warrior godfather

The Lakers' draft pick has nothing to do with the Warriors, but the lottery ceremony has reached the last moment. After the magician won the second pick, the remaining Celtics automatically won the first pick.

Embiid, who participated in the lottery on behalf of the 76ers, sat aside, squinting at the laughing magician with a very ugly face.

76 did not perform badly this year. After Embiid came back, he played 31 good games, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.8 blocks per game.

He used to be nicknamed "The Great Emperor" because of his powerful fighting power on social media. Now, this nickname is becoming more and more appropriate.

Under Embiid's leadership, the 76ers ranked second to last in the Eastern Conference, leading the last-to-last Nets by 5 wins.

The record of the Lakers and Suns in the West is also worse than that of the 76ers. It is a high probability that there is no No. [-] pick. What really makes Embiid unhappy is that the Lakers actually won the No. [-] pick.

The Lakers' draft pick this year was traded to the 76ers, but it was protected by the top three picks. If the Lakers got the second pick, it can only be postponed to next year.

Embiid was in a bad mood, but Vic Grosbeck, who participated in the lottery on behalf of the Celtics, was smiling.

When Mark Tatum pronounced the Celtics' name, he stood up with a smile and shook Tatum's hand.

He experienced Zhang Yu's happiness. What kind of enjoyment is this for the team to draw the No. [-] pick while playing in the division finals?

Billy King is such a nice guy!

The only pity is that the Celtics are still 1:2 behind the Cavaliers, Thomas Jr. is also injured, and the situation is very critical.

Since the start of the playoffs, the Celtics have not been smooth.

In the first round against the Heat, Kerr insisted on passing and cutting. Spoelstra used zone defense to win two games. The Celtics finally won the game by relying on Durant's unsolvable mid-range shot.

Breaking the zone defense requires long-range shots, but the three-pointers of Crowder, Bradley, and Thomas Jr. have all declined to varying degrees in the playoffs, and it has become more difficult for the Celtics to break the zone defense.

Cole insisted on passing and cutting again. Durant didn't have many offenses with the ball in the first few games. Later, Cole panicked when he saw the team lose two games in a row, and gave Durant unlimited firepower. Talent achieved two consecutive victories and eliminated the Heat 4:2.

After this battle, Cole didn't dare to pass the ball without thinking anymore.

The Celtics played against the Raptors in the second round. Cole gave full play to Durant's advantage in the front line, eliminated the Raptors with a big score of 4:2, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

"Trash Brothers" once again disappointed, but also let the Celtics take off a layer of skin. Thomas Jr. suffered a hip injury in the first half of G6 and immediately withdrew from the game, casting a layer on the prospect of the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals shadow.

Fortunately, Thomas soon ushered in a comeback and played in the first three games against the Cavaliers.

But in the second half of G3, Thomas Jr. injured his hip again and was reimbursed for the season. The Celtics left only Durant to lead the team alone. The team also fell behind the Cavaliers 1:2, and the situation was precarious.

Under the strong defense in the playoffs, Thomas Jr.'s performance was far worse than in the regular season. He averaged only 24.3 points, 6.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, and his shooting percentage dropped to 42.5%.

But he is still the Celtics' best player besides Durant, and he is Durant's best helper.

Thomas Jr.'s performance at the critical moment of the fourth quarter is still trustworthy. His absence will have a great impact on the Celtics.

The outside world is quite pessimistic about the Celtics' advancement, and they are generally optimistic that the Cavaliers will win the Eastern Conference Finals and advance to the Finals.

Grosbeck was also quite upset about this, but winning the No. [-] lottery made him feel much better.

It's not that the Celtics have no hope of winning. The No. [-] pick is an excellent sign. He believes that the tough and iron-blooded Celtics will not end their playoff journey.

Grosbeck was in a good mood, and Zhang Yu and Riley, who were far away in the Bay Area, also had smiles on their faces.

The two looked at each other, and Riley said:
"Now, we can ask Danny Ainge for more chips."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly:

"You don't have to be polite to him. You can talk about other things. If he wants Kawhi, the No. [-] pick and Jaylen Brown must join it, otherwise there will be no discussion."

After the trade deadline came, Riley sought the next buyer for Leonard's trade. According to Zhang Yu's instructions, he first contacted Danny Angie and Cole.

Leonard's performance this season is even better than last season, and he has officially entered the ranks of superstars. He is a striker superstar at the same level as James and Durant, and is an acquaintance of Cole. Danny Ainge did not hesitate at all. Negotiations started.

He also knows Cole's role in this, Leonard still has two years of contract, and the Warriors are completely dominant, so Danny Ainge's offer is very good.

The rookies in the Celtics can be picked by Riley at will. Jaylen Brown, who was just selected last year, can also be added to the deal. In addition, there will be many role players and draft picks. Danny Ainge is willing to talk about the conditions.

Every superstar entering the trading market is an absolute seller's market. The Celtics don't want it, and some teams are vying for Stud.

