Chapter 1048
Even a dog's brain would be beaten to a pulp in the Western Conference first round
As for the Mavericks' opponent, it was determined only 20 minutes later.
The Warriors and Clippers matchup also went to a Game 7.
A battle between the city of airdrops and the Bay Area's elite.
The two teams have very similar rosters.
The centers are all blue-collar centers with explosive physical abilities, while the team's top two players are a combination of point guard and power forward.
Both teams love to run pick-and-rolls and are good at it; both teams' point guards have top-notch passing skills.
Of course, the Clippers are more aggressive, their players are more physically strong, while the Warriors are better at shooting, their players prefer to bounce the ball out after a pick-and-roll and shoot.
Both games went to a Game 7, and the matchup between these two teams was even more intense than the Thunder vs. Mavericks series.
None of their star players experienced significant fluctuations in form, and none of them managed to take a 3-1 lead.
Neither of these two teams has ever achieved a winning streak in this series.
1:0
1:1
2:1
……
Until 3:3!
At Oracle Arena, the Warriors will face off against the Clippers in their ultimate showdown!
This game was very much like a microcosm of the previous six games. Both teams' point guards were calm, mature, and steady types. In this game, they played slower, more cautiously, and more steadily.
Both sides played at a slow pace, but both were clearly comfortable with and enjoyed the feeling.
They didn't have many possessions, and their scoring efficiency was neither high nor low, but the score between the two teams never really widened.
The score difference between the two sides did not exceed 5 points in any quarter, and the two teams were still tied when entering the fourth quarter.
Both sides tried to gain the upper hand and take control of the game, but no matter how hard they tried, the game remained in a very fragile balance.
"Right now, the two teams are like standing on opposite sides of a cliff, with only a very thin branch supporting them." With five minutes left in the game and the score still tied, Shaquille O'Neal from TNT, who was in charge of broadcasting the game, suddenly made this analogy.
"Now, even tactics and techniques are no longer important. What will be a contest between the two sides next is actually luck."
"Whether an open shot will go in, whether the referee will call a foul that seems ambiguous, who will grab the rebound in a 50-50 tie, and so on. In short, what follows is a battle of wills, but also a contest of luck!"
"Now that the competition has come this far, let's see who has better luck and who can stay focused until the end!"
The game continued on the court, and as O'Neal said, luck did indeed change the course of the game.
With 2 minutes and 20 seconds left in the game, Rondo blew past Paul and drove hard to the basket. Inside the three-second zone, he used his signature move of folding the ball behind his back with one hand and then making a fake pass before driving to the basket.
Chandler fell for it; instead of jumping to block Rondo's layup, he tried to cut off the passing lane.
Rondo got a completely open layup opportunity.
But for some inexplicable reason, or perhaps the basket in Oakland was helping the Warriors, the layup just didn't go in!
When you miss a layup, what else could it be but luck?
Chandler, realizing what was happening, grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Paul.
Rondo missed a layup, and on the other end, Paul used a screen to isolate Griffin, using a series of crossovers, changes of direction, and pauses to increase the pace of the game. Finally, Paul shook off Griffin's balance and hit a mid-range jumper!
Your layup missed, but my mid-range jumper went in. Those four points from both sides are absolutely heartbreaking for all Clippers fans.
With this possession, the home team Warriors extended their lead to 4 points.
Then it was Paul's turn. He successfully dominated Rondo in the final moments of the game. When Rondo passed the ball, he guessed the direction and quickly rushed out to make a steal!
After a steal, a fast break is inevitable!
Paul only dunked a total of 3 times this season, 2 of which were in the All-Star Game.
But this time, he charged forward relentlessly, then jumped up with the ball and slammed it into the basket with one hand!
After scoring, Paul looked up to the sky and roared.
6 points!
There are 1 minute and 40 seconds left in the game.
A six-point margin is enough for the Warriors to breathe a sigh of relief; they've already secured a significant portion of the victory.
