Chapter 777 [The King of Heaven Covers the Tigers of the Earth, the Pagoda Suppresses the River Demon]

Being swept out by the same opponent two years in a row is a big blow to any team. There are many fans on the Internet discussing whether Duncan, Ginobili, and Popovich will retire together.

After the game, Duncan made it clear that he would not retire. He is still very capable and will have no problem playing until he is 40 years old. Popovich will not retire, and he will not retire even if Duncan retires.

Yang Rui didn't comment too much on the Spurs. He wasn't surprised at all if they reached the finals. They were much better than their opponents in the regular season.

On the surface, the Spurs are only missing one Danny Green, but this is a crucial figure. The Spurs' best shooter averages more than two three-pointers per game.

Green's presence will give opponents enough deterrence on the offensive end to prevent them from shrinking too much into the penalty area.

On the defensive end, Green's value is equally huge. He can not only defend shooting guards, but also effectively defend point guards and even top point guards. The coach can have flexible backcourt choices and mix-and-match. Green's speed ensures his oppressive power, and his strong body allows him to deal with low-post attacks.

Now, Green is the Clippers' starter. Because of him, Yang Rui rarely lets Tony Allen play. There is no need to rub salt in the opponent's wounds when the lineup crushes the victory.

As a reborn player, Yang Rui never thought about cultivating players who could not play in his previous life to compete with his opponents on the premise of assembling a superstar lineup. It's certainly challenging to do that, and if you win, you'll prove that you are truly the best coach, but it's just self-flagellation.

The reporter asked Yang Rui to predict the outcome of the Eastern Conference finals. Yang Rui said: "I am optimistic that the Nets will advance. The reason is very simple. The Nets have Yao Ming."

He said this not to please the Chinese fans. The Nets now lead 2-1 and have an obvious advantage inside.

Bosh couldn't even guard Hibbert one-on-one, and it was even more difficult to match up with Yao Ming. Everyone felt that he really didn't deserve the title of "giant."

If the Cavaliers use Varejao to guard Yao Ming, the "Brazilian Best Actor" will have to get more playing time, and the Cavaliers' offense will become worse, relying entirely on star isolations.

After Adelman left, the Cavaliers hired Lionel Hollins as head coach. Good coaches are hard to find in the free market. Hollins can barely be considered a Jerry type, but his best achievement is leading the Magic to the NBA Finals. Finals, then swept by the Lakers.

Moreover, Hollins is a head coach who emphasizes defense and likes to arrange a single core. Except for James, the data of the other two giants have declined.

The Western Conference finals are played one day earlier than the Eastern Conference. The Clippers players have a holiday. Even if the Nets advance 4-1, they can all take a week off.

The players rest for three days to recover their strength. During these three days, the coaching staff will watch the Eastern Conference Finals, study the opponents, and formulate tactics. The rest is to practice targeted tactics and prepare for the finals.

Everything is very beneficial to the Clippers. The league has changed the finals schedule to 221111. The Clippers' home court advantage is also greater than in previous seasons.

In the Eastern Conference finals, the pressure on the Cavaliers players reached a historical peak. James, as the core, had trouble sleeping and eating.

Although they lost in the first two years, they still made it to the Finals. If they are defeated by the Nets this year, their record will deteriorate. Moreover, the Cavaliers also added Ray Allen, who is known as a giant in the Celtics. Last summer It's embarrassing to be called the "perfect lineup" by some experts.

Can a super deformed knight like this be called the most perfect configuration? The inside line is often blasted, and the rebounding is not ranked first. Winning depends on the two iron gates on the outside and quick transitions between offense and defense. This year, Wade's condition has declined due to injury.

Recently, some media listed the reasons why James is disliked, including trying to avoid winning the championship, sticking together at the peak, suspected of manipulating the team to change coaches, brothers playing basketball to cheat brothers, gaining attention and causing chaos to the team, etc...

The last one appeared recently, which can be described as a thunderstorm. James told reporters that he wanted to fight side by side with Wade, Anthony and Paul. If this wish can be realized, he can also take a salary cut. These words can't help but make people wonder if he is dissatisfied with Bosh. Is it so easy to join the Big Four? Does Bosh still want to form a group with the Eight King Kongs on Weihu Mountain? !

