Chapter 151 Eastern Conference Finals
The Pistons attack.

He Zhongqiu stood one step below the free throw line, his mind highly focused. He stood close to whichever side the ball was on.

"Whoosh!"

At this moment, Billups, who had broken into the right wing with the help of a pick-and-roll, suddenly jumped up, but instead of shooting, he made a side pass.

It was a curve ball that passed over He Zhongqiu's head and toward the left wing.

"Back cut!"

He Zhongqiu turned right instantly and saw Prince had cut into the left waist position.

The next moment, he pounced forward with all the strength of his lower limbs.

This pounce was as powerful as that of a tiger.

Prince jumped up to catch the ball, and at this moment he saw Wolverine rushing towards him three meters away.

The next moment, he landed and stood up again, then shot from the left waist.

When he jumped for the second time, He Zhongqiu's first step had already landed. When he was about 1.5 meters away, his body suddenly jumped up like an eagle, and his right hand, like an eagle's claw, grabbed it.

Prince had just jumped up and hadn't shot the ball when he was thrown back to the floor and the ball in his hand was snatched away.

"Oh ho!"

The cheers in Madison Square Garden swept up like a hurricane.

"Block! Wolverine blocked Prince at the critical moment. This will be the Knicks' chance to reverse the score." Barkley shouted excitedly.

"here."

The madman turned around and ran quickly, waving for the ball.

"Whoosh!"

He Zhongqiu threw it over and started to move quickly.

But in the end, the madman took the lead and scored the goal himself.

"Beautiful! 84:86, Zhongqiu's block was a credit, and the Knicks took advantage of the defensive counterattack to overtake." Zhang Heli said excitedly.

The Pistons called their third timeout after serving the ball. It was a short timeout, and each team still had a long timeout.

After hastily arranging tactics, the timeout ended and the game resumed.

Hamilton kept running around, making the Knicks panic. Everyone had to focus part of their defensive attention on him.

With 18 seconds left on the shot clock, he found a wide-open space in the left corner.

At the top of the arc, Billups saw it, suddenly dribbled to the left top of the arc, dodged Charlie Ward and prepared to pass the ball to the left corner.

"oops!"

Zhang Heli was so anxious that he slammed the table.

Charlie Ward is old, and his task on the defensive end is to limit Billups' passing. Unexpectedly, he was easily gotten rid of by Billups at the critical moment.

At this time, Ben in the low post on the left wing moved towards the basket and reached out to the top of the arc for the ball.

He Zhongqiu had already moved to the left waist position, ready to pounce on Hamilton, but when he saw Ben Wallace entering the penalty area, he hesitated a little.

But the next moment, he still pounced on Hamilton.

At this time, he could only trust Kurt Thomas's backup defense.

At this time, Billups also had a hint of hesitation.

Pass it to Hamilton or Ben?
This hesitation just gave his pass the ball its target.

Because he saw Wolverine pounce on the left corner, while Ben Wallace entered the basket. Kurt Thomas in the low post on the right wing was restrained by Clifford Robinson and was not in time to defend the basket, so an opportunity was lost under the basket.

The next moment, he passed the ball.

"Snapped!"

But at this moment, Charlie Ward moved sideways and intercepted the ball.

"Damn it!"

Billups felt like vomiting blood. If he hadn't hesitated just now, he would have passed the ball to Hamilton.

"Oh oh oh."

The Knicks fought back amid the excited cheers of Knicks fans.

"Charlie Ward, haha!" Zhang Heli laughed.

"Charlie, good job." Ewing also roared happily.

Hamilton returned to defense from the left corner but missed it.

Billups returned to defense from the top of the arc, but he kept running ahead of Charlie Ward. As soon as he reached the frontcourt, Charlie Ward passed the ball to Alan Houston on the left wing.

The Pistons had no one on the right wing on offense just now, all of them were on the left wing and the center. Now they have returned to the backcourt and there is no one on the left wing. Alan Houston received the ball and was in an open position, and he made a mid-range jump shot.

"84:88, now the Knicks have overtaken by 4 points. In the final crucial moment, everyone played well." Sun Zhenping smiled happily.

"There are still 35 seconds left, so be careful," said Xu Jicheng.

The Pistons attacked and advanced quickly, trying to seize the opportunity to score a goal.

This time Billups took the shot. He took advantage of Clifford Robinson's pick-and-roll to shoot a three-pointer on the right wing, and the basketball flew towards the basket.

"brush!"

A splash appeared and a three-pointer was made.

"Oh, Alan Houston, he failed to defend the pick-and-roll! Kurt Thomas was also a little slow in switching defense." Zhang Heli sighed.

"Billups was really brave and accurate at the critical moment!" Xu Jicheng shook his head and sighed.

