69novels Chapter 377 The foul-mouthed Old Nelson and Lin Tian! Before the All-Star Game
Chapter 377 The foul-mouthed Old Nelson and Lin Tian! Before the All-Star Game
In the next few minutes, both sides continued to compete at their own pace. Unable to withstand Ben Wallace's dominance, Yao Ming moved more to the high post and elbow area, playing inside-out or high-low post combinations with Gasol, making full use of his height and shooting touch advantages.
How easy can it be for two big men who are over 7 feet tall, have silky touches, and can pass the ball to play together? This game is the best example.
Of course, the main reason why the Nets' two players can play so comfortably under the basket is that the combination of Ben Wallace and Harrington is just too short. The two of them combined are barely 4 meters tall, which is really impossible to compete with the opposing Gasol and Yao Ming combination, who are almost 4.5 meters tall.
As the game progressed, in the middle of the third quarter, Kidd hit a three-pointer that seemed to come out of nowhere, tying the score. Carlisle then quickly called a timeout.
It's time to adjust our tactics and show some real talent!
"Lin, Vince, Reggie, Gilbert, and Brad, all five of you go up! All of you front them on defense, keep them in front of those two big men, make it difficult for them to receive the ball easily, and prevent them from attacking immediately after getting the ball."
"Brad, you stay under the basket, ready to help defend and rotate at any time. Also, when you get a rebound or inbound the ball from the baseline, use your height to throw it forward!"
"The rest of you, set screens and picks with Brad, then exploit their mismatches! Use your speed, shooting, and range to overwhelm them!"
"Two seven-footers? Turn them into wooden stakes! Everyone, go!"
Carlisle clapped his hands, and this lineup of one big man and four small men walked onto the field side by side!
"Oh! Look, Carlisle's starting to make his move! He's got a big man and four small men! And these four perimeter players are really short! Except for Miller, who's 2 meters tall, all the others are under 2 meters!"
Upon seeing the lineup Carlisle had set up, Su Qun couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"An extremely powerful lineup, almost ridiculously so! If this lineup can maintain its shooting percentage, it could probably break through every defense in the entire league! But conversely, if their shooting percentage drops even slightly, they'll get blown out by their opponents!"
"I have to say, I'm starting to suspect that Carlisle spent a few days learning from old Nelson. The tactics he's employing are increasingly resembling those of a mad scientist! Crazy and extreme!"
The commentators weren't the only ones shocked by Carlisle's all-or-nothing, suicidal lineup; even Kidd was a bit bewildered.
"It's gotten to this point where we're risking everything? Did one of my three-pointers scare you so much that you forgot to bring your inside players on?"
"It was as shocking as Shaq suddenly sinking a three-pointer." Lin Tian chewed his gum, dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, and then waved his hand, and Brad Miller ran to the top of the arc to run a pick-and-roll with Lin Tian.
Lin Tian immediately changed direction to shake off Kidd, accelerated and broke through. Yao Ming, who was chasing after him, was left behind by Lin Tian and could only watch from behind as Lin Tian rushed towards the basket. Then, when Gasol came to help defend, Lin Tian suddenly made a no-look pass, and the basketball immediately flew to the three-point line.
That's Gilbert Arenas, the Pacers' second-round pick this year, who was let go by Gasol! Considering the player's status, ability, and past history, Gasol's decision to let Arenas go was perfectly normal.
After all, even if we disregard everything else and just look at shooting percentage alone, Arenas' three-point shooting percentage is even lower than Brad Miller's, ranking last.
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Arenas made a three-pointer, and then immediately made a gun gesture with his hands, accompanied by the sound effects of "Bang, bang, bang!"
One goal, and this emotional guy can instantly become extremely excited!
"Just mimic the action; don't actually play with the gun," Lin Tian said, walking past Arenas and offering very sincere advice.
A promising young man shouldn't let his dreams lead him to rely on American Iaijutsu to travel the world, only to say goodbye to his peak, or even to professional basketball altogether.
"Okay, boss! I hate violence and guns the most. A real man fights with his fists like you!" Arenas gave Lin Tian an exaggerated American military salute, looking very serious.
Lin Tian ignored him, but he had a feeling that tonight might be Arenas's career night!
"Gilbert, from now on, whenever you get the ball, you can throw it whenever you want!"
"No problem, boss!"
