NBA: I am the card dealer

Chapter 386 Prologue!

The Knicks eliminated the Raptors 4:1, which is considered to be in the public's prediction.

But because the Knicks lost the first game, and the second and third games were fierce battles until the end, it gave the impression that the Knicks played very hard, and it did not look like a huge disparity like a big score.

However, in the last two games, the Knicks still proved their strength.

As the Knicks advanced, New York fell into a carnival that night.

After many years, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals again, and the feeling was completely different.

Especially the fans who love this team, the joy in their hearts is simply indescribable.

Xue Liancheng's personal pictorials have long been spread all over the streets and alleys of this city, and his game highlights are even broadcast in Times Square.

Because they clearly know that the Knicks' ability to survive all the way is entirely thanks to Xue Liancheng.

Without Xue Liancheng, it would be impossible for the Knicks to be where they are today.

In this series, Xue Liancheng averaged 30.6 points, 12.4 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game. His overall shooting percentage was as high as 54.9%, which was not much different from his performance in the regular season.

Even more efficient.

Completely demonstrated the strength of MVP.

At this time, those who laughed at him and even the parallel importers stopped talking.

Because Xue Liancheng slapped them in the face with practical actions.

at present……

The Knicks are still regarded as one of the teams with the most championship prospects, and bookmakers have ranked their odds second, second only to the Golden State Warriors.

The situation of the Eastern and Western finals is gradually becoming clear.

This side of the west.

The Golden State Warriors also successfully eliminated the Trail Blazers with a score of 4:1.

With Curry's comeback, the Trail Blazers basically failed to make a big splash and were directly pushed out of the game.

This was also the result generally predicted by the public, and it did not cause much waves.

In another matchup between the Spurs and the Thunder, the Spurs were eliminated by the Thunder with a score of 2:4.

This is a result that is both expected and unexpected.

It is expected because Durant and Westbrook, the Thunder's duo, are both MVP-level superstars. The combination of the two is definitely a powerful combination, 1+1>2.

So it's no surprise that they beat anyone.

Even if he reaches the championship, it makes sense.

The two of them are indeed ridiculously strong.

The reason for the surprise is that the Spurs have a championship background. On the premise of retaining the main lineup that won the championship in 14, and after acquiring Aldridge in the offseason, their strength is definitely a qualitative leap.

What does this amount to?

It's equivalent to the pistol in the Spurs' hands becoming Gatling.

The regular season record of 66 wins and 16 losses, third in the league, is proof of this.

But they were eliminated by the Thunder in six games, which was really unexpected.

Everyone thought they were equally powerful and thought they would reach the tiebreaker, so it was a surprise that they ended in six games.

In the two-game series in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks have achieved a breakthrough.

The Cleveland Cavaliers also lead the Miami Heat 3:2. There is no doubt that the Cavaliers have a higher probability of advancing by defeating them.

Because Game 110 was Miami's home court, the Cavaliers defeated the Heat with a score of 96: and successfully won Tianwang Mountain.

The advantages are relatively obvious.

The Heat's three high advantages have disappeared in front of the Cavaliers, and their foothold has been broken, which means that the Heat's road has come to an end.

In fact it is.

After these few games, it is obvious that the Heat played very hard and struggled to get two wins, and they only won by a few points.

The number of times the Cavaliers beat the Heat was basically by more than two players.

Both sides have figured out each other's strengths, and the Heat have played their trump card.

If nothing else, the Cavaliers should be the team that advances.

This is what the Knicks are looking forward to.

Compared to the Heat, they hope to meet the Cavaliers, because they already know roughly which team is better to deal with during the regular season.

For the Knicks, the Cavaliers are definitely easier to deal with than the Heat.

And the fact is exactly as people expected.

After the Cavaliers returned home, they ended the series with 93:88 and successfully reached the Eastern Conference Finals again.

Ok……

It can be regarded as revenge, washing away the shame of being overturned in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

of course.

In the eyes of the public, this is not the case. Without Xue Liancheng, the Miami Heat are not the same Miami Heat as last season.

