Chapter 47: Feelings may not be conserved, but they will never be eternal (two chapters in one)

After dunking over Peja, Zheng Yang roared in celebration, but then quickly returned to defense. What Pippen said made some sense.

No matter how brutal the dunk was, it was still just a two-point shot, and the result of the game was the most important.

Looking back, in order to save face, Peja directly attacked the inside after receiving the pass from Divac.

Zhugan, who has the height advantage, seems to have improved the team's rim protection ability, but in fact, due to his poor confrontation, he can't play a protective role at all.

Peja also scored this goal easily.

Old Nelson did not hesitate and immediately made a substitution, putting Fat Monk back on and letting Nowitzki continue to play center.

There is nothing we can do if it is not suitable. We can only play like this now. As for whether we can win, it depends on the performance of the players.

The reason why the Kings are a strong offensive team is not only because their Princeton system can create a universal soldier effect on the court, but also because of their shooting.

They have the ability to shoot from three points, although this feature is not very obvious at ordinary times, but as the saying goes, who doesn't eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year.

Even Fat Monk can make a three-pointer, so why can't they?

So in the third quarter, in order to punish the Mavericks' zone defense, they took many shots from the three-point line. Peja made 5 of 3 three-pointers, Doug made 3 of 1, and substitute Anthony Peeler made 2 of 2. In just one quarter, they threw in 6 three-pointers.

At the same time, the hit rate is very high.

Nelson is helpless about this. Defending against a zone is actually a gamble, betting that the opponent's outside shooting is not good, but if the opponent's outside shooting is good, there is nothing you can do.

Thanks to these 6 three-pointers, even though Zheng Yang scored 5 points in a row before the end of the third quarter, the final score was still 80:86, and they were 6 points behind.

"In the third quarter, the Kings suddenly got their three-point shooting feel going, which was obviously beyond the expectations of Mavericks coach Don Nelson.

In the fourth quarter, will they choose to continue to defend against the Kings' Princeton system or choose to mark to prevent their three-pointers from bursting out again?

Don Nelson really needs to think carefully, because in the fourth quarter, there won't be much time for them to adjust.

Although the first round of the playoffs has changed from best-of-five to best-of-seven since last season, the outcome of the first game will still have a great impact on the players' confidence and morale.

What changes does Coach Zhang think the Mavericks will make next? "

During the intermission, Yu Jia planned to let Coach Zhang talk to everyone about the changes or tactics on the court.

But Coach Zhang frowned.

"If it were me, I would definitely ask everyone to pass the ball to Zheng Yang. The opponent has the ability to shoot three-pointers, and so do we. Zheng Yang's three-point production and hit rate are both good this season.

It makes the most sense to give him the ball.”

"Do you think the playing styles of other players need to be changed, such as Nowitzki or Nash?"

Yu Jia wanted to change the topic of Zheng Yang. In fact, he also liked Zheng Yang very much. He was a Chinese player and he played basketball well.

But now he is the host of CCTV Sports Channel, so he certainly cannot have subjective emotions.

Coach Zhang touched his head when he heard this.

"What about the other players? They really need to make some changes as well, that is, pass the ball to Zheng Yang more often. As long as we pass the ball to him, we will win the game.

If we lose, there is really nothing we can do. After all, we played in the most reasonable way. We can’t win in any other way.”

"Okay, audience friends, the fourth quarter is about to begin. Let's see what kind of arrangements Coach Don Nelson will make."

Teacher Yu Jia had no idea what Coach Zhang said, so she had to quickly change the subject.

During the intermission, Nelson also told the players about the plan for the fourth quarter.

"In the fourth quarter, we adopted a one-on-four defense. Zheng, you should guard Peja closely and prevent him from making so many three-pointers easily.

It's the playoffs now, everyone toughen up and give your opponents a physical fight.

Let them know that our inside players can’t just go in whenever they want, got it?

Take away my victory tonight, you hear me? "

Nelson Sr. clapped his hands and shouted to motivate the players.

