NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

There were less than 7 minutes left in the first half.

After the Celtics' starters returned, Duncan immediately went to the low post to receive the ball with his back to the basket. He then tightly guarded Okur and continued his unexciting back-to-the-basket moves, successfully driving to the basket and scoring 2 points with a layup off the backboard.

The gap between the two sides has widened again to 6 points!
Turning around, Lin Tian dribbled the ball and faced the Celtics' defense. This time, he chose to continue his drive to the basket!

But obviously because Duncan is back, the Celtics' defense is even more aggressive, more daring, and more ruthless!
This is because with Duncan there, they are no longer afraid! They know their strongest support has returned, they know the man they can rely on most has returned!

Therefore, they defended more aggressively; they were not afraid of being beaten or having their shots driven into the basket.

Anyway, we have Duncan!
In this respect, Lin Tian and Duncan are the same. As long as the two of them are on the court, whether they get the ball or not or they score, their teammates will feel a sense of security and relaxation.

This is the power of trust!
But this kind of thing is obviously useless against Lin Tian. No matter how fiercely Parker defends, he's still just Parker.
It's not like having Duncan doesn't turn Parker into Bowen.

Besides, even if you really turned into Bowen, I, Lord Lin, am not afraid!

Facing Parker's defense, Lin Tian first observed his teammates' situation, and then decided that he had to take matters into his own hands!

His teammates were all tied up and no one had a good chance, so Lin Tian simply crossed over and put the ball down. Before he could even move his feet, Parker instantly moved a step in another direction, as if he was giving up his position to Lin Tian.

I didn't expect that after all these years of not playing together, my little brother's defense is still so...unspeakable!
"Thank you, Tony!" The well-mannered Lin Tian didn't forget to express his sincere gratitude to Parker while accelerating his breakthrough directly from the space 'given' to him by Parker.

I have to thank him, otherwise what if Parker doesn't give me a pass next time?
Reciprocity is a sign of high emotional intelligence!

Lin Tian charged straight for the basket again, but as soon as he reached the free-throw line area, he found that Howard and Artest had simultaneously collapsed to defend, blocking him tightly in the free-throw line area.

Faced with the Celtics' double-team, Lin Tian had no choice but to pass the ball again. This time, he passed it to Anthony, who was further away. Anthony remembered Nelson's instructions and immediately pulled up and shot after receiving the ball, the mid-range shot flying straight toward the basket.

"Boom!"

Unfortunately, it was still a bad shot!
Anthony was really worn down by Artest tonight; he was completely out of form!
Fortunately, although the Knicks missed their shot, they also managed to stop Parker's drive, causing him to miss another layup.

Unfortunately, the Celtics' defensive discipline was just too good. One player would interfere while four others retreated. As long as the ball didn't fall directly into Lin Tian's arms, they could always successfully limit the Knicks' advance and counterattack!
Seeing that he couldn't launch a fast break, Lin Tian had no choice but to slow down completely and slowly move to the frontcourt. By now, he had pretty much figured out the Celtics' tactics.

At least for this stage, Parker will definitely be holding the front line alone, while Artest and Howard will shrink the middle and be ready to double-team at any time. If Lin Tian tries to force his way through, he will have to face the Celtics' double-team.

If he chooses to pass, firstly, both of them have top-notch defensive awareness and can immediately get back to defend their assigned players; secondly, tonight, whether it's Stoudemire, Okur, or Anthony, they all have a poor shooting night, missing shot after shot.

This allows the two players to provide more thorough and proactive support during defense!
You guys can't score anyway!

This time, Lin Tian once again broke through. It's not worth going into details about getting past Parker. If you really want to know, basically Lin Tian just accelerated hard on the left and successfully broke through!

A forced acceleration on the right side led to a successful breakthrough!

Going straight down the middle... that won't work, Parker's reaction time is too slow, he won't have time to dodge.

Anyway, Lin Tian only needs to use these two moves alternately when fighting Parker, which is basically enough!

After rushing to the free-throw line again, Artest and Howard charged over once more. This time, Lin Tian chose to trust his teammates and give it another try!
Okur received the ball and pulled up for a three-pointer. This time, Howard's defense was too deep, and even he couldn't get there in time to help.

Of course, Lin Tian's direct sidestep to block Howard's path and prevent him from rushing over was also a major reason why Howard was unable to rush over to defend.

Just kidding, you already blocked Okur like that at the beginning of the game. If Lin Tian lets Howard rush over and block Okur like that again, doesn't he have any pride?
"Boom!"

Unfortunately, despite having such an open three-point shot, with the team's star player even setting a screen for Okur, he still missed!
Duncan grabbed the rebound once again, but this time he didn't hold onto it and didn't pass it. Instead, he immediately threw it towards the frontcourt!
"Whoosh!"

