NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 790 The botched "script" (Chapter without a main character)

On Sunday, May 8, 2011, the Dallas Morning News once again cheered on the home team. Besides the columnists' usual praise for the Game 3 comeback, some sports reporters also expressed their opinions on Twitter:
“Mark Cuban should stay away from the front row and let the players play.”

In their first home game back in Dallas, the Lakers led for three quarters, but a sudden outburst from Lou Williams off the bench caught the Mavericks off guard, leaving them trailing by 12 points going into the final quarter.

At the crucial moment, it was Artest who solved the "trouble," blocking the opponent's sixth man and leaving him on the floor while intercepting a fast break. He also held Iguodala to 1 of 5 shots, scoring only 4 points in the quarter.

An angry head coach, Byron Scott, got into a verbal altercation with Mark Cuban, who was positioned in the front row behind the basket, resulting in both of them being ejected from the game.

Thanks to Peja Stojakovic's phenomenal performance, the Mavericks went on a 20-34 run in the fourth quarter, with Nowitzki's free throws sealing the victory. This controversial matchup kept commentators arguing all weekend.

Mark Cuban, who had benefited from the situation, didn't hide his smugness. Amidst the Lakers fans' jeers, the outspoken owner updated his Twitter:

"Will anyone still laugh at me for signing Meta-Peace? His championship experience has paid off!"

Even Dallas media reporters couldn't stand it anymore. Artest was indeed going too far. Although Barnes on the other side also made Jason Terry fall twice, the referee still favored the home team.

Local sports media outlets are hoping the outspoken owner will keep quiet, or at least refrain from making sarcastic remarks to his face. The opponent also has extensive championship experience, and nobody wants to see any surprises.

At 2 p.m., an hour and a half before the game started, head coach Byron Scott, attending the pre-game press conference, was still very angry when he mentioned Game 3:
"We led for three quarters! If you look back, it's not hard to see that the officiating suddenly changed in the last quarter."

"This is unacceptable!"

Byron Scott's face darkened; the victory that was within his grasp was gone. After Lou Williams left the game in the final quarter, Iguodala went 1-for-5 and Stoudemire went 2-for-6.

Evan Turner and Felton were also missing shots, and Odom was practically invisible, making a crucial mistake at the end that gave Nowitzki the free throws.

The loss was inexplicable, and Los Angeles sports media were complaining. Some even blamed the coaching staff, since everyone was fine for the first three quarters, but the head coach "broke out" at the crucial moment.

When asked if Lou Williams would play in Game 4, Byron Scott, maintaining his composure, gave a stern but affirmative answer:
"Of course, nobody wants to play when they're down 1-3. Luis is a tough guy, and he'll respond tonight!"

"."

The Lakers beat reporters in the audience breathed a sigh of relief; the current backcourt duo of Steve Black and Lou Williams is a good match for their opponents.

No one expected Jose Barea and Jason Terry to perform so well in this series. The Lakers' excellent roster depth has become a liability, as Vujacic and Barnes suddenly slumped.
Unlike Cuban, head coach Rick Carlisle wasn't arrogant. Sitting on the stage, he even joked:

"I think no one will question Meta's role anymore. Basketball is not just a scoring game. In the current playoffs, there are no teams that can match our championship experience!"

Dallas media reporters chuckled, with one commentator jokingly calling the matchup a "New York civil war" since both teams have key players from the Knicks.

In this respect, the Mavericks have the upper hand!
In the past, some people ridiculed the Knicks for producing locker room cancers, but they have completely fallen silent since the start of this year's playoffs. This proves that in the past, any problems were caused by the core players.

Kobe Bryant has been confirmed as a "locker room cancer," while Wade and Haslem are considered to be "jealous," with the two ostracizing the championship forward.

The Mavericks' locker room is very harmonious. There were no internal conflicts after the trade, and the team is even more united than before. Even the Germans have high praise for their new teammates.

The ESPN reporter, clearly with an intention to stir things up, asked a pointed question when discussing the upcoming game:
"Coach Scott believes there were serious problems with the officiating in Game 3. What are your thoughts on this view?"

