Chapter 345 The Secret Weapon and the Playoffs Begin!
April 20, 2007, Seattle SuperSonics training facility.
After a day's rest, Yes and the SuperSonics players returned to the team again.
Compared with the previous frustration and tension, the Sonics players were much more relaxed after a day's rest.
In addition, everyone's face is full of expectations.
Before the holiday, the team's head coach Nelson's "psychological warfare" against Nowitzki caught everyone's imagination.
Does Nelson really think the Sonics still have hope?
Now the public opinion in the United States is, sweep, it must be a sweep!
If this series could go to five games, God would cry!
This is the difference between the Mavericks and the Sonics.
The gap is like this. If there is not still a chance to win, how could Old Nelson use any psychological tactics in vain.
If an ordinary head coach really does this, the Sonics players won't believe it and will just feel stupid and like an idiot.
There won't be any motivating effect at all.
But this is Nelson, so that's different.
Nelson is the most prestigious person in the NBA now!
Even one of them can be removed!
In 1962, Nelson entered the NBA and was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Chicago Zephyrs, now the Washington Wizards.
After spending three seasons with the Chicago Zephyrs and Los Angeles Lakers, Nelson was valued by Cardinal Auerbach, the Celtics coach at the time, and came to the Celtics.
Nelson stayed with the Celtics for 11 years and won five championships.
In Game 7 of the 1969 Finals against the Lakers, he hit the winning shot at the last moment, keeping the championship in Boston and beating Jerry West, who was like a god descending from heaven.
After the Celtics retired, Nelson's No. 19 jersey was retired by the Celtics.
In the Celtics, Nelson gained more than just five championships and huge player reputation.
In the Celts,
Nelson also learned a tactical system from Cardinal Auerbach that changed his life, the run-and-gun system!
In today's NBA, when Auerbach is mentioned, iron and defense come to mind.
This is the label that Auerbach has built up with his constant championships.
Iron godfather, master of defense!
But what about before the Cardinals won the championship?
Compared with the Iron Godfather and the defensive master.
Auerbach is actually more of an offensive master.
Pursuing the ultimate in speed, passing is always faster than dribbling, these are all put forward by Auerbach.
Even Nelson has been criticized in recent years for his lack of defense and rebounding. The regular season was turbulent and the playoffs were weak. This was his evaluation of the Celtics and Auerbach led by Cousy.
It can be said that Nelson is the direct successor of Auerbach!
Someone who truly accepted Auerbach’s true legacy!
More authentic than Russell, Tom Heinsohn, Tom Sanders, Dave Cowens, and KC Jones.
Auerbach was lucky, as a master of running and gunning, he met his Russell.
Since then, the combination of Russell's defense and the Cardinal's running and gunning has created one of the greatest legends in NBA history.
This legend has created the greatest team and the greatest head coach.
Nelson has never met a Russell who belongs to him in his career.
Therefore, as a disciple who received the true biography of the Cardinal, Nelson never won a championship in his coaching career.
Compared with his teacher Cardinal, Nelson's achievements in the field of coaching are worlds apart.
However, this is only compared to the Cardinal.
In 1976, Nelson became the head coach of the Bucks. At that time, the Bucks lost Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and were in dire straits.
Old Nelson created the "Nelson System" in the Bucks, which is now considered the originator of running and gunning, and also built the Bucks who lost Kareem Abdul-Jabbar into a strong team again.
In 1987, he left the Bucks and came to the Warriors, and then formed the "Run TMC" that cleansed the league with Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin as the core.
Nelson later came to the Mavericks and built the Mavericks into a strong team with far-reaching influence.
The current head coach of the Mavericks is General Johnson, but the whole world knows that Nelson is the one who really built this Mavericks!
It's funny to say, the crazier the Mavericks perform this season, the higher Nelson's reputation will be.
In the history of the NBA, there are very few team-building head coaches like Nelson who focus on developing players.
It is because of its rarity, its uniqueness, and its success in the end that that is why Nelson has such a high reputation.
It is precisely because Nelson is this type of head coach that Sonics players are willing to believe that he really has a secret weapon against the Mavericks.
