no shortcuts in basketball

Chapter 182: Jordan is a good teacher, and Barkley’s words are astonishing
Buckley’s words summed it up perfectly.

Because Rose has been questioned before, and he is both the No. [-] pick and the MVP.

Of course, in the future, a digital man will break this sentence, but that is another story.

Speaking of the game, Rose's recovery this time is very important to the Bulls.

However, when the main players from both sides returned one after another, the Mavericks insisted on zone defense. Rose's inconsistent outside touch tonight forced Thibodeau to take him off the court again.

Therefore, in the first three quarters of the game, the Mavericks basically played a two-man game between Rose and Xu Yong. Xu Yong fought hard head-on with high intensity, while Rose traveled at the wrong time.

The two sides were tied at 75 at the end of three quarters, and the game was inextricable.

Then in the fourth quarter, there was a clear dividing line in the game.

For the Mavericks, Nowitzki, who had not played much in the first three quarters, broke out. He scored 14 points in a single quarter.

Turn around and lean back, three-point facial shot, rocking chair breakthrough, golden rooster independence... He is proficient in all eighteen weapons.

And the key is that he doesn't stick to the ball and plays without the ball. After the Bulls' physical exhaustion, it was too late to double attack.

On the other hand, for the Bulls, Xu Yong basically didn't take much rest in order to maintain the situation. Excessive physical exertion caused his offensive efficiency to inevitably decline.

The final score on the court was fixed at 96-90. The Mavericks defeated the Bulls away from home and won their first victory in the Finals.

赛后的数据统计，小牛队那边诺维茨基得到31分11板5助攻，马里昂15分8板3助攻，特里13分5助攻，基德11分6助攻，佩贾9分，钱德勒8分7板2盖帽。

It is worth mentioning that the Mavericks team assisted as many as 23 times, playing the ultimate team basketball.

公牛队这边，徐永在总决赛的首秀上场了44分钟，25投11中得到全场最高的36分，罗斯18分5助攻，姚明17分11板4助攻。

After the game, Xu Yong sat on the bench with his head lowered for a long time.

On the one hand, it was because the physical exertion tonight really exceeded his limit; on the other hand, although he had expected it, the feeling of losing was really not good.

It can only be said that basketball games are not simply about strength on paper. The Mavericks are obviously the team in better shape tonight.

At this moment, he felt someone sitting down next to him.

He looked up and turned around and saw it was Jordan.

"When I was in college, I believed I could handle everything. That's the truth. I killed Gorilla in my freshman year." Jordan said with a smile to himself, his mouth full of the smell of sea.

Xu Yong listened intently.

"But in the end, I stayed there for three years, and I didn't leave too many brilliant statistics. Do you know why?" Jordan said and looked at Xu Yong.

"Because of Dean Smith?" Xu Yong asked tentatively.

He had read the story of Jordan University dozens of times before he was reborn.

Jordan was slightly surprised by Xu Yong's answer, but after thinking about Xu Yong's identity, he took it for granted, and then said: "Yes, he whispers a sentence in my ear every day: 'Basketball is a sport for five people. No matter how powerful one person is, he can't handle everything.'"

When he said this, Jordan couldn't help but smile. It was recalling the sweetest thing in life.
"I didn't care at first. I can handle the game by myself. Isn't it enough for my teammates to defend well? But in the end, I gradually understood, because there are always some opponents who are as strong as you. There are those who you can't do alone." Got the game done.”

When Xu Yong heard this, he knew that Jordan was here to enlighten him.

If it were before, he would be surprised. After all, the relationship between him and Jordan was not very good.

But since the last time Jordan taught him to turn around and lean back, he discovered that Jordan was actually not quite what he thought.

In other words, people themselves are complex creatures, and it is inaccurate to use rigid labels to define a person.

Jordan has a fierce side and a good teacher.

"When I understood this, Dean told me that too many people were playing for data rather than wins and losses, and he wanted me to be a true ruler, not a data emperor." Jordan continued.

Xu Yong nodded as he listened. Most people understand this, but it is not easy to actually do it.

“So not only did he teach me the importance of teamwork, but he also taught me how to do it.”

Hearing this, Xu Yong sat up straight.

"Let your teammates do what they're good at and you'll take care of it." Jordan repeated what Smith said.

