no shortcuts in basketball

Chapter 241 The road to success is never smooth

After reading the news, Xu Yong put down his phone and was about to go to bed when he suddenly heard his phone vibrate again.

He looked up at the clock hanging on the wall and found that it was already past 12 o'clock at night.

Who is this talented person who made the call so late?

He frowned, and when he picked up the phone and saw the caller ID, his brows widened again unconsciously.

What he said makes sense.

"Kevin, when you called me so late, you didn't mean to tell me that you were getting married, right?" Xu Yong teased.

"No, no, Xu, do you still remember the question I asked you before?"

"I don't have the ability to read minds, and even if I did, I would still need to be face to face." Xu Yong continued to complain.

There was a burst of hearty laughter on the other end of the phone.

After a while, Durant's voice continued to come from the other side: "I asked you, you taught me skills, if I finally defeat you, do you think you have defeated yourself."

this?
Xu Yong couldn't help but smile after hearing this. The match had just been confirmed, and Durant couldn't wait anymore.

"Kevin, good luck to you."

He used to feel that he had a bit of a flag recently, but in front of Durant, a veteran general on the stage, he seemed to be less interested.

With Durant's words, he feels that this year's championship is guaranteed.

After the Bulls and Thunder were determined to meet in the finals, officials and the media began an overwhelming publicity.

当年23VS24因为23一直冲不出东部始终没能如愿，但是今年6VS35如期而至，而且还都是在生涯最巅峰的时候。

"This will be a pinnacle showdown of the century, a Mars-on-Earth encounter."

Buckley used an exaggerated but realistic description on the latest episode of TNT.

Needless to say, Xu Yongyong is No. 1 in the league and has led his team to 72 wins. If he wins the championship, he can already meet Jordan.

As the MVP last season, Durant led the team to avenge the defending champion Mavericks this season, and then surpassed the 67-win Warriors. If there are three steps to become a god, then he has already completed the second step, and only the last step is left.

So this year's 6VS35, fans' expectations are much greater than that of 23VS24.

Moreover, both teams are already very mature teams, and there will not be a situation where one side is overall stronger than the other side like in the past few years.

This was also reflected in the survey conducted by ESPN before the game.

In the poll on "Who do you think will win the 2015 NBA championship?" the Bulls received 58% of the vote and the Thunder received 42%, the closest in the past five years.

Even 2KTV started to work hard, using games to simulate the series matchups between the two teams. After ten rounds of simulations, it turned out that the Thunder had a higher winning rate.

All these things made the finals extremely popular before the game.

One day before the start of the finals, the Thunder arrived in Chicago and prepared to start the G1 contest of the finals.

The two sides held staggered public training sessions for the media at the main arena, with the Thunder in the morning and the Bulls in the afternoon.

During the afternoon training session, the sidelines were already crowded with reporters.

The Bulls team showed a very relaxed state. At the end of the training, Hawes even sneaked behind Adams with a basket on his back, and then Butler suddenly came out and completed a dunk over Adams' head. .

After finishing the training, Xu Yong was also surrounded by many reporters and media for interviews.

It started with some common questions, mainly about what preparations the Thunder have made, whether they are looking forward to playing against Durant, etc.

But when the interview was halfway through, Xu Yong was stunned by a reporter's question.

"What do you think about KD saying you are more handsome than Jordan?"

Even though he had gone through so many interviews, this was the first time he heard such a weird question, which was comparable to a reporter asking Durant "Why are you called KD?"

Fortunately, another reporter opened his mouth and explained what happened.

It turned out to be an interview session with the Thunder in the morning. When a reporter asked the question, "The Sonics failed to guard Michael in the 1996 playoffs, how are you going to guard Xu, who is as strong as Michael?" Durant looked like he was disturbed. He gave a confused expression, and then gave this answer: "How is he Michael? I think apart from being handsome, there is nothing about him that is better than Michael."

After listening to the reporter's story, Xu Yong couldn't help laughing.

For a moment, he didn't know how to evaluate Durant's answer, because affirmation meant admitting that he was not as good as Jordan, and denial equaled denying his own appearance.

That evening, Xu Yong and Harden had a small meal at the coffee shop.

