After the Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Warriors ended, the fans in Los Angeles were as excited and excited as if they had won the Finals.
The Lakers fans in the stands were cheering crazily, singing and dancing.
Popovich on the sidelines also joined the celebrations of fans and players after recovering from being stabbed in the back by his apprentice Cole.
His plan went very smoothly, and the Lakers and Warriors won their first playoff game very cleanly.
In Popovich's plan, the first game is very important for the Warriors to win.
He has been studying the Lakers and Warriors, the Spurs' two main rivals, this season while in San Antonio.
Popovich actually knows very well how powerful the Warriors are.
However, this team has a very fatal flaw, that is, their head coach, Cole, is not a very prestigious head coach.
Also, this team has too many stars, they are really strong in terms of physical strength, and they are really good in pick-and-rolls. However, they have never been able to integrate.
Let's talk about Kevin Love. In his starting position, he can cooperate with Yi Jianlian, he can cooperate with Curry, and he can also cooperate with Klay.
It seems to be very perfect.
But in fact, Love can only cooperate with one of them. If there are more, it will not work. If you let Love, Yi Jianlian and Curry cooperate together, it will not be that easy.
The Warriors' offensive system is not that three-dimensional.
This shortcoming of the Warriors is no problem for most teams in the league.
Because most teams in the league can't insist on letting the Warriors integrate as a team, they just kill them with a pick-and-roll.
Even without a pick-and-roll, Love and Klay can defeat their opponents with just a few coordinations.
But, the Lakers are different!
The Lakers built by Coach D are different!
Popovich won the big victory in the first game not for other things, but to tell the world that he, Popovich, is not afraid of the Warriors, even if the Warriors put on magical costumes, he is not afraid at all!
If you don’t believe it, you can give it a try and try wearing the magic costume for the Warriors!
As long as the Warriors' head coach is Cole, then he will have enough confidence to defeat the Warriors with this Lakers!
I have to say that Popovich's head start is indeed very powerful.
Especially in conjunction with G1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it is very effective.
Popovich is no fool.
After watching G1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and seeing that those people didn't take action, he knew that those people's background might not be that deep.
James still needs their help.
As long as he shows enough strength, these people will definitely be afraid of him.
After all, helping James reach the finals is their biggest goal.
The finals are their real stage.
If it was just to shock these people, Popovich's move did it.
Those people were indeed shocked by Popovich.
If they had to make a choice between destroying the Lakers and protecting James, these people would indeed give priority to protecting James.
However, there may be some differences from what Popovich imagined.
That is, the big guys behind James are very calm.
“Unless absolutely necessary, we still have to maintain our influence on the two series!
Stay tuned for the next game between the Cavaliers and Celtics! Believe in LeBron! "
"If we lose the next game, we will be 2-0 behind at home!!!"
"As long as LeBron can defend one game at home, we can interfere with the Lakers and Warriors game in the next game!
Believe in LeBron, believe in the new Jordan we chose! "
In the conference finals, they intervene in up to four games.
If James can't win a game with his own strength, then all four games must be prepared for James.
Therefore, how much James can win with his own strength determines their degree of interference in the series between the Lakers and Warriors.
On May 22, 2015, the Cavaliers played away game against the Celtics in G2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Although the Celtics were beaten violently by the Cavaliers in G1 at home, in G2, Celtics fans were still full of confidence.
They have one of the best head coaches in the league in amazing Monty.
They have the strongest lineup in the league, with Paul, James, Big Eyebrow, Gay, Randolph and others.
And this is still home court, there is no reason for them to lose two games in a row at home!
The most important thing is that the Celtics players are united now!
At the beginning of the game, James assisted Paul, breaking through and passing the ball to Paul for a mid-to-long jumper.
Immediately afterwards, James took the lead in pressing the whole court, stealing Lowry and knocking him over.
A foul of this level will naturally not be called.
After stealing the ball, facing Oden who had quickly retreated to the basket, James once again chose to pass the ball. It was still Paul's mid-range shot and he still hit the ball.
Less than 30 seconds into the game, the Celtics used their strong start to beat the Cavaliers 4-0.
In this game, the intensity the Celtics provided to the Cavaliers players was at full capacity from the beginning.
The Celtics fans watching the scene were surprised and screamed.
