no shortcuts in basketball

Chapter 191 "My Cruel Senior" (Day after day, I beg you to subscribe to the monthly ticket!)
The Bulls' opponent in the opening game is the Mavericks.

To say that Stern will still make arrangements, in such a tense shortened season, the games that should be played can still be arranged for you.

This opening game & Christmas game will directly make fans read for the next time.

And the fact that Nowitzki suffered from the flu was also an important reason why the Mavericks lost last season.

Now that both parties are healthy, if there is any grudge, let's clear it up with one shot.

Here I have to talk about another small turning point in history.

In history, Nowitzki basically fell into the stage of "fulfilling his wish and playing Buddhist football" after winning the championship. After winning the championship, he returned to China to participate in the European Championships, but he injured himself.

But now, having failed to win the championship, what he has done during this long downtime is to recover and maintain training.

Therefore, Nowitzki's condition at this time is much better than that at the same time in history.

In Chicago, the United Center is packed.

Jordan was also at the United Center tonight.

Because in addition to the game tonight, there is also a championship ring award ceremony and a championship flag raising ceremony.

This is quite a memorable moment.

Jordan was sitting in the front row of the auditorium. When Xu Yong saw it, he took the initiative to shake hands and hug Jordan.

"The glory also belongs to you." Xu Yong said while hugging Jordan.

This sentence is a pun. It means that Jordan is a legend of the Bulls. It also means that last season's championship was due to Jordan's contribution.

Jordan laughed when he heard it, you kid just knows how to talk.

Just after saying hello, Jordan suddenly noticed someone not far behind Xu Yong looking at him.

He looked over and was stunned for a moment.

Why does this kid look so familiar?

If the small size were straightened out, it would be very similar to when he was young.

After discovering this, Jordan thought about it carefully.

For black Americans, sowing is a habit.

However, Jordan became famous early and did a good job in this aspect. Even if he went to have fun, he still held the umbrella well.

But umbrellas cannot be 100% safe, let alone for those who care.

Based on Butler's age, Jordan tried to recall where he had been during that time and who he had been looking for.

But what happened more than 20 years ago, he was so busy every day that he had forgotten all about it.

So in the end he simply withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at Butler.

There are so many people who look alike in this world, this is just a coincidence.

Even if it wasn't a coincidence, there was no reason for him to recognize an illegitimate son to inherit the property.

Butler also withdrew his gaze.

In fact, he is not blind himself, and he also knows that he and Jordan look similar.

But he won't come to a wealthy family to recognize his relatives like those in Hong Kong and Taiwan dramas, because he has no feelings for his biological father, not to mention hatred, but he also doesn't have any love.

A man who has not fulfilled any parenting obligations is not worthy of being his father at all.

So what if he is really Jordan?

At this moment, the lights hit the center of the stage, where many shining white championship rings were already placed.

Championship rings vary, but after the NBA has become rich in recent years, the main part of it is mainly made of diamonds, with the word "trench" prominently displayed.

This year's championship ring is no exception. According to media reports, Raunsdorf is willing to spend money this time, and the cost of a ring is as high as 20.

After Stern said some words of congratulations, the championship award ceremony also began.

The first person to accept the ring was the management. When Foreman got the ring, he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

Every championship in the NBA changes the fate of many people, and Forman is one of them.

And the general manager is rarely mentioned by people, but at this moment, many people remember that Foreman is just a rookie in the position of general manager.

The general manager selected Xu Yong, who was not among the top three draft prospects, and had the guts to trade Noah and Deng for Yao Ming. Needless to say, he signed free agents. Later, he also had the guts to trade James Johnson and Korver for Battier. This general manager Let’s not talk about other things, at least he is bold enough.

After the management received their rings, the coaching staff followed.

When Thibodeau's bald head appeared on the big LED screen, there was a burst of whistles and cheers.

When you are unable to lead your team to success, a person's appearance will become one of the targets of attack by others.

But when you lead the team to success, that shiny forehead looks quite cute.

Malone, who came on the stage next, also enjoyed a lot of cheers. Thibodeau is not very good at offensive tactics, and Malone contributed a lot to this.

As the saying goes, among the strategists and on the decisive field, there is [Zhuge Malong].

Once the coaching staff is over, it’s time for the players.

Xu Yong was the first to appear. As the Finals FMVP, this treatment is understandable.