"After tonight, we will fight to the death on the court." There were many emotions in Harden's words. Before, they fought side by side with the Devils and won the championship together, but now they have become opponents, and they are destined to have one person. To leave this year empty-handed.

"James, if you want to experience Chicago nightclubs, I can help you." Xu Yong said with a smile, he was practicing his previous ideas.

Harden was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"No matter what the result is, I think this is an unforgettable final for both of us." Xu Yong said seriously after putting away his jokes.

Harden also nodded seriously. This year they will provide fans with an unforgettable duel.

The next night, there were crowds inside and outside the United Center, and the major media broadcasts had already been in place in the arena. According to official league data, before the game started, the ratings of this year's finals had already reached a season high.

According to this momentum, when the competition officially starts, the ratings this year will be on track to break the historical record.

During the warm-up before the game, there were frequent shots of players from both sides.

The split shot of Xu Yong and Durant caused bursts of cheers from the scene.

Putting aside honors and talking only about personal abilities, Durant is undoubtedly the second player in the league.

In the Jordan era, this year's finals are equivalent to the matchup between Jordan and Olajuwon that never came.

This is probably why Barkley said this year's finals was the showdown of the century.

And as the camera swept across the auditorium, a familiar figure appeared on the LED screen, former league president David Stern.

Waves of cheers rang out at the scene, and those who came before planted trees for those who came after to enjoy the shade. The duel between Xu Yong and Durant has received such high attention today, and it is indispensable for Stern's original management. The topic of "Ten Years' Showdown" has just arrived. The fifth year.

After the warm-up, the scene entered the opening ceremony. When Xu Yong finally appeared on the stage, the familiar entrance DJ introduction brought the emotion of the scene to a climax.

6届全明星票王、3个得分王、3个MVP、2个FMVP、2个AMVP、2个总冠军，作为一个非耐克球员，在生涯第六年就被拿来和乔丹比较，唯一的原因就是荣誉过硬。

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

Thunder: Reggie Jackson, Harden, Durant, Ibaka, Gasol;

Bulls: Rose, Butler, Xu Yong, West, Adams.

With the cheers of Chicago fans, Adams returned the ball to the Bulls half, officially kicking off the game.

The ratings of the game also set a new historical record at this moment.

When he arrived in the frontcourt and discovered that Durant was guarding him, Xu Yong took the high position and directly asked for the ball for a single.

Jackson came to help defend immediately. Xu Yong's choice was similar to that when he played against the Pacers. He passed the ball in the direction of Rose at the top of the circle, forcing Jackson to stop and then grab the ball back with one hand and turn to attack.

The difference is that when he turned around, he first gave Durant a strong confrontation, and then he jumped back and shot.

Durant's talent is much higher than Anthony's, and the interference effect is great when he really jumps up, but after this hard confrontation, the interference effect of his back jump is limited.

"Shh!"

Xu Yong raised his knife and dropped it, giving the Bulls the lead.

Looking back, Harden organized and passed the ball to Gasol. Gasol attracted help from the defense and passed to Jackson for a layup. The Thunder's offense was very smooth.

Xu Yong reached the frontcourt and continued to claim his position.

The Thunder originally formed a team based on the Bulls' team building model, and now their playing style is very similar to that of the Bulls. The difference is that tonight they did not focus on Durant in the opening game.

Combined with the fact that Durant is defending himself, it is easy to judge that Brooks is not really trying to flank him, but is using Durant to defend himself alone.

The advantage of single defense is that it will not affect the team's defense, and with Durant's physical condition, he has the potential of single defense.

Although this is a bit abnormal, after all, Brooks usually tries to hide Durant in games to reduce Durant's physical consumption.

But this is exactly what he wants, allowing Durant to be consumed on the defensive end, which is equivalent to restricting Durant.

"Xu, I'm serious. You can't compare to Michael except for your looks." At this moment, Durant started to talk trash.

Xu Yong hit from behind and then turned around to break through and then hit the backcourt shot.

Without the interview before the game, Durant's trash talk would have really disturbed him, but now that he is mentally prepared, he is immune.

After hitting the shot, he smiled and said to Durant: "Trash talk isn't going to help you guard me."

