April 19, 19:00 sharp.
The game officially begins.
The playoffs and the regular season are completely different levels of competition, and there are many cases of the weak defeating the strong every year.
Therefore, for some fans who don't like to watch the regular season, the real game begins now, and the previous regular season is just a warm-up.
To put it simply, the playoffs are the stage for the strong!
A total of 4 games are scheduled on the 19th. The two games in the Eastern Conference are Toronto Rams VS Milwaukee Bucks and Wizards VS Bulls; the Western Conference is Portland Trail Blazers VS Dallas Mavericks and Warriors VS Spurs.
The most popular matchup today is undoubtedly the two-group matchup in the Western Conference, because this is the first playoff game between the first team in the league and the second team in the league this season.
Back to Portland.
In the players tunnel.
"King! King! King..."
Before he walked out, Wang Zelin vaguely heard the shouts of the fans. The closer we got to the exit, the louder the shouting got.
He seemed to smell the smell of gunpowder smoke, and he knew that flames were being sprayed on the court to build momentum for their appearance.
On the big screen at the scene, the highlights of the Trail Blazers' season were played. All the fans stood up and cheered wildly, because they knew that the heroes on the screen would soon appear in front of them.
"Guys are you ready!?"
Wang Zelin turned around and asked the teammates behind him.
"Let's go!"
The second boss, Ade, was the first to answer.
After that, there are Lillard, Batum, Matthews, Jokic, veteran Carter and Garnett...
"Then... let's go!"
The corners of Wang Zelin's lips curled up, and he jumped on the spot twice, stepping on his own brand-new generation of combat boots.
The cheers got louder and louder, Wang Zelin began to swing his arms and rushed out!
Behind him, everyone was running with him. The scene on the court became clearer and clearer, and the cheers of the fans became more and more harsh.
boom--!
The moment they ran out of the players' tunnel, the fanatical atmosphere rushed towards Wang Zelin and the others!
Looking around, large swaths of fans were all raising their arms and shouting, and the entire stadium reached a climax!
"Bo~te~lan...pioneer!"
The on-site DJ continued to roar like a super long standby, which shocked everyone. The time was just right to coincide with the appearance of the Trail Blazers players.
Wang Zelin's blood is boiling, and the atmosphere at the scene makes him gear up. Tonight he wants the Mavericks to feel the terror of the defending champion!
At this time, the starting lineups of both sides appeared on the big screen.
Mavericks: Goran Dragic, Monta Ellis, Chandler Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler.
Little Nash + the remnants of the Golden State Gangster + the fear of having money + King Nuo Tian + the boxing champion!
To be honest, if a team like the Mavericks, especially the second, fourth, and fifth positions, could be in the same state as when they were two or three years younger, it would definitely be a proper championship team.
It's a pity that it can't be replaced!
Trail Blazers: Lillard, Matthews, Batum, Aldridge, Wang Zelin.
Fans are very familiar with Portland's starting five!
Jump ball in the center circle.
Facing the aging boxing champion Tyson, the League of Kings easily put the ball in Lillard's hands.
Lillard controlled the ball past halftime. He knew that although Dragic, his opponent tonight, was not well-known in the league, he was definitely an excellent point guard with good offensive and defensive capabilities.
Not surprisingly, when Lillard controlled the ball outside the three-point line, Dragic quickly followed up. Because the latter has a strong defensive prediction ability, he is a master in defense and steals!
Therefore, Lillard did not dare to handle the ball hastily, because in the playoffs where every point is a must-win, a small mistake may lead to a tragic defeat.
Therefore, Lillard stretched out his hand and called for a pick-and-roll.
So stable!
When Dragic on the opposite side saw this, he also knew that his first defensive test failed. He couldn't help but sigh, how could the Trail Blazers uniform staff be so discerning.
Not to mention Wang Zelin was selected at a glance, Lillard, another older rookie who was also selected in 2012, actually has the potential to become the league's first-line point guard.
No, that's it for now. Lillard, who has been in the All-Stars, won a championship and served as the main point guard of the championship, is already a well-deserved quasi first-line point guard in the league. What he lacks is just the accumulation of honors on the best team. That’s all.
As of now, becoming a first-line point guard in the future is almost a certainty.
Wang Zelin moved forward, and the quality of the pick-and-roll was excellent. Lillard suddenly accelerated and relied on his own speed to break through Dragic!
As soon as he broke through, the boxing champion and Dragic behind him immediately chased back, and King Nuotian in front also caught up, trying to intercept him head-on.
This guy attracted three defenders from the Mavericks with his single breakthrough. Everyone underestimated this Blazers No. 0. He only blocked the path that belonged to his teammate No. 36 because he was shining brighter. His own light.
Some people are destined for the big scene; some people are destined for the big stage!
And Lillard happens to be this kind of person.
