NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 557: Counterattack starting from push-ups (Daily Chapter)
On Wednesday, May 2008, 5, Boston fans poured into the TD Garden early. They would make one final effort tonight!

More than 18000 fans burst into huge cheers, trying to cheer the home team in this way.

On the TNT broadcast booth, Marv Albert and Reggie Miller had already discussed the starting lineups for both teams. Both teams did not change their lineups, and both seemed intent on going all out with their main players.

The boiling atmosphere in the arena made Reggie Miller subconsciously raise his voice. Before the game started, he once again commented on the Celtics' tactical problems in the past four games:
"Kevin Garnett has performed very well on both offense and defense, but he needs help now, and others must step up in time."

"The Celtics are actually a team that relies on three-pointers. Marbury's abnormal performance made them miss some easy scoring opportunities."

"If this is the last game, I hope Marbury can find his form in time, and the same goes for Pierce. He has to carry the team and solve problems one-on-one."

"As for Ray Allen, I am not worried about his performance. No matter what his condition is tonight, the Cavaliers will strictly guard his three-pointers. As long as he is on the court, he can ensure excellent offensive space."

The game was about to begin and the noise was getting louder and louder. Before standing in the center circle, Garnett beat his chest repeatedly and roared loudly again in front of his teammates to boost morale!
Infected by the emotions of the core players, the sound almost broke through the arena. Marv Albert watched Van Gundy repeatedly reminding the players loudly on the sidelines, and then added:
"This is a game that will determine the fate of the Celtics. Many people did not expect such a result. The Cavaliers guys performed too well!"

"But I believe the veterans will show better form. The benches of both teams look a little nervous."

In the middle of the court, Dwight Howard, who was preparing for a jump ball, was already grinning. Seeing Garnett's tough "performance", he couldn't help but smile, and even joked loudly to the referee who was about to kick off:
"If I do this in the game, will I get a technical foul? Hey, man, you guys are doomed, I like this kind of atmosphere!"

Marbury had a look of anger on his face. He didn't expect the series to turn out like this. His poor performance in several consecutive games has been "fired" by the fans. If he loses again tonight, everything will be over:

"Rookie, shut up! Who do you think you are?"

Howard faintly heard the retort and laughed even more happily. He stared at Marbury and shook his head and said loudly:

"I make three times as much as you do, and you're a clown!"

These words made Marbury so angry that he exploded. Although he did get a middle-class contract, he thought he had a high status in the team. When he heard the rookie's ridicule, he simply turned around and started to attack.

The two started arguing in front of the referee. Fortunately, both sides were just talking nonsense, and the argument ended after the referee's warning.

At the other end of the court, LeBron James put on his red headband again, ignored the boos from the audience, pursed his lips and clapped his hands. He was going to send the old guy home tonight!
Pierce, who was near the center circle, was leaning on his knees and staring at James. He didn't want to lose like this, and he didn't want to be a laughing stock.

"Oh!!"

The noise seemed to get louder. Ray Allen, wearing his white home jersey, couldn't help but quickly make the sign of the cross and pray to God. The pressure of this game was just too great.

As the basketball was thrown, Howard jumped to the ball again with his extraordinary bounce, and the defensive cheers soon resounded throughout the stadium.

After the first four games, both sides were more familiar with each other, but James' good form after the opening still surprised the Celtics.

In the first round, during a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, James, holding the ball in his left hand, broke through the basket from the left wing. Facing Garnett who was switching defense, he turned around and immediately came to the paint area.

Seeing the opponent leaning his body and forcing a shot with his right hand, the Boston fans couldn't help but exclaim, and as the basketball hit the backboard and went into the basket, the cheers quickly turned into boos.

2:0, the Cavaliers took the lead, and James, who was retreating, patted his chest repeatedly, saying that he was in excellent shape!
In the life-and-death battle, Perkins was a little nervous. Marbury broke through the middle and passed the ball, finding his teammate near the lower right side of the basket in the first place.

Unfortunately, Perkins failed to seize the opportunity, the basketball hit the rim and bounced out. He struggled to grab the frontcourt rebound and jumped again, but was blocked by Howard!
"Oh"

The overwhelming talent made the Boston fans at the scene feel disheartened. Howard's feet seemed to be equipped with springs. He bounced after landing and yelled at Garnett provocatively.