Xu Yong waited for Durant to break through the defense. Durant was still far inferior to him in trash talking ability, but what he didn't expect was that Durant just smiled.

It seems that these years of losses have made this guy's mental endurance much greater.

The game continued, and the situation between the two sides was very anxious.

Durant's defense against Xu Yong is not very effective because he has taken on more and more offensive duties over the years and his defensive ability has deteriorated.

However, Harden did a good job on the offensive end, and the Bulls did not prevent the Thunder's team offense.

By the 9th minute of this quarter, the two sides entered rotation, and the score on the field was 22-all.

Xu Yong scored 14 points in a single quarter and was also replaced at this time.

Then the rest of the first quarter was almost over, and the score on the field became 24-30, with the Thunder leading.

Xu Yong felt that something was not right about the situation.

At this moment, Malone sat next to him and talked to him about the game situation.

The Bulls' record this season is so much better than last season. The main reason is not Rose's comeback, but Butler's unique ability, which allows Xu Yong to play a lot of easy shots without having to play tough shots like in the past two seasons. It greatly improved the team's offensive efficiency and also gave people a feeling of being unpreventable.

But Brooks used Durant as bait to lure Xu Yong into singles. Although Xu Yong's singles efficiency is very high, the biggest problem is that his teammates watch him play without participating in the offense, and his state is very uncomfortable. Influenced.

It wasn't obvious when Xu Yong was on the court, but it became apparent after he came off the field.

This is also why those super giant stand-up singles games look very efficient and score a lot of points, but in the end they still can't win the game.

Xu Yong reacted after listening to Ma Long's analysis.

Therefore, Brooks's uncharacteristic defensive strategy, Durant's response to his trash talk, and maybe even calling him in the middle of the night to mention the past can all be explained.

So dirty.

He originally thought Brooks was a chicken soup coach, but he didn't expect him to be so insidious.

It seems that after the Thunder's consecutive losses over the years, it's not just the players who have changed.

"We don't need to adjust our game strategy." However, Malone's final words surprised him.

"If we can maintain a stalemate after entering the fourth quarter, we can make a decisive run at the last moment."

Brooks dug the trap very cleverly, but the biggest problem is that the price of Durant as a bait is a bit high. If Xu Yong continues to consume Durant's physical energy on the offensive end, it will be difficult for Durant to attack in the fourth quarter. End performance.

Or it can be understood that Brooks made this choice because he felt that he couldn't beat the Bulls with his offense, so he used Durant to replace the status of other Bulls players in order to gain an advantage in the third quarter and win the game.

Therefore, the key to the four quarters of the game depends on the situation in the first three quarters.

Xu Yong nodded. Brooks's approach was actually a bit similar to the [Anti-Jordan Rule].

The best way to break the game is for him to beat his opponent, Durant.

In other words, now that you have fallen into this trap, instead of spending the whole night crawling there, you might as well choose to dismantle the trap.

When Xu Yong came back on the court in the second quarter, the Bulls were 6 points behind.

The Bulls did not allow the Thunder to continue to expand the point difference, as Butler and Rose held the situation in a defensive stalemate in the second quarter.

Xu Yong reappeared, and Durant also followed suit.

After Xu Yong came on the court, he continued to play singles. After giving Durant a strong confrontation, he turned around and threw him away and went to the basket to cause a defensive foul on Gasol.

Since we want to dismantle the trap, we must use violence.

Xu Yong made both free throws steadily. Compared with Durant, he has a huge physical advantage.

After the Thunder continued to score, he played more violently. This time he turned around and completed a dunk directly over Gasol's head.

After scoring the goal, he made a "listening" action, and the United Center went into a boil, and uniform defensive shouts began to sound.

With the deafening shouts, the Bulls' defensive intensity increased. After successfully preventing the Thunder's attack, Xu Yong continued to attack. This time he turned around and directly knocked Durant away, and continued to score with jump shots.

"I think what KD said is wrong. In addition to his looks, Xu's scoring ability is as strong as Michael's."

This continuous wave of chasing points made Barkley in the commentary box marvel.

At halftime, the Bulls led the game 58-52.

