Chapter 87 Aldridge? Not worthy of carrying shoes!

Although fans are looking forward to the matchup between Wang Yan and Duncan, the Spurs head coach, Popovich, has also been having a headache recently.

Popovich has many nicknames among Chinese fans, such as "Zhuge Vic" and "Go Old Man".

The reason is that some of his tactics or on-the-spot commands are very unexpected.

For example, he used the "Hack-a-Shaq Tactic" to perfection.

It was first used by Nelson of the Mavericks. In order to limit O'Neal, he asked his teammates to commit fouls and sent the Big Shark to the free throw line.

But when the Spurs met the Lakers later, Popovich used the "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic to great effect.

In one game, just seconds into the game, a Spurs player started slashing.

The scene where the Big Shark looked confused and Popovich had a smirk on his face became a famous scene at the time.

The Spurs' lineup has been in a transition from old to new recently, which has consumed a lot of Popovich's brain cells.

The GDP combination of Duncan, Manu and Parker is still as good as ever.

Leonard, the Spurs' new generation leader, has already demonstrated his ability to stand on his own.

Especially on the defensive end, Leonard has won Popovich's trust.

Those who are familiar with this head coach know that he is not very strict on the offensive end.

But the old man attaches great importance to the defensive end.

Even if you play badly on the offensive end, he won't be angry on the sidelines.

But if you slack off on defense or get distracted, Popovich will definitely call you to the sidelines and scold you no matter who you are.

No face at all.

Except for Duncan, all other players have been scolded.

Including the sports car Parker and Ginobili.

What gives Popovich a headache is not just the Spurs' lineup problem. The second headache is that the Spurs are actually stuck on the Cavaliers' 34-game winning streak.

This is very embarrassing. If the Spurs lost to the Cavaliers in that game, the Spurs would become a historical background board.

It’s strange to think about it. I don’t know why, but the Spurs are the background board of several major NBA games.

The most classic examples:

The first one is Game 03 of the 5 playoffs, the decisive battle between the Spurs and the Lakers.

In the final moments, with 0.4 seconds left in the game, the Spurs led by 1 point.

As a result, Fisher caught the ball and threw it, and actually made the winning shot!
Second, there is the "McGrady moment" that fans still talk about today.

35 seconds and 13 points, a game that moved God.

The background board is also the Spurs.

The whole team was stunned.

There are several other background emperor moments, too many to mention.

If we count the parallel world before Wang Yan traveled through, Ray Allen's life-saving shot in the 13 Finals is a classic among classics!

When Popovich was interviewed by the media, he was asked about the upcoming game between the Cavaliers and the Spurs.

There is no way. The hottest topic in the league right now is the Cavaliers' winning streak.

Therefore, every player or coach of each team cannot avoid this topic when being interviewed.

"Coach Greg, do you think the Cavaliers can beat the Spurs and break the 34-win record?"

Popovich was cunning and nonchalant, saying, "34 wins? What does that have to do with us? It's just an ordinary regular season game. The Cavaliers are no different from other teams. We will take it seriously. There will be nothing special. We will just play one game at a time!"

Although Popovich said this, he secretly watched a lot of Wang Yan's game videos.

While watching, wipe your saliva.

I’m really envious!
Before acquiring Duncan, the Spurs had always been a weak NBA team with a low presence.

San Antonio is a small city, and big-name stars don't like to come here.

We finally got Duncan here, and he has reaped the benefits for many years.

Moreover, Duncan is one of the very few stars in history who started out at the highest level.

Popovich sighed repeatedly, saying that if the Spurs could get Wang Yan, then Duncan would have a successor.

He firmly believes that if Wang Yan is on the Spurs, he will definitely establish a Spurs dynasty again!
No matter how jealous he is, Wang Yan is now a member of the Cavaliers after all. As the head coach, Popovich must come up with offensive and defensive strategies.

However, after studying for many days, he still couldn't come up with a specific and effective tactic to restrict Wang Yan.

There was no choice but to put his hopes on Leonard.

Although there is a big height difference, with Duncan's help in the interior, I believe Wang Yan can be restricted.

Of course, Popovich also knew in his heart that it was impossible to completely restrict Wang Yan.

He is very good at judging people.

Popovich has long concluded that Wang Yan is the future historical superstar!
. . . .

The Cavaliers' next two opponents, both away from home, are the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz in the Western Conference.

