NBA: I am a master dealer

As soon as this tweet came out, it once again caused an uproar.

Everyone knows the ingredients of Frank.

But no matter what, Frank is a serious columnist for "FOX Sports" and an authoritative reporter serving basketball current affairs.

result.

Are you licking it up like a duck? Is this appropriate?

Everyone knows how powerful the San Antonio Spurs are, so powerful that even the Warriors need to be cautious, and so powerful that even the entire Lakers can only hold back.

it's good now.

George is injured and Vonleh is banned, but you say that the Lakers are still unstoppable, reaching the finals stage, and even winning a single-core championship are no problem at all.

Isn't this crazy?
Just like the year before last in the Eastern Conference finals when the Heat were 0:3 behind the Cavaliers, Frank's prediction that the Heat would lose 3 to 4 was just as unbelievable.

of course.

Frank's prediction was right that year, but many people also accused Frank of being crazy.

Now that Frank's tweet has come out, it is comparable to the grand occasion back then.

"You really think Xue Liancheng is a god. How lucky are you that the Warriors won the tiebreaker and you didn't have any points in mind?"

"Xue Liancheng scored a crazy 69 points, and scored a superb 35 points in the last quarter to defeat the Warriors. He fought like this and won such a thrilling victory. Do you think he can play like this every game?"

"Winning one or two games is already the limit for this Lakers team. Do you still want to defeat the Spurs in a best-of-seven series? You are really crazy."

"You brag about how Xue Liancheng is doing, but it's your fault if you poop and pee in the street."

"You can only fool your followers."

"I think you are not suitable to be a reporter. You are suitable to be a missionary."

"The Spurs are not as fragile as James. They want to perform a miracle like they did the year before last. How dare you even think about it."

"Xue Liancheng is indeed trustworthy. No one denies this, but brother, this is the playoffs! A best-of-seven playoffs! Tell me, can he be trusted in seven games?"

"I have to admit that Xue Liancheng is indeed awesome, but you have already worshiped him as a god. How dare you defeat the Spurs and then win the championship and be crowned king? How dare you think about it!"

"To put it bluntly, besides Xue Liancheng, who else can be a stable second scoring point for the Lakers?"

"Randall is too immature. At present, he is completely unqualified for the role of second-in-command. Whether on the offensive or defensive end, he sometimes seems very stubborn."

"Clarkson has quite a lot of scoring skills. He knows all the skills, but his body is too thin and he has no ability to score continuously, not to mention his ability on the defensive end."

"James Johnson's physical talent is not outstanding, and he can indeed help Xue Liancheng in the game, but if you treat him as your second boss, it will be too difficult for him."

"Needless to say, Marvin Williams is pretty good as Randall's substitute. If he mainly plays inside, he can't handle it at all."

"Besides these people, who else is there? Who else is more talkative?"

Under Frank's Twitter, all kinds of ridicule came.

But there are also some reasonable ones, analyzing various factors and stating the current situation of the Lakers.

In fact, the contrast in strength between the two sides is very obvious. The Lakers, led by a single core, are difficult to compete with the Spurs.

of course.

Frank's followers are crazy.

Or to be more precise, Xue Liancheng's fans are crazy.

Deep down in their hearts, they actually know that the probability of the Lakers winning the series is very small. They also know that there is a clear gap in strength between the two sides, and they also know that there is no one in the Lakers lineup who can be used in a big way.

But they still want to keep a glimmer of hope.

And Frank was their mouthpiece, speaking out their hopes.

result.

A lot of people say that they are just dreaming, laugh at them for being crazy, and ridicule them for entering fantasy mode?
Then they must jump! There is no doubt about it.

However, they also have their own basis.

"Xue Liancheng has been in the NBA for three years. He has created so many miracles and written so many miracles. This time it is difficult, but I believe in him."

"The reason why faith is called faith is because he never breaks his promise and never disappoints anyone."

"Have you forgotten how arrogant the Cavaliers were when they went 3-0 the year before last?"

"Have you forgotten how you mocked us for not being able to make the playoffs when the Lakers were 13-26 this season?"