The fourth battle,

The Cavaliers cannot afford to lose at home. If they lose to the Nets, they will gain match point. If they win, they will have to play the Battle of Heavenly Kings in Brooklyn, and they will still be at a disadvantage.

The starting lineups of both sides were half-matched. The Nets had the inside advantage and struggled to defend against the Cavaliers' quick transition between offense and defense.

The Nets had the upper hand in the second quarter. Guards Nash and Deron had outstanding skills. The frontcourt of Telitovich, Lewis and Blatche could all shoot, which opened up space for the two guards. One guard is responsible for breaking through with the ball in the pick-and-roll, taking the shot himself or attracting misplaced defenses to distribute the ball to teammates, while others pull away.

Brad Stevens is good at rotating players and matching lineups to opponents. The Cavaliers' weakest position is the point guard. In the second quarter, the two major guards appeared together, and the Cavaliers were very passive.

Deron is physically strong and his main defense against Ray Allen will not be a weakness. After James returned to the court after a 5-minute rest, the Cavaliers stabilized the situation, and the Nets entered the second half with a 12-point lead.

After resting for a whole quarter, Yao Ming, who had staggered playing time with Varejao, came back and began to torture Bosh again. Yao Ming attracted double teams and scored, Joe Johnson and Nash scored consecutive three-pointers from the outside, and the point difference continued to widen.

In the final quarter, James and Wade relied on counterattacks to recover some points, but unfortunately the pit they dug in the early stage was too big. They lost 92 to 105 and fell behind 1 to 3 in total.

In this key battle, Bosh was completely suppressed by Yao Ming. He played 30 minutes and made 1 of 6 shots, 1 of 3 three-pointers, and 4 of 4 free throws. He only scored 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Yao Ming also played 30 minutes, making 10 of 16 shots, 1 of 2 three-pointers, 6 of 6 free throws, and scored 27 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.

In other inside competitions, Varejao played 18 minutes with 6 points and 8 rebounds, and "Birdman" Anderson played 19 minutes. He didn't make a single shot and only grabbed two rebounds. His other statistics were zero and he had four rebounds. foul.

Bulayche played 20 minutes, made 5 of 8 shots, 3 of 3 free throws, and scored 13 points and 5 rebounds; Favors made 5 of 8 shots, 2 of 2 free throws, and scored 12 points and 4 rebounds in 26 minutes.

The Cavaliers can't beat the inside line, and the Cavaliers also have problems on the outside. Ray Allen felt cold, making 4 of 13 shots, 2 of 7 three-pointers, 1 of 1 free throws, and scored 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist.

In Game 5, James struggled with leg cramps and scored a triple-double in Brooklyn with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. He made 4 of 7 shots from beyond the arc and led the team to a 108-103 win, extending the Cavaliers' life.

In Game 6, the Cavaliers returned home but were completely misfired. Only James performed normally, scoring 27 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Wade and Chalmers each scored 10 points, and no one scored in double figures.

The Cavaliers lost 77-101 and were eliminated with a total score of 2-4.

Bosh became the main culprit for being eliminated again. He played 31 minutes and made 1 of 8 shots, 1 of 1 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, and scored 5 points and 4 rebounds.

His only domineering attack was when he cut and caught the ball after a pick-and-roll. He took the ball with one hand and rounded his arms in an attempt to perform a "Pagoda-Suppressing River Demon" powerful chop. As a result, Favors, who was on defense, made a move called "The King Covers the Tiger". He pressed his right hand firmly on the basketball and knocked Bosh to the ground.

Yao Ming did not shoot three-pointers in this game, but resolutely attacked the basket, making 13 of 20 shots, 4 of 4 free throws, and scored 30 points and 11 rebounds; Joe Johnson also performed well, making 11 of 19 shots, 3 of 5 three-pointers, and 4 free throws. 3. Scored 28 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists; Deron scored a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists.

This season, the Nets have really risen. They have stars to attract fans, and they have not overdrawn their future because of transactions.