Referees are also part of the game, and the league assigned Scott Foster, a well-known referee, to Game 4, clearly indicating that the league wanted to see a pivotal Game 5 match.

The rise in viewership in the first round has raised expectations for the league, while the Rockets underperformed in another matchup, making the Mavericks and Lakers the current mainstays of the Western Conference's viewership.

"We're focused on the game at hand. You know basketball doesn't lie. The Knicks have shown us how to handle tough situations in the past."

With a shrug, head coach Rick Carlisle started playing the "riddler" again. Reporters in the audience wanted to get to the bottom of things, but the Mavericks ended the interview session early.

The afternoon game was broadcast by ABC. During the pre-game analysis, Mike Brin, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson praised Artest's role:
"Sometimes in basketball, you have to show your tough side! You have to break the opponent's offensive momentum."

Van Gundy reverted to his former status as a renowned coach, continuing his theoretical discussions, while Mark Jackson, standing nearby, agreed and began making comparisons and criticisms:
“Iguodala is still somewhat lacking as a team leader at times. Although Kobe’s field goal percentage in the fourth quarter was only 28.1%, he never hesitated to go all out.”

“Outside players can initiate the offense better, and Iguodala needs to be more confident and ready to take over the game in crucial possessions.”

Because Iguodala underperformed in the final quarter of Game 3, some fans started reminiscing about Kobe Bryant. However, ESPN quickly proved them wrong by digging up Kobe's performances in crucial moments since the 97 season.

In the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime in the playoffs, when there was a chance to take the lead or tie the game, Kobe's field goal percentage was only 28.1%.

After seeing the stats, Lakers fans stopped feeling nostalgic. No wonder they've never won a championship; they should have traded Mamba, that stat padder, sooner!
The American Airlines Arena was gradually getting lively. Mike Breen, seeing that neither side had changed their starting lineups, reiterated his prediction:

"The intensity of the game tonight will be very high. The Lakers don't want to go back home down 1-3, while the Mavericks have an excellent opportunity. If they get the match point, they will go straight to the conference finals!"

"Considering the other matchup, this year might be the Mavericks' best chance to return to the NBA Finals."

Reaching the conference finals in the NBA is no easy feat, let alone the NBA Finals. Looking back at the history of most teams in the league, one can't help but marvel at how difficult it is to win a championship.

"Oh!!"

At 15:30 p.m., all the Mavericks fans in the arena stood up and cheered, turning the stadium into a sea of ​​blue. Dirk Nowitzki, near the center circle, looked serious; the German seemed a little nervous.

During the jump ball, Tyson Chandler and Ron Artest were still chuckling and exchanging pleasantries with their opponents, while Amar'e Stoudemire shook his head from time to time, seemingly disagreeing with his former teammate's jokes.

When the camera focused on Iguodala, who was wearing a purple away jersey, the new leader was rubbing his hands together with his head down, feeling very guilty about the Game 3 defeat.

As Chandler tipped the ball into half-court, Kidd immediately dribbled up the court. While commentators were focused on Artest, the veteran's performance in the series was actually quite lackluster.
After the screen, Nowitzki bounced out to his right elbow area, received the ball, faked a shot behind the basket, and then released the ball with his left hand and suddenly turned quickly.

Odom was blocked behind by the ball protector, and just as the German was about to overpower him, Iguodala immediately came to help defend from near the bottom corner.

Just as the two were about to close in, Nowitzki calmly passed the ball out. Iguodala made a desperate attempt to defend, but Artest caught the ball in the right corner and immediately launched a three-pointer that swished through the net.

"what!!"

The champion striker, who scored the goal, repeatedly pounded his chest, roared loudly, and glared at his opponents. Meanwhile, Artest didn't forget to make a strong statement:
"Softies from Philadelphia should go home early!"

An angry Iguodala immediately retorted, and head coach Byron Scott on the sidelines started giving instructions loudly again. The first possession was another pick-and-roll between Felton and Stoudemire at the top of the key.

The diminutive Rodrigo Beaubois struggled to get past the screen, while veteran Kidd immediately shrunk towards his left elbow.

