NBA: I am a master dealer

Chapter 594 The second round of battle!

The results of other matches will be released soon.

The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 113:97 and took a 1-0 lead. This was an expected result. After all, the Warriors are called the Warriors of the Universe, and that's no joke.

The Raptors defeated the Cavaliers 114:106. The stronger Raptors held on to their first home court, but the Cavaliers were not as fragile as imagined. The final charge they launched almost destroyed the Raptors.

The Thunder narrowly beat the Trail Blazers by 98 points with 96:2. The two sides were evenly matched. The main reason was that Westbrook was too tough and got carried away, which caused problems in their offensive rhythm. Marc Gasol's central role was left alone and they became a one-on-one team. In addition to that, the Thunder's lineup was not deep enough. They only played eight players and the main players were too tired.

The next day.

The results of the other four groups of matches were also released.

The Rockets defeated the Timberwolves 104:101, which was also a narrow victory. Harden was furious, shooting 26 of 15, 12 of 7 three-pointers, and 9 of 7 free throws, scoring 44 points, which barely won the game. The main reason for this situation was that their three-point shooting was so poor that they shot 37 of 10 in total, with a three-point shooting percentage of 27%, which is simply outrageous. This was when Harden performed well in three-point shooting. If you remove Harden's 12 of 7, it would be 25 of 3, with a shooting percentage of an astonishing 12%. To not lose the game with such a three-point level, it was really thanks to Harden who was able to beat Curry throughout the game.

The Spurs defeated the Jazz 116:108 without any bloodshed and won their first game in the series. The game was very intense and the Spurs exposed many problems. The biggest problem was that their old arms and legs were really at a disadvantage, especially when facing the impact of the Jazz's young players. They had no way to stop them and their physical strength could not keep up. In the end, they were almost overturned, but the young Jazz still fell short.

The Knicks won 110:108, also a narrow victory, and James won 2 points by free throws in the final moments, which was criticized a lot, giving people the feeling that he was given a free throw. However, Embiid's final downward movement was indeed very strong, and he slapped James in the face. According to Embiid's statement after the game, he went for the ball and it was not a foul at all. This free throw is controversial, but it has become an established fact and no one can refute it.

In the last group, the Pacers beat the Celtics 98:80. As an offensive team, although the Pacers scored less than 19 points, they won by 19 points. From this, we can imagine how bad the Celtics' offense was. The Celtics seemed to have a strong lineup, but in this game, no player showed the ability to attack, as well as the unique killer of a star, or a strong scoring method. On the contrary, Oladipo of the Pacers made 11 of 9 shots, 6 of 8 three-pointers, and 7 of 35 free throws, and scored 7 points, 6 assists, and rebounds. Now he can really be the backbone!

After this first round, there is already a sense of seeing the light through the fog. Although it is mostly exploratory, it can probably explain some problems.

For example, the Nets have demonstrated their absolute strength, and it can be basically seen that there is a huge gap between the two teams.

For example, the Thunder and the Trail Blazers are relatively close in strength. Perhaps in this series, the Thunder will not have it as easy as everyone imagines.

And soon.

The third working day for the competition has arrived, and the second game of this series between the Nets and the Heat is scheduled to be held on this day.

Spoelstra is not an easy person after all. He made a bold adjustment and put Wade on the bench.

This adjustment is simply unprecedented.

You should know that Wade did not leave Miami for Chicago and Cleveland as the historical trajectory would have shown. He was not trampled in the mud by Riley because he won the fourth championship and Xue Liancheng's departure hit him hard. He has stayed in the city of Miami and has played for 15 years. He has won four championship rings and is definitely the number one player in the history of the Miami Heat. His greatness needs no further explanation.

result.

Being kept on the bench in this game is simply an insult to the number one player in team history!
You have to know that even though Wade's strength has declined significantly at this stage, he can still average 16.2 points, 4.2 assists and 4 rebounds per game in the regular season. He is the team's second-leading scorer and not the kind of old guy who is too old to play.

With Wade in this state, there is no problem for him to start. It can even be said bluntly that Wade is still the soul of the team and the leader of Porzingis.

But he was kept on the bench in the second game of the playoffs, which was really shocking!
When the DJ at the entrance ceremony spoke, the fans at the scene were shocked.

But the course of the game proved that Spoelstra was right.

After falling to the bench, Wade can really kill.

