As Liu Mang threw magnesium powder into the air, triggering bursts of boos, the last pre-game shooting period ended and the referee signaled the two teams to come on.

The Hawks sent out a lineup of Liu Mang, Tracy McGrady, Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Kwame Brown.

The Spurs sent out a lineup of Parker, Ginobili, Robert Horry, Duncan and Nesterovich.

Parker's ability evaluation is 86, Ginobili's ability evaluation is 90, Robert Horry's ability evaluation is 70, Duncan's ability evaluation is 98, and Nesterovich's ability evaluation is 74.

Parker has grown into a first-class point guard, Ginobili has entered his prime, and Duncan is at his peak. Parker is half a year shy of 25, Ginobili is still half a year shy of 28, and Duncan is almost 29. There is a young core for the future.

There are two cores who are at their peak, and the age structure of the troika is so good. Duncan is about to start declining, and Ginobili is entering his peak. When Ginobili starts to decline, Parker is about to enter his peak again.

The key is that Duncan's ability has declined due to injuries and he can continue to maintain his condition by changing his playing style. It's terrible. This season, he suffered from plantar fasciitis, but he fully developed his mid-range shot and shot 100%.

With a mid-range shooting percentage of 45, he is second only to Nowitzki among post players, and ranks fourth in the entire league, a little lower than Nowitzki, Kobe, and Tracy McGrady.

The key is that coach Popovich seems to have begun to think about the future. Instead of saving money like before, he is trying to supplement the bench lineup as much as possible. The Spurs' transformation period has probably begun, because of Bowen's injury.

We can't fight to the death, and the star is unwilling to come to San Antonio, so we can only start from the bench.

Liu Mang looked at the Spurs' ability evaluation, glanced at Duncan who was extremely lively in the center circle, and then turned his attention back to jump the ball.

Kwame Brown looked at Duncan twisting and turning, his head covered with black lines.

Why is this guy different from what he imagined? This is the first time in Kwame Brown's career that he jumped the ball with Duncan. He was originally very motivated, but when Duncan did this, Kwame Brown felt that the energy he had been holding was released.

Most of it.

The referee selected the ball and came to the center circle. Suddenly, Duncan suddenly became serious and his face lost all expression.

"Ding... The natural king is triggered at level 5. Tim Duncan is the strongest insider in the league."

"Ding... Buddha nature trigger: Absolutely calm player, from Tim Duncan."

"Characteristics: Triggered by excessive calmness, it is difficult for the Spurs to change their mood. If they encounter an opponent whose strength is stronger than theirs, it is difficult for the weak to defeat the strong. From Tim Duncan."

"Ding...Characteristics: Stubbornness is triggered at level 5. After becoming the most powerful striker in history, the stubborn nature is released, the mentality becomes more peaceful, and the change in the way of playing is better accepted. The liberation of nature makes it easier to influence the opponent's mentality. From

Tim Duncan."

"Ding...Due to Tim Duncan's stubborn influence, Kwame Brown's attention was distracted."

A series of reminders about Duncan's system digitization allowed Liu Mang to understand Duncan's current characteristics. Liu Mang was stunned for a moment. At this time, the referee threw the ball into the air. Tim Duncan took advantage of Kwame Brown's influence.

His reaction was half a beat too slow, he jumped up suddenly and pushed the ball backwards.

When Liu Mang saw the ball flying away, he realized: What is little Kwame doing? He can't win even with a paralyzed jumping ball that has almost turned into a cripple?

Kwame Brown quickly returned to defense after losing the jump ball. He understood that Duncan's two-on-one look just now was affecting his concentration!

How despicable! When Kwame Brown turned around and ran back, he saw Liu Mang's ferocious eyes, and his attention refocused.

Liu Mang waited for Parker to advance. In this game, McGrady's defensive task was easier. He only had to guard against pitchers, while Liu Mang had to guard against Parker, whose speed was not weaker than his opponent's.

Liu Mang now understands why Duncan, that sultry man, has become such a middle-class student. This weird guy who studies psychology has begun to decline in ability due to injuries, and now he starts to play psychological warfare!

