The next day, May 11, the media commented on the two games last night. Their evaluation of the Jazz was not as good as after the G2 game, with some decline, while their evaluation of the Pistons improved.
But the main hot spot of speculation in many media is not these two games, but another topic, which is a topic mentioned by Mark Price at the post-game press conference: If the 1991 draft is rearranged, Zhou Quan and La Who is more qualified to be the No. 1 pick, Lee Johnson?
Most media still insist that Larry Johnson was the best rookie last year. After all, Larry Johnson's performance was also very good. After all, he is an American.
Only a small number of media think Zhou Quan is better. These media are mainly Detroit media, and there are also a few Los Angeles media.
At this time, Larry Johnson was having breakfast at the dining table. After seeing the news, his nose was so angry that he was crooked. Fortunately, most of the media recognized him more, which made him relieved.
After a quick breakfast, he left home and went to the boxing training gym.
His agent had made an agreement with Zhou Quan's agent that they would have a boxing match under professional boxing rules before the new season, so after the playoffs, he hired two professional boxing trainers. Started his own boxing training.
However, neither he nor Zhou Quan is a professional boxer, nor does he have a boxing license, so the boxing match between them cannot be regarded as a real professional boxing match.
He knew that Zhou Quan also had an appointment with the postman, but the details were unclear.
At present, the news of the boxing match has not been announced to the outside world. If it is announced to the outside world, what kind of reaction will it cause from the team and the league? He is a little worried about this, and will it affect his career?
Although he hates Zhou Quan, he doesn't want to ruin his basketball career because of his feud with Zhou Quan. After all, he still wants to make a lot of money. Defeating Zhou Quan will not bring him a superior life, but basketball will. Yes, he clearly distinguishes who is more important and who is less important.
So he has thought it over carefully. When the news is announced, he will decide whether to play or not based on the attitude of the team and the league.
This evening, the second round continued.
Zhou Quan still made an appointment with his teammates to watch the game and found a bar.
After their cars arrived at the bar one after another, they immediately attracted a lot of people. After the media got the news, they also rushed over.
When Zhou Quan arrived, the Assassins and Rodman had already arrived. Rodman was the most active and was the first to arrive. Within a few minutes of sitting down, Joe Dumars and the others also arrived one after another.
The smiling bar manager personally came to receive them and presented them with some fruit plates. Zhou Quan also ordered some fruit wine and drinks, as well as some food.
"Today is my treat, as agreed the day before yesterday," he said.
Rodman immediately quit and shouted: "Iron Fist, when you become the boss, will you treat us to some fruit wine? No, no, no."
He also encouraged others to object: "Don't you think so? At least treat us to a big meal and give each of us a gift."
"Yes, that's how it should be."
Darnell Walker chimed in first.
"Dennis is right, Iron Fist, we are waiting for your gift."
"Yes, if you want to be our boss, you have to bribe us, right?"
"Just so you know, we also have dignity."
Others were all talking and making noises.
"Okay, okay, let's have a big meal another day, and I'll prepare the gifts." Zhou Quan had no choice but to agree.
"Yeah! The blackmail was successful."
Rodman let out a strange scream and cheered with everyone.
After a while of excitement, Zhou Quan asked: "Guess, can the Bulls sweep the Green Team today?"
"impossible."
The assassin first said: "Even if the sweep happens, it is not a real sweep, because Big Bird will not play, and he himself said that Larry Bird will not give Jordan the chance to sweep him."
"Um."
As a good friend, Mark Aguirre immediately nodded in agreement.
He and the Assassins had somewhat similar fates to the No. 2 picks in 1981. They were both in a period of significant decline in form. Although they were not too old, they could only contribute on the bench.
He takes the overall situation into consideration. He took the initiative to give up Rodman's main position. Of course, it was also because he knew that his condition was not good. He has a very low-key personality. As a three-time All-Star substitute, he is currently the Pistons' fifth scoring point. The sense of presence is not high.
Joe Dumars said: "Larry Bird should really be unable to play. The injury is too serious. Even if he makes a forced comeback, he will not be able to help the Green Team. If he is really swept by Jordan, it is really not cost-effective."
At this time, the live broadcast of the game began, and everyone's attention shifted to the TV.
The commentator announced the twelve-man rosters of the two teams. For the green team, Larry Bird's name was not included.
"Sure enough, Big Bird is still very protective of his body." Joe Dumas said with a smile.
The assassin said: "This guy likes to show off too much. He definitely doesn't want to be swept by Jordan. Then he can continue to show off in front of Jordan."
