basketball boulder

Chapter 114 The first game of the playoffs (against the Celtics)
Before the start of the playoffs.

ESPN launched a poll where fans can vote for each matchup online.

In the group of the Celtics and the Heat, [-]% of fans believe that the Heat will win.

三成支持热火队横扫凯尔特人，两成认为是4比1，一成4比2，一成4比3。

Only [-]% think the Celtics will win.

Seven to three, the support rate of the two teams is very different.

But it's also normal. The Heat have 57 wins and 25 losses, and the Celtics have 39 wins and 43 losses. The regular season records of the two teams are very different.

Before the game day, the media will interview players from both teams.

For the Heat, Pat Riley directly trained in a closed environment, and any interviews were strictly prohibited.

The Celtics are very relaxed.

Paul Pierce was interviewed.

Paul Pierce, who has always been a big mouth, told the media: "This must be a difficult series."

"As for who wins and who loses, of course I choose the Celtics. We may have seven games. The process is very difficult, but the Celtics will win the final victory."

As the leader of the Celtics, Pierce certainly has no problem saying that.

He can't just tell the media before the game, his team will be eliminated.

However, Pierce's statement was quickly ridiculed by fans.

"Based on the current strength of the Celtics, how can they compete with the Heat?"

"Pierce thought he was living in the era of Larry Bird? The Celtics just took the last bus to the playoffs."

"Put it in the West, and the ashes of the Celtics playoffs can't be seen."

"I've got the broom ready, let's take Pierce home and go fishing."

……

The evening of July 4.

American Airlines Center.

The arena was packed.

This year's Heat drove low and went high, and finally achieved an excellent record of 57 wins and 25 losses.

This rekindled hope for many Miami people who were disappointed with the Heat.

Nowadays, the Heat's home games are full.

Tickets for the playoffs are even harder to come by.

Tonight, not only were there no empty seats in the arena, but in the big square outside the arena, many fans who could not buy tickets were unwilling to leave and stayed in the square to watch the game.

When Li Lei came to the arena, he was immediately surrounded by crowds of fans.

In addition, TNT's golden partner Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley will explain the game.

Zhang Weiping and Su Qun will also broadcast live, so that domestic fans can watch the game.

During the warm-up period, Zhang Weiping and Su Qun conducted a formal interview with Li Lei.

After the interview, the two also comforted Li Lei: "Stone, don't be nervous, play well. The playoffs are a game that truly tests a player's strength, and it is very important!"

At the end of the interview, Li Lei looked back and saw Butler slid out of the basket for a layup.

Li Lei smiled: No one was defending, but Butler missed a layup.

There are not many such opportunities, if you don't laugh at this time, when will you wait?

Immediately afterwards, Li Lei saw Haslem hit the basket and missed a shot.

Wang Zhizhi stood outside the three-point line, making a fixed-point shot.

Li Lei suddenly... couldn't laugh anymore.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the game is about to start.

The Celtics (Celtics) played amid boos all over the sky.

Center: Mark Blunt.

Power Forward: Walter McCarty.

Small Forward: Paul Pierce.

Shooting guard: Ricky Davis.

Point guard: Chucky Atkins.

The Heat is still the regular lineup: Cato, Odom, Li Lei, Jones, Wade.

Drip!

The whistle blew and the game started.

The first playoff tour of Li Lei's career has begun.

Cato beat Blount and turned the ball back to his own half.

Wade made a breakthrough with the ball and forced Chucky Atkins in the frontcourt.

Atkins is a small guard with only 180cm, like a child in front of Wade.

As soon as Wade exerted his strength, he easily squeezed through.

But Ricky Davis had been prepared for a long time, and the defense was in place as soon as possible.

Wade didn't panic either, and made a wonderful pass to the old Jones who was unguarded.

good chance!
Old Jones adjusted and shot from outside the three-point line.

The basketball crossed a parabola and hit the front frame.

Bang!

"Eddie Jones was a bit cold at the start, wasting a good pass from Wade."

Director Zhang Weiping sighed.

Su Qun nodded: "But the game has just started, and Old Jones will definitely be able to adjust later."

