NBA: I am the card dealer

Chapter 297 Familiar rhythm!

When James encountered a storm again, Xue Liancheng also encountered some minor disturbances.

After losing to the Cavaliers, the Knicks' record fell to 5 wins and 5 losses, which was a big decline and they were shocked to the ninth position in the Eastern Conference.

The previous ones are:

The Heat's 8 wins and 2 losses.

The Cavaliers' 7 wins and 2 losses.

The Eagles are 8-3.

The Bulls' 6 wins and 3 losses.

The Pistons have 5 wins and 3 losses.

Raptors' 6 wins and 4 losses

Pacers' 6 wins and 4 losses

The Magic's 5 wins and 5 losses.

Only then did the Knicks reach 5 wins and 5 losses.

Behind the Knicks, there is the Celtics with 4 wins and 4 losses.

The Hornets are 4-5.

Wizards' 3 wins and 4 losses.

The Bucks have 4 wins and 5 losses.

These teams are playing catch-up with their heads down.

This is not what the public expected.

You must know that ESPN predicts that the Knicks will be fifth in the Eastern Conference. Now, the Knicks' advantage does not seem to be that obvious.

Or in other words, other teams are not as weak as imagined.

In other words... ESPN's predictions may be seriously distorted.

In fact.

The current eastern battlefield is indeed very fierce.

Even though we have only played about ten games, if you look at the entire season, it is already close to 8/1 of the schedule, which has certain reference significance.

Teams such as the Pacers, Magic, and Celtics, which were obviously not optimistic, performed extremely strongly and performed beyond expectations.

The Pistons lost these two games, otherwise the entire head would have undergone earth-shaking changes.

During the subsequent regular press conference, reporters asked these questions.

Reporter: "Xue, so far, the team has only achieved 5 wins and 5 losses. Are you satisfied with this expectation?"

This question is obviously a question.

It can even represent the public's doubts about him.

Xue Liancheng replied: "We need more time to adjust. After all, most of the important rotations of the team are reunited. We need to understand each other's styles, habits, and what we are good at, so this result is currently It’s quite acceptable.”

A local reporter in New York asked: "But the problem is, you are the MVP! You plus an All-Star level inside partner like Lopez, but you only achieved a record of 5 wins and 5 losses. This is obviously a problem for New York fans. It’s extremely disappointing.”

Xue Liancheng frowned: "Then what kind of record do you think the team needs to achieve to meet your expectations?"

Ma Ma batch...

They say New York fans are hard to maintain.

Knew it!

Half a month after the start of the competition, when I saw the results of 5 wins and 5 losses, I couldn't hold it in anymore.

Fortunately, the winning percentage is not negative, otherwise New York fans might jump up and curse.

but……

Thinking about it carefully, it seems that the record is really bad. The internal and external dual-core formed by him and Lopez, coupled with such a group of gangsters, such a thick lineup, only achieved a record of 5 wins and 5 losses, ranking ninth in the Eastern Conference. The location is really hard to describe.

But considering that all the important rotations of the team are newcomers and everyone is unfamiliar with them, can they play smoothly?

In addition, their starting schedule is hellish. A record of 5 wins and 5 losses is already very good.

Look at their opponents since the start of the season, the Heat, Spurs, Hawks, Cavaliers, Bucks, Raptors, and Hornets. Which one is better?

Maybe the Bucks are just a little behind, but their form since the start of the game is not bad, and the rest are all top teams in the East and West.

The only team that can be said to be bad is the Los Angeles Lakers.

In addition, the Knicks have experienced back-to-back games three times since the start of the season.

and so……

It is not easy for the Knicks to achieve a record of 5 wins and 5 losses under such a devilish schedule.

But he knows, he knows, New York fans won't tell you this.

For example, the New York native in front of him immediately fired, "Just as ESPN predicted, you will be at least the top five in the Eastern Conference. This is in line with the fans' expectations of you."

