socalfunplaces Chapter 470 The Real Desperate Situation Arrives! Only I Believe
Chapter 470 The Real Desperate Situation Arrives! Only I Believe
"Bang!"
"Buzz!"
With a thunderous clang that sent the entire Auburn Hills Palace into a frenzy of cheers, a clang that seemed to shake the entire arena, and the buzzer signaling the end of the game, the Pistons won!
Or rather, the Pistons won again!
In the first two games of the series, the Pistons, who played at the Palace of Auburn Hills and had the best team defense and defensive system in the league, won consecutively!
In Game 1 of the series, the Pistons immediately raised their defensive intensity to the maximum, entering Finals mode right from the start. The Pistons' physicality and almost frenzied playing style completely overwhelmed the Pacers!
The Pacers, including Lin Tian, were unable to adapt to the Pistons' sudden and terrifying intensity, and they only scored 68 points in the first game of the series!
This is the Pacers' lowest single-game score in seven years! They were completely shut down by the Pistons!
Of course, the Pistons themselves only scored 79 points.
However, this is not because the Pacers defended well, but because of their own offensive level and pace.
The Pistons don't know much about offense, but they're confident they can make all the teams in the league clueless about offense!
Throughout the game, only Lin Tian scored in double figures for the Pacers, but he only made 11 of 32 shots, especially from three-point range, where he was completely out of sorts, making only 1 of 7 attempts. In addition, he made 12 of 14 free throws, barely managing to get 35 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists.
If Lin Tian, who scored more than half of the team's points, was simply performing far below his average level, he still carried the team's offense and fulfilled his responsibilities as a leader.
So apart from Lin Tian, only Artest scored 7 points and Parker scored 6 points. No one else scored more than 5 points!
All I can say is that the entire Pacers team got lost in this crazy physical confrontation!
The second game was almost a carbon copy of the first game, with Lin Tian still being the only Pacers player to score in double figures.
他今晚手感略微提升，但也就只有27投12中，其中3分球也7投3中，算是回到了常规水平，再加上15罚11中的罚球，林天今晚拿到了38分12篮板5助攻。
Thanks to Lin Tian's slightly improved touch and form, the Pacers scored 77 points tonight, while the Pistons still only managed 79!
With 3 seconds left in the game, the Pacers had a chance to win, but unfortunately, Lin Tian's game-winning three-pointer missed due to Billups's persistent and almost direct defensive actions.
The Pacers suffered two consecutive losses to start the season, ending their road trip in the worst possible way before returning to Indiana.
They were in dire straits.
The Pacers absolutely cannot afford to lose the upcoming third game!
If the score becomes 0-3, then the suspense of this series will be eliminated early!
Before the start of Game 3 of the series, Lin Tian was surrounded by several reporters and gave an interview.
"It's widely believed that Billups fouled on that shot he took at the end of Game 2 of the series, but the referees didn't call it. What do you think, Lin? Do you think Billups fouled?"
"If the referee didn't call it, then there was no foul! I used the same method against Chauncey during the game; I also pulled his jersey, but the referee didn't call it. As long as the standard is the same, I think it's OK!"
"You have no objection to this officiating? Don't you think the league is favoring the Pistons?"
"No objection, I don't think so."
"If the referees continue to call these calls tonight, would you think Indiana is being targeted by the league?"
"As long as the standards are the same, it's not targeting each other, but fair competition!"
"What are your goals and strategies for tonight's game?"
"Be fiercer than them, tougher than them!"
……
This interview was broadcast live on several major television networks across the United States almost in real time. Lin Tian's toughness and ruthlessness, which were completely inconsistent with his appearance, were once again imprinted in the minds of many fans.
"Admirable!" Barkley said sincerely after watching the interview with the fans. "It reminds me of the days when Michael faced off against the Bad Boys. Back then, Michael never complained even once!"
"The strong never complain about their environment; they don't even try to change it. They conquer it."
Hearing Barkley's words, Kenny immediately grinned mischievously and said, "So, Charles, what did you do? Faced with a terrible environment and a powerful opponent, what did you do?"
