no shortcuts in basketball

Chapter 228

In the East, the game between the Bulls and Heat will still be played one day later.

The first day featured games between the Pacers and Wizards, as well as the Thunder and Spurs.

There was not much suspense in the match between the Pacers and the Wizards. Although the Wizards were upset, their strength and experience were much weaker than the Pacers.

The game between the Thunder and the Spurs was very intense, and Xu Yong also watched the live broadcast of the game.

The Spurs were able to remain competitive this season, just like in the history he knew, by developing a tactic called the [Hammer Tactics].

A simple summary of this tactic is that it is an advanced version of the pick-and-roll tactic. It uses Parker and Duncan's pick-and-roll as the core, or uses outside shooters to open up space, or uses pick-and-rolls to create three-point opportunities for outside shooters, and then uses Duncan as the center. Create defensive counterattack opportunities through high-speed defensive rotations.

The Spurs' good results are also related to the outstanding performance of their shooters this season. Mills, Danny Green and Belinelli's three-point shooting percentage is above 40%, even if they are not good at three-pointers. Parker has reached the 37.3% level.

Of course, the two influence each other.

In a sense, it is the prototype of the Warriors' small-ball strategy.

However, without Leonard, a defensive monster, the Spurs cannot form a defensive net with Green on the outside. This will make their offense more dependent on positional warfare, which is equivalent to limiting the upper limit of this tactic and preventing it from reaching the level seen in history. Shocking effect.

But this was enough for them to play back and forth with the Thunder.

At the end of the game, the Thunder's talent became the winner of the game. Durant first hit a jumper against Richard Jefferson at the last moment, and then turned around and fell back under the double-team of Jefferson and Green. Made the game-killing shot.

After watching this game, in addition to his skills, Xu Yong could feel that Durant's fighting spirit on the court was at its peak.

It's really possible for Durant to reach the finals again and even win the championship.

It seemed like he had to go all out.

The next day, the Bulls set off for Miami to start a conference semifinal contest with the Heat.

Xu Yong changed his playing style from the first round and hit the ball singles at the beginning.

After receiving the ball, he turns his back, plays in singles, turns around and makes a fake move, then turns around with a low center of gravity and breaks through to the basket.

Hibbert squeezed past Adams and was in front of Xu Yong. He was heavy and it was not easy for Adams to choke him.

Seeing this, Xu Yong changed direction and jumped sideways without slowing down, and smashed the ball into the basket with his left hand through Hibbert.

The way he opened the show was so violent that the place was in an uproar.

After Xu Yong landed, he rarely punched and roared, and with his roar, the emotions on the faces of other Bulls team members became different.

Xu Yong obviously did this intentionally.

Whether it is season ranking or first-round performance, this year's Bulls are not as strong as the Heat. They are serious underdogs and the team that needs extraordinary performance to win.

Especially since the Bulls have many young players, and they are facing a defending champion whose strength has not diminished, they will be instinctively timid.

So Xu Yong used this method of "Beheading Generals in Front of the Formation" to boost morale.

Moreover, this unexpected wave killed two people with one kill, completing a double kill.

However, this accident was largely due to the [vertical takeoff rule]. Hibbert obviously did not dare to jump.

This can be regarded as James changing direction and giving an assist to the Bulls.

Xu Yong's opening greatly boosted the morale of the Bulls. The Bulls had a back-and-forth with the Heat from the beginning.

And the Bulls continued this momentum.

Young teams lack experience in the playoffs, but they are young and energetic, and they can easily explode when they gain momentum.

And with Xu Yong as their backbone, they will not suffer from a scoring shortage.

The two sides fought fiercely until the last moment. Xu Yong hit the winning goal against Granger's defense and won an exciting game.

"Every one of them tonight, every muscle was as hard as a rock." Barkley exclaimed in the commentary box.

This kind of victory from the bottom to the top, and it was a young team using the most positive way, and it was still on the road, it was so irritating.

而且这场比赛不止是徐永一个人发挥，韦斯特21分7板，巴特勒18分5板6助攻，亚当斯8分11板2盖帽。

Coupled with Xu Yong's 31 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals, the Bulls can be said to have performed fully.