Especially when facing two defensive loopholes in Crabbe and Joe Harris, he can really get whatever he wants.

Throughout the game, Wade made 16 of 11 shots and 8 of 6 free throws, scoring 28 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, making him the highest scoring player on the Heat.

Spoelstra really played this Tian Ji horse racing tactic very well.

at the same time.

After Wade went to the bench, Dragic and Porzingis had more concentrated ball possession. Both of them found their own rhythm of the game and showed full fighting power.

波尔吉津斯13中8，三分6中3，罚球5中4，砍下23分11篮板5助攻，表现非常出色。

德拉季奇也不错，14中8拿到了20分4篮板3助攻，给予了两位核心足够的进攻火力。

but.

Even though these three core players tried their best, they still couldn't bring a victory to the team. At the end of the game, they still lost the game 113:121.

This is mainly because their role players are too bad.

理查德森10中4，得到12分。艾灵顿11中3，得到11分。奥利尼克8中3，也是拿到了11分。

They all scored in double digits, but their efficiency was really terrible.

Whiteside once again became a liability on the offensive end, playing for only fifteen minutes and scoring only 2 points.

Winslow made 5 of 1, Adebayo made 4 of 0, and LeVert made 4 of 1. These are the most loyal servants of the Ironhead Gang, and their strikes are very loud.

Tell the truth.

Without the top performances of Wade, Porzingis and Dragic, there would be no suspense in this game.

And the Nets.

Everyone's performance was average, including Xue Liancheng.

Xue Liancheng made 23 of 13 shots, 10 of 6 three-pointers, and 9 of 8 free throws, for 40 points, 15 assists and 6 rebounds. This is not much different from his performance in the regular season, except that the score broke 40+, and everything else remained unchanged. Such data can only be considered average.

Anunoby made 13 of 6 shots, 6 of 2 three-pointers, and scored 17 points and 10 rebounds. His performance was not too good, but certainly not bad either.

Sabonis Jr. made 11 of 5 shots and scored 12 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists. He looked okay and did not need to be called to a meeting.

Covington scored 13 points, Vonleh scored 11 points, and the entire starting lineup performed well.

The bench was just as sluggish as the Heat's, with no one scoring in double digits, which greatly reduced their offensive firepower, so much so that Xue Liancheng had to stay on the court until the end of the fourth quarter.

However, the gap in the overall strength of the two sides was more obvious in this game.

Wade broke out, Porzingis continued to be strong, and Dragic was also able to play as a jungler. The three of them scored 20+ points, but they still couldn't win the next game. Or to be more precise, they didn't threaten the Nets. They never led from beginning to end, which is enough to explain the problem.

After the game.

Countless media reporters have already made the final conclusion, believing that this round of the series is over. After the Heat return to their home court, they will be able to win one last game with their home-court advantage and retain a little face.

But sometimes, it is often beyond your estimation.

Take two days off.

The Nets went to the American Airlines Center in Miami and easily defeated the Heat 128:108, bringing the score to 3:0.

This defeat is equivalent to a direct death sentence for the Heat, and there is basically no hope for them.

In fact, they had fought back in the process, but there was indeed an obvious gap in strength between the two sides, so that the Heat were hit as soon as they showed up.

On the Heat side, the best performer was Dragic, who made 13 of 8 shots, scored 23 points and 5 assists, and was very aggressive.

Wade was still a substitute, making 14 of 6 shots and scoring 18 points. His scoring performance was a significant decline from the previous game, but he had 8 assists and 5 rebounds, and he was still a standout. After all, he is the second scoring point on the team.

Porzingis was in a slump in this game, shooting 13 of 4 and getting only 12 points and 7 rebounds. He had such a performance in such a crucial game. It can be seen that he, the All-Star, is still relatively immature and cannot produce sustained and stable results, and cannot shoulder the responsibility of being the leader of the Heat.

The remaining players were Richardson with 14 points, Winslow with 10 points, Olynyk with 9 points, and LeVert with 9 points, while Whiteside was abandoned again, playing for only thirteen minutes and providing very limited help.

At this time, the Heat players faced huge criticism.

The first to be affected is Whiteside, who had a double-double of 16+11 in the Thunder and was almost selected for the All-Star Game. However, after joining the Heat this season, he couldn't even play a game in the playoffs. On the other hand, Gasol, who was used as a bargaining chip, shined in the Thunder and became the first factor for the team to win.