Stoudemire received the ball near the free-throw line and was immediately caught by help defense, so he passed the ball to Evan Turner, who got an opportunity on the left wing.

He faked a shot, released the ball with his left hand, and tried to accelerate his drive. Evan Turner was quickly blocked by Kidd and had to pass the ball back, allowing Felton at the top of the key to set a pick-and-roll with Odom again.

Odom received the ball on the outside and decisively took a jump shot from the top of the arc, but missed the three-pointer. Kidd grabbed the long rebound, and cheers erupted again.

As the game progressed, the Lakers, whose outside shooting went cold, quickly fell behind. The Mavericks' zone defense made it difficult for Stoudemire to attack the basket, which led the referees to start blowing whistles soon after.

Iguodala stepped to the free-throw line, letting out a long breath. Amid boos, he made both shots. In the commentary booth, Mark Jackson began comparing the two:
"The first quarter is equally important. Kobe often explodes in the first quarter, and Iguodala still needs to work on that."

"Of course, I would like to give more credit to Iguodala's defense. He is much better than Kobe in this aspect, which greatly improves the Lakers' perimeter defense."

With free throws, the Lakers gradually regained their rhythm. The Mavericks substituted Jason Terry early, and facing the opponent's highly flexible perimeter defense, veteran Kidd seemed powerless.
The Mavericks, who rotated out earlier, didn't complain about the officiating and, without realizing it, began to shift their offensive focus to the perimeter.

Terry and Peja, who came off the bench, hit three-pointers in succession, and Kidd finally broke through at the end of the first quarter. Barea's several breakthroughs at the end ignited the atmosphere in the arena, and the cheers were nonstop.

In this crucial game, Coach Scott continued to trust Lou Williams, but the sixth man was once again in poor form tonight, repeatedly getting beaten on defense.

In the final moments of the first quarter, Barea drove hard on the left wing, shaking off Steve Black. Before veteran McDyess could even move his feet, the ball soared into the air below the basket.

"Ah!!" Chandler leaped high into the air, scooped up the ball mid-air, and slammed it into the basket with a powerful two-handed dunk over his opponent!

"Barea's performance after coming on was outstanding; this is a championship connection!"

In the commentary booth, Mike Breen loudly praised him, and seeing the two players high-fiving on the court, Van Gundy started praising Kidd again:
"Barea outperformed Kidd in this series, and the Mavericks always dominated the Lakers when a championship-caliber guard was on the court."

After Barnes made the free throw and missed a long-range three-pointer, the first quarter officially ended. The Lakers, who had eight free throw attempts in the first quarter, were still trailing, 24-31.

Before Coach Scott could react at the start of the second quarter, Jason Terry hit two consecutive three-pointers.

When the point difference reached double digits, American Airlines Arena erupted. Haywood, who came off the bench, grabbed consecutive offensive rebounds, and Nowitzki, leading the team, also hit a three-pointer.

Despite Stoudemire's repeated responses, the gap continued to widen with the +2 score.

They brought back their starting lineup early, but Odom and Iguodala went into overdrive, Barea orchestrated several fast breaks, and Terry hit another three-pointer after a series of drives and passes.

When the referee tried to help the visiting team with free throws, the Mavericks were already unstoppable. The basket seemed to have grown twice its size, and Jason Terry and Peja were playing like gods.

With 4 minutes and 56 seconds left in the first half, watching Terry "gliding" through the air, Coach Scott called another timeout. The players on the bench were stunned; the opponent's three-pointers were too accurate.
In the following minutes, the show continued, with Peja and Terry hitting three-pointers. For a time, the Lakers could only try their best to defend, but they were quickly turned into a sieve by the two smaller players.

Iguodala also made a crucial mistake, and with the Lakers struggling to score, the three commentators were speechless. Mark Jackson sighed helplessly.
"When the Mavericks are 7-for-8 from three-point range, they are unstoppable."

With a quarter score of 18:36, the American Airlines Arena erupted in cheers at halftime, and the score was 42:67, effectively sealing the game's fate!
In the following games, Jason Terry and Barea continued their offensive onslaught, with the former hitting three-pointers with unerring accuracy and the latter constantly tearing apart the Lakers' defense after pick-and-rolls.

