This Forward is Not Serious

In the VIP box of the stands, Kroenke stood at the window, gently shaking the red wine glass in his hand.

Compared with the last time, his expression was much more serious.

After all, the Nuggets, as a team in the top half, are trailing 1-3.

In this case, if you want to laugh, you generally won't be able to.

But listening to Dean Walken's excited talk about how he and Billups brought Anthony back, he became a little more interested.

Although reversal is a cliché thing, it is also one of the charms of competitive sports.

And the reason why he put aside his European affairs and continued to watch this year's playoffs was because of his original choice.

Although he does not need to take the blame, as a "game player", he still wants to see his operation proved to be correct in the end.

…

During the warm-up session on the court, the on-site photographer had been taking split shots of Lin Ying and Anthony.

Although the Nuggets made a lot of preparations before the game, no one can guarantee that they will be able to continue the series.

If they can't, then tonight will be Lin Ying and Anthony's last game of the season.

Of course, this was also the last time fans discussed the feud between the two.

So you have to seize the opportunity.

Lin Ying's touch looked very hot tonight, with almost no misses.

He warmed up for a while and then went to sit on the sidelines.

The hot feeling was a bit unexpected, but he couldn't use it all before the game.

Nash practiced for a while and lay on the sidelines.

His touch tonight was average.

"Lend me some."

He stretched out his hand and joked with Lin Ying with a smile.

Lin Ying decisively refused.

Speaking of which, every time Nash takes a free throw, he licks his hands with his tongue and then touches the soles of his shoes with his hands...

The warm-up ended quickly, followed by the appearance ceremony.

When the Nuggets players appeared, the fans showed great enthusiasm and cheered endlessly.

This strong "smell of gunpowder smoke".

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups of the two teams were released:

Nuggets: Billups, Afflalo, Anthony, Kleiza, Nene

Suns: Nash, Tony Allen, Caron Butler, Lin Ying, Stoudemire

The Suns are still the starters from the previous games, but the Nuggets have made lineup adjustments.

Kleiza took Jamison's starting spot.

Amid explosive cheers, Nene leaped high and moved the ball back to the Nuggets half.

G5 of the series between the two sides, and also the Nuggets' last-ditch battle, has officially begun!

Anthony, he ran away without the ball in the first round!

One and Nene ran in both directions and then borrowed the opponent's pick-and-roll pocket to catch and shoot.

"Uh-huh!"

The knife fell from the hand.

This move had a huge impact on players on both sides.

Because this represents an attitude, Anthony is willing to make sacrifices in order to win.

Lin Ying was also surprised.

Because...if Anthony was willing to play like this, the Nuggets might have won the championship long ago!

Of course, Lin Ying couldn't install a surveillance camera on Anthony, so he certainly didn't know about the conversation between Billups and Anthony in the living room.

"Do you know why Michael has the ability to score 50 points but only scores 40 points a night?"

"Because he likes to show off?"

"Well, that's just one aspect. More importantly, his experience in NCAA has taught him that basketball is a sport for five people. Only when you make your teammates feel involved will their enthusiasm rise.

For example, it's the same pull-up shot. You hold the ball alone and four people watch you pull it up, and you borrow a teammate's pick-and-roll to catch the ball and shoot. What's the difference? "

"No difference?"

"Of course, there is a sense of participation! After you shoot the ball, your teammates will have a sense of participation, and they will be more willing to pick and roll for you, and they will pick and roll better!"

…

The tip of the iceberg, Billups spent a pound of saliva that day.

The mage consumes mana.

Of course, the low intelligence of the casting target is also one aspect.

But the effect is remarkable. The loudest voice in Anthony's head now is:

He is going to bottom out and rebound, he is as good as Jordan!

The Suns used a pick-and-roll tactic in the first wave of offense, but failed.

Kleiza's defense is much better than Jamison's, and his lateral movement ability is not bad either, which just makes up for Anthony's fear of pick-and-rolls.

Of course, what’s more important is positivity!

The Nuggets' defensive motivation is higher than at any time in the series!

This directly caused their assist defense rate to skyrocket, which hit the seven-inch mark of the Suns' tactics.