This Bulls team is admirable and even scary, considering that they still have a top-paid player like Rose on their bench.

After two days of rest, the game between the Heat and Bulls continued in Miami.

After losing a city first, the Heat's situation suddenly became serious. They showed significantly higher intensity in G2 than in G1.

However, the Bulls' performance did not weaken at all compared to G1.

As a result, although they fell behind, the Bulls never allowed the Heat to open up the score.

When they maintained a stalemate and entered the fourth quarter, they launched a frenzied pursuit of points under the leadership of Xu Yong, and once tied the score.

However, the problems of the young team were also exposed at the most critical moment. When the Heat began to flank Xu Yong, others suddenly lost power.

This also caused them to lose G2 in the end.

With a score of 1-1, the two sides moved to Chicago to continue the series contest.

Then, the Bulls lost G3 in the same way.

Strength and performance can be compensated by morale, but game experience is difficult to form without enough games.

Especially the playoffs are not like the regular season. The playoffs themselves are about success rate and error tolerance.

With a big score of 1 to 2 and obvious weaknesses, the Bulls were considered to have few chances.

But in G4, the Bulls once again shocked everyone.

They did not evolve suddenly, saying that they became mature after two days, but this time they launched a death charge in the last quarter when they were 13 points behind in the third quarter, and finally successfully completed the reversal and chased the big score. It was a 2-2 tie.

The Bulls gave everyone a little youth shock.

The two sides entered the battle of Tianwang Mountain.

The intensity of the battle at Tianwang Mountain was beyond imagination. Granger suffered an ankle sprain in the second quarter, but he miraculously returned in the second half.

Butler on the Bulls also encountered the same situation, but after kicking on the floor twice, he didn't even get off the court.

As in the previous four games, the two teams fought fiercely until the last moment. This time Wade became the Heat's savior. He used a breakthrough floater to win the game for the Heat.

"This is an NBA Finals-level confrontation." Barkley sighed again.

After five games, the point difference between the two sides never reached double digits, and three of the games went to the final count. The intensity was unimaginable.

The Bulls need to defend their home court and try to drag the game into a tiebreaker.

The United Center was packed to capacity, with fans filling the aisles.

And Jordan was on the sidelines.

The Bulls, playing at home, started with great momentum, and Xu Yong's desire to attack tonight was also particularly strong.

After three quarters, the two sides were tied, and Xu Yong's personal score had reached 35 points.

This is a classic Seo Yong style match.

The two sides once again fought until the final countdown, and the Bulls had an absolute chance to tie.

However, in this round, Butler made a fatal mistake and his pass was intercepted by Wade.

Wade stole the ball and avoided the foul by dribbling, and the Heat finally defeated the Bulls in a thrilling manner, eliminating the Bulls with a big score of 4-2 and entering the Eastern Conference Finals.

At the end of the game, the fans at the scene held their heads in disbelief, and Butler even sat on the bench with red eyes.

He didn't put his head down and cover himself with a towel to avoid the defeat, but you could totally feel his mood.

The two sides shook hands after the game and returned to the locker room.

Just when he returned to the player tunnel, Butler broke down emotionally.

He leaned against the wall and started crying.

After seeing this, Xu Yong walked up to him and touched his head hard.

Butler knew it was Xu Yong without looking up. I don't know since when, this became a unique way of communication between the two of them.

"It's me, it's my fault." Butler didn't look up, but his voice was choked.

In last year's Eastern Conference Finals, he asked Xu Yong after losing to the Heat if they would win back, and Xu Yong gave him an affirmative answer.

Xu Yong scored 47 points tonight and tried his best to do what he promised, but in the end, it was his mistakes that ruined the victory of the game.

In this semi-final round, others fought harder, but in the end it was his fault.

"Jimmy, it's your fault, but stand up and face it like a man."

Xu Yong's words were very calm. After hearing this, Butler stopped crying and looked up at Xu Yong with red eyes.

"This is not the end of the world. If you lose, you can win again next year." Xu Yong said and punched Butler's chest hard.

