blogombal Chapter 536: Round 2 Matchups Confirmed! Another Legend Departs
Chapter 536: Round 2 Matchups Confirmed! Another Legend Departs
Chapter 536 Second Round Matchups Confirmed! Another Legend Leaves the Field!
阿里纳斯场均18.5分4.5助攻，命中率34%，3分命中率29%，另外场均还有5.5个失误。
拉里·休斯场均16分3.5助攻，命中率36%，3分命中率22%，另外场均还有4.5个失误。
When the team's top two players perform at this level of offensive play, the outcome of this series is practically predictable.
The Wizards have lost by an average of 20.5 points in four games, including three games where they lost by more than 20 points.
After a series that was almost brutal, most of the players seemed a bit out of it, with their eyes glazed over.
too difficult!
This series is going to be incredibly tough for them!
What's even more remarkable is that this is Hughes' contract year. In the regular season, he averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. He is not only one of only seven players in the league with 20+5+5, but also ranks second in the league in steals, second only to Lin Tian with 2.8 steals per game!
According to previous speculation, Hughes has a great chance to be selected for the All-Defensive Team this year based on his outstanding performance, and to get a big contract of 6000-6500 million over 5 years!
But after this series of matches, which exposed his true colors, his contract will definitely be reduced. As for how much it will be reduced?
Anyway, Hughes's word doesn't count anymore; it's purely a matter of whether some big shot is willing to generously donate.
Who told him to play so badly in this series?
Generally speaking, the most exciting match in the first round is the battle between the fourth and fifth place teams, because these two teams are ranked the closest and theoretically have very little difference in strength, making their match the most likely to be the most intense and entertaining.
Ultimately, the Nets are fourth because they can't beat the three teams ahead of them, while the 76ers are fifth because the teams behind them are even weaker.
The gap between these two teams, one inside and one outside, is much larger than their actual rankings suggest. After all, the two teams had a difference of a full eight games in the regular season!
In some incredibly competitive years, the difference in wins between the first and eighth place teams might not even be eight games!
And once the series started, it proved that this view was correct. The Nets did not disappoint their supporters, nor did they lose their dignity in the upper half of the Eastern Conference.
In four games, they easily swept aside the 76ers, who had traded away Iverson and were slowly rebuilding, having been passively pushed into this position by the weaker teams behind them.
The Nets will face the Detroit Pistons, the new champions of the East, who have been the top seed in the East for two consecutive years, in the Eastern Conference semifinals!
Finally, there's the Celtics, who first selected Howard with the second overall pick this year and then successfully acquired Duncan in free agency. They were already the second biggest winners in this offseason, second only to the Knicks. This year, they also built a lineup that prioritizes defense, allows very few points, has a very slow pace, and focuses on half-court offense, thanks to their twin towers combination.
The only pity is that no matter how much the team tried to persuade him, Auerbach refused to take on the role of head coach, which slightly lowered the team's potential.
But Auerbach did just as well in management.
Under his leadership, the team became a top team again in just one year!
In the first round of the playoffs against the Bulls, although the Bulls had Ben Gordon, the most prolific scorer among this year's rookies, as well as Luol Deng, Eddie Curry, and other tough players who were gradually finding their rhythm, the Bulls still managed to win the game.
However, the young Bulls found it difficult to break through the experienced Celtics' defense. No matter how the Bulls charged left and right, they were no match for the Celtics.
After the team lost the first three games of the series without putting up any resistance, star player Ben Gordon finally broke out in Game 4.
In this game, he took 11 three-pointers and made 6 of them. In addition, he attacked the basket many times and got a total of 17 free throws, making 14 of them.
That night, Gordon made 11 of 20 shots, scoring a career-high 42 points!
Despite Gordon's incredible performance, the Celtics played with relative ease, responding in the same way they always do.
Duncan put up his signature stat line of 22 points and 11 rebounds, Pierce added 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and rookie Howard contributed a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics' Big Three were firing on all cylinders, allowing them to maintain control of the game.
They maintained their lead throughout, and no matter how much Gordon attacked, the Celtics repeatedly used the simplest and most basic methods to put the ball in the basket.
Pierce's awkward shoulder-shaking mid-range jumper and Duncan's sleep-inducing display of basic skills were impressive, while Howard was full of passion, but his passion failed to bring much change to the team's overall character.
Essentially, this team is quite dull and uninteresting, playing the most pragmatic and efficient basketball, but it's difficult for them to bring any joy or excitement to casual fans.
Both being defense-oriented teams, they are even more boring than the Pistons.
After all, the Pistons may play slowly, but the team's passion is incredibly high, with players like Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Ron Artest almost overflowing with it.
And this team, widely considered the most boring in the league, will face its second-round opponent, the team widely considered the most passionate, entertaining, and offensively insane in the league.
New York Knicks!
This matchup is the most anticipated and talked-about of all four matches in the second round between the East and West.
