LeBron James, your house got robbed.

Chapter 139 The Feud on the First Day of the Competition

Hornets head coach Monty Williams clearly underestimated Draymond Green's potential playing time.

The Cavaliers, a reigning champion and a dominant force, boast the most luxurious bench in the league, with countless talented players.

No normal person would think that a late first-round draft pick could play an important role in the Cavaliers' games.

Therefore, the Hornets scouts did not conduct any pre-game analysis of Draymond Green at all.

Ariza made the free throw.

For the Hornets, Irving quickly dribbled the ball across half-court and, taking advantage of the Cavaliers' unsteady landing, responded with a three-pointer.

The roles of offense and defense have reversed.

Dream stood casually at the top of the key with the ball.

Varejao was also unsure of Draymond Green's shooting range.

This guy doesn't look like he can shoot hoops.

Considering the average shooting level of this Cavaliers team, Varejao still moved one step up to the free-throw line, ready to block the shot at any time.

Just then, Parsons suddenly ran over and used both hands to push Varejao to set a screen.

Valeci was startled as he felt the force coming from his waist.

Fortunately, Hollins, who was matched up against Parsons, stepped in in time to block Draymond Green's path to the basket.

Unexpectedly, Parsons retreated immediately, breaking the pick-and-roll and driving to the basket in an instant.

With his long arms, Draymond Green flicked the ball out with one hand, weaving between Varejao and Hollins, and Parsons easily made an easy layup.

In the TNT studio, Barkley asked with a mocking expression, "Shaq, do you get it now?"

"That's why you can only stand here and explain things to me."

Hornets head coach Monty Williams on the sidelines looked completely bewildered.

The 4-position player sets a fake screen for the 5-position player to roll to the basket.

When will the Knights ever use this move again?

The Hornets' offensive turn.

Irving took another one-on-one opportunity, making a dramatic 360-degree turn, accelerating his pace, and effortlessly getting past Beverley who was closely marking him.

He charged into the paint, only to find Draymond Green blocking his way.

Irving was forced to slow down and control the pace as he turned his back to observe.

Seeing Beverley and Draymond Green closing in, he suddenly switched hands and took the initiative, squeezing through the gaps in the crowd to the free-throw line, quickly gathering the ball and rising to shoot.

The basketball traced a perfect arc.

A crisp sound of the net breaking!

Even Cleveland fans couldn't help but cheer for the goal.

Monty Williams, however, kept his eyes fixed on the Cavaliers' number 23 player.

This guy moves sideways very quickly.

He was just one step away from catching up with Irving's shot.

In his second year, Kyrie Irving's ball-handling skills are dazzling, and his shooting rhythm is unpredictable, making him one of the most difficult one-on-one players to defend in the league.

The fact that this guy was still able to catch up and not be completely left behind is enough to prove his defensive level.

Monty looked at Garnett on the sidelines and saw many of KG's traits in Draymond Green.

He then looked at Chen Shuo, who appeared calm and collected.

With Chen Shuo's strategic planning, this Cavaliers team is destined to become the league's nightmare for decades to come, just like the young Spurs team in San Antonio more than a decade ago.

They also won the championship in a shortened season, starting a decade-long reign, and remain the strongest contenders for the title today.

Perhaps this team of knights is even more terrifying.

After all, Gilbert was known for his lavish spending.

The Cavaliers attack.

Beverley dribbles the ball up the court.

The message was sent back to the player chasing the dream in the middle lane.

The latter only glanced at Varejao's defensive positioning before passing the ball and making a desperate attempt to break into the paint. His speed wasn't fast, but the attack was sudden, and Varejao, who was positioned higher, could only barely catch up.

Hollins was forced to fill in again, and Walton rotated to fill in in front of Parsons, who was left open.

Draymond Green charged straight to the basket, and despite being double-teamed by the Cavaliers' two big men, he used his long arms to go around Varejao and pass to Ariza, who was cutting into the paint.

Tezha seized the opportunity without hesitation, drawing his bow and slamming a one-handed dunk that landed on Varejao's head under the basket.

"Beep"

The referee blew the whistle.

The Hornets finally called a timeout.

Draymond Green and Trevor Ariza celebrated by bumping chests, and before leaving the field, they kept waving at the stands, which once again drew cheers.

Chen Shuo bumped fists with each of the players who came down.

Looking at the mountain of dreams before me.

Starting today, the Cavaliers' number 23 has changed hands.