Although he was also very frustrated at the moment, because this was the first time he had scored so many points and still lost.

But it was at this moment that he truly accepted defeat.

If they try their best and still lose, but still get back up, then they can never be defeated.

Butler looked at Xu Yong, his eyes still red, but he nodded firmly.

Back in the locker room, Xu Yong saw that everyone else was also depressed.

Although we lost the game by the same score as last year, it is really not easy to accept such a slight defeat.

A tough guy like Butler has an emotional breakdown, as others can imagine.

Xu Yong knew that he had to say something at this time.

After coughing slightly, he said:
“It’s frustrating not being able to achieve our goals this year, and it’s the same for me, but it’s not that we’re hopeless, but we still have a long way to go.

They (the Heat) won fair and square, and we lost to a respectable opponent. I know this feeling hurts, but nothing can make us dejected. Our performance at least proved that we are on the right path. .

Keep your head high, keep working hard as always, and make yourself stronger this summer. This is the direction we strive for.

We must join hands, fight for each other, and stand together through thick and thin like a family, and then next season, win back everything we have lost and win that damn championship! "

Following Xu Yong's speech, other people gradually raised their heads, stood up, and finally folded their hands in unison.

They shouted the last and most determined slogan of the season.

"Bulls, come on!"

Thibodeau happened to walk to the locker room door at this time.

Originally, he was planning a long paragraph to boost the morale of the team, but after seeing the situation in front of him, he knew that it was not necessary. Xu Yong had already done that.

He called Xu Yong out and prepared to go to the press conference with him.

"Coach, I'm going too." Butler said proactively at this time.

Thibodeau froze for a moment.

Butler actually played well tonight, scoring 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, second only to Xu Yong in scoring.

If it weren't for that last mistake, he would have been the second contributor to the team's victory.

But it was precisely because of that mistake that he was not prepared to ask Butler to go with him, because if he went, he could foresee being targeted by reporters.

However, looking at Butler's firm gaze, he finally nodded.

When Butler appeared at the venue, there was a commotion among the reporters.

Originally, if Butler didn't appear, they would have been limited in what they could ask, but with Butler, there were more questions and more news material after the game.

"Yes, it was my fault. I was facing the right side of the court and D. Wade was lurking behind me on the left. I didn't find him. It was me who stopped the team."

Faced with reporters' questions, Butler frankly admitted the problem.

"But I will win it back. I promise that if that happens again, I will never make the same mistake and I will help the team win the game."

Then, before the reporter could ask further questions, he immediately added firmly.

Such a reaction also made the reporters below show admiration. After just a short interval, Butler was able to adjust his mood and make such a commitment without any room for maneuver.

"No team will want to meet us next year." At this moment, Xu Yong picked up the microphone and added with an extremely certain tone.

This moment attracted a burst of surprised looks from the reporters below, and the spotlights flashed to record this moment.

Xu Yong's words can be regarded as challenging the entire alliance.

If someone else said it, this would definitely sound arrogant.

But when it comes out of Xu Yong's mouth, people can't help but think about it.

After all, this season the Bulls have experienced injuries and many young players, but they can still compete with the Heat like this. It is actually shocking in itself.

The Bulls next season are indeed worth looking forward to.

After the press conference, public opinion on social media also reached a climax.

"There are not so many successes in the world. Failure is the main theme of life. How to face failure is the biggest issue in life."

"Like Michael said, trash talking only makes sense when you're behind. Likewise, it's only when the team loses that you can see who the real tough guys are."

"Haha, you are still a tough guy after losing!" A comment from "King Brownie's loyal guard".

"Tsk, then I have to mention the 'your life is not what you want' comment made by a certain king after the Heat lost in 2011." Comment from "KBfnas".

"2>0, thank you." Comment from "KBforever".

"So LeBron has always been the loser, and Xu has been the winner, and I'm now looking forward to what the Bulls will do next season."

"Haha, look at it, LeBron will definitely win his championship this season, he will be the strongest player in history!" A comment from "King Bronny's loyal guard".

"Speaking of which, what if LeBron wins the championship? Is 1>2?"

