NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

50: 41!

Until the end of the first half, Rivers was unable to get rid of his lineup of one big man and four small men, which was being dominated by the Bobcats. This is why the pace of the game was not fast and the success rate was not high for both sides tonight, which is why the Bobcats did not extend their lead.

Even casual fans could see that the Celtics' lineup was being completely dominated by the Bobcats in the final moments of the second quarter, yet Rivers refused to make any substitutions.

His stubbornness has become somewhat incomprehensible.

Everyone simply couldn't understand why Rivers didn't make any substitutions or adjust the lineup.

But Lin Tian understood Rivers' thoughts perfectly.

My buddy finally managed to change his lineup and bring out an awesome five-man team. If he doesn't play on the field for a while, wouldn't that be a complete waste?

What if they suddenly unleash their power and crush the Bobcats?

Unfortunately, after waiting for 4 minutes, Rivers' proud tactical change failed to produce any impressive consecutive attacks. Not only did they fail to crush the Bobcats, they almost got crushed by the Bobcats' big lineup.

"That idiot Rivers didn't even notice our core player who can change tactics at any time." During halftime, Lin Tian first gave the team a good morale boost, and then sat on the bench to teach Stevens a lesson, who looked eager to learn.

"Odom".

“We have Lamar Odom, a guy who can actually play all five positions on the court and find a way to gain an advantage in each one. He’s not some half-baked player who claims to be able to play all five positions; he can actually do it.”

"If you make him the team's leader, the team will most likely miss the playoffs. If you make him the team's second-leader, the team's ceiling isn't very high either. But if you make him the team's third-leader or a lower-ranked player, then he's really versatile."

"There's almost no system he can't adapt to. He can play with or without the ball. He can shoot, drive, cut, pass, organize, and move the ball around. He can face up or back down. This guy can do everything on the basketball court, and he's basically at a passable to good level in all of them."

"Although he doesn't have any one skill that is truly top-notch, he has indeed reached the top in the all-around track. Maybe he will never be an All-Star or make the All-NBA team, and there is definitely no future in playing with him as the core."

"But there are just so many things he can do."

"The Celtics don't have anyone like Lamar, or even the entire league. You could count the number of players as versatile as Lamar on one hand."

"Brad, do you understand what I mean?" Lin Tian said, looking at Stevens. "When it comes to troop deployment, the most important thing is not figuring out what the opponent wants to do, but knowing what you want and what your players can do."

"Making the best use of resources and placing everyone in the position where they can best perform, allowing everyone to bring out their unique strengths, is much more effective than piling up star players, sacrificing each other, and forcing everyone to play together!"

"At the same time, don't force yourself to change your lineup just to match the opponent's lineup. Sometimes, if you can't match the opponent's strength and can't make up for your own shortcomings and weaknesses, then just don't make up for them and play to your strengths."

"As long as your advantages are large enough and your strengths are long enough, your weaknesses will automatically disappear."

“But…” Stevens nodded repeatedly to show that he had learned something, but at the same time he couldn’t help but ask, “But you always try to figure out what the opposing coach is thinking and what tactics they might use next, and you always guess right.”

"Oh, this?" Lin Tian patted Stevens and said, "It's because I'm a genius! There's no one else like me. No one else can play like this, so I won't teach you."

"If you follow my example, you're doomed!"

Is this what showing off is? It's so damn dazzling.

Stevens squinted as he listened to Lin Tian's act, then a bright light dazzled his eyes.

Of course, it's not that mysterious; it's not that Lin Tian's domineering aura was so blinding.

Van Gundy, who had originally walked in this direction intending to chat with Lin Tian, ​​turned around and left immediately after hearing Lin Tian's offensive words.

Then the reflection from the smooth back of his head made Stevens unable to open his eyes.

……

With a 9-point lead, the Bobcats players stepped back onto the court at TD Garden.

Regardless of the outcome of the second half, this will be the Bobcats' final half here this season.

"Neither coach has changed their starting lineup; both sides are still using their most comfortable five-man combination," Miller said quickly after seeing the players step onto the court. "But if the Celtics want to win, they really need to make some changes."

"Mark, if you were Rivers, what would you choose in this situation? What adjustments would you make?"

"Be fiercer! Be more ruthless! Be more vicious!" Jackson said without hesitation, "In the end, the Bobcats as a whole still lack experience. Many of their players have never experienced any big games."

"In the second half of the decisive Game 7, some of them may be afraid, nervous, or overly excited, while the Celtics, as a powerhouse that has just won the championship and has been one of the league's top teams in recent years, have no shortage of experience."

"They'll be even more aggressive, they'll use their experience to fight, and then wait for the Bobcats' young players to make mistakes, wait for the Bobcats to have problems, and then look for opportunities to turn the game around!"

"A nine-point gap isn't too big or too small. If the Celtics have the right strategy and can find their rhythm and play with momentum, then they definitely have a chance to win this game and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals!"

While the two commentators were talking and analyzing, the Celtics had already launched their offensive.