"George is injured, and Xue Liancheng said he would lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. Think back to yourselves how you jumped up and laughed."

"What Xue Liancheng said has always been fulfilled. He has never disappointed anyone. Based on this alone, the Lakers have hope."

"The Spurs are indeed strong, but as long as Xue Liancheng is here, there is hope. If they advance, will you use another set of rhetoric?"

"Xue Liancheng slapped them in the face again and again, and they jumped out to ridicule them again and again, so I have nothing to say to them, let's wait and see!"

They firmly support the Lakers for one reason.

That is if Xue Liancheng is still there, there will be endless possibilities.

to this end.

Major broadcasting stations have invited some stars or celebrities to do talk shows, focusing on the topic of whether Xue Liancheng can lead a team to the championship with a single core.

Lowry, who was eliminated, said this: "Frank's prediction does seem ridiculous, but Xue Liancheng is amazing, you know? Before the game whistle blows, that means the game is not over yet. , This is the magical thing about playing against Xue Liancheng.”

Very intuitive and clear.

As long as the score difference is not too big, then you have to pay attention a hundred times in the last minute and never relax at all.

otherwise.

What awaits you will be a huge disaster.

This shows in disguise Xue Liancheng's influence on the game and his deterrent effect on his opponents.

As Lowry said, don't think you've won before the whistle blows.

You need to blow the final whistle to let go of your hanging heart.

Only then can you truly enjoy the joy of victory.

Butler also spoke highly of him: "He has only been in the Eastern Conference for just two years, but he has already made me feel suffocated. You can imagine how scary he is."

That year in Miami, Xue Liancheng led the Heat to a record of 67 wins and 15 losses, breaking the Heat's best record of 66 wins led by the Big Three. At the same time, the Heat ranked first in the league that year.

There is no doubt that the Heat were dominant that year.

Although the process was somewhat tortuous and experienced a wave of big ups and downs, including the Luol-Deng internal strife, and blockbuster deals such as Bosh and Gasol swapping clubs, in the end, he still ranked first in the league and overcame the Golden State Warriors to become that player. Season number one.

The next year he went to New York and led the Knicks to a super record of 68 wins and 14, which once eclipsed the 70-win Warriors.

Although the record is second in the league, the Knicks still played a dominant role. At the beginning of the game, who would have thought that this grassroots team could achieve such results?

There is no doubt that no one is optimistic about it.

Amidst all the negative news, the Knicks achieved a record that exceeded expectations, which is really shocking.

In the past two years, Xue Liancheng has led the team to overcome obstacles, advance all the way, and finally win the championship.

This was Xue Liancheng's two years in the East.

Therefore, Butler's words are not an exaggeration, but a statement of fact.

of course.

Butler added later: "But if he alone wants to cross the San Antonio Spurs, this is a pipe dream."

Irving's evaluation is also intuitive: "He is a legend. He was born for basketball. I would not be surprised if he does anything."

As a true old rival, Owen's understanding of Xue Liancheng is unmatched by others.

They met twice in the series and were humiliated both times.

A 3-4 deficit put them on the pillar of shame, becoming the first team in history to suffer a comeback despite a 3-0 lead in a series. What a shame and humiliation for Chi Guoguo!

And it is a great shame that can never be washed away. Everyone will remember them, and history will remember them.

The second meeting was a 4-0 sweep, and the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team lost face.

But in this series, Irving was injured in the splits in the second game, which seriously affected his condition. Irving's personal scoring average in the series was not as good as Oladipo, so the Cavaliers' defeat was not too surprising.

Surprisingly, the Cavaliers were swept out.

As a member of the Cavaliers' Big Three, Irving participated in the series from beginning to end, so he can naturally deeply feel the terror of Xue Liancheng.

The evaluation he summarized was naturally from the bottom of his heart.

of course.

These shows are just gimmicks, designed to increase popularity and gain traffic.

The public's views on this series between the Lakers and Spurs are actually very consistent.

Spurs 4:2 Lakers is the common prediction.

The Spurs 4:1 Lakers are operating normally.

Only the Spurs sweeping the Lakers 4:0 would be surprising.

As for the Spurs 4:3 Lakers?

