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

After sweeping the Eastern Conference finals, the Western Conference didn't let anyone wait too long, and the winner was quickly determined.

The Warriors, who had the home court advantage, easily swept the Trail Blazers 4-0, which was easier than beating the Rockets in the semifinals.

Lu Yong watched the Western Conference Finals series through the game video. He turned off the video and seemed very relaxed. "It's a boring game. I thought the two teams were competing for the three-point contest championship. We will definitely win in the finals, Warriors." They keep playing the same style over and over again, which is too stale. It won’t be a big problem to deal with them. I believe Brooklyn will soon win its first championship trophy in team history.”

The assistant coaches sat below and nodded. Seeing their boss looking like he was sure of victory, they all felt relaxed and there was no sense of urgency before the finals started.

Lu Yong only said a few words, but it made everyone's self-confidence explode.

As he said, the Warriors, an old rival, have not made any progress. They keep playing the same style over and over again, with no freshness.

Back then, Lu Yong led the Knicks and could grind the Warriors to the ground. The same could be said for the Nets.

The two teams were given three days of rest to prepare for the finals.

赛程2-2-1-1-1，篮网拥有全部主场优势。

The league finals focus on promoting the contest between Durant and Stephen Curry. Both of them have a fan base and are quite popular.

However, in the eyes of fans, the real battle in the finals is Cole VS Lu Yong, two championship coaches who have brought their small ball play to the extreme.

In terms of honor, Lu Yong has the upper hand without any doubt.

As a challenger, Cole is under a lot of pressure. He wins because his players are great, but loses because he doesn't know how to use people.

In short, Cole's coaching level in the past two years has been questioned a lot, and even he is not sure how long he can remain as the head coach of Golden State.

Experts analyzed the game and were unanimously optimistic that the Nets would win the championship, predicting that the finals would be resolved within six games.

There are even crazy people who believe that the Nets will perform a miracle of sweeping four rounds and not give the Warriors a chance to breathe at all.

There are also experts who are optimistic about the Warriors, but they still choose the Nets to predict the outcome. They just think that the Warriors may drag the series into a tiebreaker, and it will be difficult to win.

According to online fan voting, the voting rate for supporting the Nets to win the championship is as high as 86%. In other words, only 14% of fans are optimistic about the Warriors winning the championship.

The vast majority of them are local Golden State fans. Even though they know that there is little hope of winning, they still want to support them online.

Pre-game predictions were one-sided. The Warriors seemed to have fallen into a dark vortex. No one was optimistic about them defeating the Nets in their prime.

The reason is not only Lu Yong's high coaching level and his playoff winning rate that crushes Cole, but also part of the reason is that the Warriors' offense is weak and they rely entirely on the 'Splash Brothers' + Aldridge to score. There are only three players who can really play.

Others either had limited abilities or were in declining condition. They faced the Nets with a strong lineup and were crushed in all aspects.

Before the game, everyone in the Nets expressed their confidence to win the championship.

Not only must you win, but you must win cleanly!

On the Warriors' side, the players clearly lacked confidence in interviews. They only said that they would try their best and did not even dare to say harsh words.

If Cole could stand up and say a few harsh words at this time, the Warriors' overall morale might be better.

Unfortunately, Cole did not have the courage and was seriously lacking in confidence in front of Lu Yong.

On June 6, the first game of the Finals will be played at the Brooklyn Arena, the home court of the Nets.

After the warm-up, the starting lineups of the two teams were announced on the big screen.

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

Warriors five: Curry, Thompson, Damian Lee, Aldridge, Cousins.

Kerr adjusted the lineup, letting Damien Lee play the starting small forward and Iguodala as a substitute.

This wave of operations can improve the strength of the Warriors' second lineup. Coupled with Damien Lee's good three-point shooting, starting the game can play a role in opening up space.

It's not surprising that Cousins ​​started the game, although his condition declined severely after a serious injury. In this year's playoffs, he only had 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

But no matter what, Cousins ​​​​is also the former number one center in the league.

A skinny camel is bigger than a horse. It still has the strength to fight, but it will not be reduced to the point where it has no ball to play.

Lopez won the jump ball and the Nets attacked first.

Russell dribbled the ball to outside the three-point line, waited for his teammates to pull away, and played a pick-and-roll with Luo in the middle to hit his right hand.

Curry's pursuit was blocked, and in the blink of an eye, Russell had made an emergency jump shot. Whoops, 2-0.

The Warriors' biggest defensive flaw is Curry. Shuila played very resolutely in his personal offense and lived up to the trust of the coaching staff.

Lu Yong sat on the sidelines and led the applause. Curry's offense was close to perfect, but his defense was far behind.

As long as he fails to get around the screen immediately, Russell's raising of his hand is an opportunity, which is easier than playing the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Warriors attack, the Nets guard man-to-man, and the focus of defense is on the "Splash Brothers". Damian Lee and Cousins ​​are both in a semi-free state.

