Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

On the 16th, the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Raptors and Nets was held at the Brooklyn Coliseum.

It was broadcast live on many radio stations around the world. Experts analyzed the game before the game and believed that the forward strengths of both sides were evenly matched, but the Nets had more advantages in rotating lineups and had some advantages in the comprehensive competition.

There are obviously more fans who are optimistic about the Nets advancing to the finals, but the Raptors' forward strength cannot be underestimated. They are the most likely threat to the Nets in the Eastern Conference this year.

After the warm-up, the starting players of both teams came out.

Nets five: Russell, Mitchell, Durant, Millsap, Lopez.

Raptors five: Lowry, Danny Green, Leonard, Ibaka, Gasol.

Tyronn Lue changed his lineup on the spot. The starting power forward took down Siakam, who had a better offense, and added former shot-blocking leader Ibaka and Xiaojia to form a twin tower.

Even the two All-Stars of the Nets cannot take advantage of this insider configuration. It is a targeted employment.

TNT commentator Barkley said: "Tylen Lu changed the lineup in the first game of the East finals, did not let Siakam play, and used a twin-tower tactic. This was because he was frightened by the strength of the Nets inside and would rather sacrifice some of their offensive firepower. To match the opponent in terms of height.”

Kenny Smith smiled and said: "Ibaka is a blue-collar insider. Although he has a mid-range shot and a three-pointer on the offensive end, his shots are sometimes inconsistent and his shots are not accurate. So far in this year's playoffs, Ibaka has made three-pointers. The shooting percentage from the point ball is only 23.7%, averaging 1.6 shots per game and hitting 0.4 goals. With this kind of efficiency, the Nets usually choose to let go."

"Lu Yong probably didn't expect that the Raptors would change their lineup on the spot. I don't know what kind of defensive response he would arrange after seeing the opponent's starting lineup. He once put Simmons into doubt when he played against the 76ers in the semifinals. No. I know if Ibaka will be the second unlucky guy."

Lu Yong sat on the sidelines with a relaxed look on his face, and there was no change in his expression when he saw the Raptors changing formations.

He and Tyronn Lue are also old rivals, and they know this Raptors even more. Changing formations can solve some problems, but it only treats the symptoms but not the root cause.

The Nets' lineup is deep and solid, and they are not afraid of the Raptors making a mistake at all. They just respond to the situation unchanged. The players know what to do on the court.

Gasol won the jump ball and the game began.

Lowry dribbled the ball across half court and started a pick-and-roll with Gasol. Several others pulled away and started running according to the tactics.

The Nets defended a 2-1-2 zone defense, with Durant alone in the middle and the other four supporting the wings at any time.

The Raptors' scoring relies on Kawhi's singles with the ball. The 2-1-2 zone defense has strong support capabilities. It has a defensive environment both inside and outside to restrain the Raptors' style of play.

Lowry went to the left to break through after the pick-and-roll. Millsap blocked it with a delay, and Russell caught up from behind without losing his position.

Ibaka moved to the wing to open up space, but his 23.7% long-range shooting rate was too poor. Millsap stepped forward to help defend without any psychological pressure, creating difficulties for Lowry.

Lowry's breakthrough was blocked, and he transferred the ball to Ibaka in a wide range, and the half-empty position was considered an opportunity.

Millsap turned around and flew to the outside, but he controlled the speed well and did not sprint with all his strength to cause a foul for his opponent.

He is too far away and it is impossible to send a big hat. Interference is the first goal.

Ibaka caught the ball and took a look before taking a shot. The ball bounced off the frame and the backboard was protected by Lopez.

The Raptors lost the offensive rebound and immediately went back to defend in the backcourt.

Looking at the speed, Tyronn Lue clearly emphasized before the game that the Nets' counterattack was prepared.

The Raptors' advance to the Eastern Conference Finals relies on a balance of offense and defense. While ensuring offensive firepower, the defense does not fall behind.

Danny Green and Kawhi on the outside are both strong defensive players, and Ibaka and Gasol on the inside are also very good. The defense of this lineup is really hard to say.

However, the Nets rank first in the league in offensive firepower during the regular season and have broken down the Raptors' defense more than once.

Even if you can't hit a fast break counterattack, you won't be afraid of fighting for position.

Russell dribbled to the frontcourt and played a pick-and-roll with Lopez. The Raptors kept man-to-man marking and relied on the players' individual abilities to solve problems.

Russell took a step towards the basket, and Gasol stepped forward to block it in time, which could interfere with the shot and return to defense at any time.

He has a good sense of distance and is worthy of being a center who has won DPOY.

Russell usually doesn't attack when he sees an opportunity, and distributes the ball to Durant at the top of the arc.

Durant held the ball in the middle and faced Kaka head-on. There were no fancy moves, it was all a competition of talent. After a tentative step, he thrust his right hand out and shot a pull-up jumper inside the three-point line.

Leonard was in a good defensive position and took off with all his strength, causing interference, but Adu had a soft touch and the ball went in despite the defense.

'Shuh! '

2:0.

