The best teammates in the NBA

Chapter 456 Why Is You Again (7000 word chapter)
Since losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in the 03-04 season, the Timberwolves have been in a slump and missed the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons.

For many old fans, 13 years is definitely a long wait. Therefore, when the team made the playoffs again in 18, Timberwolves fans were overjoyed!
This season, many fans feel that the newcomers have finally fulfilled their talents, and the future can be expected, and the Timberwolves will rise again.

After losing by a big score in the first two games, the fisherman Lemon Jing kept mocking his own players, and the Timberwolves fans naturally argued:

"We are just inexperienced. After two games, we will definitely win at home!"

The talents of Wiggins and Towns can be seen blindly. Timberwolves fans firmly believe that the two are the future of the team.

But the G3 game made the Timberwolves fans break their defenses. Compared with the Clippers, their talents are not worth mentioning.

The opponent scored 50 points in a single quarter, and no one could stand it. In the garbage time of the fourth quarter, the Target Center arena was completely silent, and everyone watched the Clippers' atmosphere group continue to score in numbness. .

Siakam doesn't dislike this opportunity to play. In the first round of the playoffs, he can steadily contribute seven or eight points every fourth quarter.

Aaron Brooks's careless lob pass was directly intercepted by Siakam, who swept the defense inside.

Gorgui Dieng, who was still holding the ball in the low position on the left just now, couldn't help complaining, and didn't return to the defense in frustration. He watched the Clippers' atmosphere group rushing through the half court in depression.

Brogdon didn't ask for the ball, but signaled Siakam to give the ball to Powell on the left wing.

The latter received the pass, immediately released the ball with his right hand and made a breakthrough. The Timberwolves' drinking fountain player Marcus George Hunter was passed by the three-point line.

Nemanja Belika, who had just chased back and defended, helplessly defended to the basket. Powell sent a pass, and Rooney, who was actively following the basket, put the basket firmly and succeeded.

Although Josh Hart didn't touch the ball on the right wing, he also applauded passionately at this time.

Several cute newcomers dared to fight and fight hard during the garbage time, which made the point difference even wider, and the fans at the scene were all eager to eat people!

"shush"

The sporadic boos of 2 people in the Target Center Arena made the Clippers players realize that they were still on the road.

In the commentary booth of TNT, the commentator Kevin Harlan was still lamenting the performance of the Clippers in the third quarter:
"We almost forgot that Kayce is actually a shooting guard, and when he's focused on scoring, he's unstoppable."

"The Clippers showed a completely different offensive pattern in this game. Partial two-on-two, Jokic's excellent screen allowed Kayce to score easily."

出场30分钟，李泽20中16，三分线外8中5，罚球9中9，高效砍下46分8篮板4助攻3抢断，没有失误。

Such data did not surprise Reggie Miller. He prefers the Clippers' partial two-on-two tactic, double-teaming Li Ze, and Jokic always gets a chance.

Whether it's throwing shots in the paint or giving the ball to the weak side, the Clippers can score efficiently:
"Downs still has a lot to learn. Compared with Jokic, he has too little experience in the playoffs. Even if he returns to the home court, he has received 4 fouls in three quarters."

"Fortunately, he is still young. As long as he can continue to maintain this record and accumulate enough experience in the playoffs, the Timberwolves will definitely gain something."

约基奇今晚9中7，三分线外3中1，罚球2中2，拿到17分11篮板7助攻3失误1盖帽的数据。

The data looks mediocre, but considering that this is the score obtained in 32 minutes, it is known that Bai Pang's efficiency is beyond the chart.

It is not easy to be able to eat cakes stably in the paint area, at least Downs on the opposite side did not do it:
15中6，罚球6中4，16分12篮板2助攻4失误，萌新唐斯从数据层面上来看和约基奇差不多，但比赛影响力却天差地别。

The Timberwolves fans were only looking forward to the end of the game. Everyone couldn't bear to look directly at them. The referee was also understanding, and stopped blowing the whistle in the second half of the fourth quarter.

