Invisible in the true sense.
He hasn't made a move since Lin Ying came on the scene!
This seemingly incredible thing happened in front of everyone's eyes.
In fact, let alone the fans who don't understand, Brown is also quite confused.
This was also the first time he saw James like this.
But he couldn't say anything.
This is James' team, everyone else is replaceable.
Of course, Durant in the stands was excited at this time.
Let your fans brag to the heavens and brag about James being a super player compared to Jordan. If you can't win, it's all in vain!
The game became the same as G1 again. Williams and O'Neal alone were not enough to defeat this Suns.
100 to 89.
The Suns narrowly defeated the Cavaliers and took a 2-0 lead!
Post-match statistics.
Suns: Lin Ying had 28 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, Stoudemire had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Nash had 15 points and 15 assists.
Cavaliers: James made 11 of 21 shots and scored 29 points, 7 rebounds, 14 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Williams scored 18 points and 4 assists on 7 of 19 shots. O'Neal had 9 points and 7 rebounds.
…
James Cleveland's residence.
After spending time with his children, James sat alone in the room, wanting to be quiet.
After a series of setbacks, he really began to doubt the way he played.
Beautiful data can satisfy fans and the media, but those pale in comparison to wins and losses.
If he loses in the Finals again this time, he really doesn't know how to face the Cleveland fans.
Those fans gave everything to support him, but he let them down time and time again.
Just then his phone rang, it was O'Neal calling.
"I'm already at your door, Your Majesty."
O'Neal's tone is always full of fun and irresistible.
James took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and then stood up.
At the gate of James' manor, O'Neal whistled in the car after hanging up the phone.
He had already talked with Brown before coming here, and the result was very good. Brown would set up more pick-and-rolls for James in subsequent games, so that James would not have to face Lin Ying's defense.
After two games, everyone has to accept the fact that Lin Ying can guard James.
However, a basketball game is not one-on-one, and that is where tactics exist.
Seeing James going downstairs, O'Neal also got out of the car.
"Smile, Your Majesty, the weather is so sunny today."
O'Neal said and opened his hands to James, who was a little worried.
After entering the living room, O'Neal shared something with James.
That's related to James' good brother Wade.
2006 Finals!
At that time, the Heat were also trailing the Mavericks 0-2, and then connected with four cities to defeat the Mavericks 4-2 and finally won the championship.
The penalty did affect that series to a certain extent, but there is one detail that only a few people know.
That is, after falling behind 0-2, O'Neal found Wade and said:
"I'll be a role player and do what you have to do."
Then O'Neal let the inside line out, allowing Wade to rush in like crazy.
What happened next is known to everyone.
This example is most useful at this time.
Because the dilemma faced by the Cavaliers is very similar to that of the Heat, and James is also good at breakthroughs.
"Do what you have to do, LeBron, and we'll support you."
After finishing his words of encouragement, O'Neal also talked about the tactical issues he had discussed with Brown before.
He said it more euphemistically, but the meaning was conveyed.
James was a little moved when he heard it. He didn't expect O'Neal to do that.
He stood up and hugged Shark, the old guy who once accompanied his good brother Wade.
"Here we go again, bro!"
After sending away O'Neal, James' confidence has returned.
If he can really replicate what Wade did back then, this championship will look very different.
Coupled with the fact that he has no real All-Star teammates around him, this may even become the most valuable championship in history!
He can't feel sorry for himself, he has to stand up, everything is still too late!
And after setting this new goal, he began to think about how to let the outside world know what he wanted to do, and how to rekindle the fighting spirit of his teammates.
Finally, an idea popped up naturally.
Late that night, James set an alarm clock for 3 a.m.
After waking up, he washed and dressed, then drove to Quicken Loans Arena.
Before setting off, he checked the time, waited for a few minutes, and took a photo of the time in the car.
No more, no less, exactly 3:33 in the morning.
After taking the photo, he posted it on social media and captioned it:
"Cleveland is extremely quiet in the early morning. It's the perfect time to sprint for the championship!"
He had thought carefully about why he was doing this, and even why it was this time.
He has already used it in his first speech, and the effect will definitely not be good if he uses it the second time.
