Chapter 859: The Prosperity of the NBA and Popovich's Mouth!

The first time the team lost, Bowen came to him alone, which surprised Popovich.

The first thing Popovich thought about was whether Bowen had a problem with Ginobili and Parker.

After all, these two guys were pure undercovers in this series, and the Spurs really didn't have a good substitute.

The Spurs' backup guard at this position is the former champion guard of the University of Washington, Justin Duntmon, who is fast, very fast, very strong, and very good in confrontation. With so many physical advantages, his defense is naturally above the horizontal line, but his height is also 1.83 meters, which is a very sacred height for the point guard position. Of course, it is sacred, but it is really short. In addition to being short, his skills are not so solid, and his brain is not so good.

Such a player is very useful in special times, but in this kind of key battle of the playoffs, Popovich really doesn't dare to use him easily. Even if he tolerates Parker and Ginobili to be undercover on the court, he dare not let Dentmon. Dentmon's best defense is defense. Let him defend Yes, or defend other Sonics players, except Rondo, his height can't defend. Let him defend Rondo, that's a pure waste. Defending Rondo, even Chris Paul and air will have the same effect.

Given Dentmon's lack of IQ on the offensive end, it's really a waste to use him.

Even if Parker and Ginobili are undercover, they are still useful.

This is Popovich's biggest headache. He really can't stand Parker and Ginobili on the court, but after thinking about it, the whole team can only use them two. Do you think it's uncomfortable?

He is the head coach, and he has to endure it.

But Bruce is different, he is a player.

Based on Bruce's performance in these four games, he is qualified to make any request to him.

If Bruce really asked Parker or Ginobili not to play again, he could only agree.

However, what Popovich didn't expect was that.

Bowen didn't look for him because he was dissatisfied with Ginobili and Parker.

But...

"Bruce, are you worrying too much?"

"Although we lost this game, it was only the first loss, and we are still leading 3-1."

Popovich frowned.

Just now at the press conference, he was annoyed by the questions from those coconut powder reporters about the 3-0 reversal of the black eight.

Of course, Bruce is different from those coconut powder reporters, and he certainly knows it.

And he is very happy that Bruce has such a sense of crisis.

"Bruce, I admire your sense of crisis, but it is not a wise thing to change the team's lineup. Small changes are okay, but if you are not careful with large changes, there will be a collapse."

Popovich certainly won't confront Bowen like he did to those coconut powder reporters.

Instead, he explained to Bowen very earnestly.

Bowen told him that although his one-on-one defense against Yes was effective, he did not really defend Yes in these four games. Can the team change his strategy of defending Yes alone?

Bowen did not accuse Ginobili and Parker of betraying him, but took the responsibility on his own initiative.

This kind of leadership quality touched Popovich very much.

This is the team leader he chose!

This is the person who will lead them to heaven!

This is the player who is absolutely loyal to the team that he cultivated. If there is only one person in the world who is loyal to the Spurs, this person will not be anyone else,

It is Bowen!

"Bruce, don't let Yes mess up your rhythm because of a loss in one game. Don't forget why we had to overcome nervousness and excessive attention to Yes before this series started."

"Bruce, you're right. If we double-team Yes now, we can indeed reduce Yes's score to the lowest. Yes may not score 40+ points in a game, but he can still score 30 points efficiently. Yes's personal score dropped by 10 points, but the price we paid for double-teaming Yes is not ten points."

"Bruce, I'm glad that you care so much about the team, but we need to maintain our rhythm. This is just a loss in one game, and it's just the beginning of our journey. A small bump on the road to the championship, a bump we can easily overcome. "

"We are on the right path now. If I feel that we have deviated from the right path, I will correct our path. Bruce, you can rest assured about this."

"And we only need one victory to say goodbye to Yes. This victory will come soon. If we don't get it this time, we will get it in the next one."

"Bruce, your performance in the past four games has been very good. The team and I are very satisfied. You should not have too much other pressure. Of course, your reminder today is very important. I will pay attention to it."

The smile on Popovich's face was very gentle, completely different from what he said to Ginobili just now.

But... this is not the answer he wanted.

Faced with Popovich's praise, Bowen, who wanted to change his fate, felt extremely sad.

He knew that Popovich was a stubborn person. Now in Popovich's mind, Yes is still in a "preventable and controllable" state.

But the reality is...

Yes didn't just score 40 points, but the Sonics beat the Spurs, and he only needed to score 40 points...

That demon!

But the culprit who made Popovich feel that Yes was still in a "controllable" state was himself!

When Yes finally tore off his controllable appearance and truly transformed into a man-eating demon, Popovich must have found that it was too late and it was all over when he wanted to control him.

He wanted to tell everything and tear off the true face of the demon.

But he knew... he couldn't... He had gone too far on the road pushed by the demon. Even if he turned back, he would not get forgiveness, but lose everything, lose the honor of the team, lose the respect of his teammates, lose the kindness of the coach...

