NBA: Starting with the undercut by Parker and Bowen

After the game, Yang Lin did not seek out James to tease him again.

He was a little scared!

In the fourth quarter, he clearly saw that LeBron James' eyes were bloodshot, his movements became more aggressive, and he seemed to be getting restless.

LeBron James is pure and innocent, but his elbows and kicks are also historic.

He certainly didn't want to inadvertently become a different kind of predecessor, standing shoulder to shoulder with future Danny Granger, Gordon Hayward, and others.

Otherwise, why would he have only made one open three-pointer in the last quarter before leaving the game so quickly?

It's worth noting that he has already set a record for the most three-pointers in a single Finals game.

At this moment, every three-pointer he makes raises his own record even higher.

His original plan was to make at least two three-pointers in the final quarter.

After all, it's garbage time now, so he has plenty of opportunities to make a move.

Double-digit three-pointers made in the Finals.

Even if a primary school student appears in the future, he will still be able to hold this three-point record.

But things can change.

LeBron James's fierce performance during garbage time in the final quarter forced LeBron to abandon his original plan.

While the record is tempting, safety is more important.

Most importantly, he was worried that LeBron might accidentally trigger his system's random skill—the Army of Justice—and get himself kicked out of the game.

Western Conference Finals: Parker and Bowen; NBA Finals: James.

If that's true, Yang Lin will definitely be torn apart by the media.

James is not like Parker or Bowen; his fans and related media outlets will make a fuss even if it's unreasonable.

You say that I, LeBron James, tried to injure others but ended up getting injured instead, so why don't you intentionally get injured?

Tsk tsk~~

It's a little scary to think about!

Another issue is what if James gets injured and can't continue playing?

Even if the Utah Jazz defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, his fans and related media will absolutely not accept that LeBron James has lost this Finals.

The Cavaliers lost, but I, LeBron, didn't lose.

If LeBron James can play, the final victory will definitely belong to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

What?

The Jazz are already up 2-0?

So what?

Can't you see that LeBron's condition is recovering?

If LeBron James hadn't been injured, he would have been able to unleash his full potential upon returning home, leading his team to four consecutive victories and a comeback to win the championship.

......

For his own health, for LeBron James's health and his own reputation, and for a fair and square victory in the Finals.

Yang Lin felt that nine three-pointers in a single game in the finals was already incredibly impressive.

Is it shameful to share a record with future elementary school students?

It's not shameful.

The future is long; let's leave some room for expectation.

The double-digit three-pointers in the Finals are for the next game, the next season, and the rest of his career.

Hmm~~

Better safe than sorry; safety is of utmost importance.

The finals this year will begin on June 7th, and the specific schedule is as follows:

Game 1, June 7th, Cavaliers vs. Jazz, Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City.

Game 2, June 10th, Cavaliers vs. Jazz, Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City.

Game 3, June 12th, Jazz vs. Cavaliers, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland.

Game 4, June 14th, Jazz vs. Cavaliers, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland.

Game 5, June 17, Jazz vs. Cavaliers, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland (if applicable).

Game 6, June 19, Cavaliers vs. Jazz, Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City (if applicable).

Game 7, June 21, Cavaliers vs. Jazz, Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City (if applicable).

Here we can see that the seven finals games, G1, G2, G4 and G5 were two days apart, while the other games were one day apart.

After Game 2, with a one-day break, the team still needs to move to another venue.

Don't forget, Yang Lin also has three more guaranteed three-pointers to build up his stats, which is equivalent to 900 three-pointers.

This is also why Yang Lin did not seek out James.

He even tried to skip the post-game press conference, so how could he possibly waste time on LeBron James?

Every minute and second he spends now is incredibly precious.

The team held a commanding lead in this match.

Yang Lin also hesitated, wondering if he should save those three sure-fire three-pointers.

But the hesitation was only momentary.

In the third quarter, he immediately took all three-pointers that were guaranteed to be made.

He wasn't a famous star player.

He's just a rookie who's played a few games.

After the finals ended, he had no idea where he would be next season.

He is not qualified to pass the ball.

In the Finals, he needs to make more three-pointers and he needs to put up better numbers.

Every three-pointer he makes on the court will determine his future status on the team and how big a contract he can sign in the summer.

