radicalducati Chapter 555 When we fight head-on, no one can stand against us!
Chapter 555 When we fight head-on, no one can stand against us!
As the game time approached, the starting players of both teams took to the court. Neither side made any lineup adjustments, using the same five-man lineup they had been using during the regular season.
Ben Wallace and Mehmet Okur stood in the center circle, while Stoudemire and Rasheed, two power forwards with completely different styles but both face-up, faced each other. Ron Artest stood next to Anthony with a sneer, and the game started with intense pressure on Anthony even before it began.
Hamilton yawned and leaned against Jackson, still adjusting his mask, while Billups had a big smile on his face, as if it were just a friendly match, and even reached out to bump fists with Lin Tian.
Lin Tian naturally returned the smile and friendliness. The two even chatted about how their dinner was. Then, they both turned their heads away and silently cursed each other in their hearts.
"Beep beep!"
The referee blew his whistle, and the basketball was thrown into the air.
Although Ben Wallace is not tall, his physical attributes are definitely much better than Okur's. This time, he put all his strength into it and jumped with all his might, managing to win the first offensive possession for the team from Okur, who was a head taller than him.
Billups got the basketball, dribbled it once in place, and then suddenly threw the ball towards the frontcourt with one hand!
This pass was not only quite sudden, but the passing style and rhythm were also completely out of character for the Pistons.
It was as frightening as a tortoise slowly lying on the ground suddenly doing a backflip to Lin Tian!
Lin Tian was startled and couldn't react in time.
Hamilton received the ball outside the three-point line, and without waiting for his teammates to get into position, he dribbled in a different direction after receiving the ball, took a step towards the inside, and then suddenly stopped and pulled up!
"Whoosh!"
This kind of pull-up jump shot after a dribble is Hamilton's signature move, but he rarely uses it when he's just one step inside the three-point line or when none of his teammates have entered the paint!
He shoots more often in positional play.
In this kind of fast break, with no one grabbing the rebound, no one on the Pistons, let alone Hamilton, would dare to take such a long-range shot!
Anyone who dares to shoot like that, regardless of whether it goes in or not, Brown will skin them alive!
There's definitely something wrong!
Lin Tian received the ball from the baseline. As he received the ball, he sensed that Billups' defensive intensity against him was even lower than during the regular season. Seeing this, Lin Tian didn't hesitate at all. He immediately accelerated and charged forward!
Then... he clearly felt that the Pistons' defense wasn't as frantic as before, it was as if they were giving him a way out.
Lin Tian fought his way to the edge of the three-second zone, and before the big man could come up, he finished the attack with a throw-out!
"Aren't you going to defend?" Lin Tian asked, posing a fundamental question.
"Let's play something more interesting today!" Billups received the ball from the baseline and made a rapid advance, then passed the ball to Hamilton before he even crossed the halfway line. Hamilton continued to break through with the ball and then suddenly passed it back to Rashid at the top of the arc.
Rashid took a shot at the ball, then completely ignored the fact that Ben was right next to him, and just pulled it up and threw it!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, the basketball went in!
"Damn it, are you guys trying to play a shootout with us?" Lin Tian could easily see what the Pistons were planning tonight just by looking at their posture.
After a little analysis, Lin Tian guessed Brown's thoughts.
Taking advantage of the Knicks' recent Game 7, the team used relentless running and offensive battles to keep the Knicks on their toes, and then, after fighting hard throughout the game, they unfortunately lost.
In the end, the Knicks didn't win the game, and the players were exhausted.
That's pretty much it!
Lin Tian did not hesitate to accept Brown's actions, which were completely out of character.
If you want to run, if you want to fight, then come on!
He's not afraid at all!
In particular, this year's situation is completely different from last year's finals.
Last year in the Finals, the Timberwolves went through an epic battle with the Lakers. The whole team was exhausted, like they had just run a marathon. That's why Lin Tian's playing style was effective.
And more importantly, looking at the strength comparison last year, the Timberwolves had a clear advantage, and the Pacers were no match for them, so Lin had to implement tactics.
What about this year?
The Pistons have a clear advantage in terms of strength, and the Knicks are far less tired than the Timberwolves.
In this situation, Brown, you want to increase our intensity, compete on speed and scoring?
The Knicks will certainly not give up, and absolutely cannot give up this opportunity!
After all, the Knicks might only have a handful of opportunities left!
So if you're going to run, let's run like crazy!
So, the players from both sides ran freely in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Fight a direct confrontation!
The Pistons were already in top form, and their players were all at the peak of their careers.
Their starting lineup is full of offensive specialists.
Hmm... except for Ben Affleck.
The remaining four players are all capable of averaging 20 points per game over a long season.
So when Brown told them to run and attack freely, these guys really didn't back down at all, and their running performance was just as good!
In the first quarter, the score was 31-33!
The Pistons are still leading by 2 points!
The second quarter remained close, but the Knicks won by 3 points, taking the lead.
66: 65!
The match was progressing rapidly.
