NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 335 Useless Defense (8000 words chapter)

On May 2004, 5, ESPN, as the broadcaster of this year's Eastern Conference Finals, began to warm up for the conference finals that will start tonight.

The Western Conference semifinals ushered in a tiebreaker last night. With Cassell's two free throws in the last 16.8 seconds, the Timberwolves won the series.

Garnett's last-minute block before the end was also impressive, but as the Eastern Conference finals came first, ball commentators began to discuss the Pistons' performance.

ESPN has reviewed the achievements of head coach Larry Brown in recent NBA Countdown programs.

As the men's basketball head coach of this year's Athens Olympics, Larry Brown, a veteran coach, naturally has a lot of reputation.

It's just that after some discussions in recent days, most football commentators are not good at evaluating it.

The best defensive team in the league met the most powerful offensive team in the league.

Judging from the regular season record, the Knicks have an absolute advantage, but the playoffs are different.

The Pacers had a good record this year, but were completely restricted by the Pistons in the semifinals. Not just in one or two games, but in most games it was difficult to score more than 80 points.

In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Pistons averaged 75.2 points per game and the Pacers averaged 72.7 points per game. The reason why the ratings are getting worse is largely because both sides are too tough.

If a game is filled with a lot of irons, fouls, and free throws, with no outstanding star players and only mediocre scoring, fans will naturally not buy it.

"In my opinion, they are the Nets with stronger inside strength, and the Pistons will not cause trouble to the Knicks."

"We all know this. If Michael Jordan could be limited to no more than 20 points, I would have won the championship long ago."

With the support of enthusiastic fans, everyone on the Pistons flying to New York was also excited.

"If the Pistons still maintain this offensive state, then there will be no suspense in the game."

After analyzing the game for several days in a row, ESPN could only reluctantly give the Pistons an X-note:

"Head coach Larry Brown has built a historically strong defensive team!"

"I think the Pistons still have a great chance to win an away victory. They have played the ultimate team basketball this season!"

Today happens to be Thursday, and TNT's program is not as polite as its counterparts. Charles Barkley once again brought up the theory of star quality:

When both partners were silent, Ernie Johnson said with a smile:

"If the defense can reduce Lee's score to 20 points, the Knicks will never be able to win four consecutive championships!"

"In fact, after the league allowed zone defense, it placed great restrictions on scorers."

至于比卢普斯，场均12.7分3.3篮板5.7助攻1.3抢断3.7失误；

The shooting rate was 47.4%, the three-point shooting rate was 22.2%, and the free throw shooting rate was 86.5%.

The shooting rate was 35.6%, the three-point shooting rate was 20%, and the free throw shooting rate was 75%.

过气的全明星拉希德-华莱士场均12.8分8.0篮板1.5助攻1.3抢断2.3盖帽2.3失误；

Although Hill's data has declined and Gasol's inflated data is also somewhat watery, New York fans unanimously believe that the two should at least be selected for the third team.

The Pacers' defense is indeed outstanding this season, ranking third in the league during the regular season, allowing opponents to average 85.6 points per game.

The last sentence refers to most of the players on the Pistons, who average a little more than 10 points per game, and their playing is not fancy. The highlights of the beautiful offense are nothing like the Pistons.

After experiencing a round of Eastern Conference semifinals in which the ratings plummeted, the NBA league's promotion efforts this week have significantly increased.

In the studio, Charles Barkley shook his head repeatedly, showing his disdain for the so-called team basketball:

The shooting rate was 58.5%, the three-point shooting rate was 47.8%, and the free throw shooting rate was 92.3%.

场均出场43.0分钟，场均拿到23.7分4.5篮板3.8助攻0.7抢断0.2盖帽2.5失误；

"No need to talk about personal data anymore, winning or losing the game is the key."

Fortunately, the Knicks are the current ratings guarantee. Although many fans are saying that they are tired of watching Li You, they are afraid of comparison in everything. After watching it for a while, they can only say "it's really good".

After Li You's data appeared, Kenny Smith smiled helplessly. This data showed that Barkley's view was very correct.

"In basketball, no matter how good the defense is, it can't limit the true superstar."

