Chapter 366 Turn off Beauty(2/3)
And what’s even more cruel about the score difference is that almost five minutes into the second half, the Cavaliers didn’t even score!
The Cavaliers' backcourt double guns in the first half gave Cavaliers fans endless daydreams. Look, they can even compete with the league's No. 1 team!
Then in the second half, it was like the anchor turned off the beauty, scaring the top guy on the list and running away with a bucket overnight!
In the entire third quarter, the Cavaliers only scored 8 points, but the Nets scored 31 points!
31 to 8!
The Nets defeated the Cavaliers by 23 points in a single quarter!
There is no such thing as pressing the rhythm, it is simply relying on defense to push the offense, and widening the point difference in one quarter!
At the end of three quarters, 52 to 82.
At the end of the third quarter, G1 was already over.
The score between the two sides was finally settled at 69 to 110.
Before the final buzzer sounded, the on-site photographer showed footage of the Cavaliers bench.
Harden's expression didn't change much from the beginning.
However, Irving's expression was completely numb, and he stared blankly at the field as if he had lost his mind.
The young Kyrie has the drive and vision that a young man should have, but he suffered a huge blow in the first playoff game of his career.
It's no longer clear whether reaching the playoffs is a good thing or a bad thing.
…
In the opening game of the playoffs, the Nets defeated their opponents by 41 points.
Although this was the first against the eighth, and although the opponent was a young knight, this was already too much.
Even because of this, the Pacers next door beating the Bulls 93 to 73 is not worth mentioning.
Social media after the game was also quite lively.
"The Nets' defense is so suffocating. Jimmy Butler deserves a defensive spot this year. Deron's defense is also very aggressive. Plus Lin and Chandler are two natural defensive players. This defense can compete with
Let’s compare the Pistons from back then!”
"I've noticed this since before the All-Star Game, the 'death third quarter,' where you know they're going to defend, but you just can't score!"
"Not every coach dares to let Johnson go to the bench. Sloan's level is definitely that of the best coach!"
"There is no harm without comparison. Look at Scott on the opposite side, who is also the best coach. Is he reluctant to call a timeout or has he forgotten that there is someone on the bench?"
"Obviously, Kidd and Paul have raised the outside world's evaluation of him. He is an excellent point guard mentor (both Irving and Harden have become All-Stars under his guidance this season), but he is by no means an
Good coach!"
…
Two days later, the Nets scored another victory 101-81, taking a 2-0 lead.
This result is quite expected.
The Nets feel stable this season, which is also a characteristic of the team coached by Sloan.
It is very difficult to defeat them in an upset.
Cavaliers fans feel aggrieved.
This is the first time they have returned to the playoffs since James left.
Although we know there is a gap in strength and can accept losing, losing an average of 30 points per game in two games is unacceptable!
Emotions must find a place to vent, and Harden is their outlet.
In the two games, Irving averaged 18.5 points and 2.5 assists per game, and his three-point shooting percentage reached 45%.
Because of the Nets' style of play, it was difficult to score points in the third quarter and there was no need to play in the fourth quarter.
So you can regard this as a half-time performance, which is already very good.
In comparison, Harden's performance stretched a lot.
Although he averaged 15 points and 7 assists per game, it was far behind his regular season numbers.
Moreover, his shooting percentage is only over 40%, and his three-point shooting percentage is less than 30%.
Such performance is obviously not up to standard.
And this is not the main reason why fans criticize him.
What made all this happen was that a fan photographed Harden going to a nightclub to get drunk after the G1 game.
The photo of him holding a fat-assed girl with his left and right hands spread all over the Internet.
"Gilbert is paying for Harden's girls", "Harden is strengthening ball handling and press breaking training in New York", "Have you ever seen New York at four in the morning?"...
Fans’ comments came one after another.
When the Cavaliers acquired Harden in a trade before, they readily offered him a five-year, 87.5 million maximum salary extension contract.
This contract will not officially take effect until next season.
In other words, it does not meet the requirements of the "amnesty clause" in the new labor agreement.
If the Cavaliers no longer want Harden, they can only choose to trade or buy out.
And now Harden's behavior, in the eyes of fans, is the next player to get lost after getting a big contract.
Although no matter what the reason is, the matter itself is actually nothing.
It's normal to feel depressed after losing a big score. It's normal to find a nightclub to vent your emotions. Moreover, this is New York, not Cleveland, and there are top girls with fat butts that Cleveland doesn't have.
But in competitive sports, food is the original sin.
At this point, Jordan is a classic counterexample.
He loved gambling during his peak period, and he was probably the only one who could gamble during the finals.
But he can win, and even if there are doubts, it will only be on a small scale.
More people will think he is cool.
Betting before the game and winning after the game is just like in the western cowboy martial arts novels, where you hug a woman while killing indiscriminately.
…
In G3 of the series, both teams will move to Cleveland.
The Cavaliers players returned to Cleveland after G2.
It still feels good to be home.
Especially when they experienced two big defeats like this.
Just like a leopard that goes out hunting and encounters a tiger that is beaten and bruised all over its body, it can lick its wounds when it returns home and feel a greater sense of security.
Harden, in training, sweating like rain.
He likes fat buttocks, just like other people like buying luxury cars and watches, it is just a hobby.
That doesn't affect his training.
In fact, those who can make a name for themselves in the NBA must train hard.
And those training freaks are not hardworking, they are crazy.
Just like Lin Ying and Durant back then, they basically did nothing else except training.
Harden is not at that level. He still has his own hobbies, but his training intensity is not low.
Ten minutes on stage and ten years of hard work off stage. His progress year by year does not rely on magic.
And the sounds from the outside world clearly irritated him.
For the first time, he experienced the magnifying glass of the media and what one-sided reporting is.
Durant told him those things when they were in Oklahoma, and he thought Durant was exaggerating.
But real life is like this, and it’s hard to empathize with many things unless you experience them.
He felt it and wanted to prove himself even more.
After a while, Owen came in.
"You're here, James."
Irving was a little surprised when he saw Harden, but he just said a word and then sat on the stool against the wall.
Unlike Harden, consecutive defeats gave him a strong sense of frustration.
Their current mood is exactly the same as before the series started.
Harden stopped training, then walked over to sit next to Irving.
"Kelly, I have an idea."
Turning to look at Irving's depressed mood, Harden spoke seriously.
To be continued...