Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

At this time, less than three minutes before the start of the first quarter, Bucks head coach Budenholzer was sitting on the sidelines, dumbfounded.

After all, he never expected that the team would fall so far behind from the start, and was about to be pulled back by double digits by the Nets.

Moreover, the Bucks players have also been very serious on the defensive end during this period. They work very hard on every assist and rotation, but this seems to have no effect at all.

The Nets are blooming more on the offensive end, and the players feel hot.

Budenholzer was filled with doubts.

"Damn, what went wrong?"

He was worried that the Nets would use this momentum to continue to widen the score.

Even if he couldn't see what the problem was, he couldn't wait any longer and had to stand up and stop the game.

...............

On the bench, the Bucks players came down looking confused.

Everyone's faces no longer have the confidence and determination to kill the Nets before the game.

Even before this series started, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was shouting crazily on social media, saying that he would definitely lead the Bucks to defeat the Nets and bring Milwaukee the second championship in team history.

Everyone knows how strong the Nets are, so Antetokounmpo spoke wildly when facing the Nets, focusing all the attention of the outside world on himself, in order to achieve his goal of gaining popularity.

As long as he severely defeats the Nets in the game, he will definitely become the most dazzling star in the league. But now, not only did the Bucks fail to capture the score at the start, but they were slammed to the ground by the Nets, and the score difference was about to reach double digits.

At this pace, if we play for another three or four minutes, won't the game enter garbage time early?
"Coach, what went wrong? How did it end up like this? We didn't seem to make any mistakes, right?" Middleton scratched his head with his hand and asked in confusion.

If a mistake is made in the opening period and the score is behind, everyone can accept it. But the Bucks didn't seem to make any mistakes in the opening game. The defensive end was careful about marking, and the offensive end was also working hard to implement tactics.

But the fact is that the score was quickly opened by the Nets.

The Nets' starting five used a lot of passing and teamwork to make whatever shots they wanted. Their seemingly 5% hit rate really shocked everyone into a cold sweat. After hearing Middleton's words, other players also turned their attention to Budenholzer.

"Our defensive intensity is not strong enough, which makes it too easy for the Nets to shoot from the outside. This is the Eastern Conference finals, and one step further is the supreme finals. Even if we don't make mistakes, we may be defeated by our opponents."

Having said this, Budenholzer paused briefly and looked at the Nets bench at the other end.

"The Nets are very strong. If we want to defeat them, we must play a tougher defense to make them feel the pressure on the offensive end and unable to easily complete the shot."

"I hope that when everyone goes back, they can use stronger defense to attack the opponent, so that the opponent has to use extremely difficult shots to complete the shot. Only in this way can we still have a chance." Budenholzer said loudly.

"Understood, coach!" Middleton nodded and responded.

"I will lead the team to defend well and let the Nets feel the pressure."

As a star player, Antetokounmpo stood up on his own initiative and said with firm eyes.

...............

At the same time, the atmosphere on the Nets bench on the other side was relaxed, and the players all had smiles on their faces.

The Nets showed their unparalleled competitive status from the beginning. The players cooperated tacitly, and the offense was flowing smoothly. In just a few minutes, they hit a climax and completely stunned the Bucks.

"Look at them, they're so beaten that they can't find their way around!" Porzingis mocked.

"Haha, their defense is like paper, it can be broken with just a poke!" Robinson said.

"I guess everyone in the Bucks is confused at this moment. They were completely stunned by our opening attack. Look at the expression on Antetokounmpo's face just now. It's really funny." Mitchell gloated.

The players talked to each other, talking about the game with confidence, and their words revealed their disdain for the Bucks. In their view, the Bucks are just vulnerable opponents, and their previous arrogance and lip service pale in comparison to their real strength.

However, amidst all the laughter, Nets head coach Lu Yong kept a cool head.

He couldn't help but frowned as he looked at the players' proud expressions. He knew that at this time, he had to pour cold water on the players so that they could understand the situation and not underestimate the enemy.

"Okay, boys." Lu Yong interrupted the players' teasing and said seriously, "The game is far from over. We can't be complacent just because we have a temporary lead. The Bucks are a strong team. The team, they won’t give up. We need to keep our pace, stay focused, and continue to execute our tactics.”

"Be serious and don't be careless. After this timeout, the Bucks will definitely become more serious, and there may be changes on both ends of the offense and defense. Next, we must keep our spirits up." Lu Yong said lightly, "According to We just played at a good pace and everyone did a good job. As long as we hold on, the victory in this game will definitely belong to us.”