Basically, it is unlikely to happen. After all, the scene of Xue Liancheng eliminating the Warriors is still vivid in my mind, it was so bloody.

If we can reach 3:3 and need a tiebreaker to determine the outcome, then the Lakers may have a greater chance of winning.

Because Xue Liancheng's ability to kill the game and determine the outcome of a game is still very trustworthy, or it can be said to be so terrifying that people have to be afraid of him.

If you don't give him a chance, then it'll be fine.

If you give him that chance, anything is possible.

People are still willing to believe Xue Liancheng a little more.

It's just so realistic.

The first game between the Lakers and the Spurs came as scheduled.

The ATT Center Arena was also overcrowded.

As one of the most successful teams in the NBA in the past two decades, it has been active in the public eye for a long enough time, so it can accumulate batches of fans, and it is normal for the venue to be overcrowded.

But their style gives people a very low-key feeling, including the color scheme of the entire arena and the craziness of the fans.

of course.

It may also be that they have witnessed the glory of GDP and have their own background, so they are not shocked by scenes like the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs' lineup: Mills, Emma Green, Leonard, Gasol, Aldridge.

The entire lineup is still very classical, with two big insiders, a serious small forward, and an orthodox 3D player. Point guard Mills is not good at organization.

But this does not affect the Spurs' offense at all.

why?

Because the Spurs pass and cut, pass the ball, and play team basketball, it is really a historical level.

Most of their offensive rounds focus on passing the ball, constantly breaking through, constantly distributing the ball, constantly covering, and constantly completing shots on the move.

This is the essence of team basketball.

It sounds simple, but it's quite difficult to do.

Because team basketball requires you to do what you should and when not to do, it has a set of instructions, and the players are just a part of the machine of team basketball, which requires you to strictly implement it and operate according to the trajectory.

But players are human beings!

Everyone has his own emotions, his own thoughts, his own way of doing things, his own playing characteristics, and his own playing style.

I'm obviously good at running, but you let me play games. How can this work?

Therefore, team basketball emphasizes execution and the coaching ability of the coach.

Many head coaches simply do not have such authority, let alone such courage.

Popovich is one of the few coaches in the league.

He can make superstars obey and become a part of team basketball.

However, in the historical trajectory, Leonard became the first person to challenge Popovich, well... and he succeeded.

This also indirectly broke the myth of Popovich's team basketball.

Lakers: Xue Liancheng, Courtney Lee, Glenn Robinson, James Johnson, Randle.

Same thing.

Compared with the Spurs' traditional lineup, the Lakers' lineup is a pure death five.

The Spurs are the ultimate team basketball, while the Lakers are the ultimate fast player, or the ultimate ball-holding and core player.

The contest between the two extremes is destined to spark a different kind of spark.

Xue Liancheng has quite a lot of experience playing against the Spurs and has won many games, but that was the regular season and this was the first time they met in the playoffs.

In his heart, he was actually ready for a hard fight.

As a result, he was quite surprised when the game started.

Because the Spurs didn't use any early double-attack on him at all! Press ahead! A strategy to increase intensity in advance...

This made him a little confused and couldn't figure out what Popovich wanted to do.

But he didn't think much about it.

Just use the pick-and-roll and step on the accelerator to rush in.

then.

next second.

He realized something was wrong.

After he completed the pick-and-roll, the Spurs switched defense immediately, then made a delay, and then the two sides began to move closer to put defensive pressure on him, and then Leonard took over the task of leading the defense.

Finally, an encirclement was formed.

This……

Deja vu?
Isn't that what the Spurs did to James?

After the idea was clear, when he wanted to pass the ball again, the route was not very good.

Because after they are surrounded, they will gather you in an area, use their hands and feet together, and use their claws to interfere with you to the greatest extent possible.

If Xue Liancheng didn't have dynamic images in his mind, he wouldn't be able to pass the ball in the face of such a defense.

But here's the thing.

Such interference has zero harm to him.

His golden thighs have become immune to him!

Gently throw it high into the air along the edge of the basket.

next second.

Bang!

Randall came in and completed the alley-oop.

(End of this chapter)