To close a 17-point gap, they need to rely not only on offense but also on defense.
The Celtics are on offense.
Pierce had the ball under the basket, and Anderson took the opportunity to slip to the three-point corner.
"Whoosh~~~"
Pierce passed the ball to Anderson.
"Someone was missed!"
Brown was getting anxious.
Anderson's three-point attempt was very decisive.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went through the net cleanly.
94:74!!
Anderson's off-ball movement, with Iverson being blocked by Walker while chasing, allowed Anderson to slip to the three-point corner, where Pierce's pass was decisive.
Coach Thompson knows...
The Celtics' offense flowed very smoothly tonight, especially Anderson, who had an exceptional performance, making 7 of 11 three-pointers and scoring 23 points. He is the Celtics' absolute hero.
The hole they dug in the first three sections was too big!
......
The 76ers are on offense, and Wei Guo has the ball.
Iverson made a cut to receive the ball, and Wei Guo passed it to Iverson, who caught the ball, stopped abruptly, and took a jump shot.
"bang~~~"
Missed a shot.
Brown clenched his fist. Wei Guo was facing a double team when he had the ball. It was right for him to pass the ball to Iverson, but Iverson failed to make the shot because he was too exhausted.
The Celtics studied the 76ers...
They knew very well that if Iverson's shooting percentage dropped at this point, they could double-team Weiguo with impunity.
If the 76ers can shut down Wei Guo, they have no hope of winning.
This tactic is very clear and it's the most troublesome tactic for the 76ers. Now the Celtics are double-teaming Weiguo, and if Iverson can't score, they're down by 20 points. If they can't close the gap to within 15 points in two minutes, they'll basically lose the game.
"If two people gang up on him, Wei Guo should be able to fight back, right?"
I don't know why Coach Thompson would have this thought, that Wei Guo hasn't shown his full strength yet.
possible...
Wei Guo probably won't unleash its full strength until the most critical moment.
......
Two days later, the fourth game between the 76ers and the Celtics began.
The loss in the last game...
The 76ers players shouldn't be blamed too much. After returning to their home court, the Celtics players suddenly found their rhythm. Anderson made 9 of 14 three-pointers and scored 29 points. Pierce and Walker also scored over 20 points. Other players also performed well, executed the tactics well, and played aggressive defense.
On the contrary...
Fans started attacking Barkley, giving him a new nickname: "jinx."
Fans believe that the loss in Game 3 was due to Barkley's insistence in every game that the 76ers would sweep all the way to the Finals.
Basketball is a 5v5 game, unless you can fly or dunk in mid-air.
otherwise...
No one can say that they can win every game.
Even someone as strong as Wei Dong, no... even someone as strong as Jordan, didn't win a championship in the first eight years of his career.
The 76ers also lost more than a dozen games in the regular season.
So this loss didn't discourage the players too much; they were simply prepared to win the next two games and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
........
Before the match began.
Coach Thompson pulled Wei Guo aside and whispered, "The first few minutes are crucial. If we can widen the gap, we can control the pace of the game."
"Um..."
Wei Guo nodded. "And then?"
Coach Thompson gave Wei Guo a knowing look. "The point guard's job on the court is to connect the team. If you take the initiative to attack from the start, you will definitely catch the Celtics off guard."
Starting lineup for this match:
76ers: Wei Guo, Iverson, Harpring, Coleman, Mutombo
Celtics: Anderson, Williams, Pierce, Walker, Battier
actually...
The 76ers have a strong roster, with the regular season MVP and DPOY of the last two seasons both playing for the 76ers, which is rare in NBA history.
"Beep!!!"
The match began with the referee's whistle.
Mutombo successfully jumped the ball.
Wei Guo got the ball, took a step past Pierce beyond the three-point line, grabbed the basketball with one hand and held it in the air, then took two steps to the basket.
Set the sky ablaze!
"Bang!!!"
Battier's help defense couldn't stop Weiguo from scoring with a dunk.
"This is so sudden..."
Jim muttered, "Weiguo's attack was too sudden."
Brown was also taken aback.
This was not part of his tactical plan...
The Celtics are on offense.
The 76ers' defense was very effective. Anderson dribbled to the frontcourt and pulled up for a three-pointer.
"bang~~~"
The basketball bounced off the rim, and Coleman grabbed the defensive rebound.
Cummings scoffed, "Does he really think he's Wei Ge? This accurate from three-point range every game?"
Last game...
You could say they lost because of Anderson. In the last game, Anderson seemed to be possessed by Wei Guo, making every three-pointer he took.
Wei Dong gets the ball.
He dribbled slowly to the frontcourt, took another step past Pierce, and then made a light turn under the basket, flicking the basketball with his right hand.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went through the net cleanly.
"Back up! Back up! Back up!"
Wei Guo waved his hand, signaling his teammates to quickly return to defense.
In two consecutive offensive plays, one player had the ball while the other four watched. Iverson and his teammates seemed a bit stunned; this wasn't typical of Wei Guo's style of play.
Can...
This tactic is indeed effective.
12:3!!!
With Wei Guo hitting two consecutive three-pointers, the 76ers have taken a 12-point lead.
......
Jim knew in his heart that Wei Guo wouldn't keep fighting like this forever.
The Celtics were stunned by Wei Guo's performance...
The 76ers were also stunned...
They completely deviate from the expected strategy, leaving their teammates unsure of how to position themselves.
Jim understood the situation, but he couldn't wait for Brown to call a timeout before adjusting the tactics, so he called a timeout first.
"Brother Dong, your aggressive tendencies are too strong."
Cummings stood up. "You've completely stunned the Celtics."
"Yes...that's right."
Halprin whispered, "We were also stunned by Dong Ge's beating."
Before Wei Guo could explain, Coach Thompson said, "I told Wei Guo to play like this. We must take the lead at the start and put the Celtics on the back foot. That will make the game easier."
"right!"
Brown said, "This was a very successful tactic."
The tactics were successful...
What followed was a battle of wits between the head coaches. Brown, holding the clipboard, whispered, "The tactical coordination needs to be executed..."
I think~
Wei Guo suddenly spoke up, "The Celtics don't think we'll continue playing like this, do they?"
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