"After all, he is the best player in the NBA!" Zhou Quan complained.
"Haha..." Everyone laughed.
Soon after, the game begins.
On the first goal, Jordan held the ball and went in. After gliding three meters in the air, he hit McHale with a tomahawk dunk, opening the scoring for the Bulls.
Zhou Quan was very envious when he saw this split button.
The tomahawk dunk is a dunk method used by the outside to dunk inside. It has sufficient power and is very explosive.
Compared with Jordan's dunk, his dunk was really a reluctant dunk, and the standard was too different.
"Isiah, can you dunk?" he asked suddenly.
The assassin was startled and said angrily: "Iron Fist, my running and jumping height is over one meter, and I can dunk better than you."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh, Zhou Quan chuckled and said: "When my core strength and lower body strength improve, I can still jump one meter."
"oh!"
Rodman made a strange cry and shouted: "Iron Fist, if you can really jump more than one meter and increase your airborne endurance, then you can do fancy layups and dunks. It won't be like now, whether it's a layup or a dunk. There is no ornamental value, and the sneakers cannot be sold.”
The assassin nodded and said: "Dunks are very popular and all fans like to watch them."
"Ha ha……"
There was laughter in the private room, causing people outside to look inside.
Zhou Quan rolled his eyes helplessly. Speaking of sneakers, he really had a headache now.
Although his performance was good, especially in the playoffs, Michael Jordan's performance in the playoffs was so explosive. Coupled with the league's support and the media's pursuit, the news about the NBA during this period was overwhelming. Eighty-nine years were all about Jordan. Except for the Detroit media, he rarely appeared in other media, and sneaker sales also dropped a lot.
Two hours later, the game ended. The aging Celtics were unable to resist the rising Bulls and were swept.
It is extremely appropriate to describe the bull at this time with a rainbow of momentum.
It is also very appropriate to describe the bull as God blocking the gods and killing the gods and the demons blocking the demons.
Jordan scored 42 points in this battle, making 16 of 28 shots, with a shooting percentage of 57.1%, no three-pointers, and 10 of 11 free throws.
The terrifying efficiency and lethality caused silence in the private room. Even the lively Rodman didn't want to talk. The huge pressure made everyone want to lie down.
"Michael Jordan averaged 45 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in the first round. He was still so crazy in the second round. He is really too strong!"
Joe Dumas first praised him, and then said with some dejection: "Oh, we ran into him again. It's really hard to tell this time!"
When he said this, his mind flashed back to the scene of being dominated by Michael Jordan in the Eastern Conference Finals series this time last year. It was a kind of frightening despair.
But now, Michael Jordan's performance is even stronger, and a stronger despair arises in his heart unconsciously, which he can't suppress.
This despair is causing his willpower, fighting spirit, and vigor to melt away quickly like thin snow under the scorching sun.
Zhou Quan didn't want to pay attention to the result of the game between the Suns and the Trail Blazers, so he stepped forward and turned off the TV.
He said to everyone with a calm face: "Brothers, once we reach the Eastern Conference Finals, we will face the terrifying Michael Jordan and the crazy Bulls. This is a Bulls that is much more terrifying than the regular season. What should we do?"
He asked everyone, and everyone looked at each other.
Joe Dumas nestled into the sofa and did not speak.
He is the first line to defend Jordan. Even Isiah Thomas does not understand the horror of Michael Jordan better than he does. The kind of invincibility shown in this playoff makes him, who is already lacking in energy, unable to afford it. Resistance.
A rebellious look flashed across the assassin's face. He wanted to say something, but thinking about his current state, his status in the team, and the horror of Jordan, he shut his mouth in frustration.
But he glanced at Zhou Quan, wondering how this rookie who had taken everything from him would face such a situation where he was almost certain to lose.
He must lose if he is willing to lose, this is his understanding.
Last year he was swept, and this year his strength has further declined. He has lost all his energy. He no longer has the energy to fight against Jordan. What is left is only resentment.
Zhou Quan observed his teammates and it was obvious that no one thought they could beat this team.
However, he can accept being defeated, but he cannot accept actively giving up victory and lying flat. This is a completely different nature.
The former can still maintain their vigor and fighting spirit, just like Jordan and the Bulls who struggled desperately at the feet of the Bad Boys. In the end, Jordan and the Bulls stepped on the corpses of the Bad Boys to complete their rise and complete self-sublimation.
So it doesn't matter if they are just defeated. The Pistons just completed a position change with the Bulls, and it is the Pistons' turn to attack the Bulls.
