no shortcuts in basketball

Chapter 304 The weight on the scale of victory

The ratings for the first game of the Western Conference Finals were through the roof.

Although it is still only in the park and there are still only those people on site, the number of real-time viewers displayed online has exploded.

Those numbers were enough to get the adrenaline pumping for both teams.

This time there were no wars of words, nor were there so many overt and covert attacks, only the most original and exciting head-to-head confrontations.

And coincidentally, the Thunder's strategy is the same as that of the Mavericks, which is also based on defense.

Xu Yong locked on Durant at the beginning, and the Thunder used Robertson and Durant to double-attack Xu Yong at the beginning.

And on the offensive end, the Mavericks used pick-and-rolls to find a breakthrough in Harden, and the Thunder also used pick-and-rolls to exploit DeRozan, a defensive weakness.

Brooks and Malone, this is a match and a good talent.

At this time, it all depends on the performance of the players on the field.

From the beginning of the game, the players on both sides all showed an extremely good state, or in other words, showed their desire for the championship.

When Durant was locked up by Xu Yong, he chose to move more without the ball, using the cover of his teammates to take shots faster.

Xu Yong also chose to interact more with Jokic when he was flanked. The cooperation between the two was like the relationship between a husband and wife, and one look made it clear.

However, when the game came to the second half of the third quarter, the Thunder suddenly misfired. Neither Durant nor Harden could put the ball into the basket.

This is extremely fatal in high-intensity games. The Mavericks seized the opportunity and launched an 18-0 offensive, entering the final quarter with a 15-point lead.

But just when everyone thought the outcome of the game was decided, one person stepped forward and changed the situation of the game.

Westbrook.

In a desperate situation, Brooks chose to believe in Westbrook, and Westbrook rewarded him with twelve points.

It was also this section that allowed everyone to see the most magical part in a basketball game: passion.

Westbrook's recklessness in some key shots can make people crazy, but his passion, which lasts for several years or even more than ten years, can make people crazy.

He presses crazily on the defensive end, rushes crazily on the offensive end, and more than just rushes, he works hard and successfully grabs offensive rebounds for a second offense. His emotion infects every teammate around him.

In just a few minutes, he led his team to a 22-0 offensive, turning the game around in one fell swoop.

Although Xu Yong was replaced later to stop the team's decline, Durant, who returned from a full rest, was also full of firepower, and the Thunder finally won this G1.

"Russell is a player with a distinct style, and he has received a lot of doubts about it, but we know what he can bring to the team and his value is far greater than some people think."

At the post-game press conference, Brooks was full of praise for Westbrook.

"Westbrook is a double-edged sword, and unfortunately today he turned the sharp side on us. That's my problem. I didn't figure out how to face it."

Malone took the initiative to take responsibility at the press conference.

"There is no excuse. They were the better team tonight." Xu Yongze said more directly.

You must stand upright when you are beaten, and you must recognize when you lose. No amount of excuses can change the established fact, and more importantly, how to win the next game.

After two days of rest, the Western Conference Finals between the Mavericks and Thunder continued.

The opening situation of both sides was almost unchanged from G1. The change was that both teams were more dedicated than G1.

The big scores are 1-1 and 2-0, which is a very big change in the situation for both sides, and both sides will try their best to win.

With the strength reaching this level and the head coaches of both sides being on the same level, the probability that one side will play better than the other is very small.

It wasn't until the start of the second quarter that the game changed.

Brooks adjusted the rotation after getting a taste of the last game, allowing Westbrook to start the second quarter.

Others' form fades from game to game, but Westbrook's passion doesn't.

But for the Mavericks, Xu Yong started the game at the beginning of the second quarter.

You must know that because of the anxious situation on the court, Xu Yong did not go out until there were dozens of seconds left in the first quarter.

And after coming up, Xu Yong directly led the defense against Westbrook!

This was something Brooks didn't expect at all.

In the first quarter, Xu Yong faced Durant on the defensive end and double-teamed him on the offensive end, which was very physically demanding.

In the second quarter, we were guarding Westbrook. Are we not going to play in the second half?

He quickly stood up and walked to the sideline, shouting a signal to Westbrook.

Westbrook also understood it and attacked Xu Yong with the ball in the frontcourt.

It is impossible to really defend Xu Yong. The best defensive mode is to seize every opportunity to consume him.

However, Westbrook got a big hit from Xu Yong on his first attack.

Westbrook doesn't believe in evil, but he didn't take any advantage during the entire substitute transition period.

He either rushed in and was interfered with, or was forced to use his zombie dry pull and was interfered with and then struck.

Westbrook changes direction quickly and has strong impact ability. If he rushes in, there is a high probability of a dunk.