"One crown surpasses Xu Yong, two crowns surpasses Jordan. If we win three crowns, we will be the strongest in the universe. That's what it sounds like, right?"

"Don't worry, LeBron can't win the championship. How can he beat the Heat? Just rely on his words?"

"Why are you paying attention to them? I've had so many conflicts that I think LeBron and Xu are the same level of players. The Chosen One who hasn't won a championship in ten years is a miracle."

……

The day after the series against the Heat ended, Butler and Adams started training with Xu Yong in the training hall.

Their summer has begun.

Xu Yong does not intend to enrich his arsenal this summer, but to re-train his shooting, especially three-pointers.

With Butler diluting the ball, this is what he has to do.

Of course, the stability of existing technology is also very important. What he needs to do now is to ensure the success rate of his offense as much as possible.

Butler needs to enrich his arsenal. After reaching a certain level of breakthrough, he needs a stable means of shooting and scoring.

He chose a step-back jumper.

This is also a very smart choice, because for his talent, the prerequisite for his skills to be used is to have shooting space before taking the shot.

His civilian breakthrough is based on this idea, and the same goes for his step-back jump shot.

The reason why he chose this was inspired by his fight with Pierce.

Although the two were tit-for-tat during the game, Pierce was indeed a good reference for him.

Adams is working on his defensive skills. He struggled against Lopez in the first round and must learn how to guard this type of player.

While training, Battier came to the training hall.

He came to see Xu Yong.

"I'm ready to retire." Because of Yao Ming's relationship, Battier also had a very good relationship with Xu Yong after he arrived with the Bulls.

When he heard this, Xu Yong could not help but feel a little emotional.

Battier is the only player besides him and Hinrich to have won two consecutive championships at the same time.

"Do you have any plans later?" Xu Yong asked with concern.

"I will stay and join the team's operations department." Battier said with a smile. This is the reason why he came to Xu Yong.

Left the team, but not completely.

Xu Yong was also very happy when he heard this, smiled and gave Shane a big hug.

In terms of operations, he is responsible for many aspects, including drafting and signing. This is a very good start for Battier's career.

Of course, having a former teammate in the management team is also a good thing for Xu Yong.

……

As the Heat won, the two sides in the Eastern Conference Finals were determined, Heat VS Pacers.

Similar to last season, this is another revenge battle for James.

In the Western Conference, the two sides in the conference finals were also announced a day later. It was the second consecutive season between the Thunder and the Mavericks.

However, in the conference semifinals, the Thunder had a situation. The team's starting power forward Ibaka suffered a left calf plantar muscle strain in the last game against the Spurs and was reimbursed for the season.

Ibaka's injury has a fatal impact on the Thunder. You must know that he is the team's inside frame protector and penalty area sweeper, a standard inside gate.

Xu Yong's emotions were a bit complicated when he learned the news.

In many cases, injuries can really change the outcome of a match, and even directly change the direction of history.

Take the Bulls, for example. If Yao Ming's injury hadn't accelerated so quickly, they would have had a chance to complete the first dynasty after the Jordan era.

Moreover, Ibaka's injury happened in history in his mind, so it is not considered that Durant's flag played a role.

But looking back, the [Injury Immunity] choice he made at the beginning was no less helpful to him than any other system.

The Eastern Conference Finals started first, with the Pacers taking on the Heat at home.

On the day of the game, the stadium was fully booked.

Although the Pacers have not yet achieved results, the successive additions of superstars such as James, Howard, and Paul have greatly expanded Indiana's ball market.However, the final result of this game failed to satisfy them.

The Heat showed excellent competitiveness from the start, with Wade and Bosh firing inside and outside to establish an early lead.

On the other hand, the Pacers' state has fluctuated greatly. They once surpassed the score in the second quarter, but their overall state in the second half was very average.

This is obviously related to their previous games. The Heat played the Bulls in the semifinals with sparks and showed their form. On the contrary, the Pacers played too easily in the first two rounds and their form suddenly disappeared. Not coming.

