Chapter 320: Promotion

Wang Zhizhi’s chances and number of appearances this season have been reduced to a certain extent compared to last season. The arrival of Kevin Garnett and the growth of Chris Anderson and Dalem Porter have made Wang Zhizhi more effective. Take a slant and develop towards a thorough surprise.
However, Wang Zhizhi's state and strength this season has actually improved compared to last season. After hard training, good physical conditioning, and after adapting to the Celtic environment, Wang Zhizhi has made great progress with his seniors and masters. A notable feature is that with a lot of garbage time playing opportunities this season, Wang Zhizhi didn't just throw three-pointers to score points like in the past, but was more involved in the collective offense and defense, playing in a decent way.
Because of this, when the playoffs were set up, Leon still included Wang Zhizhi when the insiders were a bit over-compiled. In the first round, he didn't get too many opportunities to play, but in the second round, facing the New Jersey Nets, Wang Zhizhi finally played his due role.
Obviously, the Continental Airlines Arena is Wang Zhizhi's blessed ground. As long as he plays here, he can find the offensive feeling and give the Nets a fatal blow in the limited playing time.
After hitting the equalizer three-pointer, the balance of the game has gradually shifted to the Celtics side, because the Celtics have slowly found an offensive feel through the coordination and transmission of the entire third quarter. This is not good news for the Nets. They played three quarters, but they were still on the same starting line as the Celtics.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Leon did not hesitate and immediately all the main lineup came on the field. The soldiers were very fast. In the last twelve minutes of the fourth quarter, every second was critical.
As soon as the whistle was opened in the fourth quarter, the Celtics quickly passed the half-court, opened the corners, and ran an eagle tactic. Garnett made a screen for Reid to completely open the right side and clear it, and then Arenas Forced a breakthrough from the right, directly attacked the basket, used a small toss over Collins' fingertips and scored two points.
This is a bad signal for the Nets. The Celtics' offense seems to switch back and forth between the team and the individual, which will overwhelm the Nets' defense line that was already struggling to maintain.
But the worse thing for the Nets next is that their offense starts to misfire.
Relying on Kidd’s strong and delicate organization in the first three quarters, the Nets played very well. Kidd has already sent 15 assists in the three quarters. Tonight, the veteran has adjusted his state to the best. Many fleeting opportunities are Being caught by him formed an effective offense, and even Leon had to admire the strong observation ability and excellent dispatch level of this point guard on the court.
However, in the fourth quarter, Kidd's knees started to be a bit unsupported. In the third quarter, he began to use an ice pack to cool down to relieve the pain in the knees. By the fourth quarter, his pace slowed down significantly. Arenas looked no different from the first quarter, still coming and going like wind, starting like a panther.
Kidd’s pace is getting slower and slower. In the offense, he began to be attacked by Reed and Arenas. In this case, Kittles cannot share the burden of Kidd’s organization. In the absence of singles masters Next, the Nets’ offense was stuck-as they did in the first two games.
At 12:3, the Celtics used a 12:3 offensive shock in three minutes to open the point difference to 9 points. Frank had to call a timeout. The fans on the scene began to have a bad feeling. A shadow that might be swept over their heads appeared.
Sure enough, the timeout does not improve Kidd’s knee injury. Once the Nets can’t block the Celtics’ offense on defense, they can’t use effective positional offenses to form a see-saw with the Celtics. Lineup defects broke out in this quarter. The Nets can only rely on Martin's stiff little hook and some of Jefferson's back singles to score points, while the Celtics' offensive wave after wave.
When the game reached the eighth minute of the fourth quarter, the point difference had been opened to 15 points, and the general situation was gone. The collapse came so quickly that many fans felt extremely disappointed. Some people had left early, and some people covered their faces and did not want to watch the Nets continue to be slaughtered.
With less than three minutes left before the end of the game, Fox-Leon finally put down his butcher knife, he called a short timeout and replaced the substitute player to finish the last two minutes.
At 107:91, the Celtics took away the Nets in the fourth quarter. They won by 16 points in the fourth quarter. The total score became 3:0. There is no team in NBA history. Backed by 0:3 behind. The only question now is whether the Nets can redeem some dignity for themselves in the next game and drag the series to Boston.
But obviously, Leon and the Celtics didn’t want to give the Nets any chance. Two days later, at the Continental Airlines Arena, the Celtics ended the game in an hour and a half, 98:87. 11 points, a game with the smallest difference between the two sides, but in fact the Nets didn't have any chance. They were pressed by the Celtics from start to finish.
When the buzzer sounded at the end of the game, Jason Kidd stood up from the bench with a towel over his head, pouting indifference and numbness, and fell in front of the Bostonians for the second year in a row. And it fell without resistance.
His left leg was a little lame, and the pain in his knee tortured him a lot, but this pain was nowhere near the pain caused by failure. However, he went to the midfield and hugged Pierce and Garnett, congratulating them on entering the Eastern Conference Finals.
Then he stepped forward again, walked to Leon and shook his hand.
Leon looked at the point guard who had been fighting with him for three years, and he couldn't help feeling respect.
Three years ago, in the Eastern Conference Finals, his Nets blocked the Celtics and Lakers' dream of meeting the finals. At that time Martin was just sophomore, Jefferson was still a rookie, and Kidd was almost half the Nets. He also has quick speed, superb strength among point guards, outstanding vision, and poor shooting.
Leon still clearly remembers that Kidd and Dennis Rodman competed for rebounds in the game, and he could even grab the ball from Big Worm. In that round of the series, he averaged 11.3 rebounds per game. It is a perfect triple-double with 17.5 points and 10.8 assists ~EbookFREE.me~. Enough to shame a guy like Antoine Walker who averaged 8 rebounds per game.
Three years have passed, the Celtics have struggled past the smug Nets, and this year they swept this old opponent without doing their best. In the NBA, it can be described as three years in Hedong and Hexi.
Kidd looked at Fox Leon and felt helpless. This assistant coach, who was once an unknown assistant on the sidelines, has now become a terrible controller. Throughout the series, Kidd could feel that he was targeted, regardless of offense or defense, being targeted indefinitely. He knew that Arenas would not be so smart. He was a straight boy, and only the controller behind him would teach him how to do it.
Leon succeeded, tearing Kidd and his Nets to pieces. At the end of the game, Kidd even felt that his career was over. He seems to be 40 years old, so he will leave the stage empty-handed. He didn't erase this feeling from his mind until he hugged and talked to the Celtics players.
The two shook hands on the sidelines, gave a light hug, patted each other's back, and left without saying a word.
At the end of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Celtics swept the New Jersey Nets 4:0 to advance to the next round. (To be continued.)