Next, Van Horn of the Nets missed a mid-range shot, and Lin Tian drove into the paint, grabbed the rebound, and then turned around to forcefully push the ball up the court again!
Although Yao Ming and Pau Gasol were blocking Lin Tian's path, it would take Lin Tian at least a second just to get around them, given their size. By the time Lin Tian got past them and continued to advance, the Nets' remaining three players had almost completed their defensive retreat.
However, Lin Tian didn't care about that at all. He made a long pass to Arenas who was running down the court. After receiving the ball, Arenas dribbled for a bit to adjust his rhythm, and then pulled up and forced a three-pointer over the onrushing Kittles!
"Whoosh!"
Another crisp sound rang out, and this guy, whose unpredictable nature was quite evident, scored two goals in a row!
"Well done, Gilbert!"
Lin Tian extended his hand and gave him a high five: "Let's continue!"
"Give me the ball, and I'll shoot them through their pants!" Arenas, who had scored two goals, was now completely excited, jumping up and down with great joy.
The consecutive baskets on offense led to a significant increase in Arenas's aggressiveness on defense. While he was still jumping high, he suddenly turned around and snatched the basketball that Kidd had just passed to Kittles.
Then he dribbled the ball to the frontcourt by himself, suddenly stopped, took a step outside the three-point line, pulled up and shot!
"Whoosh!"
Triple crowned!
The Nets had just tied the score, but in just over a minute, the Pacers pulled away again, going on a 9-0 run!
"Sit tight, Jason! Hold on! Press down, play a slow game!" the coach yelled from the sidelines, but didn't call a timeout immediately.
In his view, it was just a role player suddenly getting into a hot streak, and there was no need to call a timeout specifically to deal with him.
Especially since the Nets have Kidd! One of the most reliable point guards in the league!
Kidd nodded, slowing down the already slow pace even further, almost bringing the ball to the frontcourt at the 8-second mark. He then directed his teammates' positioning while suddenly accelerating, using Van Horn's screen to slip past Lin Tian and forcefully penetrate the paint!
The Pacers' interior defense was already lacking in height, and Kidd's breakthrough immediately threw the Pacers' interior defense into disarray. Kidd then seized the opportunity and threw the basketball into the air.
Yao Ming immediately jumped up from under the basket, caught the basketball in mid-air, and then slammed it into the hoop!
"This is absolutely the least entertaining alley-oop dunk in NBA history!" Lin Tian couldn't help but complain. "Jason, don't you find this kind of alley-oop disgusting?"
"Both are 2 points! There's no difference." Kidd shook his head, looking quite smug!
After all, feeding the ball to Yao Ming and Pau Gasol, two big men, to rack up assists is just too easy for him!
So far this season, Kidd has already reached a career-high 11.8 assists, currently only 0.3 assists behind Lin Tian.
Anyway, Kidd thinks he has a very good chance of breaking Lin Tian's monopoly on the assist title this season!
Lin Tian was too lazy to argue with Kidd about things like being the assist king. He had already dribbled the ball back to the frontcourt. Then, Lin Tian suddenly dribbled laterally and gestured to Arenas at the same time.
The shooter, who had completely found his rhythm, immediately ran towards Lin Tian. After a cross screen and handoff between them at the top of the arc, the ball suddenly separated, and Arenas got his hands on the ball.
Then, without hesitation, I pulled it out and threw it away!
"Whoosh!"
Another crisp sound rang out as Arenas sank his fourth consecutive three-pointer! The point difference between the two teams has once again reached double digits!
"Fuck! Where did you guys find this weirdo? He can just casually sink so many three-pointers?" Kidd couldn't help but curse. He really didn't expect that after the Pacers fielded this lineup, it would be Arenas who stepped up and created this surge.
"Isn't this the simplest thing? Any NBA perimeter player can easily sink 3-4 three-pointers, right, Jason?" Lin Tian chuckled mischievously, continuing to criticize Kidd's poor shooting, making him arguably the number one brick king of the game.
"Shut up!" Kidd yelled, then suddenly changed his style, making a long pass and the ball was passed to Kittles who was running down the court. Kittles dribbled forward immediately after getting the ball, and then stopped abruptly after just driving into the three-point line, turning his back to the basket.
Then, as Gasol flashed past him, this guy suddenly made a handoff pass to Gasol in the middle, allowing Gasol to receive the ball and drive straight into the paint without stopping!
