basketball boulder

Chapter 238 Psychological Warfare

韦德20分5篮板5助攻2抢断1盖帽。

O'Neal had 16 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.

Mourning had 11 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals and 5 blocks.

Old Jones had 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assist and 1 steals.

Haslem had 6 points and 9 rebounds.

Damon Jones had 9 points, 1 rebound and 4 assists.

Du Lin scored 2 points and 1 assist.

Russell Butler had 2 points and 2 rebounds.

Wang Zhizhi scored 2 points.

……

The Spurs here.

Duncan had 30 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 blocks.

Ginobili had 27 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal.

Horry had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.

This is also the only three players on the Spurs who scored in double figures.

帕克第一场打得很糟糕，全场9投2中，靠着罚球才得到6分3篮板4助攻。

……

A few days later, G2 kicked off.

The Heat kept the same starters:
O'Neill, Haslem, Li Lei, Jones Sr., Wade.

The Spurs made adjustments:
Ginobili, Barry, Bowen, Muhammad, Duncan.

Parker was put on the bench.

Doing so can not only enhance the offensive vitality of the bench, but also make up for the defensive loopholes in the starting lineup.

It looks pretty good.

But whether a lineup is good or not, you can't just look at the strength on paper, the effect is the most important.

After the game started, the fans clearly felt that the Spurs' impact was not enough.

Barry, Bowen, and Muhammad hardly have the ability to attack independently.

The Spurs can only rely on Ginobili and Duncan to play.

At the beginning, the Spurs could maintain the point difference.

But Pat Riley made adjustments after 3 minutes of the first quarter: strengthen the defensive intensity, cut off the connection between Ginobili, Duncan and other teammates, and let the two keep outputting.

This time, the Spurs' offense obviously became unsmooth, and the Heat began to slowly widen the point difference.

At the end of the first quarter, the Heat led by 6 points.

During the rotation stage, Parker showed his impact and scored frequently.

However, the Heat's bench lineup is completely worthwhile, and it didn't let the Spurs take advantage of it.

The point difference has been maintained at around 5 points.

Subsequently, the two teams replaced their main players one after another.

There was a stalemate until the end of the third quarter, and the Heat only led by 7 points.

77:70
In three quarters, Duncan has scored 35 points, Ginobili has 23 points, and the two combined for 58 points.

The rest of the circus team scored only 12 points in total.

And it is worth mentioning that Duncan and Ginobili didn't have much rest time in the first three quarters, and their physical exertion was huge.

Back in the fourth quarter, the Heat suddenly increased their defensive intensity, and Ginobili made consecutive mistakes.

The Heat seized the opportunity and instantly expanded the point difference to double digits.

At the critical moment, it depends on Duncan.

Duncan scored consecutively to help the Spurs stabilize the situation.

However, the biggest problem for the Spurs is that they cannot prevent the Heat from scoring, and the point difference cannot be narrowed.

After the Heat were full of fouls, Popovich began to adopt shark-cutting tactics.

But what makes the Spurs desperate is that O'Neal is very accurate today.

The previous two fouls, 4 free throws, O'Neal made 4 of 3 free throws.

Popovich had no choice but to give up chopping the shark.

In the end, 111:99.

The Heat beat the Spurs for the second straight game, taking a 2-0 lead.

In the press conference after the game, O'Neal was very proud: "I have said that, when it comes to critical moments, my free throws are very accurate."

O'Neal continued to boast: "When I was at home, I was very accurate in free throws, even more accurate than Cole. But the game is different from at home. It is difficult for you to be as accurate. I am accurate in free throws at critical moments, and that is enough!"

"As for why I don't practice free throws, because my body is more perfect than Jordan and Chamberlain. If I am also very accurate in free throws, how will others shoot? And my own tail is going to the sky. So in order to be a Ordinary people, I don’t practice free throws.”

Li Lei rolled his eyes.

Pretend to be struck by lightning!
But after getting along with O'Neill for more than half a year, he also knew the fat man's character.

Stubborn as hell, no one can force him to do what he doesn't want to do.

And this guy is especially good at making excuses, and he is so narcissistic.

Li Lei didn't force it either. He said into the microphone: "Shaq and I have an average free throw percentage, 70%, which is not bad."

……

But soon, O'Neill paid the price for his pretended "force".

In G3, starting in San Antonio, Popovich made another adjustment.

Rasunestrovic took the starting five position and Mohamed sat on the bench.

At this time, O'Neill didn't realize anything.

jump ball!

Rasu didn't jump directly.

O'Neal turned the ball back to his home half, which was a bit strange, why didn't Rasu jump?

