Super Role Player

With the victory over the Raptors, the 76ers' winning streak reached 9 games. As long as they defeat the Cavaliers, they can complete their second consecutive winning streak of more than 10 games this season.

Generally speaking, a winning streak of more than 10 games means that the team has the strength to compete for the championship. When a team completes two consecutive wins of more than 10 games in a single season, then the strength of the team There is no doubt about it.

Therefore, the 76ers must complete this winning streak no matter what, and the Cavaliers must prevent the 76ers from completing this 10-game winning streak no matter what.

LeBron James made bold remarks before the game. In the last game in Los Angeles, they defeated the Lakers, who could only be led by Nick Young. They finally regained some feeling and morale.

Therefore, in the context of this last big victory, LeBron James has more confidence in the next game.

LeBron James is not a person who is afraid of difficulties. He knows that if he wants to get the coveted O'Brien Cup, he must defeat Anxi.

I don’t know since when, LeBron James began to realize that the biggest mountain in front of him has changed from the Green Army’s Big Three and the Spurs GDP to the little brother Anxi beside GDP.

Anxi's growth rate is so scary. At the beginning of last season, LeBron James just felt that Anxi had become very powerful and was about to surpass him. By the end of the season, Anxi could be on an equal footing with him. This season, the confrontation at the beginning of the season made him LeBron James felt frustrated deeply. He knew that he could no longer compare to Anxi.

But it doesn't matter, the Cavaliers are a team of the Big Three. After a series of previous transactions, the Cavaliers also have a group of high-quality role players. Apart from Anxi, the 76ers only have Pau Gasol left. Jae Crowder and others can only be regarded as role players and cannot take on important tasks.

Therefore, based on paper strength alone, the Cavaliers can suppress the 76ers, and LeBron James's confidence also comes from this. He feels that even if he cannot beat Anxi, it is enough for his team to beat Anxi.

Running in, this is what LeBron James has said most in recent team trainings. Indeed, for the Cavaliers at this stage, the most important thing is running in.

As long as they get along well, the Cavaliers still have a good chance of defeating the 76ers.

Two days later, on January 16, Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland was already packed.

This is the first home game since LeBron James recovered from injury and JR Smith, Iman Shumpert and Mozgov joined the team, so Cavaliers fans are very excited, especially because the opponent in this game is the 76ers. All of them Cavaliers fans all know,

If they want to win the O'Brien Cup this season, they must cross the 76ers mountain.

As a result, the outbreak of this century war attracted the attention of more Cavaliers fans.

The scene was enthusiastic, and the appearance of LeBron James triggered a flood of cheers.

Seeing the Cavaliers' enthusiastic pursuit of LeBron James, James Anderson was a little speechless: "Ha, have these fans forgotten how LBJ abandoned them?"

Anxi shook his head. He couldn't join this topic. Although subjectively he did not abandon the Spurs fans, nor did he make any decision, but in fact he was also a player who changed teams. Changing teams is such a sensitive matter. The topic was still not suitable for him to talk about.

Before this game, Brett Brown changed the team's starting lineup, and Ishmael Smith replaced McAway in the starting lineup. His task in this game was to defend Kelly Irving.

As for McAway, even the 76ers know that McAway is on the countdown to leaving the team. According to local media reports in Philadelphia, Sam Hinkie has contacted the two teams and is intensifying negotiations. He will be there in a few days. There are specific transactions completed.

Basically, McAway should be exchanged for an inside rotation, plus some draft picks and other bargaining chips, and the 76ers' point guard position will not change much because of McAway's departure. Ishmael Smith Will enter the starting lineup with his defense, and the bench composed of Lou Williams and Shaun Livingston is strong enough.

In this game, Brett Brown was experimenting with such a formation. Of course, there were also reasons for the targeted arrangement to deal with Kelly Irving.

Compared with the 76ers, the Cavaliers' starting lineup has changed a lot. The three positions of point guard Kelly Irving, small forward LeBron James and power forward Kevin Love will not change, but the shooting guard has become Yi. Man Shumpert, the center became Timofey Mozgov.

David Blatt chose to let Iman Shumpert start, and the purpose was obvious. Iman Shumpert was here specifically to guard Anxi.

However, Anxi also knows something about Iman Shumpert. They have faced each other before, and the final result is that Iman Shumpert cannot guard Anxi at all. Therefore, Anxi still has enough confidence to defeat him in this game. By Iman Shumpert.

In this game, he not only wants to win, he also wants more.

The referee blows the whistle and the game begins.

Timofey Mozgov won the jump ball, and the Russian national team's starting center, whom the Cavaliers acquired in exchange for two first-round picks, showed off his usefulness in the opening game.

After grabbing the ball for the first attack, the Cavaliers immediately began to organize a half-court attack.

The basketball was put in the hands of LeBron James, and Jae Crowder stepped up.

In this game, Anxi did not switch to defend LeBron James. Brett Brown gave Anxi a more important task-to defend and assist in the whole game. Obviously, Brett Brown gradually realized Anxi's role. It would be too wasteful for Anxi to only guard one person. Only by letting Anxi do the work of supplementary defense and assisting defense can Anxi's role on the defensive end be maximized.

At the beginning, LeBron James looked for pick-and-roll cooperation on the outside. Kevin Love mentioned the high position and used a single block. The 76ers' defense was a bit difficult.

LeBron James' breakthrough is not that easy to defend, and Kevin Love's outside three-point threat cannot be ignored. LeBron James is the best passer inside and outside. If the 76ers choose to surround LeBron James with this ball, Then LeBron James will immediately choose to pass the ball, and Kevin Love on the outside will get a chance to shoot a three-pointer.

Therefore, Jae Crowder had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow LeBron James without choosing to switch defenses.

But with this follow-up defense, LeBron James' opportunity came. He pushed directly into the paint like a bulldozer.

At this time, Anxi rushed out from the other side and defended in front of LeBron James.

LeBron James turned around and made a layup against Anxi's defense.

But in the end, he was squeezed by Anxi's power and his layup missed...