Xu Yong scored 20 points in the second quarter and 34 points in the half.

"Scott (Brooks) has to realize that no one can guard Xu one-on-one." Barkley continued at halftime.

Back from the halftime break, fans were paying attention to whether the Thunder would adjust their strategy in the second half because of what Barkley said before halftime.

However, it didn't happen. Brooks seemed to have turned into a bull, and still insisted on using Durant to defend Xu Yong alone.

Xu Yong's touch dropped in this quarter, but he still scored 13 points in a single quarter. At the end of the three quarters, his score had reached 47 points.

The Bulls still lead the Thunder by 84 points, 78-6.

"Tonight is the night of Xu Xin's Finals career." Barkley continued to sigh in the commentary box.

Xu Yong's highest score before the finals was 51 points, which was scored in G2012 against the Lakers in the 6 Finals. It will be broken tonight no matter what.

"Scott Brooks is possessed by Sam Mitchell. They have forgotten that they can adjust their defensive strategies during the game." O'Neal also echoed. In the game when Kobe Bryant scored 81 points, the Raptors were also in the audience. Just guard him.

In the fourth quarter's substitute transition period, Reggie Jackson was in excellent form, and the Thunder quickly caught up with the score.

Seven fierce games against the Warriors took a lot of energy, but they were in excellent shape.

The Bulls sent Xu Yong in advance.

But at this time, the Thunder made defensive adjustments.

They began to resolutely open up the Bulls' outside points, and then double or even triple-teamed Xu Yong.

This sudden adjustment of defense caught many people in the Bulls off guard. Although Xu Yong's ball was fast, Rose, West, and even Butler missed outside shots one after another.

And when Xu Yong adjusted his style of play to play without the ball, the Thunder team also used a crazy double team without the ball to restrict him from catching the ball.

When his teammates couldn't make a shot, although Xu Yong could forcefully break through the basket and cause damage, the Thunder's defense became smaller and smaller, and it became more and more difficult for him to score.

The Thunder began to gradually take control of the situation on the court.Obviously, Brooks went to two extremes, first [Anti-Jordan Law], and then [Jordan Law], and the Thunder implemented it very well.

In the end, with commentators Barkley and O'Neal covering their mouths, the Thunder defeated the Bulls 103-98 and won G1.

After the game, the Thunder players were celebrating wildly, while most people on the Bulls side seemed a little confused because they didn't even recall how they lost the game.

"Xu, don't go to the press conference today." After the handshake ceremony, Thibodeau came over to find Xu Yong.

"Tom, you know I have to go." Although it was frustrating to lose, Xu Yong knew that he couldn't miss it at this time.

But before going to the press conference, Xu Yong gave Butler a few words.

At the press conference, the crowd below was filled with reporters. The 72-win Bulls lost their first game. This was big news.

"You scored 58 points, breaking Jordan's 55-point Bulls single-game scoring record in the Finals. You were only 61 points away from Elgin Baylor's 3 points. This is your new Finals career night. You How do you feel now?" The question was asked by a FOX reporter.

"We lost the game. Everything you said is meaningless in the face of losing." Xu Yong answered calmly.

"You scored 58 points, but your teammates only scored 40 points combined. Do you think it was the poor performance of your teammates that led to the loss of this game?" the reporter continued to ask.

Thibodeau had some considerations in not letting Xu Yong come. Every problem is very acute for Xu Yong.

"Our opponents proved tonight why they are here, they are a mature team that executes well."

Xu Yong did not choose to answer this question head-on, because tonight's performance was more of a strategic contest and had nothing to do with performance, but he could not show weakness in front of the media.

"Do you think the Bulls have a chance in the coming games?"

"Of course, the road to success is never easy, and we showed against the Pacers that we can solve problems, and it's the same here."

After the press conference, Xu Yong returned to the locker room.

Before that, Butler had asked the players to stay in the locker room.

After Xu Yong came in, Butler closed the door to the locker room.

At this time, most of the team members lowered their heads in fear. Their performance in the last quarter tonight was really poor. They failed to grasp many open positions. Not to mention other people, they themselves found it difficult to accept.

The last time Xu Yong got angry was still vivid in his mind, and it seemed that it was inevitable today.