"Come on, rookie! Let's see who's lying on the ground crying!" Miller roared, looking fierce and menacing, spreading his arms to block under the basket, as if to say, "If you dare come any closer, I'll knock you over."
Even now, Gasol is still a bit soft at heart. When faced with Miller suddenly rushing over, he suddenly stopped, and the basketball slipped out of his hand.
He used a technique that is not something a center should use at all; it's a pull-up floater that only a guard would use to deal with the opponent's inside game!
That was a beautiful technique, and his throwing motion was quite impressive.
The only problem is that a center should never play in such an obviously evasive way when facing an opposing center!
As if to tell Gasol that this way of playing was wrong, the shot, which looked to have a very straight trajectory, did indeed bounce off the rim and was caught by Miller. Then he turned around, saw Arenas, and decisively passed the ball to the team's hottest player.
After Arenas got the ball, he stopped looking for Lin Tian and, having completely found his rhythm, dribbled the ball all the way to the frontcourt.
Then, after facing Kittles outside the three-point line, he suddenly made two large crossovers in a row, then took a step back and stepped out of the three-point line again, and finally took a three-point shot without hesitation!
"Gil Gilil Gilil!" After scoring, Arenas was incredibly excited. He made a machine gun gesture with his hands and made a "rat-a-tat-tat" sound while chanting his name.
This was definitely the most exciting game Arenas has ever played in his career!
After Arenas' fifth three-pointer, the Nets finally dared not be complacent. The shot was just too outrageous. They had to call a timeout to stabilize the rhythm. Otherwise, if Arenas hit another one, the game might be lost!
"Absolutely stunning! Gilbert Arenas! A microwave-type player who shines the moment he steps on the court!" Su Qun exclaimed excitedly, "The Pacers' second overall pick in the second round this year! From the University of Arizona!"
"I believe that after today, countless fans will remember this incredibly passionate young man!"
Sun Zhengping followed up, saying, "Arenas was a dominant force in college, but he fell to the second round because of poor shot selection and his tendency to get carried away and lose his composure!"
"If he can correct these flaws, he might become a first-round pick."
Su Qun said, "But if this is changed, he might never be able to survive in the NBA again! Sometimes what this league really needs is not the kind of conventional, rule-abiding players."
"Only players with personality, confidence, explosive power, and a unique skill can truly survive in this league for a long time!"
"A microwave-like, unpredictable player like Arenas is exactly the type of player every team needs! Every team needs someone like that to step up when the team is in crisis and save it with an unreasonable string of points."
"What if they don't allow it one night?" Sun Zhengping suddenly asked with a smile.
"Then we can only congratulate their opponents."
During a brief pause in the commentary, the match resumed!
On the Nets' side, they removed Gasol, who had clearly softened up, and replaced him with Lucio Harris, a more defensively capable and faster forward, to strengthen their perimeter defense.
However, with one less inside player and one more outside player, the Nets' height advantage has been rapidly reduced.
After Yao Ming received the ball in the paint, he was immediately double-teamed. His passing ability and vision were not as good as Gasol's, and he made a very difficult shot after being double-teamed.
This time, Arenas grabbed the rebound. This guy, who was completely excited, waved for everyone to pull him away and didn't even pass the ball. He dribbled the ball all the way to the frontcourt.
Before Harris on the other side could even react, this guy pulled up and shot from just two steps outside the three-point line! Another super long-range three-pointer!
"Bang!"
But this time, perhaps the timeout cooled his hot streak, and the ball bounced off the rim and missed.
However, Yao Ming under the basket failed to protect the team's rebound. He was blocked by Harrington and could not touch the rebound. Lin Tian rushed out from the side in the blink of an eye and grabbed the offensive rebound.
But instead of attacking directly himself, Lin Tian threw the ball out to the three-point line again.
"Again, Gilbert!"
After Arenas received the ball beyond the three-point line, Lin Tian didn't need to say anything. He gathered the ball, aimed accurately, and launched another three-pointer!
A top marksman won't miss the same spot twice!
So even though Harris reacted quickly this time and rushed over, completely blocking Arenas's vision and opportunity to shoot, Arenas still decisively made his move!
"Whoosh!"
"Beep beep!"
Two voices rang out in quick succession, and the entire Pacers team went into a frenzy, with a group of people rushing forward and cheering around Arenas, who was lying on the floor.
