I’m Really Playing Basketball

The Cavaliers' away game against the Nets was the G5 Tianwangshan game that ended in the first game of this year's Eastern Conference playoffs.

Before this year's playoffs started, expert media actually thought that this year's Eastern Conference playoffs would be quite exciting.

The Cavaliers play the Nets, the Magic play the Raptors, the Pacers play the 76ers, and the Heat play the Pistons. Each group has a lot to watch.

It's exciting, but no one thought that the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs this year would be so intense.

After the first five games between the four groups, the scores were all 3-2.

And except for the matchup between the Magic and the Raptors, where the Magic led 3-1 and was pulled back by the Raptors, all the other three matchups were against Tianwangshan 2-2.

Let’s not talk about the Cavaliers and Nets in the first game. The Cavaliers defeated the Nets in G5 away from home.

The second game was the Heat's home game against the Pistons. In the end, the Heat defeated the Pistons very difficultly at home and won the crucial G5 victory.

Chen Xiao has watched the first five games between the Heat and Pistons.

To be honest, the intensity of this group of games is very high, even more intense than the game between the Cavaliers and Nets.

And it's much bigger. Under the leadership of Carlisle last season, the Pistons were very tough when defending, and they moved a lot, and they eventually injured Rogo.

Chen Ling asked Carlisle about this matter, but Carlisle was silent.

He didn't say it was his order, nor did he say it was Big Ben's own decision.

In the end, he just said to Chen Xiao: "Civilian players want to have a deterrent defense, they have to be tougher, all I can do is to make them not so dark."

Chen Xiao has played against the Pistons many times in the past two seasons, and knows how tough this team's defense is.

So he also accepted Carlisle's statement.

But this time in the playoffs, I don't know if it's because of Larry Brown or Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons' defense in this year's playoffs has become tougher.

Their defense is not bad, their elbows go straight, they never sneak their elbows, they are already tough to the point of iron and blood.

Therefore, in every game, Chen Xiao was actually quite worried about Wade and Yao Ming.

Especially Wade.

No kidding, Wade doesn't like to shoot three-pointers, and his offense is mainly in the middle and short distances. That place is the easiest place to get a black elbow.

Dayao Gao, in fact, it is not so easy to make a black elbow to Dayao.

Fortunately, Xiaotai is also an expert in this field. He even taught Chen Xiao when he was in college.

In this respect, Wade is much more 'decent' than Rogo.

Therefore, the "Elbow Forest War" between Wade and the Pistons' Jagged Legion in the first five games was considered a 50-50 split.

However, after all, two fists are no match for four hands. Although Wade is quite strong in this regard, it is inevitable that there will be injuries in a confrontation.

Chen Xiao is still worried about Wade.

It's just that after Chen Xiao expressed his concern to Wade, Wade didn't care much on the phone.

"Chen, the Pistons, there is nothing to worry about. Hurry up and eliminate the Nets. We will also end the series against the Pistons in the next game. We will see you in the next round. There are no playoffs or regular seasons in the NBA. What’s the difference, hahahaha!”

"..."

Arrogant, this guy is too arrogant!

Chen Xiao felt that if this kid was allowed to enter the finals, he might still feel that the finals were also so-so, so-easy.

Don’t you know that extreme joy brings sorrow?

However, in a game like G5, Wade staged the first lore of his playoff career, broke through for a layup, and carried the defense of Rasheed Wallace to advance the basketball. Chung felt that he was as invincible as his idol Jordan.

There was a lot to talk about in this series between the Heat and the Pistons, mainly because Chen Xiao paid the most attention.

Chen Xiao didn't pay much attention to this series between the 76ers and the Pacers, but Chen Xiao knew that after the Pacers lost G5 at home, the Pacers looked like they were going to be hacked again just like last season.

Last season, the Pacers were beaten three times by Ray Allen.

After Black Three, the Pacers changed their head coaches.

This time, Van Gundy Jr. led the Pacers and met the 76ers led by Iverson in the playoffs.

After five games, they were still trailing 2-3, giving away match point.

In short, this year's Eastern Conference playoffs are really exciting.

Compared with the eastern side, the western side is a bit one-sided.

After G5 in the East, all four teams in the second round in the West have been produced.

First of all, the Timberwolves, who are number one in the Western Conference, easily swept the Trail Blazers, who are eighth in the Western Conference, 4-0. Without Rasheed Wallace and Pippen, the Trail Blazers are indeed not that tough.

A rebuilding team that no one expected to compete with the only 60-win team in the West.