People are most afraid of comparison between each other, let alone the two parties in a transaction. Fans will unconsciously compare the performance of the two in all aspects.

There is no doubt that Whiteside has become a fighter among garbage.

The other is LeVert.

He was also the main player in the trade for Sabonis Jr., but now he can only play in garbage time. On the other hand, Sabonis Jr. once again contributed a wonderful performance in this game, making 17 of 10 shots, scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, and he has grown into a core figure of the team.

In contrast, the Heat fans' eyes were filled with tears!

It hurts so much that I can't breathe...

Anunoby's performance in this game was slightly lackluster. He made 14 of 6 shots and only got 15 points and 9 rebounds. His overall performance was not very good.

But they still won easily.

Because they have a trump card in their team.

That's right!

It was Xue Liancheng.

In this game, he was like a fish in water, shuttling back and forth and tearing apart the Heat's defense. He didn't take many shots in the whole game, 16 of 10, 9 of 5 three-pointers, and 6 of 6 free throws, for a total of 31 points, but he gave out 22 assists, leading the team to a whirlwind offensive frenzy that the Heat had no way to defend.

If you are unable to defend and your offensive firepower cannot keep up, there will be only one result, and that is a disastrous defeat.

Now we are trailing 3:0, is there any hope?

Even avoiding being swept has become a huge luxury.

At this time, the voice mocking Riley came out again.

"To this day, I still don't understand why I traded Xue Liancheng in the first place."

"What else could it be? I'm stingy."

"I thought Xue Liancheng was as easy to control as Wade."

"Riley is definitely the biggest sinner in the history of the Heat, no doubt about it."

"In fact, Riley was willing to give the maximum salary in the end, but before doing so, he subconsciously bargained for Xue Liancheng. Maybe Xue would accept it and get a small bargain. In the end, Xue Liancheng was unhappy."

"You don't even respect him. He was the MVP of the season and won the championship for you. If you can't even keep him, what's the use of you?"

"It's not that we can't keep it, but maybe we need some face."

"You don't want the four consecutive championships, but you want his three points of face?"

"It's no use regretting it now."

“I can’t imagine how great the Heat will be if Xue Liancheng stays.”

"A world-class laughing stock, haha~~"

"Don't be so depressed, at least we still have the Knicks and the Lakers, two big idiots with us."

"When you said that, I felt much better instantly."

But no matter what, it has been three years since Xue Liancheng left Miami. This has become an established fact that cannot be changed.

They could only watch as the king they once loved beat themselves to death.

Every other day.

The series ended as expected.

Even though the Heat fought hard and tried to win the game, the gap between the two sides was too big. They lost the game 102:116 and were swept out with a score of 0:4.

This result is absolutely unexpected.

Everyone knew that the Nets had a high probability of qualifying, but no one expected that they would sweep the Heat and advance.

After all, the Heat are not a pushover. Their overall strength is really good. They have the new All-Star Porzingis, the old but capable Flash Wade, the stream-of-consciousness point guard Dragic, the strong defensive inside player Whiteside, as well as Richardson, Winslow, Ellington, Olynyk, LeVert, Adebayo and other players. On paper, they are definitely competitive in the East.

result.

They didn't win a single game and were swept by the Nets. This was really unexpected.

Are the Heat overrated?
Or are the Nets underestimated?

But no matter what, Wade really tried his best. He took 22 shots, made 10 of them, scored 25 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, and used up his last bullet.

Dragic made 19 of 9 shots, which was a decent performance, and scored 20 points.

Porzingis made 13 of 5 shots and scored 15 points and 8 rebounds. His overall performance was average.

Whiteside finally made a try, making 9 of 6 shots and getting 13 points and 13 rebounds, but it was too late to turn the tide.

Richardson scored 10 points, Ellington scored 10 points, and the others did not score in double digits.

And the Nets.

Xue Liancheng's performance was as stable as ever, making 19 of 11 shots, 11 of 6 three-pointers, and 8 of 7 free throws, scoring 35 points, 18 assists, and 9 rebounds, which was very steady.

Sabonis Jr. also played well overall, scoring 18 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.

Anunoby had 24 points and 8 rebounds, once again demonstrating his scoring power.

And after the game.