Without getting entangled with the opponent, after the sideline ball was kicked out again, Garnett received the ball in the right elbow area. Facing Howard's defense, he dribbled between his legs, suddenly changed direction with his left hand, and then immediately passed the ball.

Garnett shook off some space, ignored the defense and responded with a quick stop and jump shot!

Seeing Garnett shouting passionately, the NDRC was boiling again. This was the performance of the core player that everyone was expecting.

The first quarter quickly turned into a showdown between LeBron James and Paul Pierce.

Showing a state that was not there in the previous few games, James' jump shot percentage began to rise, and Pierce also changed his sluggish performance and frequently responded on the offensive end.

Szczerbiak's three-pointer caused the Cavaliers bench to celebrate wildly, and Marbury's breakthrough also made the Boston atmosphere group shout continuously.

As time passed, physical confrontation increased again, the Celtics fell into a disadvantage again after their shooting percentage dropped.

Head coach Rivers on the sidelines was so anxious that he kept yelling and complaining loudly to the referee whenever he got the chance. His face turned black and red. He could not accept the result of being eliminated in the semifinals.

When Howard missed two free throws, Rivers even shouted loudly on the sidelines, clapping his hands at his opponents with a hoarse voice:

"You missed the free throw, good job kid!"

Compared to Rivers who was fully committed, Jeff Van Gundy maintained the style of a championship coach at this time. Seeing James showing excellent game form, he just smiled and applauded.

TNT's broadcast also captured the reactions of the two teams' head coaches. At this moment, many fans and commentators in front of the TV had the same feeling:
"He is worthy of being the youngest coach in history to win four consecutive championships"

At the end of the first quarter, the score was fixed at 24:20, and the Celtics were 4 points behind, which made the fans on the scene even more anxious, as they seemed to be at a disadvantage again.

James scored 8 points, including 5 of 2 shots, 0 of 2 three-point shots, and 2 of 12 free throws, accounting for half of the team's points. Such performance also made Reggie Miller in the commentary booth praise him again and again:

"James' performance is outstanding! After several seasons of hard work, he has fully realized his talent."

"His strong body allows him to tear through the opponent's defense, and his soft finish at the basket can ignore interference. The Celtics must find a solution as soon as possible, they are now in a very passive position."

When the visiting coach was interviewed before the holiday, Jeff Van Gundy had a reserved smile on his face and said modestly to the camera:
"All I have to do in tonight's game is believe in the boys. LeBron has a big heart and he is ready for the future."

"."

Van Gundy did not talk about his own tactics. He just believed in the players. Marv Albert smiled and commented after hearing the interview:
"Leave the game to the players. This is the demeanor of a championship coach! The Celtics should be careful."

Both teams simultaneously reduced the time of rotating players. In the crucial game, everyone focused on their main players. James seemed to want to take over the game completely and continued to score in the second quarter.

Every fight for rebounds made the Celtics fans at the scene sweat. Howard rushed too aggressively, and it was difficult for the Celtics to even launch an effective counterattack.

By the end of the first half, the score was 50:45, the Cavaliers still firmly suppressed their opponents, and the TD Garden became quiet.

Maybe it was Rivers' chicken soup during the halftime that worked. After the start of the third quarter, the "Big Four" suddenly broke out in turns, shooting from inside and outside, and scoring continuously!
At the critical moment, Howard made a mistake and James missed shots one after another. In less than two minutes, the score difference was wiped out.

As the game time passed, the Cavaliers failed to complete the response ball in time. After half a quarter, they were suddenly 6 points behind. Van Gundy was not calm for a while, and he continued to give chicken soup during the timeout:
"Keep the pace of the game, keep attacking the basket, believe in each other, LeBron, remember to share the ball!"

James didn't expect that the old guy on the opposite side would explode. He felt a little unhappy when he heard the coach's instructions, but he still nodded in response.

In the first round after the timeout, Howard tried to play a one-on-one game in the low post on the left side, but Garnett seized the opportunity and blocked it.

"Oh!"

When Perkins took control of the ball, the Celtics fans at the scene shouted desperately and everyone was in an excited mood.

Garnett, who was fully in the game state, received the ball in the left blocking area after the pick-and-roll, and faked Howard. He held the ball with his left hand and rushed to the basket, trying to complete a one-handed slam dunk!