Xu Yong was thoughtful. He seemed to have realized it, but he seemed not to have fully realized it.

"There are always people who want to score, there are always people who want to grab rebounds, and there are always people who want to hit those three-pointers, but in the end, you are the one who can decide the outcome of the game at the last moment." Jordan said as he stood up and took the shot. He patted Xu Yong on the shoulder and left.

Xu Yong looked at Jordan's back for a long time, then nodded.

After declining Swift's invitation to play, Xu Yong went to the training hall to practice more that night.

But he is not destined to be alone tonight, because Rose also came to practice shooting.

There is no doubt about Rose's morale. He was more like what he did in the first quarter tonight and failed to figure out how to use his abilities in the finals.

After the two of them finished training, Ross went back to rest, while Xu Yong went directly to the second floor.

When he arrived at the head coach's office, he knocked on the door, and when a voice came from inside, Thibodeau was indeed inside.

After a game like this, there's no way Thibodeau would be anywhere else.

Thibodeau looks a little tired. Even if he is full of energy and has experienced the finals, it feels completely different to experience it as a head coach.

At this time, many fans on social media are questioning his ability.

Tactically, he was suppressed by Carlisle, and Xu Yong was beaten to death in the personnel, causing Xu Yong to lose his body in the last quarter. Even the best defense failed against Nowitzki in the last quarter.

There are even comments about the classic grandma O'Neal being better than Thibodeau when coaching.

That means Thibodeau doesn't go on social media, otherwise his mentality will definitely explode.

But even then, with his demands on himself, the pressure at this time is only heavier than others.

"You haven't gone to rest yet?" After Xu Yong sat down, Thibodeau continued to work on his own and asked in passing.

Xu Yong's physical exertion in the first game was so great that he had to recover quickly in the past two days.

"Tom, I think the Mavericks haven't been forced to their full strength by us yet," Xu Yong said.

Hearing this, Thibodeau stopped what he was doing and looked at him doubtfully. He knew that Xu Yong must have something to say when he came to him.

With their current relationship, he would also listen carefully.

"Their current game strategy is to let Nowitzki contain him in the first three quarters, and then conserve his energy until the last quarter."

Thibodeau nodded, and he could feel it.

"So we have to take advantage in the first three quarters and force Nowitzki to play in the first three quarters, so that we can have a chance to win."

"What do you mean?" Thibodeau looked at Xu Yong doubtfully. What Xu Yong said was not that he didn't want to, but that the Bulls couldn't do it.

"We need Derek to perform more, or we need to study how to make Derek perform better." Xu Yong said directly.

Thibodeau has a thorough understanding of basketball. Combining Xu Yong's few words, he naturally knows what Xu Yong wants to express.

Use better performance in the first three quarters to force Carlisle to use Nowitzki more. By the fourth quarter, everyone is at least the same.

If you can't do this, then you need Rose to play more. In this way, Xu Yong and Nowitzki are both physically fit until the last quarter, and everyone will still be the same.

"I understand, you go and rest early. We have to rely on you to win the next game." Thibodeau suddenly said in a gentle tone.Xu Yong knew that Thibodeau understood what he said, nodded, stood up and left.

After Xu Yong left, Thibodeau felt a sense of emotion in his heart.

But he also has full confidence in the Bulls winning the finals.

Because in Boston, Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen were like this too.

Theoretically speaking, Garnett is the core of the Green Army's Big Three, and like the Heat, there is the problem of outsiders and locals.

But they handled this aspect very well. They always put the team and winning first. They did not blindly pursue statistics and team status, and who is the boss of the team.

It is even more valuable that Xu Yong can do this as a second-year player.

But it’s truly a winner’s choice.

It was at this time that he felt that even if Rose won the MVP in the third grade, it was incredible, and he also felt that Xu Yong would achieve higher achievements in the future.

When he thought of this, he couldn't help but laugh again.

It is really a blessing to be able to coach two such future superstars at the same time at the beginning of their debut.

After a while, he stopped smiling and reorganized what he wanted to do.

How to make Rose perform better, at least in the first three quarters, the pressure is on his side.

……

There is still one day left before the start of G2 of the finals.

Thibodeau focused on training the adjusted tactics, and the Bulls players are also full of fighting spirit.

Unlike what many people imagined, the loss in G1 did not demoralize the Bulls players, but rather woke them up.