Many media began to analyze this series, and they came to a very unified conclusion, that is, the Heat's offensive firepower is simply not enough to match the Nets.

The Nets often score 110+, 120+, or even 130+, which shows how fierce the Nets' offensive firepower is.

On the other hand, the Heat basically scored 100+ points every time, and the highest score was 113, but they lost without any temper. This shows how big the gap between the two sides is.

Your defensive system is simply unable to curb the Nets' scoring, and your own offense can't be improved, or to be more precise, facing the Nets' front line, you can only fumble around.

For example, Porzingis played well in the first two games, but after being figured out, he was tortured by Vonleh and Covington in turn, and finally became an inefficient scorer.

This is the situation.

And the Nets.

After four games, Xue Liancheng averaged a terrifying 38.5 points, 17 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game. What's even crazier is that his overall shooting percentage is as high as 58.5%, and his three-point shooting percentage is a terrifying 54.5%. It's really accurate!
Or to be more precise, you can't stop Xue Liancheng, not even a little bit.

Xue Liancheng took whatever he wanted from her and ravaged her madly.

That’s not a big deal, the performances of the two generals around him were also very stable.

As another offensive axis, Sabonis Jr. averages 16.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5 assists per game. This data is a very good performance in any team, and he can definitely take on the role of second in command.

Anunoby also perfectly fulfilled his role as the offensive spearhead, averaging 18.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Similarly, if these statistics were placed on other teams, he would also be considered a qualified second-in-command.

There is no doubt that the Nets' fierce offensive firepower is inseparable from the outstanding performance of these two players.

It was because of their outstanding performance that the Heat's defense collapsed.

But this is not all about the Nets.

Vonleh, Covington, Joe Harris, James Johnson and others had fewer opportunities to participate in the offense, otherwise they could have released more fierce offensive firepower. There is no doubt that the strength shown by the Nets in this round is definitely at the championship level. They have both offense and defense, and their ceiling is very high.

Especially after Sabonis Jr. starts to hold the ball, they will be even more unstoppable.

The Nets are already preparing for the next round. They will face the winner between the Pacers and the Celtics. The two sides are currently tied at 2:2. Their strength is middle and middle, so the competition is still fierce.

The Celtics quickly made adjustments to deal with their lack of offense and strengthened their defense, especially targeting Oladipo, and used double-teaming.

Oladipo was indeed restricted, while Russell, Ingram, Bojan, Turner and others were still very immature. It was their first playoff game and they made a lot of mistakes that they shouldn't have made. This was the main reason why they lost two games, and they only lost by a few points.

And the games they won were by more than ten points, so all in all, there is still a little gap in the overall performance of both sides.

only.

The Pacers didn't know how to seize the opportunity, and there was still time to adjust everything. After all, it was only 2:2, and they were back to the same starting line.

Two other groups in the east.

The Knicks and the Digital Man also tied 2:2. Although the partnership of James and Randle is very effective, Embiid and Ben Simmons are no joke, especially Embiid. No one on the Knicks can contain him. In addition, JJ Redick continued to be brave, shooting three-pointers accurately and frequently, clearing out a good offensive space for Embiid and Ben Simmons. The Knicks knew these outbreak points but just couldn't defend them.

There's no way around it. The Knicks are not a team that excels in defense.

The balance has tilted between the Raptors and the Cavaliers, with the Raptors already leading 3:1 and only one step away from advancing.

Irving tried his best, with various breakthroughs to attack the basket and all kinds of fancy mid-range shots, but the Raptors' overall strength was obviously above them. They often became exhausted at the end and failed to pose much threat to the Raptors.

The only game they won was when Irving and Love worked together to beat the Raptors by just 4 points, which was considered a final bit of dignity.

This side of the west.

The Warriors have defeated the Pelicans 4:1 and are the second team to advance after the Nets.

The result of this series also did not cause much waves for me. After all, everyone expected this result, so they were naturally not too surprised.

The Rockets also defeated the Timberwolves 4:1 and became the third team to advance to the second round.

Their result was also within the public's expectations and did not receive much attention.

The Thunder and the Trail Blazers were tied at 3:2. They won the decisive game and seized the initiative. Westbrook gradually woke up and immediately gave the ball to Gasol Jr. and let him handle it. Then, if the tactic really didn't work, he would take the ball and go it alone.

It's a reversal of the previous offensive choice.