This situation improved in G2. James and Paul frequently used pick-and-rolls to break through the basket. Hibbert was subject to the [vertical take-off rule], and the restrictions on them were significantly weakened compared to last season. In this way, they also succeeded in breaking through the basket. Back to Yicheng, the score was 1-1.

At this time, in the Western Conference, the Mavericks successively conquered the Thunder's home court, leading 2-0.

Without Ibaka, Nowitzki is obviously much more comfortable playing.

But this was not the decisive factor in the first two games.

The presence of Tony Allen and Carlisle's formation are the difference between the two games.

After last year's poor defensive performance, Carlisle did not arrange for Leonard to defend Durant this year. Instead, he assigned Tony Allen to defend, while Leonard went to face Harden.

As a result, this adjustment had a miraculous effect. Durant was greatly reduced by Allen's defensive efficiency, and Harden was also very embarrassed by Leonard's death coil.

Carlisle simultaneously seized the weaknesses of the Thunder's dual-core and used it in both directions, which can be called a master-level operation.

So after two games, there is still some suspense on the Eastern side, while the Western side seems to have made a decision in advance due to Ibaka's injury.

However, it was in this context that an "accident" happened.

Ibaka, who was previously announced to be reimbursed for the season by the Thunder, returned only nine days later!
This is a medical miracle.

However, this is not a smart injury, but Ibaka's forced comeback after playing a closed game.

This is comparable to the plot of Willis Reed's Return of the King in New York, which made Thunder fans excited and boosted the morale of the Thunder team.

The Thunder staged a playoff matchup with the Jazz and Rockets that year. After losing two home games, they then successively conquered the Mavericks' two home games.

Durant broke through Allen's defense in these two games and scored 75 points, which was completely crazy.

After four games, the two sides tied at 2-2, and the suspense of the Western Conference Finals returned again.

Just when the fierce battle in the Western Conference Finals was in full swing, an "accident" also happened on the Eastern side.

After returning to Miami's home court, the Heat ushered in a big explosion in G3, beating the Pacers 116-90 and rewriting the score to 2-1.

In addition to Wade and Bosh on the Heat's side, Granger, who has performed well this season, also ushered in an explosion. He made 8 of 6 shots from the three-point line, scored 27 points, and blasted James.

And this situation continued in G4. Granger's fiery touch gave the Heat a lot of space, and Wade broke through the Pacers' inside line as if he was in no one's land.

At this time, the [vertical takeoff rule] actually harmed the Pacers, because Bynum's protection effect on the penalty area has also been significantly reduced.

At the end of the three quarters, the Heat led the Pacers by 12 points and were very hopeful of winning two games in a row.

And after that, with a big score of 3 to 1, the Heat even entered the finals with one foot.

However, something unexpected happened in the fourth quarter. First, James went out at a staggered time to help the Pacers narrow the point difference to single digits. Then Spoelstra sent Granger, who hit a three-pointer. Stabilize the situation, and also prevent James from making a wave.

Then, the real [surprise] came. When Granger shot another three-pointer on the offensive end, he was stepped on by James.gif.

Granger originally sprained his ankle against the Bulls, but when James stepped on his foot, he curled up in pain on the spot.

This situation also triggered a conflict on the court. Bosh reacted quickly and threw James to the ground on the spot, performing a dinosaur riding king.

And even though he was experienced in holding down Bosh's hands, he was still punched by Bosh.

In the end, the two sides were pulled apart. James looked horrified and embarrassed. He obviously did not expect Bosh to be so cruel.

The referee finally awarded James first-level malice and Bosh was ejected from the game for second-level malice.

The departure of Granger and Bosh caused a fundamental reversal of the situation on the court. The Pacers frantically chased points and reversed the game in the end, rewriting the big score to 2-2.

After the game, social media exploded, and criticism of James reached an all-time high.

This time, Nike couldn't suppress it even if it wanted to.

"This is a shame for basketball. We rely on rules, referees, and stepping in to win!"

"Even if this Pacers team wins the championship, it will be their feet that wear the championship ring in the end, not their hands."

"In terms of breaking through the lower limit of my understanding of superstars, LeBron is the undisputed goat in basketball."

