The locker room at Continental Arena was filled with smoke.

When a reporter walks into it, it feels like entering a dream.

what on earth is it?

There is also a hint of coriander and garlic in the mist.

When the reporter parted the fog and saw everything in front of him clearly, he couldn't help but exclaimed.

"eat hot pot?!"

That's right, the entire Nets team actually had hot pot together before the game.

"Here, rinse the beef again."

"Put the iron rod and yam into the white pot."

"Who took away the mutton I just laid?"

Reporters and photographers: "..."

STO accepted the interview from reporters on behalf of the entire team.

Reporter: "The finals are imminent. The last time I came here, you were playing mahjong. This time, you are eating hot pot again. Have you prepared seriously? The opponent is the San Antonio Spurs?"

Shen Tong took the small bowl and chopsticks handed over by Jefferson, which contained sesame paste and freshly boiled tripe.

Although Americans don't eat offal very much, hot pot hot pot ingredients are just like durian and stinky tofu. Once you eat them for the first time, you will want to eat them a second time...

Beef tripe, beef louvers, etc. have long been essential ingredients for the Nets’ hotpot.

Shen picked up the tripe with chopsticks, looked like a greedy cat, dipped some sesame sauce on the left and right, and put it in his mouth.

While breathing in the hot air, he said: "This tripe just can't be cooked. It's just right..."

Seeing Shentong eating, the reporter couldn't help but swallowed his saliva.

"Here, you have a taste too." Shentong took a piece of tripe and put it in the reporter's mouth. The reporter was not polite and opened his mouth and swallowed it directly.

"Hmm... um..." As he chewed, the reporter's eyes became cold, and his face looked happy.

"How's it going? Is it delicious?"

The reporter nodded repeatedly.

"Let's have another piece." Shentong picked up another piece and stretched it over.

"Okay!" The reporter also opened his mouth.

"Cough cough cough..." The photographer's cough brought the reporter back to his senses immediately.

We are currently conducting an interview!

If the director of the station saw this just now, he would be shocked!

Restore interview status.

Shentong cleared his throat and said: "As you can see, we are now relaxed and preparing for the game. The loss last year made us feel that it was because we were too nervous before the game that we failed in last year's finals.

We didn’t play well, so this year, we fully relaxed before the game just to adjust our mentality.”

The reporter continued to ask: "But if you are so relaxed, will you not be able to get back into the game by then?"

Shen Tong showed a contemptuous expression.

"Tsk, it's the Spurs, and it's not the Lakers. We can beat them easily."

...

That night, ESPN broadcast this interview.

The entire Spurs team saw the news.

Malik Rose: "Are these guys all fools? They actually made it to the Finals."

Bruce Bowen: "Their strength is pretty good. Their total record is one more game than ours."

Stephen Jackson: "It was the regular season after all, and they were still in the weak Eastern Conference. If they were in the Western Conference, they might not even be able to make the top three."

Tim Duncan: "Don't be careless. Maybe they are trying to make us take it lightly."

Gregg Popovich: "Tim is right. No matter what the other party does, we should do our own thing without any interference from the outside world."

...

In view of the recent unrestrained performance of the Nets, the evaluation results of major platforms all point to the Spurs as the ultimate winner.

Only Charles Barkley has publicly supported the Nets.

This made many commentators and fans who were still wavering strengthen their belief that the Spurs will win.

...

This round of games has been popular in China before it was broadcast, because it is not only the NBA finals of this season, but also a stage where two Chinese players will meet in the finals.

Shentong of the Nets and Battle of the Spurs.

Although Battle played zero games in the Spurs' playoff journey, he is definitely the team's unsung hero.

Battle's most prominent role in actual combat was reflected in the second round against the Lakers. Because he was the closest player to O'Neal in weight and size on the Spurs, he pretended to be O'Neal for Duncan and Robinson to practice.

Even though the opponent did not have a strong center in the Western Conference Finals, Battelle's training volume was the largest on the team.

After the regular confrontation training, the other players left, and he still completed the training equivalent to a 48-minute game under the guidance of the trainer.

Cole's saving of the Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals was also inseparable from Battelle's contribution. The reporter saw at the training base that Battelle and Cole were training in the same group. Battelle often provided a screen for Cole, and after receiving the ball, he attracted Smith and Fee.

Then he assigned it to Cole and let him shoot from a long distance. This move was exactly the outside strategy Popovich used when Duncan was double-teamed.

"Cole and I often train together, and I am very familiar with him. I have seen a lot of his shooting in training. Whether the shooting is accurate is related to the quality of the screen. We usually practice a lot in this area," Battle said.

.

There are many roles he needs to imitate, from Stoudemire of the Suns, O'Neal of the Lakers to LaFrentz of the Mavericks, and now New Jersey's Mutombo and Collins will be the ones he plays in the future.

"I am a member of the team, and of course I must seize every opportunity to help the team win. Of course, my contribution is definitely not as great as that of the main players, but I have finally done something," Battelle said cheerfully.

In fact, he not only played a big role in training, but also always encouraged his teammates on the court. Whenever there was a timeout, he would go to Robinson or Duncan and help them rub their shoulders. Although it was silent, it was powerful.

support.

...

Shentong, who is playing prosperously in the Nets, is like the bright moon in the sky, while Battle, who is unknown in the Spurs, is like a spark.

The bright moon is in the sky, shining on the earth, like a bright star on the stage.

A single spark can start a prairie fire, and even a small change can cause big changes.

...

On June 5, 2003, the NBA Finals began its first game at the Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey.

This is the first meeting between the Nets and Spurs in the NBA playoffs. The two teams had previously met in the ABA, when the Nets won seven games in the semifinals and eventually won the championship.

The two teams tied 1-1 in the regular season this season.

Historically, the Spurs have won one NBA championship, but the Nets have not.

Before the game, Spurs head coach Popovich said: "We have entered the Finals again since 1999. This is an incentive for us. We will play well in the first two away games."
Chapter completed!