Xue Liancheng smiled: "Okay, I understand, we will work hard to move in this direction."

The reporter: "???"

Xue Liancheng didn't give him a chance, "Next question."

Reporter: "In the absence of James, the team lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Are you disappointed?"

Xue Liancheng: "Well...the Cleveland Cavaliers are the Big Three! Losing to them is actually not unacceptable."

The reporter asked again: "Then if the team meets the complete Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs, does the team still have hope?"

Xue Liancheng twitched the corner of his mouth, "If James can appear, I think there will be great hope."

As soon as these words came out.

The whole audience burst into laughter.

The originally heavy and depressing atmosphere finally relaxed a lot.

Looking back, James was even more useless and missed the game, but the team won beyond everyone's expectations.

Xue Liancheng is at least much better. He works conscientiously in every game and brings obvious changes to the team. At least he gets rid of the fish belly label.

of course.

The voices of local dissatisfaction with the team in New York are still very strong.

Some people scolded Tyronn Lue.

Some people scolded Lopez.

Some also scolded Claude.

Relatively speaking, the voice scolding Xue Liancheng was the smallest.

reason?

He averaged 28.8 points, 11.7 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game, with an overall shooting percentage of 51.7% and a three-point shooting percentage of 40.3%. Should he be scolded for such a performance?

How to scold?

I can’t even curse!

This is combined with the fact that the performance in several games was not very good, especially during the three-game losing streak at the beginning of the game, the shooting rate was less than %.

Otherwise, Xue Liancheng will be even more terrifying.

Now he can regularly score 30+12+6. If it is lower than this number, his performance is not very good.

One can imagine how strong Xue Liancheng is currently performing.

He is still the top player in the league, but the team's record is poor. The only thing that can be questioned is his poor leadership ability.

of course.

For a top star, this is the biggest insult.

Because of the outstanding performance, the team cannot win. In other words: brush the data...

Therefore, the pressure Xue Liancheng is currently facing is undoubtedly huge.

……

rest for a day.

13 number.

In Madison Square Garden, they ushered in another powerful opponent, the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans have not changed much in the new season. Davis, Jrue Holiday, Evans, Asik, and Deng are all in the main lineup, and they also have Ryan Anderson and Douglas on the bench. , Babbitt, Cunningham et al.

The lineup still looks very strong.

ESPN believes they will take a step further this season and hit the top five in the Western Conference.

only……

At the beginning of the game, they did not play well and only achieved a record of 2 wins and 7 losses, which was very bad.

There are many main reasons, the biggest problem is that they have encountered a wave of injuries.

Therefore, the public has given them a lot of patience, thinking that they have the strongest power forward in the league currently, plus they have a large number of talented players. They entered the playoffs last season and are on the rise. They should be able to adjust quickly. Get out of the trough.

And this is the Knicks' opportunity.

In this game, Evans, another core member of the Pelicans, was indeed absent.

Don't underestimate Evans at this time. Although he doesn't have the amazing performance of 20+5+5 in his rookie season, his European steps and passing skills can still tear apart the opponent's defense. Cooperating with Davis in the pick-and-roll is One of the most effective killing moves for the Pelican.

Last season, the Pelicans were still able to reach the playoffs even though Jrue Holiday was injured. Evans was indispensable.

Without Evans, the impact on the Pelicans' strength is still obvious.

This was evident as soon as the game started.

Davis ran back and forth for three rounds, and was flanked as soon as he caught the ball. There was no good opportunity to attack at all.

This is the result of a lack of open defenders to feed the ball.

Although Jrue Holiday also has good passing skills, this guy was reimbursed for the season at the end of last season, and he was very unfamiliar with Davis.

This caused the Pelicans' offense to become very unsmooth.

The Knicks, on the other hand, took advantage of the Pelicans' repeated missed shots and turnovers to quickly and ferociously launch a fast-break counterattack.

The offense that advanced like a tide made the Pelicans lose sight of one thing.