But after waiting for a while, the imaginary anger did not come. They looked up and found Xu Yong sitting in his seat.

"I have to apologize to everyone. It was my too many singles tonight that caused the team to lose. This will never happen again."

Different from his attitude in front of reporters at the press conference, Xu Yong returned to the locker room for a small meeting and took the initiative to take responsibility.

In fact, the person with the greatest responsibility tonight is Malone, because after discovering Brooks' strategy, Malone decided to ask Xu Yong to stick to his style of play. Xu Yong did achieve a three-quarter stalemate, but Brooks' tactical adjustments in the fourth quarter exceeded Malone's prediction.

It's obviously inappropriate to tell teammates that it's Malone's fault and they shouldn't take it to heart.

He did this not to help Ma Long take the blame, because after Ma Long made the decision, he did not raise any objection.

Essentially, Malone is just an assistant coach. He doesn't have to listen, so he also has the responsibility.

The team members were all surprised at this time.

"Xu, this is not your fault." Ross said.

"Boss, we didn't do a good job." Other team members also agreed.

The boss of the team scored 58 points in the finals and still lost, and then you blame the boss of the team. This is really unreasonable.

But what can be felt is that as Xu Yong said this, the team members relaxed. They were afraid that Xu Yonghe would give him a training like last time, but now, they only feel ashamed and want to prove it again. Own.

"It doesn't make much sense to discuss whose fault it is now. What we can draw from tonight's game is that our opponent is a team as strong as ours. One person alone cannot win the game. Only by playing team basketball can we win the game." Only in this way can we win." Sensing the change in his teammates' mentality, Xu Yong continued.

Everyone else nodded one after another.

What Xu Yong said was just right. The strategy needs to be adjusted, and so does the state. It doesn't mean that if Xu Yong doesn't play alone at the beginning, the Bulls can easily crush the Thunder. Mentality and state are the key factors that affect performance.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Anderson glanced at Xu Yong, and after seeing Xu Yong nodded, he stood up and opened the door.

It was Malone at the door.

Seeing everyone there, he was about to speak, but Xu Yong had already stood up and left the locker room with a smile on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Malone wanted to break away because he was going to apologize to the players.

"Mike, I have taken care of the morale matter. Tonight's game is over. We should discuss the next game." Xu Yong said with a smile.

Ma Long was stunned. Although Xu Yong didn't say anything, he knew that Xu Yong had already shouldered the responsibility for him.

"Thank you." Ma Long stood still and thanked Xu Yong in a very sincere tone.

What happened tonight is not a big deal, but it is not a small thing. He overstepped his authority as an assistant coach. If this was exposed, he would be fired easily.

The core of the Bulls coaching staff is Thibodeau. Although he is the first assistant coach, he is not yet irreplaceable.

Xu Yong waved his hand and took him directly to the office.

Zhuge Malone is just a joke. Although Malone is very good at tactics, he is only 43 years old and a serious young coach, far from the level of [the father of the Lakers].

But the combination of Malone and Thibodeau has been proven to be complementary. If Malone really resigns, it's really hard to find someone to fill the hole.

Especially over the years, Malone's reputation has grown with the rise of the Bulls, and many teams are poaching him.

Of course, Xu Yong actually had a little selfishness in doing this.

Jokic should be in the NBA next season, and in history, Jokic has continued to grow under the coaching of Malone.

Keeping Malone is a good thing for Jokic, and it is naturally a good thing for the Bulls.

"Brooks's strategy is actually not new." After sitting down in the office, Malone also began to analyze the Thunder's strategy.

Xu Yong was listening carefully. Ma Long just lacked experience. There was no need to question his tactical level.

"The Pistons were there to deal with Michael."

"Don't the Pistons always use [Jordan's Law]?" Xu Yong asked. After all, he is just a player. Even if he has been a commentator, he cannot have such a deep understanding of things of the last century, especially tactics.

"No, they only used it in the fourth quarter. In the first three quarters, they used Dennis (Rodman) and Joe (Thomas) to take turns, which not only consumed Michael, but also isolated the rest of the Bulls and made them out of shape. But in the fourth quarter they will suddenly adjust their strategy.