3+1!
A sixth consecutive three-pointer!
In that very short period of time, Arenas scored 18 points in a row! If he makes the next free throw, that would be a total of 19 points!
Lin Tian's premonition was correct; this night was indeed Arenas' first career night!
At least after tonight, fans all over China will know this Pacers player number 0, who has an extremely explosive scoring ability!
Players with this style of play will be very popular with fans no matter where they are, and they will definitely have a lot of fans!
After all, this style of play is the one that most excites fans and makes their adrenaline surge!
Stimulate!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Arenas didn't miss the free throw, scoring 19 consecutive points and almost single-handedly widening the gap!
In the remainder of the third quarter, the Nets directly assigned their best perimeter defender, Kittles, to guard Arenas. Under these circumstances, Arenas, who was still a rookie, immediately found it difficult to move around, and he simply couldn't think of any way to get rid of Kittles's entanglement.
Although the Pacers still wanted to look for Arenas and give him opportunities, Kittles' defense was too good, and Arenas' individual ability was not at that level, so he had very few opportunities in the remainder of the third quarter, and all of his few shots missed.
His score in this quarter was 19 points.
Even so, this one quarter was enough for Arenas to become an overnight sensation!
More importantly, after Arenas's explosive outburst, the Pacers completely seized control of the tempo and the game, maintaining a lead of more than 10 points.
In the final moments of the fourth quarter, the disadvantages of Yao Ming and Pau Gasol's lack of stamina and physical strength were further amplified, and both of them were clearly unable to continue playing!
Logically, at this point, the team leader should step up and score to save the team.
Unfortunately, the Nets' leader is probably the least skilled scorer and the least adept at using scoring to save the team in the entire league.
With Kidd missing his last few shots, the Nets had no choice but to substitute all their starters with two minutes left in the game, effectively conceding defeat.
108: 94!
As the final whistle blew, the Pacers secured the victory thanks to Arenas's explosive performance in the third quarter, winning this New Year's game by 14 points!
全场比赛，林天拿下27分15次助攻12篮板2抢断的豪华型3双数据，阿里纳斯靠着第三节的19分全场拿下24分2篮板1助攻，卡特拿下22分5篮板3助攻，大本则供献5分15篮板4盖帽！
With three players scoring over 20 points, the Pacers defeated their opponents with overwhelming firepower, a classic Pacers victory.
篮网队那边，基德拿下11分10篮板12助攻的经济适用型三双，大姚因为被大本克制表现平平，14投只有5中，靠着7罚6中的罚球拿下了16分7篮板2盖帽。
Gasol had an outstanding performance, scoring a team-high 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Van Horn also contributed 18 points!
"This game was truly exciting! The Nets' interior height and the Pacers' perimeter firepower were both on full display, and both sides played to their strengths!" Su Qun summarized after the game, "It's just that Arenas's outburst in the third quarter was too sudden and too intense."
"Otherwise, today's match would have been even more intense and tense!"
Sun Zhengping said, "But what's certain is that both teams are top-level; they are both elite teams in the East and will definitely make a significant impact in the playoffs!"
"At the same time, I believe everyone is very satisfied with the performances of Yao Ming and Lin Tian, two of our own Chinese players!"
Su Qun continued, "Well then, I'd like to give everyone a heads-up! The day after tomorrow at 8:30 AM, which is the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, we will be broadcasting another Chinese derby: the Dallas Mavericks playing the New Jersey Nets on the road!"
"The two big men, Da Zhi and Yao Ming, will likely face off a lot in the next game! I think that will be the biggest highlight of the next game! See you the day after tomorrow morning!"
Sun Zhengping said, "That concludes today's live broadcast. Finally, we will hold our lucky draw for today, randomly selecting five lucky viewers to receive an NBA basketball gift package! I'll say 'start,' and Teacher Su will say 'stop.'"
"Okay, let's begin!" Su Qun replied immediately.
"Stop! Very good, then congratulations on the phone number."
The Pacers' road victory over the Nets has further solidified their second-place position in the Eastern Conference, giving them a two-game lead over the Nets! Of course, they are still three games behind the Magic!
It is currently in a relatively safe and stable state.
After a day of rest in Indiana, the Pacers defeated the Grizzlies, a bottom-feeding team that had just moved to Memphis, and continued to solidify their ranking in the Eastern Conference.
