NBA: I am the card dealer

Chapter 366: What if there are too many people to beat?

up to now.

The Knicks have played 64 games and have a record of 54 wins and 10 losses. They are proud of the entire Eastern Conference. They are also the only team in the Eastern Conference that has locked in a playoff spot in advance.

And it’s nearly 20 games ahead of schedule.

In the Western Conference, two teams have locked in playoff spots in advance.

The Golden State Warriors are naturally one of them. They are currently 53 wins and 7 losses, which is four fewer games than the Knicks.

But they have locked up the playoffs early.

Because the ninth in the Western Conference is now the Utah Jazz, with a record of 29 wins and 33 losses. In other words, even if the Fire Jazz win all the games, the record will only be 49 wins and 33 losses.

The Warriors lost all of them and had a record of 53 wins and 29 losses, so it is impossible to have a worse record than the Jazz, which means that it is impossible to fall to ninth, and they have already locked up a playoff spot in advance.

The other team is the San Antonio Spurs. Their current record is not bad, with 52 wins and 10 losses. They are also invincible in the league and can compete with the Knicks.

They still have twenty games left, and even if they lose them all, they still have a record of 52 wins and 30 losses.

It's impossible for the Jazz to surpass the Spurs.

As for the third-place Thunder in the Western Conference, they are far behind.

Currently 42 wins and 20 losses, there are still 20 games to play before the end of the season. If they lose all, the record will be 42 wins and 40 losses. I don’t dare to pat my chest and say that I will make it.

And in the east.

Except for the Knicks, the other teams are still a little far away from locking in a playoff spot.

After being defeated by the Knicks, the Pistons' record reached 31 wins and 31 losses. They currently have the same record as the Chicago Bulls. The former is ranked ninth and the latter is ranked tenth. Both have 20 games left to play.

In other words, the best records of the Pistons and Bulls are 51 wins and 31 losses. As long as the previous teams lose all their money and still have a better record than them, they can lock in the playoffs in advance.

The Cavaliers are now 42-19 and have lost all of them, which is 42-40. They are still far away from locking in a playoff spot in advance.

The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have records of 42-20 and 39-21 respectively, and the two sides are chasing closely.

wrong……

It should be that the three teams are not far apart. If they are not careful, the Cleveland Cavaliers may lose their second position and fall to third or even fourth.

Anyway, the local media in Cleveland are currently pushing the Cavaliers management even harder.

Before Blatt was fired, the Cavaliers had a good record, but they had to do this, and now even their second place position is shaky.

"Made FK... is really messing around. A good team has to do this. Now it's better. The Heat and Raptors are catching up behind them."

"If we fall to fourth place, it's really over. We have to fight the Knicks in the second round. This is definitely not a good choice."

"Yes! The Heat are much easier to deal with than the Knicks. At least in the regular season, we still have the advantage."

"Needless to say anything else, winning twice in three games is the best proof."

"Although the Heat's defensive efficiency ranks among the top in the league, their offense is not good! Playing against the Heat first in the playoffs is indeed the right choice."

"Even if they defend well, can they stop James? In three games, James averaged 30.8 points, 7.5 assists and 10 rebounds per game. A true king's performance..."

"In my opinion, the assistant coach who replaced Blatter is a pure waste. He can't lead the team at all."

"That's right! It is recommended to screen the candidates for the new head coach as soon as possible."

Fans are also criticizing the new coach Francois for his mess, and at the same time expressing their opinions furiously, asking the team to quickly find a new head coach.

But the problem is that there are still about twenty games left in the season, and if there is still turmoil at this time, it will really destroy the Great Wall and seek death...

Fans may not even know what it means to change a head coach and what impact it will have on the players?

They just want to vent their dissatisfaction, just enjoy themselves, and put pressure on the team management.

But one thing the fans are right about is that the Cavaliers have a better chance of winning when they meet the Heat than they do when they meet the Knicks, because James regained his dominance when facing the new Big Three, the Heat.