However, although the Celtics played strong, especially defensively and pressed hard from the beginning, from an offensive point of view, the Celtics played very conservatively in this game.
James started with assists and no strong attacks.
There was no forced challenge to Oden.
Not only James doesn't have it, but neither does Thick Eyebrows or Randolph.
This is a huge hidden danger.
If you say you don't have such a thing as shooting feel, you probably don't have it.
Especially a team like the Celtics whose shooting ability is not that strong and durable.
The Celtics relied on their strong defense at the beginning and offense that dodged Oden to maintain the lead in the first quarter until the second half. However, with 5 minutes left in the first quarter, Irving received Oden's pass under the basket. Double-teaming the ball and hitting three-pointers from outside the three-point line, the Celtics, who had been leading, were finally turned back.
10 to 11!
This was Irving's first three-pointer of the game.
Irving's previous three-pointers were 0 for 3.
In fact, after the game started, the Cavaliers' three-point shooting was not good.
Oden attracts double-teams and has good three-point opportunities.
But after the entire first quarter, the Cavaliers only made 1 of 8 three-pointers, and only Irving made this one.
After the first quarter, the Cavaliers trailed the Celtics by 2 points, 19-21.
However, after the first quarter, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue was not worried at all.
The Celtics stole the Cavaliers five times in the first quarter, with James stealing three times and Gay and Paul once each.
Logically speaking, facing such a strong defense from the Celtics, the Cavaliers would collapse.
However, the Cavaliers did not collapse, they held on, and even took the lead once in the middle.
Not for any other reason.
All because of Oden's intimidation.
Because in the first quarter, Oden blocked 4 shots in a single quarter.
After the Cavaliers took the lead, the Celtics players went up and attacked Oden crazily.
Especially James.
James really can't lose this game.
However, the final result was that after the first quarter, James made 0 of 5 shots and failed to score a single point.
That's it, what else does he have to worry about?
As long as Oden can guard the inside, as long as the Celtics can't have a fast break, even if they steal, they can't get into the position and play slowly, the Cavaliers will just kill the Celtics at will.
Paul is not Durant or Kobe, and his touch will come down sooner or later.
As for Irving, his touch will improve sooner or later.
By then, the Cavaliers will definitely win!
"Having a great center like Oden is reassuring!"
Tyronn Lue is now at ease.
But James was not in such a good mood.
In the second quarter, Oden took a break and James continued to stay on the court.
In just two minutes, James scored 7 points in a row. Without Oden's defense at the basket, Varejao couldn't stop James at all.
This wave of mismatched travel stretched the Celtics' lead to 28-22, a 6-point lead.
This point difference finally made James and the Celtics fans at the scene breathe a sigh of relief.
but!
With 9 minutes and 57 seconds left in the second quarter, Oden came on the court.
The Celtics' nightmare has also begun.
Oden assisted Kevin Martin in a three-pointer.
Lowry stole the ball, and Oden counterattacked and hit a long two-pointer.
Oden grabbed a backcourt rebound and passed a long pass to assist Lowry for a layup.
Oden pushed past James and Thick Eyebrow to grab the offensive rebound and dunked!
In just one and a half minutes, the Celtics were beaten 9-0 by the Cavaliers!
The score of 28 to 22 instantly became 28 to 31!
The Cavaliers' wave after wave of moves allowed the Celtics fans and celebrities at the scene to directly break the defense.
Because now, they finally see it.
James, really can't beat Oden!
Oden is simply James’ chosen nemesis!
As long as James doesn't shoot the three-pointer away, there's no way he can win the showdown with Oden!
It wasn't just Celtic fans and celebrities who broke the defense.
Even the group of people behind James, who expect James to respond to their expectations in this game, are also breaking the defense at this time.
"Farke! Farke!! Farke!!!"
If the initial investment is not too large, if the sunk costs are not too high.
If not, this toy is indeed obedient and conscientious, unlike Kobe and Jordan.
They really want to replace them directly!
Damn it!
A once-down-and-out genius who was severely injured and shocked by Coach D couldn't do it, and it was clear that he couldn't do it!
The second quarter is over.
The Celtics trailed by 8 points 44 to 52 at home.
If it weren't for the Cavaliers' six consecutive free throw opportunities in the last two minutes of the second quarter, the Cavaliers would have collapsed and fell behind by more than ten points.