On the same day, the most anticipated match in China was the Mavericks vs. the Nets!
Everything was so similar to what it had been two days earlier. Almost all the fans had gathered at home, waiting for the long-awaited Chinese interior derby!
In some ways, this match was even more eye-catching than the one on Lunar New Year's Eve!
Ultimately, Lin Tian and Yao Ming are not going to be matched up against each other.
But Dazhi and Yao Ming played the same position. Although their playing styles were completely different, the Nets played a twin-tower style with blurred lines between the 4 and 5 positions, while the Mavericks played a double-power forward style without a 5 position.
The starting lineup is Nowitzki and Juwon Howard!
As for the rotation phase, whether it's the DaWang + Nowitzki or the DaWang + Howard double-turret lineup, they appear very often, so the probability of Yao Ming and DaWang facing off is still very high!
Amidst great anticipation, the league has delivered more good news!
Juwon Howard will miss tonight's game due to illness.
In the starting lineup announced before the game, "Mad Scientist" Don Nelson was likely to be in the starting position!
The Mavericks' starting lineup consisted of Daly, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley, Adrian Griffin, and Steve Nash!
The Nets, on the other hand, still fielded the same five-man lineup: Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Van Horn, Kittles, and Kidd.
Both of these lineups are quite interesting to watch!
The Mavericks have two big men in the paint who play a floater style and rely on shooting, while the Nets' two big men, although they can pass and shoot, are essentially the most traditional back-to-the-basket type.
The Mavericks' Finley is the quintessential American Black forward: short, stocky, fierce, and with explosive athleticism!
Van Horn possesses all the strengths and weaknesses of a white forward: accurate shooting, tall, and good awareness, but a soft playing style, lack of strength, and poor defense.
The other two point guards are like opposite ends of the spectrum: Kidd is a fierce defender, tall, strong, and has top-notch playmaking ability, but he is not good at scoring.
Nash was an accurate shooter who could fire away from the entire half-court. He was fast, agile, and quick, but his defense was negligible.
Yes, it's the legendary "base doesn't attack, and defense doesn't defend"—it matches up!
Meanwhile, the starting lineups of these two teams consist of two Asian players, four Black players, and four White players!
These two teams represent a true fusion of people from all over the world, with members of all types, skin colors, and races!
Every element is absolutely top-notch!
In every sense, this match is worth watching!
In the first few rounds of the match, the Chinese fans were incredibly excited.
Yao Ming easily scored with a low-post back-to-the-basket move, and then pulled up for a three-pointer from the high post and made it!
Then Yao Ming responded with a mid-range shot, while Da Zhi used his signature face-up drive to the basket and turn around to score 2 points, helping the team keep the score close!
Then Kidd broke through Nash and drove to the basket for an alley-oop for Yao Ming. Nash responded in kind, setting a screen and then assisting Yao Ming in a mid-range jumper for another 2 points!
In just the first two minutes, two Chinese players went head-to-head and scored consecutively! All the Chinese fans were excitedly cheering!
Why do people either not go back to their parents' home at this time on the second day of the Lunar New Year, or leave home at 6 a.m. to rush to their parents' home?
That's exactly what I'm after!
"Both coaches are very knowledgeable! They know exactly what we want to see and how to create the best program effect!" Su Qun was also excited by the matchup between the two Chinese players.
Sun Zhengping was overjoyed, saying, "Great! They started with two of our Chinese players going head-to-head! Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming didn't disappoint at all, scoring repeatedly from the very beginning! Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"
However, the exhilarating moment for Chinese fans was only fleeting.
Ultimately, neither Yao Ming nor Wang Zhizhi were the top pick for their respective teams.
The rest of the game turned into a duel between two top point guards, Kidd and Nash, both of whom put up some very impressive performances and stats tonight!
The suspense of the match lasted until the very last moment!
With one minute remaining, the score was tied at 100-102, with the Nets leading by two points.
Then Nash showed his clutch gene, pulling up for a three-pointer to take a one-point lead. Then Kidd finally took on the leadership role, driving into the paint and scoring two points to put the team back in the lead!
After that, Nowitzki's shot was interfered with by Gasol, and Yao Ming's turnaround jump shot also bounced off the rim.
With 10 seconds left and Nowitzki and Nash tightly guarded, the ball fell into Zhidao's hands, and he unleashed a three-pointer! Unfortunately, this game-winning shot that could have saved the team missed, and Zhidao missed his first career game-winner!