Xu Yong walked to the center of the court and shook hands with Raunsdorf.

Raunsdorf also took the initiative to hug him, which caused a burst of cheers from the fans and also made Jordan in the front row sigh.

Although he won two three consecutive championships with the Bulls, his relationship with the management was very bad, especially during the second three consecutive championships.

Some people would say that it was only between General Manager Klaus, but that was not the case. The general manager was the executor of the boss's will and was essentially a community of interests, so they were called the "two Jerrys" at the time.

But now, Xu Yong seems to be much better than he was before.

Xu Yong received the championship ring and walked back to the team amid the cheers of the audience.

It was during this process that he observed the ring carefully and couldn't help but laugh.

Generally speaking, the year of the championship is written on one side of the ring, and the other side is empty.

After all, these "words" are all inlaid with gemstones. If one more word is added, the cost will be much higher.

But on the other side of the ring, there is a big "7".

It cannot be said that it is unintentional, it can only be said that it is intentional.

The number 7 was too sensitive and topical due to James' high-profile remarks and his speech at the award ceremony last season.

There are indeed 7 meanings in the dark.

Butler tried to move his head at this time, trying to see what the championship ring looked like.

For a newcomer like him, this thing was too attractive.

When Xu Yong found out, he threw the ring directly to him.

If you want to watch it, watch it well.

"Don't be envious, you will have it next season too." And he didn't forget to add.

The fishy smell of these words was too strong, but Butler nodded seriously.

A championship ring is only meaningful if you get it with your own hands.

When the championship ring award ceremony is over, the flag raising will follow.

In the 2010~2011 championship, the championship flag was raised again at the United Center after 13 years. The fans at the scene stood up collectively, and many old Chicago fans could not bear to cry.

Jordan also had some mood swings.

This arena is where he experienced ups and downs and where he gained glory. It occupies too much space in his life.

Seeing the glory here again, even if there were those unpleasant things, how could he not be touched.

When the seventh championship banner was raised to the top of the arena, the United Center was filled with cheers from fans.

Xu Yong also raised his hands and clenched his fists.

From this moment on, they are the defending champions.

Becoming the defending champion means becoming a true public enemy of the entire league, and the challenges encountered will be doubled.

And this journey is destined to be completely different from last season. Only after experiencing it once can you understand why defending the title is so difficult.

After the award ceremony, there is a warm-up session, and then the opening ceremony.

The Mavericks take the field first as the away team.

But their starting lineup was surprising.

Kidd, Carter, Leonard, Nowitzki, Chandler.

Carlisle actually put Marion on the bench, and then asked Leonard to start directly!
Xu Yong was also surprised. Is this Carlisle, or should I say the Mavericks value Leonard so much?
Of course, Butler on the bench suddenly became more motivated.

His lifelong enemy has a much higher starting point than him, but he will definitely catch up.

After the Mavericks came on the stage, the Bulls played the classic "Sirius", and the audience cheered again.

As the defending champion, the momentum is really different.

Rose, Xu Yong, Artest, Gibson, Yao Ming.

Although the Bulls kept O'Neal, out of the protection of Yao Ming, they will let O'Neal play more of Yao Ming's substitute, and then add decisive moments.

So in general, O'Neal's playing time has not decreased.

After the opening ceremony, the starters from both sides began to appear one after another.

The Mavericks players can't wait, and the Bulls are also eager to try.

One side wants to prove themselves again, while the other side obviously wants to have a perfect championship night.

"beep!"

As the referee's whistle blew, Yao Ming moved the ball back to half court, and the opening game, the Christmas Day game, officially began.

At the moment when the matchup on the court was formed, everyone knew the reason why Carlisle arranged for Leonard to start.

Because he directly faced Xu Yong on the defensive end.

This all seems very reasonable, because Carter is also a swingman. Unlike Stevenson last season, he can deal with Artest.

Although Leonard suffers some disadvantages in terms of height, his wingspan is terrifying, and coupled with his big hands, he is a top-notch defensive talent.

After seeing this, Rose started a pick-and-roll with Yao Ming. After seeing Kidd go around the defense, he directly shot an open three-pointer from the outside.

"Shh!"

Knife up and down.

This is the first show of his training results in the past lockout season.

Although he definitely can't make Curry's three-pointers, not to mention talent, his two-stage shooting can't reach the speed of one-stage shooting.

But if he leaves the shot open like this, he will be punished now.