The four matchups in the first round in the West are more suspenseful than those in the East, and the eight teams there are relatively more balanced in strength.
First up is the game between the top-seeded Phoenix Suns and the eighth-seeded Utah Jazz. The Jazz reached the Western Conference Finals after acquiring Jermaine O'Neal a couple of years ago, but their strength has declined significantly in recent years due to the retirement and departure of veterans, especially Karl Malone.
Although the team acquired Boozer for free this summer, they barely made it to the playoffs thanks to the performance of their two big men. As for when the team can compete for the championship again and recreate the glory of the former Utah Jazz duo, no one really knows.
Facing the powerful Suns, the Jazz only managed to win one game at home in the third game thanks to their advantage and toughness in the paint. In the remaining four games, they were all overwhelmed by the Suns' relentless offense.
4: 1!
The Jazz were swept out of the game by the Suns with a sliver of dignity.
The Lakers, who were second in the West, faced the Spurs, led by young talents LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and established veteran Tracy McGrady.
This matchup was favored by many before it began. The Spurs experienced a losing streak in the middle of the season due to the addition of McGrady, which is why they ultimately only ranked seventh in the Western Conference.
But everyone believes that this team's true level is definitely among the top four in the Western Conference.
Because of this, many people believe that the combination of James and McGrady will definitely cause the Lakers a lot of trouble, and this matchup will most likely go to a sixth or even seventh game.
The Lakers finally secured second place after a hard-fought battle with the Timberwolves that lasted almost the entire season, a result that has been jokingly referred to by many as the "most miserable second place in history."
And now that the series has started, this reputation seems to be firmly established!
In the first game of the series, James relentlessly attacked the paint, leaving his opponent Fisher scrambling for cover and unable to mount any effective response. Fisher was no match for the young James at the point guard position in any aspect.
In his first playoff game, LeBron James played almost perfectly, scoring 29 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists, leaving the Lakers' defense in disarray.
While James dominated Fisher, Kobe was locked in a fierce battle with McGrady. The two traded blows almost evenly tonight, going back and forth.
Logically speaking, the Lakers still have O'Neal. Even if the other players aren't particularly dominant, as long as O'Neal is there, they won't be too passive.
But the referees tonight seemed to have a screw loose, calling two fouls on O'Neal less than four minutes into the game, and then giving him a third foul midway through the second quarter.
Throughout the game, O'Neal's playing time was fragmented due to the officiating, and he only played 21 minutes, scoring just 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds before fouling out.
In addition, Bosh of the Spurs had a hot hand tonight, making 3 of 5 three-pointers and almost hitting mid-range shots with ease. He also racked up a great stat line of 21 points and 10 rebounds in his first playoff game!
With all three of the Spurs' core players performing well, the Spurs pulled off a major upset on the road, winning the first game of the series. This not only gave them home-court advantage and a strong start, but also proved that everyone's assessment of them was correct.
"We're a top-four team in the West. If Tracy had come earlier, I think we could even have competed for the top spot!" After the game, a smug James was a little cocky and made a bold statement in the post-game press conference: "We didn't upset the underdogs or the underdogs."
"This series is a clash of titans!"
Just when everyone thought this series would be incredibly exciting, going back and forth, and even going all the way to a Game 7, the Lakers got serious!
James's bold statement, the team's painful experience of losing the first game, and the barrage of sarcasm, ridicule, and criticism from all sides made the entire Lakers team quite nervous.
With his contract in its final year, Phil Jackson was even more determined; he couldn't let himself be eliminated in the first round at this point!
Change formation!
In Game 2 of the series, Jackson immediately began to change his lineup.
He put Prince in the starting lineup, along with Kobe, Fisher, O'Neal, and Kirilenko, forming a team with one big man and four small men.
Furthermore, he matched Kobe against James, who was not good at shooting but had top-notch impact, and Prince, who was tall and had a long wingspan, against Bosh, who liked to shoot from the outside. Kirilenko was matched against McGrady, the Spurs' highest scorer!
As for O'Neal, Jackson only gave him one task: no matter how many three-pointers the Spurs made, stay under the basket and don't leave. Whoever comes in, kill them!
This tactical change immediately proved highly effective in the second game, with the Lakers' defensive efficiency and effectiveness improving dramatically. James seemed to struggle against Kobe's deliberate decision to give him two steps of space.
His pick-and-roll with Bosh was also overlooked because of his shooting disadvantage. In addition, Bosh couldn't find a good way to shoot when facing Prince, a tall and thin talent. The 03 duo were completely lost in this game. As for McGrady, who should have stepped up at this time?
Facing Kirilenko's tight defense and the Lakers' three-second zone anchored by O'Neal, McGrady had very little to do tonight, and he played terribly.
In other words, in the last game, the three teams collectively dominated and defeated the Lakers on the road.
This game turned into a situation where the three bears infiltrated the Lakers to defend Staples Center.