Know yourself and your enemy and you will never be in danger. Old Nelson is definitely the person who knows the Mavericks best in the world!
If even Nelson can't make the Sonics beat the Mavericks, then there's no way anyone else in the world can do it.
Even Yes, although he has been thinking about Nelson's psychological warfare against Nowitzki, is it to motivate them or is there really a way?
In the end, Ye Si chose to believe that Old Nelson really had a solution.
In the Sonics training facility, the Sonics players are now looking at Nelson with very hot eyes.
The heat was so intense that Scott Brooks was shivering.
Scott Brooks, like these Sonics players, is also looking forward to what methods Nelson can come up with to deal with the Mavericks.
But compared to the expectations of all Sonics players.
Scott Brooks is still a little scared.
I'm really scared!
What if Nelson has nothing to do?
Damaging your own brand is not a big deal, the key is losing the trust of the team players!
Scott Brooks believed in Nelson.
He is the greatest team-building head coach in the league and one of the greatest wise men in the league.
The mad scientist has solved too many problems for the Sonics this season.
Milicic's power forward style, Rondo's inside style, the team's blame-shifting system, etc.
These classic tactics and play styles of the SuperSonics this season all have a strong Nelson style.
It can be said that as long as the team has difficulties, Nelson can solve them for the team.
But this time, the team's difficulties are really big.
That's a calf!
According to USA Today and major American media, it is the most balanced and perfect team in the league!
No shortcomings!
No shortcomings at all!
Offense, defense, bench, this team is impeccable!
At the very least, judging from the strength of the SuperSonics, this team is an impeccable team.
If it weren't for the many controversial things that happened in last year's finals, the Mavericks would actually be the defending champion of the league!
Compared with the Heat, the Mavericks are the perfect defending champion!
For a team like this, no matter how great the head coach is, what will happen?
Even if Nelson really has a way, given the strength of the SuperSonics team, can they implement Nelson's method?
This is also a big question!
Uneasy, I feel very uneasy!
Scott Brooks waited anxiously for Old Nelson's instructions.
"Scott, let's do a confrontation practice today."
Confrontation practice? !
Not an explanation of the Mavericks' weaknesses? !
Isn’t it training that targets the Mavericks’ weaknesses?
Scott Brooks was puzzled.
Especially after getting the list of this group confrontation from Nelson, Brooks's confusion was completely written on his face!
"pj Tucker and Yes are in the same group?!"
Nick Collison, PJ Tucker, Quentin Richardson, Yes, Rondo VS Barea, Wilkins, Millsap, David Lee, Milicic!
Is this the lineup of the Yes team that will play against the Mavericks? !
real or fake? !
No wonder Scott Brooks’ eyes are glassy right now.
This grouping is really shocking!
Milicic is the second in command of the team. Apart from Yes, Milicic is the most powerful player.
Milicic now on the bench?
Is this preparation for Yes to be outflanked and killed?
Opponents have not dared to double-team Yes this season. In addition to fearing Yes's historically best passing and organizational skills, Milicic can indeed open up space for Yes.
Now Milicic and David Lee are gone.
Just Nick Collison and P.J. Tucker plus Rondo.
The appearance of these three people in the starting lineup is equivalent to announcing to the world that you come and double-team Yes. If you double-team Yes, no one else will attack!
"PJ, Nick, are you in the starting lineup?!"
The Sonics players, who were waiting to see if Nelson had any secret weapons, were equally shocked when they saw the roster for this group match!
Darko's short-term Lee is in the second group, and PJ and Nick are in the starting lineup. What is Coach Nelson doing?
Even Rondo, who has always been very unhappy with Milicic as the team's "third boss", is now stunned.
The second master dislikes Milicic very much, but he has to admit that although Milicic is rubbish compared to the second master.
However, no matter how rubbish Milicic is, he can't compare to Nick Collison!
Also, although David Li is a data brusher, the data brusher must first brush the data!
How can Tucker Heide replace Short Lee?
Short Lee can still collect statistics on the court, and Tucker is the missing fifth man of the Sonics on the court!
Apart from disappearing on the field, Tak Mao is useless!
