Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

Chapter 191 First in the League!The Christmas War beat the Heat!The Big Three of Hanging Hammers!
Throughout November, the Sonics lost only two games and went 11-8.

These two games were lost to the lowly Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors, both teams with a winning percentage of less than 50%.

The Pacers did not make too many adjustments to the core lineup in the summer, but the team boss Danny Granger and Dunleavy Jr. both broke out in the game against the Supersonics. They jointly scored 67 points to help the team win the game. An upset.

The same is true for the Golden State Warriors. The second-year rookie Stephen Curry showed his prowess in the game against the Sonics. He made 11 of 8 three-pointers and scored 35 points efficiently. The Sonics lost their second game of the season.

Even so, the Sonics currently rank first in the league with a record of 15 wins and 2 losses. The second place is not the Heat, but the veteran San Antonio Spurs, who started with 14 wins and 3 losses, only one win behind the Sonics.

The Heat's record of 13 wins and 4 losses ranks first in the Eastern Conference and third in the league.

After the start of the game, the Big Three were obviously still in the running-in stage. Except for Chris Bosh who had determined his position as the third leader early on, James and Wade still failed to solve the problem of who is the boss of the team.

Although in the eyes of the fans, the Big Three are the core of this Heat team, there is no need to compete for high and low, but if the problem of ball possession is not dealt with clearly, the Heat with a strong lineup will still have flaws after all, and it is difficult to become an iron bucket.

Although LeBron James has stated more than once in front of the media that he and Wade are brothers who love each other, and that they join forces to win the championship and don't care about the evaluation and discussion of the outside world, but anyone with a discerning eye can see that James is not willing to be the second master. , Sooner or later, he and Wade will compete.

The Chicago Bulls in the East also played very well this year, ranking second in the East after the Heat. Although according to Lu Yong’s previous life, Joakim Noah was missing, but they signed Boozer and Al Jefferson one after another in the summer. After becoming a champion, the overall strength of the Bulls has been greatly improved, and it has become a force that cannot be underestimated in the East.

08年状元郎德里克-罗斯同样进步明显，开赛后场均25分4篮板8助攻1抢断的数据排在MVP榜第四。如果公牛接下来的战绩能一路蹿升，罗斯将成为杜兰特今年竞争MVP的最大对手。

The Celtics, who were supposed to be the first team to win the championship, are very hip this season. Their record is not as good as the Supersonics, Spurs, Heat, Bulls, Lakers and Mavericks. They only rank 7th in the league, and the other three teams in the top ten The teams are Magic, Hornets and Denver Nuggets.

The negotiations between the Knicks and the Nuggets have entered the final decision-making stage, and the time for Anthony to airborne in New York is getting closer and closer. Even though the Nuggets have a good record after the start of the game, people have never regarded this team as a favorite , To reach the playoffs is considered a success.

On the other hand, Knicks fans have become extremely excited recently, imagining that after Anthony joins, he can lead the team to fight against the Big Three of the Heat and help the team return to the finals.

The overall level of the Eastern Conference is much stronger than last season. If there are teams that become stronger, there will naturally be teams that will lie down. After all, the number of seats in the playoffs is limited. Every season, 7 teams are destined to miss the playoffs.

The most affected is the Philadelphia 76ers led by Iverson. Their record is a mess, ranking No. 11 in the East before the four bad teams Cavaliers, Raptors, Wizards and Nets.

The 76ers' lineup this season is actually not too bad. There are Iverson, Brand, Iguodala, Jrue Holiday, Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner, etc. There are many champions, but the team coach Doug Collins's picky feet and old-fashioned coaching style are incompatible with this group of young people. With him in this team, there is no way to save them. They can only rely on the stars to win in singles.

After his comeback, Iverson remained in good condition. He was the top scorer of the 76ers, averaging 18.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game. up.

In December, the Sonics' offense was still aggressive.

As of before the Christmas game, the Sonics' record of 25 wins and 4 losses has firmly secured the league's first throne, leading the East's No. [-] Heat by three games.

On the 25th, the league ushered in the annual Christmas battle.

The Sonics will sit at home against the Miami Heat led by the Big Three, starting the first contest of the season.

Before the start of the game, players from both sides waited in the locker room respectively.

James sat in a corner listening to music in a black vest, letting the masseuse relax his muscles, with stress written all over his face.

He is trying to adjust his state to the best, beat the Sonics in a nationally televised game, and revive the prestige of the Heat's Big Three.

Head coach Spoelstra sat next to James and whispered: "Don't be too nervous, LeBron, this is just a regular season scheduled to be held on Christmas Day. There is still some time before the championship, even if we It’s not the end of the world if you lose.”