Both teams were at the bottom of the Western Conference, and the Cavaliers won easily.

But because it was a consecutive trip to the Western Conference and away games, head coach Scott did not let the main players play for too long.

Wang Yan basically clocks in during the three quarters, and serves as a cheerleader and atmosphere supervisor for his teammates on the sidelines.

Even though he only clocked out in three quarters, Wang Yan's statistics were still amazing.

In the game against the Kings, Wang Yan scored 31 points and 6 blocks in the first half, helping the team lead the opponent by 24 points.

In the third quarter, Wang Yan played for more than 6 minutes and scored another 13 points.

In the end, Wang Yan scored 44 points and won 31 games.

The Utah Jazz are a bit difficult to deal with, after all, the Jazz's home court, Salt Lake City, is located in a plateau area.

The Cavaliers were in average form and were even tied with the Jazz in the first half.

Just when the media thought that the Cavaliers' winning streak might be interrupted by the Jazz, Wang Yan suddenly broke out!
He actually felt difficulty breathing, and his legs felt like they were filled with lead.

However, Wang Yan's mental willpower allowed him to transform again, and he displayed strong explosive power in the third quarter.

In the first half, Wang Yan made 13 of 5 shots and scored only 12 points.

In the third quarter, Wang Yan scored 27 points alone, which was simply cruel!
What’s even more terrifying is that he grabbed 8 rebounds in the third quarter, including 6 offensive rebounds!

Plus 5 blocked shots!
Wang Yan played a dominant performance on both offense and defense. It can be said that he carried the Cavaliers forward alone!
Thanks to his strong performance, the Cavaliers led the Jazz by 17 points after three quarters.

Although the Jazz launched a fierce attack in the fourth quarter when Wang Yan was absent.

But with the encouragement of Wang Yan, the other players of the Cavaliers recovered and withstood the pressure.

Wang Yan was ready to play again in the fourth quarter, but seeing his teammates were performing well, he did not return and instead cheered for his teammates off the court.

In the end, the Cavaliers defeated the Jazz and won an impressive 32-game winning streak.

Wang Yan "only" scored 39 points, but he was still the highest scorer among players on both sides.

The eyes of fans all over the world are on the Cavaliers' next game.

With 32 consecutive wins already achieved, can the Cavaliers tie the Lakers' 33-game winning streak?
It is very difficult for the Cavaliers because the road trip in the West is too tiring.

The opponent in this game is the Western Conference powerhouse Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers are currently ranked fifth in the Western Conference, the same record as the Nuggets, and the two teams are competing fiercely.

Especially the team's big man Aldridge, who has performed very well recently.

Like Yao Ming, although he is an inside player, Aldridge has a soft touch and a mid-range shot, which has become an important offensive means for the Trail Blazers. At the pre-game press conference, Aldridge was interviewed.

A reporter asked: "Ade, if the Cavaliers win again in the next game, they will tie the Lakers' record for the most consecutive wins. Have you, the Trail Blazers, made any preparations?"

Aldridge has a calm personality but a stubborn temper.

He snorted and replied, "Don't talk to me about 33 or 34 consecutive wins! We will stop the Cavaliers and the winning streak will come to an abrupt end! Just wait and see!"

Although every team will make bold statements before the game, Aldridge's answer is the most tough.

He usually doesn't say harsh words and always respects his opponents.

It seems that the Trail Blazers really don't want to lose this game.

More importantly, the Trail Blazers and the Nuggets are currently only half a game apart, so the Trail Blazers cannot lose.

The Wild West is no exaggeration; the competition for playoff spots is extremely fierce, especially for fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth place; often the results of one day's game can change the order.

. . . .

Wang Yan did not shout any slogans during the interview. He just replied calmly: "I know that many fans and media are paying attention to this game, but I can tell you the truth, no one talked about this in the Cavaliers' training. For us, this is just a regular season game."

When the reporters saw Wang Yan's indifferent expression, they knew that what he said was true.

Eight o'clock in the evening.

Moda Center in Portland.

The Trail Blazers face the Cavaliers who have won 32 consecutive games at home!

The Trail Blazers' starting lineup is center Marcus Camby, power forward Aldridge, small forward Batum, shooting guard Matthews, and point guard Andre Miller.

Huang Mamba Roy was injured and did not play.

Speaking of Roy, it's quite a pity.