This goal immediately made the United Center boil.

Rose has a stable three-pointer?

Even if it is a fixed-point open three-pointer, this will bring a huge improvement to the Bulls!
Xu Yong also temporarily gave up the idea of ​​asking for the ball at this time. Rose asked him to play more if he was in good condition.

You must know that the shortened season has just begun, and there are foreseeable tough games ahead, so it is great to be able to lie down for a while.

However, the Mavericks really didn't get what he wanted. Looking back, Nowitzki held the ball and played in singles to attract Leonard, who was on the outside. Leonard caught the ball and shot a three-pointer, directly winning his NBA career. first goal.

Xu Yong was stunned by this scene.

In his impression, Leonard had little scoring ability when he first entered the NBA?

Could it be that his impression was biased?

In fact, his perception does have some deviations, because Leonard was already a qualified 3D player as a rookie.

Of course, that was under the cultivation of the Spurs system.

But now, Leonard still relies more on himself.

Leonard is already a qualified defensive player in the NCAA, but he has never been able to develop his shooting skills.

But he is far from being as stupid as he seems. He knows exactly what he needs to do.

So when he learned that Nowitzki was in Dallas during the offseason, he made a special trip there.

This is actually not too unique this offseason, just like Butler and Xu Yong, Derrick Williams and Kobe.

The lockout has deprived these rookies of the NBA stage, but it has not restricted their contact with current players.

Although Leonard didn't meet Nowitzki the first time because he didn't have contact information, and missed it the second time, he finally met the Dallas legend the third time he went.

Nowitzki was a little surprised by Leonard's arrival, but when he heard that the opponent was here to improve his shooting skills, he immediately smiled.

After all, at a time like this, who would say no to a rookie who wants to improve the team?
However, he didn't know how to train for shooting. He asked his mentor Holger, and after obtaining the other party's consent, he took Leonard back to his secret training base in Germany.

So Leonard is another shooting machine created by Holger after Nowitzki.

Yes, although the way this guy was trained is different, the expressionless look on his face after shooting is really like a machine.

And back on the defensive end, Leonard relied on his long wingspan to help defend and complete the steal.

There is nothing wrong with Rose's passing, but Leonard's wingspan is too terrifying. His bare feet are 1 meters and his wingspan is 98 meters, which is even bigger than Jordan.

Of course, the more important thing is his big hands. You must know that a large part of the reason why Rondo steals more is also because of his big hands.

Leonard completed the steal and then went on a fast break. Although he was not fast, he still relied on his physical fitness to squeeze Rose away and score the ball.

The fans at the scene were stunned.

Where did this new guy come from?

Because the lockout lasted so long, they even forgot that the Mavericks drafted such a number.

On the Bulls bench, Butler couldn't help but shake his legs.

If possible, he really wants to play against Leonard now.

At the same time, in the second row of the Mavericks bench, Cuban, who traveled with the team, excitedly waved his fists.

Sure enough, Foreman is very discerning, and choosing Leonard is really a treasure for them.

Xu Yong happened to notice Cuban's gaze at this time.

Without too much hesitation, he reached the high position in the frontcourt and directly leaned on Leonard with his back to reach for the ball.

After seeing this, Rose quickly passed the ball over and then signaled the strong side to clear.

The experience of last season's finals, including Xu Yong's actions, has caused a natural transition of power within the Bulls.

You are strong, and you constantly think about your teammates. If James can do this, being the boss of the Heat will not require so many twists and turns.

The scene immediately erupted into cheers from fans.

Jordan couldn't help but smile and nod. This behavior of being unaccustomed to newcomers was very characteristic of him.

Leonard's face still showed no emotion, but it could be seen from his tense body that he was nervous at the moment.

Starting the first game in the league for a championship team is stressful in itself, let alone facing a player of Xu Yong's level directly.

Xu Yong chose a singles facing the basket for the first ball.

The start of the fall step, plus the breakthrough of double changes of direction.

Leonard wanted to steal the ball, but he lost his defensive position after making a miss and was shaken clean. He could only watch Xu Yong rush into the inside and complete a two-handed dunk in the Mavericks' inside.

The fans cheered instantly.

It has to be Xu Yong!

After Xu Yong landed, he turned around and glanced at Leonard. Didn't he know that Leonard was good at stealing?
But often when a person is overconfident in what he is good at, it will be counterproductive.