Because the Pelicans start with two inside players, in addition to Davis, there is also center Omer Asik.

Davis is doing better, he is not that bloated now, and his speed is actually not too slow.

And Asik was a complete drag, unable to keep up with the Knicks' fast break rhythm.

In the first three minutes, the Knicks pushed for five fast breaks and stunned the Pelicans 18:6.

Pelicans head coach Gentry is also a master of running and gunning. He immediately discovered the problem and directly selected Asik, replaced him with Ryan Anderson, and began to attack the Knicks.

But when it comes to playing against each other, few teams in the league can beat the Knicks.

Because the Knicks have the strongest fast-break superstar Xue Liancheng in the league.

His presence alone can push the team's fast-paced offense to the extreme, accurately deliver cannonballs to teammates, and perfect the art of fast break.

<divclass="contentadv">This is destined to mean that most teams in the league cannot beat the Knicks if they play fast break.

In addition, the Knicks also have scrimmage master Will Barton, and the power of the two advancing side by side is also very powerful.

and so……

Throughout the first quarter, the Pelicans were beaten miserably, losing by 21 points at 43:22.

Gentry was stunned. He called timeout again and again and changed people again and again, but to no avail.

He didn't realize at all that playing against each other was actually the biggest problem.

After setting the tone in the first quarter, the Knicks' offense remained vigorous in the second quarter.

Gentry also reacted and slowed down because he saw Davis running back and forth too much ineffectively, so he suddenly came to his senses.

Davis finally showed the strength of the top inside line.

The pick-and-roll was smooth, flying and violently hitting the frame.

He catches the ball in the low post and directly accelerates to attack the basket.

He holds the ball facing the frame, uses his feet to quickly pass people, and shoots elegantly like a defender.

Davis' dominance came through in this quarter.

After halftime, the Pelicans finally recovered some points, but still trailed by 53 points 72:19.

In the third quarter, Davis and Ryan Anderson teamed up to continue to work hard. Coupled with Yuan Lian Deng's finishing blow, they finally had the style of a strong team and recovered another 6 points in a single quarter.

but……

It's too late.

As long as the score is kept in a stalemate, Xue Liancheng will be a god at the last critical moment.

What's more...

The Pelicans failed to get the score closer to single digits until the critical last three minutes.

This determines the outcome of the game.

There won't be any surprises.

The Knicks finally defeated the Pelicans 118:98, stopping their decline and ending their two-game losing streak.

Xue Liancheng struck three times in a row at the last moment, once again crushing his opponent to death. All members of the Pelican could do nothing but despair. After all, there was no Ku Haotian in their formation.

The fans at the scene finally cheered with joy after witnessing Xue Liancheng's super key abilities.

New York fans are actually very satisfied with Xue Liancheng's performance. The only dissatisfaction is that the record cannot reach the position they expected.

after all……

Xue Liancheng's super three-point ability is really exciting.

After three consecutive strikes, it directly penetrates the opponent's heart. Watching the opponent fall straight down, that feeling is not too good...

And Xue Liancheng has such ability, and he has performed it many times.

Completely interpreting the superstar style.

How could they be dissatisfied?

本场比赛，薛连城22投13中，三分11中5，爆砍37分，外加还有15助攻7篮板4抢断的数据。

A true superstar performance...

Whether it is personal offense or leading the team, Xue Liancheng has done what a leader should do.

Especially the performance of closing the game at the last moment, MVP resounded throughout the audience.

Lopez was average, with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

Will Barton finally made his mark. He made 16 of 8 shots and scored 22 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds. He was looking like an All-Star.

Crowder and PJ Tucker performed relatively average, scoring 6 points and 3 points respectively.

The bench once again became their magic weapon to win.

Tyler Johnson's performance is becoming more and more stable, with 6 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

Jeff Green scored 10 points and David West also scored 10 points.

Another three people scored in double figures, and the bench advantage was still huge.