"I think Brown is going to cheat." The game has reached the end of the third quarter in the blink of an eye. In this quarter, the Knicks have put in a little more effort and have made their offensive level even more crazy and vivid.
Carmelo Anthony, in particular, dominated this quarter, scoring 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Anthony's firepower helped the Knicks win the quarter by 6 points!
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks were already leading by 7 points.
"He'll definitely try to cheat," old Nelson scoffed. "Do you really think he's some kind of stubborn old fogey?"
"Yeah, he is indeed a stubborn old man, but not an idiot. He won't just watch the team lose and stick to the same old style of play. Now let's see when this guy finally loses his temper and lets his men start playing defense!"
"Let's crush them before they can even play defense! Let's take a bigger lead!" Lin Tian tossed his towel, stood up, and said, "I've rested enough!"
"You've rested enough, go on!" Old Nelson waved his hand, and Lin Tian came to the center line, waiting for a chance to play when the ball was dead.
As Lin Tian said, with the Knicks' current strength and personnel, it would be extremely difficult for them to win a game on the road. But now, Brown, in order to pull off some crazy moves, has actually handed this opportunity to the Knicks.
Do you think I, Lord Lin, would tolerate such behavior?
We must get on the field early and kill the game!
If you try to act tough in front of me, I'll beat you so badly you won't be able to squeeze out a single drop of water!
With 10 minutes and 14 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Wells missed a back-to-the-basket shot, and Lin Tian replaced Ward, returning to the court.
At this point, the score is temporarily 98:90!
The Knicks are now up by 8 points!
It turns out that no matter what team you are, no matter how many players on your team can average 20 points per game, if you can go toe-to-toe with the Knicks, then no one in this league can be your match!
After Lin Tianyi came on the court, he didn't need to warm up or find his rhythm at all. Facing Billups' defense, he immediately accelerated past him to the basket, then attracted Ben Wallace's help defense before suddenly making a high-arcing pass, and Stoudemire immediately took off from behind Wallace.
"boom!"
After another loud bang, the Knicks added 2 more points!
We're leading by 10 points!
Brown, who was sitting on the sidelines, finally couldn't sit still any longer. He patted Artest and Rasheed next to him: "Let's go! Let's get back to our old basketball!"
"Damn it, when it comes to offense, we're no match for these bastards!"
"Increase the defensive intensity! Slow down the pace of the game! In the last 10 minutes, let's switch to traditional positional play!"
After Brown gave the order, the players immediately began to carry it out. Billups changed his previous style of running all over the court. In the first possession, he slowed down and dribbled to the frontcourt unhurriedly. Then, after having Ben Wallace come up to set a screen for him, he accelerated and drove hard to the basket.
After drawing a double team, he then passed the ball back to Rasheed outside the three-point line.
Rashid didn't stop after getting the ball and passed it to Hamilton on the wing.
Hamilton received the ball, faked out Jackson, and then accelerated towards the baseline. Just before reaching the three-second zone, he made a no-look bounce pass, and the ball was moved back to the vicinity of the free-throw line.
Standing there was Artest, who had just made a cut to the basket. Although he hadn't shaken off Anthony's defense, he bent over and used his strength to drive towards the basket, eventually scoring with a one-handed layup!
At this stage, Anthony simply couldn't withstand Artest in his prime.
If the Pistons' changes on offense were simply that they were more composed, less rushed, and passed the ball more, then their changes on defense were even greater!
Billups started harassing Lin Tian from the backcourt, while Hamilton was watching the situation closely from a short distance away. Once Lin Tian got past Billups, Hamilton would immediately rush over to double-team and help defend him.
As for the frontcourt and interior trio who quickly returned to the backcourt, they were back in their respective positions early on, keeping an eye on the people they needed to guard. In particular, the positioning of these three guys was quite sophisticated!
As expected of the team with the best defensive teamwork in the league, even though the Pistons only had three players in the backcourt, Lin Tian couldn't find any passing opportunities!
These three people have created the feeling of a joint defense!
The Pistons' defensive system is truly extraordinary!
At the same time, the instant Lin Tian crossed the halfway line, Billups rushed up and stuck to him. Meanwhile, several people behind Billups looked eager to try their luck, eyeing Lin Tian menacingly.
Lin Tian was certain that as long as he accelerated his breakthrough, the Pistons' help defense would arrive immediately!
But so what if we get there? What can we do about it?
Just because you provide timely defensive support doesn't mean I can't break through.
Thinking of this, Lin Tian suddenly accelerated, changed direction to get past Billups, and then accelerated towards the inside. Hamilton and Artest immediately collapsed their defense, and Lin Tian was completely covered by the two of them before he even reached the free throw line.
Lin Tian immediately spotted Anthony on the other side out of the corner of his eye and made a behind-the-back pass to him.
Unexpectedly, before the basketball even reached Anthony's hands, Billups, who should have been chasing after Lin Tian, suddenly appeared!
This guy intercepted Lin Tian's pass in one go, then calmed down again, gesturing to everyone not to rush and to take their time and make a shot.
