Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 282 Equilibrium Triangle
They led 3-1, then lost the next two games, forcing a Game 7.

The team's star player is injured and will miss the crucial Game 6. It is uncertain whether he will be able to play in Game 7.

Even if they do play, it's uncertain what kind of performance they'll deliver.

This is the impression most people have of magic at this moment.

With media hype suggesting the Knicks have found the winning formula, the outcome of this series seems almost predictable.

Doc Rivers, the chosen head coach who won Coach of the Year in his first year and led his team to a championship in his third year, is about to experience his first major setback.

He became the first player in NBA history to be up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals before being reversed.

According to many people, being reversed from 3-1 is probably even more difficult than being upset by an eighth seed.

But at this moment, Carlisle was not happy; his face was full of sorrow.

It dragged on to a Game 7, but it wasn't the Game 7 he wanted.

Rivers' decision to have McGrady injured and out really caught him off guard.

Tang Sen found it strange.

Last year with the Magic, Rivers only knew "come on" and "let's go." This year, after leading the team to the championship, he's suddenly figured it out and started using tactics.

Inside the away team's locker room.

Carlisle, who was standing in front of the players with his arms crossed, about to say something, suddenly turned around and closed the locker room door again.

He felt the door wasn't closed and heard cheers from the Magic fans coming from the stands.

But the door was closed properly.

That must be because the away team's locker room isn't well soundproofed.

Carlisle walked back irritably and continued to stare blankly.

A few steps away, Tedsky nudged Tangsen with his elbow and winked at Carlisle.

This is obsessive-compulsive behavior caused by excessive stress.

Tang Sen sighed inwardly.

Carlisle is indeed under a lot of pressure.

No one expected the Knicks to end up like this this season.

Now the road to glory has been announced and the framework has been established.

As head coach, Carlisle carries the hopes of all New York fans, and the pressure he faces is immense.

He is only 44 years old this year, but Tang Sen felt that his hairline had receded quite a bit since he first met him.

"Everyone!"

Carlisle finally spoke.

The Magic have now revealed their hand: even if it means losing Game 6 and forcing a Game 7, they want McGrady to get four days of rest.

Yes, another piece of bad news.

After the sixth game, the West fell behind because the East was progressing too fast.

It's also possible that the league, out of "good intentions," felt that the two teams were too tired after playing six games, so they postponed the seventh game by a day.

In this way, McGrady got another day of rest.

Of course, the Knicks also got an extra day of rest, which seems fair.

Carlisle still felt it wasn't enough.

A McGrady who's in good form will be terrifying.

Carlisle's gaze hardened, and he said in a deep voice, "Some media outlets say that we are the biggest miracle of all teams this season because we made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in the first year of rebuilding."

"So even if we are eliminated, we will have no regrets, because we have already had an incredibly successful season."

"But everyone, are you willing to accept this?"

Carlisle's gaze swept over each player.

"We've worked hard all season, and we still have a chance to go one step further, maybe two steps, and lift that damn championship trophy."

"So what reason do we have to give up now?"

"So don't have the mentality that we've already succeeded regardless of winning or losing. Why can't we think that we must win and we must win the championship!"

Carlisle pointed towards the arena and shouted, "Once you're on the field, you'll have only one goal: to win the game. Can you do it?!"

Carlisle doesn't like using such grandiose and empty words to motivate his players.

But since they've already gone this far, it seems like all we can do is offer encouragement.

The players' responses echoed throughout the locker room.

Like Carlisle, Rivers was also enthusiastically motivating all the Magic players.

His words were even more inspiring.

He was a born orator.

"we are the champion!"

He raised his arm and led the shouting.

The magicians gradually joined in, shouting along with everyone.

In this kind of atmosphere, who wouldn't get excited and lose their head?

In the end, Rivers grabbed McGrady's shoulder, his expression more serious than ever before.

Whether he will become the laughingstock of the entire league in two and a half hours depends on McGrady.

"Tracy, act like a leader and lead us to victory!"

At that moment, Rivers just wanted to shout, "McGrady, save me!"

McGrady nodded calmly, but a rare sharpness flashed in his sleepy eyes.

He could understand Rivers' actions, but when he was lying at home watching the team lose on TV, he still felt angry and frustrated.

He was prepared to unleash all his emotions in this one moment.

The center of the water villas has become a white ocean.

Right in the front row, Spike Lee exuded an air of defiant indifference, facing the jeers of countless Magic fans in the stands without retaliating, only raising his middle finger in response.

He also pulled Dolan aside and tried to get him to join him.

For the final game, Dolan personally traveled to Orlando to cheer on the Knicks.

He rarely interacts with the players.

Firstly, I want to keep my distance; secondly, I know I don't understand anything and there's only so much I can do.

But today he made a special effort to squeeze over and chat with Yao Ming for a bit.

"Yao, help us win the game."

Dolan, wearing Yao Ming's number 11 jersey, stared nervously at Yao Ming.

The Knicks' fate hinges on Yao Ming.

The Eastern Conference championship trophy is in place, and the game will officially begin at 8 PM.

Yao Ming and Brown are standing in the center circle.

"Yao, we won, you're not angry, are you?" Brown asked in a low voice.

Yao Ming did not answer, but returned the same question.

Brown's answer was a bit harsh. He said no, since he'd already won a championship.

Yao Ming has already felt his blood pressure rising.