Compared with the Mavericks, the SuperSonics are already very weak.
Is this a preparation for a weaker rhythm now?
As far as the current strength of the SuperSonics is concerned, the strongest are the five starters, Milicic, David Lee, Quentin Richardson, Yes and Rondo.
Even if Nelson can find the Mavericks' weaknesses, only these five people can execute them.
Even if the Mavericks' weakness cannot be found, these five people can make the Sonics' loss not so ugly.
At the very least, we won’t lose by 58 points!
Puzzled!
Puzzled!
Now Sonics players' heads are filled with confusion and confusion.
"The Yes team in this group match is not the starter against the Mavericks."
The confused and puzzled Sonics players finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But soon, before they could completely let go, Old Nelson's words made them nervous again.
"Although the Yes team is not the starting lineup against the Mavericks, I will re-evaluate the starting lineup against the Mavericks based on your performance in this group match."
The team's head coach re-evaluates the starting lineup, which is an opportunity for the bench players to be happy and happy.
But at this time, neither the substitutes such as Barea, Millsap, and Wilkins nor Nick Collison, who was the main player in this match, were happy.
They don't want such an opportunity!
They know their own strength too well.
Now when they meet Mavericks, they give it to them.
They don't want to ruin Yes' efforts this season just for the so-called starting opportunity!
Do they want to be the starter?
Of course!
Every player who plays in the NBA wants to be a starter.
But they want to start the game if they can help Yes!
Although the expressions on the faces of Milicic and David Lee were surprised and confused after being removed from the first team, they had no other thoughts.
As long as it is beneficial to the team, they are willing to accept the team's substitute position.
Assistant coach Brooks sees all the current performance of Sonics players.
The players who are put on the starting lineup are not willing to accept it, but the players who are put on the bench are willing to accept it.
This is truly a wonder!
If it were placed on other NBA teams, this scene would be almost impossible to happen.
All I can say is that the Sonics are so cohesive!
Brooks looked at Yes, who had been frowning and silent.
The Sonics can have such cohesiveness now, it's really all because of Yes!
Except for Danny Fordson, LaFrentz, and Swift who are lying in the hospital bed, all SuperSonics players now put the interests of the team before their personal interests!
The Sonics training facility is very noisy now, and this group training is really scary.
Whether he is a starter or a substitute, everyone is worried.
Tucker, who has been practicing small defense with Mari Rose, is still confused!
He is weak in three-pointers, not good in two-pointers, can't handle the ball well, and his speed is average. He doesn't have any decent advantages. Why is he suddenly in the starting lineup?
And, is he replacing David Lee?
In other words, he plays the power forward position?
Power Forward?
Face Nowitzki!
The tragic situation of David Lee and Millsap facing Nowitzki this season is really vivid in my mind!
Is Coach Nelson planning to kill him to please Nowitzki and make the Mavericks win less against the Sonics?
Apart from this possibility, Tucker really can't find any possibility!
Not to mention the Sonics players, even the many reporters or undercover agents who were allowed in around the training ground were stunned.
Are Nelson and the Sonics ready to give up on themselves? !
"This SuperSonics internal rivalry is terrible!"
"It's really bad. Tucker and Rondo, Nick Collison and Yes are on the same team. This is a suicidal lineup. You have to attack without attacking and defend without defending. Not to mention the Mavericks, even the Trail Blazers can't win! "
"SuperSonics' second team didn't perform well either. Milicic really doesn't know how to play anymore after leaving Yes!"
"Milicic's rookie contract will expire at the end of the season. Those who are interested in Milicic need to reconsider. Even if they get Milicic, without Yes, parallel imports will still be parallel imports!"
"But what exactly is Old Nelson planning to do? Is he really surrendering, so he turns on the mad scientist mode?"
"I don't know, but Nelson himself was not satisfied. He kept Tucker and Milicic, who had the worst performance in this practice match, with a very dark face."
"Is Old Nelson ready to spray Milicic and Tucker? It's been a long time since Nelson's hair dryer. Old Nelson seldom blows air after he came to the SuperSonics."
"You want to stay and watch Nelson rant against Tucker and Milicic?"
