allendalepharm Chapter 734: If this kind of defense comes out even once, Old Nelson will be dead.
Chapter 734: If this kind of defense comes out even once, Old Nelson will be dead.
The close contest between the two teams continued almost the entire time, with neither able to pull away! Nash was playing more and more steadily, and his passes were no longer just unpredictable!
His passing is like opening a magic door; he can send the basketball wherever he wants it to go!
Even though Lin Tian had already pushed his defensive intensity and all the physical challenges he could put on Nash to the limit in the fourth quarter, Nash still managed to hold on! Even though he stumbled and staggered on every offensive play, and every time it seemed like he was about to make a mistake, fall down, or be shut down, Nash still managed to hold on!
But Nash always managed to turn the tide in desperate situations. He always managed to pass the ball out at the most dangerous moments, avoiding Lin Tian's harassment and defense, allowing his teammates to score time and time again!
Nash's teammates also performed admirably in the fourth quarter! Although they weren't perfect, and didn't hit many spectacular shots or difficult baskets, the Suns capitalized on their wide-open looks, layups after cuts, and open three-pointers!
They kept the score close until the last 3 minutes of the fourth quarter!
This was due not only to Nash's 7 assists in the first 9 minutes of the quarter, but also to the Suns' Pierce, Barbosa, Martin, and others playing at their most incredible level!
They have to win! They have to win Game 7!
On the Knicks' side, Lin Tian didn't just pass the ball without shooting like Nash did.
Well, Nash didn't actually want to just pass and not shoot. He wanted to attack too, and he wanted to score a couple of baskets himself when his teammates couldn't score.
Unfortunately, Nash was powerless against Lin Tian, who was playing with all his might in the fourth quarter, almost always hanging on him.
It's already quite remarkable that he was able to make so many assists while ensuring he didn't make any mistakes!
It even exceeded Nash's own expectations! He himself didn't expect that he could play so well!
Nash himself felt that his performance in the fourth quarter was the best he had ever played in his life!
Tonight is the best night of my life, Steve Nash!
Even though Nash's performance was so perfect, and even though he did his best to organize and strategize the team, the team was still behind.
Because compared to Nash, who could only pass the ball but couldn't find opportunities to shoot, Lin Tian, who was matched up against him, had a much easier time.
The Suns simply have no one who can stop Lin Tian!
Lin Tian draws help defense almost every time he breaks through, and every time he enters the paint, he creates numerous opportunities for his teammates!
Sometimes Lin Tian would launch his own attacks to break down the Suns' defense.
Then sometimes, after successfully compressing the Suns' defense, he would find his teammates and let them complete the attack!
Simply put, playing against the Suns and their backcourt is as easy for Lin Tian as playing at home.
Nash is just like the neglected wife in a wealthy family.
Lin Tian comes and goes as he pleases.
If he's happy, he'll stay overnight; if he's not, he'll go home, change his clothes, and leave. Sometimes, when he's in the mood, he'll even bring other girls home, then kick Nash and the Suns' damn original partners off the bed to keep them out of his way.
Well, that's quite an absurd analogy.
But that's the fact, that's the overwhelming advantage Lin Tian displayed in the fourth quarter!
The Suns have absolutely no way to deal with him!
If the Suns hadn't been so accurate in the fourth quarter, if they had missed two more shots in the fourth quarter, they would definitely have been completely left behind by now!
Instead of being down by only 6 points and still having possession of the ball!
2 minute and 49 seconds left!
135: 141!
This match, destined to break many records, this match, destined to go down in history, has entered its final 3 minutes!
Nash still controlled the ball, and Lin Tian rushed over immediately to defend Nash with almost domineering force!
He practically clung to Nash, making every dribble and every step forward incredibly difficult for Nash!
In other words, Nash was definitely in zone mode tonight, otherwise he would have been crushed by the crazy Lin Tian long ago!
After struggling to get to the frontcourt, Nash suddenly gestured for Pierce to come up and screen for him!
After holding back for almost the entire game, the Suns once again unleashed the same winning strategy that had secured their victory in the previous game in the final moments.
Nash Pierce pick and roll!
The two players on the top of the arc can dismantle a piece of the opponent's defense at the slightest touch!
Pierce sprinted towards the flank at top speed.
The Knicks' defense this time was exceptionally good, a rare sight indeed. For the Knicks, if this level of defense were to occur even once, Don Nelson would be out of a job for at least three years!
Pierce was closely followed by Hill, and no matter how hard Pierce tried, he couldn't shake Hill off.
Seeing that the pick-and-roll had completely failed, Nash decided not to wait any longer. He suddenly took a step back and then pulled up for a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
Basketball, sometimes, is just like that!
That seemingly perfectly logical tactic just now couldn't be executed at all; the Knicks' defense was just too tight!
But this thing, which wasn't tactical at all and was just something I threw around randomly, went in!
All I can say is that basketball is truly a game of probability!
And star players are those who can increase the odds!
