovich was also a little surprised, he only played more than 5 minutes in the third quarter, and he wanted to surrender in advance?

But there is no way on the Trail Blazers' side, after all, the team is a little behind now, and the Trail Blazers coach has not thought of a particularly good tactic to deal with the Spurs' lineup for the time being, so it is better to give up one game first.

"Interesting, then Tony, you guys go warm up, and they change people in a while, so you can have fun." Popovich showed an unfathomable smile, retreated as an advance, gave up a routine used to see through his opponent, and then staged a Jedi reversal?

It's a good script, but it's going to be very difficult to implement here with the Spurs.

The ten members on the court have already seen their head coach start to prepare for the substitution, the Spurs side is a little surprised, and the Trail Blazers side also feels a little incredible.

"Damian, coach, are you going to give up the game?" The target on the court was the Spurs' possession, and they were preparing to attack, and Matthews, who had stepped back to their own half, whispered to Lillard.

"I don't know, but it seems like it's possible."

Lillard also thinks it's a little incredible, does the coach really want to give up? Although I have lost more than 20 points now (I lost a single digit in the first half, and I lost another dozen points directly in the wave just now), there is still time, is it really good to give up so early?

"Tick-"

This time it was the Spurs who called a timeout, and since that side was ready to surrender, then Popovich will give him a face, call a timeout for you, and then make a substitution.

"Well done!"

Everyone on the Spurs bench is very happy, after all, the team is now leading so much, and these five people are indispensable.

Especially those who watch the water dispenser all year round, without these people to pull the score apart, how can friends who watch the water dispenser have the opportunity to play?

"Coach, how did the Trail Blazers surrender so quickly? I haven't done it yet? Qin Yan contributed 11 points to the attack just now, three long-distance three-pointers and a dragon dunk, and was about to play hi, when he was notified by the coach that he could come down.

The same is true for the others, they have just entered the state, and they are working together tacitly, but they actually ended the mission?

"Okay, let's do this today, otherwise it will be too bad to give people face, and you will have a chance to play in the next game." Popovich doesn't have to think twice to know that the next game the Trail Blazers will definitely do special defense against the five of them, and it won't necessarily be as easy as it was today.

Qin Yan and the others spread their hands, okay, you are the boss, you have the final say, anyway, this one is won.

Popovich stood up, 190+ was not short among his disciples, and after standing up, he glanced at the Trailblazers, intentionally or unintentionally.

The Trail Blazers coach also noticed it and nodded to Popovich from the air, as if thanking the old coach for not chasing him to the end.

The eyes of the two met in the air, almost in a special exchange.

"Brother, I admit defeat this time, thank you for not chasing and fighting, saving me face."

"What's the matter, so let's do it, if you really want to thank you, then send a case of red wine tonight, as a thank you gift."

“……”

After the timeout, the Spurs' "Royal Flush" went down, Parker and Duncan led the bench under them to play the last quarter and a half, although the Trail Blazers' bench wanted to stage a gorgeous counterattack, but it was helpless, after all, the strength was limited, and the flame of the counterattack did not struggle for too long, and was extinguished by the Spurs.

Lillard didn't speak the whole time after he got off the court, covering a big towel in a daze, he actually didn't like to admit defeat so quickly, but this is what the coach meant, and the coach is thinking about the overall situation, and he can't confront the coach in person, which will ruin the team's current good atmosphere.

Alas, well, admit defeat this time, and in the next one, I will definitely win it back!

Spurs AT&T Center, on the away team's bench, Lillard clenched his fists and swore secretly!