In the following period, the Clippers exposed their mediocre three-point ability and their inability to accurately hit three-pointers in crucial moments. They failed to capitalize on several opportunities beyond the three-point line.
If they miss the three-pointer, they can't close the gap. The Clippers tried their best, but they couldn't reduce the deficit in the last minute and a half, and they fell into an embarrassing scoring drought in the final moments.
Ultimately, when the game ended, the Clippers unfortunately lost 90-98, a difference of 8 points.
Their offensive drought of failing to score a single point in the final 2 minutes and 30 seconds was a major reason for their defeat tonight.
"The Clippers need to find a high-scoring player! Someone who can ignore all situations, give you the ball in crucial moments, and he'll just sink it." Barkley summarized after the game: "Rondo is a good player, but his scoring ability is indeed a bit lacking."
"Hopefully the Clippers will be even stronger next year! Hopefully they can make a breakthrough in the playoffs next year."
The commentators could only offer their sincerest blessings to the Clippers and wish them a bright future.
As for the Warriors, they don't have much time to rest either. They finished third in the regular season, so they have to fly to Dallas immediately for the first game of the semifinals.
Having finished their games close to the Mavericks', they were destined to have several hours less rest than the Mavericks due to the lack of home-court advantage, and they would experience more travel fatigue than the Mavericks.
There was nothing they could do; their mentality collapsed in the last few games of the regular season, and their performance was so poor that they couldn't hold onto second place.
Fortunately, after the fierce battle in the first round, regardless of whether the Warriors can defeat the Mavericks and advance to the conference finals, their confidence has returned and they are in top form.
Now, let basketball decide!
It's worth noting that these two series, which went to a Game 7, were not the last series to finish in the first round.
The final series ended in Denver!
Yes, in the final series, the Nuggets vs. Grizzlies game went to a Game 7!
In the first round of the Western Conference, three out of the four matchups went to a Game 7, which shows how crazy and brutal the Western Conference matchups are. It's no exaggeration to say that the brains of these teams would have been splattered everywhere in the first round!
Unlike the other three teams, where perimeter players lead the team and interior players play a supporting role, the Grizzlies and Nuggets build their teams around interior players as the absolute core!
The Nuggets suffered a major blow during training camp this year when Chauncey Billups, the team's second-best player for the past few years and one of the league's top guards, suffered a serious injury during training, ruling him out for almost the entire season.
He only played 12 games in the entire regular season, so it's no exaggeration to say he was completely out for the season. But now he's recovered and at least participated fully in the first round of games.
Unfortunately, injuries can heal, but form can never be regained. At 36, Billups was already in the twilight of his career, his form visibly declining year after year. And this year, after recovering from injury, he completely lacked the charisma of his former Finals MVP days.
常规赛12场，他场均只有7分3次助攻入账，并且命中率只有36%和29%！
After watching his performance in the regular season, everyone was quite certain that Billups was probably not coming back. His form and energy had completely left him after the serious injury at the beginning of the season.
In the first six playoff games, Billups' performance was quite mediocre. Although his shooting percentages rose to 44% and 33%, his stats declined further, with only 5 points and 2 assists.
He has become a complete bit player, having completely lost his former sharpness and cold-bloodedness.
His improved shooting percentage wasn't because his shooting touch had returned; it was simply because Billups reduced his shot attempts. He wouldn't shoot unless it was a clear-cut opportunity, thus maintaining his efficiency and preventing himself from becoming too much of a liability to the team.
This was a helpless and heartbreaking choice, but it was also the best choice for the team.
The Nuggets' performance, despite missing their second star player for almost the entire season, is largely due to the rookies they promoted from the bench.
Ty Lawson!
Despite his short stature, this guard possesses a tank-like physique and incredible speed. His dribbling ability is top-notch, and he also has considerable passing and shooting skills.
More importantly, despite his short stature, his defensive ability is quite good. With his strong physique and excellent lateral movement, he is at least not a weakness that opponents can exploit.