This wave of his can be regarded as teaching lessons to the rookie Leonard.

This wave was very morale-boosting, and Gibson actually fought hard to defend Nowitzki's attack.

When he advanced to the frontcourt, Xu Yong continued to reach for the ball with his back to Leonard.

When it comes to things like class, how can one class be enough? How can one class be enough?

After studying English, you also need to study Japanese, Korean, and Russian.

Only by mastering different postures can you learn different knowledge.

This time Xu Yong directly chose to attack with his back to the basket after receiving the ball.

Leonard looked even more nervous now. He was still recalling the round just now, reflecting on and summarizing his experience. Unexpectedly, Xu Yong changed his posture.

And there was no time for him to react. Xu Yong stuck out his butt and gave him a direct impact.

He finally understood why Marion had told him so much before the game. Xu Yong's confrontation was too tough.

He originally played as a power forward in the NCAA, and confrontation was his advantage, but against Xu Yong, he directly became a disadvantage.

Moreover, Xu Yong's post-up play is different from Kobe's. He is closer to Jordan's play style, which is simple and easy, a fake turn and a back turn to the free throw line.

However, Leonard's defense did have something. Although his center of gravity was shifted in the first confrontation, he still pounced forward immediately, and Libing's long arms interfered with Xu Yong's shooting.

Xu Yong was also a little surprised, but not too surprised.

Leonard is called "the strongest perimeter defender in history" by some. Although it is a bit exaggerated, his talent and defensive awareness are indeed strong.

And these things are innate, otherwise no one would have been able to guard against James swearing in the third grade.

The basketball flew past Leonard's fingertips and toward the basket.

"Shh!"

Another hollow bag.

The class Xu Yong taught Leonard this time was called "Psychological Quality."Even if there is defensive interference, the shot is still stable and the ball can still be made.

Leonard's face finally showed a change of expression at this time, and he frowned and was obviously frustrated.

To know his expressions at the beginning, in addition to summer training, it is also inseparable from the encouragement given to him by the coaching staff and teammates.

This Mavericks team plays as a team, and the internal atmosphere is no worse than that of the Spurs next door.

But his performance in these two rounds clearly disappointed them all.

"Don't worry too much, keep confidence." At this moment, Nowitzki came over and patted him on the shoulder.

After spending a summer together, they became both teachers and friends.

Leonard nodded. Xu Yong was FMVP after all, and he was playing against the Mavericks. He would never be guarded so easily.

The Mavericks also responded on the offensive end, with Carter turning around and driving for a layup to score two points.

Although "UFOs" can no longer fly very well now, they have made a lot of technological progress.

7 flats.

The two teams were playing like they were playing G6 of the finals that no longer exists.

Xu Yong continued to ask for the ball in the frontcourt because he found that the Mavericks never flanked him.

This should be Carlisle's strategy for this game, or Carlisle's unlimited trust in Leonard tonight.

Xu Yongyong didn't know whether Leonard would live up to Carlisle's trust, but he knew he had to seize this one-on-one opportunity.

Xu Yong continued to hit Leonard with his back. This time Leonard was very close, leaving him no room to turn around and fall back.

This guy is a great learner.

Xu Yong directly chose to turn around and break through this time.

After Leonard suffered a loss, he did not steal easily, but tried hard to keep up with Xu Yong's pace.

After breaking through to the three-second zone, Xu Yong turned and shot with a pivot foot.

Leonard obviously couldn't keep up with the rhythm this time. His strength is static. When he moves, he seems a little weak against Xu Yong.

Although he tried hard to interfere, his hand hit Xu Yong's arm and the referee gave him a blow.

"boom!"

And what's worse is that Xu Yong used his core strength in the air after being beaten, and still completed the shot steadily, and the ball shot into the net after hitting the board.

This ball is still a 2+1!

I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t played for too long this past summer, or if tonight is the championship night of the award ceremony. Xu Yong’s start is as hot as Tokyo.

Xu Yong went to the free throw line and hit an extra free throw. He had already scored 7 points in a row with sudden shots.

Leonard obviously couldn't guard him.

The live camera showed Carlisle on the sidelines. The photographer seemed to be telling the Mavericks head coach in this way, you are not good either.

Carlisle glanced at the large LED screen, then looked away without making any adjustments.

An experienced coach like him knows one thing very well: gold is refined by fire.