Pierce shrunk to the basket, grabbed the rebound himself, and launched a fast break directly.

At this time, Pierce was not that strong, and he belonged to the category of flying into the sky and escaping from the ground, and his advancing speed was very fast.

Li Lei rushed forward and pestered Pierce.

Pierce didn't stick to the ball either, and gave it to Ricky Davis.

Davis dodges Jones with a behind-the-back dribble, rushes to the frontcourt and slams the ball into the hoop.

2: 0.

Ricky Davis is also amazingly talented, with outstanding running and jumping ability.

When he led the Cavaliers to win the No. 20 pick, he scored nearly 5+5+[-].

It seems that he is in a very good state today.

The Heat attack.

Old Jones received a pass from Wade, and the mid-range jumper missed again, and he made 2 of 0 shots in the start.

But Cato made a tip-up.

2: 2.

Celtics attack.

Pierce took the ball in a high position and was defended by Li Lei.

Pierce did not attack, and the ball was given to Davis, who was in excellent condition.

Davis broke through to attract the defense and passed the ball to McCarty on the outside.

McCarty is a big man with range, adjusts, and hits.

5: 2.

The Heat attack.

Odom forced McCarty to score in the low post.

5: 4.

Atkins broke through and scored a layup.

7: 4.

The Heat attack.

Odom continued to force McCarty in the low post, attracted the Celtics to double-team, and then passed the ball to Jones.

Jones made a mid-range jumper.

Bang!

He started 3-for-0 from the field.

Miami fans were dumbfounded.

Tonight's Jones played very well, you must know that these three goals are all open!
Davis received the backcourt rebound, went straight to the fast break, and assisted Pierce in the frontcourt to score a dunk.

9: 4.

Unknowingly, the Celtics established a 5-point advantage.

The Heat attack.

It was Davis again, he directly gave up the old Jones and helped Atkins defend Wade.

Wade still trusts the old Jones and passes him the ball.

The old Jones received the ball, there was no opponent around him, and it was an open spot.

good chance.

Old Jones glanced at the basket, adjusted... and passed the ball to Li Lei.

"..."

The entire American Airlines Center arena was silent.

What the hell?

Old Jones' mysterious operation.

Don't shoot open, pass to Li Lei who is defended?

Li Lei was also in a daze, and was almost robbed by Pierce.

After Li Lei protected the ball, the attack time was almost 24 seconds, Li Lei could only force a shot against Pierce's defense.

Bang!

Pierce interfered enough with the ball, but he didn't score.

Blount struggled to protect the backboard, and the Celtics played a defensive counterattack.

Old Jones also realized that he had made a mistake, and chased desperately, trying to make up for the mistake.

He pulled Pierce up the court, but not hard enough.

Pierce hasn't stacked his weight to the maximum, but his body is strong enough.

If you don't use your strength, you really can't hold it.

Pierce pushed the ball into the basket against the old Jones' pull.

11: 4.

Drip!

Then the whistle sounded.

2+1!

Pierce hit 2+1.

He still has one free throw opportunity.

After landing, Pierce beat his chest and roared, "Roar!"

In the interview before the game, although Pierce claimed that the Celtics could win, he also knew that the possibility was less than [-]%.

But as a leader, Pierce can only say so.

He is under tremendous pressure.

But when it came to the playoffs, Pierce suddenly found that the game was not so difficult to play.

The Heat aren't as strong as they look.

The Celtics really have a chance to win!

So Pierce was excited.

The Miami fans put their heads in their hands and couldn't believe it.

"Tonight's old Jones is like a fan!"

As a veteran, or a veteran who is good at defense, he didn't even remember: either don't reach out, or be ruthless when you do.

He even gave Pierce a chance to hit 2+1.

Coach Da Fan made a direct substitution.

Enter Butler, exit Old Jones.

Li Lei also wanted to comfort Old Jones: "It's okay, take a good rest."

Old Jones nodded confusedly.

On the court, Pierce hit the free throw steadily.

12: 4.

The Celtics have led by 8 points.

The situation is one-sided.

Before the game started, no one would have thought of such an opening.

(End of this chapter)