ESPN is very worried that the ratings of the Eastern Conference Finals will also be affected. It has been introducing the Pistons in the past two days, but it is a little embarrassing every time it talks about the Pistons:

"It can't blow!"

The shooting rate was 30.8%, the three-point shooting rate was 25.9%, and the free throw shooting rate was 85.3%.

In the semifinals, Hamilton was the Pistons' main scorer.

"."

Although TNT is responsible for broadcasting the Western Conference Finals this year, Ernie Johnson is also very interested in the conference finals on the other side.

场均出场35.0分钟，场均拿到36.0分4.8篮板10.3助攻2.5抢断0.5盖帽1.5失误；

But the Nets are not bad either, ranking fifth behind the Knicks. The top teams are all strong defensive teams, but the scene in the other semifinals is completely different.

"Apart from the highlights, everything else is useless. Sorry, there are some players whose performances can't even be included in the highlights."

After 13 seasons, the Pistons once again reached the conference finals. No matter what the outside world thinks, Detroit fans are already excited.

Kenny Smith felt that his partner had offended many people again. Even if this was true, he could not say it on the show:

Hamilton's numbers were mediocre, and the rest of the Pistons' players were even worse.

"I stick to my point of view. The fame and strength of most of the current stars in the league do not match up. They are overrated."

Everyone thinks those sports media who voted did it on purpose! They're targeting New York.

New York fans don't believe this statement at all. Since Hill and Gasol lost the best lineup, young fans have recently begun to export again.

The statistical performance of the three core players left the commentators unable to find an angle to brag about. None of the other role players scored more than 8 points. Everyone really couldn't brag about it!

As soon as he finished speaking, the on-site director gave the data of Li You's four semi-final games:

Although Billups and Ben Wallace had rings, they were just role players in the Knicks back then, and they lacked the sense of accomplishment in winning championships.

After several years of struggle, they came to the conference finals again. After flying to New York, their moods were very different.

However, the Pistons, who arrived in Manhattan one day in advance, quickly felt the arrogance of local fans.

The New York sports media has a strong sense of superiority and has not reported much about the conference finals. In the past few days, most articles in the New York Times have the same core:

"Knicks championship."

There isn't as much news covering the Pistons as there is about the Lakers.

Fans are not interested in the Pistons without star players. In order to cater to their preferences, the New York media will naturally report more on the "thief" Lakers.

Rasheed Wallace didn't like the feeling of being ignored, so he was holding back his fire when he warmed up in advance in the afternoon:

"They think they're guaranteed to win? This is the playoffs, anything is possible!"

Perhaps because of too much praise from the Detroit Free Press, Rasheed Wallace felt a little uncomfortable after being ignored.

In Detroit, they are heroes, but in New York, everyone on the Pistons seems to have become insignificant bits and pieces.

After the win over the Pacers, one of the most popular articles from the Detroit Free Press was this:

“It’s the New York Knicks’ turn!”

After defeating the opponent and eliminating the second place in the Eastern Conference, Detroit's sports media has already praised the Pistons to the sky.

Looking at his yelling teammates, Billups was calm, patted the ball and said:

"This is New York. In fact, they have always looked down upon their opponents in the Eastern Conference."

Head coach Larry Brown attaches great importance to away games. The players had just chatted for a few words when they immediately interrupted and reminded:

"Don't be distracted, stay focused! External evaluations cannot affect the outcome of the game."

"All you have to do is execute the game plan that the team has set and remember, we only play for each other."

Hamilton and Ben Wallace gave up the idea of ​​continuing to gossip after hearing the coach's words. Currently, the boss of the team is the head coach, and everyone listens to him.

When the Knicks came to the arena to warm up in advance, Gasol and others were still discussing the best lineup.

The improvement in statistics led to the loss of the draft, which made Gasol a little unhappy. He should not be footing the bill for the league's star-making campaign.

On the contrary, Grant Hill didn't care about this at all. After the data dropped, Hill also removed the burden. At present, he just wants to win the championship and then kill everyone in the Olympics during the offseason.

