NBA: I am the card dealer

Chapter 357 All-Star Storm!

The latest MVP ranking list has been updated again.

Xue Liancheng is undoubtedly at the top of the list again, because the Knicks' recent record is so outstanding.

More ferocious than the Golden State Warriors.

After a wave of fifteen consecutive victories, there was another wave of eight consecutive victories. In total, in the last twenty-four games, the Knicks have 23 wins and 1 loss, beating the Cavaliers, extinguishing the Heat, killing the Warriors, overthrowing the Spurs, and defeating the Thunder. Even the Raptors, another upstart team in the Eastern Conference, were defeated. They were considered the strongest team in the league, if not one.

As for the Warriors, life has not been so easy since their first loss to the Bucks.

A few days ago, they lost to the Indiana Pacers 111:120. The number of losses has reached 6 games, and the record is currently 40 wins and 6 losses.

The difference from the Knicks' record of 39 wins and 9 losses is only 2 games, and the gap is infinitely close.

This is the main reason why Xue Liancheng was recognized as MVP.

While the record is approaching, Xue Liancheng's personal statistics are still outstanding, averaging 30.7 points, 12.9 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game, plus 2 steals. His shooting percentage is as high as 54.4%, and his three-point shooting percentage is a sky-high 48.6%. He can hit 5.2 three-pointers, officially surpassing Curry and becoming the league's three-point king.

这得益于那场40+20+10，一下子就把他的得分和助攻拔高了不少，距离31+13+7仅有一步之遥。

In addition, Xue Liancheng has repeatedly performed personal heroism at critical moments, and has been worshiped by countless fans, and his momentum has reached the top.

The most important thing is that the Knicks have been missing Oladipo during this period, and they have been able to make great progress. I have to say that this proves Xue Liancheng's absolute value.

among them.

The average of 30.7 points per game is also infinitely close to Curry's 30.8 points. The battle for the scoring champion between the two sides is only a matter of millimeters.

so……

Under this circumstance, it is difficult for Curry to control the top spot of MVP. After all, the statistics are so different!

As of now, Curry is averaging 30.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, with an overall shooting percentage of 49.7% and a three-point shooting percentage of 44.8%, both of which have declined compared to before.

Especially in the recent period, Curry may have taken more shots due to pressure, and his efficiency has also dropped.

At the same time, the number of assists also reached a season low.

This is a manifestation of the gradual change in mentality during the competition with Xue Liancheng.

but……

Even though Curry has stabilized his average of 30.8 points per game, compared with other data, it is really far behind.

Rebounds 6.9:5.5, a direct loss of 1.4 rebounds.

Assists 12.8:6.6, 6.2 fewer assists, almost half!

This gap is already obvious enough.

There is also the number of three-pointers made, which was also surpassed by Xue Liancheng.

This means that Curry has no advantage at all when comparing with Xue Liancheng.

The only record they had that they had a good record with was the Knicks.

The major media also gave very pertinent evaluations: If this trend continues, Xue Liancheng is very likely to come from behind and win the MVP again.

of course.

There are no absolutes in everything.

Although Xue Liancheng's statistics are far ahead and his record is not inferior to the Warriors, he was the MVP last season after all, and this is the only obstacle to his reelection.

If you have already won the MVP and then join the banker, you need to produce crushing level data and performance in order to be convincing.

If you can't crush your competitors, media reporters are more likely to choose from scratch.

For example, Curry has never won an MVP.

This is actually quite normal.

What's more, even if you perform at a dominant level, when you get three consecutive MVP awards, media reporters and the league will be more inclined to give a player whose performance is slightly worse than you.

This is also considered the golden mean, the art of balance.

If you monopolize the personal best awards, what's the point?

Aesthetic fatigue is a...

Creating opponents is also very important.

And this is Xue Liancheng's current disadvantage.

but……

Nothing can stop the Knicks from moving forward.

After the latest All-Star voting was announced at the end of January, Oladipo finally announced his comeback.