"How about that, Lin? Surprised?" Billups, who had successfully intercepted the ball, said smugly, "Ever since you guys upset us in the first round last year, I've been watching your games so much I'm about to throw up! I watch your games every day and study them."
"I fucking feel like I know you better than you know yourself now!"
"I know when you'll pass the ball and to whom, and I also know when you'll shoot and when you'll slow down the pace!"
"This is the experience that I and my guys have accumulated by watching your matches every day for the past year! This is our effort over the past year to avenge ourselves and defeat you!"
"Enough with the nonsense." Lin Tian scoffed. "Isn't it just because you guys are bad, weak, and can't beat me that you go to all this trouble to study me? I've never watched your matches, there's nothing to watch, nothing to study. I don't need that to beat you!"
"You can beat me, you can destroy me!" Billups dribbled the ball up the court. "But you can't beat us this year!"
He had barely finished speaking when he passed the ball to Hamilton once again. Then, after a series of complex and precise passes, screens, and drives to the basket characteristic of the Pistons, the ball returned to Ben Wallace's hands.
The open Ben Wallace immediately jumped and slammed the ball into the basket with both hands, bringing the Pistons within 2 points!
In the following minutes, the Knicks' offense was completely stifled, and they were unable to score!
Lin Tian did indeed notice that Billups was right; the Pistons' defense against him was quite effective. After their all-out defense, Lin Tian always felt awkward and uncomfortable, whether he wanted to attack himself or pass to his teammates.
Their defensive positioning and choices were excellent!
In addition, the intense physical contact made the Knicks players, who were full of energy in the first three quarters, feel extremely uncomfortable!
The most obvious example is Carmelo Anthony!
After making 5 of 5 shots in the third quarter and a total of 11 of 17 shots in the first three quarters, Anthony became a shooting slump again in the fourth quarter. By this point in the fourth quarter, he had only made 1 of 4 shots, and his shooting percentage was about to drop below 50%.
Carmelo Anthony's poor shooting performance was essentially a reflection of the Knicks' overall offensive struggles. Everyone seemed quite out of sorts, playing incredibly awkwardly, and were completely overwhelmed by the Pistons' physicality, unable to even stand up.
To reiterate, apart from Lin Tian, no one on this Knicks team can currently adapt to the Pistons' physicality and intensity!
With four minutes left in the game, Hamilton once again shook off Jackson on a run, caught the ball and shot directly. When he hit another mid-range shot, the Pistons finally narrowed the gap to just one point!
105: 104!
During that period, both teams were incredibly inefficient. However, the Pistons are used to this inefficient and slow-paced style of play. Even though they were slow to catch up, they weren't in a hurry at all because they had absolute confidence!
This is the style of play that got them winning almost 130 games in the regular season for two consecutive years!
"One point, Lin!" Billups looked at Lin Tian with some pride and said, "Now, you're going to go one-on-one! You can't trust your teammates anymore. You'll switch to attack mode when the score difference is narrowed to the smallest possible point at this stage of the game. Am I right?"
"Yes, you're absolutely right!" Lin Tian glanced at Billups after receiving the ball on the baseline and said, "But so what if you're right? Can you stop me?"
After saying this, Lin Tian immediately accelerated his attack!
In the blink of an eye, he squeezed past Billups, leaving him behind, and accelerated to break through!
Then, as Hamilton approached, Lin Tian made a non-slowing change of direction to get past him. His speed did not decrease at all, and in the blink of an eye, he had already reached the frontcourt. Artest and the two Wallaces almost simultaneously collapsed, and the three of them worked together to surround Lin Tian near the free throw line.
Facing the Pistons' almost frantic encirclement, Lin Tian remained completely unmoved. He dribbled the ball and suddenly stopped abruptly, then accelerated again, and then stopped abruptly again!
A simple change of rhythm, when used by Lin Tian, becomes an endless source of destructive power!
When Lin Tian started moving again, the Pistons' frontcourt trio's defensive encirclement had clearly loosened!
After all, there are three people. Even if these three people have great chemistry, they will inevitably have disagreements and oversights when facing Lin Tian.
Lin Tian seized upon the flaw that appeared in this moment of disagreement!
After accelerating again, he only took one step forward before performing a 360-degree spin, instantly propelling him out of the crowd and back to the basket.
"boom!"
After another loud bang, Lin Tian completed a powerful two-handed dunk!
This time, Lin Tian took on 5 opponents, completely outmaneuvering all five members of the Pistons team in a single round. It was a true 1-on-5, one man against an entire team!
The entire Auburn Hills Palace was filled with disbelief because of Lin Tian's incredibly brilliant attack.
Quiet, silent.
Lin Tian once again became the away team's silencer, silencing the most frenzied Auburn Hills Palace.
"So what if you know me? So what if you surround and block me? What can you do to me?" After scoring, Lin Tian looked at Billups and said, "I can still beat you all! I can still pound you into the ground!" (End of Chapter)