Seeing that the opponent is yourself, you just admit defeat?
At this moment, Rasu approached O'Neill and hugged him directly.

O'Neal: "..."

referee:"……"

Everyone: "..."

What does this operation mean?
There was not a single foul in the game, and even if he fouled, he couldn't send O'Neal to the free throw line.

Does this foul make sense?
Li Lei looked at Popovich on the sidelines, very puzzled.

However, Popovich was expressionless and didn't show any thoughts.

Li Lei thought to himself: "This old guy doesn't want to cut O'Neal five times in a row, foul him up, and send him to the free throw line?"

That's too insane!
Afterwards, the Heat still had the ball.

Wade advances with the ball.

Everyone watched Lasu's movements, but this guy ran back to the Spurs' half court without any intention of continuing to attack the shark.

Everyone: "???"

O'Neill was already prepared to continue to be cut, but he was not cut, but a little uncomfortable.

"No, no, no! I don't want to be chopped off, isn't that a crime?"

O'Neill quickly got this idea out of his mind and ran to the frontcourt.

The Heat attack.

Wade broke through to attract the help defense and gave the ball to Jones Sr.

Old Jones missed a three-pointer at the top of the arc.

However, O'Neal grabbed the offensive rebound and made a dunk.

boom!
2: 0.

Rasu was injured in the final stage of the regular season, and his competitive state was very poor. Since the playoffs, he has averaged less than 10 minutes per game.

He didn't catch O'Neal at all for the ball just now, allowing O'Neal to grab an offensive rebound.

"Roar!"

O'Neill clenched his fist and roared, a little excited.

He has already noticed Rasu's "weakness", and letting such a Rasu defend him is simply giving him points.

The Spurs attack.

Duncan fought back and scored 2 points with a rebound shot.

2: 2.

The Heat attack.

The excited O'Neal directly asked for the ball in the low post.

He is confident that he can score at least 30 points tonight, or even 40 points.

But just when O'Neal got the ball, was excited, and was about to attack...

Rasu hugged him again.

Drip!

The referee's whistle blew.

O'Neal: "..."

He is really inexplicable.

Didn't you stop cutting it just now?Why was he excited just now, and started again.

The Heat serve a sideline kick.

Li Lei runs without the ball, catches and shoots from mid-range.

唰

4: 2.

The Spurs attack.

Ginobili made a wonderful pass to the basket, and Duncan directly recovered and scored another 2 points.

4: 4 flat!
The Heat attack.

Wade broke through and caused Manu Ginobili's foul, and he made 2 of 1 free throws at the free throw line.

5: 4.

The Spurs attack.

Bowen missed a three-pointer from the bottom corner.

The Heat took the opportunity to play a wave of defensive counterattacks.

7: 4.

Subsequently, the Spurs' offense returned without success again.

Li Lei turned around and hit a three-pointer.

Swish!
10: 4.

The Heat seem to be on the upswing.

They played an iron barrel defense in the next round, and the Spurs failed to attack again.

The Heat are in full swing.

Wade was about to make a fast break with the ball, when suddenly there was a "didi" sound in his ear.

Wade looked back, Rasu hugged O'Neill again.

O'Neal: "..."

The Spurs fouled 4 times.

Everyone still didn't understand Popovich's intentions, the chopping of sharks was irregular!
The ball still belongs to the Heat.

O'Neal attacked in the low post and wanted to retaliate against Rasu, but he missed the shot with Duncan's help.

Duncan grabbed the rebound.

The Spurs took the opportunity to play a wave of defensive counterattacks.

10: 6.

The Heat attack.

O'Neill was well prepared this time, avoiding the defense and attacking again.

He turned around continuously to trick Lasu, and then put the basket.

Bang!

This is usually a surefire basket, but he made a mistake!

The Spurs had another wave of defensive counterattacks.

10: 8.

The Heat attack.

Li Lei walked forward and thought while thinking. He felt that he was about to touch Popovich's mind.

Wade breaks through to attract double-teams and points the ball to Haslem.

Haslem made a shot.

12: 8.

Looking back, Duncan's low-post singles attracted the Heat's defense to shrink, and then passed to the outside with a throw.

Ginobili received the ball, made a false shot to deceive the old Jones who was flying over, and then hit a three-pointer.

12: 11.

With only 1 point left, San Antonio fans spontaneously cheered for the home team.

The Spurs have signs of momentum.

The Heat fought back.

With the help of Haslem's screen, Li Lei popped up, received a pass from Jones, hit a three-pointer, and counterattacked.

