You know what. I pulled up the highlights and starting breaking it down and then realized it’s no way you watched the game to think that first qtr output was a result of good d and hero ball from lamelo and terry.
Very first score Giannis loses lamelo and let’s him setup free for an easy 3.
LaMelo goes through ball screen, Jrue loses step, Giannis picks up, LaMelo kicks out to PJ, high catch from PJ and Jrue picks up, PJ throws to Mason in the post, Giannis follows LaMelo baseline, for a quick second he doubles in the post/tries to force TO, LaMelo flicks up a flat footed corner three with maybe three feet of airspace over Giannis
This is not bad defense, I'm not seeing low effort, I'm not seeing bad defense. I just saw PJ Washington make a floater beyond the FT line, Rozier catching and dribbling into an above the break three that 15 years ago would most likely not be taken, Rozier sidestepping to a contested corner three over Bobby Portis. At some point y'all are going to have to salute the shot making rather than saying its bad defense because shots have the gall to go in.