I really don't want to win the MVP

Chapter 203 The Days of Waiting for the Raptors
The home and away game arrangement of the playoffs is that teams with good records will play two home games first, then two away games, and then home-away-home, a total of 7 games.

So on the 20th, the Knicks will go to the home of the Indiana Pacers --- Bankers Life Arena to play two consecutive games.

Every team that wants to hack the top team wants to return to home and win two straight after losing two away games, so that there is still hope of advancing.

The inside of the Bankers Life Arena has long been covered with yellow Indiana Pacers jerseys, and only a few Knicks fans can be seen here and there.

Although the Pacers showed tenacious combat effectiveness in the third game, they still lost despite the difference in strength.

Jiang Mu scored a double-double of 32 points and 12 assists, and Anthony also scored 30 points and 9 rebounds.

Anthony was very happy. Although he had partnered with excellent backcourt players like Allen Iverson and Billups, neither of them were at their peak at that time.

Anthony feels that the current Knicks team is very healthy, and he has never fought such a rich battle.

Jiang Mu can do what most teams need.

This allows Anthony, who has been in the quagmire of the game countless times, to no longer rely on his endless singles to win slim victories.

Anthony seems a little selfish to the outside world, just like Kobe after O'Neal left the Lakers.

In fact, this is all helpless.

No one wants to be called a data brush.

Everyone has a dream of an NBA championship.

It's just that sometimes the helplessness may only be known to you.

Since Jiang Mu came to the Knicks, after just a few games, Anthony saw that Jiang Mu was by no means an ordinary player, so he could safely hand over his core position and be a leader of the locker room.

This season, Anthony averaged only 22 points per game in the regular season, but the team's record is obvious to all.

Anthony is not as tired as before, and his mood is much more relaxed and happy.

This contrast is too obvious, so Anthony is happy and excited.

The Knicks, including the owner, were so elated that they almost hung a lantern at the gate of Madison Gardens.

After Game [-], the owners and coaches of the Pacers basically stopped expecting to win the series, and even the players stopped pretending to be confident when they were interviewed.

"The difference in strength made it very difficult for us to play against the Knicks. They are a championship-caliber team. Although we played at our level, everyone knew that we still have a lot to improve this season. place."

"We need to defend a victory at home in the next game!"

Confidence is still insufficient!

Knicks owner James Dolan was absent from the game for Game [-], but before the start of Game [-], he deliberately flew to Indiana. He wanted to witness the Knicks keep the victory in Indiana instead of returning to New York. Game five.

Although the Pacers know that they have lost hope of advancing, they still want to win a victory in order to maintain the few faces.

Therefore, the Pacers in the fourth game looked more tenacious.

But what the Pacers encountered in the previous three games was not the Knicks who did their best, nor the Chinese Jiang who did his best.

Therefore, after the Pacers resisted for three quarters, there was finally no hope at all.

The Knicks swept the Indiana Pacers 4-0 in the first round.

This result is the same as many people's guesses before the series.

But after all the teams have played 4 games, the scores of the series are somewhat reasonable, and some are unexpected.

west:

勇士3：1火箭，火箭队在3:0落后的情况下，第四场比赛在主场誓死捍卫了一场胜利，这是哈登用47分13个助攻换来的。

Spurs 4:0 Grizzlies, like the Knicks, the Spurs eliminated the Memphis people without any suspense.

Thunder 3:1 Lone Ranger, a victory stolen by the Thunder at home cost the Lone Ranger two home losses.

Clippers 2:2 Trail Blazers, this is the most dramatic game in the West, the Clippers won two games first, but was pulled by the Blazers in two consecutive games.

east:

The Cavaliers 3:1 Pistons, the Pistons did not continue to show their upset strength, and the Cavaliers' number one strength in the East has been verified again.

Knicks 4:0 Pacers.

Raptors 2:2 Celtics.

Heat 2:2 Eagles.

The Raptors and Heat in the East met the stubborn resistance of the Celtics and Eagles. Many analysts agreed that the two teams would go through a tie-break, which is definitely good news for the Cavaliers and Knicks.

Because the Knicks have already advanced, and the Cavaliers will send the Detroiters home after returning home in the next game without accident.

The game that the Knicks are most concerned about is of course the game between the Raptors and the Celtics, because the Knicks' opponent in the next series is the winner of the two teams.

Previously, according to the strength comparison on the surface, the Raptors should have won this series relatively easily.

The Celtics' current lineup is not good. The team's current number one star is Isaiah Thomas, who is known as "the strongest 175 on the surface". He averaged 22.2 points per game during the regular season, purely from scoring ability. It is said that it can be equal to Anthony of the Knicks this season.

The No. 15 man is Avery Bradley, who can contribute [-] points per game.

Then there are Jae Crowder, Evan Turner and others who have just averaged double figures per game.

Although the team does not have a superstar in charge, the Celtics still have the pedigree of a strong defensive team due to the tradition of a strong team.

Being able to score 2:2 with the Raptors really relies on strong defensive strength.

DeRozan and Lowry of the Raptors should not be underestimated. The team has defensive champions like Valanciunas on the inside, and small forward DeMarre Carroll is also a defensive pioneer at the small forward position in the league. , plus a delicate inside line like Luis Scola, and a bench gangster like Terrence Ross.

The Raptors should win this series anyway.

Therefore, the Knicks began to practice targeted tactics to break the Raptors' defense long in advance, as well as rehearse strategies to defend the Raptors.

But then the Raptors and the Celtics actually played 3:3, and the Celtics dragged the series into the tiebreaker with a tenacious attitude.

At the same time, the Heat and the Eagles were also dragged into the tiebreaker.

Except for these two groups, the others have already decided the outcome.

The Cavaliers and Knicks in the East are the first to advance, and are waiting for the winner of the Heat and the Eagles, Raptors and Celtics.

西部勇士4:1淘汰掉火箭，马刺4:0率先晋级，雷霆4:1淘汰独行侠。

The Los Angeles Clippers, which had won two games first, were seriously affected by Chris Paul's injury and a sore groin, and then lost three games in a row, but were led by the Blazers by one game.

In the sixth game, Paul couldn't play directly, and Lillard once again went down to take the victory.

The poor Clippers and Paul fell in the first round of the playoffs again.

(End of this chapter)