Both sides still use the main players as the main players, with substitutes coming on occasionally to let the main players take a breather and fight the main players.
The Sonics still focus on three-point tactics, while continuing to play tough and fierce defense.
Here, the Suns' Lao Wang stormed the half court, and the physical energy consumption on the defensive end was also very high, so the storming was reduced and the ball distribution was strengthened.
In this quarter, the Sonics' three-pointers were finally no longer so crazy, but they still maintained a considerable level, and their shots were even crazier. They shot 12 three-pointers in a single quarter, hitting 5 of them, with a shooting percentage of 41.6.
%, this is still a terrible efficiency.
Fortunately, the Suns recovered and after a chaotic battle, the two sides were tied in the third quarter, with the Suns still leading by 5 points.
Entering the final quarter, the main players of both sides were actually almost exhausted, but the head coaches of both sides continued to use methods to squeeze the main players.
However, the physical fitness of the other main players on both sides is not good, but Lao Wang is still okay.
Lao Wang didn't have many strong attacks in the third quarter. He only worked hard on defense and rebounding, and still maintained some physical fitness. At this time, he took over the team's offense.
"Bang!"
He went around the basket to catch the ball. In the double-team of Rainman and Perkins, he forced a side hook and the ball hit the basket and went in.
"ah!"
The home fans burst into loud cheers.
The Sonics then missed a three-pointer, Wang Tiejun protected the backcourt rebound, and the Suns attacked.
Lao Wang missed the rebound at 45 degrees on the left waist, Rainman grabbed the rebound, and the Sonics no longer had the physical ability to play fast-paced offense and defense.
"Bang!"
Perkins pulled out to shoot a three-pointer, but still missed.
Lao Wang quickly returned to the basket and got the backcourt rebound, and the Suns attacked.
This time, he once again took the ball in the left waist, faced Perkins' defense, took a shot before Rainman's help arrived, and hit a 45-degree rebound.
"Two out of three shots. At the critical moment, it depends on the ability of the core players. The playoffs are the stage for superstars. Come on, old K!" Su Qun shouted excitedly.
"We are 9 points ahead. If we play steadily, we can win." On the sidelines, old assistant coach Lewis encouraged loudly.
"Championship! Championship..." The audience cheered enthusiastically, and the home fans began to encourage the players.
"Bang!"
The Sonics missed their first three shots in the final quarter, and this time Rasheed Wallace got a backcourt rebound.
Wang Tiejun still scored this goal by himself. At the critical moment, he believed in himself even more.
The other four players all spread out, and when the ball came in, he noticed that Rainman was coming from the weak side along the baseline to help defend, and was already behind Perkins.
The next moment, he suddenly took a step forward, jumped up and grabbed the ball, then landed and turned around. While dribbling, he stuck his left elbow outside, against Perkins' defense, and entered the paint area with the ball.
The Rainman below hurriedly stopped and turned around to defend the basket, but at this time Wang Tiejun had already taken a step forward, still holding his left elbow outward in the air to prevent interference from Perkins, holding the ball in his right hand.
Hit the basket.
"Bang!"
The ball goes in and the basket rings.
"yeah!"
The fans in the audience cheered again.
"11 points, we are in sight of victory!" an on-site commentator roared excitedly.
"Old K made 3 of 4 shots in the final quarter and scored 6 points in a row. This is a superstar performance." Another on-site commentator roared equally excitedly.
The Sonics made zero shots in the first three shots, and they were a little panicked. They didn't dare to shoot outside and started to break through.
Hawkins ran on the right wing, got open through the Rainman's pick-and-roll, and immediately made a mid-range shot after receiving the ball.
Neither Rasheed Wallace nor the Lightning could defend themselves and could only watch the other side take action.
Wang Tiejun returned to defend the basket from the left wing, but was unable to cover the right wing. He could only watch the opponent take action.
"Bang!"
Unfortunately, the SuperSonics felt too hot in the first three quarters and exhausted too much physical energy in the final quarter. They were cold and missed the fourth shot.
"oh!"
When the opponent missed the shot, the home fans immediately responded with enthusiastic cheers to celebrate.