"heard it!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

Letting Zheng Yang defend Peja is also a helpless move by old Nelson. It means that Zheng Yang needs to put more energy on the defensive end, which will make it difficult for him to maintain his previous firepower on the offensive end.

But there is really no other way. Given Peja's performance in the third quarter, someone must guard him.

But Zheng Yang is the most suitable player in the team. After all, although Peja plays as a small forward and has even played as a guard before, he is 2.06 meters tall.

Let Da Chou defend, but the height difference is a bit too big and the effect is minimal.

If Walker is asked to defend, his footsteps may not be able to keep up.

Only Zheng Yang is the most suitable. Although he is a little short, he is fast and has a long armspan, so it is basically not a disadvantage to defend him.

"Hey kid, just hold on for one more quarter and we can take home the win."

Old Nelson patted his favorite disciple Zheng Yang and said, and the latter nodded.

"I'll do it, Coach!"

Yes, Zheng Yang is such a person. No matter what you ask him to do, who to defend, or how to attack, he will not find any excuse to shirk.

He would just nod and promise that he would do everything you arranged.

Isn't it Nelson's luck to be able to coach such players?

As soon as the fourth quarter came on the court, Zheng Yang followed Peja closely. The latter also understood the Mavericks' intentions and started talking trash.

"They arranged you to guard me? I advise you not to get too close to me, otherwise you will become my target."

"Aiming for the timer? I'd love to do something like that."

Zheng Yang was talking trash, but he was always looking around to make sure that the King would set a screen for Peja and he would not be able to keep up in time.

Hearing these words and thinking about the dunk at the beginning of the third quarter, Peja felt a little unhappy and decided to save his face.

So he ran back to the outside, and Divac passed the ball to him.

Zheng Yang moved quickly and rushed forward immediately. Shooting three-pointers is actually not Peja's strong point, but if he wants to save face, shooting the opponent in the face is the best way.

So Peja did not pass the ball again, but instead shot directly after trying to shift Zheng Yang's center of gravity.

After a season of training, Zheng Yang’s defensive awareness is now very good. Coupled with his strong physical fitness, he has never been out of position.

He tried to block the shot, but Peja's shot point was very high, so it was unsuccessful. But it doesn't matter. Excellent defense doesn't mean that you can steal or block the shot every time.

But it makes it not so easy for the opponent to finish.

Obviously, Zheng Yang did it, because when Peja jumped, he suddenly found that the young man's palm appeared in front of him.

In order to avoid being blocked, he had to raise his shooting point, and finally the basketball flew out smoothly.

But that was not his most comfortable shooting point, nor was it his favorite way of exerting force. He knew it was difficult to make this ball, but he still prayed that his excellent touch today would help him make this one again!
But dear Peja, please remember that the feel may not be conserved, but it will never be eternal!

The excellent touch in the third quarter has left you at this moment.

The ball ended up missing all three attempts, but Ugly quickly protected the ball and passed it to Nash, starting their favorite fast break.

Zheng Yang's successful defense made old Nelson on the sidelines clench his fists excitedly.

Well done, Zheng!

As long as we can defend against the Kings' three-pointers, there will still be room for improvement.

If the Kings really make four or five three-pointers in every quarter, then there's really no point in playing this series.

"In the first attack of the fourth quarter, Zheng Yang successfully prevented Peja from making a three-pointer. Obviously, Don Nelson's choice of one-on-four and letting Zheng Yang defend Peja was a correct choice.

In fact, this season, whenever the team encountered unsolvable defensive problems, they would leave it to Zheng Yang to solve.

He has flexible footwork, good defensive habits, and great focus. At least at positions one to three, he can always show good defensive results.

He plays an extremely important role in this team.”

Yu Jia said seriously.

On the court, Zheng Yang smiled at Peja.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault for that ball just now that you failed to hit the timer accurately! Don't worry, I will pay attention next time."

"Shut up, rookie! It's just that you got lucky."