But Barkley's shamelessness had changed drastically; he chuckled smugly and said, "Join the environment! Become part of a terrible environment, and then bully those who didn't join! You know what, it feels amazing!"
"Shameless!"
Barkley and Kenny could never have imagined that their casual conversation would affect some people's entire lives.
For example, in a house in Washington's Gothic District, a young man with an unparalleled and unique aura, and a slender, spider-like figure, listened to Barkley and Kenny while silently nodding.
He thought the fat guy was incredibly smart! The fat guy was right!
In the third game of the series, Lin Tian fulfilled his promise.
He indeed fought more fiercely, harder, more recklessly, and more decisively!
3. Poor shooting feel, and extremely low efficiency in mid-to-long-range shots?
Then attack the paint! Attack the paint relentlessly!
In this game, Lin Tian made 1 of 3 three-point attempts in the first quarter and only made 0 of 2 long two-point attempts from mid-range. After realizing that he was not having a good shooting night, he immediately changed his game mode and style.
Impact!
A relentless assault on the paint and the basket!
Facing Billups' persistent attacks and the Pistons' defense, which was jointly guarded by Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace, Lin Tian launched his attack!
Charge after charge! Each charge more decisive and frenzied than the last!
He repeatedly attacked the paint, first throwing himself into the air, then seeking contact and physical interaction before finally taking the shot.
Under Lin Tian's fierce playing style and almost frenzied attacks, he got a career-high 27 free throw attempts tonight! And he made 22 of them.
在靠着罚球拿到22分的同时，林天还24投9中，3分球3投1中，拿到了本轮系列赛的第一个40+！
41 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists!
That night, Lin Tian played the full 48 minutes once again, carrying the team on his shoulders once more, and in the last two minutes of the game, he successfully drew Ben Wallace's sixth foul, knocking him off the court.
In the next two minutes, without Ben Wallace guarding the basket, Lin Tian was completely unstoppable. Lin Tian, who had been struggling to put the ball in the basket for the first 46 minutes of the game, was like a liberated man, sending the basketball into the basket three times in a row!
It was thanks to these three clean and decisive points that the Pacers managed to hold onto the victory and take the lead in the final moments of the game!
76: 80!
That night, the Pacers finally secured their first victory in this series after a hard-fought battle!
The victory is certainly cause for celebration, but the problem is that on this night, only Lin Tian scored in double figures for the entire Pacers team!
The team continued its poor performance, with no one able to provide Lin Tian with any help or support.
This marks the third consecutive game in which Lin Tian has scored more than half of his team's points, and the third consecutive game in which he has played the entire match!
rest?
All the facts prove that unless the Pacers give up in this series, Lin Tian can forget about taking a break.
The team couldn't maintain its advantage when he was on the court, but what if he went off?
The result was completely predictable!
Regardless, thanks to Lin Tian's incredible performance, the Pacers managed to salvage the series and regain hope of advancing.
But it's only temporary.
Larry Brown changed his game strategy for Game 4 of the series.
Of course, these are just minor changes.
For example, without lowering the level of physical contact, Billups could be assigned to defend Lin Tian one-on-one outside the three-point line. If Lin Tian drives in, the two Wallaces would immediately double-team and collapse the paint based on the actual situation.
This means that Brown has given Lin Tian the space beyond the three-point line and the mid-to-long range!
If you can make that shot, you're really good!
But do you want to attack my paint like you did in the last game and get more than 20 free throws?
impossible!
Meanwhile, Brown also made some adjustments on the offensive end, significantly increasing the proportion of Billups' ball-handling attacks. Brown instructed Billups to attack Lin Tian as much as possible and wear him down on the offensive end!
As for whether Billups can score?
Brown doesn't care about this at all!
What he wanted was to wear Lin Tian down, to make sure Lin Tian had no time to rest! He wanted to exhaust him to the point of cramping up!
In particular, the Pistons also have two incredibly tough interior players, Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace!
They have a clear advantage over Haslem and Miller! Brown has them increase their attack and hustle for offensive rebounds, getting them more involved in the battle for those rebounds!
In this way, even if Billups' offensive efficiency is terrible, the Pistons can still ensure that their scoring is guaranteed.