Aldridge dropped to the low post to ask for the ball, turned his back twice and forced a turn. Millsap relied on his solid physical fitness to keep up and raised his arms to interfere.

Aldridge turned around and went to the basket. Facing the Twin Towers, he had no chance to make a shot and could only distribute the ball to the outside.

Thompson caught the ball and shot from outside the three-point line. His jump shot missed due to interference. The backcourt rebound was protected by Durant and he advanced forward.

This is not the first time Adu has played in the finals. He has a better mentality than other players in the team. He slowly brings the ball to the frontcourt and beats Damien Lee one-on-one.

Li is 1 meters tall and weighs 98 kilograms. He still has some strength, but he is just a loser against Durant.

Adu changed direction in front of his body and passed Damien Lee straight to the basket. He took one step and pulled the ball up. Before Cousins ​​came up to defend, he made a jump shot in the three-second zone, 4-0.

In the unsolvable individual singles, Damien Lee couldn't keep up with Durant's offensive rhythm. The gap in strength between the two was too big.

When the Warriors attacked, Curry passed half the court to Aldridge, and he started running around the three-point line according to the tactics.

Aldridge holds the ball in the right horn, and Cousins ​​​​sets an off-ball screen for Curry at the top of the key. The latter used a reverse run to suddenly go outside, and Aldridge's pass was delivered in time.

Russell was blocked, Curry caught the ball and shot quickly, and the three-pointer penetrated the net bag, 4-3.

When the Nets attacked, Russell and Millsap played pick-and-roll again, attracting Aldridge to help defend, and then passed the ball to the center.

Millsap took the ball and took three steps, faced Cousins ​​​​from the basket and hit a layup from close range, 6-3.

Barkley said: "Beautiful! The Nets mainly attacked the inside today and scored several times inside the three-point line. This is the Nets' advantage. They can score inside and outside. The Warriors can't determine the focus of defense at all."

Kenny Smith laughed: "While Lu Yong has begun to build a lineup system that is both internal and external, Steve Kerr is still insisting on the three-point shooting style. Although the effect is good, it lacks new ideas and seems difficult to match. The Nets are a threat."

Lu Yong sat on the sidelines with his legs crossed, chewing bubble gum, looking relaxed and contented.

No one understands the Warriors' style of play better than him, and Cole is destined to be eliminated if he doesn't make changes.

The Warriors attack, Aldridge holds the ball in the middle and looks for Curry.

This time Russell pursued the defense in time, but Curry couldn't make the shot and could only pass the ball away.

Cousins ​​caught the ball at the free throw line, glanced left and right, and saw that Luo had no intention of getting close to him, so he raised his hand and missed the jumper. Cousins ​​was a true all-around fighter in his peak season, but since he joined the Warriors after retiring for the season, his offensive efficiency has plummeted.

For the Nets, he is not only a point that can be released, but also a flaw on the Warriors' defensive end. His cumbersome and slow movement speed is no longer as brave as it used to be.

Russell picked up the rebound in the backcourt, brought it to the frontcourt and broke through from the left, attracting double-teams and passing the ball through the gap to the middle.

Millsap squeezed Ade away to catch the ball and rushed to the basket with one step, like a giant carrying a bag of explosives.

Cousins ​​​​made up the defense in time and blocked Mi Shen's breakthrough route.

However, Millsap was not greedy for credit. When his body was about to hit Cousins, he passed the ball to Luo, who was waving behind him.

Millsap passed the ball very covertly, and the angle and power were also very tricky. Lopez took the ball and jumped high, dunking easily, 8-3.

Barkley commented: "The cooperation between the two towers of the Nets is really tacit. This season, there has been a lot of cooperation at close range and inside. After Cousins ​​returned from injury, his lateral speed was too slow. He turned around and could only watch Lopez. This is a dunk, if he continues like this, he may never sign a big contract again."

When the Warriors attacked, Aldridge still served as the pivot, passing the ball to Thompson on the side during the back-up. As a result, Mitchell followed closely and did not lose his position at all.

Thompson swayed outside the three-point line, and missed a jumper due to interference from Mitchell. The rebound was protected by Luo.

In the positional battle, the Warriors' defensive formation began to shrink, and they did not dare to let the Nets get to the basket and score.

However, this method is of no use to the battle-experienced Adu.

Damien Lee played singles with the ball at the top of the arc, changed direction and turned around to easily complete the pass, and made a pull-up jump shot to avoid the block, 10 to 3.

No matter how hard Damien Lee tries, he can't make up for his lack of physical condition.

He is only 1 meters tall, and his wingspan is not outstanding. He is completely forced to defend Durant, and it is reasonable for him to be beaten.

Cole also thought about arranging Thompson to guard Durant, but Durant's personal singles ability is very strong, even if Thompson can't guard him one-on-one, it is easy to waste physical energy.

Thompson can't guard a scorer of Adu's caliber. Without Draymond Green, the Warriors' defensive level immediately dropped a notch.

In the next round, the Warriors finally scored again.