It may be that seeing the sharp drop in votes, I can no longer hold back any longer.

The opponent he faces is the Atlanta Hawks, who have been in trouble recently.

Because their recent record has dropped to 26 wins and 22 losses. Being killed by the Knicks twice in a row was too demoralizing. As a result, they experienced two consecutive losses twice and a three-game losing streak. Really, they almost lost their pants after losing. .

To know.

Previously, they were chasing the Toronto Raptors, with only one game difference.

As a result, now, she was beaten to the point where she didn’t even recognize her mother.

This is not over yet...

To make matters worse, they met the Knicks at this time, which was simply bad news.

If they were still motivated to challenge the Knicks, the leader of the Eastern Conference, before they were defeated by the Knicks, they no longer had that momentum.

Meeting the Knicks now is like a rainy night.

The result was no surprise.

The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 116-95 at Madison Square Garden.

At this time, the attributes of the Eagles' pseudo-strong team have actually been reflected. They have no resistance at all and they suddenly lie flat and let them be stepped on.

Especially in terms of temperament, he doesn't have the demeanor of a strong team at all.

When the team is in trouble, it's just big eyes and small eyes. You count on me and I count on you. In the end, no one can count on it and it collapses.

Xue Liancheng's shots were very limited in this game. He only took 9 shots and made all of them. He scored 29 points, 21 assists and 8 rebounds.

This was the first time in his career that his arrows shot through the Yangtze River with a hundred steps without missing a beat.

of course.

It's not that he suppressed his shots, it was just that Oladipo's touch was so good after his comeback that he could shoot no matter how hard he shot.

He is only responsible for delivering artillery shells, and then there is nothing more.

This may be the easiest game he has won this season.

Because Oladipo made 18 of 14 shots, 6 of 5 three-pointers, and scored 34 points in the three quarters, showing an unparalleled state.

To be honest...

Xue Liancheng was shocked. He just passed the ball casually, trying to make a transition, but Oladipo shot a three-pointer directly.

That gave him an assist.

And there was more than one such assist, and there were several passes that somehow turned into assists.

The coordination between him and Oladipo is still there. The Knicks' fast break and defensive counterattack were once again stimulated in this game, and Oladipo performed the role of arrow very well.

The two combined to give them a 30+ lead in the third quarter. With the overall situation decided, Ennis, Earley, and McRoberts all had opportunities to play.

It’s finally fun to be on the court.

This also shows that Oladipo's return to the team has greatly improved the Knicks' overall strength.

Or to be more precise, it is a qualitative improvement...

When Oladipo is absent, no matter whether they encounter a strong team or a weak team, they always have to fight until the last minute. The winner can be determined only after Xue Liancheng steps up.

just now……

The devastation is back again, with full offensive firepower, giving you almost no time to react. As long as you make a mistake or make a mistake, the Knicks can firmly grasp it and quickly open the score.

Oladipo's return will undoubtedly have the greatest impact on Lopez.

Lopez made 14 of 5 shots and only scored 14 points and 5 rebounds, which looked very bleak.

Not only are the shots missing, but the efficiency is also affected.

Feng Lai also seemed like a fish in water and had a superb performance. He made 4 of 4 shots in the three quarters and scored 11 points.

PJ Tucker took a lot of shots in this game, making 8 of 3 shots and only scoring 7 points.

On the bench, Tyler Johnson had 8 points, David West had 8 points, Rooney had 1 point, Ennis had 2 points, Earley had 2 points, and the others had zero points...

Relatively speaking, the bench did not perform well in this game, but...

Also understandable.

Because there was so much lead, they were all so lax.

Eagle's side.

Millsap had 18 points, Horford had 14 points, Teague had 15 points, Bazemore had 10 points, Korver had 9 points, and Schroeder had 16 points.

Others scored sparsely but not in double figures.

Still the same team, or more accurately, still so egalitarian.

This is the Eagle's greatest advantage and also its greatest disadvantage.