After all, the soul of the Heat last season was Xue Liancheng.

Only by defeating Xue Liancheng can the knight prove himself.

So the fans were the most excited when Xue Liancheng and James met for the second time, because there were so many things to watch.

"Haha... old enemies!"

"Let's see, is Xue Liancheng really the best at James?"

"The battle for the number one player in the alliance has officially begun."

"It's interesting. If James still loses, he will really lose his pants."

"I won't be able to win every game this time, right?"

"It's definitely impossible to sweep. If the Cavaliers are swept, then James will really become a big joke and retire on the spot."

"Dream, how is this possible?"

"Based on the strength of both sides, the Knicks are more likely to advance, but the Cavaliers' three giants have been working together for a year, and the progress is indeed visible to the naked eye."

"I don't know anything else. I only know one thing. James has no way out. Only by stepping on Xue Liancheng's body and entering the finals can he return to the top."

"This is indeed true. James can only avenge his shame and secure his position as the league's number one by following Xue Liancheng and reaching the finals."

"If the Knicks win, then Xue Liancheng will really become the top player in the league, and there will be no controversy."

"What's even more frightening is that this is only his second season. What will happen in the future is unimaginable. It is no exaggeration to say that he is the true chosen one."

Amid the commotion, reporters and commentators from major media also made predictions.

Most predictions are for a tiebreaker, and some think the battle will end at 4:2.

There are many people who support the Knicks, and there are equally many people who support the Cavaliers.

The reasons for supporting the Knicks are common and unified.

<divclass="contentadv">First, Xue Liancheng has never lost a match against James. People who believe in fatalism will naturally believe in the Knicks unconditionally.

Second, in the regular season competition between the Knicks and the Cavaliers, they have always maintained a relatively large advantage. On the one hand, 3:1 is mainly reflected in the point difference. The Knicks usually defeat the Cavaliers by a large score.

Third, the Knicks are one of the teams with the strongest offensive firepower. Once they release their firepower, it is difficult for the Cavaliers to resist. However, the Cavaliers' advantages are not obvious. They rely on the Big Three on the offensive end and their defense is not top-notch in the league. It is good at both offense and defense, but from another perspective, it is impossible to defend if it cannot attack.

Fourth, in terms of lineup, both sides are evenly matched, but the quality of the Knicks' substitute players is obviously better, and there are people who can play in every position.

Fifth, that is Xue Liancheng's ability at critical moments, which is really unmatched by anyone. This advantage is enough for the Knicks to stand out even if their strengths are equal.

Sixth, in terms of tactical play, the Knicks are fast-paced and fast-paced, while the Cavaliers also have fast-break counterattacks, but the main tactics are still more traditional combination of pick-and-roll and sudden points. The Knicks have a faint shadow of restraining the Cavaliers.

These six are the reasons why everyone is optimistic about the Knicks.

As for media reporters who are optimistic about the Cavaliers, their reasons are relatively broad.

Some people think that the Cavaliers' stars are better than the Knicks.

James and Xue Liancheng are both superstars, and their strength is undoubted, which can be regarded as a counterbalance.

But Irving is obviously better than Oladipo, especially in singles ability. The gap between the two sides is too obvious.

With the two players having similar functionality, Irving's outstanding role is not comparable to Oladipo's.

Love and Lopez are evenly matched.

Although Love has always been called a hot pot, he can still contribute 16+10 per game this season. He is a very rare spatial insider with a light body. In a tactical system that combines sudden points, Love's role is absolutely Underrated.

Lopez's style of play is still traditional, singles with the ball, but his style of play is soft. His three-pointers have just been developed, which is not very good, and his ability to open up space is slightly lacking.

But compared to Love, Lopez defends better and protects the frame better.

The two of them were evenly matched.

Therefore, in terms of star quality, the Cavaliers are still slightly better.

Some people also believe that James' strength is seriously underestimated.

James has always been able to perform stably and has repeatedly proven himself in the playoffs. He cannot be labeled a softie because of last season's overturn.