At this time, the Knicks served the ball and called the last timeout.

"This attack took 16 seconds, and there are still 19 seconds. We must succeed, otherwise it will be dangerous." Zhang Heli said.

Sun Zhenping said: "At the most critical moment, I hope Zhongqiu can stand up."

In front of the Knicks bench, Don Cheney was sweating, Ewing's face was gloomy, and the other two assistant coaches were also confused. Only Thibodeau remained calm.

If the coach is like this, the players' mentality will not be good either.

Alan Houston kept wiping his sweat and drinking water, Sprewell was a little irritable, Kurt Thomas was very silent, and He Zhongqiu was very tired.

Boss James Dolan couldn't sit still any longer and stood up and stood outside.

He didn't make the playoffs last year, but this year he not only made it, but also made it to the second round. Now he still has a chance to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now the fans and the media no longer scold him, but instead give him good reputation.

He is very satisfied with this season's record, and all this has changed just because of the addition of a Wolverine.

"Wolverine goes in to get in position, Alan plays on the right wing. Let's change it up this time and use a pass-and-cut tactic to catch them off guard."

Don Cheney took the tactical board and drew on it, arranging the offensive tactics.

What he meant was to let the mid-range shooting king hold the ball and attack on the right wing, and let He Zhongqiu enter the basket. After the two attracted the defense, they would create an opportunity for the madman to cut in from the weak side.

This tactic has been used before, but not often, because the madman has grown old and doesn't attack as much now, and usually just throws the ball outside.

After the tactics were arranged, it was almost time for the break.

87:88, Knicks attack.

He Zhongqiu still used his advantage in speed to get into the paint area, but he was running out of energy and it was difficult for him to force his way in. Up to this point, Ben Wallace's stamina was better than his, and he was now unable to run.

The Pistons still tightened their defense, so Alan Houston got a small open space and Hamilton gave him two steps.

"Whoosh!"

Charlie Ward followed the playbook and passed the ball to Alan Houston on the right wing.

The moment the pass was passed, Hamilton immediately returned to defense. After one step, he stretched his hand in front of Houston. After another step, as soon as Houston received the ball, he immediately began to press closely.

The tactics are arranged, but the coach has no control over the game once the players are on the field. The players' execution determines the outcome of the game.

Faced with the pressure, Alan Houston dribbled the ball back one step, created some distance, and then forced two steps to the right. When he was one step over the three-point line, Hamilton stuck to his left side again.

At the same time, Clifford Robinson defended in front of Kurt Thomas in the right corner.

He had no choice at this time. Hamilton cut off his passing angle and Kurt Thomas had no chance either, so he could only force a jump shot.

"short."

When the ball was shot, He Zhongqiu and Ben Wallace under the basket made predictions at the same time.

He Zhongqiu was in front of the basket and immediately moved one step to the left, blocking Ben Wallace behind him.

"Oh!"

Ben Wallace didn't care anymore and pushed He Zhongqiu's soft waist with his elbow, trying to push him out.

He Zhongqiu was exhausted. In the past, he would not have been able to be pushed, but this time he was pushed and moved a small half step outward.

"Bang!"

At this time, the basketball hit the basket and bounced back.

The two of them jumped at the same time, and He Zhongqiu was a little unable to jump anymore.

Ben Wallace used his physical advantage to narrow the height gap with He Zhongqiu, and took advantage of his position closer to the basket to grab the backcourt rebound.

After he landed, he swept his elbows and made a strong ball-protecting move.

"Snapped!"

The elbow swept across He Zhongqiu's chest.

The referee was nearby but he did not blow the whistle. The series had reached the most critical moment and he could not steal the show. Everything had to be left to the players.

"Nima's!"

A sharp light flashed in He Zhongqiu's eyes, and he swung his left arm and grabbed it with his claws.

This claw, striking from above, not only grabbed the ball, but also two fingers grabbed Ben Wallace's right hand.

The steal is a good steal because the ball and the player are one, and as long as the ball is not hit above the wrist, it is not considered a foul.

"hiss!"

Ben Wallace felt like he was stabbed by a sharp weapon. He couldn't help but relax in pain, and then the ball was knocked away.

The basketball bounced off the ground. He Zhongqiu was quick-eyed and quick-handed. He waved his hands again, grabbed the ball, and then jumped up.

"Wolverine!"

Ben Wallace jumped up quickly to block the shot, but he was half a beat slow. As soon as he jumped up, the sound of the ball hitting the basket was heard above his head.

"boom!"

"Ouch!" As the sound of the ball hitting the basket rang out, Madison Square Garden also fell into a boiling excitement.

Coaches such as Don Cheney and Ewing also jumped up excitedly.