Howard, who had lost face, was furious and pulled the other person down, causing Garnett to fall heavily to the ground.

"Fuck!"

The fans in the front row behind the basket were furious and stood up and yelled. Perkins and Pierce rushed up immediately. When James joined the fight, the two sides tore into each other. Marbury and Delonte West punched each other. Ray Allen wanted to be a peacemaker and hugged Pierce tightly. Zydrunas Ilgauskas also stopped James.
With the help of the referee, the two parties separated with difficulty. Garnett fell to the ground and rejected the team doctor and atmosphere team who rushed over.

After sitting up, he turned over and did two push-ups in a row. When Garnett stood up and beat his chest and roared to the fans in the front row, the TD Garden Arena was completely plunged into a crazy atmosphere.

"what!!"

With his head held high and shouting at the top of his lungs, Garnett showed his tough guy character, with a ferocious expression on his dark face.

The Celtics' morale was boosted for a moment. When Garnett served the ball, the shouts were higher and higher, and the Boston fans at the scene were all very excited:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

As if intimidated by the opponent's momentum, the Cavaliers' offense gradually became silent, and James, who shot frequently, failed to respond in time.

At the end of the third quarter, the Celtics had already overtaken their opponents and were leading by 3 points. The Cavaliers bench began to become quiet and the game situation turned around.
Stimulated by the "Iron Blood Push-ups", the Celtics finally broke out and firmly grasped the leading advantage. When Howard received the ball in the low post, he was either fouled or double-teamed.

The “dual-core” team fell into a disadvantage, and the “Big Four” finally protected the home court. When the buzzing sounded, the Boston fans at the scene jumped and danced, celebrating to their heart’s content!

92:98, the series score is 3:2, the Celtics still have a chance.

When the game ended, head coach Rivers rushed into the field almost immediately, his face turned red with excitement, and he punched repeatedly to vent his excitement.

While hugging Garnett, Rivers shouted excitedly:
"Kevin, you are our hero! This is awesome! This is the greatest game I've ever played!"

20中12，罚球6中4，28分14篮板3助攻2抢断2失误，拿到全队最高分的加内特这时候搂着教练去，冲着摄像机连连挥拳：
"Anything is possible!!"

Marbury and his colleagues quickly surrounded them. Everyone was excited at this moment as they had "escaped death". They did not become a laughing stock in the league.

LeBron James was not in a good mood as he walked into the full tunnel. He made 26 of 12 shots, 6 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, and 13 of 11 free throws, scoring a game-high 35 points, but he still lost.

Having missed the chance to win so close, Howard was also embarrassed. He didn't like his partner's offensive choices and he only took 12 shots tonight.

At the post-match press conference, most sports reporters were still optimistic about the Cavaliers. It was too difficult to reverse the 1:3. After all, Van Gundy was a championship coach and would not make mistakes.

The press conference was very harmonious, with both sides boasting. When Van Gundy returned to the locker room, he sensed the somewhat dull atmosphere, showed a confident look, and loudly encouraged:
"We played really well tonight. Keep up the confidence and we will end the series in front of our home fans!"

"."

Assistant coach Thibodeau showed a worried look on his face. He felt that the Celtics performed better than before, but at this time he could only trust his players:
“We have to win the game at home.”

On Thursday, May 5, Boston newspapers were all praising Kevin Garnett's performance. The "reversal push-ups" successfully broke the circle, and even Boston fans began to participate in this topic.

While the neighboring city was celebrating, New York was mocking and ridiculing. The columns in several mainstream newspapers were all data analysis, showing the fans how weak the opponent was!

It is difficult to score over 100 points in a series, and this situation is unlikely to happen to the current Knicks. Seeing the Celtics who are still behind after winning one game, New York fans have a sense of superiority again:

"The Knicks will only sweep their opponents in the semifinals!"

Traffic on Reddit has skyrocketed since last night, as Garnett's push-ups were made into an animated GIF by some New York enthusiasts, which contrasted sharply with the GIF of him fighting and retreating in Madison Square Garden.

Because of the geographical location, the Celtics have a lot of young fans, and no one wants to be ridiculed in the heat of the moment, so the two sides fought against each other in the air, almost overwhelming the server.
The Knicks coaching staff is also paying attention to the opponent, but Li You is still on vacation.

