basketball pope

Chapter 72 [You can have a snack]

The Knicks won 121-89 in their first game.

Calipari shook hands with Van Gundy after the game, with an embarrassed expression, for fear that the other party would make some sarcastic remarks.However, Yang Rui and Van Gundy didn't say a word as if they didn't know him, and Yang Rui didn't even look at him directly.

This kind of ignorance made Calipari even more lost. He was very concerned about it, but the other party did not treat him as an opponent at all.

This is indeed the case. Yang Rui choked Calipari a few words when he went to the Nets for a face-to-face interview, but he was short-lived because the other party was sarcastic first.

This is like a person going on a blind date, and the other person doesn't like it, and if they say something like "we are not suitable", no one will be angry.

If one party says "you are too fat", "you have a low education," "I think you are incompetent", etc., it is a provocation, but anyone with a little temper will feel unhappy and want to fight back.

Now that Yang Rui's anger has disappeared, Calipari is all the way to him.

A few days later, the Knicks swept the Nets 3-0.

Jason Williams rebounds, is tough enough, and lacks scoring ability.Compared with the regular season, Van Horn is soft and heartbreaking, averaging only 12.7 points and 3 rebounds per game. It is hard to imagine that this is the data of a 208CM big man.

The Knicks scored [-] points per game, and Calipari could only comfort himself. This is because Van Gundy is too good a coach and the Knicks players are strong. It has nothing to do with Yang Rui.

Yang Rui is fortunate. If he joined the Nets at the beginning, his popularity would definitely not be higher than it is now. Unless the mid-term trades follow his arrangements and sign up for reinforcements, the playoffs will at most reach the second round.

The other games in the East were also divided one after another. The Bulls eliminated the Cavaliers 3-1.

骑士老大是“雨人”肖恩-坎普，97年夏天以7年1.07亿美元的大合同先签后换加入骑士队，场均可以得到18分9.3篮板。进入季后赛，他四场数据26分10.3篮板2助攻1.3抢断1盖帽，完爆丹尼斯-罗德曼。

Kemp is still very strong now, and it was his excellent play that helped the team grab a victory.It is a pity that the "four tigers" of the Cavaliers lack experience in the playoffs. Except for Ilgauskas who scored 4 points and 17.2 rebounds, the data of the other three fell sharply compared with the regular season. The Cavaliers can only end with hatred.

The Pacers eliminated the Hornets 3-1 and will face the Knicks in the second round.

The Heat defeated the Eagles 3-1. Tim Hardaway was rejuvenated for the second time, averaging 26 points and 6.5 assists per game. He made 3.6 three-pointers in a game, and the shooting percentage was 43.2%.

Mourning also remained stable, averaging 19.3 points, 10 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Yang Rui found that history has quietly changed. It is difficult for the Knicks and the Heat to meet in the playoffs, unless the Heat can beat the Bulls to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

In his original time and space, the Heat and the Knicks met in the first round, and the Knicks staged the "Black Seven".

The two teams clashed fiercely in the game, Van Gundy was dragged by Mourning's thigh, and was still talked about by fans many years later.Today, Van Gundy has lost the opportunity to hold Mourning's thigh, and the league is missing a wonderful story.

Avoiding the Heat, Yang Rui did not forget to remind Van Gundy. "Jeff, when you do the mobilization work again, talk about restraining your temper. Don't fight like last year. Reggie Miller is the worst, and everyone is likely to be irritated."

Van Gundy slapped his forehead. "You're right, you have to tell them to calm down, especially Larry, Charles, John..."

Yang Rui is crazy about sweating. Last season, the team was eliminated because of this reversal. The head coach didn't seem to think about it.

Van Gundy, you can have a snack.

Experts predict the second round and are equally optimistic about the Knicks.

The Pacers did not make the playoffs last season, only ranked No.39 in the Eastern Conference with 43 wins and 10 losses, so the team fired head coach Larry Brown.The Pacers lineup has not changed much this season, only adding a veteran Chris Mullin who can shoot three-pointers, and the head coach has been replaced by Larry Bird.

The Pacers' record has improved significantly, with 58 wins and 24 losses in the regular season, winning mainly on defense, and averaging 89.9 points per game, ranking among the best.Their offense is not very good, averaging only 96 points, even with star guard Reggie Miller, the team averaged only 12.5 three-point shots per game, hit 4.9, and hit 39%.

The reason people are not optimistic about the Pacers is simple, the depth of the lineup is too poor.

Miller and Houston are excellent three-point shooters, and the role is relatively single, can only score.

米勒场均19.5分2.9篮板2.1助攻1抢断，投篮命中率47.7%，三分命中率42.9%。

休斯顿场均19.4分3篮板2.6助攻0.5抢断，投篮命中率47.1%，三分命中率42.7%。

The problem is, the Pacers' star can only be compared with the Knicks' second-leading star, and Miller is just famous enough, his personality is crazy enough, and his ability is no better than Houston.

Ewing has obvious advantages over Pacers center Rick Schmitz. The 224cm tall, 113kg white big man is also a space center. He averaged 28.6 minutes, 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Dare him to play too long, because Schmitz's defense is not good and the movement speed is too slow.

The Knicks like to play the team with a slow inside speed. The average number of 25.7-pointers per game is the highest in the league. The overall average of 9.9 shots per game, 38.4 hits, and [-]% hit rate.

The bigger gap is the rebounding between the two teams. The Pacers can only grab 39.3 rebounds per game, ranking 26th in the league. Although this is related to the tactical system of reducing the number of possessions, it is bad enough.

The Knicks averaged 45.4 rebounds per game, ranking first in the league. The team has three strong rebounders in Ewing, Oakley, and Ben Wallace. Johnson, Mills, and even the fringe Buck Williams are not weak in rebounding.

On May 5, the two sides started their first battle, and the Knicks made the most of these two advantages.

As long as Schmitz was on the court, the Knicks continued to look for opportunities through off-the-ball screens on the perimeter, and the guards took the ball and shot, pulling Schmitz out of the basket.

The Pacers replaced Schmitz, and the protection of backcourt rebounds became worse. The Knicks made bold shots from the outside and grabbed rebounds on the inside.Even if Ewing takes a break, Oakley and Big Ben are enough for the Pacers.

On the other hand, the Pacers' offense is focused on the perimeter and lacks changes, and the Knicks are much easier to defend.

Yang Rui did not arrange complex offensive tactics in the Knicks, mainly supporting the inside line and covering the outside without the ball. These two sets are ahead of the times.

Especially without the ball to cover, help teammates to make three-pointers, this move can be said to make the big man and the slow-moving center no way to survive in the future.Even Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, who has won the Best Defensive Player of the Year, is uncomfortable when the Warriors throw wildly from the outside. The speed is slow, and it is difficult to switch guards.

105 to 91, the Knicks easily won their first victory.

In the second game, Bird reduced the playing time of center Schmitz, and the defensive pick-and-roll intensity increased, but the offense was in trouble.

Playing the whole game, the Pacers only scored in double figures by Miller and Antonio Davis, scoring 21 and 14 points respectively.

Five Knicks scored in double figures, and no one scored 20+ is enough to clean up their opponents, 95 to 77 to win another game.

The Pacers were beaten out of temper, the media was one-sided, and fans were optimistic about the Knicks advancing.There are only a handful of teams that can come back from a 0-2 deficit, and they want to eliminate the Knicks, who are balanced on offense and defense, unless a miracle happens.

(End of this chapter)