15: 11.

This ball was like a blow to the head, directly extinguishing the passion of the Al-Quds fans.

However, in the subsequent round, the Heat successfully defended the Spurs to death and played another wave of defensive counterattacks.

17: 11.

The Heat once again widened the point difference.

The Spurs' subsequent offense was still nothing.

The Heat serve the baseline.

Wade just passed halftime, Didi!

The Spurs fouled again.

Rasu made his fourth personal foul, and the Spurs team fouled 5 times.

O'Neal is about to make a free throw!
Taking advantage of O'Neal's free throw, the Spurs made adjustments:
Rasu, who had 4 fouls, went off and Tony Musenberg played.

Li Lei frowned: Massenberg is the last rotation player of the Spurs, the kind who hardly ever plays.

So far in the playoffs, he has played 5 times, averaging 3.1 minutes per game.

What can such a player do?

Most people can blurt out: cut sharks!
Be a tool man!

O'Neill was about to make a free throw. Seeing the movement of the Spurs, he made a direct penalty.

It's no wonder he's in a good mood when he thinks that the Spurs will continue to cut him.

In the second free throw, O'Neal barely hit the basket, but bounced far away.

2 free throws.

The score is still 17:11.

The Spurs attacked, and Duncan deserved to be the second player in the league and continued to help the team survive.

17: 13.

The Heat attack.

All eyes were on Massenberg.

O'Neal is also ready to be chopped and continue to go to the free throw line.

However, Musenberg did not cut him, but returned to the defense normally.

O'Neal was a little confused, but still chose to run forward.

It's not just him who is dumbfounded, everyone on the Heat team is dumbfounded.

I don't know what Popovich's idea is.

It is inexplicable to send a tool man who cuts the shark, but does not cut the shark.

Pat Riley on the sidelines was also frowning. He stared straight at Popovich, but he just couldn't figure out what Popovich was thinking.

At this moment, Popovich, with his hands folded over his chest, also glanced at Riley and smiled back.

Riley was even more disturbed.

The Heat attack.

O'Neal played singles at the basket, easily pushed Musenberg away, tricked Duncan with fake moves, and then easily hit the rebound and shot.

boom!
Bang!

However, the goal was missed again.

Duncan grabbed the rebound and went straight to Ginobili.

Ginobili made a fast break, made a voluptuous snake breakthrough, and put the basketball into the basket.

Swish!
17: 15.

The Heat attack.

O'Neal attracted the defense in a low position and sent the ball out, but whoever gave the ball was a bit too strong, his teammates didn't catch it, and the ball flew directly out of the sideline.

Throw-in!
O'Neal's mistake.

The Spurs took the ball and another wave of offense, Bowen hit a three-pointer from the bottom corner.

17: 18.

The Spurs, go ahead!
The AT&T Center arena is boiling.

This is the first time the Spurs have taken the lead since the Finals.

Spurs, there is hope tonight!
Drip!

But Riley decisively called a timeout.

"Stone, do you understand?"

Riley ignored the others and asked Li Lei directly.

Li Lei nodded, glanced at Popovich on the opposite side, and then said: "That old man is disturbing our psychology. As long as we get up, he will slash Shaq from time to time, making Shaq always think about being slashed." , not being able to give full attention to the game. And Shaq is affected, and we are naturally affected."

In these few rounds, O'Neill has always paid too much attention to Mark Berg's actions, which has caused him to not focus enough on the game, failing to score the goals that should be scored, and making mistakes in simple operations.

The rest of the Heat's defense and offense have declined due to incoherent play.

O'Neill became angry when he heard it: "This old fox!"

He glared across at Popovich.

Popovich seemed to sense O'Neal's gaze, looked over, and smiled at O'Neal.

Li Lei pulled O'Neill over: "Shaq, don't get angry with him. If you get angry with him, you lose!"

Only then did O'Neill suppress his anger and stop looking at Popovich.

Pat Riley nodded, he and Li Lei basically had the same idea.

"So, Shaq, you come down and rest for a while."

Riley said.

When O'Neill heard this, he still wanted to protest, but thinking of his performance just now, he lowered his head again.

With O'Neal, Mourning will come off the bench.

Everyone was a little worried.

Although Mourning is desperate, his ability is far inferior to that of O'Neal.

Will the Heat fall behind now and replace O'Neal again, will they collapse?

Li Lei saw everyone's worry, and comforted him: "This may be a good opportunity."

Everyone looked at Li Lei, waiting for his words.

Riley and Spoelstra smiled, the locker room boss did a good job.

(End of this chapter)