Lawson averaged 17 points and 7 assists per game this season, effectively taking over Billups' mantle. Coupled with Darko Milicic, still in his prime and averaging 23 points and 12 rebounds, the Nuggets maintained a winning percentage in the regular season and put up a close fight with the Grizzlies in the playoffs! Their opponent, the Grizzlies, was this year's biggest dark horse!
They've been rebuilding ever since trading Gasol to the Cavaliers. Their draft picks have been mediocre, and while their roster is decent, they don't have any particularly strong players.
The reason the team became a dark horse this year, unexpectedly making it into the playoffs and almost reaching the top half, was due to a signing during the offseason that was both incomprehensible and not viewed favorably.
The Grizzlies spent a lot of money during the offseason to acquire free agent Zach Randolph!
Randolph signed a massive three-year, nearly $60 million contract with the Grizzlies, making him the highest-paid player in Grizzlies history in terms of both annual salary and total salary for a single contract.
Of course, for a Grizzlies team with a rather meager history, this is nothing to be proud of.
But the key point is that when this signing was first announced, everyone's first reaction was: the Grizzlies are doomed!
They all thought the Grizzlies were crazy to bring in such a guy.
Yes, Randolph is talented! If you only look at his on-court stats, he absolutely deserves a 3-year, $6000 million contract.
He has averaged 20+10 for five consecutive years, making him a true representative of the league's top power forwards.
The problem is, if Randolph's stats are 10 points, then his off-court drinking, clubbing, shady gang connections, and other terrible behaviors and habits can only get him -10 points at most. This guy is definitely one of the most dishonest jerks in the entire NBA.
If that's the case, it's not so bad. Just play well on the court, right?
But unfortunately, Randolph wasn't a good kid on the pitch either.
Wasteful shooting, lack of defense, terrible relationships with teammates, a penchant for causing trouble, and a lack of teamwork are all his flaws.
It has long been said that Randolph is a prime example of wasting talent in the league. If he wants to play well, the team must have some veterans and big brothers who can keep an eye on him. Only then will he have a chance to turn over a new leaf.
But clearly, the Grizzlies don't have that kind of player.
Among the Grizzlies' starting lineup, starting point guard Conley entered the league in 07, Marc Gasol is a white guy who looks very plain, and OJ Mayo can be identified just by looking at his face. Once Randolph joins the team, he will find his place.
He would have to go down with Randolph.
There isn't a single veteran on the entire Grizzlies team.
Well... not exactly, there are veterans.
Gilbert Arenas, who has been reduced to a minimum-salary player due to a series of injuries and off-court incidents, is also with the Grizzlies.
But is it possible to expect Arenas to discipline Randolph and put him on the right track?
Arenas was more likely to have blown Randolph's head off with a single shot.
In short, nobody is optimistic about the Grizzlies, and nobody is optimistic about this signing.
But as it turned out, this signing, which was questioned by countless people from the very beginning, showed a surprising effect at the start of the season!
The Grizzlies have held a top-eight position in the Western Conference since the start of the season. They play with remarkable consistency and maturity. Although no one on the team made the All-Star team this year, and no one averaged more than 20 points per game, it is clear to everyone that this is an incredibly united team!
A true team!
Besides the improvements made by players like Marc Gasol and Mayo, the changes made by Randolph are also an important reason for the team's progress.
He stopped shooting three-pointers and long two-pointers. Instead, he started to position himself deeper under the basket and attack the basket as much as possible. He would even set screens for the team's young guards when they had the ball.
On the defensive end, although he is still not good at aerial defense and help defense, he has shown unprecedented tenacity and ferocity when defending one-on-one.
This guy, after playing in the NBA for more than ten years, suddenly had a breakthrough.
Just as everyone was surprised by Randolph's sudden departure and wondering what had caused such a big change in him, they noticed a figure that appeared from time to time behind the Grizzlies' bench.
Jerry West.
One of the league's best and top managers, one of the most charismatic veterans, and one of the league's highest-ranking, most authoritative, and best at communicating with players.
A veteran? A leader on the field who can keep Randolph in check?