Everyone will remember this fierce-looking guy who had a cunning, fox-like passing technique.

at the same time.

Auckland.

Jerry West's face darkened, his gentle features filled with regret and pity.

This guy should have been a Warriors player.

Curry, Middleton, Barnes, Draymond Green, Bogut.

West could almost see the power of this lineup on the court.

Bogut anchors the paint, while Draymond Green can fill in for him.

The forward pairing of Middleton and Barnes can help compensate for Curry's matchup weaknesses.

The preseason has proven that West's approach is viable.

Put Curry up against forwards who lack independent offensive capabilities.

Middleton is responsible for guarding the opposing ball handler, while Barnes can match up against the opposing secondary ball handler.

This lineup can at least deliver a top-tier, or even elite, level of defense in the league.

Offensively, Draymond Green orchestrates the offense from the top of the key or the midfield, while Curry and Middleton's cross screens and runs will unleash the full firepower of the Warriors' backcourt.

A huge sense of loss welled up in West's heart.

The last time I felt this disappointed was when I was with the Grizzlies.

That was in 2003. The Grizzlies traded their first-round pick to the Pistons, and only by winning the lottery could they keep their pick.

Fate played a cruel trick; the Grizzlies got the second overall pick, just one step away.

In fact, West understood that the Cavaliers getting the number one draft pick in 03 was the most advantageous option for the league.

I was just at the lottery drawing site.

The Grizzlies' draft position wasn't the predicted fifth, fourth, or third, which inevitably led him to harbor all sorts of unrealistic fantasies.

The screen shows the characters unleashing their passion for pursuing their dreams, roaring and shouting at their opponents, and encouraging the audience to cheer and applaud.

You can roughly tell from this guy's boisterous personality.

It almost perfectly complements Curry's overly mild personality.

West slammed his fist heavily on the table.

He has always been calm and persistent, and even after losing Thompson, he has never lost his composure like this.

After a year of careful investigation, Chris Middleton was found again.

The preseason has proven that Middleton is definitely Curry's best partner.

The only question is where he can find another dream to pursue.

After the timeout, both sides switched back to their starting lineups.

Compared to the first quarter, the Cavaliers' starters showed a slight improvement, but their defense remained sluggish.

Chen Shuo noticed that after being beaten by Irving, Thompson kept complaining about himself, clearly dissatisfied with the defense he had just received.

But in the next round, Thompson still couldn't keep up with the pace, allowing Irving to score at will.

The Cavaliers' starting lineup seems to be caught in some kind of strange cycle.

I was already nervous and wanted to exert myself, but my feet and hands were always a beat too slow.

Chen Shuo looked at Cole beside him.

Steve 3

Without Chen Shuo needing to say much, Ke Er knew what Chen Shuo wanted to ask.

It's perfectly reasonable that you also have times when you don't understand something.

No one is omniscient or omnipotent, especially since this is only Chen Shuo's third season.

Kerr immediately presented his impressive resume: "You know, I've played for many great teams, the Cavaliers, the Bulls, the Spurs."

Get to the point.

"Okay, you're really boring."

Cole grumbled, then explained in detail: "God is fair sometimes."

"If you're too relaxed at the start of the match, it'll be hard to stay focused later on."

Even if the mind is fully aware of the problem, it is still very difficult to change the body's condition.

"That's exactly the situation with Clay."

"His muscles were all loose and weak, while his opponents' muscles were taut and they were giving it their all."

"Even Michael has had quite a few of these kinds of matches."

"He's just too strong. Even when he's not in good form, it's a game-changer. As his teammate, I can clearly feel the difference."

Chen Shuo pondered Kerr's answer and casually asked, "What about those games where strong teams relax in the first few quarters, then quickly increase their intensity to finish the game?"

"They never let their guard down," Cole said with a smile. "They just managed to allocate their energy wisely."

"That's why we can increase the intensity for a certain period of time."

"You should understand that there are very few rotations as deep as ours throughout history."

"Even historically renowned strong teams can't maintain this level of intensity in a short period of time with long rotations like you do."

Chen Shuo realized that he had ultimately experienced too few competitions.

He turned to look at the field.

Lowry had clearly noticed that Thompson was not in good condition.

Directing his teammates to their positions, Garnett and Thompson positioned themselves on the weak side, while Chandler lurked in the ghost position.

Leonard understood perfectly and easily blocked Walton behind him.

