Versatile Point Forward

Chapter 143 This Might Be a Fake Match
Adelman was very upset, but Ye Feng was even more upset. Adelman was upset because of McGrady's absence, and Ye Feng was also upset because of McGrady's absence.

McGrady has been on and off this season, missed a total of 47 games, and averaged only 15.6 points per game, which is the lowest record since joining the Magic in the fourth season of his career.Originally, the Rockets hoped that the ATM combination formed by him, Yao Ming and Artest could help the Rockets reach the finals, but they did not expect McGrady to be affected by injuries this season, and finally had to undergo minimally invasive knee surgery at the end of the season, and announced Reimbursement for the playoffs.

Ye Feng's headache is here, because Adelman's starting lineup after losing a top scorer is: Brooks, Battier, Artest, Scola and Yao Ming.Now Ye Feng and Roy have become the most difficult people in the Trail Blazers team, because they are going to face off against the two major defensive masters in the league. The most speechless thing is that these two can still switch defenses at any time. Regardless of the difference between shooting guard and small forward, almost unlimited defenses can be achieved.And now that Battier and Artest are still at the peak of their careers, it is more than enough to handle Roy and Ye Feng.

This season, Artest averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. 7.3%, is an important scoring point for the Rockets outside.I really didn't know what the general manager of the Rockets thought at the time. Battier had already been recruited, but Artest was introduced from the Kings. But now it seems that although the position is a bit repeated, it is basically the flank defense of the entire league. It's not such a luxury anymore.Two outside gates with different styles but equally effective swing on the field, no matter how strong you are, the scorer will also be caught blind.

They also had an interesting game in the regular season.In the 2-26 victory over the Cavaliers on February 93, it was because Artest and Battier played together that James played one of his worst games since his debut.In fact, strictly speaking, although James' 74-for-21 shooting is a little bit worse, 7 points are not shameful. However, he only grabbed 21 rebound and did not send out assists. This is the first time in his career. No assists scored in a single game.Being able to defend the league's top all-around flanks like this shows the defensive ability of this combination.

Now that Tracy McGrady is reimbursed for the playoffs, Adelman once again followed the same example and put out the combination of Artest + Battier, obviously to give the Blazers a blow.McMillan was very worried. Among other things, Artest's offense still has two brushes. He originally wanted to start with Outlaw instead of Ye Feng, but this guy obviously couldn't stop Artest. Although Ye Feng Young, but the physical fitness is not inferior to Outlaw, coupled with relatively stronger offensive ability, McMillan still had to put Ye Feng in the starting lineup after thinking twice, let him face Artest's toughness defense.

Ye Feng didn't hesitate, and after the start of the match, he and Artest had a hard fight, and soon they became the players who sweated the most and had the most blunt injuries.Ye Feng knew that he was at a disadvantage. On the surface, he seemed to have no pressure, evenly matched with Artest, but in fact he was already at the end of his strength, and Artest still had some strength left.The two teams played a total of three games in the regular season. The Rockets led 2-1. In these three games, Ye Feng did not perform very well. unspeakable.But today he discovered that that is not the opponent's limit, Artest alone can defend him perfectly, not to mention that Battier will occasionally come to change defenses.

Faced with Adelman's formation, Ye Feng really wanted to cry but had no tears.Do you want to say that the Rockets have no other good wings?Not necessarily, Weaver can be used to play the second position, and his technical characteristics are a bit like a low-profile version of McGrady.But the old man chose to play two big locks on the flanks, and put Weaver on the bench as a scoring point.His idea is very simple. The Blazers' main scoring point is Roy. In the case of McGrady's reimbursement, he must send someone to guard Roy, or at least form a mutual explosion situation.In Adelman's view, Weaver had no way to respond to Roy's scoring, so naturally Battier had to be sent to play the second position.As for Artest, he was originally the unshakable third position of the team. With McGrady injured, the team mainly relied on him and Yao Ming, and he must also have a seat in the starting lineup.

Such a simple thought made Roy and Ye Feng miserable.No matter how they performed in the regular season, now is the time of the playoffs, and the defensive intensity is not at the same level as before. A rookie suffered a dark loss.They are really rookies. This is Ye Feng's first season, and it is also Roy's third season. What about the two?Artest was the 1999th pick in the first round in 16, and Battier was the 2001th pick in the first round in 6. It can really be regarded as "eat more salt than you eat rice".What's more, the two have been immersed in the defensive end for a long time, and they know how to complete the defensive task under the nose of the referee. How can Roy and Ye Feng beat them?

Although the fans on the sidelines were shouting hoarsely, although Roy and Ye Feng still scored desperately despite being guarded so uncomfortable, although Blake, Alder and Oden also very consciously shared part of the scoring burden , Although the bench lineup was inseparable from the Rockets' bench under the leadership of Outlaw, they still fell in front of the Rockets who scored in double figures with four players.When he saw the statistics, even Ye Feng had to admire Artest. This guy scored 17 points, the team's fourth-highest score, while defending himself strictly. Poor Ye Feng almost missed double figures.

In addition to Yao Ming contributing 24 points and 9 rebounds, Brooks scored 27 points and Scola scored 19 points. The inside footsteps he honed in Argentina and the FIBA ​​arena made Adelaide unable to find his way.On the Blazers side, only Roy, Ye Feng and Oden scored in double figures. Roy scored 21 points, Oden 15 points, Ye Feng 10 points, and everyone else scored in single digits.

Ye Feng shook his head, confused: Could it be that we are playing a fake match?
(End of this chapter)