"Forget it, news is the most important now! The whole world is looking forward to news about Yes and the Supersonics!"
"Compared to Yes, Milicic and Tucker are just insignificant characters in this series."
Dallas, Mavericks practice facility.
As the No. 1 team in the Western Conference and a completely promising team, the Mavericks' preparation for the playoffs is very simple and easy.
Open to the whole team, no secrets.
The players can receive interviews from the national media while training, so why not.
It may make people feel a little sad to say it.
The Mavericks performed so well in the regular season this season.
The attention it received wasn’t even half of what it is now!
They have long been number one in the Western Conference!
The level of attention has finally reached the level of No. 1 in the Western Conference.
This is not because the media feels that they really need to be paid attention to. After all, they are number one in the Western Conference.
But because their opponent is Yes!
It’s easier to use the brand if their opponent is Yes than if they are number one in the Western Conference and number one in the league!
"Dirk, I learned from those reporters that Coach Nelson has now given up on himself!"
"Giving up on yourself?"
"Coach Nelson actually plans to let Tucker be the starting power forward. It seems that Dirk has left David Lee and Millsap with a psychological shadow!"
Nowitzki, who was a little surprised at first, also had a smile on his face.
Sonics' two power forwards, David Lee and Millsap, are his two favorite opponents in the league.
These two people can be called his automatic teller machine or ATM!
Tucker?
That missing fifth man from Sonics who is shorter than David Lee, slower than Wilkins, and thinner than Milicic?
By the way, he also shines shoes for Yes, the shoe king of Seattle.
It's quite famous.
With Yes, even someone like Tucker can gain the reputation of a quasi-All-Star player.
In the Mavericks, except for him, Josh Howard, Terry and a few others, no one can match Tucker in terms of fame.
Would you say it's irritating or not?
If NBA games are determined by reputation, maybe the SuperSonics can sweep the Mavericks.
It's a pity that NBA games are ultimately determined by strength!
April 22nd!
Two days left!
The tanks and artillery from Germany are already hungry!
No matter whether it's David Lee or Millsap, Yang or Tucker who is standing in front of the cannon, they will all be blown to pieces!
Nellie, this is the perfect offense!
On April 21, 2007, the NBA playoffs officially started!
The opening game of this year's playoffs is the Bulls, fourth in the Eastern Conference, against the defending champion Heat, fifth in the Eastern Conference.
The opening game of this year's regular season was also between the Bulls and the Heat. In this year's NBA opening game, the Bulls gave the proud defending champion a 40-point massacre!
But this time, the Bulls failed to repeat the brutality of the regular season opener.
96 to 91, the Chicago Bulls narrowly defeated the Heat at home.
O'Neal, who had been playing dead for a whole season during the regular season, scared the Bulls into a cold sweat in the fourth quarter. He scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting in a single quarter. In addition to being a little slower, O'Neal vaguely saw that invincibility when facing Big Ben. figure.
However, compared with O'Neal when he was invincible, O'Neal is indeed not that strong now.
Even if this game goes unparalleled in the fourth quarter, it can't kill anyone anymore.
The lethality is gone!
5 of 6 in a single quarter is brutal, but 0 free throws in a single quarter is also very realistic!
Now O'Neal can't make the other party pay the price.
It is precisely because of this that as the defending champion, Wade and the Heat are believed by most experts in the United States to be eliminated by the Bulls in the first round within six games.
The second game on the first day of the playoffs is the Celtics, who are first in the Eastern Conference, versus the Orlando Magic, who are eighth in the Eastern Conference.
92 to 105, the Magic kneeled clearly.
Howard scored 13 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks in the first playoff game of his career.
He also made 6 turnovers, which contributed to Garnett's 3 blocks and 3 steals.
In this game, the inside combination of Kendrick Perkins and Garnett, one man and one defense, kept Howard submissive.
This series between the Celtics and the Magic is also the second series in addition to the series between the Mavericks and the SuperSonics that most experts believe the Magic will be swept.
Today's third game is the San Antonio Spurs, fifth in the Western Conference, playing against the Jazz.