D'Antoni didn't say much, and just gave Li You a heads up during the warm-up:

"The opponent will definitely use a lot of zone defense, Lee, you know what to do!"

“We need to hit those shots early on from the perimeter.”

The opponent likes to defend in a zone. After preparing for a week, Li You naturally knows:

"Don't worry, coach, you can't defeat us just by relying on defense!"

D'Antoni immediately laughed. He felt that Li You was in good condition. He was still a little impulsive during the game against the Nets, but returned to a calm state after taking a break.

The game officially kicked off at 20 o'clock, and New York fans naturally came to the arena early.

No one paid much attention to tonight's opponent. Ordinary fans would measure the team's strength by the number of All-Star players.

The Pistons have only one former Knicks player who is good at defense and has been selected as an All-Star. New York fans naturally look down upon this team configuration.

When Li You came on the stage, cheers resounded throughout the arena. In the ESPN commentary box, Nesler still had his hair slicked back. It was not easy to commentate on this series:

"What a terrifying popularity. The Knicks, who have completed their reconstruction, seem to be starting a new round of dominance!"

Bill Walton did not follow suit. From the perspective of team configuration, only the Lakers can compare:

"72 wins, I think the Knicks are stronger this season!"

"Last year's championship was too easy. Although they encountered some challenges this season, the team was completely successful."

"The same goes for the Pistons. This is the pinnacle showdown between the two teams."

The Pistons did not change their starting lineup tonight. Billups and Hamilton are still in the backcourt, and the three in the frontcourt are Collis Williams, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace.

The game was about to start. Facing the director's camera, head coach Larry Brown sat steadily on the bench, showing a confident look.

On the other side, D'Antoni was the same. He was very humble in interviews before the game, but he backed down tactically before the game started.

After the players on both sides came to the center of the field, Artest greeted his opponents excitedly. He was selected to the All-NBA Team and won DPOY. This year is the peak moment of his career:

"Are you ready to lose? You don't stand a chance!"

The bouncing Artest looked at Ben Wallace and shouted loudly, and the response was a look of contempt.

Li You greeted everyone and went back to the half court to wait for the ball. The noise in the arena soon turned into cheers:

"Let's go Knicks!."

Stand up, throw up the large orange handkerchief in your hand, enter the playoffs, there are not many games, and the fans are more engaged.

The referee threw the ball up, and Gasol, who was playing with some emotion, reacted quickly and moved the ball to his own half.

As Li You received the ball, the Pistons quickly retreated to half court. Just as the coaching staff expected, after the opening, the opponent defended a three-two zone defense.

Billups defended Li You who was halfway through the half early. Williams and Hamilton stopped on the left and right on the wings, completing the defense while also watching the movements on the line.

Rasheed Wallace and Ben were squatting under the left and right baskets. This zone defense blocked 19 shots in a single game against the Pacers.

Li You, who was protecting the ball sideways, just waved his hand to remind his teammates to change their positions. Soon, Grant Hill quickly ran to the left near the baseline.

At the same time, Gasol quickly came to the free throw line, and Kurt Thomas moved to the right near the baseline.

On the court, the Knicks changed positions very quickly, but the Pistons were not affected at all, reminding each other to continue to maintain their defensive positions.

When his teammates moved, Li You immediately passed the ball to Artest on the left wing. At the same time, he cut into the middle and accelerated towards the baseline.

Under the zone defense, the Pistons still did not change the defensive zone. At the top of the arc, Billups noticed that Hill had bounced out again, and then he felt that something was wrong.

Hill, who bounced to the top of the arc, caught the ball. At the same time, Gasol raised the pick and roll, and Li You, who came to the baseline, quickly ran to the right corner. Kurt Thomas stood near the baseline on the right side and provided Li You with an off-ball screen.

Billups shouted a reminder, and Ben quickly switched to Li You and ran to the right corner.

Hamilton, who had been parked on the right wing, immediately slid to help defend Hill after the pick-and-roll.

The Pistons seemed to be playing perfect defense, but as Gasol accelerated down the line on a fake screen, Kurt Thomas suddenly moved laterally and blocked Rasheed Wallace on the lower left side of the basket with his body, and the situation completely changed.