As for the Kings, who are second in the Western Conference, and the Jazz, who are seventh in the Western Conference, when Malone and Stockton were there, the game between the Kings and Jazz was still very interesting. They used extreme offense to play extreme defense, but this season the Jazz no longer have them. Malone and Stockton are gone.

The reason why the Jazz can enter the playoffs this season is because the Western Conference is weak enough this season and their head coach is strong enough.

But in the playoffs, the Kings are still too strong for the current Jazz.

4 to 0, also a sweep.

The Mavericks, who are third in the Western Conference, and the Nuggets, who are sixth in the Western Conference, have the most intense matchup in this group.

Under Anthony's leadership, the Nuggets lost to the Dallas Mavericks 1-4. Well, the victory the Nuggets won was also the only game won by the four lower-ranked teams in the Western Conference.

In addition, the game between the Lakers, fourth in the Western Conference, and the Grizzlies, fifth in the Western Conference, was also 4-0.

According to the predictions of many experts before the game, this matchup between the Lakers and Grizzlies should be the most intense.

Unexpectedly, in the playoffs, the Grizzlies' leader Gasol was indeed a little ordinary.

It's not that the strength is not good, or that the data is not so good.

In fact, Gasol's statistics are also very good. As a power forward, he averaged 21 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in four games this year. How can you say that the statistics are poor?

But those who have watched the game will know that the influence of his data is really average.

There are basically no explosive points in the game.

This kind of playoff performance, coupled with his skin color, the American media's evaluation is soft.

Well, yes, historically, Gasol was labeled as soft at this time.

Of the four games in the Western Conference, three were swept and one was 4-1.

The speed of promotion is almost like riding on a rocket.

Many people are joking if there is a seventh game in this series between the Pistons and the Heat.

So when the Pistons and Heat played Game 7, the second round of the Mavericks and Kings started at the same time.

As for why everyone uses this matchup between the Heat and the Pistons as an example?

Of course, it's because, although the first round of the Eastern Conference was fierce, everyone felt that the Pacers and 76ers, the Magic and Raptors, the Cavaliers and Nets could not reach the seventh game.

Both the 76ers and the Cavaliers won G5 away.

When G6 returns to their home court, they will definitely finish their work in one victory.

And the Magic and Raptors...

Everyone can see that the Magic are still recovering from the first five games.

So far in the playoffs, Duncan has not shown the strength he had when he played against the Lakers and against OK last year.

April 30, 2004, the day of the G6 game between the Cavaliers and Nets.

With the foreshadowing of the previous five games, many experts predicted before this game that the Nets would definitely be powerless.

A lead like the one in the last game could eventually be regained by the Cavaliers. This had a huge impact on the morale of the Nets players.

However, during the team's routine training in the morning, Cavaliers head coach Carlisle has been emphasizing that it is not yet the time for the Cavaliers to celebrate.

"We haven't advanced yet. You have to remember that we can say things that despise our opponents, but we can never do anything that despises our opponents. What's more, this team is still the strongest team in history, the Nets. Even if the Nets 1 Trailing by 3, they are still the strongest team in history. Don’t forget the lesson of Tracy McGrady from the Magic last year!”

To be fair, Carlisle was very qualified to say this.

After all, last year he led the Pistons to complete a 4-3 comeback after falling behind 1-3.

The strength gap between the Pistons and Magic is much smaller than the strength gap between the Nets and Cavaliers.

To be honest, what Carlisle is most worried about when the game is like this is that the Cavaliers have too many young players.

After the last game, the whole world praised these young players of the Cavaliers too much, so he was very worried that these young players of the Cavaliers would really have the idea of ​​​​not watching the Nets.

This idea is actually very dangerous.

Last season, the Pistons came back from behind 1-3. Now, although the Nets' mentality has been shattered by Chen Xiao, they are only 2-3.

Moreover, Carlisle never felt that the mentality of the Nets as a whole team had collapsed.

Carlisle couldn't find a reason for O'Neal, Malone, Carter, and Payton's mentality to collapse.

As long as their mentality does not collapse, no matter how the mentality of the rest of the Nets collapses, the impact will not be that big.

Especially before the start of this game, Nets head coach Phil Jackson kept talking outside during interviews, and said that the Nets were no longer good, which made Carlisle even more cautious.

"Yes, after the last game, Derek did cry in the locker room. He thought it was his mistake. We all know that he has always been a very good player. Even if he made that mistake, he He is still a very good player. I don’t blame him for that mistake. If I really want to blame him, I just blame Chen Taiqiang. He did a good job of defensive interference. At the same time, my tactical layout was not very clear.”

"What are your expectations for this game? I have no expectations. Now we are already 2-3 behind. If we lose another game, we will be eliminated. Now, our destiny is no longer in our own hands."

