The Bulls attacked again with 5 seconds left.
Cartwright served from the baseline, Jordan was running around, borrowing obstacles twice in a row, but failed to get rid of Zhou Quan. In the end, BJ received the ball and passed it to Pippen. Pippen missed the jumper and Rodman won the backcourt. Rebounds, Pistons offense.
Jordan followed Zhou Quan, who advanced to the top of the key and gave the ball to Joe Dumars.
"Boy, don't you dare to take action on my head?"
There is no doubt that BJ is a breakthrough for the Bulls' perimeter defense. Jordan knows it very well, and the veins on his head are jumping.
"How about we guess, can Joe beat BJ?" he joked.
Jordan snorted coldly. This was the shortcoming of his defense against Iron Fist. It was the same in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Fortunately, Paxson was only three centimeters shorter than Joe Dumars, so his height was no disadvantage. In that series, Joe Dumars was as efficient as Paxson in singles. Generally speaking, it would be good to see the effect of Joe Dumars against BJ today, so you can prepare in advance.
On the right wing, Joe Dumars caught the ball, made a fake move, shook BJ and then rushed in. Then he encountered Grant's defense in the mid-range and made an emergency stop jumper.
"brush!"
The water splashed and the basketball flew down the basket.
In the next game, Joe Dumars continued to single out BJ, and the effect was pretty good. Within 9 minutes of the first quarter, he made 4 of 7 shots, including a three-pointer, and 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 11 points.
"No, BJ is 6 centimeters shorter than Joe Dumars, is lighter, and has worse confrontation. He can't guard Joe Dumars. Paxson is only 3 centimeters shorter than Joe Dumars, and his wingspan is better than BJ. The defensive effect is better."
Phil Jackson is a little disappointed, but John Paxson's injury is very serious. The injury has been on and off, and he can no longer play the main team.
From this point of view, if Michael is asked to switch defense against Iron Fist, BJ will really be beaten by Joe Dumars, and if he does not switch defense?
The image of Iron Fist crushing BJ on the offensive end immediately came to mind, which was even rougher than the image of Joe Dumars crushing BJ just now.
But if you don’t change defense, who can change Iron Fist?
Neither could Pippen, who couldn't keep up with Iron Fist's speed.
After thinking about it, he didn't have any good ideas. This was a flaw in the lineup.
In the next game, he still asked BJ and Jordan to switch defenses, hoping to continue to see the effect, but there was no scene of BJ guarding Joe Dumars as he wanted to see, but a scene of Joe Dumas beating BJ.
Chuck Daly's tactics are very clear. If Jordan switches defense, let Joe Dumars attack and defeat B.J. Armstrong.
Because Zhou Quan is now the same height as Joe Dumars, with shoe height of 191 centimeters, but his tonnage is larger, and with his current offensive ability, if the Bulls dare to let BJ guard him, they will definitely be blown away miserably.
And now judging from BJ's performance in defending Joe Dumars, it is obviously not as good as Paxson's performance in defending Joe Dumars last season, which gives Chuck Daly a lot of confidence.
Even if the Bulls don't switch defenses, they will switch defenses and let Zhou Quan defend Jordan, because Joe Dumars can't guard Jordan, his confrontation ability is too poor, and Jordan's efficiency cannot be reduced at all under single defense.
In this game, 92:105, the Pistons finally won, facing the Bulls and winning two consecutive regular season games this season.
After the game, Jordan walked off the court with a livid face.
"Hey, Flying Man."
Zhou Quan shouted from behind, smiled and extended a friendly hand to Jordan.
Jordan snorted coldly, then turned around and walked over.
Zhou Quan smiled and said, "Thank you for going all the way to Detroit to give us a victory."
Jordan was so angry that his teeth ached, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Don't be too proud, kid. There are still two regular season games, and we will meet again."
"Goodbye, Black Jesus." Zhou Quan smiled and waved.
Jordan's face trembled when he heard Black Jesus. This was his most pretentious nickname, but he felt that he had lived up to it tonight.
In the ABC commentary box, Bill Walton said: "Under the full defense of Iron Fist, Jordan made 11 of 24 shots and a field goal percentage of 45.8%, which was lower than his average field goal percentage of 49.5% this season. He also made 2 three-pointers. 0 shots, plus 9 of 10 free throws, he scored 31 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls."