Not to mention defense, if Leonard can limit Xu Yong's potential, then the Mavericks will have a chance to win when they meet the Bulls again.

Otherwise, even if the Mavericks maintain their current lineup and face the Bulls in the finals, it will be nothing more than another failure.

A regular season, even the opening game, is worth the cost of trial and error.

Carlisle had no reaction, and Butler's eyes lit up on the Bulls bench.

His senior is so fierce.

In fact, it's not like he didn't watch the finals when he was in Tempe, but the feeling of sitting on the sidelines and watching the game was completely different from watching the game on TV.

The details of the game, as well as the various confrontations in the off-ball rounds, cannot be seen in the live broadcast.

If he hadn't been in the opponent's half during the attack, he would have wanted to have his eyes on Xu Yong so he could see how he beat Leonard.

"Snapped!"

Then he didn't see the offense, but saw the defense.

Xu Yong saw the opportunity and directly intercepted Nowitzki's pass to the outside.

This round was full of details, because Xu Yong used puppy steps to quickly get around the screen, and then used the screen's vision to rush out to complete the steal.

It's full of dry goods.

Xu Yong quickly started a fast break after completing the steal.

On the Mavericks side, only Leonard, who was preparing to catch the ball outside the three-point line, kept up.

This time it's a one-on-one contest on the fast break.

Although Leonard didn't dare to steal, the ball he was given was very stressful.

Xu Yong did not change direction or slow down during the advancement to pass his space.

However, Leonard could not stop Xu Yong's advancement.

The two people quickly moved from the backcourt three-point line to the frontcourt three-point line.

At this time, Xu Yong had a process of obviously slowing down and then accelerating. Although this did not allow him to get rid of Leonard, it allowed him to gain take-off speed.

After rushing to the free throw line, when he landed on the ground with his right foot, he kicked the ground hard and flew directly into the air.

Leonard did not expect Xu Yong's explosive power to be so terrifying. You must know that he has been putting pressure on Xu Yongqiu.

But at this moment, he had no other choice but to jump as hard as he could and then block Xu Yong.

However, this choice shows his lack of experience. If he has seen Xu Yong's experience of dunking James, or knows the past of Chandler being dunked in the finals, then he will either take a gamble and start cutting. The ball, or get out of the way.

There can only be one consequence of such a choice.

"Oh!"

Amid the exclamations of the fans at the scene, Xu Yong directly overturned Leonard in the air, then dunked with one hand and smashed the ball into the basket!
In terms of static talent, Leonard is good enough, but his dynamics are much worse than Xu Yong.

In this kind of climbing competition, it is impossible for Leonard to stop Xu Yong.

Leonard fell under the basket and collided with the photographer.

And what's even more cruel is that the referee's whistle also sounded.

Xu Yong scored 2+1 on Leonard consecutively!

Free courses are of average quality, but truly high-quality courses are all chargeable!
On the bench, Butler was shocked.

He, who had been lamenting Leonard's high starting point before, now couldn't help but feel sorry for this lifelong enemy.

Xu Yong is no longer fierce, but a bit too cruel!

If you think about it from another perspective, even if the person sitting under the basket is you, your self-confidence may still be shaken.

After all, in the first NBA game, he was scored by his opponent for 9 points in a row. Not only was he beaten so hard that his pants pockets were stretched out, but he was also violently dunked.

Really, just two words for cruelty are enough to be remembered for a lifetime.

Carlisle asked Marion to come on and replace Leonard.

Not only has Leonard committed two offenses, but he also realizes that his approach may have been a little too hasty.

When Leonard came off the court, he deliberately reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

Leonard nodded, sat down, put the towel on his knees, and then fell into a daze.

It was obvious that at this moment, his mind was frantically recalling the past rounds against Xu Yong.

After a while he couldn't help but shook his head.

Because he realized that he couldn't stop Xu Yong now.

……

104:89.

The Bulls eventually defeated the Mavericks at home.

It can be felt from the game that the Mavericks' strength has not declined much, but the Bulls' strength has obviously improved.

This is definitely a good start that will give Chicago fans confidence in their title defense, and it's the best Christmas gift they got tonight.

In terms of post-game statistics, Xu Yong scored a team-high 31 points, plus 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Rose made 4 of 2 three-pointers and scored 23 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. Yao Ming also scored 18 points and 11 rebounds. Butler did not Get a chance to play.