Duncan once again stood firmly in the low post, reaching out for the ball. This time, his movements were noticeably larger than in the first half, and his aura was even more cold and fierce. Yao Ming, who was behind him, was completely blocked behind him and lost his advantageous position.

Despite Yao Ming's best efforts to defend and his attempts to interfere, he couldn't stop Duncan from using his inside footwork to put the ball into the basket.

"Duncan is going all out! He's playing like his life depends on it! We haven't seen Duncan like this in recent years." Miller analyzed again, "If the Bobcats aren't prepared, they're in for a rough time."

"It's foreseeable that the Celtics will launch a series of strong attacks on the inside, and Duncan will start to score repeatedly; he'll be playing like his life depends on it."

"If we don't risk our lives now, we'll never have the chance again."

After Duncan scored a tough basket, the Celtics' defensive intensity increased again. Everyone was on full defensive endurance, and the Celtics' intensity was once again maximized, from rotations to one-on-one situations to help defense!
Finally, Rose's layup attempt was blocked by Howard under the basket with a brutal block, slamming the ball onto the backboard. While still in mid-air, Howard effortlessly caught the ball in his arms. At that moment, Howard truly resembled a ferocious ancient beast.

Howard, holding the ball in both hands, grinned fiercely, yelling at Rose, who had just gotten up from the floor: "Come on, kid! Try challenging my defense again! I'd love to give you another ten or eight blocks!"

"Blue-collar work can be this enjoyable." Rose muttered coldly and expressionlessly before turning around and quickly returning to defense.

asshole!

What kind of blue-collar work?

Howard felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, and he couldn't wait to show the Lynx team what it meant to have explosive physical abilities like a monster.

I'm going to score!
It wasn't a free throw that resulted in a goal; it was a goal scored from open play!
Howard has yet to score a single field goal; all his points come from free throws, and not the kind of free throws that are drawn.

Every time he took a free throw, the Bobcats players wanted nothing more than to smash him like a clay pot in a stress-relieving shop.

He was depressed, extremely depressed.

During halftime, Rivers' pep talk calmed Howard down a bit, but in the first possession of the third quarter, Rose's expressionless trash talk reignited Howard's anger.

"Calm down. They just want to make you angry, to make you do something irrational." After Howard passed the ball to Parker, Duncan reached out and pressed Howard's shoulder, comforting him, "If you get angry and act rashly, you'll fall into their trap."

Howard shrugged, ignored Duncan, and ran straight towards the frontcourt.

This perpetually immature guy, despite having played in the NBA for six years, still has the same mentality as when he first entered the NBA six years ago.

In the frontcourt, Duncan once again called for the ball in the low post for a one-on-one attack, observing the situation on the court while looking for a suitable opportunity.

He intended to set up Howard for this play, wanting to make Howard happy. So after a quick observation, Duncan dribbled rapidly from the baseline towards the center line, then suddenly executed a lightning-fast spin move, brushing past Yao Ming, and then raised the ball high into the air with both hands, successfully faking Yao Ming's movement.

Then Duncan took a step forward, pretending to go for a layup, while Boozer's help defense arrived in a flash.

Duncan immediately made a low pass to Howard behind Boozer. This was an excellent opportunity. Howard jumped and slammed the ball into the basket. Yao Ming and Boozer had already lost their defensive positions.

Even if they committed a foul, it would be too late.

But who knows what Howard was thinking at that moment? He was clearly lost in thought.

After receiving Duncan's pass, he didn't immediately dunk. Instead, he hesitated for a moment, almost dropping the ball. Then, as was his habit, he slammed the ball to the ground before taking a step and jumping.

If the Bobcats were using their standard defensive strategy, this delay wouldn't be a problem; he could still easily complete the dunk.

Given Yao Ming's and Boozer's physical attributes and speed, it would have been impossible for them to cover for their opponents and provide adequate defense at that moment.

The problem is, the Bobcats didn't seem to be planning on playing normal defense tonight.

Boozer turned around quickly, grabbed Howard, and pulled him down from the sky.

buckle?
Screw you! Go shoot free throws!
"Hey bro, wanna dunk?" Boozer grinned at Howard, completely unconcerned about his third foul, and said smugly, "After you guys lose tonight, you can dunk all you want in your backyard during the offseason!"

"But don't even think about it tonight!"

"Fuck you! When will this end! FUXX!" Howard, who had been suppressing his anger for the entire half, finally exploded at this moment. He grabbed the basketball with one hand and slammed it to the floor with all his might. Then, cursing, he walked forward and bumped his head against Boozer's forehead.

Are you guys going to play ball or not?

"That's how we play, so what?" Boozer, of course, wasn't going to back down. He raised his head, looking arrogant as if to say, "Go ahead and try it." "But you, if you can't handle losing, then get lost!"

"You don't even practice free throws, and you have the nerve to blame us for fouling you?"

"You think you're right just because you're weak?"

"FUXX! You damn black bastard!" Howard cursed again, and before anyone could get over, he shoved Boozer in the chest.

Boozer was really tough this time, showing no intention of faking a fall. He took a half step back and regained his footing, his eyes still fierce as he glared at Howard: "You wait."

