Basketball's No. 1 Anti-Fan

Chapter 384 Not Fighting Alone

In the decisive battle, the Quicken Loans Arena was packed.

The importance of this game is self-evident, and the air before the game was filled with tension.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups of both sides were announced one after another.

Celtics: Irving, Bradley, Durant, Horford, Towns

Cavaliers: Hansen, Wade, Covington, TT, Jokic
Stevens was stunned when he saw the Cavaliers' starting lineup.

Malone actually put Wade in the starting lineup.

Before the game, there was no news of any changes in the Cavaliers' starting lineup, and the Cavaliers did a pretty good job of keeping it secret.

However, he could see the purpose of this response, which was nothing more than letting Wade hold the ball and reducing Hansen's consumption at the beginning of the game.

This will indeed have some effect, but not to mention that Wade's form has declined this season, the key point is that if Wade is put in the starting lineup, the strength of the Cavaliers' bench lineup will decline.

As long as he makes proper adjustments to the lineup, puts pressure on the Cavaliers during the transition period from the bench, and forces Malone to use Hansen, the consumption of Hansen will be even greater.

However, after the game really started, things were a little different from what Stevens had expected.

Malone did not let Wade hold the ball to attack. The Cavaliers played a staggered one-on-one tactic, and it was Jokic who held the ball instead of Hansen.

As for Wade, he was looking for opportunities by cutting in without the ball.

Stevens stood up to direct the game, and the Celtics did not double-team Jokic.

Jokic played one-on-one against Bradley, turned around and rushed to the basket, and after confronting Towns, he turned around and made a hook shot.

Hansen's strength has basically reached its maximum, and the tactical changes have only brought about improvements in data, but Jokic has so many more one-on-one tactics this season, and his personal ability has improved greatly.

After the transition from offense to defense, the Cavaliers continued to show changes on the defensive end.

In the previous game, in order to let Hansen unleash his full firepower on the offensive end, Malone used JR to defend Irving, but tonight it was Hansen and Irving who faced off.

At this point, Ma Long's tactical thinking was fully demonstrated.

If we want Jokic to help the team more, asking him to do more on the defensive end will not be very effective, the only way is to let him invest more on the offensive end.

The Cavaliers' series of changes tonight were all based on this point.

Having Hansen and Irving face off can reduce Jokic's consumption on the defensive end, and Jokic can then invest the reduced part on the offensive end;
Substituting Wade is to contain the weak side, so that the Celtics can't force Jokic to pass the ball through weak-side help defense;
Letting Wade play the weak-side containment role instead of Hansen is to allow Hansen to focus only on the defensive end and avoid excessive physical consumption;
Because essentially, letting Jokic attack more is to reduce Hansen's physical consumption at the beginning of the game.

It turned out that Ma Long's tactical adjustment was effective.

Jokic is still underestimated.

He launches mismatched attacks very quickly, and with Hansen and Wade on the strong and weak sides, it is difficult for the Celtics to limit his performance.

Jokic was more motivated tonight than ever before, and he really was exerting all the muscles on his face.

And most importantly, as the game progressed, the initiative of the game changed.

Previously, Stevens played a one-on-one defense, and Malone chose to follow suit, allowing Hansen to break through the Celtics. This idea was correct, but Stevens led it into a quagmire of consumption.

But now, he played the Jokic card, putting the Celtics' interior defense in trouble, and now it was Stevens' turn to be led by him.

Nine minutes into the first quarter, the score was 9 to 20 with the Cavaliers leading.

Jokic scored 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in a single quarter, and played very well.

However, as he entered the substitute rotation, Stevens' frown gradually relaxed.

The 7-point difference is within an acceptable range. Although Hansen's consumption in the first quarter was small, Jokic's consumption was large.

As long as the substitutes can turn the score around and create a evenly matched situation, it will be the same as in Game 4, and the Celtics will have a greater chance of winning.

The lineups of both teams in this section are: Cavaliers: Rose, JR, Korver, TT, Dedmon;

Celtics: Irving, Smart, Jeff Green, Towns, Olynyk

Stevens had substituted Irving and Towns for two minutes of rest in advance, in order to turn the score around in this period, or at least force Hansen to play.

