Chapter 973 972. Take the Lead! (The Fourth Update Is Here... 18,500 Words)

Liu Mang put more psychological pressure on the Spurs than before!

Originally, the Spurs and the Hawks could play evenly with Ginobili's magic, Bonzi Wells's sass, and Duncan's stability.

But Liu Mang's sudden outbreak left the Spurs completely helpless.

Duncan brought stability to the Spurs, allowing the Spurs to beat teams weaker than them like nothing, but when they met a team that could tie them and explode, they were exhausted all of a sudden.

Like now, the Spurs were 15 points behind at halftime, and they couldn't play anymore, they couldn't catch up! The score difference was too big! The opponent didn't relax at all, and it would be strange if they would relax in the finals.

Popovich was puzzled, why didn't the opponent, as the defending champion, feel proud of being the defending champion? Think about the group of middle-class players in the team before. They won the championship every time and then became arrogant, forcing the team to wait for a year until their contract expires before they can trade them or not exercise the team option, freeing up space to recruit veterans.

Found a way to play against the Spurs, the Hawks are grinding!

In the second half, Liu Mang was worn out by the Spurs' omnipresent defense. However, although Liu Mang did not score in the first half of the third quarter, he was able to contain the defense on the court. Even if the Jordan star card expired, the opponent didn't know, and the opponent thought Liu Mang had a big explosion today. The performance of 23 points in the second quarter made the opponent dare not let him go. He ran to the inside and attracted attention.

At this time, McGrady and Jason Terry took turns to play singles. Coach Kruger found that when playing against the Spurs in the playoffs, don't think about tactics, just use stars!

The Spurs also used three big stars to play singles.

To be honest, the three stars of the Spurs can change the singles players to adapt to the needs of various situations in different positions. This year's Spurs are not afraid of singles teams. When playing against the Suns, they won against Nash and Stoudemire.

But Liu Mang attracted defense, and McGrady and Jason Terry had better singles and points.

The most critical thing is the 15-point difference. The Hawks made a fuss about the 15-point difference. The Spurs slowed down, and they slowed down with them.

The game started from the halftime break, and suddenly the rhythm changed again. It was as slow as it could be, so slow that the fans wanted to scratch the glass with their fingernails...

The fans at the scene were calm, and the fans in front of the TV who often watched the Hawks games were also calm, but the fans of other teams who wanted to see the Spurs lose for the first time were too tortured to watch the game!

It was just like the Spurs playing against the Pistons in the original time and space in the 04-05 season, which made people's scalps numb!

It was too boring!

Fans who watched the game from the beginning thought it was okay, 23 points in a single quarter, which was worth the money.

But many fans heard that Liu Mang had 23 points in a single quarter in the first half, so they bought the live broadcast to watch this game, and then... they wanted to vomit blood: never watch the Hawks again! Who wants to watch this ugly defensive battle! ... But... what if the next game is good? And what if I miss it in the first half again... I'd better watch it, start from the beginning.

...

31 points in the first half, only 10 points in the second half. Liu Mang's performance in the first and second half is completely different. In the second half, he almost relied on empty cuts and rare catch-and-shoot jumpers and strong shots when his teammates dumped the blame. He scored 10 points in the first half and got his second 40+ in the finals.

The Hawks only scored 40 points in the second half, but the Spurs only scored 46 points in the second half. The Hawks grinded the Spurs' pressure to death, the slower the better, as long as it is stable.

As for whether it would be too rogue... should they be allowed to slow down the pace?

In the end, the Hawks beat the Spurs 105 to 96 at home and won their first victory in the finals!

Liu Mang became the MVP of the game, scoring 41 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in 46 minutes. The league counted his block as a steal.

McGrady scored 29 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists, Jason Terry scored 15 points, and the three of them scored 85 points together!

Although Ginobili of the Spurs performed well and scored 27 points, Duncan scored 20 points and 15 rebounds as always, and Bonzi Wells scored 18 points and 11 rebounds, the "Big Three" of the Spurs were not as good as the new version of the "Three-Headed Eagle" of the Hawks!