An important reason why the Suns were so restrained by the Celtics in the regular season was that Rivers used the inside combination of Garnett and Wallace, and the defensive rate was high enough to create oppression.

This kind of oppression is very restrained in team basketball play.

G1 actually had such a period, but it was not obvious because it was a substitute transition period.

Now the Nuggets start with this intensity as soon as they start, while the Suns start very passively.

Although this is certainly not the defensive level that the Nuggets should have, it is obvious that factors on and off the court made them very different tonight!

Then, the Nuggets' next attack was also blocked by the Suns!

Lin Ying is directing his teammates’ defensive positions!

Many things seem to be related to personality, but in fact, many times it depends on whether you have the courage to take the first step.

G1 Lin Ying began to remind his teammates to defend on the court, and now he is used to giving orders to his teammates!

Stoudemire's mid-range jump shot after splitting up the frontcourt still missed, and Billups changed defense very quickly.

Looking back, Billups tried to break through Nash, but Lin Ying's contraction was timely.

As for Nash, the Suns don't give him a chance to hit him out of position. They will bypass the pick-and-roll, giving the Nuggets a certain amount of space to shoot.

Billups attempted an outside shot and failed to hit.

After playing for almost two minutes, the score on the field: 2-0!

The fans at the scene looked a little dazed.

Is this the Nuggets playing the Suns?

It's obviously the Pistons beating the Spurs!

The defensive intensity of both teams at the beginning was a bit high!

The two sides played for more than 5 minutes, and the score was 8 to 2!

The Suns scored 2 points on Nash's free throws, and they haven't even scored a sports goal!

Offense and defense are always antagonistic and interdependent. After putting physical energy into defense, the inevitable result will be offensive ups and downs.

Moreover, the Suns failed to hit several shots from the outside, and their touch tonight was relatively average.

On the contrary, the Nuggets appear to be more adaptable to this rhythm of the game.

Although the Nuggets' outside touch feels the same, and their two outside attempts ended in failure, it's definitely not just the Suns' defense that affects their touch.

But they can rely on Anthony's mid-range score increase!

Six of the eight points scored by the Nuggets came from Anthony's mid-range, two goals and two points from a foul penalty.

"The murderous middle distance"!

As I said before, in this kind of hand-to-hand combat with bayonets, the middle distance can kill people!

Gentry was a little anxious. He got up and went to the sidelines to shout to speed up the team's pace.

But the Nuggets' defense was airtight tonight, and the Suns couldn't get up fast. On the contrary, their outside touch was average and their play was a bit out of order.

13 to 4.

After half a quarter of play, the Suns were almost behind by double digits.

Gentry reached out and called a timeout.

There were cheers at the scene, as if they had seen the team's reversal!

In the VIP box, Kroenke shook the red wine glass more vigorously and drank it all in one gulp.

During the timeout, everyone on the Suns team was gasping for air.

This kind of defensive battle is obviously not their rhythm.

After a pause, Gentry held the tactical board and his mind was running at high speed.

This is the targeting that Lin Ying mentioned before, but this kind of targeting is more advanced.

The general targeting is only for players, but this is directly targeting the Suns' offensive system.

This is probably Billups' handiwork.

Coincidentally, it happened to be another night where the Suns' overall feel was average.

This is a big test, but it is also a big opportunity.

If the Suns can win such a game, then this team will no longer be afraid of games at this pace, and their strength will be even higher.

The picture in his mind was fixed on what happened at the current stage of the G1 substitute, and finally his eyes were fixed on Lin Ying.

It is definitely not possible to keep playing with this unsuitable rhythm with the Nuggets, but the failure of previous attempts shows that it is difficult to switch to this rhythm.

But the Nuggets themselves are not good at defense, and now they are motivated.

Motivation is a good thing, but motivation without excellent defensive skills will inevitably mean a lot of physical exertion.

As long as the Nuggets' defensive intensity comes down, the game will return to the rhythm the Suns like.

So the key is how the Suns can sustain this period.

"Um?"

Lin Ying noticed Gentry's gaze.

Their eyes met and he spoke directly:

"I'll play singles."

Lin Ying definitely couldn't read minds, but what he was thinking was similar to what Gentry was thinking.