Danny Ainge knows that it is because of the relationship between Cole and the Warriors that the Celtics can take the lead, so he changed his stingy image and was very generous, fearing that the Warriors would not make a deal with the Celtics.

This time the Celtics won the No. [-] lottery, and they also made wedding dresses for the Warriors.

Zhang Yu has already set his sights on the No. [-] lottery, so the Celtics have to give it, otherwise Zhang Yu can look for other trading partners.

If you want draft picks and rookies, the Lakers are also a very good choice, not worse than the Celtics at all. The 76ers should also welcome Leonard to join.

Leonard is different from those twilight superstars. He is only 26 years old this year. He is at the peak of his youth and can support a team for at least 5-7 years. He is still the most scarce striker superstar. , is the most sought-after type in the trading market.

In the past, Danny Angie would still worry about the compatibility between Leonard and Durant, but now it is the small ball era, Cole guarantees that Durant can play power forward and can definitely coexist with Leonard.

Danny Ainge felt relieved and went all out to chase Leonard.

He initially offered Thomas Jr. as the core of the deal, but Riley immediately rejected it, and Danny Ainge didn't insist anymore.

Thomas Jr. was traded from the Warriors, and now he wants to sell it back, which is too unrealistic.

The Warriors' backcourt combination is the Splash Brothers, so I can't see Thomas Jr..

Later, Riley asked Jaylen Brown and the draft pick, and Danny Ainge readily agreed.

On this basis, the two parties have discussed several times. Although they are still at the level of intention, the specific transaction framework has become more and more clear.

Riley and Danny-Ainge are not in a hurry. This kind of big deal that is enough to change the league structure is made after careful consideration. It requires a long preliminary preparation process. Before the trading market opens, the transaction cannot be confirmed. down.

……

Riley reached out to Danny Ainge immediately after the lottery:

"Danny, we talked about it before, your draft picks this year must be included in the trade, does it still count now... Haha, good! Talking about the trade with you is to rest assured... Well, of course, I will think about it carefully ...Okay, that's it, congratulations on winning the number one lottery..."

Riley put down his phone, looked at Zhang Yu, and nodded:

"He agreed to put the No. [-] pick in the deal, but we also have to make compromises on draft picks and role players."

Zhang Yu smiled:
"How is it possible? Don't give in at all. The lion wants as much as he wants. Danny Ainge will not be swayed by emotions. You don't have to worry about his face. You must squeeze the Celtics dry."

When Riley heard this, his eyelids twitched:
"Ronan, you are...too cruel."

Zhang Yu laughed:
"There are too many people who have been tricked by Danny Angie. I am doing it for the sky! If you want a superstar, you have to bleed. You tell him that the 76ers are also very interested in Kawhi. If he doesn't want the competitor next door Catch up, don't be too stingy!"

……

The lottery ceremony was just a small wave in the playoffs, and people discussed it for a few words before forgetting about it.

The divisional finals are still in full swing, and the competition between the four strong teams has attracted the attention of the audience.

On May 5, the Warriors and Rockets moved to Houston for Game 20 of the Western Conference Finals at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets ushered in a battle of life and death. For them, this is a game that must be won. There is no difference between being behind 0:3 and being out.

Houston fans also burst out with rare enthusiasm, the Toyota Center was packed, and a sea of ​​red surged in the auditorium.

After the start of the game, the Rockets, who were fighting to the death, showed amazing enthusiasm and vitality. The whole team defended desperately and actively rotated. Even Harden changed his habit of defending with his eyes and became serious.

The referee also favored the Rockets as expected. Harden made 6 free throws in the first quarter, all of which were hit. The Warriors only led the Rockets by 26 points at 23:3.

And this is just the beginning. Harden made 5 free throws in the second quarter and 7 free throws in the third quarter. After three quarters, he scored an astonishing 18 free throws and made 17 of them.

The Warriors only made 15 free throws in total, and this was when Antetokounmpo and Leonard kept hitting the penalty area.

The astonishing number of free throws allowed Harden to score 32 points in three quarters. Clay and Leonard received 4 fouls respectively and were forced to rest.

Zhang Yu can only come on the bench. Fortunately, behind the Warriors lineup, Wiggins and Bogdan can also play a big role in the playoffs, and the Warriors' offense has not been particularly affected.

But their defense is worse and they lack defensive experience. Harden is more likely to draw fouls.

At 5 minutes and 23 seconds into the fourth quarter, Harden's free throws had reached a terrifying 24 times. Wiggins received 3 fouls at Lightspeed, and Bogdan also received 2 fouls.

However, they completed their due contributions during the rest time of the main players.

After Bogdan fouled Harden again, Zhang Yu replaced Clay and Leonard and praised their performance. Their depressed expressions eased a lot.

On the court, Harden made two free throws, and the Rockets led the Warriors by 104 points 96:8, and the game entered the final decisive moment.