At 138:91, the Clippers beat the Timberwolves in an away game, and the series came to 3:0.

Li Ze, who had been sitting on the bench for a whole quarter, stood up at this moment, smiled and went forward to give his teammates high-fives to celebrate.

The first round of the Clippers is over!
The rhetoric before the game, the nonsense during the game, and the silence after the game, the Timberwolves fans could only silently watch the Clippers walk back to the player tunnel talking and laughing.

After returning to the playoffs after 13 seasons, he thought he could win a victory at home, but in the end he lost by a big score.

As the star of the team, Wiggins couldn't hold back in the interview after the game. Even if he is Buddhist, such a point difference hurt his self-esteem:

"We didn't do well enough, lacked communication on the court, failed to respond offensively and defensively."

"0:3 behind, but the series is not over yet, we will fight for the fans in the next game!"

14中5，威金斯今晚只拿到14分3篮板1助攻1失误。

Although Wiggins showed an unyielding spirit in the interview, some Timberwolves fans didn't buy it, and there were faint boos in the Target Center arena.

Jimmy Butler, who was not interviewed, was the first to walk back into the tunnel.

17 of 6, 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 turnovers, Jimmy Butler failed to become the hero who turned the tide. In his career, this is the most depressing series he has ever experienced.

In the other three games that night, at 100:119, the Pelicans returned to the home court to pull back a victory and beat the Warriors. The series score came to 1:3.

安东尼-戴维斯再次展现了自己的天赋，27中15，砍下33分18篮板3助攻4抢断1失误的大号两双数据。

霍勒迪也有不错的发挥，14中8，三分线外7中3，拿到21分7篮板5助攻2抢断2盖帽2失误。

拉简-朗多则打出离谱数据，11中2，拿到4分10篮板21助攻1抢断4失误。

Under Rondo's connection, the Pelicans had a total of 36 assists, which completely dismembered the Warriors' defense.

The Warriors missed their three-pointers and made 31 of 9 from beyond the three-point line. Naturally, they couldn't win with less than [-]% of their shots.

Steve Kerr seemed to remember how he lost to the Clippers last year, and his face was long after the game.

The playing time of the main lineup in this game is not short. Clay, Durant, and Green played another 39 minutes.

Curry was 19 of 6 and 9 of 3 from beyond the three-point line. He only scored 19 points and took the initiative to take the blame after the loss.

It's no big deal to lose an away game. Amelia's sports media still has full confidence in the Warriors.

The Trail Blazers defeated the Thunder again in the away game, 112:102, and successfully won the match point.

The situation of a group of Western Conference semifinals has become clear, the Trail Blazers vs. the Clippers.

The role of No. [-] in the regular season has been highlighted. The Clippers basically have no pressure in the semifinals. After all these years have passed, the Trail Blazers led by Lillard have not won the Clippers in the playoffs.
The 76ers of the Eastern Conference also got the match point, 106:102, the two sides fought fiercely until the fourth quarter, and in the end the young team was even better.

本-西蒙斯也同样展现了自己的天赋，13中8，17分13篮板10助攻4抢断7失误，砍下三双率队赢球！
The Philadelphia team reporters crazily praised Simmons' performance after the game. With Embiid absent due to injury, Simmons carried the team alone.

"Believe in the process! The 76ers have completed the reconstruction, and we will return to the stage of the Finals!"

Various sports media also followed suit and praised Ben Simmons as a contemporary magician.
On the morning of the 22nd, the Timberwolves did not have a video lesson. The loss in the game last night was so miserable that the coaching staff no longer wanted to recall it.

In the morning, they simply moved their bodies and rehearsed their tactical routines, and then the players were ready to have lunch.

The local sports media in Minnesota is still on the home team platform. After the training session in the morning, they interviewed Jimmy Butler for the first time:
"Unfortunately, we failed to protect our home court, but the series is not over yet."