Parker received the ball and advanced to the frontcourt. If the Spurs have Duncan and still feel intimidated when facing opponents, it is Parker.

It's not that Duncan didn't have enough influence on him, but that he was just afraid of Liu Mang!

The two entered the NBA in the same year, and Liu Mang beat him for three years. How could Parker not be afraid? The one with the greatest psychological pressure is the strongest one in his class. It would be okay if he had the strength to compete, but the key is... not at all.

Way to counterbalance!

The opponent's one-on-one offense and defense are very strong. Parker protects the ball and looks at Ginobili.

Ginobili has long understood that Parker will be intimidated when he sees Liu Mang. Now the Spurs' style of play has changed a lot. The focus of offense has shifted from the inside to the outside. Parker sees that Liu Mang is helpless, and Ginobili runs

Go to the top arc to respond.

Parker passed the ball to Ginobili and ran away like a wild rabbit, leading Liu Mang to cut inside.

Prince followed Ginobili closely. Ginobili stood still after receiving the ball, suddenly started to speed up, and rushed in from the right side. Prince did not lose focus. He was not as easily defeated as Kwame Brown.

Influence, closely following Ginobili, suppressing Ginobili's path forward.

As if Ginobili didn't realize that he was pushed to the bottom line and away from the three-second zone, he broke through all the way to a position close to the bottom line. When he was about to reach the bottom line, Ginobili kicked his right leg forward and bounced back suddenly.

, broke away from the circle that was about to be double-teamed by Prince and Kwame Brown, and then made a sharp change of direction, took a step forward, and threw the ball into the basket in the three-second zone.

Weird pace, both Kwame Brown and Prince were confused by Ginobili's sudden change of direction!

Even Prince couldn't figure out what Ginobili was going to do!

"Ding...Characteristics: The demon sword is triggered at level 5, and the offensive movements are difficult to predict. Super gods and ghosts can be seen in a single thought, from Manu Ginobili."

Liu Mang heard this tip and knew that Ginobili had gone all out from the beginning!

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Liu Mang remembered that if he beat Ginobili in the finals, he would also get this feature... Liu Mang felt that it was easy to fall for the defensive choice at the back.

My balls hurt.

Ginobili relies on his own style of play to make it difficult for the opponent to predict his attack, while Liu Mang obtains skills, which affect the opponent's judgment. The principles are different, but this is not important. The important thing is that Liu Mang thought of Gino.

Billy was able to score eight consecutive points in the final quarter of the Tianwangshan battle in the playoffs to help the team tie the score, and he dared to foul Nowitzki with a three-pointer at a critical moment a few seconds later, causing the series to collapse...

But it’s not just Liu Mang who has a winning mentality in this game, the other side is too!

Liu Mang received Kwame Brown's serve and passed it to McGrady before running forward.

After Liu Mang reached the frontcourt and cut inside, he found that the opponent's defensive rotation was very fast. Even if the lineup was actually picked out individually, except for Duncan, the defense was not very good. However, with Duncan as the core of defense, the defense of the others relied on the team's strength.

With the rotation changes and the defensive arrangements made by Popovich's defensive predictions, the Spurs' defense is still so good!

Liu Mang circled out from the inside and was followed by Horry, denying him a chance to catch the ball for a three-pointer. He failed to rely on his offensive threat to get a chance or help his teammates open up space! The Spurs' defensive system is too good.

Lee Brown needs a large group of players with explosive defensive talents to form a defensive system, but for Popovich, give him Duncan, and anyone else will do!

Against the Spurs, it seemed that the team's offense was not effective, and the Hawks did not dare to attack without hesitation like they did against the Suns in the last game. The opponent's defensive moves were heavy, and the referee did not call a foul.

Tracy McGrady saw that Liu Mang had no chance to run out of the open space and did not allow Liu Mang to play in singles. Facing Ginobili, he prepared to do it himself.