Winning depends on this, and losing also depends on this.

If the Knicks are the thorn in the side of the Hawks, then for the Celtics, the Knicks are the Celtics' big daddy.

Two days later.

The Knicks face the Celtics again at home.

As soon as the game started, the Celtics knelt, and they were the kind that couldn't afford to kneel for a long time.

There is no doubt that the Celtics have no chance of winning when facing the Knicks, as if they are naturally shorter.

Or to be more precise, Xue Liancheng is the Celtics' nemesis, defeating the Celtics to death.

The Hawks still have money to rest on, and their strong record keeps them from falling out of the playoffs, while the Celtics do not.

<divclass="contentadv">As of now, the record is 24 wins and 25 losses. According to the mid-season review, they have actually won a lot of games during this period.

But meeting the Knicks at this time was really a bolt from the blue!

The result of the game was no surprise.

The Knicks defeated the Celtics 113:97, completing their third kill of the season.

This is also the reason why the Celtics currently have a poor record.

Because if we follow the historical trajectory, the Celtics have defeated the Knicks in these three games. In this case, their record will become 27 wins and 23 losses, which is still quite impressive.

But now it is 24 wins and 26 losses, the winning rate has directly become negative, and it is getting further and further away from the playoff seats.

The blow to Celtic's confidence is understandable.

of course.

It's not just the Celtics who are affected. Almost all teams in the Eastern Conference have seen a certain reduction in record.

Including some teams in the Western Conference.

Because according to the historical trajectory, the Knicks' current record is only 23 wins and 28 losses. There is a huge gap between the current record of 42 wins and 9 losses.

In other words, the Knicks won 19 more games.

Who won these nearly twenty games?

Aren’t they all shared from other teams?

The so-called one goes down and the other goes up, this is what we are talking about.

In this game, Thomas Jr. had 20 points and 8 assists, Sullinger had 16 points, Zeller had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Turner had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Olynyk had 13 points.

In fact, their fighting power is quite strong, but...

Unlucky themselves, they met the Knicks led by Xue Liancheng and lost three games in a row.

Knicks here.

Oladipo finally returned to normal, but he also scored 16 points on 8-of-21 shooting.

Xue Liancheng's normal output was 31 points, 14 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals, which was a fairly comprehensive performance.

of course.

Only for Xue Liancheng himself.

If this season were placed on anyone else, it would definitely be extremely explosive, and could even be called a big explosion.

But for Xue Liancheng, it really can only be considered a normal performance.

Lopez scored 16 points and 9 rebounds, which was barely enough, but his efficiency still failed to improve. He made 15 of 6. For a big center, this kind of efficiency is indeed a bit ugly.

The three core players all performed well and performed their roles to the best of their ability, making different contributions to the team.

Defeating the Celtics, the Knicks have achieved a 10-game winning streak, and they are really in full swing.

And this time.

The All-Star starting lineup has been announced.

Eastern starter: point guard Xue Liancheng.

There is no doubt about it. In terms of popularity and influence, Xue Liancheng is definitely the leader of the league. It is not an exaggeration to call him a sports superstar. Especially the voting ability of the big Eastern countries is enough to send him to the top of the vote. superior.

That's right.

He won the vote again.

of course.

His popularity is overwhelming not only in the big Eastern countries, but also in the entire North America.

Therefore, his selection is not controversial at all.

The shooting guard is Dwyane Wade.

In the end, he relied on the nostalgia of the Chinese people and Wade's own influence to complete the ultimate victory over Oladipo and successfully entered the starting lineup.

In fact, no one was too surprised by Wade's selection.

After all, the Miami Heat are third in the Eastern Conference, and Wade's statistics are worthy of an All-Star starting position. Although his selection is somewhat controversial, it's not big...

The striker is James, which is also uncontroversial.

As a superstar in the vertical and horizontal league, his data this season is still so stable. The Cavaliers' record is also very good, ranking second in the Eastern Conference. James has no problem entering the starting lineup.