After the basketball bounced off the rim, Yao Ming grabbed the rebound, and Finley reacted quickly by immediately fouling him.
Yao Ming stepped up to the free-throw line and withstood the pressure, easily making both free throws and extending the team's lead to 3 points!
In the final possession, Finley's three-pointer bounced off the rim again, and the Mavericks suffered a heartbreaking defeat, their first loss of the Eastern Conference!
Throughout the game, Nash recorded a double-double with 33 points and 15 assists, while Kidd delivered a triple-double for the second consecutive game! Moreover, his shooting touch was exceptionally good tonight, making his triple-double no longer just a modest achievement.
30 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists!
A truly luxurious three-bedroom apartment with three bedrooms and two ceilings.
Besides the two point guards shining throughout the game, Nowitzki scored a team-high 39 points and 9 rebounds, while Finley had a poor performance, making only 3 of 12 shots and scoring only 9 points.
On the Nets' side, Kittles successfully limited Finley and made a great contribution to the team's victory, but his performance on the offensive end was also somewhat poor, scoring only 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
Gasol had a solid performance, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds on 8-of-17 shooting. Van Horn, on the other hand, had a breakout night, scoring a season-high 29 points with a combination of inside drives and outside shots, making him the team's second-highest scorer after Kidd!
As for the two Chinese players that Chinese fans are most concerned about.
大姚15投8中拿下20分8篮板2盖帽，大致14投6中拿下15分5篮板1助攻！
The most exciting scoring duel between the two came at the beginning of the first quarter, during which Yao scored 6 points and had a total of about 7 points!
This two-minute duel will surely be recorded in history, and will inevitably be brought up and appreciated again and again during every Chinese derby.
After the game, both coaches were asked a lot of questions about Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi at the press conference.
After all, both of them are All-Star starters and are Chinese! The NBA today is not like it was a few years ago when Lin Tian was just starting out, when there weren't even five Chinese reporters covering the NBA in the whole country.
The number of Chinese reporters covering the NBA in the US, including those covering the teams, has probably increased at least tenfold!
The content, methods, scale, and profits brought to each other by the cooperation between the two sides are all incomparable!
The NBA has become, without anyone realizing it, the overseas professional league with the highest viewership and attention in China, apart from the top five European leagues!
Therefore, after this Chinese derby, both sides will naturally encounter countless questions related to the two players!
Furthermore, the completely different styles of Nelson and Byron Scott can be seen from their responses to the questions!
Reporter: "Do you think Yao Ming/Da Zhou deserves to be in the All-Star starting lineup? Their abilities aren't necessarily better than others; do they deserve this honor?"
Don Nelson: "If someone votes, you deserve to be a starter; if no one votes, you don't deserve to be a starter! I don't know what's there to discuss about this crap. If you don't understand, get your families to vote for your grandma and make her an All-Star starter too!"
Scott: "This is something to be happy about, it's an honor, but it also brings a lot of pressure. I hope the players can handle the pressure, and I wish them all the best. I believe everything is moving in the right direction, and I believe the league will become even better!"
Reporter: "Some people say that their selection was only due to the advantage of having a large Chinese population; if they weren't Chinese, they wouldn't have received so many votes!"
Don Nelson: "Is having too many people a crime? Does having too many people eating out cost you your taxes? Besides those few international players, are the other American players selected because there are too many Americans? If the US only has 200 million people, does that mean we'll stop holding the All-Star Game?"
Scott: "Well, maybe there are advantages in that regard, maybe not, but we'll have to see how it goes. The current situation may not be bad, but of course I don't mean it's necessarily good. If you ask me whether I support Yao Ming being selected for the All-Star game, then I definitely support him."
Reporter: "So what do you think of those who question Yao Ming's selection for the All-Star game? What would you say to them?"
Old Nelson: "Go find Lin if you dare, and tell him. See if he beats you bloody. As for my opinion? I want to mix the worst-tasting London Mack stout in the world, which is five years past its expiration date, with my urine and pour it into those people's mouths to warn them to behave themselves instead of whining."
Scott.
Reporter: Forget it, stop talking. It's all bullshit. With such a weak statement, we can't even release a press release.
In short, both coaches expressed their support for their players in their own way, showing them complete trust and encouragement, and hoping that they could perform well in the All-Star Game.
