Legendary star

Chapter 344 The Battle of the Eastern Leaderboard
On March 2002, 3, the Pacers will play away against the New Jersey Nets, and this game is also the most important game of this round, because the result of this game will directly determine the current number one in the Eastern Conference. Before the first round of the game, the Nets had long occupied the top spot in the East with a record of 11 wins and 39 losses, while the Pacers also followed closely with a record of 22 wins and 39 losses. After the All-Star Game, the records of the two teams were simply horrible, and they fell out of the battle for the top spot.

Originally, after the All-Star Game, the Nets also experienced a wave of three-game losing streak, but due to the adjustment of the lineup, in all the remaining games of the Pacers in February, they basically won one game and lost one game. It is a pity that they missed it. The best chance to overtake.After entering March, the Pacers have tied the Nets in victory after a wave of 2 consecutive victories. If the Pacers can beat the Nets in today's game, then the Pacers will be the first time this season to the top of the list.

"Jamal, don't be so nervous, Kidd is not a tiger, he can't eat you." In the player channel of the New Jersey Continental Arena, after arranging the pre-game tactics and precautions, the Pacers left the locker room up and down, Waiting to play in the player tunnel.And Meng Xu made a little joke with Jamal Tinsley next to him. Jamal Tinsley would look very uncomfortable every time he faced Kidd. In the first three games of this season, Jamal Tinsley Tinsley was eaten to death by Kidd, and he had no room to play at all. Perhaps it was the shadow left by the previous games. Jamal Tinsley seemed very nervous before the game started. .When Meng Xu teased Jamal Tinsley and relieved him by the way, other players in the locker room also laughed.

Although the game between the Pacers and the Nets was only a regular season game, this game attracted almost all attention. Therefore, in the eyes of many experts, this game is a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The NBA at this level continues the pattern of the West being strong and the East being weak, and it has not changed because of Meng Xu and Kidd's eastward tour. The Nets, which is temporarily ranked first in the East, has a worse record than the Spurs, who are fourth in the West. Slightly insufficient.After the 76ers and the Bucks quickly sank, the Nets and Pacers, who have risen this season, have no opponents in the East. Some clues can be seen from the regular season duel. The evenly matched Celtics and Pistons were swept by the Nets and Pacers in the regular season this season. Although the regular season record and matchups do not represent everything, the regular season record and ranking also Enough to decide many things.

At 8 o'clock in the evening, the entire Continental Airlines Stadium was already full of voices. As the second most popular superstar in the Eastern Conference, although there were very few opportunities for the two to face each other, Meng Xu VS Kidd, for many fans, In other words, it is also a visual feast. Under Kidd's combing of the Nets this season, the team's offense is as smooth as flowing water. Coupled with the improvement in the team's record, the Nets, which has always been immortal, is now Also unusually hot.

Under the watchful eyes of the audience, the visiting Pacers, led by rookie Bobby Simmons, walked out of the player channel one by one. Not surprisingly, they were greeted with boos all over the sky. At that time, the booing in the Continental Airlines Stadium reached its peak, while Meng Xu was as calm as ever, with a smile on his face and open arms to accept the welcome ceremony of the current Nets fans.

"Erwin, it seems that the Pacers are determined to win this game." The Pacers who have already played, from the head coach Larry Bird to the substitute players, are all confident. Facing the huge temptation of being No. [-] in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers are full of fighting spirit.

"I didn't expect the Pacers to complete the reconstruction so quickly. Larry made a good deal." Magic Johnson is still worried about Meng Xu's joining the Pacers, because the Magic thinks that Larry Bird did this. , completely destroyed the bet between the two.But Magic Johnson has to admit that Larry Bird's vision is really better than himself, or better than most people in this league.After Larry Bird resigned as the head coach, the successor Isaiah Thomas brought the Pacers into the abyss in just one season, and after Larry Bird returned to the Pacers for only half a season, Once again became the powerhouse in the East.

Just when Michaels and Magic Johnson were still discussing whether Larry Bird would become the best head coach or the best general manager of the season again, the two teams that had already completed their warm-up, the main players had already All appeared.

In today's game, the Nets continued their starting lineup for the season, center Todd McCloch, power forward Kenyon Martin, small forward Keith Van Horn, shooting guard Corey Kiddles, Point guard Jason Kidd.The starting lineup of the Nets this season can be said to be the only 3 inside lineup in the entire league. Todd McCloch is 2 meters tall, Kenyon Martin is 13 meters tall, and Keith Van Horn is 2 meters tall. It is not an exaggeration to say that the net's inside strength is the strongest in the East.Moreover, the two forwards of the Nets, Kenyon Martin and Keith Van Horn, are the kind of strongmen with inside height and outside skills. This is also an important reason why Byron Scott dared to play 06 inside.

For the Pacers, Reggie Miller was absent due to injury, so in today's game, Meng Xu also replaced Reggie Miller as the shooting guard. As for the other starters, center Lorenzen White, power forward Jay Maine O'Neal, small forward James Posey, point guard Jamal Tinsley.

Today's Jermaine O'Neal is extremely excited. In the three confrontations with the Nets this season, Jermaine O'Neal, who was isolated and helpless in the interior, was abused by the Nets' three interiors. Now he has a helper Jermaine O'Neal also wants to find his place in this game.When the referee blew the whistle, Jermaine O'Neal, who jumped the ball on behalf of the Pacers, beat the Nets' Todd McCloch without any suspense. After the jump ball was successful, Jermaine O'Neal, still standing near the middle circle In O'Neill, shaking his head and looking at Todd McCloch who was retreating, he was still muttering.

"The Pacers have become Meng Xu?" Jermaine O'Neal moved the basketball in the backcourt. After James Posey snatched it, it was immediately handed over to Meng Xu. He was planning to play against Jamal Tinsley. After pressing Kidd for a while, he gave up the idea after seeing Meng Xu holding the ball.

Since Jamal Tinsley entered the Pacers, he was just a nominal point guard. He only needed to be responsible for dribbling the ball across half court to Meng Xu. The Pacers always had the ball in Meng Xu's hands. Here, and the Pacers' tactics are also the same, handing over the basketball to Meng Xu, whether it is Meng Xu's ball-handling singles, or after breaking through the ball, and in this game, it seems that Jamal Tinsley even has a dribbling guard. Can't do it.

(End of this chapter)