After Kidd ran into foul trouble, the final quarter became a complete showcase for Barea, who connected with Chandler on several championship runs.

With 2 minutes and 58 seconds remaining in the game, head coach Byron Scott substituted all the starters, and the Lakers' bench fell silent, with Andre Iguodala covering his face with his hands.

As the buzzing of the engines filled the air, Mavericks fans wearing blue cheering T-shirts stood up and cheered loudly. Everyone shouted their hearts out. In the crucial Game 4, they achieved a resounding victory!

With a score of 92-124, the Mavericks now lead the series 1-3 and have a match point in the conference finals.

出场29分钟，14中11，三分线外10中9，罚球2中1，32分3篮板3助攻1抢断2失误，杰森-特里今晚追平了李佑季后赛三分球纪录之一。

佩贾7中7，三分线外6中6，罚球2中1，以百分百命中率贡献21分；
巴里亚15中9，三分线外5中2，罚球3中3，贡献23分2篮板10助攻3失误的两双数据。

While the opposing team was quickly moving through the player tunnel, the three players were all smiles during an interview with ABC. Barea praised the amazing performance of his two teammates, but then changed the subject and shared his championship experience with the camera:
"Metta and Tyson's arrival helped me regain my rhythm. We are big-game players, and no one knows better than me how to win championships!"

"Many commentators have been questioning us, but basketball doesn't lie. 20 out of 32 three-pointers is our response."

"."

The number of shots taken was within the Knicks' normal range. Mark Jackson, who was reviewing the stats, was speechless. With a 62.5% three-point shooting percentage, the Lakers' loss tonight was well-deserved.
"This Mavericks team reminds me of the Knicks, a championship team that many young fans may have forgotten about, one that loved zone defense."

The game saw 36 free throws, giving them a 17-point lead at the free-throw line, yet they still suffered a crushing defeat. Van Gundy, also lost in thought, watched Artest still passionately interacting with the fans and subconsciously commented:
"If the Mavericks win the championship, I don't think anyone will question their championship experience anymore. Metta is an excellent player, and it's great to see him rediscover himself."

"Without a doubt, Nowitzki is still the core of this team, but Mehta is the real leader in the locker room. His arrival, along with Tyson, has transformed the Mavericks."

-

On Monday, May 9th, the Mavericks, having secured a match point, became the subject of much discussion among basketball commentators.

The familiar three-pointers, the familiar zone defense—Coach Carlisle didn't hide anything after the game, speaking frankly:
"We've been emulating the Knicks, and we're happy to have taken the series lead, which shows the Mavericks are on the right track."

The Los Angeles Times led a meeting with Odom this morning, noting that Nowitzki's shooting percentage against the Lakers' interior defense in this series has been frighteningly high, exceeding 60%.
Iguodala also faced criticism from fans, who said he only made 5 of 15 shots in such a crucial game, a performance they'd seen far too often, reminiscent of Kobe's Finals performances for years.

While Mamba may not have been up to par, that was the Finals stage. Iguodala, on the other hand, faltered in the semifinals and disappointed the fans!
There was no pivotal Game 5; the Mavericks dominated with a barrage of three-pointers, winning 5 against 8.

At 19:30 p.m. that evening, the Toyota Center was once again packed to capacity. After winning Game 3 and leveling the series, Houston fans once again displayed tremendous enthusiasm for watching the game.

However, after the game started, Rockets fans started swearing, saying that the "Thunder's three referees" were at the free-throw line again!

Durant, who was missing shots, turned pale when he heard the insults. He also wanted to complain about Kevin Martin on the other side, saying that this guy was untouchable tonight.
The two teams had already taken 43 free throws in the first half, with the Thunder leading 23-20. The game ended 51-53, with the Rockets holding off the opponent's onslaught thanks to the outstanding performances of Yao Ming and Martin.

In the second half, both teams' free throw shooting power diminished somewhat. Durant continued to miss shots, while Russell Westbrook completely exploded, and the Rockets' backcourt simply couldn't stop the young player.