So words are worse than actions. If he wants to boost morale, he must take practical actions.
In terms of actual actions, this kind of early morning training can achieve the best results.
And doing so will also get a lot of impression points from the media.
You must know that Kobe's "Four AM in Los Angeles" has become a famous meme and made Kobe an inspirational model.
As for why this time?
First, this impression cannot overlap with Kobe. Second, before entering the league, the media asked him whether he wanted to be the next Kobe. His answer was: "No, I want to be the first LeBron."
So to make teammates and the outside world pay attention, and not just say that he is imitating Kobe, then half an hour in advance is the best choice!
3:33 is more impressive than 3:30!
After finishing his performance, James drove to the training facility.
He has done everything he needs to do, and he really needs training to keep his body excited.
…
The next day, just as James expected, the entire social media in the United States exploded.
James at 3:33 in the morning!
Cavaliers fans went into overdrive.
"His Majesty the King can do better than Kobe for the championship! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
"It's so touching. When I woke up in the morning and saw that our king had finished training, I was so ashamed! With such a king, the nation of knights will rise up!"
"Even Jordan has never worked so hard. Victory will definitely belong to the king in the end!"
…
Not only Cavaliers fans, but also the media and media people unanimously praised James' behavior.
"Perfect Idol".
FOX Sports directly reported the incident with this headline.
"At 3:33, this is LeBron, the King. He illustrates the perfect approach of a core in adversity."
Bill Simmons commented on the show.
"Believe me man, the Cavaliers will definitely fight back from behind. When your leader works so hard, you can definitely succeed."
Barkley expressed support for James on social media.
Hey, there seems to be something strange mixed in.
All in all, James' profile in the media at this time was perfect, and his behavior inspired more than just Cavaliers fans.
According to follow-up media reports, they felt an "unprecedented" enthusiasm in the Cavaliers' daily training.
"They're burning themselves."
This is how a local reporter described the state of the Cavaliers players.
Although the way of posting on social media is a bit deliberate, in the end it perfectly achieved the desired effect.
When your team leaders are up in the middle of the night practicing, it's hard not to get infected.
They will fight back in Phoenix!
…
After the first two games of the series, the Suns returned to Phoenix the next day.
I just returned to the locker room after training that day, and the players were chatting.
Frye and Lopez were discussing the possibility of winning the championship at home.
Barbosa was talking about the championship parade.
Of course it's just chatting after training.
At this moment, Richardson held his cell phone and showed him the news about James in the media.
Lin Ying couldn't help but rub his forehead after seeing it.
First it was "The King's Speech" and now it's "Cleveland at 3:33 AM."
James really knows how to make a living!
And there is a reason why Kobe started working at 4 a.m. instead of at other times because many elite people in Los Angeles get up at 4 a.m. to work.
But after rubbing his forehead, Lin Ying seriously felt that G3 would be more difficult to hit this time.
The Cavaliers' current wave of players is actually quite good. If James can really play tough, the Cavaliers will have a chance to make a comeback.
There have been many 0-2 reversals. Even if this range is narrowed down to the finals, it has happened three times in history.
Therefore, don't be careless.
"Be prepared for a difficult game!"
Lin Ying said with a very serious expression.
The third game is still very crucial for the Suns. If they win 9 out of 10 times, if they can't win, it's really hard to say how the series will turn out.
If you really think about it, the Lakers were leading the Suns 2-1 but were overturned.
Lin Ying's words interrupted Barbosa's communication, and the group of people looked at each other seriously.
Although they were just chatting, their easy wins in the first two games really made them feel a little relaxed.
…
The Finals are about to move to Phoenix, and now it's Suns fans' turn to get excited.
The next three home games will be played in Phoenix!
A whole three!
As long as the Suns hold on, the probability of winning the cup at home is extremely high!
But excitement is excitement, and you will find that you rarely see Suns fans on social media.
Just like the "petition" sent to Barkley before, Phoenix fans really don't want to bring any negative things to the team.
Before the game is really over, they are the quietest fans in the world!
Of course, that was on social media, in Phoenix, a hot city once again dominated by basketball.