Just halfway through the conversation, Jimmy Butler, who was in a bad mood, suddenly whispered:
"The series is over. I am responsible for the loss. Next season, I hope to see the team have more fighting spirit. If someone doesn't want to win, then leave the team!"

Several local sports reporters around had question marks on their foreheads, but Jimmy Butler turned his head and left after speaking, and everyone realized that the atmosphere of the team was not right.

The problems in the team's locker room are generally rarely disclosed to the media, and most of the time everyone is belated.

Jimmy Butler broke such unspoken rules, perhaps because he lost his mind. This tough guy broke the jar and directly expressed his dissatisfaction.

Fortunately, the local sports media is quite conscientious and did not release this news that night.

But this kind of big melon will not be missed by everyone. If the team is out in the first round, then the first melon of the offseason will belong to them
On the evening of the 22nd, the Rockets became the first team to advance to the first round of the playoffs.

112:102，克里斯-保罗彻底爆发，22中13，三分线外10中8，罚球8中7，高效砍下41分7篮板10助攻1抢断的两双数据。

Playing 38 minutes in the game without any mistakes, Paul once again showed his top No. 1 strength.

首发的塔克也有出色的发挥，9中7，三分线外7中5，砍下19分6篮板2助攻3盖帽1失误。

The Rockets made a total of 9 turnovers in the whole game. Even if the bearded players pulled their hips, they still swept their opponents to complete the promotion under the excellent performance of the role players.

Amerika's sports media was not surprised, but Clippers fans spoke enthusiastically on social media:

"Products produced by the Clippers must be high-quality goods!"

In this round of the series, Ingles also performed very well. As a role player, he averaged 14.5 points per game in this round of the series, which can already be regarded as the team's third offensive option.

In the three games of the Eastern Conference, the Wizards once again protected the home court. At 98:106, the Raptors failed to seize the opportunity, and the two sides will have a battle of Tianwangshan.

The Bucks also protected the home court and tied the series to 2:2. The Tianwangshan battle will return to the North Shore Garden Arena, and the Celtics wasted a good situation.

The Cavaliers also pulled back a victory, 104:100, and the two sides did not decide the winner until the last quarter of the game.

勒布朗-詹姆斯出场46分钟，22中12，砍下32分13篮板7助攻2盖帽1失误，最强战术加持之下，将比赛拖回了克利夫兰。

After that, there will be three Tianwangshan battles in the Eastern Conference, and the NBA will be happy. This is the playoffs that everyone is looking forward to.

With only one day of rest, on the evening of the 23rd, the Target Center Arena ushered in the G4 game again.

Timberwolves fans don't have high expectations, they just want to see Wiggins and Towns play beautiful data.

After three games, it's time to adapt to the intensity of the playoffs. Even if you can't advance to the Western Conference semifinals, it's a good experience to see a victory at home.

Jimmy Butler's state is even worse tonight. His right knee injury has worsened.

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

In the third quarter of the game, only the DJ on the scene was still making noise, and in the Target Center arena, the Timberwolves fans were silent again.

The second half lasted more than 4 minutes, and the Timberwolves' offense was upside down. As a result, they only scored 2 points in a single quarter.
Wiggins's left flank rushed to the basket with his left hand and threw the iron. Paul George, who had been defending by his side, took the rebound and immediately advanced with the ball.

Coach Thibodeau on the sidelines kept yelling loudly, signaling the players to retreat quickly.

The ball was faster than the man, and Paul George immediately passed the ball to Jaylen Brown, who was accelerating along the right sideline.

Jeff Teague slid desperately, finally slowing down the Clippers' offense.

Quickly ran back to the half court and completed the defensive matchup in the first time. The Timberwolves did a very good job of retreating tonight.

There was no chance to switch offense, on the right wing, Jaylen Brown immediately gave the ball to Jokic at the top of the arc.

Jimmy Butler knew what tactics the Clippers wanted to play. When the left wing Li Ze started, he began to pull covertly.

