May 10, 2004.
The weather was clear and the wind was gentle as the Nets hosted the Heat at home.
Regular season...
The Heat's win against the Nets has boosted the Heat players' confidence for the game.
The Heat are a team primarily composed of young players, and they don't have any big men on the team. Their speed and energy are their advantages.
The Heat's starting lineup consists of Dwyane Wade, Lamar Odom, Eddie Jones, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant. Apart from Wade, the other four players are all forwards, and none of them are over 2.1 meters tall. Their average height is at least 5 centimeters shorter than the Nets' starting lineup.
As for the Heat's bench, there is one player who is very famous: Alston!
This was once the king of Rucker Park and one of the few streetball players to make it into the professional league. His nickname was "The Jumping Soul".
......
In the Nets' locker room, players are preparing to go on the court.
Scott said, "The paint is our strength, and we have to fight for every rebound."
"We can't be careless..."
Gentry poked his head out of the kitchen. "Those young lads on the Heat are not to be trifled with. You could easily get caught off guard and end up in trouble."
"Let's go warm up."
......
The Nets also adjusted their starting lineup in response to the Heat.
Starting lineup for this match:
Brooklyn Nets: Stockton, Hill, Weiguo, Kenyon, Collins
Miami Heat: Wade, Odom, Jones, Butler, Grant
The game was about to start, and Wade was jumping around on the court, trying to keep his body in top condition.
"Beep!!!"
The whistle blew.
Collins passed the ball to Wei Guo, who dribbled past the center circle and passed it to Stockton. Butler and Jones moved toward Wei Guo, who was definitely the Heat's defensive focus.
Using Collins' screen, Stockton bounced a pass to Hill.
Hill dribbled the ball and went one-on-one against Wade, but Wade stole the ball... The Heat players immediately rushed up the court, their speed far exceeding that of the Nets!
Only Wei Guo of the Nets could keep up with the Heat's speed.
fine...
With the Heat players focused on charging forward, Wade was at a disadvantage as passing the ball could easily result in a turnover, so he opted for a one-on-one attack!
Change direction without slowing down!!!
Wade broke through from Wei Guo's left side. Wei Guo was a step too slow, and Wade had already reached the basket. Nets players followed up.
Wei Guo is sticking close to Wade on defense!
After breaking through, Wade forced a layup against Wei Guo, but Wei Guo's defensive coverage was too large, and Wade's shot was almost a random throw.
"bang~~~"
The basketball bounced off the rim, and Collins grabbed the defensive rebound.
The Heat's head coach is Jeff Van Gundy, a defensive mastermind. After Wade missed a layup, Van Gundy yelled, "Get back on defense!"
The Heat's tactics are very clear!
The Nets are running themselves ragged...
As Collins passed the ball to Wei Guo, the Heat were already waiting for them in the backcourt.
"These kids can really run..."
Gentry clicked his tongue. "Stockton's old bones can't withstand the torment of these young punks."
Tyronn Lue pursed his lips and remained silent.
Gentry's subtext is to reduce Stockton's playing time, and Tyronn Lue is Stockton's substitute, does that mean his playing time will increase?
Gentry seemed oblivious to Tyronn Lue's expectant gaze and muttered, "Having Wei play point guard is also a good option."
Tyronn Lue: (ΩДΩ)
In the end, he misplaced his affections; it was all wishful thinking on his part.
......
The Nets are on offense, and Stockton lobs the ball to Wei Guo.
After Wei Guo received the ball, Odom and Butler double-teamed him from the left and right. Wei Guo raised the ball above his head and made a passing fake!
Butler turned around instantly...
"Whoosh!!!"
Then he saw the basketball go through the hoop.
2-0!!!
The Nets scored first!
Odom said, "That was a feint, how could you be fooled by him?"
"It was my carelessness..."
Butler said, "I get incredibly nervous every time I play against Wei Guo."
Odom chuckled. "Who can argue with that? I'm even more nervous facing Wei Guo than facing the Kardashians."
The Heat are on offense.
Wade missed a mid-range shot, Odom grabbed the offensive rebound, and then scored on Collins in the paint.
2:2!!!
The Heat tied the score.
Scott reminded the players to protect the rebounds, and a key reason for this was that although the Heat's young players weren't very tall, they were very aggressive in rebounding, and Van Gundy was a very good coach.
The Heat have a very good offensive strategy!
Wade held the ball at the top of the key, drawing Wei Guo's defense. Butler moved to the baseline, forming a line between him and Wade, with Jones standing in the middle of that line.
Wade moved towards the basket and then passed the ball to Butler!
At this point... Wei Guo would turn around to cover Butler, but Jones would just happen to block Wei Guo, which would give Butler an opportunity to shoot.
This tactic was used several times in a row with a very high success rate.
......
The first quarter has ended.
23:21!!
The Nets lead by 2 points.
Regarding the players' performance in the first quarter, Scott said, "You must not leave your man open on defense. It's only been one quarter, and Butler has already had three very good shot opportunities!"
The Heat's tactic...
As long as Wei Guo is guarding Wade, and the Nets use cross-defense, Butler will be guarded by Stockton after receiving the ball! It's a classic case of a big man playing against a small man. As long as Wei Guo doesn't come to help defend, Butler is confident in his ability to one-on-one against Stockton.
"I do have a plan!"
Wei Guo laughed and said, "You'll see my performance in a moment. I guarantee that after just one time, Jones won't dare to block my defensive route."
......
As expected, Gentry did not put Stockton on the court after the start of the second quarter.
This series...
Stockton's average playing time should not exceed 20 minutes. Gentry had discussed this with Stockton beforehand. For a veteran like Stockton, the only goal is the championship. As long as it's for winning, he can accept any arrangement made by the head coach.
Five minutes into the second quarter, the Heat used the same tactic again.
This time...
Wei Guo had already guessed that Jones would stand between him and Butler, so he turned around, took a step forward, and leaped high into the air!
"Whoosh~~~"
Wei Guo flew directly over Jones's head.
Just as Butler released his shot, Wei Guo took another step forward, leaped into the air, and slapped the ball into the stands.
A moment of silence fell over the scene...
The audience was amazed by Wei Guo's jumping ability, while Jones and Butler were completely dumbfounded.
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