Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 533 Good News: Playoff Opponent is the Knicks! Bad News

That evening, Lin Tian answered many questions from reporters, but all his answers revolved around one core theme.

That means having 100% trust in players like Anthony and Okur, who didn't perform well tonight, believing they could bounce back at any time and deliver an outstanding performance.

We eagerly await good news and await the dragon's roar.

However, it is clear that Anthony and Okur and others failed to respond promptly to Lin Tian's trust and unconditional recognition.

In the second and third games of the series, the rookie duo, led by the two of them, still struggled quite a bit.

安东尼第二战17投6中只拿到16分，第三战到了客场更是15投4中只拿到11分。

In the first three games of the series, Anthony's shooting percentage was just over 30%, and he only made 15 field goals in total, which can be described as extremely poor.

While Anthony's shooting percentage was only so-so, at least he still managed to score in double digits every game, Okur's performance was even more appalling.

In three games, he took 17 shots and only made 5, including an absurd 1-for-11 from three-point range! By the second half of Game 3, he didn't even dare to take three-pointers anymore. His confidence was completely shattered by this terrible shooting touch.

Fortunately, the Cavaliers are not strong. Apart from Wade, none of their players can truly pose a threat to the Knicks. Even Wade, at his strongest, was completely suppressed by Lin Tian.

In the first three games of the series, Wade averaged 35.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6 assists, with shooting percentages of 49%, 33% and 84% respectively!

This is a set of impressive and top-tier statistics, but the problem is that this is Wade's full-game stats. If you break down his data a little, you'll see a completely different Wade.

In the three games, when Wade faced Lin Tian one-on-one, his shooting percentage plummeted to 21.4%. Against Lin Tian, ​​he made only 3 of 14 shots in the three games, including 0 of 4 three-pointers, gaining absolutely nothing.

As for his signature breakthroughs and drawing fouls, Wade only drew 4 fouls and committed 5 turnovers in these rounds against Lin Tian.

It's fair to say that Wade was completely outmatched by Lin Tian!

The reason the data is good is because Lin Tian did not match up against him for the entire game.

Secondly, and more importantly, although Anthony and Okur couldn't make the shots, Lin Tian and Stoudemire could!

这两个家伙在第二和第三场比赛之中，是继续延续着自己精彩无比的表现，林天两场比赛分别贡献38分9篮板15次助攻和40分5篮板13次助攻，小斯则是连续3场比赛都高效轰下最少25分！

Under the leadership of Lin Tian and Stoudemire, the Knicks naturally won the first three games in a row, and gained a double-digit advantage in each game!

They easily turned the series score into 3-0!

This is the true difference in strength between the two teams.

The second-ranked team in the East and the seventh-ranked team in the East are not even in the same league.

Next, the Knicks, now holding match point, will face the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the series at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

This is a battle for the Cavaliers' honor!

Having already fallen behind 0-3, they had long been condemned by everyone, including themselves; no one thought they could advance.

But both Wade and Cleveland fans hope the team can win even one game, avoid a sweep, and avoid being eliminated at home.

As for the Knicks, they certainly hope to sweep the Cavaliers and easily advance to the second round. After all, their neighbor, the Celtics, are also leading their opponent 3-0, and the two teams will most likely meet in the next round.

At this point, both sides hope to have more rest time and that the other side can exert more energy.

Therefore, Game 4 of the series was less about the Knicks and Celtics fighting against their respective opponents, and more about the Knicks and Celtics engaging in a battle from afar.

This is about the rest time and the battle of momentum in the second round.

Whoever sweeps their opponent will have at least two extra days of rest to prepare for the second round.

So, before Game 4 of the series, Don Nelson, quite unusually, brought a TV into the team's locker room to show the players highlights of the Cavaliers' games and provide analysis.

This old man also wants to sweep everything away!

"Lin, you'll have to work a little harder tonight. I want you to chase Wade and wear him down from the very first possession! I want you to be like a hound... a tiger, like a tiger chasing its prey, tearing and cutting Wade apart."

"Everyone else, keep an eye on your players, especially Ilskoska, no, Ilskoska? Never mind! Those two Europeans and Gooden, when they go up for a pick-and-roll, delay them!"

"Don't let them easily rush to Lin's side to provide cover, don't let them easily reach the top lane, disrupt their teamwork, and keep the two of them away from Wade."

"Normally, I don't have high expectations for your defense, nor do I require you to do any specific defense, because my core philosophy is just one thing."

"Get more points!"

"I'm sure you're all aware of the comments circulating about us at this stage of the series, right?"