This is also his greatest significance to this Suns team now.

He is like a super patch, "the perfect complement to the Suns' tactical system," Gentry said at the G1 post-game press conference.

Smart people don’t need much verbal communication.

Gentry made substitutions and adjustments, then took the tactical board and began to make arrangements.

After the timeout, the Suns made substitution adjustments, and Quentin Richardson replaced Tony Allen.

This is the best roster the Suns have in the space available.

Lin Ying caught the ball in the high post, and the person guarding him was Kleiza.

Kleiza is about the same height as Anthony, but weighs 5 kilograms more.

This made him less disadvantaged when defending Lin Ying.

Lin Ying tried a wave of bad chances. After returning the ball to Nash, he went straight down low.

He and Kleiza competed for what Barkley called the best position in the low post.

Lin Ying was already very skilled in this kind of blocking battle, but Kleiza couldn't hold on.

And Nash's pass was very timely, arriving almost the moment Lin Ying got stuck.

Lin Ying caught the ball and quickly launched an attack. He hit the ball with his big butt, and then used his height advantage to turn around and hit the board with one hand.

This is Duncan's most commonly used scoring method.

In the past, he felt that Duncan used this more because of his body's flexibility.

But in fact, it is more about core strength and the aerial balance ability advanced by core strength.

As Grover's training improved, he also gained more confidence in this way of shooting.

Kleiza had no choice.

Because Lin Ying widened the distance between the two with his butt, and because of his height and wingspan, he was at a disadvantage. He had nothing to do but raise his hands to interfere.

"boom!"

Lin Ying's hitting point hit the hitting point accurately, and after rebounding, it fell steadily into the net bag.

This combines the low-post offensive skills of Barkley and Duncan, and mainly highlights the word "stable".

The Suns finally scored again!

But looking back, Anthony broke through and scored the ball after a single. The tough guy collision between Nene and Stoudemire caused the latter to commit a defensive foul.

Two free throws were made and the Nuggets continued to increase points.

Moreover, Lin Ying returned to the frontcourt, and Anthony took the initiative to guard him.

Anthony played very un-Anthony tonight, but it was exactly what Karl and Billups expected to see.

There are singles, passing, and defense!

A true super giant!

Anthony is really difficult to deal with!

Of course, Lin Ying did not give up or play a pick-and-roll, but played a very positive singles game.

Holding the ball, changing directions, breaking through, and countering turning hook shots.

"boom!"

This time the shot missed.

But before Anthony could grab the rebound, he had already quickly taken off and completed the tip-in with his other hand!

This is a trick that even Duncan has suffered before!

The Suns bench was in an uproar, and Holiday's towel was flying.

Lin Ying can hit the low position and the high position. This singles game is a bit fierce!

Lin Ying: He is low-key and low-key, relying entirely on his opponents to set him off.

Karl touched his chin on the sidelines and looked at Lin Ying with joy and a little sadness.

After Lin Ying further improved with the ball, the offensive end underwent a qualitative change in all aspects.

If you want to guard against a player like this, you have to find someone who can match up with him.

Then you will find that such players are really hard to find.

Classic "Those who are taller than you are not as fast as you, and those who are fast as you are not as tall as you"!

Of course, all this is based on Lin Ying's solid technical and physical conditions. His high and low singles are very lethal.

In the past, the Suns played team basketball, and it was a bit hurtful to say it, which would basically defeat the Nuggets, so there was no need for Lin Ying to play like this.

But these few rounds have proven that Lin Ying is fully capable of taking the lead on his own!

He just needs to slowly accumulate experience and then further improve his detailed skills. As long as he doesn't suffer injuries, his achievements may be higher than Anthony's!

This is what makes Carl happy.

After all, Lin Ying's current progress shows that he did not make a mistake at the beginning, and what he did was completely worth it.

The sad part is that now Lin Ying is no longer his disciple, but his opponent's player.

He really doesn't know how to restrict his "loved disciple".

Just as he was thinking about it, Anthony used a signature "washing machine drum" to pass Lin Ying and score two more points.

Then looking back, Lin Ying changed direction and went to the basket, forcing Anthony away for a dunk!