"If you manage to get home unharmed tonight, humph, we'll see."

At this moment, the referee and players from both sides intervened swiftly, quickly separating the two individuals. The referee's whistle blared frantically to keep everyone calm and prevent the conflict from escalating further.

But they were obviously overthinking it.

Everyone on the Bobcats' team knew that Boozer had started the trouble, so they were not only incredibly calm, but they even started joking and teasing each other, while also mocking Howard.

Meanwhile, on the Celtics' side, Duncan put his arm around Howard and kept comforting him in his ear, while Parker simply acted as if nothing had happened, staring at the ceiling as if he were discovering for the first time how many championship banners were hanging on the ceiling of TD Garden.

Although Jackson was a loyal and courageous man who always put loyalty first and was a dangerous individual, he disliked Howard and had no affection for the guy. If Howard were beaten up, he might stand up for Howard out of consideration for his teammates, but now that Howard was clearly causing trouble, he really couldn't be bothered to step forward.

As for the remaining Tony Allen, the youngest and least experienced, and not a troublemaker, he looked around and finally decided to look up at the sky with Parker, studying the retired jerseys and imagining whether his own jersey might be hung there too.

In short, the conflict had only just begun when it ended swiftly for various reasons.

The referees were naturally relieved, but they couldn't help but notice something else.

"There are probably some real conflicts brewing within the Celtics. Maybe they're not serious, maybe they've never been on the surface, and maybe there haven't even been any team conflicts, but their atmosphere is really not good," Miller quickly commented as the referees reviewed the video.

"Maybe the team started to decline after they failed to defend their title last year," Jackson said. "We originally thought Duncan and Howard would seamlessly transition into the torch relay."

"But now it seems that their internal problems are probably bigger and more numerous than we thought. Indifference, everyone is just too indifferent. Maybe apart from Duncan, no one else is genuinely willing to give their all to help or hope that the team will become better."

"Anyway, we've already won the championship, haven't we?"

On the field, in such a simple conflict, the referees naturally gave their verdicts very easily.

Howard received a technical foul and was warned by the referee not to cause any more trouble, so he went back to the free throw line.

He took two free throws first, then Boozer, whom he had pushed, took one, and then the Bobcats inbounded the ball from the baseline, which counted as one free throw and one possession.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two muffled thuds followed, and a frustrated and agitated Howard once again showed off his iron fists at the free-throw line.

“Rookie.” Boozer sneered, looking at Howard, “Do you believe I’m 10 times more accurate with my left hand than you?”

"Shameless." Stevens happened to overhear Boozer's trash talk and muttered, "Isn't this bastard just left-handed?"

Of course, Stevens had something else he wanted to say, but he didn't dare to say it.

That's Buzer, he's starting to look more and more like Lin Tian.

And it wasn't just Boozer; the entire Bobcats team, except for a few quiet types, saw their trash-talking skills improve dramatically this year, putting aside everything else.

Lin Tian could proudly say: This is the only one of its kind in the entire league!
Which other coach can improve the trash-talking skills and logic of the entire team so quickly?
Especially their trash-talking logic: the Bobcats players' trash talk is precise and efficient, without any useless or damaging profanities, curses, or meaningless shouting. In short, it's about destroying someone's spirit.

Every word strikes at the opponent's sore spot, making them feel an incredibly real blow and pain.

In this respect, even the other 29 head coaches in the league combined would not be a match for Lin Tian!
Boozer at the free-throw line didn't care whether Howard remembered he was left-handed or not. He just waved his left hand at Howard, then dribbled, raised the ball, and shot it with his left hand.

"Shh!"

One player misses two free throws, while the other makes one and still has possession of the ball. With this inside and outside combination, it's at least another 3 points!
But for the Celtics, this play wasn't all bad news.

They also have some good news.

In the following games, Duncan seemed to have finally woken up, or perhaps finally made up his mind.

He finally stopped caring about tactics, his teammates' feelings, Howard's motivation, and all those other things.

This guy started calling for the ball in the low post again and again. He called for the ball in the low post almost every possession. Even though he wasn't a complete ball-handling black hole and didn't do it himself every possession, his offensive frequency was much higher than in previous games.

After losing weight, Yao Ming really had few options against Duncan's unreasonable, oppressive, and relentless low-post one-on-one attacks.

His lower body strength is not as good as before, and he really can't withstand a traditional heavy-weight center like Duncan.

"I suddenly remembered, I used to go toe-to-toe with this idiot, didn't I?" Lin Tian watched Duncan score under the basket time and time again in the third quarter and put the ball into the hoop. He suddenly laughed and said, "That was when we were aiming for a 33-game winning streak and he was still with the Spurs."

"They, who are known as the final hurdle, are going all out against us!"

"And then what?" Stevens vaguely remembered this incident, and he could guess that Lin Tian brought it up so proactively because he had won that game. But as the only one on the team who was Lin Tian's designated straight man, he still had to ask.

"Of course we won!" Lin Tian looked at Stevens and understood why Bird always shamelessly asked Carlisle to be his straight man back then; it really felt good to him! (End of Chapter)