After hearing the words of the head coach, the players gradually became quiet. They realized that the game was far from over and they needed to stay calm and focused. Lu Yong's words were like a basin of cold water, which instantly extinguished the fire of pride in their hearts, but also inspired them to become more determined to fight.

"The coach is right, we cannot take it lightly." Durant lamented, "The Bucks are an experienced team after all, and they may launch a counterattack at any time."

"Yes, we have to be vigilant at all times and not give them any chance." Porzingis agreed.

Under Lu Yong's reminder, the Nets players regained their energy and devoted themselves to the intense game. Only by staying calm, focused and stable can you win the final victory.

Soon, the timeout ended and the game resumed.

The Bucks attacked with the ball, and all the fans' eyes were focused on the court.

Bledsoe quickly crossed half court with the ball. The Nets' defense is very tight and they are obviously aware of Bledsoe's breakthrough ability. Therefore, just after Bledsoe passed halftime, Brunson quickly approached and started to press.

Bledsoe had sharp eyes and felt the pressure around him, but he did not panic because of it, but calmly observed the situation on the court. When he saw Middleton on the weak side, Bledsoe passed the ball accurately to Middleton's hands without hesitation.

After Middleton received the ball, he made a slight adjustment and took off to shoot. His movements were smooth and standard, but unfortunately, after the basketball drew a beautiful arc in the air, it missed the basket and came out.

At this moment, Antetokounmpo stood out from the crowd with his keen sense of rebounding and excellent physical fitness, rushed to the basket, and grabbed this precious offensive rebound. He held the basketball tightly in his arms, as if guarding his treasure.

However, Antetokounmpo did not choose to score an easy layup, but encountered the tight defense of the Nets' insider Robinson. Faced with such a strong defense, Antetokounmpo did not back down, but relied on his excellent low-post singles skills and strong strength advantage to start a fierce confrontation with Robinson.

Antetokounmpo turned his body slightly and shook off Robinson's defense. He took off and prepared to complete a layup. However, Robinson was not willing to let his opponent score easily. He flew up and tried to block Antetokounmpo's layup.

In this fierce confrontation, Antetokounmpo showed extraordinary courage and determination. He faced Robinson's block and forced the basketball up.

10: 4!

This goal stopped the bleeding for the Bucks in time, and it was not easy to score.

After scoring, Antetokounmpo waved his arms and excitedly celebrated the score with his teammates.

The Nets players didn't feel frustrated either. After all, it was just a layup, nothing serious. Looking back, Brunson has the ball in his hands, and standing next to him is the tall Porzingis.

The inside monster is ready to play a wonderful pick-and-roll with Brunson.

They played a pick-and-roll in the middle, and Brunson quickly passed through the gaps between the defenders and rushed inside. While dribbling, he used his eyes to signal Porzingis to get ready to catch the ball. Porzingis understood it and followed closely behind Brunson, ready to respond at any time.

The moment Brunson broke through the defense, he deftly passed the ball to Porzingis down the line. The pass after pass demonstrated the unparalleled tacit understanding and trust between the two.

After Porzingis received the ball, he headed toward the basket without hesitation. However, his offensive line was blocked by Antetokounmpo, the core of the Bucks' defense.

Antetokounmpo relied on his excellent physical fitness and defensive awareness to try to stop Porzingis' attack.

Faced with Antetokounmpo's strict defense, Porzingis did not back down. He used enough strength to force a layup despite Antetokounmpo's defense. At this moment, Boshen showed the domineering and determination of an inside player.

At the moment Porzingis made a layup, Antetokounmpo reached out and tried to block the shot. However, his finger inadvertently touched Porzingis' arm, causing the hitter to foul.

"Dudu!"

The referee blew the whistle decisively, signaling Antetokounmpo for a foul.

The fans roared, applauding Porzingis' bravery and determination. Antetokounmpo shook his head helplessly, knowing that his defense was not successful this time.

With the referee's gesture pointing to the free throw line, Porzingis got two free throws.

He stood on the free throw line, took a deep breath, and adjusted his mentality.

On the first free throw, Porzingis aimed at the basket, flicked his wrist, and the basketball drew a perfect arc in the air and then hit the net.

The fans burst into applause and cheers as he applauded his accurate free throw.

Immediately after the second free throw, Porzingis stood on the free throw line again, stared at the basket, took a deep breath and shot the basketball.

This time the basketball also hit the target steadily, adding another point for the Nets.

"Shh!"

"Shh!"