He was a player with great potential, but injuries ruined his career.

Therefore, the players' tolerance to grass is very important.

There are many talented players who have retired from the NBA due to injuries.

Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Roy, and later Rose, are all eternal pain in the hearts of fans.

The Cavaliers' starting lineup is still center TT, power forward Wang Yan, small forward Jamison, shooting guard Butler, and point guard Irving.

In this season, Lillard has not yet arrived, and the Trail Blazers' only offensive strength is Aldridge.

The other positions are auxiliary.

Aldridge is only 50% of Nowitzki.

Wang Yan is not even afraid of Nowitzki, so how can he care about Aldridge?

So the Trail Blazers have not officially risen yet, we can only say that they are a very tough team.

At the beginning of the game, Wang Yan and Camby jumped the ball in the center circle.

Although Aldridge is a little taller than Camby, he doesn't like playing center, so he didn't jump the ball.

Wang Yan easily passed the ball to Jamison and then ran towards the penalty area.

Even though the whole world knew that the Cavaliers were going to perform an aerial oop at the start.

But there is no way, it can’t be prevented.

Jamison threw the ball high up, Wang Yan raised his right hand, and in mid-air, he pushed the ball directly into the basket!
boom!
Full of arrogance!

To be honest, the strength and angle of Jamison's pass were not perfect.

If someone else were to take over, he might not be able to complete the aerial relay and could only barely control the ball.

But Wang Yan did the impossible!
He grabbed the ball and put it into the basket.

The noisy Rose Garden stadium suddenly became quiet!

This is the Cavaliers’ classic style of play, it’s impossible to defend!
Camby and Aldridge tried their best to retreat, but Wang Yan's height, wingspan, and big hands showed his extraordinary talent!

Sometimes the talent is there and there is nothing you can do about it.

Although Aldridge had secretly watched a lot of Wang Yan's game videos, he was very shocked when he saw Wang Yan's jumping speed and jumping height on the court with his own eyes.

Logically speaking, the NBA is not short of talented jumpers, but talents like Wang Yan's are still very rare.

Even Howard is slightly inferior to him!
Aldridge, who had a proud look on his face just now, just turned off the microphone.

Trail Blazers offense.

As the offensive core of the team, Aldridge must give a response.

Besides, he has been in good shape recently and is full of confidence in himself.

Camby knew that Aldridge was going to make a play, so he tacitly blocked Wang Yan.

You know, Camby is also a tough guy with a lot of strength.

Coupled with the way he hugged and embraced him, it was really difficult for Wang Yan to get through.

Aldridge faced TT, made a fake move, and then turned around and shot a jump shot!

It must be said that for such a big man, Aldridge's move was indeed very smooth.

Unlike Nowitzki, Aldridge's shots are more traditional.

TT is not as tall as him, and his jumping ability is not bad, but still a little bit lacking.

Just when the Cavaliers players thought Aldridge was about to take a shot, a figure appeared again from the side and behind, bang!

With a big slap, the ball was directly blown out of the sideline.

Aldridge was confused.

He had just seen Wang Yan and Canby entangled with each other out of the corner of his eye.

Why did he come to kill me?
Unreasonable!

Camby's face became even uglier because Wang Yan had deceived him with a fake move just now.

Then Wang Yan used the hardness of his body to knock Camby away!
That's right!

It was just pushed open!
Camby felt as if half of his body was hit by a truck and the pain was excruciating.

If he wasn't playing a game, he would just lie down and relax.

However, Wang Yan was careful in his attack. He did not hurt Camby, he just made him uncomfortable.

After giving Aldridge a big pot, Wang Yan shook his finger at Aldridge again.

In fact, after Mutombo, the NBA no longer allows players to use the finger-shaking gesture.

Because they were worried about angering the players and causing a fight.

But Wang Yan picked up this slightly provocative gesture again.

If someone else uses this move, the referee will immediately give a technical foul.

But Wang Yan used it several times, and the referee turned a blind eye.

There are two reasons.

One reason is that Wang Yan is too popular. He is now the league's cash cow, so the referees have already greeted him.

This kind of innocuous action does not require a technical foul.

The second reason is that Wang Yan is too domineering and has great physical talent.

Devil muscle man!
Even if the other party saw him shaking his finger, they would not dare to get angry.

The example of James is there, Wang Yan is really doing it!
He really did kill someone!
(End of this chapter)