Wang Tiejun got the backcourt rebound and the Suns attacked.
He scored three goals in a row and took four shots. He was a little tired and did not actively ask for the ball this time.
However, he is still in position, using his position to attract the opponent's defense and create opportunities for his teammates.
The next time, he did the same thing, no longer taking the main offense, leaving the offense to his teammates, saving some physical energy for the second half.
After half a quarter, the Suns led by 13 points. The SuperSonics' touch recovered slightly, but it was no longer as crazy as it was in the first three quarters.
In the second half of the quarter, Wang Tiejun stood up again, making 3 of 5 shots and scoring another 6 points. Although his shooting rate was not as good as before, he still had an efficiency of 60%.
Under his attack, the Sonics did not find a chance to come back until the end of the game and lost the G2 game.
In the TNT live broadcast booth, Bill Walton praised: "Old K made a total of 20 of 31 shots in this game, with a shooting percentage of 64.5%. In the first half, when his teammates felt cold, he relied on his high shooting rate.
He withstood the crazy three-point rain from the SuperSonics, and then waited for his teammates to recover in the second half. He really contributed the most to the Suns winning this game."
"That's why the playoffs are called the stage for superstars. It's really difficult for ordinary players and role players to perform super explosively under such great defensive intensity and such great psychological pressure. Only true playoff superstars can have
Only with extremely strong willpower and a strong desire to win can you do it." Bus Felton said excitedly.
Bill Walton nodded and said: "In terms of free throws, I made 9 of 18 free throws. In 48 minutes, I scored 49 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 2 turnovers and 4 fouls.
Generally, the playoff efficiency of stars is lower than that of the regular season, but for several seasons, Old K's shooting percentage has been higher than that of the regular season. This is the real playoff superstar, not the regular season superstar.
Moreover, he also made all-round contributions in rebounds, assists, defense and other aspects. Winning this game is the best reward for him."
Bass Felton nodded and said: "Other players of the Suns performed generally in the first half, but recovered in the second half. This is also the key to victory. Everyone worked together to win the crucial second home court, which set the stage for the entire series.
The victory laid a solid foundation.
There are two away games next. As long as we win one, we can get the second round match point. It shouldn’t be a big problem to advance to the Western Conference Finals.”
Bill Walton said: "Since the 1992/93 season, the Suns have reached the Western Conference Finals for four consecutive seasons. This time the SuperSonics are indeed strong enough, but I think the Suns still have a high possibility of reaching the Western Conference Finals."
Nodding, Bass Felton said: "Today the SuperSonics exploded with three-pointers. They shot like crazy. In the first three quarters, they made 14 of 30 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage of 46.6%. Unfortunately, their form declined seriously in the final quarter, and they shot 1 of 9 three-pointers."
In the game, he made 15 of 39 three-pointers, with a hit rate of 38.5%, which is equivalent to a 57.7% hit rate on two-pointers. If the Suns had not had an advantage in rebounding today, with Old K’s performance, the Suns might have lost
You will also lose.
But because of this, the Sonics were in such good shape but still lost the game, so I also agree with your view that the Suns are more likely to reach the Western Conference Finals."
Bill Walton looked at the data table and said: "The Suns had 41 rebounds today, and K alone grabbed 18 of them. The Sonics only had 28, and they lost a total of 13. But other aspects were similar.
In this alone, the Sonics lost the ball 13 times.
The final score was 105:115. If they can work hard on rebounding, the Sonics might really be able to pose a threat to the Suns."
This time Bass Felton shook his head and said: "The SuperSonics are not high enough at the basket, so they will definitely not be able to grab the rebound from Old K, who is a historical rebounding leader like Rodman.
And from a tactical point of view, the Sonics should have fewer rebound opportunities. After shooting so many three-pointers, everyone was pulled out, and offensive rebounds were basically lost. Their offensive rebounds only had 5 offensive rebounds in the game.
The Suns had 13 offensive rebounds.
Since they play a three-point shooting tactic, they will definitely suffer in rebounding. It is impossible to take advantage of three-pointers and maintain a balance of rebounds while everyone is outside."
"That's right." Bill Walton couldn't help but nodded.