"Is this what you want?"

And after dunking, Lin Ying looked back at Anthony and said.

Anthony didn't nod, but his eyes said it all.

The two people who were entangled in grudges in the past are now facing each other in a real sense!

There were endless cheers.

The tickets for tonight’s game are definitely enough!

Lin Ying and Anthony were totally flirting with each other on the court!

And it's a direct confrontation, with no help or double-teaming, just pure one-on-one.

This is also the way Anthony wanted to play in G1.

The teammates on the field kept changing, but the mutual attacks between the two continued until the end of the first quarter.

24 to 17.

This is the score in the first quarter, with the Nuggets leading.

One conclusion that can be easily drawn is that in the end, neither Lin Ying nor Anthony could guard the other, and the game ended in a draw.

It's a tie, and many people have completely different feelings.

In the VIP box, Kroenke looked as if he was constipated.

If he was strong enough, the wine glass in his hand would have been crushed by him.

Lin Ying can already compete with Anthony in a duel!

Although this does not mean that Lin Ying has the same strength as Anthony, but he is only in the third grade!

In fact, there is no need to remind him at this time. He also knows that choosing Anthony from the second choice is not necessarily correct.

Because Lin Ying is performing like this now, it means that as long as he doesn't get seriously injured, he basically has a better future than Anthony!

Of course, it is absolutely impossible for the American elite to admit that they are wrong.

I just feel a little constipated.

In the stands, Lin Ying's image in Booker's eyes has skyrocketed from tall to giant-level.

In the third grade, Anthony, who is in the top ten in the league this season?

This is really a series where you are too handsome to pay for your life!

He decided that when he enters the NCAA, he will wear the No. 1 jersey, because Linying University is the No. 1 jersey!

Nuggets bench.

Anthony was resting, looking at the score with an extremely complicated expression.

After completing the one-on-one session he wanted most, he found that Lin Ying's growth was truly amazing.

In less than two years he will be suppressed.

Is it really impossible to stay in this western purgatory?

wrong!

He is a person who can compete with Jordan, how could he have such an idea!

During this round of competition, his personality began to split into two villains.

One wanted to be on par with Jordan after being inspired by Billups, and the other wanted to end it as soon as possible and run away.

There was another familiar reflection.

The emergence of Billups gave the villains who were comparable to Jordan the upper hand.

"We will win!"

The reflection was like a mage moving forward, and Anthony felt that his blood volume was being lifted up again.

The second quarter was exactly the same as the first quarter.

Both sides still invested a lot of physical energy in defense, and then Lin Ying and Anthony still conducted a lot of tactical singles.

However, one obvious point is that both sides have begun to consciously carry out some necessary flanking attacks, and their singles efficiency has declined.

This is actually the biggest flaw in Jordan's "10 points in a single quarter and 40 points in a game" theory. Physical fitness, condition, opponent care, etc. will all cause ups and downs in a player's condition.

Jordan can do it because he is Jordan and others cannot imitate him.

What's more, they are playing in singles when attacking, and they also invest a lot of physical energy when defending.

In the second quarter, the Suns got back some points.

At halftime, the Nuggets led the Suns 50-42.

The game entered halftime, and Karl didn't look good.

Because Taiyang, who should have been in decline due to physical exhaustion, is getting stronger and stronger as he plays?

This feeling that goes against common sense should be an illusion, but there is an indescribable truth to it.

After the half-time break, the game continued between the two sides.

Lin Ying and Anthony exchanged blows at the beginning.

Obviously, the large amount of physical energy consumed in the first half, coupled with the cooling of the midfielder's touch, caused the condition of both players to drop significantly.

It was at this time that the Suns' offense began to slowly change.

Lin Ying is still playing singles, but his singles is not just for scoring, nor is he even running to score.

He will break out the ball when he breaks inside, and then come out to set a pick-and-roll for his teammates.

In the first round, Butler showed his big heart ability, receiving a pass from Nash and making a three-pointer from the outside!

In the next round, it was Stoudemire who benefited.

Stoudemire directly received Lin Ying's second-hand pass, and hit Nene with a dominating shot, regaining the field!