"I'm sorry, he doesn't deserve to be a superstar!"

"I only saw him as an entertainment player before, but now it's really disgusting. The Heat will bring him back for the next game!"

"Stop playing basketball. Let the Dragon King fight LeBron in the Octagon. The winner will advance."

Xu Yong did not watch the game. He saw the news after training.

There were two main things he felt after seeing it.

It was time to come, but Granger still didn't escape James's step.

The second is that he figured it out. Next time he meets James' team, if James has a tendency to step in, then send someone to strike first. Success is the best, and failure is also a deterrent.

If you want to play well, then play well. If you don't want to play well, then don't play well. This guy won't remember long if he just raises his eyebrows.

……

A week later, the Eastern and Western Conference Finals are all over.

In the East, Granger's season reimbursement directly changed the trend of the series. The Pacers won two games in a row amidst a lot of criticism, eliminating the Heat 4-2 and entering the finals.

This is also the first time James has reached the finals since 2007 and since the formation of a super team in 2010.

In the West, Nowitzki had a big breakout in the last two games of the series. Just like in 2011, he once again defeated the combination of Ibaka and Gasol.

In the first two rounds, and even the first four games of the Western Conference Finals, his performance was relatively average, making people think that he was really old.

However, after the next two games, everyone realized that he was holding back the fight.

This is also very reasonable. After all, 35 is about to reach 36. Even if the play style is more shooting, the energy bar will start to be saved for the explosion.

However, before the Mavericks reached the finals, they suffered a piece of bad news. Nash was reimbursed for the season due to a back injury.

You say the Mavericks are lucky. Ibaka from the Thunder was injured this year. If they hadn't started 2-0, they might not have been able to win this year with Durant in this state.

But you have to say that they are lucky. Nash was injured again. This is exactly the same as the experience in 2011.

In the end, the real bargain may be their Finals opponent, the Pacers.

Finals, Pacers VS Mavericks.

Along with many injuries and accidents, the two sides in this year's finals have finally been determined.

After the result came out, James had a massive orgasm.

"Haslem said, 'You can never break out of the East.' Who is the one who can't break out of the East now?"

"Don't talk about stepping up or not stepping up. The Spurs were not the same back then, and I didn't see you guys complaining about the Spurs. History books are written by the winners!"

"+1, back then the Bulls defeated the remnant Mavericks and won the first championship. If we win this year, please don't use this as an excuse!"

"Go! Go! Go! The Pacers' first championship in team history, LeBron's first championship, heading towards No. 1 in history!"

……

Xu Yong had already started to laugh.

With a serious core injury that ended the season, James and the Mavericks, this year's Finals matchup is too familiar to him.

No, not just familiar, but too many elements.

For example, Paul's existence, and Leonard's intrusion.

If he were asked to choose a Finals matchup he most wanted to watch besides himself, it would be these two teams.

So he decided to pay close attention to this round of the finals.

Of course it's not just him.

In G1 of the finals, Xu Yong, Butler and Adams prepared French fries, squid rings, melon seeds and peanut drinks in advance, and then sat back and waited for the show.

During the warm-up, the camera showed the players on both sides. The Mavericks players were very serious, while the Pacers players were very relaxed, especially Paul and James, who were smiling from ear to ear.

These responses were to be expected.

The Mavericks have entered the finals twice in a row and are in a "remnant" state, so the mood cannot be better.

As for the Pacers, if nothing else, they had already opened champagne once when they learned that Nash was injured.

"Does Dallas have a chance?" Adams couldn't help but ask.

Butler didn't speak at this time. He had never experienced the finals with the Mavericks that year, so he didn't have much say in this aspect.

"Yes, I think in this league, besides Jimmy, Leonard is the most like me." Xu Yong said something that had a bit of a fishy smell.

Butler's mouth raised at this time, his senior ranked him before Leonard!

Then he nodded. Someone he could regard as his lifelong enemy would definitely not be weak.

"Then I hope the Mavericks can win, the way they (Pacers) entered the finals is too disgraceful." Adams said.

For Adams to say such a thing, you can imagine how much James and the Pacers are hated now.