Lowry delivered a comfortable lob pass, Leonard stretched out his left arm to block Walton, and then spread out his right arm to catch the ball securely.

He raised the ball high with one hand.

His gaze drifted casually to the back of his head.

Chen Shuo, standing on the sidelines, instinctively followed Kawhi Leonard's gaze.

This one-handed ball-handling move really gives the impression that he can send the ball to any position on the court at any time.

The magician was extremely dedicated when teaching Kawhi Leonard.

After noticing Leonard's large, fan-like hands, they immediately devised this one-handed passing threat.

Taking advantage of Walton's distraction and Leonard's lowered center of gravity, Leonard turned forward and swiftly lobbed the ball, using his left leg to block the left side of the basketball, protecting it with his body as he moved.

Davis's footwork was extremely agile, and he immediately abandoned Garnett to retrieve the rim.

Leonard left Walton behind in one step, did not continue into the paint, and leaped high to deliver a straight-arm jump shot.

The arc was extremely smooth, giving the illusion of hitting the basket from a great height.

Chen Shuo was overjoyed.

A summer of hard work has finally paid off.

Although he was matched up against Walton, who was nearing retirement, Leonard now has the ability to punish defensive weaknesses.

Last season in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat used Mike Miller to match up against Kawhi Leonard, hiding their weakest link in Leonard's game.

It won't be so easy this season.

Lowry clearly has the instincts of a point guard.

Now that we've found the weak point, we must seize it and attack it relentlessly.

The ball was passed to Leonard in the midfield position for the second consecutive round.

Leonard pushed hard and knocked Walton aside, turning to face the basket and dribbling. Okafor's feet unconsciously moved in that direction.

Before Leonard could even start, he immediately threw the ball into the air. The boxer ran to the paint first, jumped high, and slammed the ball into the basket.

Chen Shuo clapped silently.

The magician's teaching was quite effective.

Leonard's current offensive logic, compared to the original version of Leonard, includes a pause after receiving the ball in the midfield position.

At this point, Leonard's center of gravity is high when he has the ball, and he relies more on his body to protect the ball, which gives him a relatively wide field of vision.

Leonard will lower his center of gravity, dribble hard, and engage in physical contact when he makes a further breakthrough, creating space for a jump shot or a drive to the basket to finish the play.

Monty Williams, standing on the sidelines, yelled at Walton on the court: "You need to put pressure on him, don't let him make those moves so easily."

Wharton was speechless for a moment.

me?

Even if I were five or six years younger, I still couldn't handle this guy.

Although Walton's defense was poor, he had a good eye for talent, having grown up alongside his father, Walton, on the court.

From the moment you start playing, you know Leonard is no pushover.

Monty knew that it was indeed a bit of a stretch to ask.

However, the Hornets didn't make any significant improvements this season, and with no one available at the small forward position, they changed their defensive strategy in the next possession.

The moment Leonard received the ball, Irving immediately chased after him.

Limited by his size, Irving's one-on-one defense isn't outstanding, but his quick reflexes and instincts instantly spotted the ball.

Under double-teaming, Leonard's pass was noticeably slower, and by the time Lowry received the ball, Irving had already moved back in front of him.

Lowry wasn't in a hurry. He widened his position again and lobbed the ball to Leonard once more.

This time, Leonard gave the defense no chance to help, and the instant he received the ball, he turned and carried Walton to the baseline, contributing once again.

He made a jump shot.

It hit the target without fail.

Looking back.

Irving once again pushed the pace, helping Davis take off and forcefully outmaneuvering Garnett to secure the easy basket.

Garnett's jump speed has dropped by at least two levels compared to his peak.

Once he loses his position, Anthony Davis can easily take off.

When it comes to finishing plays, Anthony Davis is a truly historic player.

The Hornets' offense quickly turned into Irving's isolation plays and Davis's easy baskets.

The Cavaliers' offensive strategy revolves around Leonard.

Seeing that Irving was starting to interfere with Leonard's receiving of the ball, Lowry immediately pulled up for a three-pointer and pierced the bullseye.

Although Lowry can play the role of a traditional point guard.

But this guy's final form is a true modern defender.

After intensive training over the summer, Lowry's three-point shooting ability, both in terms of volume and efficiency, is actually second only to Thompson on this Cavaliers team.

Before the Hornets could even take their eyes off Leonard, Lowry secretly bared his fangs.

Using Chandler's pick-and-roll three-pointer, he backed down Irving and drove into the paint, easily defeating him.