As soon as Irving came on the court, he used the pick-and-roll with Towns to break into the inside and scored against TT's close-range rebound.

Irving was taken care of by Han Sen for almost the entire quarter and didn't score much. Later on, he simply gave up on attacking, but that also meant that he was full of energy at the moment.

In the Cavaliers' offense, Rose and TT played pick-and-roll, and the Celtics directly chose to double-team Rose.

In the current lineup of the Cavaliers on the court, only Rose is a threat in attacking with the ball.

Rose reacted quickly and passed the ball to TT before being forced to stop. However, TT failed to pass the ball to Korver in time after encountering Green's shrinking defense, and his final shot against Green missed.

Towns returned to the basket and protected the defensive rebound, and the Cavaliers' attack ultimately failed.

Looking back, Irving continued to play pick-and-roll with Towns.

This time, Irving's shot missed the basket due to TT's strong interference, but Towns followed up and made a tip-in.

24:27.

After the rotation, the Celtics beat the Cavaliers 4-0, narrowing the gap to 3 points.

Stevens nodded with satisfaction after seeing it. The Cavaliers' bench lineup had little firepower, and as long as the Celtics could score points themselves, they would be able to overtake the score.

Ma Long was also frowning and looking at the court.

It can be seen that he is also worried about this part.

After all, the Celtics' biggest advantage is their lineup depth, and this will be their most difficult stage.

He then turned his gaze to Han Sen who was standing next to him.

If all else fails, he can only go with Han Sen.

"Go, Cavaliers!"

In the midst of adversity, the scene began to be filled with the overwhelming cheers of Cleveland fans.

The advantage of playing at home was also reflected at this time. Rose accelerated through the double-team, and then made a layup before Green could help defend.

This goal was quite crucial.

After seeing this, Ma Long immediately stood up and made new tactical gestures on the court.

Towns received the ball in the low post and played one-on-one against TT. Under the shouts of the defense, he turned around and made a fade away shot.

The Celtics' offensive firepower remains undiminished.

The key for the Cavaliers is to continue scoring.

Rose continued to play pick-and-roll, but this time the person who did it changed from TT to Dedmon.

This should be the tactical gesture that Malone made just now.

Dedmon's advantage over TT is that he has the spatial ability to bounce out, which allows Rose to avoid being trapped in a double-team situation.

Or maybe Malone chose to believe in Rose.

Of course, with the Cavaliers' lineup on the court, he can only trust Rose.

Rose did not disappoint his expectations. He used his speed to beat Olynyk in the mismatch and then broke into the inside to score again.

Even without outside shooting, even if he is the post-injury version of Rose, this breakthrough can still allow him to have his own place in the NBA.

Rose scored 4 points in a row to help the Cavaliers stabilize the situation on the court.

There was only one minute left in the first quarter, and the score was 26 to 31. While the ball was being served in the backcourt, Stevens stood up from the bench and called Smart to the sidelines to give him instructions.

His expression looked a little ugly.

The Cavaliers now have only Rose as a scoring point on the court, but they haven't been able to defend this one scoring point.

If the score remains deadlocked like this with the Cavaliers, the Celtics will be the ones who will feel uncomfortable when their main players return in the second quarter.

You know, Hansen hasn't played much on the offensive end tonight.

Rose's outstanding performance ignited the emotions of the fans at the scene, and the defensive shouts at the scene were overwhelming.

The Cavaliers' defense was very active, and the Celtics' Irving and Towns' offensive attempts did not create any good opportunities.

In the end, Irving could only signal to start a one-on-one game.

The defensive cheers at the scene quickly turned into boos.

Irving's previous remarks have made fans forget his previous contributions to the Cavaliers.

Irving took a three-point shot after shaking.

JR was very focused on defense at this time, and Irving was unable to completely shake him off. It was a difficult shot.

However, with a crisp sound, the ball finally passed through the net.

Irving's personal ability is still strong.

After scoring the goal, Owen spread his hands to the fans at the scene.

Hansen noticed that Jokic subconsciously clenched his fists.

It seems that Jokic is still subconsciously comparing the two.

Smart's strenuous defense blocked Rose's attack.