Xu Yong and Butler didn't say anything at this time, not because they disagreed, but because who didn't think so?
The game started quickly, and the Pacers were beaten 10-2 by the Mavericks at the beginning.

The state before the game reflected the mentality of the two teams. The Pacers obviously underestimated their opponent.

And in addition to his condition, James was extremely uncomfortable. He was interrupted by Leonard. No, he was robbed twice.

Originally, this year he finally didn't have to meet his nemesis Xu Yong, but he never expected that Xu Yong and Leonard would be gone!
And in terms of defense alone, Leonard made it more difficult for him than Xu Yong.

However, the Mavericks did not have any advantage in the score, because Vogel also made an adjustment. He asked James to guard Nowitzki.

After James was repeatedly intercepted on the offensive end and did not dare to play, he could only invest in the defensive end in order to collect statistics.

Facts have proved that when he defends seriously, he still has some effects against the 35-year-old Nowitzki.

Of course, more importantly, Nash's absence has had a great impact on the Mavericks.

You must know that after the Mavericks got Nash, most of their tactics revolved around him. To use a very vivid metaphor, Nash is the engine of the Mavericks.

Now that there is no engine, the impact can be imagined.

Of course, there is no doubt about the fighting spirit of the Mavericks. They fought with the Pacers until the last quarter and finally lost.

"Does Dallas still have a chance?" Adams couldn't help but ask again after the game.

The talent gap between the two teams is even wider than it was before the Bulls and Mavericks.

The Mavericks feel that Leonard's independent offensive ability is not enough, Nowitzki is old and has declined after the outbreak of the Western Conference Finals, and Terry is gone, and no one can score points on the offensive end.

"Yes, but not much." Butler gave a rational analysis.

"You can't underestimate the heart of a championship, especially those who have this heart have been sharpening their swords for 16 years." Xu Yong's answer was somewhat emotional.

Although rationally his feelings are similar to Butler's. The impact of Caron Butler's absence is really incomparable with Nash's current absence, but he always feels that this round of finals should not end so soon.

Two days later, the Pacers scored another victory at home, leading 2-0.

Now the Pacers fans are in a climax. They are only left with the last two games to win the first championship in team history.

Of course, at this time, the outside world's criticism of them also reached a peak.

Because most fans don't want to see such a team win the championship.

It was against this background that the two teams moved to Dallas to compete in the next two games.

值得一提的是，今年也是NBA总决赛改制的第一个赛季，总决赛从原来的2-3-2改成了2-2-1-1-1。

After arriving in Dallas, the Pacers held a public training session. James did not accept an interview with reporters. It was Paul who came out for an interview.

Paul performed well in the first two games, averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 assists per game. Allen has to guard Korver, and Paul is facing West, so he shouldn't be too comfortable.

If he continues with this momentum, he won't have to compete this time, and this year's FMVP will definitely be his.

"We don't care about the noise from the outside, that's part of the game, and we only care about the game now."

"If they really consider us an enemy, then we don't mind becoming public enemies of the alliance."

He appeared quite relaxed in front of reporters.

That night, Xu Yong, Butler, and Adams sat together again to watch the live broadcast.

After entering the opening ceremony, the two sides started to play. At this time, the Mavericks made adjustments, and Carlisle put the old Kidd in the starting lineup.

Kidd is 41 this year, and he is almost losing his teeth with age.

This operation made Paul couldn't help but cover his mouth and chuckle on the bench.

Of course, once the game actually started, he couldn't laugh anymore.

Because old Kidd can really still fight!

Although he no longer has any offensive means except throwing three-pointers, and the defensive end can basically only shrink, his experience, his confrontation, and his organization are still there.

When it comes to the saying that the older you get, the more you become more demonic, Kidd definitely has a share. 【Note 20】

But this is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that James played very confusingly in this game.

Although Leonard's presence itself makes it difficult for him to perform, his performance makes people... familiar.

When Xu Yong saw this, he couldn't help but nod, this was just right.

Speaking of which, James is someone even Wade doesn't like, so why would he like Paul?
Paul won the FMVP. Does this championship belong to Paul or to him?
The camera showed Paul, who looked confused at this time. He probably didn't expect such a situation to happen.