The Heat failed to find a way to contain James.

Gasol + Ibaka's partnership, plus Wade leading the defense, doesn't seem to work well.

It can be seen from this how important the role of PJ Tucker is. As the first layer of defensive force, it is precisely because of his presence that James' impact was slowed down and he was unable to rush up immediately. This is the achievement. Gasol's reputation as a top defender and Ibaka's super defense ability.

of course.

That’s not to say it’s not easy to use at all.

At least in terms of shooting percentage, the Heat have never let James exceed 43.7%. After three games, the shooting percentage is %, which is actually not high, but James makes a lot of free throws.

The most important thing is that the overall performance is thousands of times better than when we met the Heat last season. This is the power of comparison.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

In comparison, the world is shattered.

And not only fans, but the media also agree that the best ranking for the Cavaliers is second in the Eastern Conference, which can effectively avoid the Knicks, and then meet the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals for a life-or-death showdown.

After all, this is the second season of the Big Three, and they must show results and give an explanation to the fans and the public.

If you are still blocked from the gate of the finals stage and haven't even touched the floor of the Eastern Conference finals, then it's really not as good as expected. The overwhelming saliva can really drown people.

The worst...

He also has to pass the second round and come to the stage of the Eastern Conference finals, and have the opportunity to complete his revenge on Xue Liancheng. Only then will it be reasonable.

As for whether you can win, let's not think about it for now.

The first consideration is to win against the Heat first. This is the first wave of revenge. After all, strictly speaking, the Heat were the team that eliminated them and humiliated them last season.

Then on the stage of the Eastern Conference Finals, if they beat the Knicks again, then this season will be perfect for them.

If we win the O'Brien Cup again, it will be another blessing from the sky on the basis of perfection.

This heralds the success of the Cavaliers' formation of the Big Three. James has once again proved himself, which can be said to be the best result.

But the problem now is that the team's record is far less than expected and may fall to fourth place at any time. Aren't they in a hurry?

If we really fall to fourth place, it will be a disaster and a huge blow.

Because at this time, it is really possible that the Knicks will not make it past the second round.

Ok……

Or to put it more accurately, based on probability theory, it is very likely that they will not be able to defeat the Knicks, which is about 37 points. The possibility of not being able to defeat the Knicks is as high as %.

If we really lose, then this result will be simply earth-shattering and unacceptable to anyone.

The combination of the Big Three will also fall apart in this environment.

and so.

There is still a lot of discussion about the Cavaliers from the outside world, and the reaction of Cleveland fans is also more intense.

On the other hand, the reaction of New York fans is very domineering: I am No. 1 in the Eastern Conference, and I will be the best in the No. 1 position. If I have the ability to fight, I will accept defeat.

In other words, they don’t care where the Heat are, the Raptors, or the Cavaliers. Anyway, I am the first, whoever is going to mess with who...

Just so confident...

There is no way not to be confident. After all, in the Eastern Conference, they are about to lock in the first place in advance. They are really invincible and invincible, showing a very strong competitive level.

Amid the turmoil, the Knicks began a six-game road trip, with the first stop being to Denver to challenge the Nuggets again.

The pork belly Jokic is indeed strong, and the beast Farid is indeed reckless. In addition, they have a lot of people to beat.

In this game, even if the star Gallinari is out, they can still achieve six players scoring in double figures.

其中约基奇20投9中，干下了20分9篮板4助攻。

In fact, during this period, Pork Belly's high-position support ability has been fully demonstrated. The foundation for his evolution into a ball-control center lies here.

Malone is quite discerning and knows how to maximize Jokic's advantages while letting a walking pork belly serve as the core, which is also quite courageous.

Farid made 16 of 10 shots and had a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. At this time, the Orcs were really like a beast out of the cage, going crazy in the paint area.

of course.

Paint area only.

加里-哈里斯10投6中拿到16分4篮板4助攻，总算在薛连城面前，扳回一些颜面。

穆迪埃这个铁匠依旧铁，19中6拿到了15分7篮板5助攻。

If it were anyone else who behaved like this, they would have been kicked away long ago.