Moreover, the Pistons don't win by scoring anyway. It's expected that they won because they missed their shots. As long as their opponents also miss, they can win the game!
Brown's sudden tactical change worked in Game 4 of the series!
Although Lin Tian can easily get past Billups and easily drive to the mid-range to shoot, his shooting touch tonight is the same as before the series.
Absolutely terrible!
The level of competition was too high, and the scale of the competition was too large, which kept Lin Tian's muscles in a state of extreme tension, and also made Lin Tian's consumption greater than before.
This made it difficult for him to seize those fleeting opportunities. At the same time, when the Pistons desperately collapsed their interior defense, Lin Tian found it difficult to get free throws and direct drives to the basket as easily as in the previous game.
Therefore, although Lin Tian held Billups to only 4 of 19 shots tonight, scoring only 12 points and 5 assists, while also committing 4 turnovers, he completely shut down Billups.
However, his offensive level declined due to his constant defensive output and physical contact. Lin Tian only made 10 of 33 shots that night, including 0 of 5 three-pointers. Although he still got 11 free throws and made 9, he only scored 29 points. Although he also had 14 rebounds and 6 assists, this output was indeed difficult to help the team win.
This is also the first time Lin Tian has scored less than 30 points in this series!
As for the rest of the team, no one scored in double figures! The Pacers only scored 61 points tonight! This is their lowest single-game score this season.
As for the Pistons, although Billups made 4 of 19 shots and Hamilton also made 4 of 14 shots, Ben Wallace grabbed 17 rebounds, including 7 offensive rebounds, and Rasheed grabbed 13 rebounds, including 5 offensive rebounds!
The 30 rebounds and 12 offensive rebounds by the two Wallaces were key to the Pistons' victory tonight!
68: 61!
The Pistons won Game 4 of the series by 7 points!
With 54 seconds left in the game, the Pistons had a 12-point lead, and Lin Tian left the game early to rest because the outcome was no longer in doubt.
These 54 seconds also marked the first rest he received in four games!
Lin Tian had given his all in this series, but he couldn't stop the Detroit team from changing the series score to 3-1!
With Game 5 of the series scheduled to take place at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons are just one step away from advancing!
At least, apart from Indiana's die-hard fans and Lin Tian's absolute supporters, there are hardly any people who believe the Pacers can turn the series around.
Game 5 is very likely to be the final game of the series!
As shrewd as Larry Brown is, he wouldn't let such an easy opportunity to advance slip through his fingers!
"This series has been the toughest I've ever played in my life so far!" Brown said in an interview after Game 4. "I've never seen such a tenacious and crazy guy. I've won a lot of series and I've lost a lot of series."
"But this is the only series that has ever made me feel this crazy and break out in a cold sweat! Only this one!"
"The series isn't over yet! We all know how powerful Lin is! He won't give up, and we won't give up on advancing! We'll fight with everything we have, we'll give it our all, and we'll end the series at the Palace of Auburn Hills!"
"Because we know how much power Lin has! We also know that things can change in the long run, and I won't let anything else go wrong in this series!"
Brown made no secret of his admiration for Lin Tian. This old man, who had a complete falling out with Iverson a few years ago because of Lin Tian, also expressed his highest respect for Lin Tian on this night.
But most people could understand the meaning behind Brown's words.
"Lin is very strong, but we won't give him any chance!"
But for Lin Tian, opportunities are never given by others.
He stole it himself!
In Game 5 of the series, the two teams returned to the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the fans once again unleashed a torrent of insults and boos, with countless fans releasing their primal rage.
Players with slightly weaker mental fortitude simply cannot play well in such a place.
At the same time, Lin Tian also noticed that his old buddies, Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumas, were also present, watching from the very front row.
The presence of these two iconic duo from the Pistons' previous golden age is undoubtedly a boost to their team's morale!
The previous generation of bad boys have become bad uncles, but the new generation of bad boys has just assembled and is about to officially embark on their journey!
If we can take down Lin Tian tonight and end the Indiana dynasty, then the entire city of Detroit will definitely stay up all night and celebrate wildly all night long!