There is no way, it collapsed in the first half, this is too ugly.
Even if there is no black whistle, we still need to retain some hope for the game between the Celtics and James. We hope that James can shoot in the second half and give James and the Celtics some confidence.
At the beginning of the third quarter, the Celtics were indeed betting on three points, especially James.
If they don't open the three-pointer, they can't beat Oden or the Cavaliers.
However, as soon as the Celtics came up, their three-point shooting percentage was 1 of 7. The more they thought about it, the less it mattered.
Oden, Big Eyebrow, and Gay all missed the shot.
The only one who made a hit was James, who made 1 of 4.
How to fight this damn thing?
The three-pointer was not opened and the game collapsed.
After the third quarter, the Celtics were 18-30 at home in a single quarter, losing by 12 points in a single quarter!
After three quarters, the Celtics were already 20 points behind!
After three quarters of the game, many reporters on the scene were simply stunned when looking at the score on the field.
20 points, 20 points again!
Isn’t this point difference in the conference finals toxic?
"I originally thought the Celtics and Warriors were the two best teams, the two strongest teams. It turns out that the two truly strongest teams are the Cavaliers and Lakers!!!"
"The Celtics and Warriors are both giant teams. Both teams have their own problems, but the Lakers and Cavaliers are more like a whole."
In these two games, these reporters finally saw it.
The seemingly powerful Celtics and Warriors are actually not that powerful. Both teams have many fundamental problems that have not been resolved.
On the Celtics side, although James has confirmed his position as the boss, James' style of play habitually steals Paul's ball rights and compresses the space for Randolph and Big Eyebrow.
James wants the basket.
How could Randolph occupy the basket and not come out?
Therefore, the thick eyebrows need to be pulled out to shoot three-pointers, and Randolph needs to be pulled out to shoot mid-range shots.
This is not the style of play they are most familiar with at all.
Adding up the five star players, except for James, whose playing style has not changed, the other four are all unaccustomed to playing.
Look at the Celtics' head coach, Fantastic Monty, he didn't get up from his seat in these two games.
The game between the Celtics and Cavaliers is over.
The Celtics actually lost 77 to 110 at home, a miserable defeat of 33 points!
In the history of the Celtics, they lost two consecutive home games, one of which was beaten by more than 30 points, which was also very explosive.
So after the game, the whole audience was booing.
So after the game, James didn't even hug his opponent and said hello, and walked into the player tunnel with a dark face.
Even the towel brought by the Celtics ball boy was thrown away by him.
Trailing 0-2 at home.
This is almost equivalent to a death sentence.
And anyone who has watched the game will know that if the Celtics meet the Cavaliers, or James meets Oden, if they can't beat them, they really can't beat them!
In these two games, Irving is not feeling so good. If Irving gets back into shape, the Celtics may even be swept 4-0 by the Cavaliers!
Even Irving has not regained his offensive touch this round.
It is estimated that according to this game situation, the Cavaliers will sweep the Celtics with a high probability.
In Cleveland, after G2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, many Cavaliers fans were ready to display slogans about sweeping James and waiting for James to return to Cleveland.
"There's only one king in Cleveland, and that's Greg Oden!"
After G2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Oden, wearing No. 23, completely conquered Cleveland!
And Cleveland fans finally let go of all their obsession with James.
because!
"We got a better player, a better player than James!"
The G2 between the Cavaliers and Celtics had a great impact and shock on the NBA.
The one who has the greatest impact is naturally Warriors head coach Cole.
The G2 between the Cavaliers and Celtics made Cole feel a deep sense of despair!
He knew it very clearly.
The magic outfit he wants may not be available anymore!
"If you don't change, you will definitely die, but if you change, you still have a chance!"
On the other side, Popovich was very excited.
He knew that he was going to succeed!
"God help me!"
"I can't compare to Coach D in anything, but my luck is definitely better than Coach D!"
In Du Kang's office.
Nash and others were also very excited at this time.
"Coach, we can still reach the finals this year!"
Very optimistic, everyone is optimistic.
but……
Du Kang suddenly frowned.
"Cole..."
Du Kang withdrew his shocked gaze.
"Five little ones!"
"Fake Basketball!"
This is his fifth grade and Fake basketball!
(End of chapter)