This is really desperate. For him, this is a despair that can drive him crazy!

But!

He still has a chance to change his fate!

Even if Popovich is confused now, he is not confused yet.

He will protect the Spurs he loves in his own way!

Popovich was very happy to be able to convince Bowen.

As for the request Bruce made to him at the end, it was nothing at all.

Since Bruce wanted to participate more in the team's affairs, he was also willing to teach with all his heart. After he and Tim retired, the team would always be handed over to someone he could trust and rely on.

Bruce was such a person.

The fourth game against the Spurs ended with a victory, and the Sonics were very happy.

Everyone had reason to be happy. Although Milicic was bullied by Duncan again, he was not exploded. Although Milicic was very uncomfortable with Bonner's kite-flying style, he at least bullied Bonner with his body. Not to mention Rondo, the rebound and the long pass at the last moment determined the final outcome of the game. Looking at his proud and stubborn lips after the game, you can tell that he was imitating Chris Paul's "My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of God".

Everyone had reason to enjoy the victory of this game.

Except Ibaka.

After the celebration of victory, everyone left exhausted.

When Yes was about to walk to his RV, he saw Ibaka who had been waiting for him.

"Yes, I disappoint you..."

In four games, he was beaten very badly by Stephen Jackson.

The Spurs defended Yes one-on-one, and he was the biggest victim.

The Spurs defended Yes one-on-one, which means that there is no offer on the court, everyone is one-on-one, and each position is a one-on-one matchup, and the competition is hard power.

Rondo and Parker, Milicic and Duncan, Yes and Bowen, Bonner and Millsap, him and Jackson...

The other positions are inseparable, but what about him...

Now there are people on the Internet who call him, Ginobili and Parker of the Spurs as the "three treasures who get beaten."

"People and ghosts are all showing off, only the three of them are getting beaten."

This is the famous saying of the first fan of the Supersonics, not the fifteenth but the second, which expresses his sadness in this round of the series.

Seeing Yes looking at him silently, as if he did not accept his apology, Ibaka was very flustered.

He doesn't care whether there will be a place for him in the team in the future.

It was too difficult to repay the victory that Yes gave him.

Even when the team was trailing 0-3, he thought that if Yes was really swept out in the first round, he would go to the beach in Seattle and jump into the Pacific Ocean!

He was not kidding!

Now jumping into the Pacific Ocean might not kill him.

But he really had no way to make up for his guilt towards Yes except for this kind of thing.

Although Yes finally escaped with his own strength and the performance of other teammates, it had nothing to do with him...

"Yes..."

Ibaka wanted to apologize, but he was interrupted before he could say anything.

"I don't want to hear this a second time."

"If you don't disappoint me, I will never be disappointed in you."

"Compared to apologizing, I hope you will really seize the opportunity when it comes."

"Opportunity?"

"Opportunities belong to those who are prepared, and you are always prepared."

After patting Ibaka on the shoulder, Yes walked straight to his RV, and after Ibaka came to his senses, he suddenly turned back to look at the back of the figure who was like God in his heart, biting his lips hard.

Opportunities belong to those who are prepared. You are always prepared...

He was affirmed by the God in his heart.

But...

Do I really have a chance?

The Spurs are the only team in the NBA that will not double-team Yes.

He has no chance against the Spurs.

If they lose to the Spurs, he may give way and leave the team next season.

If they beat the Spurs, the opportunity will also belong to KD, not him...

Ibaka was bitter.

But looking down at the thick calluses on his hands, Ibaka gritted his teeth and nodded fiercely.

Whether there is a chance or not, I will not relax my preparation!

Because Yes likes me who is always prepared like this!

After the Sonics and Spurs tied 3-1, four of the eight groups of the first round of the NBA playoffs have been played.

After four games, none of the eight groups of matches have been separated into any winners.

After four games, the biggest score difference was between the Supersonics and Spurs, and the Cavaliers and 76ers, 3 to 1, while the other six matches were all tied at 2 to 2!

Such a grand scene is quite rare in the history of the NBA.

This year's playoffs are so close to each other that it is really incredible.

For example, before the start of the playoffs, many people thought that the Celtics and the Bulls would definitely sweep the game. Although the Celtics and the Bulls had a big score of 2 to 2, the Bulls were always the leading one. In terms of the big score, the Bulls have always been suppressing the Celtics.

This round of series is the round in which Rose became a god. If Rose can really beat the Celtics with the Big Four and enter the second round, it will create a historical rookie miracle.

On the other side of the West, the Timberwolves, who entered the playoffs for the first time, had a small group and played quite crazy in the playoffs. The Timberwolves and the Nuggets also had a big score of 2 to 2. Like the Bulls and the Celtics, not only the big score was the same, but even the process was the same. The Timberwolves were always the leading one, suppressing the Nuggets.

It can be said that the two teams led by young players, the Bulls and the Timberwolves, gave many people a big surprise in the regular season and the playoffs!