12: 4.

Two free throws!

Porzingis not only added two points to the team in this round, but also caused a defensive foul on Antetokounmpo. He played very tough!
The Bucks attacked, and Bledsoe dribbled the ball across half court and handed it to Middleton. He pulled it to the left corner to open up space.

This time Antetokounmpo quickly came to the center to cover Middleton, and Robinson came out with him.

Robinson may not have much defensive experience, but his defensive attitude is very positive. He follows Antetokounmpo wherever he goes, like a slug.

Durant also blocked Middleton when he bypassed the pick-and-roll, and then Robinson also bypassed the screen from behind and blocked Antetokounmpo.

The Nets' defense against the pick-and-roll this time was very effective. It not only blocked Middleton's pull-up jump shot, but also prevented Antetokounmpo from rushing to the basket. Middleton was helpless and could only take a step back and reorganize the attack.

But his pick-and-roll with Lopez on the left side of the three-point line also failed.

The Nets are very experienced in defending pick-and-rolls, and they also know that a large part of the Bucks' positional battle scores come from pick-and-rolls, and the end point is Antetokounmpo.

When the Nets are prepared in advance, it will be extremely difficult for the Bucks to score through this move.

Seeing that the pick-and-roll didn't work, Antetokounmpo could only move to the left side of the three-second zone and block the ball with his back. This time Middleton passed the ball carefully and successfully handed the ball to Antetokounmpo.

However, Robinson had no intention of giving Antetokounmpo a break. The moment Antetokounmpo caught the ball, he immediately stepped forward to defend closely, constantly engaging in physical confrontation, and the defense was extremely aggressive.

Antetokounmpo is not a vegetarian either. He hit his back twice, and then turned sharply to the right. Robinson relied on his excellent lateral steps to press his body tightly against Antetokounmpo, denying him an easy layup opportunity.

In the end, Antetokounmpo was forced to use a difficult fadeaway jumper to complete the shot.

It's a pity that Lady Luck did not continue to stand behind Antetokounmpo this time. His turnaround jump shot was a bit dismal, and the basketball bounced off the edge of the basket. The rebound was protected by Porzingis.

Porzingis, who was protecting the backcourt rebound, looked up at the frontcourt and found that Mitchell had quietly launched a counterattack into the frontcourt.

Seeing this scene, Porzingis didn't hesitate. He grabbed the basketball with one hand and threw it towards the frontcourt.

Seeing his teammate pass the ball over, Mitchell took three steps and two steps, and received Porzingis' pass half a step inside the three-point line.

At this time, the Bucks player closest to him was Bledsoe, who had just crossed half court. It is undoubtedly more difficult to block Mitchell from this position.

After catching the ball, Mitchell looked back and observed, smiled slightly, then rushed inside, took three steps, faced the unguarded basket, and violently dunked the basketball with one hand!
"boom!"

This powerful one-handed dunk set the Brooklyn Arena on fire again!
At this time, the score difference was completely widened to double digits!
Lu Yong watched the game with a relaxed expression on the sidelines. He was not surprised by the Nets' opening performance.

Antetokounmpo is indeed very strong, but his weakness in shooting will be infinitely magnified in the playoffs. Before this series, he conducted a rigorous offensive and defensive analysis on Antetokounmpo.

As long as the players execute tactics according to his deployment, it will be very difficult for the Bucks to defeat the Nets, and may even pose less of a threat to the Nets than their semifinal opponent, the Miami Heat.

On the other hand, on the Nets side, no matter how sophisticated the Bucks deployed their defense before the game, it would be difficult to completely stop the Nets' offense.

The starting five players, except for Robinson who is slightly worse in offense, the other four are all good one-on-one players. They will be Big Three-level players in any team they join.

How can the Bucks defend against this lineup configuration?
No matter how strong Antetokounmpo's assist defense ability is, he can't defend four by himself.

Because of this, in today's game, the Nets took the initiative from the beginning.

It can be said that Lu Yong's defensive arrangement is very targeted, and it seems to be very effective so far.

"I want to see what kind of disturbance Alphabet can cause in this series." Lu Yong murmured softly.

In his opinion, the only possibility for the Bucks to win is for the role players to explode from the outside with three-pointers.

It will definitely be impossible to defeat the Nets with Antetokounmpo's performance alone.

It may not be realistic to completely restrict Antetokounmpo through shooting, but as long as Antetokounmpo's offensive efficiency is limited to less than 50%, the Bucks will have nothing to worry about. (End of chapter)