The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 548 - 229 Another Hunter is Born!_4

Chapter 548: Chapter 229 Another Hunter is Born!_4

The first game that erupted in Cleveland yielded results that were somewhat unexpected for LeBron as well as the Cleveland media.

Right from the start, the Magic Team controlled the tempo on both offense and defense. LeBron was trapped in continuous double teams and couldn’t initiate his own offense, only able to pass the ball to let his teammates shoulder the scoring responsibility.

But...

The Cavaliers are the standard "One Star and Four Shooters."

Moreover, their strategy revolves around perimeter players being that "One Star."

Because LeBron’s breakthroughs couldn’t cause damage, the Magic Team’s defense fearlessly expanded its formation during their defensive plays, without worrying about the breakthroughs from the rest of the Cavaliers, posing no threat to the basket.

Honestly speaking, Marion did have the capability to charge at the basket.

But he primarily used his exceptional athleticism during offensive-defensive transitions to accomplish this; in a set offense, he was more skilled in finishing with his "bent-arm machine gun."

Most importantly...

The Magic Team had Howard!

He could cover various defensive assignments on the perimeter!

That horrifying agility left people in awe.

It was the Magic Team’s greatest advantage on defense.

As for offense, not to mention that the "One Star and Four Shooters" were also the Magic Team’s preferred pace, but they even had the basket-attacking prowess that the Cavaliers desperately needed in this game.

It was still Dwight Howard!

His extraordinary explosive power made it easy for him to receive passes and attack the basket against the Cavaliers’ interior defense, just looking at his face, this wasn’t a playoff game at all!

This damn thing was like an "exhibition match"!

And so, in the semifinal’s first game, and on the Cavaliers’ home court, the Magic Team delivered a "stunning blow" to the confident LeBron and the Cleveland media, knocking them senseless!

Howard slashed a "double-double" with 21 points and 16 rebounds, overshadowing LeBron James’ 26 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 turnovers. It seemed that, after this game, the name "Magic Beast" would spread throughout all of Cleveland.

Now the Cleveland media and Cavaliers fans no longer had the confidence they had at the start of the series.

The Indiana media timingly delivered a "heavy hammer": "Clearly, Clevelanders have finally realized that they have not yet advanced from the semifinals, and maybe this season will end at the semifinals. Good luck, Cavaliers!"

Faced with such sarcastic comments, the Cleveland media would have usually retorted by now.

Their egos were particularly inflated this season.

But considering they had already lost a home game, and if they were to lose another one, they’d be going to Orlando with a 0-2 deficit; describing it as a life-or-death situation would be no exaggeration.

With life hanging by a thread, how could they care about what others said?

They should focus on the second game of the series!

They suggested various strategies to Mike Brown, and though none were used, at least...

The Cavaliers managed to win the second game of the series.

Sometimes, you just have to believe that there is a mysticism in this world.

Especially in competitive sports, those who celebrate with champagne at halftime often face a massive reversal.

Only those who always maintain a heart of a student can keep climbing higher.

From this perspective...

It’s the pot calling the kettle black!

Cleveland and LeBron indeed had such issues at the start of the series.

And the media’s arrogance could to some extent affect the entire team’s mentality, making them underestimate their opponents.

The outcome of such arrogance is often devastating.

Like in the first game of the series.

In this game, the Cavaliers’ attitude was clearly less impetuous.

However, their victory tonight was mainly due to the team’s hot shooting, sinking 19 three-point shots, providing LeBron with the "statistical cake" to earn 13 assists in this game.

He racked up a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists.

Sweeping away the shadows of being outperformed by Howard in the previous game.

In this game, Howard still notched 20 points and 12 rebounds, but compared to LeBron’s triple-double, it wasn’t enough.

The series evened out at 1-1.

The Cleveland media this time...

Didn’t pop any champagne.

They were also scared off by the "stunning blow" from the first game.

And with the next games at the Magic Team’s home court, they indeed had reasons to worry.

In the third game of the series, the Cavaliers’ three-point shooting was noticeably worse than in the previous game, which was largely related to their own shot-making as well as the Magic Team’s targeted defense.

The previous game allowed the Cavaliers to sink 19 three-point shots, and after it, Stan Van Gundy was furious, declaring their defense that night was crap.

It was obvious that his authority within the Magic Team was much higher than during his time with the Heat Team. Coupled with the return to their home court, the Magic Team players’ enthusiasm on defense was extremely high, especially Howard’s long and energetic runs.

Energy is conserved!

The Cavaliers’ explosive shooting in the last game was matched by the Magic Team’s three-point explosion in this game.

Plus Howard’s seven blocks in a single game.

The Magic Team once again took the lead in the series.

Howard’s stats for this game were an exaggerated 16 points, 20 rebounds, and 7 blocks.

LeBron James’ 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists were obviously outshone by him again.

The external media couldn’t help but take notice of Howard.

Nobody expected that in this "battle of top picks," the more eye-catching "No.1 Pick" turned out to be Dwight Howard.