It was mainly because Liu Mang, compared with Ginobili on the opposite side, beat Ginobili!

Mainly in the second quarter, Liu Mang's performance in the first quarter and the second half was similar to Ginobili's, mainly in the second quarter, Liu Mang completely suppressed Ginobili and helped the team win.

In the post-match interview, Liu Mang said: "41 points, I am also very happy, but it's no big deal, O'Neal got it 5 times in the finals, Michael got it 6 times, the most important thing is to win, it's important for us to get a victory first."

Liu Mang ran to the training ground immediately after the interview. In this game, except for the last two minutes of the third quarter, he took a break and played all the other 46 minutes, but it didn't matter. After the game, he took a physical potion and ran to the training ground to reminisce the feeling of working in the air.

Jordan's third-year basket attack was too invincible. Liu Mang's layups in the game felt like he could do it as long as he thought about how to pull the lever.

Now Liu Mang is ready to reminisce that feeling again.

Then, the staff of the Phillips Arena found that they had to work overtime again. They respected Liu Mang's training attitude, but could this guy also practice more when playing away games? This kind of good thing cannot be enjoyed alone...

...

...

"Uncle, it's agreed! I'll send Dina to school tomorrow morning and the day after tomorrow!" The little girl said with her eyelids struggling.

"Yes, yes, I promise you everything. Go to bed! It's almost 1 o'clock." Liu Mang said hurriedly.

"Uncle, carry Dina upstairs, Dina is so sleepy..."

Fell down as soon as she said it! Liu Mang helplessly carried the little girl who fell asleep on the sofa upstairs. Fortunately, she was wearing pajamas, otherwise he would have to wake her up before leaving.

After the first game, Liu Mang returned home. Levia and Alexia had already gone to bed. Alexia was pregnant and could sleep a lot, while Levia was in abstinence to avoid Liu Mang from doing something excited after winning the game, fearing that it would affect Liu Mang's next game state.

Only the little girl stayed awake. After Liu Mang got home at about 12 o'clock, she made an appointment with Liu Mang to send her to school in the morning and take her to school on the morning of the 30th to attend the signing ceremony for the holiday, and then went to bed.

After covering Dina with a thin blanket, Liu Mang returned to the room and read the news online for a while. It was really amazing. After reading the news, he felt like he had done something great.

Liu Mang led his team to defeat the Spurs, like a hero who saved the world. It was the first time so many people were so happy after he won.

Fans from all over the world in major bars in Atlanta raised their glasses to celebrate. The bar industry and the area with red lights were booming.

The Internet is a place that can bring together fans from all over the world. After Liu Mang crippled Bowen, he once again became a positive character.

It was completely different from the fans' mutual spraying in the finals last year. It was too harmonious. Looking at those posts that praised himself... Liu Mang was embarrassed to open a small account.

Normally, Liu Mang felt that he could score 6 to 10 points per quarter when playing against the Spurs, but it was unlikely that he could score 10 points in every quarter. He scored 40 points by catching the opponent by surprise with the Jordan star card.

Liu Mang asked himself, if the opponent had a player who had been shooting from the outside and suddenly went inside, and his performance was the strongest under-the-basket finishing ability in history, Liu Mang felt that he would also be stunned.

So Liu Mang did not become arrogant because of this, but took the time to savor that feeling more.

However, the bounce and confrontation bonus brought by the Jordan star card is a key part of that style of play, and Liu Mang can't play that kind of performance now.

But Liu Mang felt good about winning the first series, and the opponent will definitely defend against his breakthrough in the future.

Being targeted is not a bad thing. Being targeted means that the opponent's defense will definitely lean towards him. The defense in other aspects will be more or less weakened. He still has McGrady and Jason Terry to seize the opportunity. Kwame Brown and Mourning are also good at catching dribbles under the basket, which can interfere with the opponent's defense. Liu Mang feels that Jordan's star card is not wasted.

He also learned a little bit of the feeling when Jordan made a layup. The only pity is that Jordan's early style of play is too dependent on physical fitness. The ability to work in the air near the basket is extremely dependent on physical fitness.

…

The next morning, Liu Mang was awakened by the knocking of the little loli at six o'clock, and then took the excited little loli to go for a morning run.