James frowned when he heard the words, and replied with a straight face: "We must not lose this game, otherwise the outside world will drown the team with just saliva, and the public opinion will be very unfavorable to us."

Of course Spoelstra knows what this matchup means to the Heat, but to be honest, he doesn't have 100% confidence in defeating the Sonics. Even though the Big Three are strong, he still feels The pressure is huge, and we can only watch the players perform on the spot.

In the locker room of the home team, Durant also had a serious expression, and did not play with his teammates as usual.

The Big Three of the Heat are a hurdle that no championship team can overcome. It is difficult for Durant to relax before defeating them with his own hands.For him and the Sonics, this is also a game that can only be won but not lost. It is of great significance, and it is not an ordinary regular season match.

The other players sat obediently in their positions, afraid that the coaching staff would blame their playful faces at this time, and they didn't even dare to amplify their voices.

The first to break this suffocating atmosphere was assistant coach Tony Brown, holding a tactical board in his hand, and suggested to Lu Yong: "Lu, we can pinch LeBron and Wade in this game, and the Heat will start with a three-pointer. The shooting is not good, and the output is low. The main means of scoring are breakthroughs and fast breaks. As long as we speed up our return to defense and adopt shrinking defenses in positional warfare, the Heat will not be afraid of advancing and cannot be our opponent. .”

"I agree with Tony's proposal. The Heat seem to have a luxurious lineup this year, but in fact only three of them scored in double figures. The role players have limited abilities. Both James and Wayne scored more than 25+. As long as the team can limit the two James and Wayne to score, The game will be very beneficial to us, and the Sonics have never been afraid of attacking the Sonics." Brooks said.

Lu Yong nodded, and did not reject the proposals of the teaching assistants, because the two guys thought the same as him.

In Lu Yong's previous life, the Spurs defeated the Heat's Big Three to win the championship by shrinking their defense. They sent a big man to guard the penalty area at the basket, and the other four tried to shrink their formation to prepare for double-teaming. Man is nothing less than a disaster.

With a ready-made answer in front of him, even if Lu Yong copied it, he would not be beaten by the Heat.What's more, there is Yao Ming in the Supersonic lineup. When he is 2 meters tall and stands under the basket, even if James rushes in, it will not be easy to score, and his offensive efficiency will definitely be affected.

"Hibert's vertical rule" has not yet been promoted, and Yao Ming's spring has not yet passed. He is undoubtedly a natural barrier against the Heat, and his role as a starter is far greater than that of Noah.

From the moment he signed Yao Ming during the offseason, Lu Yong thought of the scene of the match against the Heat. Unless all the Supersonics play iron, winning is much easier than the Pacers in the East.

At seven o'clock in the evening, players from both sides played, and Barkley and his old partner Kenny Smith were responsible for the commentary.

When introducing the lineup, Barkley was obviously more optimistic about the Sonics winning tonight. "In the new season, all positions of the Sonics have been strengthened. Although Nicolas Batum will miss this game due to a wrist injury, it is not fatal to the Sonics with a strong lineup. The Big Three of the Heat are strong, but the lineup The depth is poor, the second team is difficult to match the Sonics' offense, and tonight's away game is full of pressure, I think the Sonics have a better chance of winning the Christmas game."

Kenny Smith shook his head, obviously not agreeing with his old partner's statement. "Although the Supersonics have always maintained the No. The giants go all out on the court, and the passion of the role players will also be driven. It is not so easy for the Sonics to win the game, and the Heat will never give up easily."

Barkley said with a smile: "Yao Ming has been very brave recently. He not only shoots the ball accurately, but also stands in a high position to support his teammates. His height will cause trouble for the Heat on both ends of the offense and defense. I don't think anyone in the Heat can defend him." Hold him."

Kenny Smith said: "The Heat are really not strong inside. The former All-Star center Ilgauskas has suffered a severe decline in his state. He averaged only 5 points and 4 rebounds per game, but the Heat are the team with the most fast break points in the league. Even the Supersonics can’t match this point. Yao Ming’s weight makes it difficult to run back and forth with the Heat for a long time. Once his physical fitness declines, the Supersonics’ inside advantage will be reduced. .”

Supersonic starting five: Jackson, Mike - Miller, Durant, David - Lee, Yao Ming.

Heat Five: Arroyo, Wade, James, Bosh, Ilgauskas.

Yao Ming won the jump ball and the Sonics went first.

Yao Ming catches the ball at the top of the arc and observes his teammates' running positions. David Lee on the weak side makes an off-ball screen for Mike Miller to help him get rid of Wade's pursuit.