But Mudiay is known as Malone’s godson,

A large number of shots are still supported by Malone.

Without Malone's support and recognition, would a No. 13.6 pick in the first round this year dare to average shots per game?

And this guy's efficiency is an astonishing 36.4%, which means that he only hit 13.6 goals in 4.8 shots.

It’s so ironic.

But being so tough, Mudiay still controls the ball and is the team's inevitable starting point for the offense.

In fact, Ma Long's idea is correct.

The team needs a defender with strong impact to match the inside line and form internal and external interconnection.

Like Mamba Murray in the historical trajectory, he played this role.

It's just that Mudiay was overrated and didn't play the role well...

In addition, there were Raydal Arthur with 10 points and DJ Ogulatin with 10 points. They contributed a lot on the bench.

But even though the Nuggets played pretty well, they still lost to the Knicks 110:122.

Just because the Knicks have more tough guys.

薛连城18中9拿到了30分7篮板11助攻，数据不上不下，只能算中规中矩。

Oladipo only made 20 of 9, and got 21 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists, which was neither better nor worse, quite satisfactory.

Feng Lai also scored 11 points on 5 of 12 shots.

The performance of the main players was pretty normal.

And here comes the explosive one. Crowder made 9 of 6 three-pointers and scored a total of 20 points.

Galloway scored 11 points, Rooney also scored 10 points, and David West scored 10 points.

<divclass="contentadv">They have 11 players scoring in double figures, which is much better than the Nuggets.

In fact, there are many times when the Knicks win because they have too many people who can beat them.

This is just one of them.

After playing the Nuggets, they had no time to rest and immediately rushed to Phoenix to challenge the Suns back-to-back.

In this game, eight players scored in double figures.

Xue Liancheng clocked in the third quarter, scored 16 points and 9 assists on 27 of 9 shots and left the game.

奥拉迪波13中7拿到了16分，冯莱9中5拿到11分。

In addition, Crowder scored 13 points and PJ Tucker also scored 10 points.

On the bench, Galloway continued to start the surge mode, scoring a total of 15 points, David West 10 points, and Ilyasova 10 points.

This is not over yet, Tyler Johnson scored 7 points, Rooney scored 5 points, and even Ennis and Earley scored something.

The Knicks finally defeated the Suns by 128 points 97:31, demonstrating what it means to unite all the people.

This is also one of the characteristics of the current Knicks and one of the main reasons why they can achieve such an outstanding record.

Too many players can play.

And this side of the sun.

Booker took 28 crazy shots, hit 14 goals, and scored 32 points. His performance was not bad.

This last year's No. 13 pick really dared to take action! He can also withstand pressure. At this time, he already has a heart that wants to become a superstar.

But the problem is that, except for Booker, there is no player in the starting lineup who can shout out.

What about Price, what about Alex, what about Jenkins, I have never heard of these players.

Luol Deng, Knight, Bledsoe, Chandler and others all missed the game.

What does this mean?

The Suns have forfeited all remaining games this season.

That's right!

They were messed up.

If it weren't for training Booker, Booker probably wouldn't even have played.

no doubt.

This is a helpless move.

At the beginning of the season, media reporters predicted that they would compete for playoff tickets. Who would have thought that they would dive all the way and now end up in a mess.

What a disappointing season.

of course.

This is a wise choice.

Now that the Suns are 17 wins and 47 losses, they still have a chance to grab the No. pick. There is nothing to criticize if they decisively fail while there is still time.

After beating the Suns, they ushered in another five-game winning streak.

of course.

There is nothing to show off. After all, they are not a strong team. It is not surprising that the Knicks can win consecutive games.

After a day off, they will finally face the test of a powerful team.

It's the Los Angeles Clippers.

As of now, the Clippers have 41 wins and 22 losses. They are fourth in the Western Conference, not far from the third-place Thunder, but it is not easy to surpass them.