Life is still the same as before. It has not changed because this is the finals. The outside world's praise did not make Liu Mang float. He knows that he has embarked on the road to a dynasty, and has reached the second stop of the road to a dynasty, but has not really established a dynasty. He will not float because of the fans' praise after a 40-point finals.

Liu Mang knew that because the opponent was the Spurs, if he changed to another team, most of the fans would definitely not obey him, unless he won three consecutive championships like O'Neal and Jordan, then the fans would be truly convinced.

Even if Magic won five championships in nine years in the 1980s, he did not win three consecutive championships, and there were many fans who did not obey him. After not winning three consecutive championships, it was not a dynasty after all.

Jordan was hailed as the first person in history, and O'Neal was regarded as the most dominant player in history. They both convinced their opponents and their fans after winning three consecutive championships. Even fans who did not like them or even hated and hated them would not question their strength.

Of course, this argument did not seem to hold true when Adam Silva led the NBA... In those days, even if a team won N consecutive championships, no one would obey them.

After running, making breakfast and eating breakfast, Liu Mang and the little girl sat in the back seat of Christine Wagner's car and went to school together.

Liu Mang was forcibly dragged into the classroom by the little girl, and then he saw a bunch of people ready to sign photos, posters, basketballs, sneakers and other things.

"Hehe..." The little girl scratched her head and smiled foolishly, pretending to know nothing.

Liu Mang was speechless, he was tricked again!

However, Liu Mang understood the psychology of a 10-year-old girl who liked to show off. He didn't question or act like a big shot. He had to give face to his little girl. Liu Mang spent half an hour signing autographs and taking photos. When the teacher came, he didn't rush to greet the students, but came up to Liu Mang to take photos. A female teacher took Liu Mang's hand and said how smart and well-behaved Dina was...

Liu Mang felt like a giant panda, being watched...

Also, is that little Lolita smart, and is she very obedient? Liu Mang looked at these unscrupulous teachers and didn't know what to say. He just nodded and responded to whatever the teacher said.

Finally, it was nine o'clock and the class started, and Liu Mang was able to escape...

...

At ten o'clock, Liu Mang came to the gym. Although the arrangement was to gather at two o'clock in the afternoon and start tactical training at three o'clock, many teammates had already arrived.

The role players mainly practiced outside shooting. With such a big confrontation, in the first quarter, except for the "three-headed eagle", the other players of the Hawks did not score well. Kwame Brown only got 7 points and 8 rebounds, and it is estimated that he will not get the maximum salary.

McGrady discussed tactics and studied videos with the coaching staff to find strategies to deal with the Spurs' defense, while Jason Terry practiced long-range singles.

Liu Mang also understood what he had to do more importantly. Playing against the Spurs, he had to shoulder the responsibility of scoring under the basket.

In the last game, the Hawks scored only 31 points under the basket. Fortunately, it was Liu Mang's outbreak, otherwise there would not be 31 points.

Compared with the Spurs, who have shooters on the outside, Ginobili, Duncan, and Bonzi Wells are mainly scoring at the basket, and the Hawks are much less stable.

The reason why the Spurs are stable is that they score mostly at the basket. 62 of the 96 points were scored near the three-second zone and at the basket.

The mid-range is important, but it is not enough. If you don't contain the basket, it will be difficult to have a good singles opportunity in the mid-range and long-range.

You don't need to score at the basket all the time, just one occasionally. Of course, the occasional one must be threatening enough to score or cause damage. At least you have to scare the opponent and make the opponent's players at the basket dare not be so decisive in the mid-range double-teaming, so that there will be better mid-range opportunities.

The Hawks don't have O'Neal, and there is no player who can force the opponent to shrink by standing at the basket to give Liu Mang a singles. Liu Mang is not so lucky and can only do it himself.

The Hawks are doing targeted training, and the Spurs are also studying the problems they exposed in the first game. They need to control the rhythm better and combine the inside and outside better...

After the first game, although the Hawks won, the finals have just begun!

4 updates, 18,500 words, I will try to update more tomorrow, thank you!