As soon as the game started, Tyronn Lue was sweating while standing off the court.

Kawhi is the Raptors' best perimeter defender. If he can't limit Durant, he'll be in big trouble.

Durant's height and long arms are enviable in his indiscriminate singles. Apart from physical fitness, nothing can limit his scoring.

The Raptors attack, Lowry dribbles to the frontcourt and plays a pick-and-roll.

He went to the baseline to break through to attract the defense, and distributed the ball to the 45-degree small card on the left.

Leonard's face was shaking, he took a step forward and thrust out his right hand, but Adu, who was always making trouble with his long steps, caught up in time. Kawhi was unable to break through and was forced to combine the ball. He wanted to turn over for a jump shot but couldn't squeeze out the space, so he could only pass the ball to Lowry at the top of the key.

Durant's defense was particularly strong today. Fans all over the world are focusing on this series. In the duel between the two top small forwards, Adu naturally does not want to fall behind.

Especially since he just won the regular season MVP not long ago, it would be really embarrassing if he was defeated by Leonard in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Lowry broke through with the ball and was double-teamed by Millsap and Russell, and distributed the ball to the left.

Russell defended himself and did not stay close to Ibaka. He kept one and a half steps away and made shots but not surprises. Ibaka just missed a three-pointer in the last round. He didn't dare to shoot this time. He circled around and gave the ball to Leonard on the outside.

Seeing that a lot of time was wasted by conducting the ball, Xiaoka could only choose to play in singles. After the three threats, he raised his hand and feinted, and then made an emergency stop and made a mid-range shot.

Leonard's shooting is very stable, his height and wingspan are amazing, and mid-range shooting is his main means of scoring.

But coincidentally, the same goes for Durant, who still has advantages in height and wingspan.

Although Adu is not a defensive expert, he can still interfere with his long arms.

The ball missed the frame, and Lopez got stuck to protect the backboard.

The Nets' fast break failed and fell into position.

Russell played a pick-and-roll in the middle, broke into the three-second zone, and distributed the ball to Daluo in the middle.

Gasol stood in front of Luo. Lopez turned to the baseline and did not force the ball. Knowing that Gasol defended well in the low post, he observed a circle and transferred the ball to the bottom corner.

Mitchell caught the ball, and Danny Green immediately raised his arm to interfere. As a result, Mitchell didn't even think about shooting a three-pointer. He exploded and accelerated, passed the old bone in one step, and shot an open mid-range jumper.

The shooting rhythm was perfect, the ball hit the net hollowly, and voila, 4-0.

Barkley shouted: "Beautiful! Mitchell played the ball very smartly. He did not hit Danny Green to shoot a three-pointer, but used his speed advantage to pass the opponent before taking the shot. Mitchell, in the first round, The show is simply worth it. He uses the least amount of possession to achieve the highest scoring efficiency. After his rookie contract expires, there will definitely be a team willing to give him a maximum salary."

Kenny Smith nodded and said: "Mitchell averaged 20.4 points per game in the regular season and improved to 21.5 points in the playoffs. He plays a great role in the Nets' offensive system. Like Durant, he is a tough player. A good player here."

Mitchell is the kind of star who seems to be very fond of the ball, but is also very good without the ball. This is due to his terrifying explosive speed. Generally speaking, black defenders are not slow, but Mitchell's speed is considered top-notch even among blacks.

In Mitchell's draft physical test that year, he sprinted in 3/4 of 3.01 seconds, which was faster than "Flash" Wade, who is famous for his speed. The latter's physical test record was 0.07 seconds slower than Mitchell.

If Mitchell hadn't been too short, only 1 meters barefoot when playing the second position, his scoring ability would have improved by at least one level.

When the Raptors attacked, it was difficult for Lowry to get past Russell quickly after the pick-and-roll, and his close-fitting jump shot would be interfered with, so in this round he simply played a post-up single and used his tonnage to force the opponent.

Russell is not light, but he lost weight in front of Lowry. He pushed hard twice, and when Lowry turned over and shot a jumper, he quickly stepped forward to interfere with it and successfully defended it.

Gasol was caught in the low post by Lopez, and he couldn't reach it when he took off. The backcourt rebound was collected by Millsap on the wing.

When the Nets attacked, Russell took the frontcourt to play a pick-and-roll, attracting Leonard to help defend, and passed the ball to Durant in the middle.

Adu caught the ball and shook it, misplaced it and met Lowry with the ball to break through. He reached the free throw line and made an emergency stop. Before Ibaka came up to defend, he put the ball into the net, 6-0.

Nets fans at the scene stood up and cheered, and Lu Yong also took the lead in applauding to encourage his disciples.

Durant's desire to attack tonight is very strong. It has been a long time since he tasted the taste of hitting the championship.

The Raptors attacked, and Kaka took the initiative to ask for the ball after halftime in this round.

Facing the frame, he challenged Durant, broke through quickly from the left, and hit a jump shot in front of the three-second zone, 6-2.

The two top small forwards in the league are facing off. Although their playing styles are different, it is not difficult to score.