This guy definitely did it on purpose.

Before the two could exchange more words, the referee signaled the start of the match.

Unsurprisingly, Yao Ming tipped the basketball away.

He immediately ran towards the frontcourt, and just as he approached the penalty area, Brown had already closed in.

Rivers didn't sit down; he stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed.

The Magic's starting lineup remains unchanged.

On the Knicks' side, all their key players were present.

But instead of playing Twin Towers, they brought in Bender.

At the same time, Rivers immediately noticed that the Knicks' positioning was different from the previous games.

Yao Ming drives to the low post, Bender stands around the free-throw line, and Billups lands at the top of the key.

Then Houston and Wallace spread out to the left and right respectively.

Overall, it presents a spindle shape, or rather, two symmetrical triangles.

After taking their positions, Billups gave a signal, and the Knicks began their runs.

Bender came up to set a screen, and Bepoulos drove to the basket.

At this moment, Yao Ming was on the left side of the penalty area, while Billups was on the right side.

He shifted the defense.

Brown should have rushed over to help defend at that moment.

But he didn't. He knew that if he rushed over to help defend, Billups would pass the ball to Yao Ming, and the ball would be in his hands.

Before the game, Rivers told him not to worry about anything else, just stick with Yao Ming.

Sather chased after him, and PJ Brown immediately abandoned Bender and rushed back towards Billups.

If the two of them sandwich each other, the ball will be lost.

So Billups passed the ball back to Bender behind him.

Bender found himself open and pulled up for a three-pointer.

He was out of sorts as soon as he came on, and he missed the shot.

Rivers frowned slightly.

He felt the Knicks had some ideas about their positioning.

This play wasn't just initiated by Bender's high pick-and-roll; in Rivers' view, there were many more possibilities to come.

If Billups is forced to move outwards by Sather, he might attract the attention of the flanks, which would then create an opportunity for them.

Also, if the Magic help defense quickly, for example, if McGrady goes to close out Bender, then there will be opportunities on the wing as well.

Most importantly, Yao Ming hasn't made a move yet.

When the Knicks attacked again, they were in the same position, but Yao Ming and Bender switched positions, and Billups quickly passed the ball to them.

Bender helped delay the shot, giving Yao Ming a moment to capitalize on the opportunity and make a mid-range jumper.

Rivers frowned even more deeply.

He felt that Carlisle's placement must have had a special purpose, and there should be many variations.

but……

Rivers couldn't help but want to complain.

It's already Game 7, why are you still doing all this fancy stuff? Just give the ball to the star players and that's it.

Rivers' gaze followed McGrady, his mind filled with only one thought: Please, save me!
Carlisle stood on the sidelines, his expression serious.

In the crucial Game 7, he also wanted to mindlessly hand the ball to the star player to play.

But he didn't do that.

Carlisle dared not place all his bets on Yao Ming.

Or rather, they dared not pin their hopes on Yao Ming's divine intervention once again, scoring a whopping 50 points to win the game.

He felt that doing so was asking too much of others.

Even with an extra day of rest, Yao Ming's performance will definitely be affected by the immense exertion he expended in the first six games.

Therefore, Carlisle still needs to develop tactics and provide Yao Ming with some tactical support.

He racked his brains and adjusted the tactics to what he called the balanced triangle.

The central axis unfolds into two triangles on the left and right.

He tried to incorporate the essence of the triangle offense and the one-star-four-shooter strategy.

The ball can be moved to the left or right sides, which can also create one-on-one opportunities for Yao Ming.

If the opportunity isn't good, or if you get double-teamed, there will still be players guarding the left and right wings and the high post, allowing you to set up a one-star-three-shooter formation and utilize Yao Ming's passing ability.

Most importantly, there is another person in the middle who takes on the relay task of transmitting information from inside to outside.

At the same time, Bender can shoot mid-range shots and also receive passes from Yao Ming, providing offensive firepower in the mid-range so as not to be disconnected from the inside and outside.

On the defensive end, the central axis is maintained, with three layers of defense deployed.

This set of tactics is the best arrangement that Carlisle has come up with at the moment based on the characteristics of the starting lineup.

Whether it will work or not, Carlisle had no idea.

But he hopes Yao Ming will participate in the offense and help his teammates score.

If you reduce your energy expenditure in the first three quarters, you might still have the stamina to unleash your firepower in the decisive fourth quarter.

Carlisle's tactics seem to have worked.

When the three players on the central axis can all shoot and pass, and connect with each other, the Knicks get more opportunities compared to the Magic's simple style of play.

Halfway through the game, Yao Ming had already delivered two assists.

The Knicks took an early lead, 14-10.

However, at this moment, McGrady, who had adapted to the Knicks' faster help defense, came alive.

He could sense his teammates' fatigue, especially Brown, who only made one of his three shots.

My teammates played a full six games, and their exhaustion was astonishing.

Brown, in particular, took on more offensive duties in Game 6.

McGrady knew it was his turn.

Like a leader...

McGrady remembered Rivers' words, his shoulders slightly lowered, and he moved as lightly as a gust of wind, passing by Wallace and driving along the baseline to attack the basket.

Yao Ming came over to help defend, but he showed no fear, jumped up, dodged Yao Ming in mid-air, and made a reverse layup.

An extremely difficult goal.

But for McGrady, it was as easy as casually throwing a basket.

(End of this chapter)