And these three people's undercover work wasn't limited to just this one match!
Even after returning to San Antonio, facing Jackson's lineup changes and mismatch defense, as well as O'Neal who was no longer in foul trouble, the young Spurs were never able to produce the same spectacular offense as in the first game.
After taking the first game, they lost four straight and were unable to put up any resistance, resulting in a gentlemanly sweep by the Lakers and the end of their season.
In the following four games, James and Bosh were almost completely out of sorts, both of them performing quite poorly. The only one who performed adequately was McGrady, who scored 40 points in the fourth game, but he was unable to break through Kirilenko's defense in the other three games and failed to help the team win even one game.
4: 1!
The Spurs, full of confidence, were eliminated!
Compared to the bold pronouncements made after the first game, the Spurs' departure seems somewhat comical.
It's actually not so bad if they lose to someone else.
But the problem is, they lost to the Lakers.
The Lakers have some real pranksters on them!
"I wasn't as happy as I imagined. I thought I would be really excited after beating the top team in the West, but it just felt so-so. Maybe it's because I was too relaxed?" Kobe threw a boomerang at the media after Game 5.
"Can we make it to the Finals? After the second seed in the West beat the first seed, shouldn't we go straight to the Finals? What? No! No! I can't accept this! No!"
If Kobe only responded with a cold, sarcastic tone, then Shaq went straight for the kill, launching into a stand-up comedy routine during the post-game press conference.
As for the Spurs at this time...
It was quite quiet.
After the fifth game, James didn't even give the Lakers a high-five to congratulate them as is customary. Instead, he left Staples Center with more than a minute left in the game.
Leaving so early, it's naturally difficult for him to attend the post-match press conference.
The Spurs' season is over!
The Timberwolves' star duo faced the declining Sacramento Kings in the first round. Due to injuries and age, the Kings were no longer championship contenders and, like the Timberwolves, couldn't mount any effective comebacks.
Their three-point shooting and firepower might have secured them a win in Game 3 of the series, but that was about it.
The glory days of this team have truly come to an end.
4: 1!
The Sacramento Kings were swept out of the Timberwolves, casting a big question mark over the team's future.
Will they ever be able to come back?
Can they rise again quickly through trades?
Will Peja, Bibby, and Divac still be on this team's roster next season?
All three series in the Western Conference ended 4-1, and what remains is, theoretically, the most intense and fierce matchup of the fourth and fifth series.
The Mavericks and SuperSonics, both offensive powerhouses, certainly did not disappoint.
The Mavericks' Nowitzki and Jason Terry are averaging over 55 points per game in this series, while the SuperSonics' Lewis and Ray Allen are combining for 52 points!
With both sides' top players essentially evenly matched, the outcome of the match will depend on the performance of their role players.
This time, the two sides are evenly matched again!
In the first four games, the two sides played back and forth, each defending their home turf.
In the ensuing pivotal Game 5, the visiting SuperSonics witnessed a breakout performance from veteran Payton! Payton, who averaged only 11 points and 5 assists per game this season, unleashed his youthful energy tonight, scoring a season-high 24 points and 7 assists, leading the SuperSonics to a road victory.
They reached match point and secured a crucial victory!
But then, it was the Mavericks' role players' turn to shine!
Stackhouse and Van Horn, who were acquired last summer, made great contributions in the last two games of the series. Stackhouse came off the bench in Game 6 and scored 31 points, helping the team secure a crushing away victory in a desperate situation.
Then came Game 7 of the series, where Van Horn, who was always ridiculed as a softie and who, despite being nearly 210 centimeters tall, hated and feared physical contact and only liked to shoot, had a breakout performance.
He made 5 three-pointers in the game, including 4 in the fourth quarter alone. Among them was a super long-range buzzer-beating three-pointer with 1 minute and 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter, which he made from two steps beyond the three-point line, over Lewis's defense!
It was this three-pointer that gave the Mavericks a two-point lead, a lead that the SuperSonics were unable to overcome until the end of the game.
They lost Game 7, their most crucial game of the season.
"A loss is a loss." After the game, Payton showed a calmness and release that he had never seen before when interviewed by reporters. He seemed to be relieved and showed a very rare smile to the media.
"They played really well, we couldn't hold on. Congratulations to them, we lost, and I accept it wholeheartedly."
"I hope they can go further! I have high hopes for them."
"Nash is back in Dallas, this matchup is quite interesting. Maybe I'll go see it live and see how the Dallas team deals with Nash."
"By the way, I support Nash winning this year's MVP, not only because he's great, but also because I don't want to see that bastard Lin win the MVP!"
Payton's words and his completely detached calm gave many people a bad feeling.
"Gary, will you be returning to Seattle next season?"
The question caused an instant silence in the room. After a moment of stunned silence, Payton suddenly grinned and said, "No, my career is over."
(End of this chapter)