In the CCTV live broadcast, Zhang Lili sighed: "It was not easy to win today. The SuperSonics made three-pointers in the first three quarters, which was really frustrating."
Su Qun smiled and said: "Coach Zhang, today the SuperSonics' three-point shots accounted for 52%. This is too high, it is incredible!"
Zhang Liyi nodded and said: "This should be the game with the most three-pointers in the history of the NBA. The crazy George Karl is really too crazy tactically. He played a three-pointer strategy with all his might, and saw three-pointers again.
The tactics had the upper hand in the first half, so the second half was even crazier, with more three-point shots, just desperate. It's a pity, if the touch wasn't so bad in the final quarter, he might have succeeded."
Su Qun suddenly asked: "Coach Zhang, the three-point shooting style is completely inconsistent with the current two-point shooting style. Do you think there is room for development in this three-point shooting style?"
Zhang Li thought about it and said: "Probably not. For an average team, three-pointers account for about 20% at most. This season, the Bulls' three-pointers account for almost this proportion. The Suns' three-pointers are slightly more."
, at most it is about 25%, definitely not 30%.
Because Tiejun is in the low post, the Suns still attach great importance to the three-point shooting tactic, but it is only an auxiliary tactic, focusing on two-point shooting."
"Then do you think the SuperSonics will still focus on three-point shooting tactics in the next game?" Su Qun asked.
"This, it's really hard to say."
Zhang Lili smiled and said: "George Karl is famous for his madness. He is either crazy in other ways or has a crazy energy in tactics. He dares to use things that others dare not use, and he uses them to great effect."
On the sidelines, Lao Wang did not immediately accept the on-site interview. He was too tired. He sat on the bench to catch his breath. After he had breathed enough, he stood up for the interview.
"Old K, what do you think of the SuperSonics' tactics today?" a reporter from tnt asked.
"That's crazy!"
He blurted it out.
The reporter didn't say what tactic it was, but he only thought of one, and that was the three-point shooting tactic.
To be honest, he has never seen any team dare to shoot so many three-pointers. In the first three quarters, when he saw the Sonics shooting three-pointers in the low post, he was frightened. He saw his opponent once.
When another three-point shot penetrated his basket, everyone felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
"What do you think caused them to shoot three-pointers like crazy?" the reporter asked.
"Because they have a crazy head coach. He thought he could kill us with three-pointers, but we let him down. I'm sorry." Lao Wang said with a smile.
"My teammates felt bad in the first half, what do you think?" the reporter asked again.
"Normally, they are different from me. I am close to the basket and can maintain a stable shooting percentage, but they are far away from the basket. Hand feeling is very important to them, and that thing cannot be available all the time. Jordan also has his moments.
." he said.
"So today's SuperSonics made so many three-pointers in the first three quarters, does it mean that your teammates' defense has completely failed?" the reporter asked again.
He shook his head and said: "They work very hard on the defensive end, but sometimes it's like this. When the opponent's touch explodes, no matter how you defend, they seem to be able to make a shot with their eyes closed.
In fact, this was proved in the final quarter. When the SuperSonics' touch dropped, my teammates' defensive effect was immediately reflected perfectly, allowing the opponents to make 1 of 9 three-pointers. This shows that my teammates
The defense was always there.”
After finishing the on-site interview, bidding farewell to the home fans, the Suns left the stadium.
Entering the player tunnel, Lao Wang shouted to a few coaches walking in front: "Hey, coaches, who knows how the Bulls and Pacers are doing now?"
"The third quarter is over, and the Bulls are 4 points behind at home." Nelson Jr. turned around and said.
"Jordan didn't feel that good today. He made 8 of 20 shots in the first three quarters, a 40% shooting percentage. However, he broke out very hard today and did a lot of damage. He made 12 of 12 free throws and still scored 28 points in the third quarter." Lewis said.
"It's a pity that Ewing defeated Rick Schmitz and scored 24 points in the three quarters, shooting 62.5% from the field, which was very efficient." Nelson Jr. said.
"So efficient? Where's Rodman's help defense?" Lao Wang said in surprise.