Thomas and Dumas certainly wouldn't miss this possible scenario!
On the court, neither coach changed their starting lineup at this point in the series.
Of course, one side is playing very well and doesn't need to change their formation.
On the other hand, regardless of how well they play, the only people they can use are these few!
This game, which could be either win or go home for the Pacers, has begun!
At the start of the game, the Pistons continued with the successful tactics from the previous game, trying to block Lin Tian's path to the basket as much as possible, forcing the two Wallaces to collapse inside, trying to increase the level of physical contact and confrontation, while letting Billups continue to attack Lin Tian!
That night, Brown's tactic once again yielded amazing results!
This time, the magic happened on the offensive end!
In the first three possessions, the Pistons allowed Billups to isolate and score twice.
The first time was when Billups dribbled and made contact at the top of the arc but couldn't find any shooting opportunities. Instead, he almost made a mistake and Lin Tian stole the ball away. Billups turned around and chased after the ball until it was almost over half-court before he finally pulled it back.
Then, just before the 24-second shot clock rang, he jumped up from a step in front of the center line and shot the ball towards the basket, facing Lin Tian's defense.
"Whoosh!"
Then came a crisp sound as Billups hit a miraculous shot right from the start!
Then, this shot seemed to completely unlock Billups' potential, and his touch was completely unleashed!
He continued to attack Lin Tian one-on-one. Almost every time, Lin Tian was able to defend him well. Every time, Lin Tian's hands were almost completely glued to Billups' body. But almost every time, Billups was able to put the ball into the basket with incredible skill and touch!
In the first quarter, this guy made 7 of 9 shots and scored 17 points!
Despite Billups's sharp and insane offense, almost playing at his best, the Pistons' defense didn't falter at all. They continued to operate like a machine, executing their plans with precision, giving the Pacers almost no open shots.
At the same time, they went to great lengths to protect the area under the basket and target Lin Tian, raising the level of confrontation to the extreme!
Tonight, the Pistons' playing style was so aggressive that it was practically a fight!
The two sides were practically fighting!
Unfortunately, while the Pistons had Chauncey Billups playing exceptionally well, Lin Tian was left isolated and helpless!
Although he made 5 of 11 shots in the first quarter and scored 14 points, which seemed quite efficient, the rest of the Pacers team combined for only 4 points.
The Pacers' entire team scored only one point more than Billups alone!
But the Pistons weren't without their own players stepping up!
Hamilton, Rasheed and others all scored in this quarter, racking up 25 points in the first quarter alone!
This is the first time in this series that a team has scored 25 points in a single quarter!
They played the best defense of the series so far!
At the same time, considering the playing style and pace of both sides in this series, a 7-point gap is absolutely huge!
After all, it's perfectly normal for these two teams to score 7-8 points in half a quarter in this round of games!
Both efficiency and pace are extremely slow!
In the second quarter, Lin Tian, of course, couldn't rest and went straight back on the court to continue the fight, while the Pistons sent out their ace sixth man, who is also the strongest contender for this season's Sixth Man of the Year.
Bunge Wells, nicknamed "The Stick".
This guy who came to the Pistons with Rasheed was also a well-known tough guy and a representative of recklessness.
His most famous achievement was once averaging 23 points and 12 rebounds with a 60% field goal percentage in a series against the Spurs!
The guy who went one-on-one with him throughout that round of the competition was a dirty version of Bowen who hadn't been blessed by Lin Tian!
That series made Wells a household name in the league.
While Wells hasn't really shone yet, his low-post skills and massive weight allow him to handle most defenders with ease!
But tonight, Carlisle made a mistake.
Instead of assigning the larger and more suitable Artest to defend Wells, he put the more skillful Christie to match up against Wells.
The result of this matchup was that Wells exploded in the second quarter. In the first four minutes against Christie, Wells scored 7 points with a combination of field goals and free throws. Then Carlisle finally reacted and substituted Artest to match up against Wells.
But at this point, Wells was in top form. He played with confidence and intelligence. Facing Artest, who was better than him in terms of weight and physical strength, Wells came to the three-point line and found an opportunity in the second half of the second quarter, hitting a three-pointer from the left and a three-pointer from the right!