In the latter part of the fourth quarter, Yao Ming, whose stamina was waning, had just run back to his half-court when he stopped and saw Westbrook charging in from the top of the key again.
Instinctively raising his right arm, before Yao Ming could jump to block, Westbrook had already crashed into him in mid-air. After the confrontation, he calmly hung in the air, dribbled the ball with his left hand, and scored with a layup off the backboard!

With 96-96, and 1 minute and 09 seconds remaining in the game, the score was tied again.

The crowd gasped as both sides missed their shots one after another until Yao Ming stepped up to the free-throw line again, at which point the cheers resounded throughout the arena once more.

With 1.9 seconds left, the score was 96-98. Yao Ming clenched his fist in celebration, and the Thunder called their final timeout.

On the CCTV commentary booth, Zhang Weiping beamed with joy, the old man taking advantage of this moment to begin discussing the subsequent G5:

"Yao Ming's fadeaway jumper after receiving the ball is unstoppable. Kostic on the other side can shoot at will. As long as the ball is passed to him, he will score!"

"The Thunder lost even with those free throws, and they have no chance at home either. This young team needs a few more years to develop."

Yang Jian, however, didn't take out a loan. He remained very cautious, helping viewers analyze the final defensive play. After Yao Ming was substituted and the team displayed good mobility, he praised the lineup, saying:

"Coach Adelman will not give the opponent any chance."

On the Rockets' bench, Yao Ming frowned slightly when he saw Durant inbound the ball. At that moment, Dragic chased Westbrook and, after setting a screen, pulled and dragged him, forcefully disrupting the opponent's reception of the ball.

Just as a foul was about to happen, Fisher suddenly moved to the left wing. Martin, who was a little careless, tried his best to defend, but Fisher caught the ball and then twisted his body to drift and shoot!

As time ticked away and the buzzing of the engine filled the air, the Toyota Center fell silent in the final moments. Many fans couldn't help but gape as they watched the basketball swirl through the net after hitting the backboard.
Fisher, who had gotten up from the floor, wanted to show off, but he hadn't run two steps before he was surrounded by young people, who all hugged the old fish and shouted excitedly.

Seeing Yao Ming standing on the sidelines with his hands on his hips, and Kevin Martin sitting on the floor covering his face, Zhang Weiping in the commentary booth groaned twice and remained silent for a while. After Yang Jian offered some words of comfort, the old man suddenly sighed:
"The victory that was within their grasp has vanished. Yao Ming did his best, but the Rockets still lack championship experience!"

-

On Tuesday, May 10th, the Miami Herald again called on fans to attend the game in person, with the Heat leading 3-1 and the series ending tonight.

After Rajon Rondo dislocated his shoulder in the third quarter of Game 4, the game became one-sided. Nate Robinson also lost his magic touch, and the Celtics continued to lose after coming off the bench.

Although the Celtics tried to slow down their pace and kept the number of possessions to 70 in two consecutive games, the Heat were unaffected and managed to overwhelm their opponents with fast breaks.

After the game started at 19 p.m., the Heat were on fire. In the first quarter, Wade showed excellent form, and his mid-range jump shot after a pick-and-roll left Garnett with nothing to do.
With 9 of 12 field goals and 7 of 9 free throws, Wade scored 25 points in the first half, leading his team to a crushing victory over their opponents!

The American Airlines Center erupted in jubilation. A double-digit lead of 44-58 had everyone celebrating the victory ahead of schedule.

By the end of the third quarter, the score difference had reached 20 points. During the break, Coach Spoelstra, in an interview with TNT, smiled broadly and repeatedly praised his players' outstanding performance.

Basketball commentators had already begun predicting the Finals matchups. When Spoelstra asked about championship forward Ron Artest, Spoelstra's smile faded. Reflecting on the veteran's performance with the team, he offered a tactful compliment:

“Meta was excellent, he helped Wade grow, it’s a pity he left the team.”

"You know, the Heat are a young team, we want to pursue greatness, and LeBron and Bosh are a better fit for our team culture!"

"."

(End of this chapter)