After Nash scored, the Suns quickly retreated to defend, and this time Marion was the one standing in front of Lin Tian!
D'Antoni has finally put their strongest defender in front of Lin Tian!
But it didn't work!
Because the Suns' roster includes Nash.
The Knicks are fielding a lineup with two small forwards right now.
After Marion faced off against Lin Tian, Nash had to choose between Hill and Anthony to defend, while Pierce also had to guard Stoudemire or Okur in the paint.
This is an inherent disadvantage for the Suns in terms of roster!
On the basketball court, if you're at a disadvantage, then I'll exploit that disadvantage and beat you to death! It's not over until I turn that disadvantage into a defeat!
Therefore, Lin Tian did not choose to attack Marion, but instead made a lob pass to Stoudemire under the basket. Facing Pierce, who was a head shorter than him, Stoudemire easily turned around, raised his arm high, and made a layup under the basket, helping the Knicks maintain their advantage!
Turning back, the Suns continued to run their pick-and-roll between Nash and Pierce!
Clearly, the success of the last game has made D'Antoni incredibly reliant on this tactic, and he's determined to pull it out in crucial moments!
This time it still didn't work. Lin Tian squeezed through the cover again, and Hill used his experience and size to successfully delay Nash's advance, and immediately turned around to chase back and catch up with Pierce.
"Amazing! The Knicks are putting up incredible defensive plays right now! This is so unlike them!" Barkley shouted excitedly. The Knicks' defense on those two possessions was truly spectacular!
Kenny added, "Perhaps even more exciting is Nelson's substitution! Bringing on Hill at this moment was absolutely brilliant! Although Hill's athleticism and speed can no longer match Barnes', he has things that Barnes may never possess in his lifetime!"
"The confidence and assurance of a superstar!"
As they were talking, Nash had to face Lin Tian again. With his tactics completely exhausted, Nash had no choice but to pull away and force his way through. He chose to accelerate and break through, bending over to change direction, and charged towards the Knicks' basket while overpowering Lin Tian!
Then, he suddenly stopped near the free-throw line, dribbled the ball in place for two circles, and then made a very subtle underhand pass to Marion, who was cutting to the basket.
Marion, fully charged, went straight for the basket and slammed the ball in with both hands!
At this moment, neither Stoudemire nor Okur could even react, and they showed no intention of jumping to block the shot.
All I can say is that these two players' defense is practically no different from a sieve!
Of course, if their defense had been up to par, the Suns wouldn't have scored such a terrifying high number of points tonight.
140: 143!
The gap between the two sides is still 3 points!
There are only 2 minutes left in the game!
"I think the two teams could easily score a combined 300 points tonight!" Payton said. "Times have really changed. When I first entered the league, it was normal for both teams to score 150 points in a Finals game, but now, it's the era of offense!"
"Come on," Miller immediately seized the opportunity to mock Payton. "When in your life have you ever scored 7-80 points in a Finals game? Guanglin scored more than that on you! Stop reminiscing about things you never experienced!"
"Don't fucking bring that up again, okay? That was all damned, it happened 10 years ago!"
"Then what are you mentioning? Lin stepped over you, and you didn't even dare to punch him? Or are you mentioning 48 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals? Is that the stat line? If I remember correctly?"
"What else was there? I faked you out twice in one game?"
"Not just one game," Kenny suddenly interjected. "It was one possession where he faked out twice! Poor Gary, every year when I watch those 'Top 10 NBA Crossovers' highlights here, he's always in the top three as a background character."
"Fuck! The finals are so exciting! The game is down to the last two minutes, and instead of watching, you're here reminiscing about my embarrassing moments? Haven't any of you ever embarrassed yourself? Don't any of you have your darkest moments?"
"Yes, but not as dark as yours."
"You're not as shameful as me."
"My little bit of embarrassment is nothing compared to yours!"
……
Go to hell.
Payton swore again, then ignored the group and forced himself to focus on the game!
There are less than 2 minutes left in the game!
After Lin Tian dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, the Suns' defender against him was still Marion!
For the Suns, their current task isn't actually that difficult.
Defend against the next one, then score a 3-pointer to tie the score!
They are confident that they can keep scoring; their only problem is whether they can defend against it!
Facing Marion's defense, Lin Tian once again calmly chose to pass the ball!
It wasn't that he was afraid of Marion, but that there was no need to!
Dude, there's no need to attack your strongest point. I'll make your weakest point come back to me on its own, and then I'll go and beat it up!
This time, Lin Tian passed the ball directly to Anthony next to him. Anthony lowered his center of gravity to face Nash, and he showed no mercy. He took a probing step and slammed his shoulder into Nash, making him take half a step back.
Then Anthony immediately pulled up, his beautiful shooting form, perfect arc, and empty defense sent the ball flying into the net!
"Whoosh!"
It's still an 5-point gap!
"The Suns need to hold us off for at least one possession!" Kenny said anxiously. "If they keep going like this, one-on-one, it'll be hard for them to catch up! After all, in terms of shooting percentage, the Knicks are just as good, if not better, than them!"