For the Mavericks, Nowitzki scored 27 points and Terry had 17 points.

伦纳德在自己的生涯首秀打了20分钟，9投2中得到6分6篮板2抢断4犯规。

His start can be said to be very successful, but after being knocked off the court by Xu Yong, his mentality was affected, and he struggled a bit on the offensive end.

However, despite his flaws, he still has great potential on the defensive end.

During the handshake ceremony at the end of the game, Xu Yong noticed that Leonard's mood had adjusted back.

"Keep up the good work." After shaking hands with Leonard, Xu Yong also encouraged him.

He is not Jordan, or in this respect he is more like Kobe, who prefers to encourage the younger generations.

After all, only strong opponents can have exciting games, and only exciting games can have more fans.

That kind of behavior that only pursues personal interests, even at the expense of ruining the dishes, is absolutely unacceptable.

……

If the opening game gave Chicago fans confidence in defending their title, then the following games are not just a matter of confidence.

After a day off, the Bulls scored two more games in back-to-back games against the Magic and Wizards, winning the two games by a combined 58 points.

There was nothing to say against the Wizards. The Bulls won by 23 points in the end, but against the Magic, they won by a full 35 points!
The Magic didn't do anything this offseason. They strengthened their interior line, traded Buss for "Big Baby" Davis from the Celtics, and also signed Daniel Orton. backup center.

This difference means that there is simply no way to fight back.

It really means lagging behind in one quarter, collapsing in two quarters, spending three quarters, and having garbage time in four quarters.

The Magic can't stop the Bulls' double guns in the backcourt. Nelson and the aging Jason Richardson are like cash machines in front of them.

In addition, Howard was already suppressed by Yao Ming in the paint, and he still had a back injury this season. The Magic's loss was worse than last season's playoffs.

Even Butler got a chance to play in this game, and then made 3 of 3 shots and scored 6 points with 12 free throws, which was a good performance.

Not being able to beat them is one aspect, but the bigger aspect is that the mentality of this Magic team is completely different from when they reached the finals.

It's just like the mentality of playing entertainment games. It's okay to pinch the weak persimmon, but if you really encounter a situation where you can't beat it, then just click on it.

Howard sat on the bench in the fourth quarter, his trademark innocent big boy smile gone.

It was obvious that even he had realized that his team had no hope of winning the championship.

In fact, just after the game, Howard submitted a trade request to the Magic management.

This directly made this special shortened season a surprise at the beginning.

"The Bulls broke up another team, just a week into the season..." Comment from "KBforever".

"How do I remember last summer, Howard also said that he was very loyal to the team and would play for the Magic for life?" A comment from "Bronny Future King".

"What about Huo Zhongcheng? I think he can't even trade for Bynum now! Apply for a trade during the contract period. How can such a player be loyal at all!" A comment from "The Heat won seven consecutive championships".

"Howard is just a clown. He is the best center in the league. He is helpless in front of Yao." Comment from "My.King.LeBron".

……

Moreover, on social media at this time, Howard actually became the target of collective attacks by James fans.

There is nothing you can do about it. Who told you that Peak World of Warcraft eliminated Youzhan in the first place!
Now that Howard has been caught, he has no choice but to eliminate you.

Although Howard's approach is actually pretty good.

After all, he was not as passive and slow as Carter was before, but fought with injuries.

Moreover, he has a contract option for next season, which is equivalent to a one-year contract. Compared with other people's symbolic gift of a few draft picks, it seems to be bringing back assets for the home team, but in fact it is to retain the Bird Rights.

Where Howard will go will be the topic of everyone's discussion before he is traded.

Even Xu Yong was a little curious.

Because in history, Howard went to the Lakers, but with the current situation of the Lakers, it may not be a good choice for Bynum to replace Howard.

After all, with the twin towers inside, Bynum still has a decent distance.

That is, with this somewhat comic element, the season continues to move forward.

After successive victories over the Raptors and Cavaliers, the Bulls started their first Western away trip of the season with a five-game winning streak.

Their first away opponent is the Hornets.

The Hornets started the game with 3 wins and 2 losses, and their performance was quite good.

The team's star Westbrook even averaged 26.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 2 steals per game.

Of course, what is more exciting than the data is his style of play. Perhaps to prove that the Thunder chose the wrong person, his game is full of aggression and he has repeatedly performed the iconic full-moon scimitar dunk.