But voluntarily giving up victory is the worst thing. It means that the team has lost all its energy and fighting spirit. It means that this team has lost its courage and the Pistons' tenacity, toughness, iron-bloodedness and fearless spirit and willpower. .
Now, except for him, the main players of this Pistons are all veterans, who have become famous and are even in a state of retirement. He feels that it is difficult to lead them, because even if the enthusiasm of these veterans is stimulated, it will be difficult to last.
This is the biggest problem facing the Pistons now. When the willpower is not enough, how can it be possible to perform at its strongest when facing a terrifying opponent like Jordan?
In fact, the strength is not as good as that of the opponent, and there is no way to perform at the strongest level, so it is even more impossible to defeat the opponent.
"Do you think we have no chance of beating the Bulls? Do you think you can't beat Michael Jordan at all?" he asked.
Joe Dumas glanced at Zhou Quan, then at the assassin, and then continued silent.
As a two-time championship winner and FMVP winner, he is not the type of person who has the strongest desire to win. As a person who already has many honors, he really can't muster the fighting spirit to face off against the terrifying Jordan.
He had faced off against Jordan so many times, but he had never taken advantage. He was in a position of being constantly crushed, which had a huge psychological shadow.
Rodman didn't say anything either. The injury affected his performance in the playoffs, and he really had no confidence.
Isiah Thomas originally wanted to see how Zhou Quan could deal with the team's loss of fighting spirit, but now he couldn't see it. He still expected Zhou Quan to lead the team to help him avenge Jordan. He couldn't really lose his fighting spirit, so he stood up quickly. He stood up and said loudly to everyone:
"Hey, boys, we definitely have a chance. Michael Jordan is nothing special. I think back then he was so desperate when facing us that he even pitifully asked Chuck if he had a chance to beat us in this life. If you don't believe it, you can Ask Chuck. He came over and asked when we were getting on the bus after the game.
So you guys, don't think that he is an invincible guy. We are the strongest defensive team in the league, and we have the ability to kill him. "
Everyone, you look at me and I look at you, and I feel a little more angry.
Zhou Quan nodded to the assassin. The old guy was okay. His resentment towards Jordan made him still a little more energetic. He was better than Joe Dumars. Dumars seemed to be showing signs of lying down.
He coughed dryly, and after everyone looked over, he put away his usual smile and said solemnly: "Isiah is right, there is no invincible existence in this world, the same goes for the Bulls, and so does Michael Jordan.
Jordan is also a human being. He has only had one championship so far. He was eliminated by our Pistons for three consecutive seasons. You know this better than me, because you personally killed him for three consecutive years, so he is not that great. .
We are strong, we have defeated the Bulls twice in the regular season this season, and we have enough confidence to face Jordan and his Bulls.
If we meet the Bulls and Jordan again in the Eastern Conference Finals this time, maybe we will be defeated, but we should remember that temporary failure is not terrible, because we can get up and fight with them again.
But we must not lose our fighting spirit and spirit, otherwise our team will be in a desperate situation.
Repeated defeats and battles were the portrayal of Jordan's early career when he faced the Pistons, so he became a fighter and a warrior who dared to challenge.
As opponents, we should learn from him. Being defeated by a powerful opponent cannot be an excuse for us to lose our fighting spirit.
Even if the opponent is very powerful and super powerful, it cannot be an excuse for us to be willing to fail. If so, we will be cowards. "
At this point, he stared at Joe Dumas and asked: "Joe, are you willing to be a coward?"
"Of course not possible."
Even though Joe Dumas was full of honors and had no pursuit of honor, he was absolutely unwilling to consider himself a coward. He immediately stood up and said loudly: "Iron Fist, make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and I will fight with you."
"No, it's a series."
A smile reappeared on Zhou Quan's face, his eyes were cold and he said: "No matter how strong Jordan is, we must let him understand that in the Palace of Auburn Hills, we are the gods."
"Yes, that's our territory." Rodman jumped up and shouted.
"Jordan wants to sweep us away, live his dream," the assassin snapped.
"To hell with his half a million dollars," Johnsery snapped.
"Morale is still available."
Seeing that the morale of his teammates was finally rising, Zhou Quan breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn't know how long this breath would last.
They are both veterans who have won two championships. They no longer work hard for honor. Facing the extremely powerful Bulls and Jordan, even if they work hard, they may lose, so he is still worried about morale.
The reason why he always calls everyone together to watch the game is because he doesn't want the Pistons' morale to be frightened by the strong performance of Jordan and the Bulls. Everyone watches the game together. When psychological problems arise, he can immediately find ways to intervene and boost morale. If these people are allowed to If an old guy watches football at home, there is no guarantee that he will not develop psychological problems, and it will be more difficult to intervene later.