Of course, the reporters couldn't just ask these coaches the same questions. Before the game against the Mavericks on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the reporters interviewed Lin Tian and asked him what he thought of the two coaches' statements.
Lin Tian: "Old Nelson is absolutely right! I love what he said. If there's anything I'm not entirely satisfied with about what Old Nelson said, it's the part about chugging dark beer. I suggest adding some vinegar, chili, mustard, soy sauce, and expired canned herring."
"Then make those bastards drink it. If they don't dare, then we'll see them on the court. Let's have a real competition and see who deserves an All-Star starter position!"
After Lin Tian and Don Nelson, the old and young duo, launched a tirade against the media, at least in the short term, there won't be much discussion within the league about the inclusion of Da Zhi and Yao Ming.
After all, these two are highly respected figures in the league. One is an unbeatable current number one player, and the other is the most senior top coach in the league.
More importantly, these two have increasingly lower bottom lines. Lin Tian knows how to beat people up, and sometimes you'd rather he beat you up than not. That old man has a lot of tricks up his sleeve!
However, although Lin Tian and Don Nelson have reached an agreement, the game still has to be played.
The Pacers need to win another game to improve their record and form for the All-Star Game, and then accelerate their transition into playoff mode after the All-Star break.
The Mavericks are only two games behind the Lakers, and they are eager to overtake the Lakers and gain home-court advantage in the playoffs.
In short, this game is both the last game before the All-Star break for both teams and a good opportunity for them to put a perfect end to the first half of the season.
Neither side will give up in this match!
For example, on the Pacers' side, Webber, who had been out for a long time, announced his return from injury before the game, and he wanted to give Nowitzki a good fight!
As for the Mavericks, Finley, who had a poor performance in the last game, also declared that he is still the leader of the team and will fulfill his leadership responsibilities, get back into form as soon as possible, and lead the team forward!
In addition, just before the game between the two teams began, the league also announced the specific rosters for the seven All-Star reserves in each conference, as well as the Rising Stars Challenge and individual competitions!
As for the reserve players, the Eastern Conference team has seven players selected: Ben Wallace of the Pacers, Tim Duncan of the Magic, Jason Kidd of the Nets, Ray Allen of the Bucks, Alonzo Mourning of the Heat, Anthony Davis of the Hornets, and Paul Pierce of the Celtics!
On the Western Conference side, seven players were selected: Garnett and Szczerbiak of the Timberwolves, Peja and Divac of the Kings, Nash of the Mavericks, Brand of the Clippers, and Rasheed Wallace of the Trail Blazers!
In terms of the number of players selected, after having four players selected for several consecutive years, this year Webber and Miller were not selected due to injuries and age. Therefore, although Ben Wallace made his first All-Star appearance, the Pacers still only had three players selected.
In addition, the Magic and Nets each have two players selected for the All-Star team, and the remaining five players come from five completely different teams. As a result, a total of eight teams in the East have players selected for the All-Star team, which means that more than half of the teams have produced All-Stars!
This perfectly aligns with the league's goal of creating a balanced league where each team has its own representative player and popular stars.
In the West, only the Mavericks had three All-Stars selected, while the Timberwolves, Lakers, and Kings each had two. Seven teams in the West had All-Stars selected, which is slightly less than the East, but still enough to make Stern happy!
In addition, the rosters for the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Contest, and Rising Stars Challenge have also been announced.
Lin Tian and Carter both declined to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest again, which disappointed Stern for a while. But the good news is that the new North Carolina Air Slam Dunk Contest champion, Jason Richardson, has agreed to participate! This guy is also a historically great jumper. With him participating, even if the Slam Dunk Contest can't return to its peak, it can still salvage some of its reputation.
In addition, Miller participated in the Three-Point Contest again. In his words, he just wanted to have fun with his brothers, and he didn't care whether he won the championship or not.
Then there are Arenas and Parker, who were also selected for the Rising Stars Challenge. As for how much opportunity and playing time they will get, that's hard to say.
In short, with the All-Star roster officially finalized, the Mavericks and Pacers, the two biggest winners of the All-Star Game, will face off!
The announcement of the All-Star voting results has added fuel to the fire for the game between these two teams!
There are even more fans interested in this game!
After all, this is a matchup involving six All-Star players! (End of Chapter)