Williams continued: "Under Jordan's defense, Tekken's efficiency also declined. In 45 minutes, they only made 6 of 15 shots, a 40% field goal percentage, 1 of 3 three-pointers, and 6 of 6 free throws. In the game, he scored 19 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers and 5 fouls."
Bill Walton laughed: "The best performer today was Joe Dumars. He made 14 of 24 shots on BJ, with a shooting percentage of 58.3%. He made 2 of 4 three-pointers and 3 of 4 free throws. He scored 33 points. , is the scorer in this game and the best player in the game.
I think the Pistons' tactics are good. They let Joe Dumars focus on BJ. The effect of him playing BJ is better than that of John Paxson. If the Bulls cannot change this, they will probably suffer a loss when they meet the Pistons in the playoffs.
But it is very difficult to change the disadvantage of the first position, because it is a flaw in the lineup, unless they find a point guard who can compete with Iron Fist, or at least reduce Iron Fist's offensive efficiency and organizational efficiency, or can play with him To a certain extent, point guards clashed with each other. "
Williams shook his head and said: "It doesn't have to be a point guard. The Bulls are different from other teams. They organize small forwards. The role of point guards is not that big, so point guards and shooting guards can be used, even small forwards with excellent mobility. Forwards can also be used, the range is still very large, if you are looking for it, you will definitely find it.
For example, the Clippers' swingman Ron Harper has a height advantage compared to Tekken, but his weight is slightly different. His defense is very strong. I think he can at least reduce Tekken's performance.
However, now that the trading window has closed and transactions cannot be carried out, the Bulls have lost the opportunity to adjust their lineup this season. "
Bill Walton finally said: "I would also like to remind the Bulls that facing the Pistons, you are still at a disadvantage in rebounding. The Pistons had 43 rebounds in this game, and the Bulls only had 35, which was 8 less.
In fact, although Joe Dumars defeated BJ, Pippen also had an advantage in facing Ulrich's defense. He scored 22 points today. But what I mean is, what really cost the Bulls the game was rebounding.
Rodman and Seikali grabbed 28 rebounds together, of which Rodman got 18. If this disadvantage cannot be made up, then the Bulls will be in trouble. "
Winning against the powerful Bulls and winning two consecutive home and away games against the Bulls gave the Pistons strong confidence.
The Bulls' management and coaching staff did not sleep after returning to the hotel and discussed what to do all night long.
But after many discussions, there was no good solution. The number one position was not as good as the others. Finally, Phil Jackson proposed that since no point guard could guard Zhou Quan, then there was no need for a point guard. Instead, use a strong perimeter defender to match him. Zhou Quan.
He is not required to attack with the ball. His main task is to use running to contain Zhou Quan on the offensive end, and at the same time withstand Zhou Quan's offense on the defensive end.
Or, because Ulrich has no offensive ability with the ball, there is no need for Pippen to guard him. Pippen can guard Joe Dumars, Jordan can guard Zhou Quan, and another forward can guard Ulrich.
These two methods are not bad. The Bulls do not need an orthodox point guard at all. Pippen and Jordan can both pass and organize.
Next, the Pistons began a round of five road games, including two back-to-back games.
At this time, the regular season is coming to an end, and the Pistons have already determined to enter the playoffs. As long as there is no consecutive losing streak, they can still stay in the top half. Therefore, the management and coaching staff have made a decision to reduce the number of important rotation players. Play time and try to avoid injuries in the final stages.
After defeating the Kings on the 16th, in the away game against the Jazz on the 17th, Rodman got entangled with the postman Malone. When he fell to the ground, he was pressed by the opponent. His waist was injured and he needed to sit out for six to seven days. Around the field.
In order to be safe and avoid the situation like last season's playoffs, Chuck Daly made the decision to let Rodman rest for a few more games to allow the injury to heal more completely.
The absence of Rodman had a great impact on the Pistons. The number of rebounds and defensive intensity dropped immediately, thus affecting the record.
After losing to the Trail Blazers on March 31, this wave of games ended with 5 wins and 4 losses, 46 wins and 23 losses, and a winning rate of 66.6%. They were surpassed by the Bulls and ranked third in the Eastern Conference.
Rodman returned in an away game against the Nets on April 8. He only played 22 minutes and rested for a total of 11 games. In 20 days, he recovered from the injury to the greatest extent.