And falling to fifth place is even more unlikely, because they are 8 games ahead of the Trail Blazers.

This is an awkward position.

But it's not easy for the Clippers to stay in this position.

Because Griffin continues to be absent.

This is missing an inside core!

It is the core of serious tactics.

Therefore, the impact on the Clippers is indeed great, and it is commendable to reach fourth place in the Western Conference.

In the first three quarters of this game, and even halfway through the fourth quarter, the two sides fought fiercely.

The result came with 5 minutes and 09 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The Clippers suddenly entered blacksmith mode.

Paul plays after JJ Redick plays, Redick plays after Wesley Johnson plays, Johnson plays after Crawford plays, anyway, it’s just endless playing.

They didn't score a goal for three and a half minutes, and a sudden power outage was tantamount to digging their own grave.

The final result was that he successfully buried himself.

The Knicks operated normally, coupled with Xue Liancheng's consecutive three-pointers, defeated this shaky team 114:101, completing the season sweep.

薛连城18中10拿到了31分15助攻11篮板的三双数据，带领球队继续开启连胜旅程。

奥拉迪波中规中矩，20投10中得到24分2篮板5助攻。

Now, he has begun to accept his new position and begun to serve this new role. During fast breaks and defensive counterattacks, he is still the end point.

After falling into the positional battle, he became the first ball-handler and began to organize, connect, support, singles, and score breakthroughs.

Xue Liancheng is the second ball holder.

The change is subtle.

If it were an average player, he might not be able to hold down Oladipo now.

After all, Oladipo is no longer what he used to be, averaging 20.8 points per game, shooting 50.6% from the field, and 35.7% from three-point range. He is a true All-Star.

As the saying goes, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier.

Oladipo is definitely an ambitious player.

Now that there is a great opportunity to seize power, people will usually increase their efforts to consolidate their core position.

result.

Oladipo didn't do that.

Just because the influence of Xue Liancheng Stadium is too powerful, so powerful that you dare not look directly at it.

Secondly, Xue Liancheng's personal data and personal abilities are so strong that it can be seen with the naked eye, and there is no room for doubt.

The existence of 30+13+7?

Who dares to question?

And the most important point is that Xue Liancheng is the person Oladipo admires the most. He can be said to be a role model and even a mentor. No matter how ambitious Oladipo is, he would not dare to take over the class of his mentor and seize the power of his idol.

What's more...

He also knew that he couldn't take it away.

This is the magnetic field currently displayed by Xue Liancheng.

Although he is no longer the first choice to hold the ball in positional battles, as long as he walks out of space when running and cutting, Oladipo will choose to give him the ball immediately.

Give without hesitation.

This is the effect of the magnetic field of a superstar.

And now the effect of the Knicks' tactics is not bad.

Although there are countless flaws, the advantages reflected in the inability to stand are indeed obvious.

In addition to the two core players, Von Lei, Claude, and Ilyasova all performed well.

As for the Clippers.

保罗似乎跟薛连城卯上了，这场比赛17投9中，拿到了24分15助攻4篮板的超级数据。

That's right!

This is very gorgeous data for Paul.

But for Xue Liancheng, it can only be regarded as a routine operation. After all, 31+15+11, not only scored a lot more points than Paul, but also beat Paul by several points in rebounding.

Even if he makes mistakes, Xue Liancheng can control them better than Paul.

If you watch the game, the gap between Xue Liancheng and Paul will be particularly obvious.

Especially in leading the team to release offensive firepower, 58 is still a step behind Xue Liancheng.

As for the most important scoring ability at critical moments, Xue Liancheng is really ahead of 58 by a few blocks.

no doubt.

Paul is far behind Xue Liancheng in terms of offensive deterrence.

In the most intuitive three and a half minutes of power outage, as the team leader, Paul failed to respond.

And if it was Xue Liancheng, he would never allow such a long power outage.

This is the difference.

Paul's height really restricts his scoring ability at critical moments.