Before the start of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, ESPN produced two preview programs. The ratings for the Western Conference Finals preview hit a new low. They then released a second program, the Eastern Conference Finals preview, and the ratings quickly increased significantly.
Compared to the Western Conference Finals, which had little suspense and nothing to watch, the Eastern Conference Finals attracted too much attention!
"There is no doubt that this matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals should be the closest matchup since the start of the playoffs, and it is also the most talked about matchup..."
Stephen A. Smith started the conversation and then handed the microphone to Mark Stein.
Mark Stein then made an analysis: "From the paper strength analysis of the two teams, they both have the Big Three and a group of high-quality role players, but the styles and characteristics of the two teams are completely different.
.”
"The Celtics are more defensive, and the Cavaliers are more offensive. This is also consistent from the perspective of the running-in of the Big Three. The Celtics' Big Three have excellent defensive running-in, but the offensive running-in is very bad, and the Cavaliers are not.
It's completely reversed, the offensive run-in is excellent, and the defensive run-in is average."
"So, this Eastern Conference Finals showdown will be a showdown between a spear and a shield. If I had to choose a team to enter the finals, I would choose the Cavaliers because their offense is better and their defense is better.
Not bad at all.”
Zach Lowe has a different idea, and his idea can be summed up in one sentence: Defense wins championships.
"At this stage of the playoffs, defense is much more important than offense. The Cavaliers' offense is excellent, but it is difficult for them to break through the Celtics' chain defense. LeBron James's style of play is inherently afraid of zone defense.
Both Rashard Lewis and China Lin this season lack the ability to break down the opponent's defense on their own."
"So, once LeBron is guarded, the Cavaliers' proud offense will be finished."
After Mark Stann and Zach Lowe expressed their opinions respectively, Stephen A. Smith immediately opened a vote on the official website of ESPN. Those who supported the Cavaliers voted for Mark Stann, and those who supported the Celtics voted for
Zach Lowe voted.
While waiting for the Celtics to arrive, Lin Yu had been paying attention to the direction of public opinion.
He noticed that as the Cavaliers swept their opponents in the first two rounds to advance, and the Mavericks and Suns were eliminated, the Cavaliers suddenly became the real favorite to win the championship among the four teams in the current playoffs.
The bookmaker's odds are that the Cavaliers have the lowest, followed by the Spurs, then the Celtics, and finally the Jazz.
In addition to the betting company, he also paid attention to ESPN's preview program. After Stephen A. Smith announced that there was a vote on the ESPN official website, Lin Yu immediately saved the voting page on the ESPN official website and took a look at it from time to time.
Soon, as the Celtics' special plane arrived in Cleveland, the atmosphere of the Eastern Conference Finals gradually heated up.
When a reporter stopped Kevin Garnett at the airport and asked what he thought of the Cavaliers' Big Three, Garnett's answer made many Cavaliers fans at the scene furious and booed throughout the airport arrivals hall.
"The Big Three? The Cleveland Cavaliers have the Big Three? Since when do players who have no experience of leading a team alone become considered giants?"
Kevin Garnett's answer was immediately analyzed by interested reporters.
"LeBron James has the experience of leading the Cavaliers into the playoffs alone, but China Lin, who is in the second full season of his career, has never had the experience of leading a team alone."
"As for Rashard Lewis, who had been playing for the SuperSonics before, he initially played under Gary Payton, and then partnered with Ray Allen. There was a period in the middle when he might have been tied for the top spot, if you have to count.
, Rashad Lewis is barely a giant."
"In comparison, of the Celtics' Big Three, Paul Pierce has always been the boss of the Celtics, Kevin Garnett has always been the boss of the Timberwolves, and Ray Allen has done it before and after.
The boss of the Bucks and Sonics."
"So, Kevin Garnett's remarks are directed at China Lin, thinking that he is not a giant."
Lin Yu noticed that after Garnett's answer, the voting on ESPN's official website immediately changed. The Cavaliers' original lead was suddenly reversed, and the Celtics received more support.
The definition of giants was also discussed on the reddit forum.
"You can only be considered a giant if you were the boss of a certain team. Therefore, the three Celtics are all giants. For the Cavaliers, LeBron James is a giant, and Rashard Lewis can barely be considered a giant.
China Lin cannot be considered a giant at all!"
"If you look at it this way, the Celtics' Big Three are more valuable. Then, based on ESPN's vote, I will switch to the Celtics."
"Same as above..."
Lin Yu thought for a while and then posted on reddit.
"If we have to argue about the definition of giants, I don't think stars who have led their teams to the playoffs for many years can't be called giants."
"If you can't even make the playoffs, why are you a giant?"
A total of two sentences, but it triggered an extremely heated discussion.
"Not making the playoffs for many years? In my mind, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen all had the experience of leading their teams not making the playoffs for many years..."
After the Celtics arrived in Cleveland, they quickly stayed at a hotel near the Quicken Loans Center. They also rented a private arena as their training venue on the road.
The Celtics players dropped their luggage at the hotel and then went to the rented private arena to adapt to the venue.
The reporters also swarmed in like sharks smelling the smell of blood.
Ray Allen, the Celtics' Big Three, has always been reluctant to speak too much. Paul Pierce, who did not retire to join ESPN, is also a player who doesn't talk much in front of the media.
In comparison, Kevin Garnett talks a lot.
“Kevin, do you know China Lin’s latest reply on reddit?”
"The latest reply? What reply? You know, I never read that stuff." Garnett put on large headphones and listened to music.
When he heard the reporter shouting at him, he put down his earphones and asked with interest.
"He said that stars who have not made it to the playoffs for many years are not considered giant players!"
Garnett's face immediately darkened and he waved his hand: "I don't want to get into a war of words before the decisive battle begins. That would be a waste of effort. In short, I hate that many people call this showdown in the Eastern Conference Finals between the Big Three.
In the duel, I only know that the real results will be seen on the field."
Garnett's words turned the topic to the upcoming Eastern Conference Finals, and the reporter raised a question: "So, Kevin, how will you prove that China Lin is not a giant?"
This question is very knowledgeable. First of all, Garnett never pointed out that Lin Yu was not a giant. Therefore, this question forced Garnett to point out that his previous answer was directed at Lin Yu.
Secondly, if Garnett answers this question, he will definitely set a goal. By then, whether it is completed or not, it will be a topic.
Garnett is a smart man. He did not fall into the reporter's trap. He just replied: "I don't play against him. I can't do anything to him."
He didn't set a goal, but indirectly admitted that Lin Yu was what he called a player who was not considered a giant.