Peja said unhappily. He was also very depressed. He was blocked in the last quarter and missed three shots in this quarter. Why did he always get nothing when he met this rookie?

In the next few rounds, Zheng Yang followed Peja closely. Even though Webber had been trying to set screens for him to give him a chance to receive the ball, Zheng Yang was very good at squeezing through screens.

Always able to hold on tightly!
Even in one offensive round, Webber was called for a screen foul!
In a frustrated mood, the Kings' offensive state was not good. In four minutes, the Mavericks launched a 12:5 attack wave and directly reversed the score.

Kings head coach Rick Adelman called a timeout and adjusted the team's status.

After the timeout, the Kings' offense was much more organized when they returned to the court. Although Peja really wanted to shoot Zheng Yang in the face, he did not force the ball for the sake of the overall situation.

Now he just runs more and is not in a hurry to shoot. Anyway, Zheng Yang is following him, so he just stands in the corner with his hands on his hips and watches his teammates play.

If there is an opportunity to run, then punish the opponent.

In fact, Zheng Yang was happy about this. After all, this way he could take a few more breaths. Defense is a really physical job and is much more tiring than attacking.

If he keeps defending like this, he will definitely not have the energy to attack in the last few crucial minutes.

From the timeout to the time when there were only four minutes left, the Mavericks' offensive focus was on Nowitzki. After all, under the Kings' defense, the other players' offensive touch today had not been good.

Except for the second quarter when his hit rate was slightly higher, he became a little blacksmith for the rest of the time.

bang bang bang...

one by one!
In fact, Nowitzki was already exhausted at this point. His current playing time has reached 39 minutes, which means that if he played the last four minutes, he would have played for 43 minutes in this game.

Although it is not as good as Zheng Yang's 46 minutes, his playing time is also the second highest in the team.

In addition, he is currently the core of the team and the focus of the opponent's defense. There are always three or four big men taking turns to attack him.

If he wasn't young and strong-willed, he would have collapsed.

"After the Kings' offensive round just now, there were only four minutes left in the fourth quarter. The current score was 105:107, with the Kings leading by 2 points.

Although Peja did not make any three-pointers in this quarter under Zheng Yang's defense, thanks to the Princeton system, the Kings were able to mobilize everyone and score in multiple areas.

Compared to the Mavericks, where only Nowitzki is scoring, the Kings are in better shape at the moment.

With four minutes left, who else can step up for the Mavericks? "

Yu Jia maintained this calm and serious expression from beginning to end. When it comes to basketball sports commentary, he is truly a leader.

Zheng Yang, who had been slacking off for most of the fourth quarter, finally began to show his offensive desire. Just after half court, he started asking Nash for the ball.

Nash was also very depressed today. In the past regular season games, he was always worried about who to pass the ball to, as if everyone on the team was good at scoring.

One basketball is not enough.

But tonight he was still struggling with who to pass the ball to, because it seemed like no matter who he passed the ball to, he would end up missing the shot.

However, seeing Zheng Yang actively asking for the ball, he still passed the ball to him. Although Zheng Yang basically did not attack in the second, third, and early fourth quarters, his performance in the first quarter still left a deep impression on Nash.

This guy really doesn't look like a rookie at all, he seems more mature and calm than anyone else on the court!
He seemed to have no pressure at all and played at his own pace from beginning to end.

He will definitely become a superstar in the future.

“Hey Zheng is starting to take over the game!

There are only four minutes left, Zheng Yang is ready to take action, he is going to start to end this game! "

In the second and third quarters, Barkley, who hadn't said much, became excited again because his Zheng was here!
He's going to attack!

Since the Mavericks' outside shooting ability was not good today, the Kings' defensive strategy was zone defense!
When Zheng Yang took the ball to the free throw line, Doug Christie, who was following him closely in the second quarter, hesitated for a while and did not choose to go up.

"Go up and stick to him."

Rick Adelman on the sidelines shouted a warning, but by then it was too late to step forward.

Do you remember what the best way to break the zone defense is?