They knew that if they continued in the same state as G1, they might lose the finals.

And if they come to the finals with 12 wins and 0 losses in the division, but still lose in the end, they are actually not much different from the Heat who were swept by them.

So in order to avoid being nailed to the pillar of shame, they must go all out in G2.

And Thibodeau's adjustments also made Rose look ready to try for the first time.

He really wants to prove himself.

Xu Yong is the one who looks the calmest on the team. He knows that even if he can retain his physical fitness until the fourth quarter, it will not be easy to confront Nowitzki at this time.

Historically, there is a gap between Nowitzki's overall performance against the Heat and his first three rounds.

If Nowitzki, who averaged 30+ per game in the first three rounds, is a god, then in the finals he is at best a demigod.

And the reason why he is not a human being is his performance in the final quarter.

他第四节场均可以拿下10.3分3.2篮板，投篮命中率高达54.1%，整个第四节场均4次罚球，6场24个无一罚失。

For comparison, at that time, Wade and James combined had similar statistics, let alone efficiency.

Whether it was because of Carlisle's game strategy as analyzed by him and Thibodeau, or because of Nowitzki's high physical energy consumption after the fierce battle in the three-round series.

But what is certain is that Nowitzki's condition has not actually worsened, and he still has a "God descends to earth" button in his hand at all times.

Because some extreme fans on social media said "Jordan will lose if he is present", Jordan did not come to the scene in this game.

But in Charlotte, Jordan was still smoking a cigar and preparing to watch the game from his private mansion.

He was also curious about whether Xu Yong really understood what he said.

Because the real team is what he said, but it doesn't mean that the first three quarters do nothing.

Swift came to the scene again, but the jersey he wore today was a bit special. He was actually wearing the Mavericks' No. 41 white jersey!
She did this, and I don’t know if it was a protest against Xu Yong’s polite rejection of her after the last game.

Xu Yong didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he saw it, but tonight's game was too crucial, and he didn't have the time to pay attention to it.

You must know that if the Bulls lose again, falling behind 0-2 and playing three consecutive away games, it will be difficult to come back.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups of both sides were released one after another.

The starting lineup for both sides is the same as in the previous game.

Although Thibodeau used a smaller player to defend Nowitzki in the last game, the effect was not good.

To put it bluntly, against a player like Nowitzki who plays at the [-]th position and [-]rd position, as long as he is in good condition, there are only a handful of people in the league who can limit him.

Among those few people, none are on the Bulls.

You can't blame Foreman for this. Apart from Xu Yong, no one else thinks that the Mavericks will reach the finals in the Western Conference this season.

Except for the Mavericks, this lineup of the Bulls can match up with all the other strong teams in the Western Conference.

"Charles, who do you think has a better chance tonight?" The game was about to start. From the commentary box, Smith turned to Barkley and asked.

"The Mavericks." Barkley answered without hesitation.

"I don't mean to sound shocking, but I think the Mavericks will win their first championship in franchise history, in an epic way." Barkley said with determination.

"really?"

"Really, absolutely true, they look very championship-like." Barkley kept nodding.

"How about... make a bet?" Kenny Smith said with a smirk.

Buckley was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

This time, he didn't answer, not because he was afraid, but because the previous heat hadn't been digested yet, so there was little point in repeating it at this time.

"No matter what, believe me, I am a strong supporter of Dallas this year. Nowitzki will change the reputation of his entire career." Barkley repeated.

"duo~"

A long whistle came from the field, and G2 in the finals was about to begin.

At this time, thousands of miles away in Miami, James, who had just finished training, was sitting in front of the king's soft chair in his mansion.

After being humiliated by Riley, he canceled all major events this summer and focused on offseason training.

And he accepted the advice of personal trainer Mike Menzies and will lose weight appropriately to make himself more flexible.

And he also plans to go to Houston to learn post-up skills from Olajuwon like Kobe and Xu Yong before him.

To sum it up, he will slap Riley in the face next season.

Of course, that will happen later. For now, he still wants to see how the Bulls were ravaged.

Looking at the Mavericks, who were dominated by a group of old men on the field, he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

That is to say, the Bulls' style restrained the Heat and kept them out of the finals. If the Heat reached the finals, wouldn't they defeat the Mavericks?

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(End of this chapter)