You should cross the mountains like a brave man

Chapter 414

In Game 3 and Game 4, the Warriors unexpectedly won two consecutive victories, with a big score of 3 to 1, forcing the Dallas Mavericks, who had beaten the league in the regular season, to the edge of a cliff.

The most bitter thing for Mavericks fans is that this difficult opponent was put into the playoffs by themselves.

If there is no "release" from the Mavericks, the Warriors' playoff qualification should be handed over to the Clippers, who have achieved 40 wins.

Compared with the Warriors who run away at every point, the Clippers are definitely a better opponent.

One wrong step, the whole game was lost, the Mavericks stood on the edge of the cliff, and the Lakers cheered when they heard the news.

The Warriors advanced to the semifinals, which is the best result for them.

Playing against the Mavericks, they are at most [-]-[-], and playing against the Warriors, if you are more modest, [-]-[-] is not too much.

The Lakers don't believe that the state of the Warriors playing against the Mavericks can last until the end of the semifinals, which is too unscientific.

But if they want to meet the Warriors in the semifinals, the first thing they have to do is send the Jazz out.

This is a tough nut to crack, and if you are not careful, your front teeth will be broken.

April 2007, 4, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Tianwangshan between the Lakers and Jazz may be one of the most intense single games in the first round of each group, but the national broadcast of major TV stations gave the fifth game between the Mavericks and Warriors.

Good things don't go out, bad things pass thousands of miles.

The Mavericks are only one step away from being eliminated. They are so strong in the regular season that people want to give them a trophy in advance, and now they can't even make it to the semifinals.

The stark contrast makes people have to pay attention to every game they have left.

If they are eliminated, the Warriors will create a black-eight miracle, and the Mavericks will always be in the NBA's shame column.

The sword refers to the overall runner-up of the championship. The regular season was strong to the end, and he did not suffer a large area of ​​​​injuries. He was eliminated just because he couldn't defend his opponent, and the team's top performers performed abnormally. The plot is exciting to think about.

The Mavs are very close to that.

As long as the Warriors work harder, it can be expected.

But the Lakers have no time to care about other battles. The Jazz have not come well. From the third game onwards, they seem to have grasped the lifeblood of the Lakers.

Derek Fisher is no longer their starter.

The vacant spot, Sloan arranged for Matt Harprin.

With Harprin and Kirilenko, the Jazz's two toughest defensive champions all got the chance to play.

"How many hits are you going to shoot today?" Halprin was irritated by Wei Xia in the first game and asked the referee to send him off.

After Sloan's re-education and his own deep introspection, in the next three games, he never lost his temper with Wei Xia again.

The trash talk to Wei Xia at this time is just like Jazz's strategy.

Kobe can explode, but Wei Xia must hold it down.

"I hope to go one step further," Wei Xia said.

"Then 40% is good. You didn't reach this number in the first three games. No matter how much you improve, you can't go too far, what do you think?" Harprin's provocative meaning became more and more obvious.

They have won two consecutive victories at home, and they have gained great confidence.

"Then let me borrow your auspicious words. I originally thought that a 39% hit rate would be enough." Wei Xia was serious.

As long as the shooting rate is not good, he comforts himself with Bob Cousy.

Although it was half a century ago, Cousy's shooting percentage was so low, and he was still regarded as the best in history when he retired. Why can't he?No, he must be able to do it.

The basketball flew from the referee's hands, and Andrew Bynum, who got the first chance, slammed the ball into the hands of Kyle Lowry.

Lowry focused on playing the kind of point guard that Jackson favored.

Don't grab the show, find a strong point as soon as possible after dribbling the ball.

He found Kobe.

Wei Xia consciously stood in the bottom corner. Kobe saw that his teammates were not moving, and Kirilenko's single-handed defense was not impeccable, so he suddenly pulled out and made a strong shot.

The aim is crooked, bang!

The basketball fell into Deron's hands.

Although Wei Xia's offense was not good in the first few games, he also restricted Deron's performance.

Deron's speed and rhythm-based offense are not easy to use against him.

The Jazz launched the ancestral pick-and-roll tactic, and after Deron made a pass, he passed the ball to Harperin in the bottom corner.

Halpring dribbled to Mehmet Okur at the rim, but overestimated his hand and the ball rolled out of bounds from the rim.

"I really don't know how to thank you." Wei Xiasi thought about it, and found that he cared too much about his state in the first few games, and didn't chat with his opponent like usual.

That's probably why he's not in good form.

Hearing his sour words, Halprin let out a cold snort and ran away.

Lowry served Wei Xia and said, "Don't give it to me."

Wei Xia had no choice but to dribble the ball to the front, and Lowry pulled away to one side. The others had no idea of ​​responding, as if they wanted him to play singles like Kobe.