You know Michael's character. He just wanted to break through that kind of attack and lead the team to victory, but he fell in front of the Pistons time and time again. It wasn't until 91 that he completely realized that he couldn't do it alone. He reached peace with himself and began to Let teammates take on more.

In past games, he needed 37 points or even 47 points to win the game, but then he even scored 27 points and the Bulls swept the Pistons.

Of course, he also developed the ability to attack in the low post. This unconventional triangle offensive style made it difficult for the Pistons to adapt, because no one could limit Michael in the low post. After gaining weight, he could crush players in the same position and play in mismatches. anyone. "

After listening to Ma Long's analysis, Xu Yong had a more accurate understanding of that period of history.

And what Malone said, Brooks' strategy was indeed not that clever, it was more about catching them by surprise.

It is unrealistic for him to have Jordan's low-post singles ability all of a sudden, but it is also very simple to crack this tactic.

Just ignore Brooks' trap. The Bulls defeated the Pistons as a team, and the current Bulls did not win 72 games alone.

So now it makes sense to go back and look at what he said in the locker room before, because that is the way that can best help other players adjust their mentality.

Xu Yong and Ma Long were chatting about tactics here, and the media over there had already started to build momentum.

"Durant will surpass Nowitzki. Once he defeats the 72-win Bulls, this championship will become the most valuable championship in history."

This is what Stephen A. Smith describes in his latest podcast, Three Steps to Become a God, the third and most solid step.

"History will not repeat itself, the Thunder will usher in a turning point in team history"

ESPN also used this title to report on this game. The content was an analysis of the differences between this Thunder team and that SuperSonics team. The biggest one is the existence of Durant.

"KD understands what it means to be an individual and a team, and that's what made him sacrifice and what made the Bulls struggle."

Even NBA officials used the most words on Durant when describing the game.

These are normal, because as James no longer renews his contract with Nike, those things that belong to James will naturally be transferred to Durant.

Especially when Durant unexpectedly led the team to defeat the Bulls, he has appointed the new Nike number one.

Such reports never stopped during the two off days of G1 and G2.

Of course, in addition to these, the outside world is also paying attention to the Bulls' situation.

The Bulls did not conduct closed training like they did in the Eastern Conference Finals, but still trained openly.

Then reporters were surprised to find that the Bulls seemed not to be affected by G1 at all, but looked very motivated.

To paraphrase an ESPN reporter's description: "The Bulls' full-court confrontation was like a formal game, with the clash of muscles and shouts resounding throughout the arena."

Training does not reflect the strength of the team, but training can reveal the morale and mentality of a team.

There is no doubt that such reports and situations have given Bulls fans a shot in the arm.

Two nights later, the United Center was still packed, and the Bulls and Thunder were about to face off in G2.

After the appearance ceremony, during the pause between playing, Xu Yong raised his hands in front of his body and said to everyone: "Defend our home court."

"Bulls, come on!"

The players folded their hands and shouted in unison before turning to play.

Tonight, fans can feel it without Barkley. They have really been holding back for two days and want to tear their opponents into pieces at any time.

"Thunder! Come on!"

At the same time, the Thunder team on the other side also shouted the team slogan under the leadership of Durant.

It can also be seen from their faces that the overwhelming reports in the past two days have not caused many ups and downs in their mentality. After four years of dormancy, they are also fully prepared to win the championship.

Players from both sides came on stage one after another and met each other. As the courtside whistle sounded, Gasol moved the ball back to half court, and the curtain of G2 officially opened.

Harden continued to organize the opening game, but the Thunder's opening offense was obviously not as smooth as G1.

It's not that there's something wrong with the Thunder's coordination or state, but that the Bulls have significantly improved their defensive intensity.

Butler's pressing defense against Harden, Rose's lack of ball against Jackson, and even Adams stuck Gasol to the soles of his feet...

On the basketball court, the Bulls have proven that they can defend like an iron bucket when facing the Pacers.

The Thunder's attack failed to score in the end, and Adams blocked Gasol to protect the defensive rebound.

However, the Thunder retreated quickly. They fully learned from the experience of the Pacers being eliminated and did not compete with the Bulls for defensive counterattacks.

