the rest, only noise

Chapter 518 The Prejudice That Can't Kill

"It's definitely going to be a game of dragons and tigers," CBS announcer Dick Stockton asked about his new partner, Billy Cunningham, before the game. "Billy, who do you think has a better chance?"

Cunningham has not been idle since leaving the 76ers.

Successful as a player and as a coach, highly respected.

He has now replaced Heinsohn as commentator alongside Dick Stockton.

Cunningham, unlike Heinsohn, will not favor his old club too much.

When commenting at ordinary times, it will not bring too much personal emotion, unless there is a coach named Louis standing opposite.

"I think Chuck Daly is better than Little Lu in terms of resume and experience, there is no doubt about it. So if there is a stalemate in the game, I believe Chuck will use his experience to make Detroit win the game."

Cunningham knew that Daly's resume and experience were better than Louie's, but he forgot that there was one thing Daly hadn't touched on the latter's resume—a championship.

Moreover, Louis is basically recognized as the fastest-changing head coach in this line.

Cunningham can't forget how Louie led the bastards to slaughter his 76ers when he coached the Celtics.

That's why he couldn't look at Louie and Daly objectively.

Stockton knew what was going on, but he just smiled and didn't say much.

When the game starts, the result will be known from the meeting.

The two sides jumped the ball, and Ewing didn't let Moses Malone take advantage of it.

When Ewing signed the highly controversial 10-year $3000 million contract, Malone was the first player to express dissatisfaction with it.

Ewing remembered it all, and even if he forgot, Louis would remind him.

Ewing took the ball, and without McHale, he was actually responsible for completing the "2 High" tactics inside.

You can't leave this matter to Rodman. Louis let him play power forward. In fact, he just wanted to use his defense and rebounding ability to force the fourth position. The main purpose is to speed up.

Rodman has never been a reliable low-post player.

Ewing still uses the N.UCLA system's running position to create dislocations, and the man guarding him is Adrian Dantley, a player who knows exactly how to attack and knows how to be lazy on the defensive end.

Ewing leaned on his body for a turnaround jumper and made it.

"If he can't even beat Dantley, I will definitely screw his head off!" Louis said to the people around him.

"Oh, poor Patrick," said Tomjanovich pitifully.

The game was going according to the Knicks' plan, with Joe Dumars poised to break through Stockton's defense head-on.The Knicks' pocket formation was ready for him, and when he came in with the ball, he was double-teamed by three people.

For this reason, the Knicks emptied Worthy on the right wing and Dantley, who did not open up space.

Neither of these two is a shooter who can go to the perimeter to punish opponents, and Dumars, in a hurry, gave the ball to Craig Illo.

Calculating the time, in another year, he should be cast into "The Shot" by Jordan.

Because of Louie, the events that made him remembered as Sam Bowie are destined to never be associated with him again.

At this point he acts as a perfect perimeter filler for the Pistons.

Miller's single defense is a shortcoming. This is a common problem for all rookies. They have poor confrontation, lack of concentration, and no experience.

The moment Miller lost his position, his junior, Wilson, who had played in the NBA for a year longer than him, stepped up.

Wilson's defense was underestimated by the pundits. He locked up Ilo's offense and forced the opponent to make a strong shot before the whistle.

Three non-stick, the Pistons' offense was blocked by the Knicks.

"The only reason not to support Benj's selection to the All-Defensive Team is that his steals and blocks are not outstanding." Zhao Yuanzheng complained, "Obviously those voters have learned from Dr. J that good blocks and steals numbers are not necessarily a good defender."

Dumars didn't stick to three things, and the Knicks played a defensive counterattack.

Wilson threw the ball upfield and Stockton made an easy layup.

After a few rounds of coming and going, it is already clear what the Knicks are.

First of all, this starting lineup is a typical swing lineup. Wilson and Rodman can switch positions at any time. With Miller and Stockton, the rhythm is extremely fast.The Pistons are a typical big lineup, relying on their frontcourt advantage to create an advantage. Louis arranges this way to hit the weak point with a punch and rush to the opponent's weakness.

On the defensive end, the pocket formation blocked the sudden points of Dumars and Illo. With Dantley and Worthy unable to shoot three-pointers, Malone's clumsy offensive threat of positional warfare would put the Pistons in a four-on-five situation.

If the Pistons choose outside shooting to bet on their shooting touch and the league's first offensive rebound rate, the Knicks' pocket array will have a greater effect.

At that time, the Pistons frontcourt headed by Malone will need to rebound with a pocket formation of four Knicks.

Ewing ranks fourth in the league in rebounds per game this season, and both Rodman and Wilson are excellent rebounders in the same position.

The Knicks aren't afraid of the height of the Pistons.