As for the Pelicans.

Davis, the thick-browed brother, made 26 of 14 shots and scored 36 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. He is known as the top power forward to succeed Duncan, and his reputation is definitely not in vain.

The main thing is that Davis is so talented.

A person who is so tall and strong has such excellent athletic ability. He can also move like a defender, jump high, run fast, and his height and wingspan are there. It is simply a natural barrier. This is the innate talent. Things that I can't even envy.

Jrue Holiday is in a slump, scoring only 8 points on 2-for-7 shooting. After returning from injury, he has not yet shown the strength of a super-level defender.

Eric Gordon scored 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting, and Alonzo Key, who replaced Evans in the starting lineup, also scored 11 points.

Ryan Anderson, the three-point battery, also saw 16 points and rebounds.

Although Asik started the game, he suffered a huge loss.

In Gentry's system, this once coveted power center has no use.

Ended the game against the Pelicans.

All Knicks players can finally take a breather.

A record of 6 wins and 5 losses brought them back to seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

There is still hope...

But they didn't have time to rejoice, because one day later, they faced the Chateau Hornets again at home.

After the last match, Xue Liancheng watched the video of Batum defending him many times, and he finally figured out how to solve it.

Do you want to delay my breakthrough by hanging my arms?

Then I won't even give you a chance to hang my arms.

The game begins.

When Xue Liancheng broke through and changed direction with the ball, he suddenly ran straight towards Batum, knocking him down, and then jumped up again to complete the shot.

at the same time.

The whistle sounded.

Batum lay on the ground, spreading his hands to express his innocence.

But Xue Liancheng smiled and said, "This is how I deal with you."

Saying that, he reached out and pulled Batum up.

Batum was speechless, "You knocked me down. This is a foul."

Xue Liancheng: "If you hang my arm, it is also a foul, but I will not tell the referee, I will use my own way to knock you down."

How does Batum hang his arm?

It hangs on the inside of the elbow.

In other words, if he wants to get rid of Batum's interference, he needs to swing his elbow, or push the elbow.

Because Batum was in a very tricky position, he had no way to touch the ball, let alone complain to the referee.

But if he swings his elbow, Batum will fall over.

Oh open!

Offensive foul.

In the last game, he was so unbearable.

But now, he didn't even give Batum a chance to hang his arm. He rushed forward at full speed and crushed him like a bulldozer.

It's that simple and crude.

But it's very practical.

Not only did Batum foul, but he also made the ball.

2+1.

Next, Xue Liancheng no longer studied techniques or other fancy things, but simply crushed them with bulldozers.

Batum couldn't stand it after two rounds and called for help.

At this moment.

Xue Liancheng returned to his familiar rhythm.

In addition, the rest of the Knicks have recovered this time, and their feel and cooperation have reached their best state.

The Knicks' offense is ferocious.

competition is over.

The Knicks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 122:103 and completed their revenge.

The Knicks' record has also reached 7 wins and 5 losses, and they are finally out of the fringe of the playoffs.

Xue Liancheng performed well in this game, but took relatively few shots. He made 17 of 10 shots and scored 28 points and 18 assists, plus 10 rebounds, completing a triple-double.

And 18 assists also created his season high.

He finally found the joy of passing the ball and delivering cannon balls like last season.

Almost whenever there is a chance, he can accurately deliver the ball to his teammates and help them score.

This is the rhythm he is familiar with.

In fact, scoring is not the main task for him, but even if it is a secondary task, he still scored a high score of 28 points.

Three 100% hit skills bring him very powerful attack power.

In fact, excluding the three 14% hit skills, his shooting was 7 of , and his touch was quite good.

And the bonus brought by three 100% hit skills can directly elevate him to a whole new level.

Ok……

To be precise, he jumped from top point guard to superstar.

You can refer to Steve Nash who has extremely strong offensive firepower.

If Nash also had three 30% hit skills, his data would jump to 10+ level.