Before, Westbrook would take the ball and work alone, and then when he couldn't work anymore, he would think of Gasol Jr., give the ball to Gasol Jr., and start tactical cooperation.

But the problem is, if you work alone, there is basically no way out.

And now, Westbrook may have realized that this doesn't work and made changes in time.

This change immediately made the Thunder's offense smoother, and Westbrook, as the backup player, better met their offensive and defensive needs.

The result was a huge change!
They are not far from promotion.

The last group in the Western Conference, the Spurs and the Jazz, is very interesting.

The two sides actually ended up in a 2:2 tie, which was a result no one had expected.

The dark horse Jazz was able to defeat the experienced Spurs. This is really impressive.

Among them, the Jazz's offensive core Mitchell officially entered the public eye. His average score of 20+ per game is enough to reflect his offensive power. The most important thing is his sturdy body. When he charges, it feels like holding a bomb and throwing it into a crowd of people.

But he was very resilient in finishing that move. Although he is short, his strength is extraordinary.

Coupled with Gobert's entanglement with Aldridge, the double-D combination was pinched, putting the Spurs' offense into a passive situation.

And the most important thing is that their physical fitness really can't keep up with the young people. If they can't suppress the opponent in the last quarter, they will be very close to losing.

This is the current situation of the Spurs.

The comment given by the media is: a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger, which is the most appropriate description of the current Jazz team.

During this period, some awards for this season were also announced.

For example, the Most Improved Award.

There are five candidates in total, namely Capela, Aaron Gordon, Ingram, Dinwiddie, and Oladipo.

Capela has had a big breakout this season, averaging 14 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He has become the Rockets' main inside player and has made tremendous progress, but he is just a dunker after all, and his impact on the game is not that great.

Next is Dinwiddie, who is also a rookie in 14. He has been playing for so many years, but he has never been good or even a normal rotation player. After joining the Lakers, he finally broke out, averaging 13.1 points, 6.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, becoming one of the few consolations for the Lakers this season. Compared with his average of 7.4 points, 3.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game last season, the improvement is indeed obvious enough.

Then there is Aaron Gordon, who averaged 12.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season, already making him a great player. He has gone one step further this season, averaging 17.6 points, 8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, becoming the future hope of the Hornets. His progress is also visible to the naked eye.

Next is Ingram, who only had 9.4 points, 4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his rookie season, a true role player. But this season, the talented No. 14.6 pick has finally grown, averaging 5.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and assists per game. His efficiency is also steadily improving, and his progress is also obvious.

Finally, Oladipo, who was originally an All-Star with 20+ points, now averages 27.2 points per game, which is indeed a big improvement, but Oladipo made it clear that he is not suitable for this award. In fact, it is true that this is a transition from the second in command to the first in command, not the so-called improvement.

After a fierce competition, Ingram finally won and became the most improved player of the season.

Besides.

The best rookie also revealed the answer.

The competition for the best rookie this season is extremely fierce.

First, let’s look at last year’s No. 15.8 pick Ben Simmons. As one of the two core players of the Digital Man, he averaged 8.2 points, 8.1 assists and rebounds per game this season. His performance is very comprehensive and he is definitely a rising star. If this data was put in previous years, he would definitely be the best rookie without a doubt.

But not this year!

He has two other strong competitors.

First of all, there is Mitchell, the new star of the Jazz. This season, he averaged 20.5 points, 3.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game, scoring over 20+ points. In this sense, he is different. He also led the Jazz to become a dark horse, entered the playoffs, and stayed in sixth place. Such results are definitely dazzling enough, and he has full hope of competing for the best rookie.

Finally, there is Anunoby, who averaged 17.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season. His statistics are all lagging behind, but his efficiency is excellent. His overall shooting percentage is as high as 52.7%, and his three-point shooting percentage is 38.2%, which can be said to be outstanding.

of course.

Anunoby's biggest reliance is not this, but that he is the league's No. 2 scorer and the only rookie selected to the All-Star Game this year. This honor alone is much more difficult than being named the best rookie.

The best rookie is not necessarily an All-Star, but the players selected for the All-Stars must be the best players of that season.

Anunoby does this, and that's his advantage.

As a new All-Star, doesn’t he have an advantage over you two fresh rookies?
Although you are already the core of the team, Anunoby is not bad either. He has grown into the core player of the Nets, but he just suffered a little loss in terms of statistics.