Louie's layout may seem like an understatement, but every point makes sense.

So far in his career, the only mistake is that Game1 and Game2 in the Eastern Conference finals last year were naive, trying to rely on the depth of the lineup to compete against the Boston Big Three.

But that's also because the Knicks did beat the Celtics with lineup depth in the regular season, so he did that.

There was a problem with the result, which can only show that the playoffs are different from the regular season.

Dumars dribbles and makes high-post shots.

"How is it possible to enter?" Louis saw Stockton digging out Dumas' big bird.

It's such a shameless ratio.

Dumars missed a shot just as the rebound bounced into Malone's hands.

Malone hit Ewing hard, causing the latter to foul.

Referee Bill Saar blows his whistle.

Ewing turned his head dissatisfied. Sal is a well-known "smiling tiger" in the industry. Don't look at his friendly smile. If he dares to defy him, there will be no good fruit.

Ewing felt the same smell as Louis on him.

This kind of chameleon with a hippie smile in one second and a sloppy face in the next is not easy to mess with.

To Ewing's surprise, Louie went straight to the midfield and shouted, "Shit, if Patrick's foul just now is also called a foul, can the game continue? Any action in this game is bigger than the one just now!"

Louie's complaints awakened the audience in the MSG Arena.

They cooperated with Louis to boo the audience, and Malone missed both free throws.

When the Knicks counterattacked, Thrall ran back and Louie yelled in his ear: "Basketball doesn't lie!"

Thrall's smile disappeared immediately: "You better not go too far!"

"If you can't take it easy and let the players play their own game, I promise something more will happen!" Louie threatened loudly, and Ewing leaned away from Malone's body and turned to hook.

Malone's defense visibly violated his cylinder.

"Wow, why didn't you blow it at this time? Sal, according to the scale just now, isn't this a foul?" Louis asked, "Whose fucking home field is this?"

Ewing missed the hook, and Malone didn't make any foul moves when he was stuck at the basket, but was called a foul by the baseline referee Joe Crawford.

Now it was Daly's turn to be unbearable.

He is much hotter than Louis. If someone hadn't stopped him, he would have run to Crawford and pinched him by the neck to ask where Malone made a foul just now.

The audience booed again, this time differently than last time.

The last time the booing was called "Whistle NM Jimmy Butler", this time the booing was called "You Jimmy Butler blows a good whistle".

Crawford ignored Daly, he looked completely at Louie.

The meaning is obvious, this is the balance whistle blowing back to the Knicks, and by the way, he used his eyes to warn Louis not to beep again.

In this way, it is Crawford who makes concessions, not Thrall, and both sides have a step down.

As expected, Louie calmed down, the Knicks regrouped, and Wilson's beautiful Euro Backdoor (going through the back door) tactic cut into the basket from the bottom corner, and Dantley, who was responsible for defending him, was completely invisible and could not see the effect.

Malone turned around and raised his hands, but was fouled by Wilson.

"New Yorkers can't be touched at all, right?" Daly roared.

Louie clapped his hands in the back, Wilson got to the free throw line, and Malone was replaced for two fouls.

Malone was troubled by fouls, but the Pistons didn't panic at all.

Daly waved his hand, and another top insider, Robert Parish, came on. This team's frontcourt is such a luxury.

The Knicks can only use Song Tao and Brad Rohaus as Ewing's substitutes, while the Pistons can use Malone and Parish in rotation according to their opponents.

Wilson was unaffected and made two free throws.

6 is better than 2
"The Knicks seem to be the more prepared side," Stockton said.

He deliberately created a show effect, and everyone knew that Cunningham had no good things to say about Louis.

"You can't look at it that way." Cunningham came indeed. "The match has just begun. This is the first match of the semi-finals. Both sides are in the trial stage. I believe things will change soon."

Stockton is waiting to see what changes come out of Cunningham's mouth.

Then, everyone saw Louis make a gesture.

Stockton, Wilson, Rodman, Miller, and Ewing suddenly played a 2-2-1 full-court press.

The suddenness, aggression, and defensive pressure of this look were all unexpected by Detroit people.

"Benj was like a beast on defense stopping Craig Illo from advancing! Dennis Rodman's double team was just in time and oh my god they got it!"

Rodman fumbled Illo's pass and Wilson picked it up.

He dribbled the ball like a guard, dribbled to the basket, and Worthy returned to the defense as fast as possible, but this couldn't stop the Knicks' offense.

Wilson jumped into the air and slammed the ball into the corner.

Reggie Miller catches the ball and throws it up.

"Shh!"

9 to 2, the Pistons were stopped.

Stockton said with a smile: "This change is unexpected."

(End of this chapter)