There have even been rumors that the owner of the Saints, a local NFL team in New Orleans, is interested in purchasing the Hornets.

The impact of the butterfly effect continues to amplify, but what cannot be changed is the outcome of the game.

虽然威斯布鲁克依旧交出了25分7篮板5助攻3抢断的全能数据，但是面对公牛队这种强队，25投7中的表现并不高效。

The Bulls also successfully defeated the Hornets, extending their winning streak to six games.

Then they encountered their biggest challenge in the seventh game of the season.

Their opponent is the Thunder, currently ranked first in the Western Conference.

As Xu Yong expected, a more reasonable lineup makes the Thunder's performance limit very high, and Durant's performance can allow the team to touch the very high upper limit.

One thing to say here is that Durant's offensive and organizational skills with the ball are still relatively weak at this time, and he relies more on offense without the ball.

If I have to talk about a ratio, then the ratio is almost 30% with the ball and 70% without the ball.

Therefore, Harden and Gasol appeared in the starting lineup at the same time, which greatly improved Durant's offensive efficiency.

The Thunder's offense is absolutely loaded.

Even the Bulls couldn't contain them very well.

However, compared to their offense, their defense problems are not small.

Although Harden did not receive Artest's elbow and did not become defensive with his eyes, his slow lateral movement made his defense very difficult whether facing Rose or Xu Yong.

Although Fisher was confrontational, he could only lift his trouser legs when Rose and Xu Yong stood up.

Therefore, in the first half, both sides focused more on attacking. In the end, the two sides fought to a score of [-]-[-].

Then in the second half, Thunder coach Brooks came online and made a very subtle but effective adjustment.

He removed Fisher, asked Harden to play the one position, and moved Sefolosha to the second position.

Although Harden still can't guard anyone, the Thunder have Ibaka, a monster on the defensive end, so the Thunder's defensive quality improved a lot in the second half.

Coincidentally, Thibodeau also used one senior and four juniors in the second half. He removed Gibson and put Allen into the starting lineup. The team's defensive strength also improved significantly.

Therefore, after the fans enjoyed the offensive battle between the two teams in the first half, they watched a finals-level offensive and defensive battle in the second half.

I have to say that the fans at the scene were really happy.

The two teams fought until the final decisive moment.

But it was this decisive moment that allowed everyone to see the real gap between the two teams.

The Bulls are much better than the Thunder in terms of hard-hit ability at critical moments.

Harden was basically locked up by Xu Yong at the critical moment. The two were so familiar that Xu Yong was able to pinpoint Harden's weaknesses.

But on the other hand, Harden obviously can't do this. No one on the Thunder team can do this.

Originally, Durant was the core candidate as the team leader, but his current offensive ability with the ball is indeed not very good.

So at the end of the game, the Thunder could only rely on Gasol to hold the ball in the low post and play in isolation.

But after losing weight, Yao Ming will not let him succeed so easily.

So this game was intense, but at the last moment the Bulls went 11-2 and took the game away in a dramatic manner.

徐永是公牛队今晚发挥最出色的球员，他26投13中，外加罚球15罚14中，得到了赛季的第一个40+，44分7板5助攻2抢断。

And more importantly, among the last 11 points that determine the outcome of the game, Xu Yong scored the last 7 points alone.

Butler's eyes widened on the bench as he once again witnessed another kind of cruelty from his senior.

"Satan wants to close the game, even if Death comes, it will be useless."

The home commentator couldn't help but marvel.

From the beginning of the season to now, thanks to the summer training, Xu Yong's overall competitive state looks even better than during the finals.

Like the previous defeat of the Magic, this game also brought a big chain reaction after the game.

Durant said at the post-game press conference that he needs to attack with the ball more in the later games and that he needs to make himself more comprehensive.

Making such bold statements in the middle of the season, and in a shortened season, it can be seen that Durant was greatly stimulated by this game.

Or when history changes, he would rather become as strong as Xu Yong than learn from LeBron to form a team.

After the Bulls defeated the Thunder and won their seventh win of the season, it was like they had crossed a high mountain and suddenly the front was flat.

When the time came to the end of January and the first month of competition ended, the Bulls started with 1 consecutive victories and became the only team in the league to maintain an undefeated record.

This number also tied the Rockets' record for the best winning streak in the history of the 1993-1994 season, when the latter won the NBA championship that season.

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(End of this chapter)