Before the season ended and the playoffs officially began, ESPN conducted a poll.

The survey was very extensive and the results were very interesting.

In the category of [most watched first-round matchups], the match between the Cavaliers and the Bulls topped the list. Due to the grudges between the two teams in the regular season and the Slam Dunk Contest, the encounter between the two teams attracted a lot of attention.

In the "least suspenseful first-round matchups", the match between the Cavaliers and the Bulls ranks second on this list, only after the Magic and the Bobcats.

So it is easy to draw a conclusion after summarizing this investigation report. This is a standard "James-fan happy game".

The playoffs are about to begin. Before that, the league announced the first batch of awards for the season, namely the Most Improved Award, the Best Sixth Man, and the Best Rookie.

The Most Improved Player Award went to Brooks of the Rockets. Although the arrival of Hamilton reduced his shooting rights and his average points per game fell below 20, he still averaged 19.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Rockets, and his three-point shooting percentage reached 39.8%, a significant improvement compared to last season.

The best sixth man award went to Crawford of the Hawks, who averaged 18 points per game. This was the first time he was selected for this honor in his career.

Among the first batch of awards, the first two awards were expected, but the best newcomer award was somewhat suspenseful.

The three-man rotation of Xu Yong, Evans and Curry continued until the end of the season.

The Warriors ended the season with 26 wins, third-worst in the Western Conference, with Curry averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game;

The Kings finished with 25 wins, second-to-last in the Western Conference. Evans averaged 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

It is worth mentioning that with his efforts in the last few games, he finally achieved 20+5+5 data at the last moment, just like the original James, joining the ranks of Oscar Robertson (30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 9.7 assists per game) and Jordan (28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists per game);

The Bulls closed with 44 wins, ranking eighth in the Eastern Conference. Xu Yong averaged 19.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 46.8% and a three-point shooting percentage of 39.2%.

A familiar scene from six years ago began to appear.

That year, James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, and also got 20+5+5, but the Cavaliers did not make the playoffs. Anthony averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, and the Nuggets ranked eighth in the Western Conference. In the end, the best rookie award was given to James.

Now Xu Yong and Evans have brought history to life in exquisite detail.

The final result came out, and Xu Yong was elected the best rookie of the season with a 38% advantage, beating Evans (31%) and Curry (26%).

However, this result did not cause much controversy online like James Anthony did.

The reason is very simple. First, James was at least ninth in the Eastern Conference, while Evans was second to last in the Western Conference. The difference in record was too great.

Secondly, with your average of just over 20 points per game, coupled with that record, everyone knows that you got it up there at the last minute. Are you trying to get the customized data of 20+5+5?

Thirdly, Xu Yong does not have Anthony's gangster background, and he even has the huge Chinese market behind him. Anthony's minus points are Xu Yong's plus points.

Of course, there is the fourth, and most important, point. Who are you, Evans? Just because you are called the guard version of James doesn't mean you are qualified to be compared with James. James' popularity in the league and his influence in the media are not something you, Evans, can compare to.

However, although the controversy has ceased, there are still many jokes on social media at this time.

Who are you kidding?

Of course it’s the Grizzlies!

In comparison, their No. 5 pick Thabeet played 68 games in his rookie season, including 13 starts, averaging 3.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

Well, it cannot be said that there is any difference between him and Xu Yong, there is simply a world of difference!

If you are a Grizzlies fan, especially one who experienced last year's draft and even celebrated the deal, you probably wouldn't even dare to open social media at this moment.

"This is truly one of the greatest trades in NBA history, except for the Bulls, lol."

"How is your 'divine fortune teller'?"

"Don't give up, believe in yourself. You picked a dud with the fifth pick last year, but you can definitely pick someone to build the core of your team with the 17th pick this year!"

"I actually think it's not all bad for the Grizzlies, because they managed to avoid picking the [worst No. 2 pick] and just picked No. 5."

"I told you to save some champagne, but you insisted on watching it on the bus to the game. Look, you're dying of thirst now, aren't you?"

"They could have easily won, but they chose to take the most difficult path. I cried my heart out."

"As a Chicago native, I just want to say thank you to the Grizzlies for warming up the season with you."

…

Xu Yong learned the news on the plane to Cleveland.

His teammates celebrated for him on the plane.

He was naturally in a good mood.

He didn't deliberately compete for this award, but it is naturally a good thing to start his career as the best rookie.

After the first batch of awards were announced, the playoffs officially began.

In the East, two series started on the first day, namely Celtics vs. Heat, and Cavaliers vs. Bulls.

The game between the Celtics and the Heat started first, and this game made the fans feel what it means to have a game intensity that is "still at the beginning of the century".

The referee's whistle was very loose and the competition on the field was very intense.

The two teams were tied at 44-41 at halftime, and the second quarter saw a low score of 15 to 13.