But his weakness is unstable shooting. Xu Yong has an absolute advantage in scale and can keep up with his footsteps. As long as he doesn't falter, it will be too difficult for Westbrook to beat him.

The result is that, with the same rotation, this time the one who widened the point difference became the Mavericks.

Just like Malone commented after the last game, Westbrook is a double-edged sword on the court. If you don't use him well and the sharp side is pointed at yourself, you will be injured.

But when Westbrook came off the court, Brooks didn't mean to blame him. Instead, he gave great recognition to his actions.

This is not because Brooks prefers Westbrook, or not entirely. He still values ​​the effect of the game more.

As long as Xu Yong is consumed, it will be successful.

When the main players from both sides returned, Brooks also adjusted his strategy and started asking Durant and the others to pick and roll to find Xu Yong.

Malone was certainly not stupid over there. He adjusted his defensive strategy, asking Xu Yong to shrink, and then asked others to attack Durant or Harden.

This defensive strategy is not the best. The Thunder scored some points through this, but it can effectively reduce Xu Yong's continued consumption on the defensive end.

At halftime, the Mavericks led the Thunder 58-51.

This result is acceptable to both parties.

Then in the second half, Brooks continued to execute his strategy.

But when the fourth quarter started, Xu Yong came up to lead Westbrook again and played a defensive role. Brooks finally couldn't sit still.

Why hasn't Xu Yong been exhausted to the point of exhaustion?

This is how they dealt with Davis before. Because of the epidemic, this strategy was more effective than before, but this time it failed on Xu Yong.

Xu Yong: Since entering the park, training has been reduced, and there is no ball to play in the evening. There is so much physical strength that there is no place to use it!

When the game entered the decisive moment, after Xu Yong scored consecutive singles on Durant and Harden on the offensive end, Brooks realized that this move was ineffective against Xu Yong.

116 to 106, after losing G1, the Mavericks rebounded and evened the score.

At the end of the game, the Mavericks players looked excited.

Not just because they won tonight's game, but because they found a winning formula that can beat the Thunder.

Malone also walked to the technical stage with a smile on his face and shook hands with Brooks. Then when he turned back, he took the initiative to find Xu Yong and gave him a big hug.

This so-called winning mode is to let Xu Yong take care of everything by himself.

This is not about resisting pressure, but only he can do it.

"I don't feel tired. I even feel that I can continue to play another game." At the post-match press conference, when reporters asked Xu Yong about his physical consumption, he said with a relaxed face.

At this time, Durant returned to the locker room and gasped: Do you hear this human speech?

Xu Yong's words boosted the morale of Mavericks fans and players, but the Thunder team was skeptical, thinking that this was a kind of psychological warfare by Xu Yong, who might have sat down after attending the press conference. The locker room. Brooks didn't seem to believe it. In G3, he stuck to the strategy of the previous game, and then Xu Yong performed it again for Brooks in G3.

Although Westbrook has made adjustments in details this time, using more pick-and-rolls to initiate offense, the process and results of the game have not changed.

2 to 1, the Mavericks took the lead in two consecutive games.

Then in G4, Brooks was finally defeated. The two sides began to fight against each other, fighting each other one by one, and even one round after another.

The strength of both sides is close, Durant and Xu Yong also performed well, and the game was inseparable.

At this time, the second and third stars on both sides became the key points of the game.

Harden and Jokic's performance is very stable, and Westbrook's performance on the Thunder team is also online, but DeRozan's performance on the Mavericks team is relatively average. Since he entered the park, his overall competitive state has been relatively average.

This has also become the weight that determines the balance of victory.

The Thunder finally narrowly defeated the Mavericks 106-101, tying the score at 2-2.

The two sides will enter the battle of Tianwang Mountain.

At the post-game press conference, another reporter mentioned DeRozan's performance.

"Losing is not a matter of one person, but a matter of the whole team. Each of us needs to do better in the next game." Xu Yong chose to defend DeRozan.

After the press conference, Xu Yong went to the training hall for additional training as usual.

But after a while, DeRozan came in.

Xu Yong looked happy when he saw DeRozan coming over, and immediately invited him to come over and practice with him.

Know your shame and then be brave. It doesn't matter if you don't play well. The key is that you don't know how to work hard if you don't play well. That's the most fatal thing.

But after actually calling DeRozan to train together, Xu Yong discovered that DeRozan was a little absent-minded.

After playing two games, he could already tell that DeRozan was not here for extra practice.

"Demar, tell me, why did you come to me?" Xu Yong was a little angry. He grabbed the ball with one hand and looked at DeRozan with a frown.

If the opponent was not DeRozan, he would have made the opponent disappear directly from his eyes.

"Trade me, trade me in the offseason." DeRozan said through gritted teeth.