Of course, in addition to the rise of young people, the four groups of confrontations between the Heat and the Pistons, the Lakers and the Suns, the Wizards and the Magic, and the Mavericks and the Grizzlies were equally exciting.

The Pistons won two away games first, and then lost all their home games immediately after returning. Such a behavior of exchanging home games is also quite strange.

And what about the Lakers and the Suns?

The Lakers lost one game at the beginning, and then lost two games in a row, and finally lost the fourth game again.

The match between the Mavericks and the Grizzlies was also like this.

But the process of the game was quite different.

The Mavericks swept the Grizzlies right at the start, but soon, the Grizzlies swept the Mavericks two more games, and in the fourth game, the Mavericks swept again.

This is the result when two teams with very different styles meet.

The Mavericks swept the Grizzlies when the game was played at the Mavericks' pace, and the Grizzlies swept the Mavericks when the game was played at the Grizzlies' pace.

There is also this kind of matchup between the Wizards and the Magic in the East.

However, the difference between the Wizards and the Magic and the Grizzlies and the Mavericks and the Mavericks is that the Mavericks and the Grizzlies have very different styles between the teams, while the Wizards and the Magic have very different styles of their leading players.

Howard played well, and the Magic swept the Wizards.

Arenas played well, and the Wizards swept the Magic.

In short, after the first four games of this year's playoffs, the excitement of these eight groups of NBA playoffs really exceeded many people's imagination.

Including David Stern at the New York headquarters.

David Stern was really happy looking at the newspaper praising the NBA playoffs in his hand.

"This is the NBA's golden age that I want!"

"The NBA's most glorious golden age has finally arrived!"

David Stern was very happy, but at the same time, he was very regretful.

The golden age has arrived, but Yes, who is destined to be the protagonist of this golden age, is leaving this era of great competition.

"Milic, Millsap, Durant, Rondo, Ibaka, Harden, Barea, Gasol, Ingles, Nick Collison, Wilkins, Quentin Richardson, Sessions..."

After scanning the lineup of the Supersonics in the newspaper, David Stern also sighed.

Compared with other teams that entered the "great golden age", the Supersonics are still a little weaker.

They are too dependent on Yes.

But he has no choice!

He really gave Yes a chance, but Yes didn't want it!

Alas...

David Stern sighed.

This year's NBA playoffs are like a golden age.

In such a fierce playoffs, many people are now looking forward to who will stand out first in this round of great competition.

The two favorites for this year's championship, the Spurs and the Cavaliers, have the best chances, of course, since they are the ones leading 3-1.

Just one win will eliminate the opponent.

In fact, the 76ers and the Supersonics seem to have a hard time stopping the Cavaliers and the Spurs.

On April 26, 2009, the fifth game between the Cavaliers and the 76ers started.

The Cavaliers defeated the 76ers 113-101 at home and entered the second round of the playoffs with a score of 4-1.

At the end of the game between the Cavaliers and the 76ers, the whole world saw O'Neal's five big fingers pointing to the sky.

Everyone also knows what those five fingers represent.

This season, he wants to win the fifth championship and the first championship for Cleveland!

So, when O'Neal opened those five fingers, the Cleveland fans at the Quicken Loans Center were crazy.

After the Cavaliers easily advanced, everyone was looking forward to the game between the Spurs and the Supersonics, whether the Spurs could replicate the Cavaliers' victory at home.

The scene of the Cavaliers fans shouting "KING!" to O'Neal at home really shocked the whole world.

For a time, it became a trend for the home team to shout "KING!" to their own leader.

Now many people are waiting for the scene of the Spurs fans shouting "KING!" to Bowen or Duncan.

But...

On April 27, 2009, at the AT&T Arena in San Antonio, the Spurs fans were stunned when the game ended.

They only needed one victory to eliminate Yes and the Sonics, and they could show off their "Cleveland celebration" to Bowen and Duncan.

But when the game ended, the score was 99 to 98!

The Sonics were in front, the Spurs were behind, and Yes once again completed a buzzer beater in front of them!

"Yes made another buzzer beater, and the Sonics won again?!"

Barkley, who had already prepared for the Spurs fans to show off their "Cleveland celebration", was so excited that he wanted to cry after being stunned!

Barkley was so excited that he wanted to cry in this game, but he didn't cry.

Two days later, on April 29, 2009, at the KeyArena in Seattle.

"KIng!"

"KIng!"

"KIng!"

Amid the cheers of the Sonics fans, the excited Barkley really cried!

Kenny Smith, who was beside him, was so wide-eyed that he couldn't say a word.

0-3 to 3-3, tied? !

Am I dreaming?

Am I dreaming?

At this time, it was definitely not just Kenny Smith who felt dreamy.

For example, Jordan, Phil Jackson, David Stern, etc.

Of course, there were also people at the scene, staring at the scoreboard with their mouths wide open and eyes wide open, with Popovich at 101-100...

Another point?

Another buzzer beater?

Popovich, in a daze, subconsciously covered his mouth...