Legendary star

Chapter 724 LeBron's Change
At 2007:5 pm on May 27, 6, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, the fourth game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Pacers and Cavaliers, which is likely to be the last game of the series, will begin two hours later. The Cavaliers of the home team are also making final preparations in the locker room at this moment.

Since the Cavaliers lost in the two away games of the Pacers, the Cavaliers were looking forward to winning two consecutive games after returning to the home court. However, the failure of the last game and the big score of 0 to 3 , but let them lose even the last bit of fighting spirit.

"Guys, here are some newspapers from this morning. They are all about who will be the Pacers' opponent in the finals." Mike Brown took out some newspapers from nowhere, and shook them in his hand, While talking to the Cavaliers players in the locker room, I hope to inspire their fighting spirit and fight for the "honor" of the Cavaliers.

"I know that many of you are the same as what these newspapers said. You have lost your fighting spirit and desire for the game. I hope to finish this game early so that you can go back to vacation." Mike Brown finished these words After that, he paused for a moment, and scanned every player on the scene with his eyes. Those players who were caught by Mike Brown were deliberately avoiding Mike Brown's eyes at this moment, and some even lowered their heads in embarrassment. head.

"I can understand your thoughts, because I have had similar thoughts before, when I was an assistant coach in Washington Wizards, we lost the key game against the Knicks for the playoffs, and then the team Everyone, including me, is as frustrated as you are now, thinking that we will not overtake the Knicks and win the playoffs. At that time, there were 4 games before the end of the regular season, but we were ahead of schedule. give up."

"That was my first season as an assistant coach, and that season was also the most important season in my coaching career. I still recall that season, and I can clearly remember every game of that season, but every time Thinking of the scene at that time, I would feel very regretful and regretful. I asked myself over and over again, why did we give up like that at that time? If we hadn’t given up at that time, but had tried our best to play the remaining 4 games, Could that season be another ending?"

"The series against the Pacers is the first conference finals for many of you. If you love basketball and like basketball, then this series will be the most important series in your basketball career. Therefore, I I hope that you will not be like me, when looking back on today in the future, you will be full of regret and regret."

Although Mike Brown won two championships with the Spurs after joining Popovich's coaching staff, the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers was the first conference finals in Mike Brown's coaching career.

Although after the Cavaliers lost three games in a row, Mike Brown no longer had the ambition to kill the Pacers and advance to the finals, but Mike Brown didn't want to be swept out by his opponent in the first division finals.

"LeBron, my teacher once told me that no matter what kind of desperation you face, you should never give up lightly. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, you must make a last-ditch effort. Now I give this sentence to you." After Barabara's long-winded speech, Mike Brown walked up to LeBron James, the backbone of the Cavaliers, and instilled a chicken soup in his heart.

"Mike, I see." After listening to Mike Brown's words, James immediately thought of the opponent who was also his teacher and friend, and also the opponent he was facing now. Infighting, changing coaches, changing bosses, losing consecutive playoffs and being confused, or even at a loss, that man told himself the same.

"Okay, guys, for our honor, for our dreams, and for the fans who support us, let's go!" Before the start of today's game, Mike Brown did not arrange too many tactics, but It is these players who talk about life and pour chicken soup, hoping to arouse their fighting spirit and desire to win, because Mike Brown knows that the Cavaliers have no possibility of changing formations now, and Mike Brown himself cannot think of restraining the Pacers tactics, so Mike Brown can only do this, and the rest will depend on the players who are about to debut.

Since an NBA game may take two and a half hours or even longer, most of the spectators will not enter the arena in advance after buying tickets, but eat outside the stadium first, go around in circles, etc. , Waiting until after the game started to enter the stadium, but now there is nearly an hour before the game starts, and the Cleveland Quicken Loans Center arena is already full.

The big score is 0 to 3. For the trailing side, the fourth game is basically a cutscene, because in the history of the NBA, there has never been a series that reversed the game when it was 0 to 3 behind, so once When a team falls into the quagmire of 0 to 3, not to mention the players in the team, even the fans who support them will give up their support.

But when the Cavaliers fell behind 0-3 to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the fans in Cleveland still did not give up their support for the Cavaliers. Most of the fans at the scene were wearing LeBron James' No. With the brand of supporting James, it may be that for many of them, grades are secondary. As long as they can watch James play on the spot, they are already very satisfied.

In today's game, the Cavaliers' starting lineup has also undergone certain changes. The most important change is that veteran Eric Snow replaced Larry Hughes in the starting lineup. Being targeted by the Pacers everywhere, and being on the court with James at the same time, Larry Hughes couldn't play the full strength of Larry Hughes, so Mike Brown decided to let Larry Hughes play the sixth man.

In addition to Larry Hughes, Alexander Pavlovich, who also performed poorly in the previous games, also sat on the bench today, and Damon Jones, an old player, also replaced him. Except for the changes in the candidates at positions 1 and 2, the remaining positions of the Cavaliers have not changed much. They are still center Zajunas-Ilgauskas and power forward Drew Gooden. , small forward LeBron James.

As for the Pacers, Rick Carlisle also made some adjustments to the starting lineup. Since the two teams that reached the Western Conference Finals this season, the Spurs and the Lakers, both have very strong inside strength, so Rick Carlisle also has Perhaps because of preparations for the finals, a very rare three-inner lineup was formed in today's game. Darko Milicic, NN-Hilario, and Jermaine O'Neal played together , The meaning of experimenting with new tactics for the finals is very strong.