As soon as Mike Miller received a pass from his teammate, Chris Bosh immediately defended him, switching defenses very quickly.

Mike Miller's offense with the ball was mediocre. Facing Bosh, he didn't choose to play hard. He broke through on the right and swayed, and distributed the ball to Durant, who was 45 degrees on the right.

Durant didn't waste the opportunity, and hit a jumper against James, whoosh! 3 to 0.

James seldom took off with all his strength when defending, and stretched out his hand to interfere, but it had no effect in front of Durant with his outstanding wingspan.

This is not the first time the two have played against each other, and they are fairly familiar with each other's playing styles. It doesn't matter if the opponent scores on the head. Whoever can lead the team to win is the key to turning the word of mouth.

The Heat attacked and opened up the formation. Arroyo dribbled the ball across half court and passed it to James who came forward to respond.

James held the ball at the top of the arc and was ready to single out Durant, signaling Bosh to step forward to pick and roll.

Using the pick-and-roll, James went to the right to force his way to the basket, and after being double-teamed, he gave the ball to Wade. The latter accelerated twice while advancing to open up space, facing the "Warrior Saint" Jackson and made a jumper with an emergency stop. 3 to 2.

Lu Yong sat on the sidelines and chewed bubble gum expressionlessly. He was not surprised to see Wade hit him with a mid-range shot. Even if the Sonics defensive lineup shrinks as much as possible, it is impossible to achieve a complete blockade within the three-point line.The Big Three are not vegetarians, and it is not easy to prevent them from scoring, but as long as the Sonics can pinch one of Janeway, it will be difficult for the Heat to win.

Supersonic attack, Lu Yong stood up and shouted into the field: "Increase the frequency of the weak side's screen, run with the opponent, don't stop!"

The players on the field understood, and immediately started to move according to Lu Yong's intention, looking tireless like a group of robots.

Jackson dribbled the ball to the front court and passed it to Yao Ming in the middle. David Lee gave Durant an off-ball screen on the weak side, helping him get rid of James and come out to catch the ball.

After Durant received the ball, he accelerated his breakthrough and went straight to the basket. The ultra-fast first step started to attract Bosh's help defense. Adu jumped up and turned his head to look at the moon, and accurately passed the ball to David Lee who followed up behind him. .

David Lee catches the ball from the left side of the free throw line and makes a mid-range shot. The basketball draws a beautiful arc in the air and hits the net hollow. Whoa! 5 to 2.

When Bosh rushed forward, David Lee had already made a shot. No matter how tall he was, he could only reach out and interfere slightly.

The Heat attacked, James held the ball and went to the right to break through, and after being double-teamed by Jackson, he distributed the ball to Wade again.

Wade played his usual standard this time. Under the interference of Mike Miller's help defense, the shot missed and the rebound was picked up by Yao Ming.

After landing, Yao Ming took a look at the frontcourt, and found that "Martial Saint" Jackson was galloping towards the frontcourt like a leopard. He immediately sent a long pass to instigate a counterattack.

Jackson received the pass by virtue of his height advantage, squeezed away Arroyo with strength and made a fast break layup. 7 to 2.

In the next round, Wade took the basketball from James and made a breakthrough inside. The horns were double-teamed, and he gave Bosh a three-pointer.

However, Bosh's three-point shooting rate this season is only 24%. The open shot goes out of the frame, and Yao Ming gets the rebound again.

"Big Z" Ilgauskas couldn't jump anymore, and Yao Ming, who was tough under the basket, was at a serious disadvantage. He could hardly grab the frontcourt rebounds, so he had to run back and forth.

In the positional battle, Yao Ming supported the ball in the middle, and David Lee continued to cover for Mike Miller on his weak side.

Wade's speed around the pick-and-roll was very fast this time, and he caught up with Mike Miller in time. Seeing this, Yao Ming didn't make a pass, so he took a step to find Durant who came forward to meet him. Ignore the interference with your hands, pull out the top of the arc and advance again! 10 to 2.

Not long after the game was played, Spoelstra asked for a timeout with a dark face.

He realized that the Sonics' offense cannot be prevented by the enthusiasm of the players. He must find a way to make adjustments, otherwise the game will be spent.

Charles Barkley said with a smile: "The Sonics attacked very resolutely at the beginning, and the powerful offensive firepower suppressed the Heat. Durant feels good tonight and is expected to score high points on James' head."