A sophomore like Beasley simply couldn't score in this kind of game, and even veterans like Pierce, Ray Allen and O'Neal Jr. frequently missed shots.

Only superstars like Wade and Garnett who have killer weapons can still output stably.

This wave made everyone, including the young people of the Bulls, feel what the intensity of the playoffs is and why the playoffs are called the stage for superstars.

It's not surprising if a player scores in double digits in the regular season but makes no contribution in the playoffs.

Just as the Celtics and Heat finished their first half, the game between the Cavaliers and the Bulls was about to begin.

Cleveland Quicken Loans Arena was packed.

If we were to ask where the most James fans are at this moment, it would naturally be Cleveland.

It is no exaggeration to say that everyone in this small town has a James jersey.

Moreover, the uniform yellow color throughout the stadium also makes the Quicken Loans Arena look oppressive tonight.

During the opening ceremony before the game, James's throwing of magnesium powder pushed the atmosphere to its highest point right from the start.

The residents of the [Knight Kingdom] can't wait to enjoy their happy game!

The game is about to begin and the starting players of both teams will appear one after another.

Cavaliers: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, James, Jamison, O'Neal;

Bulls: Rose, Xu Yong, Deng, Gibson, Noah.

In the first game, both sides used their regular lineups.

Amid the cheers of the fans, O'Neal passed the ball back to the Cavaliers' half, officially opening the series.

The Cavaliers played the same style as they did in the regular season, starting the game with O'Neal attacking in the low post.

The only difference is that Jamison's joining the team opened up more space in the second half, giving O'Neal more room for singles.

After receiving the ball, O'Neal lowered his center of gravity and observed the Bulls' defense. Seeing that there was no intention of double-teaming, he immediately started to play with the ball in his back.

Although Noah has gained weight, he is still not in the same weight class as O'Neal and he definitely can't hold his own.

But the moment O'Neal turned around, the difference became apparent.

Noah did not lose his balance due to being pushed by O'Neal like he did before, but was able to stand up and continue to interfere with O'Neal's defense.

This difference had little impact during O'Neal's peak period. After all, the confrontation with the Big Shark was never a one-time deal, but a continuous impact.

But for O'Neal now, he relies more on his weight. The second confrontation was obviously not as good as the first one, and he failed to directly knock Noah away.

In order to avoid a dead ball, he gave Noah another challenge and turned to the free throw line for a hook shot.

But Noah still held his defensive position, and his excellent defensive judgment and long arms successfully interfered with O'Neal.

"when!"

O'Neal's shot hit the rim and Noah grabbed the rebound.

The Bulls bench was in an uproar.

The great shark is famous and resounds throughout an era.

Including this season, although he was plagued by some injuries during the regular season, as long as he was on the court, he was still a huge threat to the opponent's inside line.

But the young Noah actually succeeded in defense right from the start!

Noah's face was also flushed. All the sweat and hard work he had put in over the past two months were worth it at this moment.

In the transition from offense to defense, the Bulls' playing style changed from the regular season, with Rose taking the lead at the start.

De Nagro's intention is quite clear, playing away from home and trying to get a good start.

However, the Bulls' attack did not work. As a top defensive coach, Mike Brown successfully predicted DeNagoro's idea and tightened his defense at the beginning of the game.

Because of O'Neal, the Cavaliers didn't have to set up a double team defense. They just retreated, let the shooters defend against breakthroughs, and at the same time cut off Rose's passing route.

Rose's mid-range attempt went wide of the rim.

If the game between the Celtics and the Heat was just for watching, then in this opening round, Brown made the young Bulls players experience firsthand what the playoffs are like, with the main focus being on targeting.

Moreover, Brown's defense is systematic. He is the man behind Steve Kerr in the future and the builder of the Warriors' defensive system.

He targeted not only Ross, but also Xu Yong.

He didn't pay much attention to Xu Yong during the opening game, but another detail tonight showed how careful he was.

During the regular season, Brown always used Parker to defend Rose, but tonight, it was Mo Williams who defended Rose, and Parker was assigned to follow Xu Yong.

Although Williams was passed by Rose in one step, the shrinking defense would not allow Rose to have his way.

On the contrary, Parker, an elite defender, is of similar size to Xu Yong and has a very good defensive effect.

He stuck to Xu Yong like taffy, preventing the Bulls from using their best pindown tactics.

This was the Nth time that Denagro was tactically defeated by his opponent.

However, the Cavaliers did not play well in the opening period.

Because Brown's defensive system is so good, his offensive system is so bad.

Simply put, he has only two offensive tactics, one is to give the ball to O'Neal, and the other is to give the ball to James.

When O'Neal was on the court, there was no space, so the only option was to play O'Neal's style.

This tactic, which had worked time and again against the Bulls in the regular season, no longer worked with Noah's changes.

