One Guard

The "script" of the 17-18 season is as exciting as most people imagine. The Houston Rockets skyrocketed after the introduction of Chris Paul and got the best regular season record in team history with 65 wins. The Cleveland Cavaliers only ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference, and the departure of Kelly Irving made the Cavaliers' situation in the Eastern Conference very tense. The Warriors only took 58 wins in a very low-key regular season, but everyone knows that in the playoffs, the strength of this team is by no means measurable by 58 wins.

The top eight rankings of both East and West have been confirmed. Whether surprise or disappointment, the championship is so cruel.

Before the start of the playoffs this year, what people talked about the most was not the Rockets with the best record of 65 wins in team history, but the Rockets who won ten games more than the Rockets. This season, this season has once again refreshed the NBA's single-season wins. The Dallas Mavericks of record!

The Mavericks vs. Spurs, if placed a few years ago, surely no one would have imagined that these two old enemies would meet early in the first round of the playoffs. But all kinds of incredible things have happened, and this one is not bad.

With 47 wins and 35 losses, after Duncan retired and Leonard had a conflict with the Spurs, this season's San Antonio Spurs barely made the playoffs with only eighth in the Western Conference. As long as they lose one more game, the eighth place in the West will be replaced by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Seeing that the Spurs, which will never die, also began to weaken, and countless fans were heartbroken.

This season, Leonard almost disappeared from the Spurs. Tony Parker, who is 36 years old, has also given up his starting position and is no longer the star who can be fast on the court. How long Manu Ginobili can play has become the most popular topic about him. After all, you can't expect a 41-year-old man to lead the team to turn the tide.

In addition to Leonard's injury and the aging of the Spurs, Popovich's wife has become increasingly ill in recent days, and the father can't help being distracted. Some time ago, Popovich was absent from the team training, and the rest of the coaching staff was solely responsible for it. With so many unlucky encounters, the San Antonio Spurs are really misfortunes that never come singly.

According to media reports, the current Spurs team is a single-core team centered around Aldridge, and Popovich has some unwillingness to fight. Although Nowitzki has done miracles, people don't expect Aldridge to lead the team out of the siege and win the championship like Nowitzki in 2011, because this is really unrealistic.

Before the playoffs started, everyone predicted that the Spurs would be swept.

Back then, the Spurs were the Mavericks' most powerful opponent in the West. But now when the two teams meet again, there will be no suspense in the game. But this is the NBA, no team can stay strong. The Chicago Bulls, which established two dynasties back then, have not slowed down until now.

Although the Spurs have such misfortunes, Carlisle and Yiyang did not neglect their preparations. In the regular season, they achieved a proud record of 75 wins, but some of the problems the team encountered in the victory also sounded the alarm for Carlisle and Yiyang all the time.

Among them, the most serious problem is undoubtedly the inside configuration of the Mavericks.

"Rudy's recovery from injury is pretty good. If nothing happens, he will be back in the Western Conference Finals! Of course, the premise is that you must survive the first two rounds before he returns. Otherwise, he will play next time. It's been a season." Benjamin reported Gobert's latest situation to Yiyang and Carlisle in Carlisle's office.

Although Benjamin said he was recovering well, he could only return to the Western Conference Finals, which was actually much slower than Carlisle expected.

"That guy sends text messages every day to tell me that he can play, silly boy, of course he can play. But, you have to wait." Carlisle shook his head, and now there are more than a hundred Gobert messages on his phone. Here comes the text message.

"I went to see him at his house yesterday. This guy has no problem walking normally. If possible, Benjamin, arrange for him to do recovery training as soon as possible. Of course, it must be safe."

"No problem, also. Don't worry, I will definitely put the player's health first."

Yiyang sighed. It is not the first time that the Mavericks have met such things as missing players in the playoffs. It was precisely because of injuries last season that the Mavericks were defeated. But the lack of an inside defensive backbone at such a critical moment is really the first time in history.

It's not just the Mavericks this season, it seems that many teams are suffering from injuries. For example, the Spurs who lost Leonard, the Pelicans who lost Cousins, and so on. The number of players on the injury list will definitely increase after the playoffs begin.

Yiyang can only pray that the Mavericks must never fall down.

Now for the Mavericks, the weak inside configuration is a huge test. Because after losing Gobert, the Mavericks are left with only Tunisian Majori as a pure center.

Although Majori's performance in the regular season started well, he still couldn't compare with Rudy Gobert. And the intensity of the playoffs, Majori may not be able to resist it.

Majori belongs to the kind of player who can be used, but is unbearable.

Except for Majori, the Mavericks have only two insides left, Dirk old and Larry Nance Jr. Dirk is too old to play for long in the playoffs. Little Nance has not many chances to play this season, and his state is very average. Carlisle dare not let him go to the top five position. And Kuzma and Rudy Gay, two triumphant guys, are not suitable candidates for the center position.

In the regular season, the Mavericks have already shown some problems with insufficient ability to protect the basket. Once Majori's only height comes off the field, the Mavericks' penalty area is wide open.