And in the next round, Nash and Lin Ying performed a tacit cooperation of "you pass to me, I pass to you, making the opponent dizzy".

In the end, Nash hit the ball into the basket with a signature horseback archery shot.

The Suns lead the way with points and are in full bloom!

On the other hand, the Nuggets, whose offense originally relied on Anthony's isolation, began to lose points as Anthony's isolation efficiency declined!

What's even worse is the decline in physical fitness, which makes it difficult for them to play as high-intensity defense as they did in the first half.

The Nuggets are showing signs of collapse again!

Karl also reacted instantly at this time.

That's not an illusion!

It's a strategy!

Maybe Gentry didn't think that deeply, but in fact the Suns played a "Tianji horse racing" strategy.

In the first half, Lin Ying took care of the Suns' offense all by himself, and the others only needed to do a good job on the defensive end.

So as long as Lin Ying can keep the Suns in a stalemate in the first half, then the second half will be the time for the Suns to harvest!

Because Anthony and Lin Ying are removed, Billups is the only one who is really reliable on the Nuggets side, while on the Suns side, there is a whole team!

Or in other words, behind Anthony is Billups, and behind Lin Ying is Phoenix!

This is also a scene that is unfolding in the second half. The Nuggets are struggling to support Billups, but the Suns are blooming across the board!

The game is not over yet, but the situation has become irreversible.

This can no longer be changed by coaches adjusting tactics or personnel rotation.

It's like staying in a sealed car that has fallen into the water, watching the water seep in little by little, watching your living space being compressed little by little, and there is nothing you can do except experience despair!

Soon, the Suns hit a climax to tie the score.

Karl fulfilled his duty and called a timeout, but after a stalemate after the timeout, the Suns began to open up the score.

Slowly, Billups also realized that they had lost their chance.

And it's different from the previous games.

In this game, Anthony made changes and the Nuggets showed their strength.

But, they never fought!

This was a complete frontal defeat without any reason.

The game came to the fourth quarter. After a period of play at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Suns already had a 15-point lead.

Counting their previous lead of 12 points at most, they allowed the Suns to win by 27 points!

When the game enters the rhythm that Phoenix people like, opening the score is really a matter of minutes.

With only three minutes left before the end of the game and the score on the field was still 15 points, Carr took his players off the field early.

Every team member could not hide the disappointment on their face.

Especially after they sat down and saw a large number of fans starting to leave.

Nuggets fans failed this year!

The live camera is looking for Anthony.

Anthony's close-up at this time is destined to go down in history.

Anthony leaned on the bench, his eyes vacant.

But his heart was already in turmoil at this time.

After being defeated head-on, the villain in his heart who wanted to rival Jordan was finally "killed".

It's all bluffing!

Billups can succeed only because he is lucky enough to be on a team like the Pistons!

But he has always stayed in a team like the Nuggets that is neither good nor bad!

Even if it is his lifelong enemy James, the Cavaliers sent away Ricky Davis early and equipped James with one lineup after another.

On the other hand, the Nuggets actually went back and forth on choosing between him and Lin Ying for so long!

Even if Kenyon Martin hadn't made concessions himself, it's hard to say whether he would have been the boss of the Nuggets!

After all, it was because he joined the wrong team. If he had gone to the Pistons, he might have won the championship earlier than James!

But after thinking this way, his mood suddenly became very complicated.

He vaguely remembered that when he renewed his contract in advance in 2006, he, James and Wade got together for dinner.

James mentioned that everyone should renew the 3+1 contract together, which should mean that he is considering the possibility of playing together in the future.

But he didn't follow at the time.

One is his character. Although he is casual, he is also arrogant. He wants to defeat James head-on rather than play brother basketball.

The second is that he likes money more. The extra two-year contract is real dollars, not to mention that he felt that staying with the Nuggets was very good.

In terms of three, he also thinks that James and the others may be considering signing a bigger contract. Playing together at the top is something that a normal super giant cannot do.

But thinking about the current situation, if James doesn't succeed this season and ends up playing with Wade, he can only stare.

And the key is that the Nuggets are now locked in a contract with as far as the eye can see.

Of course the worst thing is his statement.