75 to 85!
A great defensive battle.
Under the Spurs' defense, the Jazz shot only 36% from the field and 24% from the three-point range. The Spurs were similar, shooting 39% from the field and 33% from the three-point range.
The difference is that the Spurs have Duncan!
With 28 points and 13 rebounds, Duncan continued his good form during the sprint phase of the regular season.
Compared with veterans like the Spurs who are already very hot, the Jazz don't seem to be in the rhythm of entering the playoffs yet.
After all, the Jazz are the only team in the top eight in the Western Conference that has not sprinted and has been looking at the sea.
But at the end of the game between the Jazz and the Spurs, Ye Si could clearly see that there was no joy in Vicki's face on TV.
Coming out of form too early is detrimental to any team aiming to win the championship, especially this team is mainly composed of veterans!
If you get out of shape too early, you will usher in a period of exhaustion prematurely.
**Vicci couldn't control it, and he also wanted to recover.
But he can't do it. The Spurs sprinted for so long at the end of the season. His team needs a rest and needs to solve the opponent early!
The Spurs were in good form, but the Jazz didn't. The Spurs only won by 10 points.
This victory is not just a victory, but also a crisis!
Even if the Jazz can't beat the Spurs, dragging the Spurs to six or seven games is a huge failure for the Spurs.
Experts predict that the Spurs can win this series, but they need to play at least six games!
The finale of the first day of the playoffs is the Wizards, who are third in the Eastern Conference, versus the Cavaliers, who are sixth in the Eastern Conference.
These two teams are also considered enemies.
The two teams met in the first round last season.
James relied on a controversial walk-in to win the key victory over the Wizards.
The chosen one, the ultimate winner, last year's James had unlimited glory.
Things have changed dramatically this year.
Ye Si really never thought that the snake release tactic he came up with would eventually be used against James.
He really never thought that James's invincible tank-like breakthrough would actually be in a difficult situation because the league focused on walking.
When the tank is stuck in the quagmire and without the barrel, there is really only a lump of solid-looking steel left.
They can only be slaughtered.
This is what James and the Cavaliers are like now.
If the Cavaliers didn't have a solid foundation in the first half of the schedule, the Eastern Conference teams would be useless.
If they were placed in the Western Conference, James and the Cavaliers would probably compete with the Trail Blazers for the top five picks, not to mention making the playoffs.
Even because of the Eastern Conference, I was lucky enough to enter the playoffs.
The first game against the Wizards, facing the Wizards with crazy revenge.
The Cavaliers lost 89-99 on the road.
Facing the Wizards with a healthy lineup, including Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler, the Cavaliers really have no choice.
Looking at the dazzling score on the sidelines.
James' face was very ugly.
He just wants to end this shameful season as soon as possible.
Now he just wants to enter the offseason as soon as possible!
He just wants to get back all the time he once wasted!
This is not the back figure that has resigned to its fate!
Looking at the back of the unwilling No. 23 on TV.
Ye Si nodded slightly.
In the series between the Cavaliers and Wizards, experts predict that the Wizards will resolve the battle in six games.
But judging from this game, I'm afraid it won't take six games.
After watching the game between the Cavaliers and Wizards, Yeez and the SuperSonics players boarded a plane flying to Dallas.
The Sonics have been doing confrontation training in the past two days, and Nelson has been making excuses to stay with Tucker and Milicic.
After being beaten by Nelson for two days, Tucker and Milicic did not show any frustration or discomfort.
This actually surprised the SuperSonics.
Even Ye Si was surprised.
Do Milicic and Tucker still have that weird hobby?
The SuperSonics are looking forward to Old Nelson coming up with ways to deal with the Mavericks.
But in the past two days, Nelson has only found excuses to find trouble with Milicic and Tucker.
Now the public opinion in the United States is the news that Nelson's mad scientist has become crazy again.
Very frustrating.
April 22, 2007.
The second day of the NBA playoffs.
Today's first game is the Pistons, second in the Eastern Conference, against the Nets, seventh in the Eastern Conference.
After the Nets were destroyed by Rondo and the Gay Conference, they were lucky to enter the playoffs because they were in the Eastern Conference.