It's just that this kind of defense doesn't play much role. Jokic protects the ball sideways and moves to the left.

With a simple hand-to-hand pass, Jokic used his body thickness to easily delay the defense.

After Li Ze received the ball, Jimmy Butler failed to catch up in time. When Towns realized that Jokic did not choose to go down this time, it was too late to think about the big delay.

Li Ze just took a step horizontally, then drifted to the right, and made a quick jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly!

58:77, the point difference came to 19 points.

The only difference from the previous three games is that the Timberwolves played well in the first half of the game, relying on the old style of play, and scored 56 points.

But the overall trend of the game is no different from the previous three games, and the three collapses of wolves appeared again.
Coach Thibodeau immediately requested a timeout. For the Timberwolves, the number of timeouts was not enough.

"The 7th assist, I got a triple-double tonight, remember to treat me when I go back!"

Paul George has been helping Jokic remember the number of assists. For Fatty Bai, it is not difficult to score in double figures and rebound in double figures. However, if you want to achieve double figures in assists, it mainly depends on your opponent.

"I feel like they are going to change people. No matter how the data is, I will treat people. I will eat Mexican food when I return to Los Angeles!"

Hearing Jokic's words, Li Ze could only shake his head with a smile. Fatty Bai had a chance to achieve a triple-double in many cases this season, but unfortunately he didn't have enough playing time, and he had to play in the atmosphere group in the fourth quarter.

For the Clippers, Paul George, Harris, and Jaylen Brown are all good at cutting off the ball, and Li Ze can even complete difficult jump shots after hand-offs.

As long as enough ball rights are given, Jokic can slowly make up a triple-double.

On the bench, coach De Nagro took over again, and everyone discussed in low voices what to eat after returning
Every time the team crashes in the third quarter, Jimmy Butler sits in his seat with his face in his hands, and it sucks.

The sense of powerlessness has been filling his heart all the time, Li Ze beat him up one-on-one, and any defensive means are useless.

On the offensive end, he hit the iron, and on the defensive end, Li Ze kept scoring points on his head. After three games, G4 was about to lose at home by a big score, and Jimmy Butler couldn't hold back.

Jimmy Butler is not in the mood to listen to Thibodeau's chicken soup anymore, and he even wants the game to end early.
Wiggins seems to have lost his mind. He still looked calm at this time, taking small sips of water. He has already experienced the playoffs, so fishing early is good!
In the Target Center arena, Timberwolves fans could only watch the team's score slowly rise, and the noise disappeared.
At 15:33 in a single quarter, after three quarters, at 73:95, the Timberwolves fell behind by another 22 points.

In the last quarter of the game, coach Thibodeau no longer insisted. After the official timeout, the atmosphere group officially debuted.

In the battle of honor, the Timberwolves also failed to give the fans a satisfactory answer.

In the end, 100:123, the Clippers easily defeated the Timberwolves, swept their opponents 4:0, and successfully advanced to the Western Conference semifinals.

Jimmy Butler tried his best to maintain his demeanor, and immediately stepped forward to greet Li Ze with a hug. After a simple blessing, he turned his head and left immediately.

The Timberwolves fans applauded this tough guy. In any case, Jimmy Butler has indeed given his all to come back early and lead the team to the playoffs with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

"Maintain this record, and next season you will still be able to make the playoffs."

Li Ze patted Downs on the shoulder. The newcomer seemed particularly disappointed. He lost the game and lost the data. The playoffs were completely different from what he imagined.

Wiggins was in the most stable mood, and he also took the initiative to hug and greet Li Ze:

"Kayce, you're going to keep defending your title, right? Losing to a championship team sounds better."

Looking at Wiggins with an innocent smile on his face, Li Ze bumped his fists again:
"Of course, we will always win, the championship has always been my goal."

"."

In the Target Center arena, the fans of the Timberwolves still did not leave the stadium. After 13 years, they entered the playoffs. Everyone wanted to feel the atmosphere of the playoffs.

