The Whip of the God of Basketball

Half an hour before Andy Miller received the text message, the atmosphere in the Continental Arena was already suffocating. Even Fox Leon himself felt like the rain in the pond before a rainy day. I was so bored that I wanted to show my face for some air.

The playoffs are a game of constant gambling and counterattack. Although the seven-game series reduces the impact of various unexpected factors and reduces the chance of upsets, the battle between teams with similar strength will be more exciting. The adjustments and games, the fighting spirit and willpower shown in the hard battle are all the highlights of the series. And compared with the regular season, which tests the team's training level and tactical proficiency, the playoffs pay more attention to the players' ability to adjust and the coach's coaching ideas. Every game, especially the first few games, will be brand new. duel.

Once the fourth game passes and enters the fifth game, the changes on both sides have basically been exhausted. Just like in the second half of a long-distance race, the competition will be the willpower of the players, the determination of the coach, and the inventory in the stomach. This is the battle between the Nets and Celtics. Both sides have basically played out their cards, at least the cards on the cards are almost the same. Especially for the Celtics, in the fourth game, Leon almost used all his tricks, but fell short in the end and died from Kidd's free throws and the Nets' defense.

Although Leon believed that the last penalty was unfair after the game and was subsequently fined $20,000 by the league, there was no way to change the result. They had to come to the Continental Airlines Arena to play Tianwangshan.

The Celtics played very well in the first half. Arenas and Walker were in good hands. He entered the third quarter with a three-point lead. After the start of the third quarter, Paul Pierce worked hard and scored consecutively, opening the gap between the two sides to six points. The Celtics were almost on the verge of replicating their winning pattern in the first game. They took a slight lead in the first half, but Pierce made a strong effort in the second half. In the last quarter, the team held on to their advantage until the end of the game.

But everything changed after Pierce was injured in the third quarter. At that time, the Celtics implemented a flash cut tactic. Pierce was in a deep position on the left to reach the attack point. Arenas' pass was timely. After receiving the ball, Pierce turned around and completely threw away Jefferson who was guarding him, and then faced Kenyon Martin under the basket. The two collided in the air.

When Pierce fell, his right leg hit the ground first. As a result, he suffered a knee joint and fell to the ground in pain. At that time, Leon felt that his heart was being pulled. He didn't care whether he would win this game, but thought that Pierce would never suffer a fatal injury. The Celtics would need him in the future. Leon's He is needed in the blueprint, and Leon does not want this man who has suffered many injuries to be injured again.

He returned to the court immediately, saved Pierce's head and asked him about his situation. Pierce just shook his head in pain, his face twisted as if he had been hit by an arrow in the knee. The team doctor then checked the situation on the spot and helped Pierce limp back to the locker room. Looking at Pierce's disappearing back, for a moment, Leon himself felt like giving up.

Sure enough, without Pierce, the Celtics' offensive momentum came to an abrupt end. On the contrary, the Nets set off a counterattack climax. Kittles' two three-pointers and Jefferson's strong hit to the basket made the Nets They went from six points behind to two points ahead in two minutes.

Leon immediately called a timeout. Pierce's injury was a huge blow to everyone. Everyone was obviously relieved. If this breath is released, this game, and even this series, will be over for the Celtics. .

Leon's mind was spinning like a Mustang fighter jet at full speed. He kept running through various tactical models and player characteristics in his mind over and over again. He was looking for the Nets' weaknesses and the ball on the court at this time. The energy the team still has in the lineup. Wang Zhizhi? No, it is difficult for him to adapt to the intensity of the playoffs now, and the Nets have targeted him in defense; Eric Williams? The safest choice, he is also Pierce's first substitute, but his offense is weak. Playing him means fighting the Nets on defense, but his performance on the court just now made people anxious. What the Celtics lack most is offense. . Chris Anderson? Let Walker play small forward, no, this lineup has been practiced too little in training. Or Steve Kerr? Cole really has nothing to do against Kidd or Kittles. He is a bit old.