Harprin's single defense should not be underestimated. If he and Kirilenko hadn't put too much pressure on him, he wouldn't have been so strong in the first few games.

Wei Xia gave up singles and started with a pick-and-roll.

Okur did not allow Wei Xia to have any shooting space, and despite his bulky body, he had to go to a high position to delay his breakthrough.

Wei Xia found Bynum rushing into the basket from the cracks, and the place was so empty that three or four people could be accommodated.Weixia passed the ball calmly, and Bynum dunked under the basket.

"You and Kobe have fewer self-righteous offenses, and we don't have to play so hard." Bynum said confidently.

Wei Xia smiled and said: "You dare to say this to Kobe, my possession of the ball is yours!"

"Then you just want me to die, so I won't do it!" Bynum clenched his fists and ran to the basket to concentrate on protecting the basket.

The Jazz still played pick and roll, but Deron didn't take advantage of the opportunity Okur gave him to attack.Because he saw Bynum entrenched in the paint.

Okur's three-pointer is not a joke, and Deron decisively returns.

He found that Wei Xia didn't keep up with him, but stood by Okur's side.Okur, who got the ball, couldn't make a shot for a while, and leaned against Wei Xia, waiting for someone to come to meet him.

Just as Deron was about to run back, Wei Xia's hands were faster than his feet, and he was one step ahead of him, and Okur's ball was under the knife, and the Lakers' counterattack momentum resumed!
"That's right!" Michael Thompson said excitedly, "Defense-driven offense is the way Wish is most used to playing!"

Wei Xia snatched Okur's ball, and the counterattack launched by himself was naturally terminated by himself.

His dunks gave the Lakers a 4-point lead.

Wei Xia, who succeeded in dunking, turned around and saw Harprin who was unable to catch up, and said softly: "You guys have to work hard, my current shooting percentage is actually 100%, which is far from your goal and mine."

"The more proud you are now, the more frustrated you will be later!" Harprin said coldly.

"This world is really ruthless. Why is the kindness I release always being misinterpreted? Is there something wrong with the way I speak, or is there a congenital defect that makes it impossible to understand?" Wei Xia stayed in the frontcourt to "chat", and he interfered with Harperin's serve.

After these words, Halprin, unable to suppress Wei Xia again, was furious, and even rushed to serve before Deron ran to him.

"Snapped!"

Wei Xia shot his serve on the spot, broke the ball while standing, showed a one-meter vertical jump in front of Harprin, and dunked the ball with both hands on the spot.

6 is better than 0
Wei Xia's face was apologetic, as if he couldn't understand Harprin's serve error, "Sorry, I take back my words, your IQ may really be low, I shouldn't discriminate against you, can you forgive me?"

Just as Harprin was about to lose control, the Jazz requested a timeout.

Less than 2 minutes later, the Lakers established a 6-0 lead, and everyone found that Wei Xia began to change into the appearance they were familiar with.

"It's too early to put him under the pressure like Kobe," Tektor Winter told Jackson. "He needs time."

"Compared to John Havlicek at the beginning of his career, I hope he becomes Clyde Drakelles next to Kobe." Phil Jackson shook his head helplessly, "But it seems that he has embarked on a 'point of no return'."

There are different opinions on Weixia's development template. Before he participated in the draft, the template set by the Lakers' scouts was Havlicek.

This point of view was endorsed by Zen Master and Winter, who had seen Havlicek play with their own eyes.

But Zen Master would prefer that he become a comprehensive wing like Pippen and "Glider", so that he can form the Lakers version of "Batman and Robin" with Kobe.

It's just that at present, Wei Xia's path to advancement has been locked.

He's on his way to becoming the John Havlicek of the 21st century, unwavering in his stride.

Winter smiled lightly: "Is there anything wrong with being 'Hondo'? Phil, I know what you're thinking, but what Scottie can do, 'Hondo' can do too."

Of course Jackson knew that after the age of 30, Havlicek and Rick Barry became the earliest point forwards in history, but that was after the age of 30.

Where does he and the Lakers have time to wait for him after he turns 30?
Wei Xia has no enthusiasm for holding the ball and controlling the offensive end. He is just a selfless practice of silent dedication. In some people's eyes, it is helpful to the team, while in the eyes of others, he has locked his upper limit.

But the development of players has never been seen clearly in one or two seasons.

The Jazz called a timeout, and the Lakers were able to rearrange.

Jackson replaced Lowry, who did not make a mistake, let Weixia play the first position, and let Sprewell play the third position.

The instructions he gave Wei Xia were even more complicated and difficult to understand: "You have to control the rhythm. Before the end of the first quarter, I want to see you get 5 assists!"

(End of this chapter)