With West around, all that is irrelevant!
West could do all of this by himself!
It was only natural and reasonable for him to tame Randolph!
In short, the Grizzlies underwent a transformation after Randolph joined the team.
No one on their roster has made the All-Star team yet, but they have had a strong start and maintained their playoff position in the West. In the first round of the playoffs, they fought the veteran powerhouse Nuggets all the way to a Game 7!
If the Clippers' Game 7 against the Warriors was slow, calm, mature, and thoughtful...
This round between the Nuggets and Grizzlies was nothing short of a meat grinder.
Both teams are known for their physicality and enjoy physical contact, and both teams are filled with muscular players of various sizes, heights, ages, and styles.
Both teams played slower, more aggressively, and their physical confrontations were more brutal and fierce!
There were a total of 17 technical fouls in this series, averaging nearly 3 per game!
In every one of the seven games, the two teams had a total of more than 70 free throws!
Fragmented matches, slow-paced positional battles, hard-hitting physical confrontations, and constant whistles—that's the best description of this series.
In contrast to the fact that both teams attempted more than 70 free throws in each game, neither team managed to score more than 100 points in any single game across the seven games played!
This is a rather retro showdown, and an incredibly bloody battle!
In the final moments of Game 7, it was the Grizzlies' Big Two who, with their numerical advantage, managed to suppress Milicic from Serbia.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph grabbed 11 rebounds in the final 3 minutes of the game, 5 of which were offensive rebounds!
They completely dominated the paint and completely suppressed the Nuggets.
The Nuggets only managed three rebounds in the final three minutes, all of which were defensive rebounds.
A massive 8-rebound margin in just 3 minutes decided the outcome of the game.
Ultimately, the Nuggets, having missed the rebound, were deeply disappointed and fell in the first round of the playoffs once again, bidding a regretful farewell to their season.
But whether they even have a tomorrow is something no one can be sure of anymore.
The Denver Nuggets have been building their team around Darko Milicic for nine years now, and they've never missed the playoffs, even reaching the conference finals. But they've never made it to the NBA Finals, let alone won a championship.
It seems that the ceiling for building a team around Milicic has been reached.
Will the Nuggets' management remain patient? Will they continue to believe in Milicic and continue playing this style of game?
Or will they seek some changes this summer, while Milicic still has two years left on his contract?
Nobody knows, and nobody can give an answer. Even Milicic, who was completely exhausted after playing a full 44 minutes tonight and lay on the floor for a long time, didn't know. He didn't know where the team's future or his own future lay.
They are completely different from the young Clippers and Thunder, those teams have a bright future, but the Nuggets have been stuck in this position for almost 10 years.
Few people pay attention to the bitterness of the losers; what everyone notices is the excited roar of the Black and White Duo after advancing.
Marc Gasol has proven that he is not much worse than his brother, and he is also a top center in the league.
Randolph shed his glamorous image and showed everyone that he is also a qualified athlete, and that he can lead the team forward as a leader!
Can this Grizzlies team pull off another upset? After their surprising entry into the playoffs and the second round, can they pull off another upset and even defeat the Lakers?
This is the biggest challenge the Lakers will face in the second round of the competition.
A Grizzlies team with a style completely opposite to the Suns, playing a style of play entirely different from the Suns!
Of course, there are still some awards to be presented before the second round of the playoffs begins.
Some awards were already given out during the playoffs.
For example, the Rookie of the Year award went to this year's number one draft pick, Kyrie Irving. This incredibly flashy and stylish rookie is sure to become an All-Star caliber player in the future.
The Most Improved Player is Ryan Anderson of the Rockets. This big man is averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds this year, while also shooting 40% from three-point range, making him a top-tier shooter. Big men like him have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Neither of the award winners made it to the playoffs, and their trophies were simply given to them and their teams by the league at the last minute, with a press conference held to announce the award.
But these two players who received awards outside the playoffs weren't too tragic.
The most tragic case is that of the Sixth Man of the Year winner. (End of Chapter)