It’s shooting. As long as the shot goes in, you can break their defense!
Zheng Yang shot directly from the three-point line without any hesitation. The moment the basketball was shot, it was destined to go into the basket.

Sure enough, the next second, the basketball went straight into the net.

108:107, the Mavericks took the lead by 1 point.

Barkley in the TNT studio just roared out excitedly.

"Good shot! Good shot!

The TMD Kings can't defend him at all. Why were Peja, Mike and the others so arrogant before? Why did they want to provoke a beast?
They think he's just a rookie, so they want to bully him?

But they were wrong, he was no ordinary rookie at all.

He will take the initiative to ask for the ball and score successfully at the critical moment of the playoffs. He can take the lead in the team's offense. He is a true All-Star."

Barkley's series of words stunned Pippen next to him!
I've never seen you so eloquent before?
How much money did they give you to work so hard?

Of course he quickly turned his head away the next second, fearing that Barkley would notice him and invite a new round of sarcasm.

Don’t think that Pippen is a master of trash talk just because he said “The postman doesn’t work on Sundays” and caused Malone to miss two free throws.

In fact, he was also a man of few words. The sentence "The postman doesn't work on Sundays" should be considered the highlight of his life.

Even though Barkley made sarcastic remarks to him so many times throughout the game, he only said one sentence: "The result of the game is the most important."

Attention returns to the court, and it's the Kings' turn to attack.

The more critical the moment, the more you have to play with what you are familiar with. Center Divac once again went to the free throw line, scanning the surroundings and observing the running positions of his teammates.

Nowitzki had to leave the restricted area and go to the free throw line to defend him.

The usual training made the Kings players in sync with each other. After a while of running, Mike Bibby rushed into the inside again.

Divac's pass followed.

The inside was empty at this moment, and Zheng Yang, who was originally defending Peja, had no choice but to rush into the inside and try to repeat the block in the first quarter.

But don't think of this as a game. You have to know that your opponents are human beings and they will learn from their mistakes.

Mike Bibby, who had already scored 20 points, did not choose to take a risky shot, but passed the ball back to Peja at a -degree angle.

The latter is in a big gap.

After dribbling the ball and adjusting his position, Peja made another three-pointer.

This was his second three-point shot in the fourth quarter. The previous one missed, but this one... went in!
Zheng Yang defended him for a whole quarter, but allowed him to score a goal at the most critical time.

"Good shot! Good shot!

Peja made a three-pointer, and it was… a good shot! A good shot!”

Having just been stimulated by Barkley, Pippen was now preparing to passionately comment on the ball as he had just done.

But as soon as the words came out, I was at a loss for words.

Buckley looked at him with the eyes of caring for a mentally retarded child and was too lazy to scold him.

When I was in the Rockets, I wanted to win the championship with this guy?

Fortunately, we were only together for one season, otherwise if others told us about it, we would be laughed at for the rest of our lives!

Pippen was at a loss for words, but Peja was not. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Hey rookie! I like your aim. Without you, I probably wouldn't have made this shot."

"Then you'd better give me half of your salary!
You want to mess with my mentality with such rubbish? Hey, I suggest you go back and have some sleep, because you are not fully awake yet. "

Zheng Yang responded nonchalantly that he had never thought of defending every ball from the opponent. It is rare to completely defend a star player in a basketball game.

How many stars have you seen being defended to only 8 points in the finals?
At most it's just a restriction.

If the shot goes in, it goes in. The game doesn’t continue!
Just call him back!

So after passing half court, Zheng Yang asked Nash for the ball again.

He is not pretending, but he is probably the most suitable person to score on the court right now.

Nowitzki in the interior was directly locked down by a strong man, and Walker and Finley's touch was average today. Nash currently does not have the hard-breaking ability he had in his Suns days. In addition, the opponent continued to play double-team defense, so it was very difficult for him to break through.

Therefore, he is the only one who is truly suitable!
The next second, Nash passed the ball to him!

　Brothers who have monthly tickets can vote, now it is double

　　
　
(End of this chapter)