The future belongs to young people, and many Timberwolves fans are already looking forward to the new season!
In the game that ended earlier, at 115:92, the Trail Blazers did not give the Thunder any chance. They also swept their opponents 4:0 and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals.

Although the Trail Blazers once again reached the Western Conference semifinals, Lillard did not show a trace of happiness on his face.

After the game, he hugged everyone in the Thunder team expressionlessly, and then returned to the locker room soon.

CJ-Macklem is the same, the team does not have much joy in advancing, after all, they will meet their old rival Clippers again.
Of course, sweeping their opponents also bought them precious time, and they still have nearly a week to prepare for the game.

The Oklahoma City fans broke their defense tonight. Since Li Ze joined the Thunder in 09, they have never been swept by their opponents.

The championship team fell into such a situation, and Oklahoma City fans on social media scolded the management for being inappropriate!
Pay the money and get beaten, the Thunder have completely failed this season.

龟龟21中7，拿到23分14篮板3助攻5失误；卡梅罗-安东尼18中5，拿到11分6篮板1抢断2盖帽1失误。

The performance of the two scoring 34 points was output by the American sports media after the game.

The star players in the 03 class seem to have experienced a serious decline this season. Wade and Anthony are no longer as brave as they used to be. The old fans who used to watch the game only have feelings.
On April 4, the Clippers returned to Los Angeles. In the afternoon, Jokic invited the chef of the El Cholo restaurant to take charge of the cooking at home.

This restaurant specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine. It has been open in Los Angeles for many years and has many branches. After the official opening of the Intuit Dome, a restaurant opened in Inglewood.

Whenever Fatty Bai wants to change his taste, he will invite the other party to take the spoon to improve the meal.

David West doesn't eat meat like young people, even the signature dish Carne Asada is a taste.

Jokic showed off the roast beef in front of him. The trainers of the Clippers have been prohibiting white fat people from eating that high-calorie Serbian food. At present, they can only use meat to make up for it.

"Kayce, are you really planning to retire? You are only 28 years old, and before the age of 35, you are considered a player's peak period, which is too early."

Everyone in the Clippers knows Li Ze's plan. There is no big mouth in the team. Only the management and players know the current news.

David West has asked Li Ze this question more than once, and Paul George, who was eating hard at the side, also pricked up his ears, and he wanted to continue hugging his thigh.
"I still like basketball very much, but the game can't bring me much sense of accomplishment."

"Without goals, the motivation will be reduced by half. It's time to enjoy life."

Paul George couldn't empathize with Li Ze's words. He enjoyed the game of abuse of food very much, and he felt a great sense of accomplishment!
Compared with losing to LeBron James in the Pacers for many years, the days in the Clippers can be described as a happy life. Paul George is a little hard to understand why Li Ze chose to retire.

"If the veteran clause can be activated in the next contract, I will go home early if I earn enough money. If there is a championship, there will be a dollar. I understand Kayce, life is bigger than basketball."

Jokic had almost finished eating, and he once again agreed with Li Ze's decision.

Harris took a sip of the juice, and he agreed with Jokic's words in his heart. Making money is the most important thing. In this era of tens of millions of contracts flying all over the sky, you must make a fortune first.

"If we win the championship this year, no one can surpass the 8 consecutive championships. Even in another 20 years, no one can break this record!"

Paul George complimented on the surface, but he felt a bit regretful in his heart. He also wanted to win three consecutive championships, but he lost his thigh. Judging from the current lineup of the Clippers, it is difficult to say the championship next season.

Regarding these records, Li Ze just smiled lightly. He ate all the meat, so he should leave a mouthful of soup for other players. He thought silently:
"The championship is there, I hope you can prove yourself again."

There were three games on the night of the 24th. Back at the North Shore Garden Arena, the Celtics lived up to the expectations of the fans.

87:92, defeated the opponent with difficulty, got the match point, and the big score of the series came to 3:2.

The 76ers who returned to the home court did not give their opponents any chance.