They support the Cavaliers entirely out of their trust in James.

Some people believe that the Knicks have to pay a price for their lack of playoff experience.

Xue Liancheng led the Heat to the championship last season and won the FMVP. He does seem to be a qualified leader.

But the problem is that last season's Heat team had top star Wade and top inside defensive player Gasol. The Heat's rapid progress and final championship was not due to Xue Liancheng alone.

Moreover, this is Xue Liancheng's second season, and his experience cannot be considered seasoned.

Oladipo has no playoff experience at all, and showed great fluctuations in the series with the Raptors. This is also a reflection of his lack of playoff experience.

Without playoff experience, you can't adapt to that intensity all at once, and you can't make adjustments in time.

So Oladipo stretched his hips in three consecutive games.

Lopez does have some playoff experience, but it is just a playoff trip, and there is still no way to compare with the Cavaliers.

When the Cavaliers were swept 0:4 last season, some people thought it was due to Irving and Love's lack of playoff experience.

In fact, there may be this factor.

But it can no longer be studied.

This is a relatively reasonable reason given by many supporters of the Cavaliers.

At the press conference after the game between the Cavaliers and the Heat, reporters asked relevant questions.

Reporter: "LeBron, can you talk about the next round of the series?"

James was expressionless: "The Knicks are a formidable opponent, but we are not afraid. I believe we can defeat any opponent because each of us has a heart to win."

This answer is quite positive and exciting.

But because James let off too many empty shots, the reporters at the scene didn't react much at all.

Reporter: "Tell us about your old rival Xue Liancheng?"

James' face remained normal, but his voice was obviously lowered: "As he often responded, there is nothing to talk about. We will see you on the court."

It can be seen that after winning against the Miami Heat, his entire style has improved.

In the past, even if reporters mentioned Xue Liancheng, he would remain silent.

Or change the topic and don't respond positively at all.

And now, he finally responded, which shows that his confidence at this time is inflated.

In addition, Xue Liancheng entered the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year, won the MVP, won the assists title, and won the scoring title. Whether it is his team leadership ability, personal honors and statistics, it is clear to the world that Xue Liancheng has come to basketball. The top of the field is not a rookie like last year.

At this time, he couldn't avoid it just by holding it.

Or to be more precise, Xue Liancheng has reached the same level as him and is even challenging his status.

Xue Liancheng has become a hurdle that he can't get around.

Now it's not a question of whether he wants to mention it or not, but in the future he may have to chase Xue Liancheng to get more attention.

Because Xue Liancheng's current momentum is really at its peak.

He clearly feels that he has slipped from his position as the darling of the media, and his influence is gradually wilting.

This was a very bad signal and made him feel a sense of crisis.

This time.

The reporter was quite excited and asked all kinds of questions.

Reporter: "Everyone says that Xue Liancheng is your nemesis. What is your response to this?"

In fact, this question is very embarrassing.

What does nemesis mean?

This means that James always loses when facing Xue Liancheng and is a complete loser.

Isn't asking such a question in front of the person concerned a murderous act?

But James didn't panic at all: "This is nonsense, and it also denies the performance of other outstanding players in the Knicks."

Very clever way to avoid embarrassment.

Direct the performance issues of the two people to the entire team.

They met three times this season, and he did lose each time, but the credit for the Knicks' victory does not belong to Xue Liancheng alone.

This answer is perfect.

Perfectly removing the label of loser.

Reporter: "People are saying that your encounter this time is the prelude to the battle for the number one player in the league. Are you confident in this?"

James shook his head: "The title of the number one player in the league is not something that is fought for, but given by the public. Only when your strength, your status, and your influence reach that level can it be highlighted. Everything will happen naturally." There is no fight over things.”

This answer is also watertight.

He naturally knew that his position as the number one player in the league was already shaky and there was a faint tendency to be replaced by Xue Liancheng, so he used this rhetoric to deny Xue Liancheng.

If the controversy remains, he can still retain his title as the league's number one player.