"I know the world thinks this next game is our last game of the season, and right now, I feel the same way."

"If we get hacked this time, will Shaq leave and Karl retire? I don't know. I can't make the decision for them. I can only make the decision for myself. If this season doesn't succeed, I will leave New Jersey."

"Why did this series turn out like this? I don't know. Maybe we encountered the most amazing performance of the most amazing player in NBA history. I have never seen a player be so amazing in the playoffs, and neither did Michael. It was so magical.”

To be honest, when Phil Jackson was being interviewed before the game, he kept saying such very humble words, which is really shocking.

Whether Phil Jackson said this because he was good at psychological warfare or if he really felt that way, it doesn't matter.

The important thing is that as the strongest team in history, it actually needs to use such a show of hostility and weak means to find even a glimmer of hope.

When the Nets were finally formed last summer, O'Neal, Phil Jackson, and Rod Thorn were all high-spirited.

At that time, the whole world felt that the Nets were about to start their own dynasty.

However, in just one season, the Nets, the strongest team in history, have already been put in such a situation. No one expected this.

At least, Kobe had already advanced by this time. Watching Kobe being interviewed by Phil Jackson on TV, he never expected it.

Why is he taking such crazy shots this season, and why is he so crazy about breaking Jordan's scoring record?

Isn't it because that fat guy O'Neal put too much pressure on him?

Why would O'Neill put so much pressure on him?

Isn't it because the Nets where O'Neal is playing are too strong?

This season, Kobe has defaulted to O'Neal winning the championship, and O'Neal won the FMVP.

If O'Neal really achieves such an achievement this season, if he fails to perform an amazing performance, he will be ridiculed to death by O'Neal.

So, he has to have a very good performance.

No matter what, even if you don't win the championship, you still have to have an amazing personal performance.

In the end, he almost surpassed Jordan.

He was unsuccessful.

But he didn't expect that O'Neal would fail like this.

He has entered the second round with the Lakers.

But I didn't expect that O'Neal couldn't even make it into the second round.

And he was still hacked.

And there was no way to be hacked in a dignified way, but in such a humble and groveling manner.

He knew Phil Jackson, very well.

Phil Jackson was definitely playing psychological warfare.

If possible, Phil Jackson would definitely not be willing to be so humble and look for the slightest opportunity.

He wouldn't do that even if he lost the series.

However, this time, he really couldn't bear the result of losing the series.

It's not just that he can't bear it.

O'Neal, Malone, Carter, Payton, they can't bear it either.

Therefore, Phil Jackson can only try his best, even if he humblely compliments those young people in front of the media, he can only do this.

"Humble, pitiful, and helpless."

As a predecessor, Kobe looked at Phil Jackson's situation on TV. To be honest, he was quite sympathetic.

If he hadn't abandoned himself to follow O'Neal, he would never have become like this.

However, this is his personal choice.

There was no other way, who made him choose that damn fat man in the end?

The G6 between the Cavaliers and Nets is a game that the whole country is paying attention to.

After all, in the final analysis, the Nets are still the strongest team in history.

"If the Nets get through this catastrophe this time, then no team will be their opponent in this year's playoffs."

"Don't look at the fact that after five games between the Nets and the Cavaliers, the Nets were pushed into a desperate situation by the Cavaliers. In fact, the Nets were far ahead of the Cavaliers in every game. The three games the Cavaliers won were amazing."

"It's not that the Nets are not strong enough, it's that there is a god standing opposite the Nets!"

"Except for the Cavaliers, no other team in the league has a God who can reduce the size of the Nets!"

In front of the TV, Doc Reeves and the Magic players were watching the game.

For the Magic, if the Nets are eliminated from this game, they are the most willing to see it.

After the Nets are eliminated, the Magic are the strongest team in the East and the strongest team in the league.

To be honest, Doc Reeves is under a lot of pressure in this playoffs.

The Magic's management is very radical and has always been radical. Magic fans are rough and have always been rough.

When these two are combined, many incredible things will happen.

Doc Reeves can be sure that if he doesn't succeed with the Magic this year, he will be pushed away.

With such a team that is close to reaching full level, no head coach who is pursuing it is willing to leave.

Therefore, this season, he must succeed!

And the Nets, the so-called strongest team in history, are a sharp sword standing over their heads!

Now, this sharp sword is about to be taken away by the magical boy with his magical hands!

"The game has finally begun!"

On the evening of April 30, at Gund Arena in Cleveland, amid the wild cheers of more than 20,000 fans, the most watched G6 game between the Cavaliers and Nets finally started.

The Nets' starting players in this game are center O'Neal, power forward Malone, small forward Carter, shooting guard Fisher, and point guard Payton.