Still accelerating, when there was only one step left between Lillard and Nowitzki, who was defending, he suddenly jumped up and quickly threw the ball into the air!
Nowitzki jumped to intercept like a conditioned reflex, but found that his fingers were far away from the rising basketball!
"The ball is crooked!"
Although he failed to stop the ball, he still secretly cheered in his heart. Judging from the flight path of the ball, Lillard's throw was too far off!
If he didn't know, Lillard's original intention of throwing the ball was not to score. The reason why it missed so much was because he deliberately passed the ball askew.
Nowitzki had just landed and when he glanced out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure running past him...
He raised his head in shock, and when he looked again, he saw Wang Zelin rising into the air, grabbing the basketball that had just started to fall, and slamming it into the basket!
"Beautiful alley-oop combination! The most common connection method from the shining twin stars of the 2012 class! With the first goal of the game, the Trail Blazers proved to the world why they were able to win the alley-oop title from the Los Angeles Clippers. The title of the city!”
Wang Zelin's dunks are always so powerful, and the height of the burst is terrifyingly high, which creates an extremely violent beauty that is different from other fancy dunks!
"Tonight, the Mavericks are going to be in big trouble!"
In the chorus of Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, the Trail Blazers scored the first point of the game in the form of an alley-oop, and the morale of the entire team was boosted!
In their view, the Mavericks were nothing more than that. If they hadn't lost one game due to over-contempt in the regular season, they would have definitely killed the Mavericks four times.
But soon, Wang Zelin and the others knew what a big mistake they had made.
Although the Mavericks can't guard against Wang Zelin, Lillard, and Aldridge, can they guard against the pick-and-roll attack of Monta Ellis, Nowitzki, and Dragic?
The answer is no.
Originally, Monta Ellis and Nowitzki's high pick-and-roll was very difficult to guard against. The reason was that Monta Ellis was disadvantaged by his height and wingspan, but his coordination was very good, and he had the ability to dribble when moving at high speed. With the ability to create shooting opportunities at any time, thereby creating opportunities for out-of-position singles.
It is usually difficult for big men to adapt to defense changes, and small men are often half a beat behind in catching up.
In addition, Nowitzki can also be both inside and outside, can make three-pointers and mid-range shots, and can occasionally support attacks, so he cannot leave the ball open and must arrange for someone to defend.
Now here comes Dragic, who is also a good player in pick-and-roll tactics.
In the second half of the season, the Mavericks have been able to maintain steady pressure on teams such as the Thunder and Pelicans. The power of their pick-and-roll offense is evident.
After the first quarter, the Trail Blazers were 25:27, even temporarily trailing the Mavericks by two points.
However, they did not take these two points seriously.
Not only because the point difference is too small, but because in several games in the regular season, the Mavericks have led the Trail Blazers at the beginning, but due to the aging lineup, it is difficult for their battery life to keep up. The Trail Blazers, the further they play, the advantage of their age becomes apparent.
What's more, now is the playoffs where the defensive intensity is even higher. They don't think the Mavericks can last longer than they did in the regular season.
Boxing is afraid of young people, that's the reason.
At the beginning of this quarter, after a few minutes of rest, the main players such as Wang Zelin and Lillard continued to play.
The first trial period is over, now is the real battle time.
The Mavericks didn't dare to beat the main force as hard as the young Blazers. Although they also sent out a lineup of two starters and three substitutes, Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons, together with Lillard and Wang Zelin, The gap between them is a bit big.
However, in terms of substitute players, both sides are evenly matched. Whether it is Stoudemire, Devin Harris, Charlie Villanueva or the relatively young Aminu, they are all veterans with rich competition experience.
Therefore, in terms of substitutes, there is not much difference between the two sides.
Just the two main players, the Mavericks are more than one level behind.
Dallas offense.
Parsons received a pass from Harris in the frontcourt. Facing Garnett's defense, he dribbled low and accelerated to break through.
This is also a typical example of bullying an opponent who is old and weak, as his flexibility and reaction speed are not as good as when he was young.
At this moment, Wang Zelin on the weak side came in.
This season the two sides met four times in the regular season. Whether on the offensive or defensive end, Wang Zelin defeated the Mavericks' interior group every time.
In the playoffs, Parsons also learned the lesson and quickly passed the ball back to Monta Ellis, which was better than letting Wang Zelin directly kill him.
Monta Ellis received the ball from the outside and shot a three-pointer before assisting the defense.
Unfortunately, three-point shooting has never been his strong point. His three-point shooting rate has been around 30% throughout his career, and has dropped to more than 20% for several years.
For example, this year, his three-point shooting percentage is only 28.5%. Among outside players who averaged more than three three-pointers per game in the regular season, he is definitely at the bottom.
Bang!
The ball strikes the iron.