After practicing all night last night, Li You was in a "harmonious" state when he woke up early. The private and quiet environment of Peninsula Manor made him forget all the trivial matters.

When Scarlett, who was pregnant, appeared in the restaurant on the first floor, she handed over the New Yorker magazine in annoyance, squeezed next to Li You and said depressedly:
"These damn film critics, even box office results like this can't stop them from talking!"

Looking at the succubus with her blonde hair tied up, Li You let her sit in his arms, then flipped through the magazine. After seeing David Danby's article, he chuckled and said jokingly:

"Maybe David Messer forgot to pay his bills. Just read these boring reviews. Iron Man is a success and our stock will appreciate soon!"

Scarlett blinked her eyes and thought of the more than 40 million US dollars. She felt much better. She twisted in her arms and whispered in his ear:

"The box office can exceed 3 million. Can I play a role in the next one? I haven't made such a commercial movie yet."

If Iron Man had flopped, Scarlett would definitely not be interested. Now the movie is selling well, with excellent box office performance in the first week and is still rising in the second week. The sequel will most likely be successful.

"I remember you liked those art films? Tin Can Fight"

The succubus quickly kissed Li You, squeezed him into her arms, and interrupted in a delicate voice:

"If I get a higher box office, I can make more money. Don't you want to buy a ranch? I can make money to buy land."

Hollywood is so realistic sometimes. Box office determines everything. As for those awards, they are only useful to top movie stars. Downey Jr. has made a comeback this time, but he will still be exploited by Marvel in the future.

Li You never refused the girls' plan to earn money to support him. When Milinda appeared in the restaurant with sleepy eyes, she saw the succubus kissing her non-stop and teased her:

"I still remember at the premiere of The Horse Whisperer, the little girl said she would not consider commercial films in the future. Our little cutie has really grown up!"

Scarlett was a little embarrassed when talking about her past "scandals". She was still a minor at that time, and now she has become a cow succubus.

"Perlmutter is the most stingy CEO I have ever met! The premiere was so awful that he didn't even want to provide paper cups!"

Milinda pulled Scarlett to sit down, and turned to Li You to complain about the bad things that happened to her at Marvel. She was laughed at at the premiere. If it weren't for the good box office results, she would probably be laughed at for a year.
"The budget is 600 million more than planned? We have to review it. The profit settlement is also troublesome. Merrill Lynch is probably not in the mood to pay attention to this."

Li You also saw the content of the email and asked casually. He asked to re-shoot some scenes, which made Perlmutter a little crazy. Before the movie was released, he even had a quarrel with David Messer and others.

"Making money is always better than losing money. I have the patience to follow up on this matter and can also invest more in the second film. I can't let Scarlett's first commercial film fail."

Melinda, who was hugging the succubus, blinked with a smile in her eyes, then reached out and held the huge white breast, causing the other party to laugh, rubbed it and joked again:

“Will it really not be a problem to make movies when you become so big?”

On Friday, May 5, the Celtics visited Cleveland again, and the game that night attracted a huge amount of attention.

The fans of the Cavaliers showed their desire for victory. From the beginning of the game, they kept cheering for the home team. They firmly believed that Van Gundy and the Chosen One could win.

The game that started at 19:30 turned out to be exceptionally long, with muscle collisions, free throws, lead alternations, and several conflicts on the court.

When the team took the lead at halftime, the Quicken Loans Arena was filled with jubilation, but after the start of the second half, the game was reversed again as the "Big Four" exploded in turn in the third quarter.

It was hard to imagine that the Cavaliers would encounter a foul crisis at home, which made Van Gundy so angry that he received a technical foul shortly after the start of the fourth quarter.

Howard's early foul became the turning point of the game. In the following minutes, James failed to respond in time. The Celtics worked together and successfully stabilized the score difference at 6 points.

“Referee suck!.”

When the game was over, the frustrated Cavaliers fans collectively cursed the referee and said they were going to play a game seven away from home!
88:82, the score was 3:3, and the Celtics escaped.

In the boiling arena, Van Gundy was so angry that his face turned red. After the game, he was still complaining to the technical desk. He had a bad feeling in his heart:

"I'm going to complain to the league! Damn it, you guys ruined the game!"

(End of this chapter)