Hill, who was originally planning to pass the ball to the bottom corner, suddenly jumped close to the right wing and threw the ball.

Billups, who still maintained defense on the line, could only turn his head and watch Gasol catch the ball in the paint. He grabbed the ball with his right hand and easily made a one-handed dunk!

"Boom!" The dunk was successful!

Rasheed Wallace was tangled up with Kurt Thomas who was off the ball screen, and he watched depressingly as Gasol completed the dunk and yelled at the camera.

The Knicks seized the opportunity in a flash. To the fans, everyone only saw a few people running quickly on the court, and then Gasol completed a dunk.

Most of the fans watched the fun, but a dunk was a good shot. Everyone waved their handkerchiefs and sat back in their seats and continued to cheer loudly:

"Wow!"

Billups, who received the ball from the baseline, was defended by Li You. The Knicks' defensive strategy was very simple, which was to mark the ball.

After half the game, Li You didn't look at what was going on behind him. While staying close to the defense, he continued to interfere.

Hamilton quickly slipped across the baseline from left to right, and with the help of Rasheed Wallace's screen, he quickly bounced out to the left block.

Artest did not lose his defensive position. Billups, who was cautious, did not pass the ball immediately. Hamilton led the defense and ran towards the top of the arc.

Protecting the ball sideways and coming to the left wing, Billups quickly threw the ball to Wallace who was looking for the ball in the low post on the left.

As the main inside scorer of the Pistons, Wallace has a matchup advantage. The moment he catches the ball, he immediately releases the ball with his right hand and relies heavily on the ball.

Kurt Thomas, who had been raising his forearms to defend him, tried his best to meet him. The two bodies collided. Rasheed Wallace first twisted forward slightly, and then immediately turned towards the baseline with his left foot as the axis.

The confusing fake action worked. The moment he completed the turn, Rasheed Wallace immediately connected the ball, leaned back slightly to face the block, and shot a quick jump shot!

"state!"

Although the release point of the straight-arm jump shot is high, the first attack was crisp and clean.

Relying on his height advantage, Gasol got to the rebound immediately, got in front of Big Ben, and successfully controlled the ball with his second takeoff.

Everyone in the Pistons retreated quickly at this time, and only Billups stepped forward to delay Li You's advancement.

The opponent's cheers echoed throughout the stadium again, and Li You was not in a hurry to advance. He took a look at his opponent's defensive position, and then made tactical gestures.

Different from the previous round, after confirming that the opponent did not change the defensive formation, Grant Hill ran across the half court and took up a position near the baseline on the left.

Gasol even stopped near the free throw line early. Artest did not run to the right corner, but stopped on the right wing waiting to catch the ball.

As Li Youyun passed halftime, the Pistons still maintained a zone defense of three people on the line.

The ball was still handed over after halftime, and Artest didn't rush to attack after receiving the ball. He waited until Hill bounced to the top of the arc again before sending a cross pass.

Li You, who cut in without the ball, did not use the cover of his teammates this time and suddenly ran to the left corner.

Hill, who moved laterally to the left wing, attracted Hamilton's defense and immediately pushed the ball to change direction.

The moment he switched to his right hand, he dropped his shoulders and accelerated. Billups, who was still shouting to remind his teammates, hurriedly slid to help defend, but he was still a beat slow.

After getting rid of Hamilton and easily breaking through the defense, Hill broke through to the paint area directly in front of the basket. When Rasheed Wallace moved, he immediately jumped to throw the ball.

The basketball flew straight to the left corner. After receiving the ball, Li You lifted the ball and feinted. Hamilton immediately accelerated to defend and flew out of the baseline.

"Oh!"

He almost fell to the audience in the back. Amid the exclamations of the fans, Li You deceived the defense and finally made a steady jump shot!

"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

At 0:5, the Knicks played another wonderful match after the opening, and everyone on the bench was jubilant.

Head coach Larry Brown is a little overwhelmed, and his zone defense doesn't seem to be working.

The imagined situation was very different from the actual match. Li You no longer initiated pick-and-rolls frequently, but squatted in the corner to open up space, becoming a pure finishing point.