91:104, Embiid returned from injury, 14 of 8, scored 19 points and 12 rebounds, helping the team seal the victory
The big score eliminated the opponent 4:1, and the 76ers successfully reached the Eastern Conference semifinals.

After Anthony bid farewell to the playoffs, Wade followed suit.

The Warriors, who also returned home, did not give the Pelicans any chance.

At 104:113, the five small lineups broke out completely. At 3:19 in the third quarter, the Warriors established the victory in one fell swoop.

安东尼-戴维斯和霍勒迪两人都出场46分钟，一个砍下34分19篮板的大号两双，一个拿到27分10篮板11助攻的三双数据。

The two scored 61 points together, but they still couldn't help the Pelicans win the game. The Warriors, who were blooming more points, once again defeated their opponents with offensive attacks.

The situation of the Western Conference semifinals has been fully released, and the teams in the upper half have easily advanced.

The Rockets vs. Warriors game will officially start on the 28th.

On April 4, America's sports media began to hype LeBron James again.

At 95:98, with three seconds left in the game, LeBron James received a sideline kick from Jeff Green, made a three-point jumper from the top of the arc, and the ball went into the basket at the buzzer!
The Quicken Loans Center arena was completely fried. LeBron James, who won the battle of Tianwangshan, beat his chest wildly, rushed to the technical stage, and shouted:
"This is my horse!"

出场42分钟，24中14，拿到44分10篮板8助攻1抢断1盖帽5失误的准3双数据。

LeBron James, who tried his best, once again won the respect of Cleveland fans!
考验球星成色的比赛中，萌新奥拉迪波还是拉胯了，15中2，最终只拿到12分12篮板4助攻2失误的数据。

The big score in the series came to 3:2, and the Cavaliers successfully got the match point!

The Raptors who returned to the home court did not waste the opportunity. At 98:108, DeRozan and Lowry stopped pulling their hips and helped the team win the battle of Tianwangshan.

The situation in the Eastern Conference semifinals has also become clear, the Celtics vs 76ers, Cavaliers vs Raptors.

The duel between old rivals is about to be staged again!

For everyone in the Trail Blazers, encountering the Clippers is the last result they want to see.

It's just that the top three teams in the West are very strong, and they can only rush to fourth in the rankings.

Compared with previous seasons, the biggest improvement of the Trail Blazers this year is defense.

During the regular season of the 17-18 season, the Trail Blazers allowed opponents to score 106.4 points per 9 possessions, ranking ninth in the league.

The No. 1 Clippers limit opponents to 101.2 points per [-] possessions. In the first round of the playoffs, their defensive efficiency has further improved.

On the offensive end, the Trail Blazers are only in the mid-range position this season. During the regular season, they scored 109.1 points per 15 possessions, ranking [-]th in the league.

The No. 1 Clippers can score 116.8 points per [-] rounds, truly integrating offense and defense.

From the data point of view, the strength gap between the two teams is obvious.

Coach Stotts did not give the players a holiday these two days. Everyone watched the game between the Clippers and Timberwolves repeatedly, and as a result, their mentality exploded.
On the morning of the 26th, during the Trail Blazers video class, Lillard watched Li Ze continue to attack Jimmy Butler and score consecutive points. For a while, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and the experience of being swept in the past appeared in his mind.

Nurkic is in good form in the regular season. As an important signing for the Trail Blazers, the coaching staff certainly hopes that the big man can perform.

Lillard has been in a low mood during the video class these days, and the coaching staff did make targeted adjustments, but he always felt that these operations were useless.

The mental victory method of self-deception will not work at this time. As long as Lillard thinks of the past experience of fighting against Li Ze, his heart will be very bitter:
"Why you again? Do I have a chance to go further?."

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　　The regular season record can still explain some problems,

　　The Nuggets are well-deserved champions of the Western Conference-. -
　　Today, the code word is weak, and the state is completely absent.
　　Strive for more words tomorrow QAQ
　　
　
(End of this chapter)