"What did they say again?"

"The bad news is we're going to play the Knicks. They're very strong, and it'll be hard for us to win."

"Good news, we're playing the Knicks! They're strong, but they don't play defense, so we can pad our stats to our heart's content!"

"At least in this series, that statement is true. Wade is averaging 35+5+5, that European is averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds, and that idiot Gooden is averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds. They are all averaging the best numbers of their careers, and they may even get the biggest contracts of their careers based on their performance in this series."

"From this perspective, we benefit the league and the players. We allow our opponents to earn enough money, and I have no objection to that. I don't feel humiliated or looked down upon by being said that. I don't feel sad."

"I never ask you to play defense, nor do I ask you to exert yourself on the defensive end, because I don't like it."

"But tonight, I'm asking you to at least do what I ask. That's not too difficult, is it? Let everyone see how we can make all our opponents miserable when we want to defend! As for the rest, it's the same as before: run, run them to death!"

After speaking, Old Nelson surveyed the room once more, then continued, "Go! Go kill them! Tear them apart!"

"Tear them apart!"

After Don Nelson's words, the entire Knicks team roared in unison. Even Anthony and Okur, who had been underperforming, showed great fighting spirit and confidence. They looked at each other and made up their minds at the same time.

Even if they don't make the shot, even if they can't help the team on their strongest offensive end, they must still contribute to the team's victory, even if it's on defense, which is not their forte!

For the first time this season, the entire Knicks team entered Quicken Loans Arena with the mindset of making their opponents look bad through defense!

"I won't lose tonight." Wade bit his mouthguard, his face full of solemnity and determination. Although his stats were very good, even top-tier in history, Wade knew that he had been completely crushed by Lin Tian in the first three games.

He wanted to get his revenge, and tonight was his last chance!

The rest of the Cavaliers shared the same sentiment as Wade: they didn't want to be swept and hoped to win at least one game.

This is the attitude and spirit that a young team on the rise must have.

Game start!

Okur once again defeated Big Z, securing the first offensive possession for the team. Lin Tian then used his signature skill again after receiving the ball.

He first waved to signal everyone to slow down and not rush, then suddenly made a one-handed bounce pass, throwing the basketball straight to the frontcourt.

There was Carmelo Anthony, eager to prove himself. This guy, who had made a quick run down the court, got the ball and started moving, completing a powerful two-handed dunk before the Cavaliers could react.

The more crucial the battle, the more effortlessly and easily Lin Tian fought.

This is his consistent style, and it is also the composure that comes from the combination of his strong self-confidence and strong ability.

After assisting Anthony to complete the first possession with a lightning attack, Lin Tian immediately ran towards Wade and began to closely guard him.

"The first possession of the first quarter has begun!" Barkley exclaimed from the commentary booth. "Before, Lin only used this kind of high-intensity defense against Wade at certain times, but tonight, he's been at it from the very beginning."

"Obviously, the Knicks want a sweep. They want to end the series tonight. They're going to do everything they can to crush the Clevelanders."

"Now we'll see how the Cavaliers, or rather Wade, respond."

"I knew you guys would defend me like this." Wade said to Lin Tian, ​​then ignored the basketball and turned to head towards the frontcourt. He knew exactly what he would face in the fourth game.

So he made two preparations tonight.

If Lin Tian doesn't press him hard at the start, he'll attack with all his might, a desperate attack that leaves no room for retreat, trying to score as many points as possible.

If Lin Tian presses him too hard, he will relinquish power.

Let players like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Gooden, and McGinnis handle and lead the game.

Although the team is not as strong as the Knicks, Wade, like Lin Tian, ​​trusts his teammates.

McGinnis dribbled the ball up the court. Facing Jackson's defense, he didn't force it. After a few quick passes, the ball came to Gooden's hands.

After receiving the ball, Gooden immediately raised his hand to feint, then took a step back and tried to shoot directly.

In the first three games, Stoudemire would at most spread his arms, give a look that said, "Try scoring," and that would be the end of his defensive play.

Tonight, Stoudemire's defensive skills may not have improved, but his defensive intensity has increased significantly. He actually slid forward, spread his arms, and blocked Gooden's shooting angle.

Gooden had already jumped, but he didn't have the ability to find teammates to pass the ball in the air. He could only barely raise the arc before throwing the ball out.

"It's too short, get the rebound!" At the same time, Gooden let out a scream, reminding his teammates to go for the rebound.

That way, you'll at least avoid getting blocked, and you can even hope your teammates grab the rebound, right?