"The Knicks have Lin!"
"The Suns really need to figure out how to stop the Knicks!"
"What can they do?" Barkley said. "With the Suns' roster, what can they possibly do to save the game? They're completely out of options! They can only pray that the Knicks don't score."
"Because they have Nash! Their biggest defensive weakness is Nash, but can they get rid of him? If they don't get Nash, the Suns' defense will definitely get wrecked by the Knicks! Unless Nash can come up with some way to help the team!"
Miller said, "Also, let's not forget that Lin hasn't even taken a shot in the fourth quarter! He hasn't even really gotten into attack mode yet! In the last few possessions, he's been helping his teammates score and attacking the Suns' weakest point."
"So even if the Suns catch up, Lin will definitely score again and regain the initiative!"
While the group was talking, Nash suddenly made a contribution!
They made a significant contribution on the defensive end!
This time, Nash was still guarding Anthony, and the ball once again came into Anthony's hands. This guy wanted to use the same trick again, lower his center of gravity and hit Nash first before starting the attack, but Nash finally caught the opportunity!
The instant Anthony's shoulder collided with Nash's chest, Nash let out a scream and collapsed to the ground! At the same time, he slid backward at least 3 meters!
"Offensive foul! Change possession!" The referee was extremely quick, immediately using his experience to make a judgment and call an offensive foul on Anthony!
"It's okay! Don't argue about Messi and Ronaldo!" Anthony spread his hands, about to protest to the referee that it was a damn dive, when Lin Tian suddenly shouted and grabbed Anthony: "Arguing at this time won't help you, it won't help the team."
"Even if you get a T, we're in big trouble!"
"Stay calm! Losing one goal is no big deal, we can get it back!"
"Got it, boss!" Anthony nodded, then quickly turned around and found Barbosa, immediately retreating to a defensive stance.
"Wow, that's amazing! Lin is truly amazing!" Payton exclaimed again. "He can calm down a teammate in a fit of rage with just a few words! That authority, that clear mind, and that absolute confidence—in the entire league, there's really no one who can compare to him!"
On the court, the entire Knicks team returned to their positions, and this defensive play was crucial for them!
If they can defend it, everything will be fine. But if they can't, the Suns will be able to tie the game or close the gap to 1 point in the final moments!
If the Suns can even score a 3+1, they could take the lead!
As for the Sun, the opportunity they have been striving for and waiting for has finally arrived!
Nash dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, but instead of rushing to attack, he waved to signal everyone to get into position and be ready.
Then, after observing the players' positions, Nash suddenly slapped his forehead.
Then the entire Suns system started to function!
Pierce and Barbosa moved towards the free-throw line from the two wings, while Marion quickly moved up.
These four players set two screens almost simultaneously at the free-throw line and the top of the key!
Barbosa and Pierce's off-ball screens, Marion and Nash's pick-and-roll plays!
The four people scattered as soon as they touched each other, and then quickly separated in four different directions!
The Suns' "fireworks" tactic was truly dazzling. Almost in the blink of an eye, all the players scattered. If they were facing a strong defensive team, they would be lucky to even get one chance in this situation!
But the Suns are facing the Knicks right now!
After this four-man screen, Nash was surprised to find that three opportunities had appeared on the court!
In other words, Marion, Pierce, and Barbosa all gained space to attack directly!
Apart from Lin Tian, the other three Knicks defensive players were fooled by the screen and failed to keep up with their defenders immediately!
Happiness came so suddenly!
But Nash wouldn't hesitate at all! He knew that the most important thing now was to be decisive, and he also knew that the opening he had created would be fleeting, and would disappear immediately if he hesitated even slightly!
So after observing the court, Nash ultimately chose the safest approach.
He passed the ball towards the basket with one hand!
There was Marion cutting to the basket, ready to finish at any moment.
"Snapped!"
The basketball slammed heavily on the floor and bounced back up, just as it was about to fly towards Marion, giving him a chance to take off and attack the basket, when a pair of large hands suddenly appeared.
It's Lin Tian again!
This guy actually used a goalkeeper's diving posture, lunging out sideways, almost parallel to the floor!
Then, with his outstretched hand, he incredibly and precisely pressed it onto the basketball!
"Steal! Lin stole it again! He doesn't even look like a basketball player at this moment! He's like Dida, he's Kahn, he's Casillas, he's Lehman! He didn't just bend over for a steal, he made a save!" Kenny's voice rang out again, this time filled with disbelief!
"Bang!"
Then came a loud bang. Lin Tian, who had lunged sideways, inevitably crashed heavily onto the floor. It would be a miracle if he could even stand up after intercepting the ball in that position!
"Pause! Pause!"
Fortunately, both Lin Tian and Don Nelson reacted incredibly quickly. They immediately called a timeout, giving Nash and the others no chance to even get down and contest the loose ball with Lin Tian!
That was a lightning-fast reaction! (End of Chapter)