But it can only be said that this is the reincarnation of fate. Two years ago, he was interested in FMVP, and then this season, his FMVP was also interested in James.

Most of the collapse of the dynasty originated from within, and the Pacers finally lost G3 because of this farce.

Butler and Adams watched G3 in confusion. They didn't even understand what was going on.

Of course, even if the Pacers lose G3, they still lead 2-1.

By G4, Paul made changes and began to create opportunities for James.

It can be seen that he and James have had "effective" communication between these two games.

However, their change came a little too late!
After taking a breath in G3, the Mavericks' morale picked up again, and then Nowitzki's CD cooled down and began to explode.

The Pacers' biggest weakness is the fourth position. West was able to make them uncomfortable when they played the Bulls in the regular season. In the first two games of the Finals, James was relied on to support him there.

Now it's okay, Nowitzki is starting to play, and James can't stand it anymore!
Nowitzki was like a god coming down from the earth, making sudden shots from inside and outside, which made James want nothing.

"Dirk stood up. I seemed to see every golden hair on his head stand up. Dallas launched their charge!" Barkley shouted excitedly in the commentary box.

Their position was too obvious, because they did not want to see the birth of a stepping-stone championship from the beginning.

After three games of silence, their emotions finally began to explode.

In the midst of such commentary, the Pacers' defensive system built by Vogel began to collapse like an Indian dam.

Moreover, after Nowitzki's offense restrained the defense, Leonard also came alive, and Jamison was also unable to restrain him.

106 to 102. Driven by Nowitzki's 34 points in a single game, the Mavericks defeated the Pacers again at home, completely reversing the series.

After losing two games in a row, they won two games in a row.

This scene is very similar to 2011, because the Mavericks were done like this by the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, so they "learned" how to play in this situation.

The Pacers started to panic obviously.

After returning to the home court, they played very hesitantly at the beginning. As a result, the Mavericks played away from home with great momentum, playing smoother and smoother, and their lead became bigger and bigger.

最终，达拉斯人用一场115比92的客场大胜，0比2落后的情况下，3比2逆转拿到了赛点！
After this game, almost all fans became fans of this Mavericks team.

And Dallas' momentum has been unstoppable.

G6, Dallas’ home court.

The Pacers played very hard at the beginning, and James and Paul also gave up other ideas. They had all lost the championship for one reason or another. After being really pushed to the edge of the cliff, they woke up.

At halftime, the Pacers led the Mavericks by 58 points, 46-12.

A tiebreaker looks inevitable.

But in the second half, Leonard tried his best to lock down James, preventing James from swearing 2.0.

Moreover, Nowitzki once again ushered in an explosion.

This time, the Germans don't have CDs!

"Dirk hit a 20-foot mid-range jumper. Oh my God, he hit it with LeBron and Antoine!"

"Beautiful turn around, sudden stop and back, Dirk fell down, it was a 2+1! He stood up, he is fine!"

"Will Dirk's chasing three-pointer happen again? Hit! The Mavericks overtook the score!"

Along with Barkley's excited explanation in the commentary box, Nowitzki is no longer a German tank, but has become the sword that Xu Yong said has been sharpened for 16 years, sharp and unstoppable!
All the Dallas fans stood up, and too many people had tears in their eyes.

119:111.

When the score was finally settled, the entire American Airlines Center was completely boiling.

Even Butler and Adams in front of the TV were shouting emotionally.

Xu Yong also felt that the wind in the room was a bit strong.

Even though he knew this was possible, he still felt shocked and moved when it actually happened.

A player's career lasts only 16 years.

Nowitzki averaged 26.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2 assists per game and was elected the final FMVP.

He gave a personal acceptance speech.

"Rick (Carlisle) just reminded me that this was my 16th season and I didn't realize how old I was, but in the end, because of a great group of teammates, I did it, and yeah, we did it. ! I want to say, never give up, this is what I want to say, basketball, never give up, Dallas, this.is.for.you!"

　On the last day, brothers, cast your monthly vote~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)