Chuck Daly has decided to strictly control Big Worm's playing time for the rest of the regular season in preparation for the playoffs.
On the 11th, the Pistons defeated the Bullets on the road and then rushed back to Detroit overnight to prepare for a back-to-back game against the Bulls tomorrow.
In this game, the Bulls sent out a new starting lineup for the purpose of testing lineup tactics.
Center Carter White, power forward Spencer King, small forward Grant, shooting guard Pippen, and point guard Jordan.
On the defensive end, Spencer King, who is more mobile and younger, will guard Seikali, and Carter White will sit at the basket.
As a result, this lineup achieved results. Pippen restricted Joe Dumars, Jordan restricted Zhou Quan, and Grant restricted Ulrich. The Pistons suffered a rout on the outside and lost back-to-back home games, with the two sides tied at 2-1.
On the 17th, Troy Weaver and Chuck Daly found Zhou Quan and discussed something with him.
"This week, we are still third, and the Bulls are second. Entering the playoffs, if we both advance in the first round, we will meet in the second round, and if we enter the playoffs as fourth, we will advance in the first round. They will play the Knicks in the second round. Do you want to play the Knicks or the Bulls in the second round?" Chuck Daly asked.
Weaver said: "Now we are only one game ahead of the Cavaliers and can operate."
Zhou Quan didn't think about it and immediately said: "The Knicks are not easy to deal with, and it's not like we haven't won against the Bulls. I don't care, but I don't want to lose on purpose."
Chuck Daly and Weaver both laughed. From Zhou Quan's words, they felt a strong fighting spirit and a strong self-confidence in defying powerful enemies.
On the 22nd, the Pistons came to Chicago and challenged the Bulls away from home. This was also the last regular season game for both sides.
As a result, Phil Jackson changed the game again and sent out two small forwards. Grant returned to the power forward position and defeated the Pistons again.
The two sides won two and lost two, resulting in a draw.
However, the Pistons were a little passive, because they won two games first and lost two games later.
On April 25, 1993, the Pistons defeated the Nets at home, ending all regular season schedules.
When the players returned to the locker room, assistant coach Rick Musk had already sorted out the information and said: "Gentlemen, we have 9 wins and 4 losses in the last thirteen games. This season we have 55 wins and 27 losses, with a winning rate of 67%. Ranked third in the Eastern Conference, one win more than the fourth-place Cavaliers and two fewer wins than the Bulls.
So it's worth celebrating because we have one more win than last season, when we were 54-28. "
"Just one game?"
Zhou Quan smacked his lips, but he was still satisfied.
This lineup has defensive weaknesses, but its offensive ability is stronger than last season, not weaker than last season. It depends on what opponents it encounters in the playoffs. If it encounters a strong opponent inside, the Pistons will be in some danger.
Musk continued: "The Knicks are first in the Eastern Conference, with 60 wins, but they are only second in the league, because the Suns led by Barkley and the Lightning have won 62, first in the league."
Zhou Quan chuckled and said, "That guy Barkley dreams of winning a championship. Let's see how lucky he is this time."
The assassin said: "With the strength of the Suns, the chance of making it out of the Western Conference is pretty good. I hope we..." At this point, he shut up.
At this time, Musk said: "We averaged 102.2 points per game, sixth in the Eastern Conference, and averaged 108.1 points per game, second in the Eastern Conference."
Then he read out the team list for the playoffs.
Top eight in the Eastern Conference: Knicks, Bulls, Pistons, Cavaliers, Celtics, Hornets, Hawks, Nets
Top eight in the Western Conference: Suns, Mosaic, SuperSonics, Trail Blazers, Spurs, Jazz, Clippers, Lakers.
Eastern Conference first round: Knicks vs. Nets, Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Bulls vs. Hawks, Pistons vs. Hornets
Western Conference first round: Suns vs. Lakers, Trail Blazers vs. Spurs, Mosaic vs. Clippers, SuperSonics vs. Jazz
Rick Musk said: "We defeated the Hornets in the first round, and we met the Bulls in the second round. This is the situation in the playoffs.
The Hornets, our opponent in the first round, are not weak either. We have lost and won against them in the regular season, with 3 wins and 2 losses. Their inside line is very strong. This is a tougher type for us. Everyone must be mentally prepared and must not main idea. "
"Okay, now that the regular season is over, it's time for you to relax. The first round will start on the 29th, rest on the 26th and 27th, and resume training on the 28th."