On G3 game day, Phoenix was packed with people.
The excitement and celebration on the faces of the fans, although they were not spoken aloud, you could tell it was "We want to be the champions!"
"Let's see how LeBron will lead the Cavaliers to start a Jedi counterattack!"
With Barkley's commentary, G3 of the finals officially started.
The lineups on both sides were the same as in the previous game, but the Cavaliers started the game with a completely different mental outlook from the previous two games.
That's not just a matter of enthusiasm, but as some media reported before, they are "burning."
They tried their best in every detail, even every pick and roll!
Of course, that's only one aspect. What's more important is that Brown designed extremely complex pick-and-roll tactics for James.
One, two, or even three consecutive pick-and-rolls had only one purpose, which was to push Lin Ying away from James.
This approach seems weird, but it works very well.
Because the main reason why Lin Ying can guard James is that he can limit James' starts.
If James can be moved through pick-and-rolls, Lin Ying's defensive effectiveness will be greatly reduced.
Naturally, it won't have the same effect as the first two games.
James also becomes more courageous as he fights.
Although the Suns played well at home, the more powerful Cavaliers suppressed the Suns on the court for the first time.
The game was tied at the end of the first quarter and led by 10 points at halftime. Before the main force returned in the fourth quarter, 98 to 83, the Cavaliers expanded their lead to 15 points!
Gentry was forced to call a timeout.
When the timeout came out, James turned around excitedly, found O'Neal, gave O'Neal a big chest bump, and then let out a cathartic roar.
O'Neal is right, he can do it, he can lead the Cavaliers to do what the Heat did back then! Become a true legend!
During the timeout, the Suns were unusually quiet.
From being behind by 10 points at halftime to now being behind by 15 points, they allowed the Cavaliers to open up the score by another 5 points, or it can be said that they only opened up the score by 5 points.
Gentry's chicken soup, Butler's encouragement, so everything that can motivate the players was actually used.
But the Cavaliers are in really good shape tonight, maybe they really should let this game go and focus on the next two games.
After Gentry laid out the tactics, the players were still a little confused.
Lin Ying cleared his throat at this time.
After a previous players meeting, Nash once said that he had learned how to be a team leader.
That is actually a kind of support.
So he knew what to say in this situation.
Just like what he did when he faced the University of Florida in the finals.
"It's not like we can't lose this game."
There was still time to pause, and Lin Ying's words immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Even Gentry looked at him unconsciously.
Because the surrounding sounds were very noisy, Lin Ying also turned up the volume as much as possible.
"But we can't lose like this, absolutely not.
If we lose like this, they will think we are pushy.
Then they will do this again in the next game.
In the next game, they will still be like this.
We have worked hard for a season, or even like Steve and Grant for a whole career, are we going to fall short in the end?
No, it cannot, it is impossible!
Even if we can't win, we have to let the Cavaliers know that if they want to plant their flag on the top of Phoenix, they will have to pay a bloody price!
Burn yourself, burn crazier than them!
Maybe at some point, we will find ourselves..."
Lin Ying paused when he said this, then glanced around his teammates,
"There is still hope of victory!"
Chicken soup, who doesn’t know it?
Learned from Rick Barnes!
And Lin Ying was really emotionally involved at this moment.
Everything he said was more than just chicken soup.
Because his desire for the championship is also extremely strong.
He was not willing to lose like this.
Just like the cry when trailing by 15 points at halftime against the Lakers.
But this time, because it was in the finals, his shouts were more straightforward and louder!
After Lin Ying finished speaking, Gentry looked at him with a surprised look.
He didn't expect Lin Ying, who usually didn't talk much, to be the hidden master of chicken soup!
But it's right to think about it. With Lin Ying's ability to deal with reporters, it's not too strange to be able to say something like this.
And the emotions of the Suns players were indeed ignited.
Burn it!
The Cavaliers can burn, and so can they!
Come back from the timeout and the game continues!
"The Cavaliers are still 7 minutes and 13 seconds away from winning the game."
In the commentary box, Barkley noticed the changes in the Suns' mood and suppressed his excitement... He gave the Cavaliers a hard slap!
Chapter completed!