Looking back, the Cavaliers had a chance to tie the score at the end of the quarter.

This time, Irving directly signaled to move away and play one-on-one.

The goal just now made him realize his good touch, and he was ready to make a concerted effort to equalize the score.

"JR, guard Kyrie!"

However, at this moment, something completely unexpected happened.

Jokic actually stood up and yelled at JR.

Han Sen was surprised by his action.

But soon he smiled with relief.

It seems that his feeling yesterday was correct. It won't take long for Jokic to become a qualified team leader.

Even Irving didn't expect Jokic's shout.

In Irving's impression, Jokic's image is no different from that in the eyes of others. He is just a worker who punches in and out at get off work.

This unexpected shout also caused a slight fluctuation in his mentality.

This fluctuation ultimately led to a completely different outcome for his shot.

Irving's quick stop jump shot from the free throw line went wide of the basket.

The rebound was secured by Dedmon.

The Cavaliers launched a defensive counterattack, and after receiving the ball, Rose stepped on the accelerator and rushed forward.

Stevens shouted anxiously on the sidelines.

Rose finally made it to the frontcourt and forced a layup against Smart's defense.

The two men confronted each other in the air, but Rose showed his top finishing skills after turning in the air and completed a low-hand throw in the air.

The referee's whistle and the sound of the ball entering the net sounded at the same time.

Then Rose, whose attention was focused on the shot, also lost his balance in the air.

Fortunately, there was a photographer who supported him under the basket, so he did not fall directly to the ground.

And after he stood up and saw the ball go in, he also stood up and roared, which was rare.

Since joining the Cavaliers, his last highlight was at the beginning of the regular season.

His condition was average after returning from injury at the beginning of the season, and he was even injured again afterwards. If it weren't for Han Sen's words "this is the only chance in this life", he would really choose to retire.

So this roar was the roar that had been suppressed in his heart for a whole season, and it was also a roar for his own bumpy career.

If this is really his only chance in his life, he is willing to devote his entire career to winning this championship!
When Rose scored the extra penalty, the audience gave him huge applause and cheers.

Although Rose's injuries have a lot to do with his playing style, it is still moving that he can persist after suffering so many injuries and still perform like this in the decisive battle.

And for the Cavaliers, they signed Rose and did not cut or trade him after Rose was injured, so they got enough rewards today.

Rose made the free throw and the Cavaliers ended the first quarter with a 34-29 lead.

The situation that Stevens expected to overtake the score did not occur. Instead, the Cavaliers' morale boosted after the first quarter.

When the second quarter came back, the Celtics continued to deploy their troops. Irving and Towns were substituted off for rest, and Durant and Horford were substituted on at the beginning of the second quarter.

Stevens still didn't give up and wanted to make up for the difference in this substitute transition period.

However, on the Cavaliers side, Hansen also came on the court at the beginning of the second quarter.

Han Sen's early appearance finally made Stevens get what he wanted, but Stevens was a little worried at this time.

Because the momentum of the game is now in the Cavaliers' favor, if Hansen makes a strong effort to widen the gap, the Celtics will become very passive.

Stevens' concerns are not without reason.

As soon as Han Sen came on the court, he started playing one-on-one with the ball.

The only difference is that he didn't play facing the basket, but played one-on-one with his back to the basket.

Upon seeing this, Stevens immediately waved his hand to signal for a strong side double-team. This was not the time to play a war of attrition during the transition period between substitutes.

However, Han Sen turned directly to the free throw line and then rushed to the basket.

The Celtics provided help on the weak side, and at that moment Hansen passed the ball without even looking at anyone.

Following the trajectory of the ball, others discovered that Rose had been cutting into the basket without them noticing.

After receiving the pass from Hansen, Rose made a quick layup before the Celtics could react and scored another 2 points.

Rose's cut-in did not seem to be a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather was part of the tactical arrangement.

Malone did not let Han Sen take over the game, but let him use less physical energy to instigate the team's offense!

Hansen high-fived Ross as he retreated.

After seeing Jokic and Rose take turns to perform, he realized that his previous idea was wrong.

He thought about turning the series into a competition with himself, but in fact, he was not fighting alone.

(End of this chapter)