At this point, Chuck Daly said to Musk: "Rick, please tell us about the regular season situation again, so that they can have an idea of their performance."
"Okay, coach."
Musk pulled out the relevant statistics table and read: "Iron Fist, averaged 41 minutes per game, played 82 games, averaged 20.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 3.3 steals, 0.6 blocks, 3.2 turnovers, 3.2 fouls, and a shooting percentage of 47%.
Congratulations, Iron Fist, for your first-class offensive and defensive performance. You have become one of the top point guards in the league. "
"Bah bang bang..." Warm applause erupted in the locker room.
Musk then read: "Joe Dumars, averaged 40 minutes per game, played 77 games, averaged 21.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1 steal, 0.1 blocks, 1.8 turnovers, 1.6 fouls, and a shooting percentage of 46.6%.
Congratulations, Joe, and keep up this All-Star performance next season. "
"Bah bang bang..." There was another burst of warm applause in the locker room.
Next, Musk read out other people’s data.
Sekali averaged 14.2 points per game, Ulrich 13.2 points, Rodman 7.5 points, and the five main players averaged 76.5 points per game.
Terry Mills 10.1 points, Mark Aguirre 8.1 points, Isiah Thomas 6.5 points, Polynis 5.3, the four important substitutes jointly contributed 30 points.
He added: "The team's scoring leader is Joe Dumars, the assists and steals leader is Iron Fist, the rebounding leader Rodman, and the block leader, well, our team's blocking ability needs to be improved, Terry Mills, averaging 0.6 times per game .”
"Ha ha……"
Everyone laughed.
He added: "Also, I want to congratulate Tekken, you are the league's assist leader and steal leader this season."
"Pa bang bang..."
The locker room burst into loud applause again.
Then Zhou Quan took his data sheet and looked at it.
20.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 3.3 steals, 0.6 blocks, 3.2 turnovers, 3.2 fouls, and a shooting percentage of 48.5%.
7.3 of 15.5 field goals, 47.1% field goal percentage, 0.93 of 2.5 three-pointers, 37.2% field goal percentage, 4.7 of 5.2 free throws, 90.4% free throw percentage, 4.22 assist-to-turnover ratio, and 57.3% true shooting percentage.
This season's regular season and career points scored 1795/3228 points; rebounds 369/751, assists 1107/1782, steals 271/421, and turnovers 262/495.
This season he is second on the team in shots, second in points, third in rebounds, first in steals, first in assists, first in defensive efficiency, first in personal plus-minus, and fourth in field goal percentage.
At this time, Musk said: "Iron Fist, your true shooting percentage is very good. Michael Jordan's true shooting percentage this season is lower than yours, 56.4%. His main free throw shooting percentage is only 83.7%, which has always been at this level. Your free throw shooting More stable than him.
In addition, his shooting percentage is 49.5%, which is higher than yours. He averages 7.3 free throws per game and 32.6 points per game. He is the scoring leader this season. "
Zhou Quan nodded and continued to look at his data.
His offense this season is pretty good. His field goal percentage last season was tenth on the team. Now he ranks third on the team, only lower than Ulrich, Polynice, and Sekali. Rodman is taller and ranks first among defenders.
In addition, due to the improvement in personal offensive efficiency, his personal plus-minus value has also reached the first place, which was second last season.
In terms of shots, he averaged 0.7 fewer shots per game than last season, but 4.5 more assists. This shows that the timing of shots and the selection of passes are more reasonable, so there are more assists and higher offensive efficiency.
Also, his shooting percentage has reached an excellent level among point guards in the league, ranking among the top ten.
Now according to the requirements of Task 1, the number of games played, time, All-Stars, 20+10 Club, 46% field goal percentage, 36% three-point shooting percentage, 90% free throw percentage, 54% true shooting percentage , assist-to-turnover ratio, these have been met, leaving only the requirements for selection to the All-NBA Team and the All-Defensive Team.
Mission 2 is to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, and to have 20+10 data, with an efficiency no less than that of the regular season.
Based on his performance this season, it shouldn't be too difficult to get the best team and the best defensive team. First team is rare, second team and third team are very promising.
The really extremely difficult task is Mission 2, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
You will meet the Bull in the second round, and the mission requirement is to kill the Bull.
(End of chapter)