In the playoffs, all enemies will reduce your strengths and magnify your weaknesses. At that time, the inside line of the Mavericks must be the focus of all opponents!

Carlisle changed his position and thought about it. If he led other opposing teams to fight the Mavericks, then he could list dozens of methods against the Mavericks' height shortage.

The only single-core Aldridge remaining on the Spurs is yet another low-level killer! The game against the San Antonio Spurs will never be as easy as the outside world says...

※※※

From the regular season to the playoffs, the league has traditionally left everyone with two days of adjustment and rest. There are no exceptions in other seasons except for the shrinking season when it is only one day apart.

On April 14, the first round of the NBA playoffs was about to start, and Popovich didn't go to the hospital to take a look at his wife until ten o'clock in the evening on the 13th. The reason is simple, he just finished training with the team. And immediately, he will leave his beloved wife who is seriously ill again, and fly to the place where he smashes into the sand again and again, Dallas, Texas.

"Irene, dear Irene, I miss you all day. Damn it, maybe I can't stay with you for too long. Please be better and stronger. This season is about to end, and I will There is enough time to be with you."

Aldridge, who came with Popovich, stood behind the gray-haired old man. Perhaps only in front of his wife, this old man would be so gentle.

"It's okay. Go play your game. We have come here for so many years. This is just another normal playoff game. Hey, LaMarcus, hello. Don’t stand, just sit down. "Popovich’s wife, Irene Popovich, has a smile on her face. Although she wears an oxygen tube on her nose, other than that, you can’t tell that this is a woman who is seriously ill in bed. She is so optimistic and so brave.

"Um...no, I'll just stand and talk." Aldridge smiled and didn't bother the old Popovich couple.

He couldn't help wondering, if his relatives were lying on the bed like this, would he still have the energy to roar loudly on the basketball court, and whether he would still have the energy to study his opponent.

But Popovich did it. This old man is no different in peacetime except for missing two days of training some time ago.

He still researches the Mavericks game videos day and night, and constantly tries new tactics during training. Of course, how can you get rid of the foul language when you are angry?

The media say that Popovich has no intention of fighting now. But only the Spurs players know it best, that it's just nonsense. That guy Popovich, he still wants to win! Even if the opponent is 75 wins the Mavericks, he still wants to win!

The key to Popovich's desire to win is Aldridge, who is standing behind the couple at this time.

In the first two seasons of the Spurs, Aldridge had a bad time. Last season, Aldridge averaged 17.3 points per game, which is a career low since his rookie season.

While people were accusing him, complaining about Aldridge, and speculating that the Spurs would trade Aldridge for a top ten pick, Popovich stood up and said something.

"He always feels uncomfortable here, but 98.75% of the responsibility lies with me."

Popovich did not blame Aldridge, but admitted his wrong use of Aldridge. As an old man, it's actually not easy to be willing to talk like this. If you don’t believe me, ask Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan, they will never admit that they have used any players wrongly.

It is precisely because of Popovich's frankness and change that Aldridge is in a very good form this season. At the age of 32, he can still play the second spring of his career, Aldridge must thank Popovich.

But when Popovich told Aldridge that he would be a sharp knife for the Spurs to defeat the Mavericks, Aldridge was timid.

Are you kidding me? I? A 32-year-old forward who has not played in the finals but only won the championship trophy, wants to defeat the incredible Dallas Mavericks?

Aldridge didn't believe in himself~www.novelmtl.com~ Before going to Dallas, he started to be scared.

But when he saw the bravery and strongness of the Popovich couple, Aldridge only felt ashamed in his heart!

Facing life and death, Popovich is not afraid of parting, I am actually afraid of the Dallas Mavericks?

"Okay, time is almost up. Irene, I have to go, the plane is waiting for me. After two games, we will be able to return to San Antonio. Then, I will be with you. I love you, Irene." Popovich said, kissing his wife's forehead.

"Go ahead, don't worry about me. LaMarcus, please take good care of him. As you know, he is not young anymore." Irene looked at Aldridge again and asked him to take care of Popovich along the way. In fact, this is why Aldridge and Popovich are going together. The Spurs were really worried, leaving the old man Popovich to run around alone.

"Yes!" Aldridge straightened his waist like a loyal guard.

In the taxi to the airport, Popovich said nothing. It seems that he should still be worried about his wife. The doctor said that Irene's condition was not optimistic, and Popovich could only pray that what the **** doctor said was all lies.

For a long time, when the taxi was almost at the gate of the airport, Popovich just spoke, and only asked Aldridge next to him a question.

"LaMarcus, tell me the truth. As the core to face the 75-win Mavericks, are you scared?"

"I'm not afraid, Boss. I'm not afraid of anything now, I just want to come back with victory." Aldridge's answer was very straightforward.

"Yeah." Popovich nodded in satisfaction, then opened the door and got out of the car.

"By the way, you pay the fare." (https:)

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