"F***, you're too deceitful!" After seeing the Pacers' starting lineup, Mike Brown scolded directly. The Pacers let James shoot from the outside in the first three games, but today What they did in this game was undoubtedly even more excessive. They directly sent three insiders. This is the rhythm of completely releasing the Cavaliers' outsiders.

"LeBron, do you still remember what I told you?" After getting on the court, Meng Xu walked directly to the middle circle. From afar, Meng Xu asked James with a smile on his immature face when he saw the unconfident expression on his face.

"Well." After thinking for a while, James nodded at Meng Xu. For some reason, even though Meng Xu is his opponent now, James will still be affected by Meng Xu's emotions.

"Let's finish today's game well." When Jermaine O'Neal, who jumped the ball on behalf of the Pacers, had entered the middle circle, Meng Xu stepped forward and patted James on the shoulder, and then began to back slowly. I went to my place.

"Today's game, I must win!" Looking at Meng Xu who was slowly retreating, James' fists were tightly clenched together. Like the head coach Mike Brown, James did not want to fight for the first time. Went to the conference finals and was swept out.

In the first three games, for James, there are only two words to describe it, that is useless. Before the start of the series, James had fantasized about what would happen in the game against the Pacers many times, but when the game started After that, James felt that this round of the series was a torture for him again and again. He was unable to use his good offensive methods and scoring methods. Every time he thought of himself standing alone outside the three-point line with a basketball , but the player defending him is waiting a few meters away from him, James will feel a sense of shame in his heart.

Also before the start of this round of the series, James has never felt that mid-range and long-range shots are so important, so as a punishment for himself, since the end of the first game of the series, James has practiced three times on the training ground. point.

As the referee on duty blew the whistle to start the game, Zajunas Ilgauskas lost the jump ball again as expected, but this time the Pacers' tactics changed very much A big change. After Tony Allen dribbled the ball through the half court, instead of handing the ball to Meng Xu to organize as usual, he passed the basketball directly to Jermaine O'Neal who was waiting at the top of the arc. Obviously, in today's game, the Pacers' center axis has become Jermaine O'Neal.

After the Pacers put in a three-inner lineup, the Cavaliers will inevitably have a player on the defensive end who is defending in a misplaced position. Although LeBron James' body is considered above average in the third position, let him defend up to Ko Milicic is undoubtedly a strong man's difficulty. Darko Milicic is an orthodox center with a height of 2 meters and a weight of more than 13 pounds. Ko Milicic.

Therefore, in the Pacers' offense, the basketball was turned in the hands of Jermaine O'Neal, and Jermaine O'Neal handed it over to Darko Milicic, asking him to play James in a misplaced single.

"If LeBron doesn't develop his three-point ability, not only today, but in future games, the Pacers' style of play will become the norm for other teams when they face the Cavaliers." The defensive end shrinks the basket Next, take strict precautions against James’ breakthrough, and at the same time let James shoot from the outside, and use his physical advantage to displace singles on the offensive end. If you can practice hard on your three-pointers after the end of this season, don't let this embarrassing tactic reappear.

"El, it looks like you're going to make a mistake today." Immediately after Michaels' words fell, James made a three-pointer when he switched offense and defense, and Magic Johnson, who was sitting next to Michaels, also made a timely joke, but Magic Johnson also hopes that the three-pointer that James hit just now is not a flash of inspiration, but will become normal. A player with obvious shortcomings cannot become a superstar. In the middle and late stages of his career, he practiced three-pointers hard, striving to achieve an all-round offensive ability without dead ends.

"MVP, MVP, MVP..." Just a three-pointer brought the atmosphere in the Quicken Loans Center to a climax, and all the fans shouted James' name and the MVP slogan in unison. You can see how popular James is in this arena and this city.

From the beginning, Mike Brown, who was standing on the sidelines, clenched his fists excitedly after James made a three-pointer. It doesn’t take much. As long as James can make two consecutive three-pointers, the Pacers’ defensive strategy will definitely appear. Changes, in Mike Brown's view, the Pacers may not be able to win the Cavaliers in a battle where the two sides open their posture and you come and go.

When the entire Quicken Loans Arena was crazy about James’ three-pointer after the opening game, after the shot was made, James, who fell from the sky, waved his arms fiercely. The hard training of the past few days was not in vain , although James is still far from the top three-point shooter, but through these few days of training, James' three-point shooting ability has improved, and most importantly, after continuous three-point shooting training , James has built up the confidence to dare to shoot in his heart, and he will no longer hesitate for a long time even if there is an open space like in the previous game.

　Every time I see Rondo watching the ball, I can’t help but want to laugh. I think of Rondo who was put 5 meters away, but dared not shoot with the ball. If Rondo’s shooting can be better, his temper will be better. Better yet, Rondo's achievements and historical status will definitely not be inferior to people like Lao Na and Kidd, and he will not be like now, at the peak but wandering around and moving to many teams.

　　After reading the news a few days ago, I found out that Lao Zhan’s career three-point shooting percentage has surpassed that of Naka. Thinking about Lao Zhan’s first entry into the league, he was always ignored by people outside the three-point line. It’s really incredible.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)