Even Lin Tian could only feel a whooshing sound passing by his ears; he knew he definitely couldn't catch up with that ball.

Looking back, I saw Ginobili, who had just rushed to the center circle, grab the ball, change direction, shake off Anthony, and then rush straight to the basket, using his signature snake step to shake off the last line of defense, Smith.

"Shh!"

After a crisp sound, Ginobili scored on a fast break, extending the Celtics' lead!

Another 8 points!

"What is Lin waiting for?" At this moment, Miller, from the TNT commentary booth, asked a sincere question.

Yes, what is Lin Tian waiting for?
Just when his frantic offensive had brought the score within reach, he suddenly started passing the ball continuously again.

These two passes resulted in two missed shots for the Knicks.

“We all know Lin is selfless, willing to share the ball and get his teammates involved in the offense,” Barkley said. “But tonight was different. The Celtics were playing too well tonight! The Knicks were playing too badly.”

"Tonight, Lin Tian must attack! Apart from him, the rest of the Knicks are clearly no match for the Celtics' intensity. If Lin still wants to trust his teammates, the point difference could widen to more than 10 points again at any time!"

"Now, it's time for Lin to be alone for a while!"

Then I'll grant your request!

When Lin Tian dribbled the ball to the frontcourt again, the players on the court could all sense that Lin Tian was different.

Especially Parker!
He sensed a murderous aura emanating from Lin Tian, ​​an aura that almost made Parker want to turn around and call Ginobili to help him defend.

He was alone and scared!
Fortunately, Lin Tian and Parker were old acquaintances, so he wouldn't use the kind of elbowing and shoving tactics he would use on Parker upon meeting him. They had some consideration for each other, didn't they?

But the bad news is that whether Lin Tian uses those or not, Parker can't keep up with him at all!
One more step!
With a clean and decisive step, Lin Tian forcefully drove past Parker. This time, his choice was even more concise and direct. One step inside the three-point line, Lin Tian pulled up and shot!
This area, officially defined as the area between 16 feet and the three-point line, is commonly referred to as the "long two-point line."

Basically, it's the area one step inside the three-point line.

This area is widely recognized as the least efficient, least rewarding, and most difficult to practice in on the basketball court.

After all, if he takes one step back, he'll be three points, and if he takes two steps forward, he'll be almost in the three-second zone.

Whether shooting from beyond the three-point line or a simpler mid-range shot taken from a step further forward, the returns are clearly higher than in this area.

Because of the distance, the score is only 2 points. More importantly, there are no free throw lines, three-point lines, or three-second zones around to refer to, making it quite difficult both in training and in actual games.

Generally speaking, there are two types of people who like to make moves in this area: superstars and lunatics.

Go ask any coach, analyst, assistant coach, or trainer in the NBA—any one of them will tell you: this area is the hardest to practice and the least efficient. If an ordinary person asks these experts whether they should practice shooting from this area, they will all shake their heads and say: "What the hell are you talking about?"

But if top stars like Lin Tian, ​​Kobe, and Jordan ask these trainers if they can practice shooting in this area, the trainers' eyes will light up and they'll say they have a secret manual that will make you invincible!
Why is this happening?

Because this area is difficult to practice, even if you do master it, ordinary players will never have the chance to shoot from this area. If you dare to shoot from this position, and you encounter an old man like Larry Brown, he will criticize you mercilessly, whether you make the shot or not.

If you encounter a typical, strict coach, he'll wait until you miss your shot before criticizing you.

Even for an old man like Don Nelson who isn't particularly strict about discipline, if an ordinary player dares to shoot here, he'll substitute that player in a heartbeat and make him sit on the bench all night.

To reiterate: this area is too risky. If you miss the shot, it's likely to result in a long rebound, just like a three-pointer, making it easy for the opponent to grab the rebound and launch a fast break.

Moreover, the distance is too far and it's only 2 points, so even if you get in, the return is too low!
But as the saying goes, high risk, high reward!
Coaches of most teams generally don't deploy heavy defense in this area. In fact, most coaches, when teaching defense, will tell their players: "Let your opponent shoot from here. Whether it goes in or not, it's because you defended well!"

If someone can force their opposing player to keep shooting in this area, then coaches all over the league will definitely show their tapes to their players as a textbook, teaching them how to force players into this area and make them shoot.

Therefore, most of the time, teams in the league will selectively leave this area open, allowing you to shoot freely in this area.

For the defending side, this approach yields the highest benefit and maximizes the opponent's chances of missing the shot.

However, of course, there are exceptions.