When he thinks about his previous championship remarks, he feels like an ant on a hot pot.

Oh, by the way, now we have to add his rhetoric in the locker room about bringing about a reversal for his teammates.

He feels that he really has no shame in continuing to play with the Nuggets next season.

So, it might be time to consider a new home!

Ah, my eyes are so bright!

It's that familiar bald man with a long face again.

"Melo, everything will be fine. We have next season and we can make a comeback."

Billups also discovered Anthony who was projected on the LED screen. He got up and came over to comfort him.

Anthony nodded politely.

He has already started searching for a suitable next home.

When he saw Billups, he added one more thing to this matter:

They will have next season, and if possible, it would be best to take Billups with them.

At the front of the bench, Karl crossed his arms.

He has also made his decision.

He will announce his resignation at a press conference later.

Originally, he was just holding on to his health and continuing to coach, but now he needs to take a rest for one to two years before returning to work.

In the VIP box, Kroenke had already disappeared.

Walken Dean thought of his face before leaving, and knew it was time for him to take the initiative and resign before the team fired him.

The advantage of this is that he resigned on his own initiative instead of being kicked out, which can give a good impression to the new employer.

So what kind of reason should he find, and which next home should he look for?

This will be something he needs to think about carefully in the future.

"Ah sneeze!"

As he was returning to the villa, Kroenke got out of the car and sneezed violently.

The weather in Denver is really cold.

At the same time, the Suns' bench couldn't help but start celebrating early.

Stoudemire shook his legs and rubbed his hands, performing a "Little Overlord" version of "Excited Heart, Trembling Hands".

This first round was too easy!

If this continues, he will really feel that the Suns have hope of winning the championship this year!

Although Nash didn't tremble, he kept looking at the timer above his head from time to time, his eyes full of hope.

When he first entered the league, he heard Kevin Johnson mention the thrilling defending season of the Rockets.

"Don't underestimate the heart of a championship."

The Rockets were ranked sixth in the Western Conference and defended their title when no one expected it!

This year they also happen to be sixth.

He unconsciously turned his head and looked at Lin Ying.

Lin Ying was chatting with Hill and Butler.

The three of them looked very happy.

Speaking of which, the Rockets dropped to sixth place due to injuries in their history, but they fell to sixth place due to the "rest and recuperation" policy proposed by Lin Ying.

In addition, the difference in wins and losses between the top six is ​​not large, so they actually have the ability to compete for the championship.

Lin Ying, in particular, can win a duel with Anthony without losing, which gives the Suns endless possibilities!

Lin Ying noticed Nash's gaze, stopped chatting with the two people around him, turned to look at him, and then smiled.

Although he didn't actually play with any revenge mentality in this round, it still felt like defeating his former team that kicked him out.

In one word, cool!

Two words, very cool!

Of course, he doesn't know yet. If he knew that Anthony was already beaten by him and wanted to run away, he would be more happy.

The game was about to end, and Gentry called all the players to their feet.

"Don't say too much during the handshake. Say more words of encouragement. The winner should stay humble."

Lin Ying held his forehead, usually it would be best not to say anything at this time.

A word of encouragement?

The future is yours?

Come on, brother?

This sounds like grabbing bamboo shoots, but he won't do it.

"beep!"

The whistle finally sounded at the end of the game, and less than half of the fans at the scene were left.

The Nuggets players stood up in relief.

After the final handshake, they could end this depressing atmosphere.

When players from both sides came to the court, most of the Suns players just shook hands.

Their ideas were similar to Lin Ying's, and they dispersed as soon as the situation was over.

Only Nash couldn't help but say some words of encouragement when he shook hands with Anthony:

"Mello, you have done enough, you don't know how much trouble you have caused us."

When he said this, he also slapped his arms, showing his sincere feelings.

Anthony almost collapsed when he heard this.

The rest of the Suns were silent, except Nash who said some words of encouragement.

"Steve, you are still a loyal person!"

He finally said with emotion.

ps: In order to make it easier for everyone to read, I stayed up late last night to finish writing this paragraph and published it on time. I may get up late. If I don’t have time to update it at night, I will update it tomorrow.