While Leon was thinking about it, he was arranging tactics for the players without thinking. Everyone was confused, and a kind of anxiety began to gradually spread within the Celtics team.

At this time, a name flashed in Leon's mind, a name that he weighed for a long time to stay on the 12-man roster before the start of the playoffs-JR Bremer.

"JR! Get ready to play, replace Williams." Leon yelled, everyone was frightened, and JR Bremer, who had been sitting on the bench with a dull face, was also frightened. He did not expect Leon at all. Will let him play. But he remembered that before the start of the playoffs, Leon had come to him specifically and said that he would keep him in the 12-man playoff lineup. He also told him that keeping him was not to make up the number of people, but to be able to perform one day. effect.

Thinking of this, JR Bremer immediately stood up from the bench, took off his jersey, and prepared to play.

Bremer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from St. Bonaventure University. He participated in the 2002 draft, but no team selected him. In the end, he had to try out with various teams and played in the NBDL for a period of time. Later, because the Celtics lacked point guards, they called him into the lineup. In the competition with another point guard Alexander, Bremer had the last laugh with his better three-pointers and entered the Celtics' team. Playoff roster.

In more than 40 games in the regular season, Bremer's three-point shooting percentage reached 39%. Although the number of shots was pitiful, in daily training, Leon could feel that this was a shot with a shot. Talented guy. However, his height is a flaw, only 6 feet 2. When he replaces Williams, it means that the Celtics are completely without a small forward, and the team's perimeter defense will drop to a lower level.

When Byron Scott saw Leon's risky approach, he sneered in his heart again. In the third game, Leon tried to use substitute players to improve the situation, but he died miserably, and the offensive disadvantage was widened. In Scott's view, coaches who hope that a certain small role player will break out in the playoffs are childish ghosts who have not yet fully grown up.

But then the situation changed in ways Scott didn't expect. Bremer came on the field under tremendous pressure, but he lived up to expectations and made a contribution as soon as he came on the field. Arenas made a breakthrough that attracted the defense and passed the ball to Bremer at 45. Bremer did not think or hesitate at all. Shoot directly against the defense from beyond the arc.

For such a player, being able to throw the ball in is the greatest contribution to the team, and everything else is empty talk. Bremer made this three-pointer to help the Celtics reverse the score and lead by one point.

This was also the only shot Bremer made in the entire series and the entire playoffs. After that, he never got a chance to shoot again on the court, but this time he took advantage of it and threw the ball in. A three-pointer in the third quarter, not a buzzer beater, not in the last dozen seconds, but for the Celtics, this three-pointer was too crucial. This goal was like a shot of tranquilizer, calming the anxiety of the whole team. Throughout the entire third quarter, the Celtics actually held on to their one-point advantage, leaving all suspense until the fourth quarter.

The person who really changed the situation was Paul Pierce. He came back in the fourth quarter and returned to the court as if nothing had happened, as if his right leg had only been bitten by a mosquito.

Leon looked at him and said nothing. He didn't ask him if his leg hurt or if he had any questions. He only asked Pierce, "Are you ready to fight?"

Pierce nodded and said, "Yes, always on call."

In the fourth quarter, Pierce returned to play, and the already exhausted Celtics received a shot in the arm. After returning to the court, Pierce only scored 4 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a mid-range shot and two free throws, but other People stood up. Arenas once again transformed into a blaster. There was no organization or passing in his mind. He just wanted to hold the ball and get to the basket of the Nets to score!

15 seconds before the end, the two sides were tied at 87:87. Pierce got an open shot from outside the left three-point line. Three Nets players rushed over. Pierce found the opportunity and passed the ball inside. Arenas cut in like a knife. He entered the heart of the Nets and stabbed the knife into the heart of the Nets with a layup! When Kidd missed a long-range three-pointer, the Boston Celtics, in an incredible way, won the game and got the series match point.

(End of Volume 5)