Before playing the Celtics, the Cavaliers had a record of 30 wins and 21 losses, ranking among the top four in the Eastern Conference, second only to the Pistons and Heat, and evenly matched with the Nets.
This is LeBron James’ third season in the NBA. This season, the team introduced him to last season’s best defensive team, steals leader Larry Hughes, but the playing styles of Hughes and James are very different.
Similarly, both are breakthrough-type plays, and his performance has dropped significantly compared to last season.
Due to a finger injury, after playing only 28 games, Hughes announced surgery and missed the remainder of the regular season.
After Hughes was injured, James' best helper became Zalunas Ilgauskas, and the game was like going back to last season.
The Cavaliers' record is far better than last season. James, who has averaged 31+7+7 per game so far this season, is indispensable.
This season, LeBron James has clearly become a superstar.
"The scoring in the 05/06 season was really crazy. Kobe Bryant averaged 35 points per game, Allen Iverson averaged 33 points per game, lbj averaged 31 points per game, and Gilbert averaged 29 points per game.
Arenas and Dwyane Wade, who averages 27 points per game."
"When it comes to single-game performance, Kobe Bryant scored 81 and 62 points in a single game, China Lin scored 65 points on all 26 shots in a single game, Allen Iverson scored 53 points in a single game, and Allen Iverson scored 52 points in a single game.
lbj, Dirk Nowitzki with 51 points, Vince Carter with 51 points, Paul Pierce with 50 points..."
"And in this game, China's Lin, who scored 65 points in a single game, teamed up with Paul Pierce, who scored 50 points in a single game, to face LeBron James, who scored 52 points in a single game."
At the TD North Shore Garden Arena, the commentator's game preview focused on the scoring spree this season.
Kobe Bryant's scoring performance is just a representative of this season. In fact, not only Kobe, Iverson, Arenas, Carter and other scorers have also had crazy scoring performances.
In this game between the Celtics and the Cavaliers at home, the biggest highlight is that Lin Yu and Pierce teamed up to face James.
As the game approaches, Boston's home court is rarely full. All Green Kai fans are looking forward to the return of Pierce, who is full of blood, to partner with the crazy Lin Yu some time ago, and they create a huge noise.
In the locker room, all Celtics players have put on their equipment, and Lin Yu has also put on his pair of green and white "Linsanity" signature sneakers, ready to go on the court.
Doc Rivers stood in the middle of the locker room. Rivers had done his homework for this game that could not be missed.
"Lin, your opponent in this game is LeBron James. I will only ask Kendrick deep in the penalty area to give you a little defensive help. Otherwise, you have to rely on yourself."
Rivers looked at Lin Yu with a very serious expression.
Lin Yu also nodded seriously. He knew before the game that he would face James in this game. For this reason, he was under a lot of pressure.
If he is not careful in this game, he may not even be able to defend the basics of defense.
"Paul needs to focus on the offensive end. We have to open up our offense at the beginning. So, Paul, try to focus on breakthroughs. We have to cause damage to the penalty area guarded by Big Z..."
Pierce nodded. He had just returned from injury and had to bear the burden of scoring. He also felt a lot of pressure.
But now the Celtics have no choice. If they still want to enter the playoffs, they need to fight hard in every remaining game.
When the Celtics came on the field, the North Shore Garden Arena was filled with cheers like a roaring tsunami. Paul Pierce received the most enthusiastic cheers from the audience, followed by Lin Yu.
After Pierce was injured and Lin went crazy, Lin Yu has conquered Boston fans.
"The game is about to start. The starting lineups of the two teams are coming on. The Celtics' position is very interesting. China Lin is standing on the opposite side of lbj. This means that in today's game, China Lin will defend lbj."
"China Lin, who weighs just over 100, defends LBJ? Is Doc Rivers crazy?"
Charles Barkley in the commentary box once again began to question Rivers' formation.
Kenny Smith said from Rivers' perspective: "What can Doc Rivers do? He can only let Lin defend LBJ, so that Paul Pierce can be completely liberated."
"With Paul Pierce coming back from injury?"
Charles Barkley shook his head. From the opening formation, he was already not optimistic about the Celtics in this game.
On the court, Lin Yu stared at LeBron James, who had just finished dusting himself with powder. The huge gap in stature between the two immediately made Lin Yu lose confidence.
The referee blew the whistle and then threw the ball into the sky above the arena.
Big Z jumped slightly and touched the basketball first.
James rushed directly towards the frontcourt, and Lin Yu followed his footsteps, taking a 45-degree corner position on the left.
Eric Snow controlled the ball in the frontcourt, and James started again and went around to the top of the key to catch the ball.
"James got the basketball, and he had to face China Lin's defense."
At the beginning, James didn't have so many fancy things to show. He broke through directly, used his body to forcefully knock Lin Yu away, and rushed directly towards the three-point line.
After being hit by James like this, Lin Yu could only grit his teeth and push back. He blocked James' right path intentionally or unintentionally.
James continued to force a breakthrough. He chose to break through from the left because Lin Yu made an obvious omission there.
After taking two more steps, James saw Perkins, who was gradually diving out of the penalty area. He stopped and took a random mid-range shot from mid-range.
Bang, didn't come in.
"James made a mid-range shot, but unfortunately he didn't make it. But obviously, China Lin couldn't stop James' breakthrough. His thin body looked so helpless in front of the huge James..."
It seemed that in the first offensive round, James' breakthrough was unstoppable, but his random mid-range shot made the offense in this round in vain.
But during the actual breakthrough process, only James himself knew how much trouble Lin Yu, who had been sticking to the right, caused him.
James's accustomed breakthrough route is to break through from the right. Once the right is blocked, he can only break through toward the left, and breakthrough from the left is not the angle he is accustomed to. Every ball that breaks through from the left will eventually end up as a shot.
Finish.
If Lin Yu firmly defends his right wing in the next game, then James will be forced to shoot from the outside.
LeBron James in 2006 was not a good shooter. Historically, James gradually developed his long-range shooting after joining the Heat.
"This guy is a smart guy."
In just one offensive and defensive round, James gave Lin Yu a very high evaluation.
He also understood why during the All-Star Weekend, Kobe, Tracy McGrady and others favored Lin Yu, and even showed their intention to recruit Lin Yu from China.
With a wing player with excellent defense and high basketball intelligence as his partner, his pressure will suddenly be reduced a lot.
James thought of Larry Hughes before he was injured. Although Hughes's style of play conflicted with his, the help Hughes provided him on the defensive end would indeed make him feel a lot more comfortable.
Now it's the Celtics' offensive round, with James facing off against Pierce.
Lin Yu ran quickly without the ball. He watched Pierce attract a double attack from the mid-range, but Alexander Pavlovich, who was following him, quickly lost track of him.
After a reverse run, Lin Yu, who was one step inside the three-point line, received the ball.
Pavlovich pounced back, Lin Yu slapped the basketball on the spot, stepped back, and retreated to outside the three-point line.
Then he jumped up and, despite Pavlovich's helpless interference, shot the three-pointer.
Whoosh!
Amid the cheers at the North Shore Garden Arena, James, looking at Pavlovich and Lin Yu, felt more and more that teammates like China Lin were really rare.
The defensive end shares the pressure and the offensive end can also open up space. It's perfect!
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