He is proficient in all eighteen martial arts.

Seeing his teammates receive championship rings, Lowry certainly couldn't help but feel something.

Previously, he had simply been holding back and letting his teammates take the lead.

The Hornets' defensive problems aren't just limited to Walton; their entire perimeter defense is atrocious.

Kyrie Irving is the only qualified defensive lead here, but Kyle Lowry's size is a perfect counter to Irving's. If it were Chris Paul, Irving would be better off.

This continued until halftime.

Lowry and Leonard each scored ten points, helping the Cavaliers close the gap to within five points.

During halftime, the Cavaliers' championship highlights were played on the big screen at Quicken Loans Arena.

At the start of the third quarter, Tyronn Lue broke with tradition and benched Thompson.

Instead, Danny Green took his place.

Lowry, Danny Green, Leonard.

It's starting to feel a bit like the 19 Raptors.

Tyronn Lue's decision to keep Thompson on the bench.

Chen Shuo fully agreed.

In his rookie year, he became a key player and won the championship that countless players dream of.

As a middle blocker for the Cavaliers, a championship team, it's understandable that Thompson might drift a bit.

It would be good for Tyronn Lue to temper Thompson's temperament at the right time.

but.

It's estimated that Tyronn Lue is more concerned about the outcome of this game.

Chen Shuo wasn't in a hurry.

As the coach, he can't just let the team sink.

Defending champions, playing on home soil, at an awards ceremony, losing to a minnow.

These words, when put together, can create immense pressure.

Moreover, Gilbert, the boss, was watching closely from the sidelines.

The tone shifted dramatically in the second half.

While Danny Green can outmaneuver Kyrie Irving, his shooting percentage is noticeably declining.

Davis, on the other hand, was targeted by Chandler.

The Cavaliers coaching staff made a small matchup change.

The more athletic boxing champion completely dominated the rookie version of Anthony Davis.

The Hornets' offense was now solely reliant on Irving.

Everyone could see his desire to win.

The Cavaliers' offense, on the other hand, became increasingly successful.

When Leonard and Danny Green were running along the baseline, their eyes met and they paused at the same time, misleading the defenders behind them. They then immediately ran towards the perimeter along the screeners on both sides.

The Hornets' defense was like a dilapidated house leaking air everywhere.

With opportunities presented on both sides, Lowry chose Danny Green without hesitation.

When it comes to catch-and-shoot, Green was much more accurate, sinking a three-pointer from a perfect angle.

The Cavaliers ultimately went on another run in the third quarter, sealing the victory and avoiding a heartbreaking milestone.

After the third quarter, Chen Shuo didn't pay much attention to the game.

The Hornets' bench is so bad that it's completely ineffective for developing new players.

Chen Shuo then turned his attention to the other matches on the first day of competition.

East Coast.

The New York derby was a fierce and intense battle between the two teams.

With a reliable point guard and Iguodala as the secondary shooter, Anthony can finally receive the ball in a comfortable one-on-one area, and activate his triple threat to unleash his unstoppable killing power.

On the other side, Deron Williams was out of form as he was repeatedly marked by Shumpert and Iguodala.

Brook Lopez, on the other hand, dominated the Knicks' weak interior defense.

The two teams battled until the very last minute before a winner was decided, with Iguodala blocking Joe Jenson's game-winning shot and helping the Knicks secure a winning start to the season.

south coast.

Florida also features an internal battle, with the Orlando Magic facing off against the Miami Heat.

Bosh returned to his familiar position 4 and delivered a godlike performance, going on a rampage.

Regardless of whether the defender was Anderson, Vucevic, James, or Kwame Brown, Bosh chose to take all the shots, scoring a game-high 41 points.

However, the Magic's defense was equally terrible, allowing James and Wade to combine for 62 points and take the game away.

west coast.

Kobe and Gasol were sidelined due to injuries and missed the Staples Center derby.

The Los Angeles Clippers easily defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, finally getting a chance to challenge the top team in the City of Angels.

Looking westward.

The Spurs and Thunder, who were Western Conference Finals opponents last season, also had a tumultuous match.

Westbrook set the pace of the game, but his shooting touch was ice cold, and he was repeatedly limited by the Spurs' guided defense.

On the contrary, rookie Beal delivered an outstanding performance off the ball.

Unfortunately, the Spurs had an explosive game, with seven players scoring in double figures.

They secured the victory by double-teaming Durant in the crucial moments.

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