First create his own threat, and then pass the ball. McGrady listened to Stockton's words, and his style of play changed a little bit.

Ginobili defended very carefully, and then Tracy McGrady made a sudden stop in the mid-range and scored two points.

The mid-range is a pain for the Spurs, and Duncan can't extend that much to help defend, so they can only rely on single defense. But let alone Ginobili, even Bowen, a master of mid-range defense, can't guard him!

McGrady easily hit the mid-range shot.

However, Ginobili started to get angry! Instead of passing the ball to Parker, Ginobili advanced to the frontcourt, half a step away from the three-point line, and before Prince could save it, he shot a three-pointer...

In!

5 to 2, Ginobili scored 5 points in the opening game!

It's Liu Mang's turn to attack. Since he can't break the opponent's team defense, let's go solo!

Liu Mang ran forward immediately after Ginobili scored. The Spurs retreated quickly. McGrady received the pass and passed it long to Liu Mang. Liu Mang received the ball and the opponent's defensive formation was about to settle.

, Liu Mang rushed inside from the left side of the basket, attracting a double attack from Parker and Horry.

At this time, Kwame Brown and McGrady crossed the half court and rushed inside the three-point line. Rasheed Wallace stayed in the top arc. Liu Mang rushed to the mid-range and was double-teamed by Parker and Horry. He leaned sideways against Parker.

He grabbed the ball and threw it.

At this time, Kwame Brown was blocked on the right side of the free throw line by Duncan, but McGrady cut in from the middle, and Ginobili went to guard Prince who was outside the three-point line at a 45-degree angle on the right. The Hawks' overall speed

It was played too quickly and the Spurs defense was not completely in position!

Horry saw Liu Mang passing the ball and immediately rushed to defend McGrady, blocking the connection between McGrady and Liu Mang. Nesterovich also blocked Rasheed Wallace.

However, the ball thrown by Liu Mang was not really passed. After Horry, a 2.06-meter-tall guy, left, Liu Mang took the ball back, turned around and shot a mid-range jumper!

By using fake moves to tease the two double-teamed opponents, Liu Mang easily made a mid-range shot...but unfortunately he didn't make it.

But McGrady, who cut in, took advantage of the fact that there was no one inside and grabbed an offensive rebound over Horry and made a tip-in to score two points.

"Hate." Liu Mang glanced at Parker angrily, but he didn't score. It was all because this guy didn't defend well. He stretched his hands so short that he didn't even get disturbed, and he didn't give him a scope!

Parker looked at Liu Mang's displeased eyes and felt so bitter in his heart: If you can't make a shot, it's because you have a bad touch! I didn't affect your shooting, did you? Why are you trying to hurt me?

If Parker tries hard, he will be stared at by Liu Mang, and if he doesn't, he will be stared at by Liu Mang. Today he has no choice when facing Liu Mang, but Ginobili continues his touch, and the demon sword is unsheathed!

In this attack, Ginobili broke into the paint and was double-teamed by Prince and Rasheed Wallace. Duncan retreated to the mid-range to catch the ball and hit the ball.

Looking back, McGrady's breakthrough attracted Horry to double-team. Prince was left unguarded to help Liu Mang block the pursuing Parker. Liu Mang received a pass from McGrady and hit a three-pointer.

But then Nesterovich received a pass from Ginobili and hit McGrady's 2-1...

After a while, Duncan began to exert his strength. Parker did not catch the ball but was also threatening with air cuts. The troika, led by the Spurs' new leader Ginobili, produced super offensive firepower!

Liu Mang and Tracy McGrady's singles, plus Jason Terry who came on the bench, were not able to withstand the attack driven by Ginobili when his demon sword was unsheathed!

Throughout the first quarter, Ginobili either shot or passed, making 5 of 5 shots, 3 of 3 free throws, and scored 16 points and 3 assists. He could just attack by himself, but he also passed the ball to his teammates to start the Spurs' offense.

.

Since the Spurs got the opportunity to attack first and Ginobili took the lead, Liu Mang has been chasing points!
Chapter completed!