After the Bulls advanced to the frontcourt and fell into position, Xu Yong did not continue to play singles in high positions, but played without the ball tactics.

The Thunder's defensive strategy was still the same as last time, but the result was that after receiving a pass from Butler, Xu Yong feinted away from Durant and hit a pull-up jumper with one move.

It was Xu Yong who still took the lead for the Bulls in the opening game, but the difference was that his scoring was obviously easier.

"You can't guard me even if you don't talk trash."

Moreover, Xu Yong took the initiative after scoring and took the lead in trash-talking Durant.

Durant was so angry that his teeth itched, but he couldn't get angry when he thought of Brooks' request.

Then looking back, the Thunder still failed to score. Harden went to the basket and tried to cause a foul, but Adams did not jump. Harden's sideways shot was directly nailed to the backboard by Xu Yong, who was assisting in defense.

After two rounds, the adjustments made by the Bulls coaching staff from the defensive end became more and more obvious.

Because in the last game the Bulls lost, in addition to their own offensive problems, another big reason was that they failed to prevent the Thunder's offense when Durant didn't play much.

But now, the Bulls have provided higher defensive intensity, and Mingbi told the Thunder one thing: If Durant doesn't attack, you can't score points.

And as long as the Thunder lets Durant attack, Brooks' tactics will naturally fail.

And when Butler continued to organize, Xu Yong caught the ball and faked a shot, turned around and got rid of Durant again. After attracting Gasol to help defend, he assisted Adams to score a two-handed dunk under the basket.

Xu Yong smiled and spread his hands to Durant.

He also continued to put pressure on the offensive end. Although the Bulls' style of play has changed, what has not changed is that Durant still cannot restrict him one-on-one.

Brooks couldn't sit still, and the scratching of his head showed that he was a little anxious at the moment.

From the opening game to now, it is not as simple as saying that the Bulls will no longer fall into his trap, but that the initiative on both ends of the offense and defense has been grasped by the Bulls.

At the critical moment, Durant stood up. After receiving Harden's pass, he hit a pull-up jumper over West, helping the Thunder break the scoring drought.

After returning to the defensive end, under his command, Jackson also began to really double attack.

Xu Yong played the ball very decisively. Rose caught the ball and quickly cut to the basket. After attracting Ibaka's defense, he passed the ball to West and hit a 17-foot jumper.

Instead of scratching his head, Brooks stood up and called a timeout.

Although he didn't make a choice, the Bulls have forced the Thunder to make a choice on the court.

And after two consecutive rounds, Xu Yong also obviously adjusted his playing style. He no longer pursued consuming Durant's physical energy, but used the matchup advantage to mobilize the defense, and then led his teammates to attack, and even used various methods to induce Durant attacks.

He could only readjust his tactics.

At this time, it was less than 5 minutes before the start.

When Xu Yong came off the field, he high-fived his teammates one by one, and even went out of his way to find Ma Long to give him a high-five.

The game returned to their familiar rhythm.

After the timeout, Brooks made his adjustment. He replaced Jackson with Robertson and let Robertson be the main defender. Then others would help defend Xu Yong nearby.

There is nothing wrong with this adjustment, and it can even be said to be very good.

But when the live footage showed Brooks, his frown did not relax.

Because he made a passive choice, and his choice actually meant returning to the offensive phase with the Bulls that he didn't want.

The final result of the game also confirmed his judgment. After four quarters of fierce battle, the Bulls defeated the Thunder 118-108.

Xu Yong didn't score much tonight, only 28 points, but he had a triple-double performance with 10 rebounds and 11 assists, and five Bulls scored in double figures, Butler 23 points, Rose 17 points, West 16 points, and Ford Yes, he scored 12 points, and Adams also had 8 points and 15 rebounds.

After the game, the media suddenly turned towards the Bulls.

Although the two sides were tied 1-1 in the big score, the Bulls' style of play in this game made people deeply feel the pressure of their 72 wins.

It feels like the Thunder G1 used a big move to take the lead and shouted how you should deal with it.

Then in G2, the Bulls steadily won the game with A.

(End of this chapter)