"Dachong was not in very good condition today. I heard he was injured. He only played 21 minutes in the three quarters. His defense was weak and he only grabbed 8 rebounds in the three quarters." Nelson Jr. said.
Nodding, Lao Wang smiled and said: "This Bulls team has only lasted two years. If we continue to play, there will be no competitiveness."
"The average age is 32, and the lineup is indeed too aging." Danny Ainge said.
"Jordan still has one year on his contract. I guess after finishing this contract, if he doesn't win the championship, with his competitive spirit, he might quit in a hurry." Nelson Jr. said.
"Jordan retires?"
Lao Wang thinks it's a bit impossible. The old guy is only 34 years old. He is in such good condition and is still at the top. It would be a pity to retire.
After returning to the locker room and taking a medicated bath for a while, the news came that the Bulls and Pacers had teamed up with Ewing and Reggie Miller to defeat Jordan at the United Center.
"This is good news."
Lao Wang and Lightning both laughed. The fight in the east was more intense. It would be better to break the dog's head, and it would be better to knock out the dog's brains.
But thinking about the past games, they were also a little frightened. The Eastern Conference was so stupid that they were not having a good time in the Western Conference. The SuperSonics and Jazz would also block them strongly. If they didn't give full play, they might really be knocked over by them.
.
At this time, the coaching staff was discussing the team's situation in the corridor outside the locker room, and Colangelo Jr. also participated.
"Danny, it's only the second round now. If we continue to control the main players like this in the end, their physical fitness will collapse sooner or later." Lewis reminded.
"I understand." Danny Ainge nodded awkwardly.
Today, Lao K played the whole game, which is okay, because Lao K is already an iron man, but Rasheed Wallace also played the whole game, which is enough, because the physical fitness of the trolls is not that good.
In addition, the same goes for Horry. The physical fitness of the extra-training king is not as good as that of the troll. He played the whole game today and his condition will not be better in the next game.
Nelson Jr. said: "Fortunately, we have Lao K supporting us, so we don't need them to break through from the outside, otherwise the physical exhaustion will be even more terrible."
At this time, Colangelo Jr. said: "My suggestion is to win one of the next two away games, and we will try to defeat them when we return to the home court."
Danny Ainge and others nodded in agreement.
Colangelo Jr. added: "Old K plays too much time and does too much work on the court. You must pay attention to his playing time and don't waste it just because he has good physical fitness.
I don’t want to see him get injured, especially stress injuries if they can be avoided. He is our present and our future. Both my father and I hope that Old K can sign a third contract with the Suns, ok
?”
"ok."
Danny Angie nodded quickly.
On the 7th, Lao Wang got up from bed at 10 o'clock. After eating something, he dragged his luggage and drove to the headquarters.
At 11:30, the Suns boarded the plane.
Lunch is eaten on the plane, and is prepared by the team in advance. Everyone prepares several lunch boxes according to their own needs.
Lao Wang has the most, six big lunch boxes with meat, fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc.
After dinner, I played poker and blackjack with Lightning and others for a while. I lost several hundred yuan and stopped playing immediately.
He has never been interested in gambling since he was a child, because he always loses when he gambles, and gambling brings bad luck.
"Old K is so stingy. He does this every time and doesn't let us win more." Horry muttered.
"Well, if I can win the championship this year, I'm going to hold a swimming pool party and invite dozens of models. If anyone is dissatisfied with me, I will definitely not invite him." Lao Wang publicly threatened.
Horry's face changed, and he laughed and said: "Boss, it's lucky to have you, otherwise I would have become addicted to gambling, thank you, thank you! It was you who saved me from bankruptcy, otherwise I would have slept on the street after I retired.
.”
"Hey, King Jialian, I'm still a little dissatisfied with you." Lao Wang said with a smile.
"It doesn't matter, boss, I can continue to kneel and lick until you are satisfied." Horry said with a smile.
"vomit!"
Lao Wang felt chilly and vomited directly.
"Haha..." The others laughed immediately.
Kobe looked at Horry with disdain and said, "King of additional training, you have some bottom line, okay?"
"You little rookie, you haven't grown up yet. Why do you want to draw a line in front of a beautiful woman? I don't even want underwear." Horry said disdainfully.