But on the other hand, if you only look at the data, you should be the All-Star, but it turns out that you are not, he is the All-Star.

So data is not everything.

In the end, the authorities compromised, recognized the value of the All-Star Game, and awarded the best rookie to Anunoby.

Mitchell and Ben Simmons felt very wronged and complained on social media, saying that they led the team to the playoffs and were the well-deserved Rookie of the Year and should not be ignored. This best rookie title was obviously not recognized by people.

But one sentence from others can stop you: Are you an All-Star?
The two of them swallowed back their dissatisfaction.

Just this one sentence explains everything. The All-Stars are quite important and are the biggest dividing line between ordinary players and top players.

Anunoby received this honor largely due to luck, and it was also a reward for being the best in the league, but since he was selected, he is an All-Star, an indisputable presence.

In addition, there are still many outstanding players among the rookies this season.

For example, Kuzma of the Lakers can make the rising star pale in comparison, which shows how well he has performed. In his first year as a rookie, he averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, which is good enough, and he is also the second-leading scorer in the team. Anthony averaged only 18+ points per game this season, and his tactical position has also been invaded. He even did not play much in the second half of the season. The Lakers are fully committed to training newcomers. Kuzma, Dinwiddie, Clarkson and others are the hope of the team.

For example, the Bulls' Karmanen averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this season, becoming one of the few consolations for the Bulls. He also showed good offensive ability. He even squeezed out Mirotic. One can imagine the Bulls' determination to train him.

These five people are the best rookie team this season: Mitchell, Ben Simmons, Anunoby, Kuzma, and Karmanin.

The rookie second team is also worth watching.

Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. His stats seem explosive, but his shooting percentage is only 39.5% and his three-point shooting percentage is only 31.4%. With such efficiency, it is obviously impossible for him to make the first team, but it is more than enough for him to be selected for the second team.

Lonzo Ball of the Magic averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game, with an overall shooting percentage of only 36%, which is also very poor. But apart from his poor offensive ability, his performance in other aspects is truly impeccable and he still has great potential.

Tatum of the Celtics averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds per game, and his overall performance was definitely good enough, but unfortunately, everyone in the first team was better than him, so he could only be in the second team. But it was a bit unfair, after all, the Celtics were a team that made the playoffs, while Markkanen and Kuzma's teams were in the lottery zone. It stands to reason that Tatum is more qualified to be the model of this year's rising star, but unfortunately the Celtics also have many players who can play, such as Hayward, Horford, Jaylen Brown, and even the injured Thomas. There are too many teammates ahead of him in offensive options, which makes him seem less valuable.

Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Kings averaged 11.8 points, 3 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game, and also showed good potential. He has the style that is unique to European players. He seems to be able to get along with anyone, has a strong team spirit, and has full confrontation ability, but it is not enough to compete with the rookies in the first team.

There is one last spot, Josh Jackson of the Suns. This forward is still very energetic, averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, which is quite good. However, he is a bit inefficient and does not have a stable scoring method of his own.

These are all the players on the two latest rookie teams, but in addition to them, there are some excellent players who were not selected.

For example, Collins of the Hawks averaged 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He is a typical running and jumping player and is very energetic.

For example, the Kings' fifth pick averaged 11.6 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds. His overall performance was also good. He should be more qualified than Bogdan to be selected into the All-Rookie Team, but he is a guard and cannot compete with Lonzo Ball and Dennis Smith Jr. in terms of statistics.

As for the Best Sixth Man award, the only suspense is between Round Face Den and Louis Williams.

The former averaged 18 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2 assists per game this season, making him the Rockets' third-leading scorer. He is definitely the most powerful force on the bench and a major factor in the Rockets' record. His biggest advantage is that the Rockets are first in the Western Conference.

The latter's statistics are even better, averaging 22.6 points, 5.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game, making him the Clippers' leading scorer. It can be said that without Reed's All-Star level performance, the Clippers would not have the strength to compete for the playoffs.

of course.

In the end, the Clippers didn't make the playoffs, but his performance was definitely worthy of a best sixth man trophy.

In the end, the official gave it to Louis Williams as a reward for orthodoxy.

These awards were given out bit by bit in the first round.

After the Best Sixth Man Award was announced, the outcome of the first round of the series was basically decided.

First in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors unsurprisingly defeated the Cavaliers 4:1 and advanced first.