A single three-pointer could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, so Yang Lin felt that it was nothing to suffer a little hardship and fatigue in order to recharge the system.

Not long after Game 2 of the finals ended.

Some media outlets have reported that Cleveland Cavaliers starting point guard Larry Hughes will miss the remainder of the NBA Finals due to injury.

Shortly afterward, the Cavaliers officially confirmed the leak.

The report provides specific details: Larry Hughes injured his left knee in the Eastern Conference Finals but will play in the NBA Finals despite the injury.

Hughes' injury worsened in the second half of Game 2. After a full medical examination, doctors determined that he was not fit to play in the remaining games.

In a people-oriented manner, the Cavaliers officially confirmed that their starting point guard, Larry Hughes, will end his season prematurely.

总决赛，拉里-休斯出战两场：G1登场21分钟，5投1中贡献2分3板；

G2登场20分钟，5投0中贡献0分2板2助攻。

The statistics are appalling, and Cleveland fans and media are practically tearing him apart.

Are you injured or ill?

No possession of the ball?

Fans and media don't care about any of that!

All they know is that you, Larry Hughes, earn over 13 million a year and only contribute 1 point per game in the Finals.

This is simply unacceptable.

If injuries could be used as an excuse, then Kawhi Leonard and Joel Embiid wouldn't have been subjected to such harsh criticism online.

Upon seeing that Larry Hughes' season was over due to injury, Yang Lin sighed and lingered on the news report for a long time.

In later generations, this person became a typical example of how LeBron James haters criticize him for ruining his teammates.

After all, he had just reached his peak with the Wizards last season, averaging an all-around stat line of 22 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.9 steals per game.

He joined the Cavaliers and became teammates with LeBron James.

His stats plummeted to an average of 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, a drop of two levels.

As a long-time die-hard LeBron James fan, Yang Lin felt it was his responsibility to defend LeBron James.

It's not that LeBron James ruins his teammates.

Larry Hughes' playing style is incompatible with LeBron James', so why blame LeBron James?

Without a shot, their ball-handling offensive efficiency is low.

His peak performance was achieved entirely through inefficient padding.

That Washington Wizards team averaged 100.5 points per game, but only four players on the team averaged double figures.

Jarvis Hayes, who is fourth, just barely scored in double figures, averaging 10.2 points per game.

Back then, he, Gilbert Arenas, and Antawn Jamison combined for an average of 67.1 points per game.

None of the three players were very efficient offensively, with a shooting percentage of around 43%.

However, both of them have baskets, which would be a good fit for Larry Hughes.

Hughes' biggest problem after joining the Cavaliers was injuries.

He suffered a series of injuries, including left knee surgery, wrist fracture, and plantar fasciitis.

He joined the Cavaliers in the summer of 2005 and played only about 100 games in two seasons.

If he is healthy, Larry Hughes is an excellent defensive combo guard.

Even if their playing styles don't match James', they can still deliver excellent performances; at most, one plus one is less than two.

So, what ruined Larry Hughes was injury, not LeBron James. (LeBron fans, please calculate your whitewashing costs.)

Larry Hughes' withdrawal from the Finals due to injury did not cause much of a stir in the media.

After all, Hughes' performance in the first two games of the Finals was indeed lackluster.

His absence even sparked some speculation.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer published an article stating, "It's a real shame we couldn't secure an away win in Utah. But we all know that Salt Lake City's climate is a tough challenge for visiting teams..."

"Larry Hughes will miss the next game due to injury, which is actually good news. He was playing with an injury and his performance was really poor."

"If Coach Mike Brown had been able to make the decision to replace Hughes with Daniel Gibson in the first two games, we might have won one or even two games."

"Rookie Daniel Gibson was a surprise for Cleveland in the playoffs. In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, he scored 21 points; in Game 6, he scored 31 points, helping the Cavaliers defeat the Detroit Pistons. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he contributed 16 points; in Game 2, he contributed 15 points..."

「『国王』勒布朗-詹姆斯状态正在恢复。首战14分7板4助攻，他调整的很快，次战就贡献了25分7板6助攻。

"Back in Cleveland, back at home, we have every confidence that LeBron will perform even better."

"Attention! Attention! Full Power LeBron is coming soon, King LeBron is about to ascend the throne."