Aldridge played a post-up single in the three-second area on the left side. Facing Millsap's turn-over jump shot, Aldridge shot very decisively and returned the ball, 10-5.

When the Nets attacked, Russell and Lopez played a pick-and-roll and broke through from the left. This time Curry was blocked farther away.

Russell saw that Cousins ​​had no intention of stepping forward to help defend, so he stopped at the free throw line and shot a jumper. The ball went hollow into the net, and voila, 12-5.

Barkley sighed: "Curry's defense is so bad. He has lost his defensive position twice in the opening game, and Russell seized the opportunity to score a jumper. If we continue like this, the Nets may really win the championship this year. The Warriors are completely defensive. Unable to stop it, there are also problems with our own offense."

Kenny Smith said: "If the Nets win the championship, Lu will be completely amazing. The teams he has coached can always win the championship in a short period of time. It is simply a miracle."

In the following period, Durant frequently used singles to score points, helping the Nets firmly take the initiative.

Unable to bear it, Cole called a timeout and replaced Iguodala to face Adu.

It won't work without a substitution. At this moment, Durant has scored 11 points and feels hot in his hand.

Damien Lee kept following back and running, with no effect on both offense and defense. The biggest impression left on the fans tonight was that Adu made pull-up jumpers over him again and again.

After the substitution, the Warriors' forward defensive intensity increased, but the offense still did not improve.

The two top shooters, Curry and Thompson, took crazy shots from the outside. They were full of momentum, but their efficiency was average.

Lu Yong did not call a timeout and allowed the players to perform on their own, leading 34 to 24 in the first quarter.

杜兰特表现最好，单节15分3篮板1助攻，拉塞尔也有7分3助攻进账。

In the second quarter, the Warriors sent Livingston, Thompson, McKinney, Jerebko, and Rooney.

With four substitutes in the starting lineup, even if Curry and Aldridge are not on the court, there is no need to worry about finding offensive strengths.

Lu Yong sent in the regular rotation, Dinwiddie, LeVert, Hardaway, Ilyasova, and Mitchell Robinson.

All five starters took a rest. This is the confidence brought by the strong lineup. The three substitutes are all very capable.

Hardaway and LeVert spread out on the left and right sides, Ilyasova dropped to the corner waiting to catch the ball and shoot, Dinwiddie held the ball in the middle and played a pick-and-roll, and Robinson followed the pick-and-roll. This is a very simple tactic.

What Dinwiddie has to do is to transfer the ball to the appropriate teammate according to the situation on the court after the pick-and-roll. If the opportunity is good, he can do it alone.

Soon, the Nets hit a climax under Dinwiddie's organization.

It's useless even if Thompson is on the court. He can't beat four hands with two fists, and he is destined to be beaten by the Nets during the rotation period.

Seeing that the situation on the court was getting more and more unfavorable, Cole could only call a timeout and get Curry back in advance.

On the sidelines, Lu Yong did not take the tactical board, but only emphasized defense to the players.

Strictly guard against the three-pointers of the 'Splash Brothers', forcing the Warriors to hit the basket as much as possible and take difficult jump shots from the outside.

After returning from the timeout, Lu Yong did not rush to replace the main force, but let the substitutes who were in good condition play for a while.

LeVert lived up to expectations, hitting two three-pointers on the offensive end and feeling hot.

Lu Yong saw that LeVert was in good condition and did not make any substitutions. He did not bring back the main force until seven minutes later.

At halftime, 68 to 50, the Nets led by 18 points.

杜兰特出战17分钟，半场就砍下22分5篮板2助攻，命中率超过55%。

LeVert scored 8 points in a single quarter, hit two three-pointers and a counterattack dunk, which was very efficient.

In the second half, Cole deployed a classic small lineup, with Iguodala playing as a guest at the fourth position to speed up the offensive rhythm.

As a result, Lu Yong directly asked the physically energetic LeVert to pester Curry closely, taking Mitchell into the starting lineup and strengthening the defensive ability of the back line.

LeVert will definitely not be able to guard Curry one-on-one, but the Warriors are nearly 20 points behind at halftime and will definitely shoot more three-pointers if they want to chase points.

Lu Yong's strategy is to arrange for LeVert to entangle himself so that Curry cannot catch the ball comfortably, let alone shoot easily.

With Curry restricted from three-pointers, it would be difficult for the Warriors to launch a wave of offense, and it would be extremely difficult to even out a double-digit point difference.

The Nets ensured their defense, and LeVert interfered with all his strength as if he was on stimulants. He completed the task well in the third quarter.

Warriors head coach Cole only knows three tricks. He has no other choice but to let his players throw three-pointers, and the outside is full of iron.

After three quarters, the Nets extended their lead to 25 points and the game entered garbage time.

Durant had 30 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal, and clocked out in the third quarter.

This year's finals MVP is probably Adu again.

In the final quarter, the two teams sent in substitute lineups to compete, and the game became a one-sided massacre.

127 to 98, the Nets won the first game by 29 points and got a good start in the finals. (End of chapter)