87 to 97.
This game proved that the collapsed Nets really collapsed!
Kidd and Carter were clearly distracted.
In the second game, the Suns, second in the Western Conference, faced the Lakers, seventh in the Western Conference.
This is a focus war.
The Suns have an absolute advantage, but the Lakers beat the Suns this season!
Therefore, many experts believe that even if the Suns can win, it will take more than five games.
87 to 95!
The two teams just played a regular season game with playoff intensity, and the rhythm of this game and that regular season game is almost exactly the same!
The Lakers still make it difficult to defend the Suns.
In this game, Kobe not only performed well on the defensive end, but also on the offensive end.
Scored 39 points on 15-of-33 shooting.
But the same thing is that the Lakers still lost!
Kobe had only 1 assist in this game.
"Are the Rockets so strong this year?!"
On the second day of the playoffs, everyone in the Sonics watched the game between the third-place Rockets in the Western Conference and the sixth-place Nuggets in the Western Conference in the locker room of the American Airlines Center.
95 to 110!
Yao Ming, Juwan Howard, McGrady, Ariza, Roy...
This rocket looks terrifyingly powerful!
Roy posted 25+5+5 in the first playoff game of his career.
Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Roy scored a total of 81 points in this game!
"The Rockets still look the weakest among the three gods in the Western Conference!"
Watching the Nuggets' miserable situation on TV, the Sonics players in the locker room were really stunned.
In this game, they have to face the Mavericks, the top three teams in the Western Conference!
The Mavericks are much more brutal than the Rockets!
April 22, 2007, American Airlines Center, Dallas!
The American Airlines Center is one of the best-attended arenas in the NBA.
But it was surprising to see them all filled up so early today.
"The Mavericks and SuperSonics have the biggest gap in strength among all the matchups in the first round!"
"The matchup between the Mavericks and SuperSonics is also the one that attracts the most attention!"
“It seems contradictory, but it’s true!”
"Based on the ratings of SuperSonics games in the regular season, many experts predict that this game will be the game with the highest ratings in this year's playoffs!"
Will the most-watched game of the playoffs be in Game 1 of the first round?
No one would have believed this kind of thing before.
But now, no one will doubt it.
Because this game is the first playoff game of Yes' career!
Similarly, this series may also be the only series played by Yes!
And this is why many people hope that Sonics can become stronger.
There are too many interests at stake.
Broadcasters, newspapers, media, reporters, experts, and even leagues.
The further Yes can go in the playoffs, the more money they can make.
This is the reason why public opinion in the United States this season treats Rondo as if he were an enemy who killed his father!
Rondo, Millsap, Barea...
The economic losses caused by these wastes are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Selling this garbage a hundred times will not make up for these losses.
But it's too late to say that now.
Even SuperSonics head coach Nelson seems to have been infected by this garbage.
The button to cheat Yes is also turned on!
Put Tucker in the starting lineup?
This is because they feel that being swept by Yes is not enough, and they are ready to let Yes be ravaged by Nowitzki's body of more than 200 kilograms several times before being swept!
Barkley is very worried now.
Yes, we have fallen into a “hole” this season!
He is no longer worried about whether Yes will be swept and regrets it. His biggest hope now is not to be beaten by the Mavericks by 58 points!
Otherwise, it would be really funny.
There are now various signs that Nowitzki and the Mavericks are really preparing to play hard against the SuperSonics and Yes!
"Kenny, do you think this is Nelson's smoke bomb?"
"smoke bomb?"
Kenny Smith looked like you were stupid.
In terms of strength comparison between the SuperSonics and the Mavericks, is it necessary to use Tucker as a smoke bomb?
Barkley was also embarrassed to be looked at by Kenny Smith like this.
Soon, listening to the voice coming from the headset, the fear on Buckley's face turned into fright.
The frightened Buckley even stood up from his seat!
"Milicic, Tucker, Quentin Richardson, Yes, Rondo?!"
"The Sonics' starting power forward in this game is really P.J. Tucker?!"
Seeing the Sonics' starting lineup, there was an uproar inside and outside the stadium!