This situation has never happened in the regular season. In recent years, Li You has always had the ball in his hands, playing pick-and-rolls and slashing statistics.

Standing up subconsciously, head coach Larry Brown loudly reminded his players to change their defensive strategy.

The Pistons' discipline was very good, and everyone calmed down after hearing the head coach's reminder.

After Billups passed half court, he immediately called for Ben to come forward and cover.

Keenly aware that the Knicks seemed to have completely given up on defending Big Ben, Billups hoped to create an easy scoring opportunity for his teammates through a simple pick-and-roll.

Li You didn't need to remind Billups, who was moving sideways with the ball in his left hand, and was immediately delayed by Gasol.

The Knicks did let go of big money, but Gasol's delay was beyond Billups' expectations. He ran into the arms of the big man and almost blocked the same defense, causing Larry Brown on the sidelines to complain loudly.

Billups failed to squeeze past with his explosive power. Instead, he slowed down and stopped the ball. Without waiting to protect the ball in his arms, Li You, who was chasing him, stuck behind the opponent and took advantage of the situation with his left hand.

Billups dropped the ball immediately after the two men flanked him, and the stadium cheered again.

After completing the steal, Li You controlled the ball and accelerated with the ball in his right hand. Billups caught up behind him and stopped helplessly at the three-point line.

1 vs 0 in the frontcourt, Li You jumped up high in the paint, with his head flat against the frame, and took advantage of the situation to complete a hand change under his crotch. He stretched his body in the air, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and smashed the ball into the basket!

"boom!"

The powerful and heavy dunk made the rim roar, and the beautiful crotch dunk instantly ignited the arena.

Seeing Li You stopping at the baseline position and moving his shoulders, the fans in the front row were so excited that they pumped their fists repeatedly. When the Pistons were about to serve the baseline ball, some fans kept shouting:

"Ugly basketball is not welcome in New York!"

“To hell with team basketball!”

Rasheed Wallace, who returned to the baseline to serve, originally wanted to touch the ball more to feel the feel, but he almost got angry when he heard the shouts of the fans behind him.

Larry Brown, who was still complaining loudly to the referee about the last round, saw this scene and reminded loudly, and Rasheed Wallace suppressed his anger.

The so-called physical contact and tough basketball are often caused by the referee's indulgence.

Aware of tonight's penalty scale, Billups no longer picks and rolls with Ben.

After passing the half court, Billups at the top of the arc used Rasheed Wallace's screen to briefly get rid of Li You, holding the ball in his right hand and pretending to break through.

Attracting the defense of Kurt Thomas, without waiting for the defense to be in place, Billups flicked his wrist and passed the ball from the base to Rasheed Wallace who bounced out.

The 45-degree sweet spot on the left wing, Wallace didn't hesitate after receiving the ball, and immediately took a jump shot!

"state!"

A long rebound popped up, and Li You immediately judged the ball's landing point, controlled the ball at the left elbow, and then turned around and rushed.

Rasheed Wallace immediately drew a foul, disrupting the Knicks' transition offense.

"Shet!"

A foul was committed at the beginning, and Wallace cursed. Due to injuries, this was his first time playing against the Knicks after joining the Pistons.

In the past, in the Trail Blazers, the discipline was not strong, and Wallace would still fish for fish. After joining the new team, he really wanted to win the championship. He liked the atmosphere of the new team.

Wallace, who kept clapping his hands and quickly returned to half-court defense, reminded his teammates to change their defense, and the Pistons suddenly switched back to man-marking.

After taking the ball from the sideline, Li You suddenly speeded up and rushed across the half court with the ball in his left hand against the defense.

The Pistons had just completed their defensive positioning, and the big man was still sinking to the baseline, with the two wings stretching left and right.

Reaching the top of the arc, Li You stopped suddenly and quickly dribbled the ball with his hips. Taking advantage of the interference of Billups' left hand, he suddenly turned around deftly.

The moment he caught the ball with his left hand, Li You lowered his center of gravity, leaned on the defense, and accelerated his breakthrough.