The Knicks defeated Digital Man 4:3 amid much controversy and advanced to the second round.

However, the main controversy still lies in the free throw. Philadelphia fans think it is an insult to them. If there was no free throw and the two sides went into overtime, it would be hard to say who would win. If the digital man won, they would be leading by a big score of 3:1. The situation would be different all of a sudden, but nothing could be changed.

The reason why the Knicks had such a hard time was because of Randle's crazy performance. Sometimes he could score 20+10, but when he didn't perform well, he could even smash the basket.

James played hard enough, but his old problems of taking easy balls and not returning to defense would come out from time to time, causing them to always feel like they were lacking a bit of strength.

The Pacers and the Celtics also played a decisive game, and Oladipo went completely crazy in the end. He made 33 of 17 shots, 16 of 7 three-pointers, and 11 of 10 free throws in the decisive game, scoring 51 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Only then did he barely win the game and advance to the next round.

in this way.

All the second-round matchups in the Eastern Conference are out.

Knicks vs. Raptors, Nets vs. Pacers, there were no dark horses, no upsets, and all the teams in the upper half advanced.

And the situation in the West.

The Warriors and Rockets advanced early, and the Thunder also defeated the Trail Blazers 4:2 and successfully entered the next round.

What was surprising was that the Spurs were forced into a game seven by the Jazz, but in the end, the experienced Spurs were better, won the game, and advanced to the next round.

There were no rollover incidents either.

Warriors vs. Spurs, Rockets vs. Thunder, are also full of highlights.

During this time, major media outlets were also frantically analyzing and predicting the situation.

The series between the Nets and the Pacers has attracted much attention because in the regular season, the Nets, who were ranked first in the league, were swept by the Pacers, who can be said to be the authentic nemesis of the Nets.

When they met at this time, it really attracted the carnival of countless fans, especially fans of the Raptors, Knicks and Warriors.

"Haha! Losing two games to the Pacers was definitely the best decision of the year."

"If we talk about the team in the East that has the best chance of overthrowing the Nets, it has to be the Pacers."

“We really need to set off fireworks to celebrate.”

"Come on Pacers! Don't let us down!"

"From today on, I am the biggest fan of the Pacers."

"The hero who sniped the Nets, Oladipo is ready to go online."

"As long as we continue our performance in the regular season, it is not impossible to beat the Nets."

"In Oladipo's view, Xue Liancheng is not a god. They are too familiar with him. This is the biggest reason why the Pacers can win."

They naturally hope that the Nets will be sniped in the second round. If so, the possibility of the Raptors and Knicks breaking out of the East will rise like blood pressure.

And who is the player the Warriors fear the most?

Xue Liancheng!

As long as the opposing player is not Xue Liancheng, they are not afraid of any team, and they are naturally the team that most hopes the Nets will be sniped.

of course.

Media experts are still very rational.

ESPN said: The regular season does have reference value, but it is only a reference value. In the seven-game four-win playoff system, only absolute strength matters.

Barkley also said: What is the difference between the regular season and the playoffs? First of all, the teams encountered in the regular season are different, and you need to follow the mainstream tactics, which are not targeted. The playoffs are different. They are very targeted. Not only are the tactics targeted, but also the players are targeted, such as the slash-the-shark tactic against O'Neal, the double-team tactic against Jordan, etc. They will do things beyond their physical limits to win, and the confrontation will escalate rapidly, which is incomparable to the regular season.

FOX Sports said bluntly: You can doubt anyone, but you cannot doubt Xue Liancheng's dominance. In the best-of-seven format, it is not easy to defeat Xue Liancheng.

But there are also some media and experts who support the Pacers.

First of all, sweeping the Nets in the regular season was just a trigger. The main reason they listed was that the Pacers themselves have always been a strong team. Oladipo is already a top scorer in the league, Ingram has also shown good potential, Russell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Turner, and Thaddeus Young are all 10+ players, and their overall lineup and scoring ability are not weak at all.

They are definitely an overlooked team, and now that they have defeated the Celtics, it shows that they have the strength to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

This point is still supported by many fans.

The Celtics are not a small player. Even though Thomas is injured, their lineup is still very strong, and most importantly, their defense is good!

The fact that they were unable to encircle and suppress Oladipo also indirectly shows Oladipo's top level.

(End of this chapter)