"Haha, that's awesome! Zhongqiu stole the ball from Ben Wallace and then dunked successfully." Zhang Heli shouted excitedly.

"87:90, the Knicks are leading by three points. There are only 1.5 seconds left. The Knicks will definitely win." Xu Jicheng said excitedly.

"Eastern Finals! The Eastern Finals is right around the corner!" Sun Zhenping said excitedly.

Time was running out, so the Pistons called a timeout and arranged their final offensive tactics.

Soon, the timeout ended and the game began.

The Pistons served the ball from the right side of the frontcourt. Hamilton ran continuously and received the ball two meters outside the three-point line on the left wing. He immediately shot a long three-pointer.

Alan Houston, who was chasing the ball, was a step slower and failed to make effective defense. He could only watch the basketball fly towards the basket.

"By God, you must go in."

Ben Wallace and other players on the court, the players and coaches on the Pistons bench, and countless Detroit people were all staring at the ball.

With the ball still in the air, the play time expired and the light on the backboard came on.

"Bang!"

The next moment, the basketball hit the rim and was caught by He Zhongqiu.

"Ugh!"

A sigh sounded in the hearts of the Pistons.

"Di!"

The referee blew the whistle to end the game.

"boom!"

Huge cheers and shouts rang out in Madison Square Garden.

"Oh!"

He Zhongqiu pumped his fists and roared, extremely excited.

"Oh!"

The mid-range shooter and others rushed over cheering, followed by the players on the bench.

"Eastern Finals! Eastern Finals! Eastern Finals."

Gradually, a unified shout was formed in Madison Square Garden, and it became louder and louder, gradually becoming earth-shaking.

"Congratulations to the Knicks for reaching the Eastern Conference Finals again after two years." Barkley said loudly with a smile.

"2 to 4, the Knicks, who were fourth in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, eliminated the Pistons, who were first in the Eastern Conference. Congratulations, you are one of the two best teams in the Eastern Conference," said Kenny Smith.

The Postman was a little envious. The Jazz were eliminated in the first round, while the Knicks, who did not make the playoffs last season, made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

He wanted to join the Lakers before, but now, he thinks joining the Knicks is also a good idea.

With his current strength, he should be able to take away Kurt Thomas' starting position.

"It would be great if John could come. The Knicks still lack a good point guard. We would have a chance to realize our dream of winning the championship together."

"But it feels like the Lakers have more hope. Wolverine is good, but O'Neal is still at his peak."

While the postman was daydreaming, Barkley had already run to interview He Zhongqiu.

"Wolverine, how does it feel to lose two games and then win four in a row?" Barkley took over Kruber's position again and asked with a smile.

"Your move is quite slick!"

He Zhongqiu was surprised to see Barkley push aside a reporter weighing at least 150 kilograms with just his butt.

Barkley said proudly: "This is my unique skill."

"A special skill?"

He Zhongqiu immediately thought of the Eagle Claw's unique skills, exploding balls and breaking throats. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to use them, which was a real pity.

He thought for a moment and replied: "When we won the game, I felt very lucky. When we tied the game, I felt I had a chance.

Then we won three games in a row and overtook the Pistons, but that was all we did.

As for now, hey, the Nets only won 49 games in the regular season, just one more than us. In the Eastern Conference Finals, we have to beat the Nets and make it to the Finals."

Barkley's face was full of smiles. He didn't expect that Wolverine, the big mouth, would come over to grab the job. He really didn't disappoint him.

Kidd was not far away, and the Nets head coach was there too. When they heard He Zhongqiu's words, they all looked over at the same time.

"Byron, what do you think?" Kidd asked.

Byron Scott said confidently: “In terms of defense, our defense is second in the league, second only to the Pistons.

And you, Jason, Billups is considered a first-rate point guard, but you are top-notch, even a top-notch point guard in history. You are two levels better than him, and you are in your prime.

No one on the Knicks' perimeter can handle you. You, Jason Kidd, can easily crush their perimeter on both offense and defense."

Kidd couldn't help but nodded when he heard this.

In terms of defense, if the Pistons didn't have Ben Wallace, the inside big man, the Pistons' defense would definitely be a level lower than the Nets.

Among his four starting teammates, Richard Jefferson has the worst defensive efficiency value, only 100, but this is already higher than all the Knicks players.

Byron Scott continued: "In terms of lineup, we are more mature than the Pistons. Billups and Hamilton have just joined the Pistons and have not fully integrated into the team.

In terms of tactical system, Jason, with your control, we are still more mature than the Pistons. "

Kidd nodded confidently. At the number one position, in today's league, if he says he is second, no one dares to say he is first.

Byron Scott said: "Even though the Knicks only won one game less than us in the regular season, the lineup configuration was restrained.