Kenny Smith sighed: "The Heat need to strengthen their own defense, increase the speed of movement behind the screen, and can no longer let the Supersonics shoot down. In addition, the center position is also a problem that the Heat need to solve in the middle of the season. Ilgauskas The current strength is really not good enough, and he is at a disadvantage against Dayao."

At the end of the timeout, the big three couldn't break through the inside line, so they could only float in the mid-to-long distance and use jump shots to cause damage, and they failed to organize an effective offense for a long time.

As long as James and Way break through with the ball, they will be double-teamed. Only Chris Bosh hit a few jumpers in the mid-range, which is useful, but not thirsty.

Without a top pitcher, it is difficult for the Heat to open up space on the field. Compared with the Sonics, they are two extremes, and the playing style of positional warfare is completely different.

The Supersonics are dominant and do not adjust the situation. After the screen, the players catch the ball and shoot, and use the running position to create opportunities.

The Sonics are better than the Heat in addition to the depth of the lineup and the shooting. All the players in the starting five, including Yao Ming, can shoot three-pointers.

As long as there is a slight loophole in the defense, the Sonics players immediately shoot a three-pointer, and the unreasonable offense made Spoelstra's face black with anger.

In the first quarter, the Sonics led the Heat 34 to 21, and the Heat fans in front of the TV fell silent.

In the second quarter, the substitute lineups of the two sides competed, and the supersonic advantage was still obvious.

The Heat sent Chalmers and Eddie House as double guards, and James Jones and Haslem partnered forward. The center was Joel Anthony, who is 2 meters tall and weighs 06 kilograms.

Although the Sonics lacked the titan Batum, the second lineup is still strong, with Jeremy Lin, Budinger, Gerald Green, O'Neal, and Noah on the stage.

When a team has an All-Star caliber on the bench, it's no wonder Phil Jackson couldn't resist swearing in the opener. It feels so fucked up.

Haslem and Joel Anthony's inside offense deviates, not to mention breaking through Noah's and O'Neal's defenses, even normal performance has become a luxury.

The gap between the two teams' bench lineups was obvious. After one and a half minutes of playing, the Sonics extended their lead to 18 points.

Seeing this, Spoelstra had to take Bosh to lead the team and let the Big Three take time to rest.

It's a pity that it's hard for Bosh to compete against the Sonics on his own when he returns to the court. The offensive firepower has improved, but he still can't defend against the Sonics' shots, and the score is always behind.

In the second half, with Durant, Mike Miller, and Gerald Green scoring consecutive three-pointers, the Sonics directly blasted a wave of climax to take the game away.

He made 11 of 6 three-pointers in a single quarter, and the offense was unstoppable.

Under the watchful eyes of fans all over the United States, the Supersonics clocked out of get off work in the three quarters of the Christmas game, 88 to 64, and the game entered garbage time.

In the final quarter, the Big Three continued to play, trying to reverse the game with their personal abilities.

Unfortunately, this is ultimately futile in the face of supersonic speed.

Even if the full bench lineup is played, the strength of the Sonics should not be underestimated, and the difference of more than 20 points is difficult to be smoothed out.

Six minutes later, seeing that the point difference had not been narrowed, the Heat could only take the initiative to call a timeout and send a substitute to give up the game.

James frowned when he left the court. He was unwilling to accept this way of losing, making the Heat look like a team that was not at the same level as the Sonics.

The Supersonic home court atmosphere is particularly enthusiastic. The Heat who defeated the Big Three seemed to have won the championship. They did not regard this matchup as an ordinary regular season at all.

At the end, 114 to 86, the Sonics beat the Heat by 28 points at home.

Among the Big Three, only Bosh performed fairly normally. Among them, James played a disastrous performance. He made 20 of 6 shots, 5 of 1 three-pointers, 6 of 5 free throws, 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. The rate was only a horrible 30%, and he hit 14 irons.

韦德的表现也没好到哪去，18投6中，三分球4中0，罚球4中4，只得16分5篮板3助攻2抢断，命中率33.3%。

三巨头中唯一高效的就是波什，出战36分钟，16投8中，三分球3中1，罚球5中4，砍下全队最高的21分8篮板2抢断1封盖，投篮命中率50%。

On the Supersonic side, Durant's stats of 29 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal are impeccable. If he hadn't clocked out of get off work in three quarters, he would have scored at least 35+ tonight.

Mike Miller made 9 of 5 three-pointers and scored 17 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal. His superb shooting skills made Heat coach Spoelstra cry, and he wanted to get off the court immediately.

首发中锋姚明12投7中，三分球4中2，罚球2中2，贡献18分11篮板4助攻3盖帽，出战27分钟完爆热火内线，妥妥的一手遮天。

(End of this chapter)