Despite trailing 2-0, Cleveland media still have faith in their team.

Or perhaps they had no choice but to believe.

The Cleveland media believe;

Utah media outlets are being cautious with their words, given the lessons learned in Dallas.

Other media outlets had little concern, as the Jazz led the series 2-0.

Many who previously favored the Cleveland Cavaliers have changed their tune, especially after the Jazz won both games by a large margin.

The New York Times: "After winning two home games, Utah finally sees the light of the championship after three appearances in the Finals."

The Los Angeles Times: "Legendary players (Karl Malone, John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek) struggled to achieve their goals, while rookies won the championship early in their rebuilding journey. Was the Larry O'Brien Trophy a matter of luck or fate?"

"..."

Even the media outlets associated with LeBron James stopped blindly touting the Cavaliers' championship prospects this year after the Jazz's two big wins.

Espn Sports: "The Utah Jazz currently hold the lead in the Larry O'Brien Trophy race. LeBron James is fighting alone; the Cavaliers need someone to step up."

Some media outlets were simply watching the drama unfold, and some even tried to stir up trouble.

Turner Sports: "The Utah Jazz are highly likely to lift their first Larry O'Brien Trophy. So now, it's time to discuss who will win the Finals MVP, with rookie Young in a favorable position."

"Deron Williams and Carlos, you two are Utah's new duo, the tactical core of the Jazz. Can you tolerate the Finals MVP going to someone else? Andre, you are the true leader of Utah; Mehmet..."

Yahoo Sports: "In the first two games of the Finals, Larry Hughes, with an annual salary of $1336 million, averaged 1 point per game. Cleveland fans, hold on, let's take a look at this year's biggest suckers:"

1. New York Knicks, salary $11725 million, failed to make the playoffs;

2. Dallas Mavericks, with a salary of $8842 million, were upset in the first round;

3. The Los Angeles Lakers, with a salary of $7710 million, were swept in the first round by the Gentlemen's Basketball Team;

4. Portland Trail Blazers, salary $7503 million, failed to make the playoffs;

5. Philadelphia 76ers, with a salary of $6914 million, failed to make the playoffs;

6. Minnesota Timberwolves, salary cap $6914 million, failed to make the playoffs;

The following day, they moved to Cleveland.

Like Salt Lake City, Cleveland is a small football market.

But to be honest, its living environment is much better than that wretched place, Salt Lake City.

Upon entering Cleveland, you can immediately feel the atmosphere of the NBA Finals, with promotional images of Cavaliers star LeBron James plastered all over the city.

June 12, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland.

As the players entered the court, and Jazz players like Yang Lin ran out of the locker tunnel, a huge chorus of boos came from all directions.

Based on the boos and shouts, Yang Lin deduced that he was one of the two Jazz players most hated by Cleveland fans.

That's understandable.

In the first two games, Yang Lin was the Jazz's highest scorer and a key figure in sealing the victory.

Most importantly, he repeatedly insulted LeBron James.

You know, James is Cleveland's darling.

He is the king in the hearts of Cavaliers fans, and the hope to lead the team to break Cleveland's long-standing championship drought.

Another Jazz player that Cleveland fans resent is, of course, the "traitor" Carlos Boozer.

In the second round of the 02 NBA draft, with the 6th pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers picked Boozer by chance.

He averaged 10 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in his rookie season; in his sophomore year, he averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds. Boozer's bright future is clearly visible.

In the summer of 2004, Boozer reached a verbal agreement with the Cavaliers for a six-year, $41 million contract extension.

To show their sincerity, the Cavaliers waived Boozer's third-year team option, making him a free agent ahead of schedule.

Unexpectedly, after becoming a free agent, Boozer went back on his previous verbal promise and instead signed a six-year, $68 million contract with the Utah Jazz.

Frankly, what Boozer did was not ethical.

But that's a difference of $2700 million!

If he comes to the Utah Jazz, he can become the team's core player. Isn't that better than being a sidekick to rookie LeBron James in Cleveland?

Standing on the away team's bench, Boozer looked around the familiar stadium with a serious expression.

Seeing Boozer's unusual mood, Yang Lin smiled and teased him, "Carlos, it seems the Utah Jazz only have the two of us as stars."