Billups could only twist and slide in an attempt to engage in physical confrontation. The two had just crossed the free throw line when Li You suddenly stopped and blasted the ball vigorously on the spot.

Still trying to get in front of him to defend Billups, Billups instantly lost his center of gravity and watched as Li You pushed the ball and changed direction, switching to his right hand to completely get rid of the defense.

Wallace and Ben on the inside could only watch helplessly as Li You moved right in front of the basket and easily completed the throw with his right hand!

"Whoa!" The two-pointer was hit steadily.

0:9, a beautiful pass, once again making the stadium excited.

Before the game, the sports media heavily praised the Pistons' defense. New York fans were a little worried at first. Seeing Li You's scoring performance, everyone felt comfortable and their shouts became louder.

The Knicks retreated quickly, leaving only Li You to continue to lead the defense. Watching the Pistons pass the ball continuously, Hamilton ran back twice and finally made a jump shot. Nessler in the commentary box couldn't help but sigh:

"The Pistons' defense didn't seem to be doing much."

"If it's just man-to-man defense, then they're no different than any other team."

The Knicks played a transition attack. After crossing the half court, Li You went to the left wing and immediately pushed the ball to change direction. Then he broke through the tank and rushed to the basket with Billups on his back.

Attracting Wallace's defense, Li You leaned on the defense at the bottom left of the basket and soared into the air, grabbing the ball with his left hand and flicking it behind his head.

Kurt Thomas, who followed up, caught the ball and immediately exploded, and was eventually pulled down by Wallace.

"Shh!"

Wallace fell into a passive position after the opening, and the anxious Wallace only regained his composure after receiving his second personal foul.

Seeing Larry Brown greet Okur to come on the court, Rasheed Wallace took the initiative to walk to the bench, took off his headband when he returned to his seat, and threw it to the floor.

He obviously defeated his opponent in the semifinals by relying on defense, but the defense he was so proud of in tonight's game was ineffective. Wallace stared, becoming more and more depressed.

Kurt Thomas secretly shook his finger at the Pistons bench while he was taking free throws. Wallace was so angry that he immediately stood up, and was then pushed down by Larry Brown.

"Rashid, calm down! This is the conference finals and the game has just begun!"

Larry Brown pushed up his glasses and returned to his seat and patted Wallace. He didn't believe the Knicks would keep scoring.

At 0:11, both free throws were made. Bill Walton looked at the Pistons who had not yet scored after the opening, and commented tactfully:

"Double-digit deficit, I think coach Larry Brown needs a timeout."

"They should change their game. The Knicks are not a traditional team."

Seeing that Ben Wallace, who had been left open, made a mistake in returning the ball in the paint area and was intercepted by Li You, both people in the commentary box felt that the game was going to take a long time.

Billups paid a foul and was booed by the New York fans at the scene.

In the following minutes, the Pistons still failed to score. It was not until 1 minutes and 6 seconds left in the first quarter that Ben's shot from the paint helped the team break the scoring drought.

At 2:18, on the Knicks bench, D'Antoni couldn't hold himself any longer. He stood up, walked to the sideline with his arms folded, and looked at the Pistons bench.

Noticing that Larry Brown refused to ask for a timeout and kept yelling, D'Antoni shook his head with a smile. The game was easier than he expected.

In the second half of the game, the Pistons showed their iron-blooded defense again and began to frequently foul and send free throws.

Leading by a big score, Li You began to squat in the bottom corner again, patiently waiting for the opportunity.

Using the same tactics as the opening game, the Knicks had a very high success rate, and Gasol was extremely tough and kept hitting the basket.

By the end of the first quarter, Madison Square Garden was in complete excitement, and the New York fans at the scene were shouting happily.

At 14:32, although the foul disrupted the rhythm of the game, the Knicks still took an 18-point lead.

小半节比赛蹲底角的李佑7中5，三分线外3中1，罚球4中4，不声不响砍下15分。

When they returned to the bench, the atmosphere team excitedly high-fived Li You in celebration.

When he sat down in his seat, although Li You smiled and turned to wave to the fans behind him, he was not very satisfied with his shooting state:

"Sure enough, you can't practice extra before the game."

(End of this chapter)