The other striker is Paul George, and this one also doesn't have much controversy.

He returned from a broken leg, averaged 23+ points per game, and led the team to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Such an inspiring story is worth encouraging.

of course.

The most important thing is that it has been unanimously recognized by the fans.

The last position is Big Lopez.

Lopez averaged 18.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. As a core member of the Knicks, his selection is both surprising and reasonable.

The surprise is that Lopez's reputation is not good, and there are many people in the East who are more qualified than Lopez.

It makes sense because the Knicks are No. 1 in the Eastern Conference and Xue Liancheng comes from a big country in the East. When it comes to voting, many people can't vote for Xue Liancheng's teammates.

It's that simple.

The biggest legacy of the starting lineup is Oladipo and Lowry.

Oladipo's failure to enter the starting lineup was both unexpected and reasonable.

The surprise is that the Knicks are first in the Eastern Conference after all!

Oladipo, as the second in charge of the team and Xue Liancheng's right-hand man, averaged 20.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. With his strong performance in partnership with Xue Liancheng, he finally entered the 20+ club.

There is no problem if he is selected as the starter.

After all, the Knicks are not only first in the Eastern Conference, but also far ahead of other teams, and their dominance is already looming.

As the Knicks' second choice, Oladipo is eligible for selection.

It stands to reason that it would be difficult for Oladipo to PK Wade, because Wade also has the feelings of a big Eastern country.

Furthermore, the Knicks have already selected Xue Liancheng and Lopez, and have fulfilled their expectations of being No. 1 in the Eastern Conference.

Three All-Star starters?

Just like last season's Heat, it will arouse a lot of envy and jealousy.

As for Lowry?

The Raptors are fourth in the Eastern Conference, locked in a battle with the Heat, and not far from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

As the Raptors' No. 1 signature player and a host, Lowry should have had a spot. The most important thing is that Lowry's data is worthy of it.

As a result, he was defeated, wouldn’t it cause a sigh of relief?

The starting lineup of the Western Conference is Curry, Kobe, Westbrook, Durant, and Leonard.

Relatively reasonable.

Tiekei is about to retire, and the fans still give him enough respect, but this time he failed to win the title of vote king.

Curry, Westbrook, Durant, and Leonard were selected, and there was no problem at all.

The top three series in the Western Conference, the first-tier stars, if they are not selected, who will be selected?

The biggest highlight is the bench lineup.

First is the East.

Lowry, Irving, Oladipo, Thomas, Butler, Reggie Jackson, DeRozan, Wall, Anthony, Millsap, Love, Horford, Drummond, Gasol

There are seven places in total. How many people are there?

There are 14 people!

In other words, at least half of them will miss out on the All-Stars.

Just like those who have been selected, players who have never been selected are just looking forward to it!

For example, Oladipo, Reggie Jackson, Drummond, Thomas, DeRozan and others are still very eager for All-Star tickets.

of course.

Others are also very envious. After all, the All-Star honor is the highest honor that players like them can achieve.

Who would have too little honor?

to this end.

Many players can build momentum.

For example, Oladipo was asked this question by reporters.

Reporter: "What are your thoughts on this All-Star substitute list?"

Oladipo: "I think I deserve a spot. My performance is obvious to everyone. At the same time, I also hope to be recognized and encouraged by everyone."

This is a public statement, hoping that those head coaches will vote for him.

One can imagine how eager Oladipo is for this All-Star spot.

In fact, it is understandable.

After all, many players may have only one opportunity to become an All-Star in their lifetime. If they miss it, they have really missed it.

Like CJ McCollum, do you want to say that he does not have All-Star ability?

That's not necessarily the case.

Averaging 20+ per game for many years.

But the reality is that CJ McCollum has never been selected as an All-Star in his career.

Not even an All-Star title...

Isn’t that a pity?

What a pity!

In fact, he was once very close to the All-Star, but he just missed it.