So although DeNaglo didn't target the Cavaliers as much as Brown, he still accidentally took advantage of the Cavaliers' offensive weakness.

After O'Neal failed to score in the low post, James also tried to force a breakthrough, but Noah released O'Neal's help defense and James returned empty-handed.

After forcing James to take a traveling penalty, Noah excitedly pumped his fist and roared.

Gaining weight and muscle not only allows him to carry the old O'Neal, but also to withstand James' tank charge.

Of course the most important point here is that the referee's whistle tonight was very loose and not biased.

This is the operating art of old man Stern. Even in the 2006 Finals that was complained by fans for a long time, the whistles in the first two games were not biased towards the Heat.

So the opening game between the two teams was the same as the ongoing Celtics vs. Heat game, with the main theme being... "Listen, they are playing basketball."

Six minutes into the game, the score was 4 to 8.

No one expected the game to turn out like this.

Denagro couldn't sit still anymore, he stood up and called a timeout.

After the timeout, the Bulls made some adjustments to their lineup.

Rose, who was targeted at the beginning and only made 1 of 5 shots, was replaced, and the person who replaced him was not Nate Robinson, but Hinrich.

Hinrich was in poor form before and was already relatively late in the rotation order. His intention was very obvious when he was suddenly rotated in so early. He was preparing to let Xu Yong play with the ball.

Brown's offensive system is rough, but DeNagro is not much better. After Rose was targeted and could not be played, he could only play with Xu Yong's ball.

The offensive performance of the two coaches tonight is exactly in line with the saying: Where there is a crouching dragon, there must be a phoenix chick.

Hinrich dribbled the ball across half court, passed it directly to Xu Yong, and then signaled to move to the weak side.

After Xu Yong got the ball, he signaled Noala to come out and play pick-and-roll.

Although both of them played pick-and-roll, the biggest difference between Xu Yong and James in the opening game is that one is active and the other is passive.

As for O'Neal in the later stage of his career, it would be inappropriate if you didn't catch him and beat him.

Parker obviously knew this, so he tried hard to squeeze through Noah's pick-and-roll.

But Noah's pick-and-roll is not so easy to squeeze, and his position of pick-and-roll is very close to Xu Yong.

And Xu Yong didn't just stand there stupidly. He was already moving before Noah set up the pick-and-roll, forcing Parker to go around.

As a result of the tacit cooperation between the two, Parker was directly blocked by the wall of Noah.

When O'Neal saw this, he could only rush out, but it was too late.

The moment Xu Yong got the shooting space, he already jumped up.

“Swish!”

With a picturesque posture, the basketball went over O'Neal's head and directly into the pocket.

It feels good.

Xu Yong stopped following the movements and a smile appeared on his face.

It seems that the extra training a few nights ago was not in vain.

In the Cavaliers' offense, O'Neal continued to play one-on-one in the low post, and the Bulls also resolutely retreated.

O'Neal saw the opportunity and passed the ball to James on the outside, who made a three-pointer from the top of the arc.

"when!"

The basketball hit the rim and bounced out.

During this period, James' shooting stability refers to the close distance of 10 to 16 inches. His mid-range and three-pointers beyond 16 feet are still like Duan Yu's Six Meridians Divine Sword, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

Gibson protected the defensive rebound and the Bulls pushed for a fast break.

But James retreated quickly and blocked Hinrich's fast break.

The purpose of putting Hinrich on the court is to create space, but in terms of counterattack speed, he certainly can't compare with Ross.

Hinrich noticed Xu Yong following up and passed the ball to him.

Xu Yong received the ball with one step inside the three-point line and chose to make an emergency stop and pull up shot.

In the eyes of the coach, this ball was a "bad choice" because if it didn't go in, it would be a waste of a fast break opportunity.

And James also rushed forward with all his might at this time.

However, Xu Yong's choice was too straightforward, and James was obviously too late to defend and jump.

Xu Yong's shot flew over James' head and into the basket.

James turned his head in the air and just saw the basketball go into the basket.

“Swish!”

Xu Yong's jump shot also hit the target!

After practicing the pull-up shot for nearly two and a half years, he has truly mastered the technique.

The Bulls' bench was in an uproar, and Rose couldn't help but stand up excitedly.

Although a pull-up shot is not as violent as a dunk, Xu Yong's pull-up shot is very accurate!

This is like sniping is not as good as cannon execution, but it can still kill people.

O'Neal's strong attack under the basket still failed. Turning back, Xu Yong faced Parker who was coming around and made another jump shot.

This is the Iron-Blooded Wolf King possessed, killing indiscriminately!

10 to 8.

The Bulls took the lead in one fell swoop.

There was a commotion at the scene. It was supposed to be a happy game, but why did it seem a little unhappy from the start?