For those superstar players who excel at shooting, they are always surrounded and blocked by their opponents, and they are always annoyed by the opponents' double-teaming and help defense.

At this point, opponents will always force them into this area, making them shoot long two-pointers from 16 feet away, making them shoot in what is widely recognized as the most difficult area to shoot in the NBA.

If a top-tier player can master shooting in this area to perfection, making every shot count, then he has truly mastered an almost unstoppable shooting technique!
It will be very difficult for any team to completely contain this star player; they can only do their best and hope that he misses.

Coincidentally, Lin Tian knew this move.

"Shh!"

With a crisp sound, his long two-pointer went in precisely, scoring another 2 points for the team!
"The game has officially begun, guys! Come on! Let me see what you're capable of!" After scoring, Lin Tian looked at Artest and Howard, who had just arrived from not far away and were trying to double-team him, and said casually, "Let's see who falls first!"

After Lin Tian made that shot, the Celtics' offense went cold again. Howard completely outmaneuvered Okur in his one-on-one under the basket, but he was too far from the rim to dunk, so he could only throw the ball toward the rim in a very strange way.

With that kind of shot, he certainly had no guarantee of accuracy. The basketball bounced off the rim with a 'bang' and was caught by Smith.

But Artest charged at him like a mad dog, baring his teeth and claws around him, making it impossible for Smith to pass the ball immediately. By the time Artest started yelling and retreating, the Knicks had once again lost their fast break opportunity.

It has to be said, the Celtics' move really worked!
Who told you that the Knicks, besides Lin Tian, ​​didn't have another qualified player who could push the ball up the court or pass it well?
That's why they're easily targeted!

"It's alright. If they don't launch a quick attack, we'll fight a positional battle. I can still kill them in a positional war!"

Lin Tian received the ball and dribbled it to the frontcourt. Looking at Parker, he pointed to the spot where he had just made the shot and said, "Still here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Tian suddenly accelerated, took a step towards the three-point line, and then suddenly pulled up and shot.

"Shh!"

With another crisp sound, Lin Tian's long two-pointer hit the target again!

Artest and Howard missed again, and once again could only watch the basketball fly towards the basket and make the shot.

So accurate!
If someone can be this accurate in this area, then he is truly a defender's nightmare.

Of course, whether or not he shoots that long two-pointer, Lin Tian has always been a nightmare for defenders.

His long-range two-point shooting style tonight is probably keeping the Celtics players up at night.

Lin Tian tonight is absolutely formidable; he instills a deep-seated fear in them!

I'm going to teach you a lesson in the most difficult way, the things you most want me to do, and the longest shooting distance, so you'll know the difference between you and Master Lin!

Lin Tian's two consecutive long two-pointers did not change the Celtics' defensive strategy.

This is actually the normal choice.

Let him shoot, let Lin Tian shoot like that, he can't keep shooting like that forever, right?

The Celtics then relied on a pick-and-roll between Ginobili and Duncan, with Ginobili driving to the basket for another score.

Tonight, the rest of the Knicks were completely stunned by the Celtics!

They couldn't score on offense, and on defense, they were truly helpless against the Celtics' endless screens and continuous ball movement.

I can't keep up, I can't keep up at all!
Their defense, which they had worked hard for a year and barely improved to a mid-to-lower level in the league, was so vulnerable in front of the Celtics!
Fortunately, they still had Lin Tian.

The Knicks really relied on Lin Tian's offense to score tonight.

He scored half of the team's points in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, after his teammates failed to shoot accurately or score, Lin Tian unleashed his full offensive firepower.

Moreover, Lin Tian used the method that left the Celtics helpless and powerless.

Throughout the second quarter, he repeatedly blew past Parker and then shot from a position just inside the three-point line!

Lin Tian believed that Rivers must have repeatedly reminded his players before the game: "Let the Knicks shoot in this area, let them shoot whatever they want in this area! So what if they make one?"

Can they keep going?
Lin Tian: Yes, what's so difficult about that?
Throughout the second quarter, Lin Tian single-handedly carried the team's offense when his teammates were almost collectively underperforming and everyone was performing poorly. He almost single-handedly led the team to stay close in the score, not only preventing the Celtics from pulling away but also narrowing the gap as much as possible!

45: 44!

By the end of the second quarter, the score difference between the two teams had dwindled to just one point!

After scoring 14 of the team's 20 points in the first quarter, Lin Tian scored 17 of the team's 24 points in the second quarter!
What drove the Celtics almost crazy was that 10 of those 17 points came from Lin Tian's long two-pointers from 16 feet away!
He made 5 of 6 shots in that area, practically tearing apart the Celtics' defense! (End of Chapter)