The Cavaliers' starting players are center Diop, power forward Chandler, small forward Chen Xiao, shooting guard Crawford, and point guard James.

The starting lineups of both teams have changed in this game.

The Cavaliers have stepped up their offense.

For a team whose mentality may collapse, of course, it is necessary to build a score advantage in one go, otherwise it will change if it is delayed. If it is still behind like in the previous games, the Nets may get their mentality back.

Therefore, this change of the Cavaliers in this game is foreseeable.

Even if it's risky to put Crawford in the starting lineup, it must be taken.

Victory will not fall from the sky.

No matter how much advantage the Cavaliers have, they still need to win it with their own hands, so the risk is worth it.

The Nets' starting lineup is somewhat confusing.

Richard Jefferson was given the starting nod.

Although Richard Jefferson averaged only 5 points per game in this series, it was because the Cavaliers' zone defense was too restrained for players like Richard Jefferson.

Richard Jefferson doesn't have James' unlimited firepower, so it's normal to have low scoring data.

In fact, in the first five games, basically no experts and fans felt that Richard Jefferson did not perform well, because his responsibility in this series of the Nets is mainly defensive.

And Richard Jefferson's defense in the previous games was very good.

He and Carter worked together to defend Chen Xiao and defended Chen Xiao very well.

"After the last game, there have been rumors that O'Neal severely criticized Richard Jefferson after the game, thinking that Richard Jefferson defended Wonder Boy 35 seconds later, causing Wonder Boy and James to play two shots. The second god king connected and caused O'Neal 3+1, which is the most important reason why the Nets lost the last game."

"Even in the end, O'Neal angrily stated that Richard Jefferson is the inner ghost of the Nets, saying that he does not believe that there is a god in this world. When this series comes to a critical moment, the magical boy will be possessed by God, because of his magical defense. The Kid’s Richard Jefferson went undercover.”

"According to rumors, after O'Neill accused Richard Jefferson, Richard Jefferson slammed the door angrily, and O'Neill relentlessly sprayed Martin. Martin's sideline serve error in G1 was G1 Wonder Boy Having Miller moments is the key to beating the Nets."

After the Nets arranged the starting lineup, Barkley and Kenny Smith started gossiping, not even talking about the game itself.

In fact, O'Neal's anger in the locker room against Martin and Richard Jefferson is not a secret among NBA professionals.

At least, Chen Xiao knew it before the game.

Chen Xiao knew it, and of course Carlisle knew it too.

This is also an important reason why Crawford started this game.

Let’s not talk about G1 Martin’s mistake.

In G5, obviously, if the Nets really want to blame for their loss, the biggest blame will definitely be on Fisher.

But who is Fisher?

That's O'Neal's direct younger brother.

The younger brother who followed O'Neal all the way from Los Angeles to New Jersey.

When O'Neal was fighting against Kobe, his younger brother stood by him and supported him.

With O'Neal's character, would he throw the blame to Fisher?

No need to think about it.

In the end, O'Neill thought about it and could only find two remnants of the previous dynasty, Richard Jefferson and Martin.

"Chen, that fat man has been displeased with me and Kenyon this season. If it wasn't for the professionalism, if it wasn't for the big contract, we wouldn't have done it a long time ago. Fuck that fat man, f**k professionalism, I was Just fight with him instead!"

"Chen, you must be careful in the next game. That fat man didn't give up. Martin and I were cleared by the team meeting, but we can see that they didn't give up. They might take advantage of these things that are not good for the Nets. Paralyze you!"

"Chen, in the next game, help me fuck that damn fat guy hard!"

Chen Xiao also knew that Richard Jefferson, who was suddenly attacked by O'Neill at that time, regretted it all the time after he slammed the door, and felt that he was cowarded and ashamed that he hadn't responded when he was sprayed by O'Neill.

He should have a fight with O'Neill. If he can't fight, go to Los Angeles to find the boss, pick up soap and hair for the boss.

Thinking about Richard Jefferson's phone call yesterday, looking at the dejected O'Neal and Nets players on the opposite side, the expressions on the faces of Chen Xiao and the Cavaliers were very strange.

"Xiao Chen, these people are still singing Liaozhai in front of us."

Good guy, Xiao Zhan, it’s okay, I’ve started to learn Liaozhai.

"In this game, give them a big shot!"

After Chen Xiao whispered to the Cavaliers player next to him, Chen Xiao and the Cavaliers players all had proud and arrogant looks on their faces.

And Phil Jackson on the sidelines saw Chen Xiao, James and the Cavaliers playing on the court, with the look of being beaten up. Although his face was sad, he smiled in his heart.

The plan works!