The Pistons can't completely lock down the Knicks' perimeter, but we can.

We can completely shut down their perimeter and keep the Wolverines from having the ball in the post.”

After the interview, He Zhongqiu and others said goodbye to the home fans, and saw off Yang Xue, Zhang Heli and others before returning to the locker room.

As soon as he sat down, Thibodeau handed him a set of data, which was his data for today and his average data for the second round series.

今晚上场40分钟，11投9中，命中率81.8%，10罚6中，24分10篮板2助攻2抢断3盖帽4失误3犯规。

次轮系列赛场均38分钟，14投9.5中，命中率67.9%，9.5罚6.5中，命中率67.7%%，场均25.5分11.5篮板2.8助攻2抢断4.5盖帽3.5失误3.2犯规。

Thibodeau said: "Wolverine, compared with the first round, facing stronger defenders, your shooting percentage has increased by nearly 10 percentage points. This is a miracle."

"Coach, does this mean that my potential is exploding?" He Zhongqiu asked very sincerely.

Thibodeau laughed, which was rare for him, and then said, "Let Patrick answer you. He has more say in your offensive performance."

Ewing immediately said: "Wolverine, the reason why you performed better in the second round is that you played harder against defense, reduced your shots near the basket, and went to the basket more often, and your offense under the basket accounted for a larger proportion."

"The more they double-team me, the more I want to go in." He Zhongqiu laughed.

At this time, Don Cheney frowned and said, "Gentlemen, our opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals is the Nets. We have one win and three losses in the regular season, so we need to be cautious!"

Thibodeau immediately nodded seriously and said, "In my opinion, the Nets' overall defensive strength is stronger than the Pistons. Their first-round lineup has strong defense in every position.

We don’t have a single player with a better defensive rating than the worst player in their starting lineup, sophomore Richard Jefferson, in terms of defensive rating during the regular season.”

Ewing went on to say: "We are not worse than them in offense, but our defense is indeed much worse. I am worried that under their defense, our perimeter may be locked down."

Thibodeau said seriously: "Especially the No. 1 position."

He Zhongqiu also felt a sense of pressure from the words of these coaches.

He played in the regular season game against the Nets. It was his second game. I remember it very clearly. We won by 5 points.

The next three games were all lost, with the second game lost by 29 points, the third game lost by 5 points, and the fourth game lost by 21 points, two big defeats.

In these three games, Kidd locked down Ellis, the Nets' outside line locked down the Knicks' outside line, and he couldn't catch the ball inside.

Comparing the Pistons and the Nets, he has the advantage in the interior, but he would rather play against the Pistons than the Nets.

The Pistons' defense is strong, but they can't completely lock down the Knicks' perimeter, while the Nets can. Kidd is much stronger than Billups, and anyone who meets him on the Knicks' perimeter will have a headache.

At this time, Don Cheney said: "But we have made it to the Eastern Conference Finals and have exceeded our goals. Everyone has performed very well this season.

The boss just said that he is very satisfied with our performance, so for the Eastern Conference Finals, we should play with a relaxed attitude and not have any pressure. "

"Yes, we have made a fortune by reaching the Eastern Conference Finals." The madman said proudly.

"It's really not easy, we have tried our best." Mid-range shooting king Alan Houston said with a relaxed look.

"I'm planning on going to Miami for vacation, how about you?"

“I want to go to Africa.”

"No, I'm going to Hawaii."

"Wolverine, what about you?"

"As for me, I'm going to Hollywood to develop my second career and find a few female stars to be my bedmates."

"Depend on!"

"cut!"

The other players also relaxed and stopped discussing the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead, they began discussing how to spend the offseason and where to go on vacation.

After a while, He Zhongqiu finally realized that the team's morale and enthusiasm seemed to have been lost because of their advancement to the Eastern Conference Finals.

"Isn't it too fucking unattainable?"

"When I was a gangster, I wanted to be the best gangster in Yanjing City. Didn't you ever think about making it to the finals?"

He complained in his heart, stood up and shouted: "Guys, the playoffs are not over yet, should we focus on the Eastern Conference Finals?"

"Why, Wolverine, do you think we can beat the Nets?"

"Yeah, we're lucky not to be swept away."

"I feel the Nets' defense is better than the Pistons', especially on the perimeter."

Some players started shouting, but few of their words were morale-boosting. All of them were words that boosted others' morale and destroyed their own prestige.

He Zhongqiu cursed angrily, "You bunch of scum, I have to admit that my transformation of you has completely failed."

"Haha."

When the players heard the word transformation, they all laughed.

He Zhongqiu was so angry that he sat down and was too lazy to say anything else.

(End of this chapter)