Wells became the surprise weapon in the second quarter, scoring 13 points in the quarter and helping the Pistons extend their lead to 12 points!
44: 32!
At the end of the first half, the gap between the two sides was gradually widening, while the Pacers still couldn't find a way to deal with it.
Carlisle was completely at a loss.
He had no one to rely on and no ideas to come up with.
Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice!
This sense of helplessness continued until the end of the third quarter.
The player who exploded in the third quarter was Rasheed.
This versatile big man hit three three-pointers in the third quarter alone! Although he was so excited that his celebration was a bit too much, and his "roar" earned him a technical foul from the referee, his "god-like" celebration still helped the team continue to extend their lead.
By the end of the third quarter, the Pistons had a lead of 18 points.
64: 46.
The Pacers are on the verge of elimination.
During the break, Carlisle's gaze had become somewhat vacant; he was truly powerless and had no other ideas.
The team only has so many players available, what can he do?
Their interior defense couldn't compete with the two Wallaces, and although their perimeter defense could theoretically hold its own or even have an advantage, today they were unfortunately hit by Billups and Wells, who both had explosive performances. Although each of them only had one quarter of explosiveness, it was enough to punish the Pacers, because no one on the Pacers' side could match up with these two guys, and no one could respond on the offensive end.
At this point in the game, apart from Lin Tian scoring 21 points again, no other player on the team has scored in double digits.
Not only was Carlisle at a loss and looking blank, but even the Pacers players were expressionless, with no smiles on their faces.
Everyone could see that the Pacers' defeat was imminent.
"It's regrettable, I can't accept it, and I don't want to accept it, but that's the truth." Kenny sighed and said, "The Pacers' reign may be coming to an end."
"They are too tired, they are really too tired at this time of the season."
"They used only 7-8 players in rotation almost the entire season, and the team's starters had the most playing time in the league. Their reliance on Lin had reached its limit, and Lin had done everything he could to make the team better."
"Lin's performance in March and April was amazing. He used his ability to help the team enter the playoffs and maintain the dignity of the dynasty team."
"So I think the dynasty has finally reached its breaking point! After all, even if Ginobili and Webber return next season, it's hard to say how well they'll perform or how much of their former strength they'll regain! And more importantly, will Lin continue to stay in Indiana?"
"The team has been downsizing for years, becoming weaker and weaker without any ambition. Will Lin really accept this without complaint and be willing to continue with the team?"
"Kenny, this isn't the time to talk about this," Barkley said, frowning. "I don't like what you're saying. I think you're wrong. The game isn't over yet; there are still 12 minutes left."
"This is the NBA, this is where miracles happen, and every week we see comebacks with even bigger and more exaggerated point differentials! Lin himself has done it countless times! And he's done even more incredible comebacks!"
"I understand you, Charles. You were once part of this team, you were an important member of the dynasty, so you don't want to accept reality, but now the situation is obvious."
"The Pacers are helpless. Their players have lost their confidence, they're completely lost, and they've been utterly crushed by the Pistons! Maybe they can come back stronger next year, but they can't do it this year!"
"No, they can do it! I believe in them!" Barkley said firmly and resolutely, "They can do it!"
"How can we do that? We need a plan, a way!"
"It's simple: make the shots you're supposed to make, stop the Pistons' offense, it's that simple!"
"You've spouted a bunch of nonsense," Kenny scoffed. "Well, I have another way, Charles. If the Pacers can limit the Pistons to under 100 points and score over 100 themselves, they can pull off a comeback."
"As for how they did it? Hehe, they just defended the Pistons' offense and put the ball in themselves! It's that simple."
Hearing Kenny's obviously sarcastic words, Barkley, unusually, did not get angry or argue with him. He simply shrugged and said, "Anyway, I believe that the Pacers' season won't end like this."
"They will turn the game around, they will win!"
"If you absolutely insist that I give you a reason, if you absolutely insist that I give you a cause..."
"Lin! It's that simple, Lin!"
"He is the greatest miracle in this place where miracles have occurred!" (End of Chapter)