Wang Zelin grabbed the rebound and passed a long pass to Will Barton. The latter caught the ball and flew to the basket and performed a explosive dunk.
"boom!"
A powerful one-handed slam helped the Blazers even the score.
The Mavericks attack again.
Ellis held the ball on the outside and called for a pick-and-roll, but suddenly accelerated halfway when his teammates proposed.
"squeak!"
With one step, Ellis broke through Connett Lee's defense, took the ball to the edge of the paint area, and made a jump shot before Wang Zelin came up to defend.
"Uh-huh!"
Two point hit.
At 29:27, the Mavericks took the lead again.
"This is Monta Ellis. Ellis, who has scored 20+ points in 5 seasons, is the sharpest sharp knife in the Mavericks' perimeter. He should not be underestimated!"
On the imperial court, Zhang Lili also made timely comments.
"To be honest, after Ellis met coach Rick Carlisle in the Mavericks, it was like a sharp sword finally meeting a good scabbard. He finally felt a little bit more comfortable in retracting and retracting it. It’s not like the Warriors did before, who only knew how to attack but didn’t know how to pull back, and could easily hurt others and themselves.” Yu Jia said with emotion.
Trail Blazers offense.
"Snapped!"
Wang Zelin caught the ball and rushed to the basket.
Behind him, Parsons followed.
In front of the basket, Charlie Villanueva just caught Garnett behind him when he noticed Wang Zelin and stood ready.
"Peng!"
Without any hesitation, Wang Zelin jumped up to face Charlie Villanueva.
When attacking the basket, he has become accustomed to using his unparalleled aerial confrontation ability to first push away the opponent and then attack the basket.
Charlie Villanueva gritted his teeth, jumped vertically, stretched out his palms, and tried his best to interfere.
"Peng!"
The two collided instantly, and before the fans could scream, Charlie Villanueva was knocked straight out.
"black!"
With a loud shout in the air, Wang Zelin leaned back slightly and moved his arms wildly to smash the basket.
"boom!"
The basket trembled violently, and the net below seemed to be exploded, and a white spray instantly exploded.
Charlie Villanueva stumbled back after landing and hit the bottom line basket, feeling shocked.
This was not the first time he had faced off against Wang Zelin, but it was the first time that he had been hit so hard in the air like today!
Is this what it feels like to compete directly with the No. 1 center?
At a certain moment, he even felt as if he had hit a large truck passing by, and his whole body was about to fall apart.
At 29:29, the two sides were tied.
On the next attack, Aminu made a three-pointer.
But this guy's three-point ability is like that of Ellis, who is the eldest brother but not the second brother. They are both very eye-catching.
At the basket, Wang Zelin stuck Charlie Villanueva behind him, and used an arm to help Garnett push Parsons outside. The two of them happened to occupy the best landing spot.
"Clang!"
There was another iron shot, and the basketball missed the frame.
Garnett didn't jump and stuck Parsons tightly. Although the Wolf King is old, his static physical fitness is still there.
In a one-on-one situation, almost no one in active service can grab rebounds better than Wang Zelin, let alone a small player who has been messing around in a chaotic team all year round.
"Snapped!"
Wang Zelin successfully grabbed the rebound and turned around and threw it to Lillard.
Trail Blazers, come on.
Right wing.
The "General Patton" in the mouth of many Chinese fans is like a bolt of lightning, always rushing to the front. Will Patton has nothing else but excellent running and jumping ability, leaving behind his opponent Aminu by a long way.
Rushing into the paint, his right index finger pointed to the sky, and his intention was self-evident.
"boom!"
Lillard threw the ball into the air from beyond the three-point line. Will Barton twisted his body outward, caught the pass, and smashed the ball into the basket with all his strength.
The Trail Blazers staged another explosive space performance!
Dallas offense.
Stoudemire gets the ball on the right wing.
This man who once had basically all the offensive weapons at the fourth position, after being devastated by injuries, based on the idea of "joining a championship team", he chose to have his contract bought out by the Knicks this year. Joining is quite suitable for him. of calf.
However, Stoudemire, who performed well in the second half of the schedule, was not very happy in the Mavericks, and even had conflicts with coach Carlisle.
So much so that now, Stoudemire no longer has the championship ambition he had when he first joined the Mavericks!
After a few dribbles, Stoudemire ignored his teammates and took a shot, which naturally ended in a blackout.
Garnett picked off the rebound and immediately found Wang Zelin who rushed out of the three-pointer.
In the end, Wang Zelin went all the way, breaking through the Mavericks' defense as if nothing happened, and completed a one-stop dunk.
Beep!
Carlisle could not bear to be beaten by his opponent into fast-break counterattacks in several consecutive rounds, so he immediately called a timeout.
The Blazers continued to launch wave after wave of fast break frenzy, attracting cheers and applause from the fans in the audience.
Sure enough, Wang never disappoints them!