In a positional battle, Durant held the ball in the middle, played a pick-and-roll with Lopez, quickly dribbled the ball to the left to attract double teams, and found Daluo, the turret at the top of the arc, in the gap.

Lopez's three-point shooting percentage this season is very reliable, 37.6% in the regular season and 38.4% in the playoffs, almost all of which bounce to the outside after pick-and-rolls.

Lu Yong arranged for him to focus on practicing three-pointers in the summer. After the pick-and-roll, there is a great threat of outside bombs, which can open up space.

After receiving the ball, Luo glanced at the basket and saw Gasol standing back. He steadily hit the blue center with a three-pointer. Whoops, 9 to 2.

Looking back, the Raptors also continued their offensive firepower.

Lowry advanced with the ball and went to the frontcourt to pass to wing Danny Green. The latter raised his hand from outside the three-point line and hit a wide open shot in the bottom corner, 9-5.

Mitchell was distracted by the ball and did not follow up immediately. Green seized the opportunity.

Green's style of play is a typical 3D, and his scoring depends entirely on jump shots.

Lu Yong stood up and shouted to the players, asking everyone to cheer up and pay more attention to their position on the defensive end.

In the next period of time, the Nets had a slight advantage with the performance of their outside trident.

Lopez and Russell's pick-and-roll made Gasol very uncomfortable. Gasol bounced to the outside and shot three-pointers. Gasol had no choice but to follow him no matter how reluctant he was. His shortcomings of slow movement were repeatedly targeted.

In addition, Ibaka's inability to make three-pointers is also a key factor in the Raptors' inability to open up the situation.

When the opponent's shot was unreliable, Millsap could boldly help defend Kawhi, which made Leonard very uncomfortable. Several turnaround jump shots were disrupted and destroyed.

In the second half, Tyronn Lue replaced Siakam, and the offensive fluidity immediately improved a lot.

However, the side effect of Siakam is that the protection of the frame and rebounds has become worse. Gasol was completely blown out of the first and second grabs at the basket, and the Nets' offensive focus began to shift inside.

Two minutes later, Lu Yong also started to make substitutions, playing Mitchell and playing LeVert, closely entangled with Kawhi.

This arrangement can further free up Durant, allowing him to defend against Danny Green, and try to save his energy for the offensive end.

Although the Nets lack an offensive strong point and their offensive power has dropped, their defense has strengthened a lot. LeVert is like a dog-skin plaster that cannot be shaken off.

Leonard can also score based on his personal ability, but he cannot receive the pass comfortably, and it is difficult to get rid of it easily after receiving the ball. Every attack consumes a lot of physical energy.

After the first quarter, the Nets led 27 to 22.

表现最好的是杜兰特，得到9分3篮板1助攻，大洛佩兹6分4篮板1盖帽，拉塞尔5分3助攻，替补出场的勒维尔也有3分1抢断进账。

On the Raptors side, Leonard was a one-man show. He made 11 of 4 shots in a single quarter, 3 of 1 three-pointers, and 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 11 points.

Lowry's performance with 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists was not bad, but other than that, the performance of others was terrible, and the shooting rate can be described as terrible.

In the second quarter, Lu Yong sent Dinwiddie, Mitchell, Hardaway, Ilyasova, and Mitchell Robinson.

猛龙则由第六人诺曼-鲍威尔带队，在上一轮与雄鹿队的第四场比赛里，鲍威尔曾有过11投8中，三分球4中4，罚球5中5，替补出场拿下25分4篮板4助攻3抢断的表现。

However, Powell only has occasional convulsions, and he has not yet entered the peak of his career this season.

Against Mitchell in this quarter, Powell only played for more than three minutes before he was made to cry, and was beaten to pieces by Mitchell.

Mitchell faced him all in singles with the ball, making 5 of 4 shots, two breakthroughs, a mid-range shot and a pull-up three-pointer. He directly stopped the Raptors with 9 consecutive points, and the point difference quickly widened. Up to double digits.

After the timeout, Tyronn Lue re-sent starting guard Lowry in order to stabilize the rhythm and buy time for Kawhi to rest.

However, Coach Lu underestimated the offense of the Nets' second team.

As Dinwiddie and Hardaway hit three-pointers one after another, Tyronn Lue couldn't sit still. He took advantage of the dead ball to take advantage of the dead ball and once again used his special skill of pressing the bottom of the box with a small card.

Lu Yong was also very straightforward and asked Durant to come back with Kawhi. The two of them are destined to be the protagonists in this series.

Durant played very calmly in a one-on-one challenge with Kawhi. The 'Death's Scythe' was unsheathed and his team firmly suppressed the Raptors' momentum.

Lu Yong firmly believes that the Nets can win because the Raptors' role players are not strong enough. Even the most capable Powell is average and cannot beat the Nets at all.

The substitutes have no stable scoring points, and the Raptors' overall offense is too far behind the Nets, so they can only rely on the main players to survive in singles.

58 to 45, the Nets led by 13 points at halftime.

If it weren't for Lowry's two priceless three-pointers in the last minute, the game would have been wasted in the first half. (End of chapter)