Xu Yong was stunned for a moment. He never expected that DeRozan would say such words at this time, and the key is that such words made him feel familiar.

Yes, Rose had such an expression and such words before his final season in the Bulls dynasty.

The only difference is that DeRozan seems to be struggling more emotionally.

Xu Yong put the ball down. He knew DeRozan's experience, and his brows immediately stretched, and he motioned for DeRozan to sit down and talk.

"You want to become the best person in history. As long as I am here, I will always drag you down." After sitting down, DeRozan took a long breath and said.

"Do you really think so?" Xu Yong looked at DeRozan, "I still remember your reaction when I first came to Dallas. I can definitely feel that you want to achieve something with me, such as a championship. Like a dynasty.”

DeRozan looked up at Xu Yong, his expression becoming more and more struggling. As a player, who doesn't want to win the championship, and who doesn't want to experience a dynasty!

"I've tried, I've tried many times, telling myself that I have to perform, but...but things always backfire." DeRozan turned back and lowered his head again, holding his head with his hands. He was only around a few people. Will reveal his or her feelings.

"Is it because of your mother?" Seeing DeRozan's reaction, Xu Yong asked.

When he was in Toronto, DeRozan's condition fluctuated due to traveling back and forth between the stadium and the hospital. Coupled with a series of subsequent events, he suffered from depression.

Depression is like a chronic poison, and it is not easy to cure him completely.

Especially the people around you must have enough patience.

Seeing DeRozan's silence, Xu Yong knew that he was right.

"Demar, you have two options now. One is to be a deserter and let your mother see that her son is a deserter."

DeRozan's hand holding his head began to scratch his hair, and his breathing became heavier.

"Or another way, like a man, use your courage to crush the doubts from the outside world and make your mother proud of you."

Xu Yong's tone obviously increased when he said the second sentence.

DeRozan's frantic movements stopped and his breathing gradually calmed down.

"I know you are worried about your mother, but I also know that your mother will definitely be waiting in front of the TV to watch your game. What she hopes to see must be a person who is not afraid of setbacks and difficulties, who will get up again after falling. A person like that?"

DeRozan looked up.

"Don't say you can't do it. You already did it before the epidemic came. All you need is to do what you have done before."

After speaking, Xu Yong reached out and patted DeRozan on the shoulder.

DeRozan's eyes are obviously different.

"Come on, let's continue training."

Xu Yong stood up after speaking.

DeRozan also stood up at this time.

The training continued, it was still the two of them, but the intensity of the confrontation was completely different from before.

After two days of rest, the battle between the Lone Ranger and the Thunder officially began.

The ratings of this game also reached a new high. In a sense, this is the peak showdown between the two strongest teams of the season.

This game is the same as G4, the two sides are still in a head-on battle.

But the difference is that Xu Yong attacked extremely fiercely at the beginning, and Robertson fought hard to defend, but ended up with two fouls early on.

Xu Yong scored 20 points in the first quarter.

The Mavericks scored only 30 points in that quarter.

When everyone felt that the weight that affected Tianwangshan's victory was still the second and third stars of both sides, Xu Yong performed better.

And as the game progressed, DeRozan also began to show his changes. He attacked the basket more and became more engaged on the defensive end.

Although that may not have an immediate effect, his body language is obviously different from the previous games.

The Mavericks, after playing four games with the Thunder, played an impossibly better performance on Tianwang Mountain.

This kind of further performance allowed them to firmly grasp the initiative in the game.

When the two sides entered the final quarter, Xu Yong was unstoppable and scored another 20 points in a single quarter, completing the team's harvest.

It's not that Brooks and the Thunder didn't work hard, but their efforts, like the Warriors in the last round, were completely ineffective.

In the whole game, Xu Yong scored 61 points, scored 60+ points in the first playoff game after his comeback, and led his team to win Tianwangshan.

This performance also impressed the fans online.

There was even a genius who painted a picture before the end of the game and posted it on social media, which attracted a lot of people to repost it.

Xu Yong held the Mavericks flag in one hand and a spear with a bloody tip in the other. Under his feet was a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

Just two days later, Xu Yong's performance fell back due to physical exertion, but DeRozan finally ushered in an explosion. He made 16 of 12 shots and got his first 20+ since the playoffs this year, scoring 29. point.

This time Westbrook's performance had ups and downs, and it was still the third star that affected the outcome of the game, but this time the situation turned and the balance of victory tilted towards the Mavericks.

4:2.

The Mavericks defeated the Thunder and successfully reached the finals in Xu Yong's second season and first full season after joining.

Their opponent was the Raptors, who eliminated the Bulls for the second consecutive year and reached the Finals for the second consecutive year.

(End of this chapter)