But the battle under the basket is quite clear now. Okur and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who are not good at physical contact, played very casually in the first three games. They were like germaphobes, hardly engaging in any physical contact with each other.

But at this moment, Okur took the initiative, squeezing together with Big Z, and used his strength to push him behind him. As for the rebound, Anthony grabbed it in time and then passed the ball to Lin Tian.

"Well done! This is my favorite play of this series!" After getting the ball, Lin Tian waved to everyone to steady themselves and encouraged his teammates to keep up the good work.

This time, Lin Tian's attempt to stabilize the situation wasn't a feint; the team genuinely needed to calm down.

However, the Knicks' composure is vastly different from that of other teams.

Other teams play it safe: they grind out at least 17-8 seconds in a half-court game before taking a shot.

The Knicks should play it safe: No need for a quick break on this play. We won't use the fast break strategy. We'll release the ball in about 10 seconds.

After Lin Tian finished speaking, he immediately accelerated, ignoring Wade who had already moved up to him. He used his speed and body to block his opponent, and then accelerated all the way to the three-point line. Then, Lin Tian made a sudden stop and a half-turn dribble, and immediately saw every corner of the court.

Lin Tian's perfect vision allowed him to make a decision instantly, delivering a behind-the-back bounce pass to Anthony, who had just run to the wing.

If it were a regular season game, Anthony would definitely pull up and shoot as soon as he gets the ball.

But this time he only made a fake shot, then took a step forward and drove to the basket, forcing a shot over Gooden.

"Bang!"

Unfortunately, Anthony's shooting touch was still quite poor, and he missed the layup that was so close to the basket. But the good thing is that although his shooting touch has inexplicably disappeared in this series, his physical attributes are still there!

Anthony jumped again, grabbed the rebound before Gooden, and then shoved his shoulder into Gooden's chest. He jumped again, and this time Gooden couldn't control his defensive move and his hand hit Anthony's arm.

"Beep beep! Foul on the hand, 2 free throws!"

Anthony's shooting touch hasn't returned yet, but at least, judging from these two offensive plays, his confidence has returned!

It's a good thing that my confidence has returned!

For several rounds in the following period, both sides continued with their initial offensive strategies.

Although it was a continuation of the strategy, the actual results achieved by the two sides were vastly different.

Lin Tian continued to stick to Wade tightly, not giving him any chance to attack, making it difficult for Wade to even receive the ball. The rest of the Cavaliers, without Wade's support, were also struggling to break through the Knicks' defense, which was bursting with defensive intensity.

Even more critically, Wade is notoriously bad at shooting, so when Lin Tian is defending him, he can often help defend under the basket or in the vicinity to help his teammates double-team or cover.

Even if Wade is open from mid-to-long range, he's not scary!

While Wade possesses excellent off-ball skills and awareness of off-ball movement, the rest of the Cavaliers lack sufficient passing ability and vision.

Several times, although Wade created opportunities, either Lin Tian returned to his position in time, or his teammates simply did not notice Wade's open play, thus missing the chance to pass the ball.

In short, the Cavaliers' offense came to a complete standstill. They didn't score a single point in the first three minutes and only managed 15 points in the entire first quarter. Their offense was completely shut down by the Knicks!

Such a scene is extremely rare, even looking at the entire season!

This is the Knicks! It's perfectly normal to get overwhelmed by their offensive onslaught, but to be completely shut down by their defense and unable to score is something you only see once or twice a year.

That's so rare!

This also shows that when facing the Cavaliers, as long as you keep Wade under control, the abilities and levels of the others are really not worth mentioning.

With their offense completely unable to break down the Knicks, the Cavaliers' defense was equally leaky.

Honestly, the Knicks' offense wasn't working out well tonight. Apart from Lin Tian being able to make a few mid-range and long-range shots, the rest of the team were all in poor form, and their mid-range and long-range shooting was mediocre.

While the Knicks couldn't make their shots, Okur and Anthony were wreaking havoc in the paint. One used his height to relentlessly slam onto the backboard, while the other, relying on his strength and power, darted around the basket and relentlessly fought for rebounds.

As we all know, the Cavaliers' two big men are indeed accurate shooters and have quite good skills, but they are not tough or ruthless enough. These two floor-type technical players have met their match tonight.

Thanks to the efforts of Okur and Anthony, the Knicks secured several offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities.

In the first quarter, although the Knicks' field goal percentage was only slightly over 40%, they still managed to score 30 points thanks to their overwhelming rebounding!

They led the Cavaliers by a whopping 15 points in the first quarter! (End of Chapter)