On the 12th, the G4 game day.
Taking advantage of last night's morale-boosting move, the Pistons had high morale and performed well in the G4 game. They won two consecutive home games in one fell swoop, leading the Cavaliers three to one and gaining match point in the second round.
At the same time, the Jazz defeated the SuperSonics again, leading 3-1 and also gained match point.
In addition, the Suns lost again last night, and the Trail Blazers also achieved a three-to-one advantage, with match point in hand.
On the 13th, the Trail Blazers defeated the Suns and advanced to the Western Conference Finals first.
On the 14th, the Jazz defeated the SuperSonics and met the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals.
Half an hour later, the Pistons defeated the Cavaliers again and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth consecutive year.
In the two games of G4G5, Zhou Quan averaged 40 minutes per game, averaging 14.5 points, 12.5 assists, 6 rebounds, 3.5 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers and 2 fouls, and his shooting percentage was 44.4/%.
The offense is average, but on the organizational and defensive ends, his performance is very good, and his assists are outstanding.
In the entire second round series, he averaged 36.8 minutes per game, 12.53 on 5.45 from the field, 43.5% from the field, 0.5 from 1.6 three-pointers, 31.25% from the field, 5.6 from the free throw line, 5.2 from the field, 92.9% from the free throw line, 16.6 Points, 5.6 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, a true shooting percentage of 55.3%, and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.8.
In the two series combined, his field goal percentage per game was only 42.7%, which is still far from the 45% required by the system.
The true shooting percentage is 53.5%, the assist-to-turnover ratio is 3.43, and the three items of points, rebounds and assists have also met the system's task requirements. However, if you want to get the bonus of jumping +1, there is only one way to increase the offense under the basket in the Eastern Conference Finals. Improve shooting percentage.
After eliminating the Cavaliers and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, Zhou Quan breathed a sigh of relief. There was still pressure on the management to push him into the leader's position during the second round.
He only lost one game in the second round and was rewarded with four skill points.
The pull-up jump shot can no longer be added because there is no + sign behind it. He chose among the techniques with a + sign and finally chose a layup.
Since we want to increase the offense under the basket in the Eastern Conference Finals, our layup skills must be better. The current layup skills are only level 90, which is obviously not enough.
He first tried to improve his layup skills. Starting from level 90, after upgrading to level 93, the + sign at the back was gone. There should be no room for improvement. His physical fitness did not support higher levels, and it had reached the ceiling.
With one skill point left, he upgraded his throwing from level 89 to level 90.
In this way, three of his shooting finishing skills, including floaters, layups, and level 91 pull-up jumpers, have reached the first-class level, which finally improved some of his offensive capabilities.
After the improvement of floaters and layups, the original offensive strength of level 80 has also been improved by one level, reaching level 81. It is still only the offensive strength of the second-rate end.
Analyzing from the system's grade evaluation, it is actually in line with his offensive strength. His current offensive efficiency is still too low. Although he scores points per game, it is inefficient. The more points he scores, the lower his evaluation will be, which is likely to make him Carrying the name of data brush.
In fact, in order to improve his offensive efficiency, he took fewer shots in the playoffs. He averaged 16.2 shots per game in the regular season. In the two rounds of the playoffs, he averaged less than 13 shots per game. He scored less and assisted more. .
But the sad thing is that after the two rounds of the series, his shooting percentage was not as good as in the regular season. This shows that the shooting percentage is not necessarily related to the number of shots, but to the timing of the shot and the offensive skills. It has something to do with height and feel.
After analysis, the biggest reason was that the shooting rate was too low in the first round. He felt that Coach Daley was right, he must reduce his shots by nearly two points. In the second round, he took nearly two fewer shots, and his shooting rate was better than that in the first round. Almost the same as the regular season.
As for why he took nearly two fewer shots, his shooting is still about the same as in the regular season and has not improved. This can only be attributed to the higher defensive intensity in the playoffs.
His current offensive skills are not yet up to the level where he can overcome playoff defenses and perform more efficiently than in the regular season.
Even if he is a superstar, nine times out of ten his efficiency in the playoffs will not be as good as in the regular season, let alone him?
For the time being, the system has not issued tasks related to the Eastern Conference Finals, so he is looking forward to it.
However, his game experience increased from level 86 to level 87 after playing in the second round of the series.
In addition, the most critical organization has been upgraded from level 88 to level 89.
…
(End of chapter)
