pertwk Chapter 274 Regular Season Opening Game! Knicks Award Ceremony Broadcast Live
Chapter 274 Regular Season Opening Game! Knicks Award Ceremony Broadcast Live
Chapter 274 Regular Season Opening Game! Knicks Award Ceremony Broadcast Live!
The Pacers' first opponent was also carefully selected by the league; it was their opponent in the first round of last season's playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers led by Allen Iverson!
The 76ers' roster this season is not much different from last season. They still have Iverson as the absolute core, with the other players responsible for defense and rebounding, and Iverson handling the offense.
Perhaps the only thing worth looking forward to in their roster this season is Larry Hughes, the rookie the team drafted last year, who had some impressive performances in the second half of the season and the playoffs.
His speed, explosiveness, and talent could very well bring some unexpected surprises to the 76ers!
Indiana fans, who can sell out tickets for multiple preseason games and have high demand, will certainly not leave a single empty seat at the stadium for the regular season games.
Not to mention that tonight's opponent is a very strong team, the 76ers with Allen Iverson. Naturally, the fans would not miss such a game and arrived at the stadium early to send some "blessings of love" to Iverson.
"Alan! Why don't you go play hockey? You don't even have to bend over to play that, you're talented!"
"I heard you can play rugby? What position do you play in rugby? Are you the one who gets the ball thrown around?"
"Lin, you better watch out for Allen later. If that guy jumps up, he might just smash your knee!"
"You're as big and strong as my grandma's big yellow dog! With your tiny frame, don't you really want to go back to drinking your mother's milk for another two years?"
"Go back to kindergarten! That's your home!"
The boos were deafening and didn't stop once the 76ers entered the arena. The fans were going crazy, venting their frustration of not seeing a game for six months. They released all the passion they had accumulated over the past six months!
Iverson, with a smirk and swinging his arms, walked up to Lin Tian with his signature smug expression and said, "Rob told me to be polite when I run into you. We're on the same side now, but your fans aren't exactly friendly."
"No, Allen, you're wrong." Lin Tian turned around, deliberately tilting his head back and searching for a couple of times before lowering it and saying, "You'll soon find out that compared to us, our fans are practically your grandmothers! They'll definitely be the friendliest people to you tonight!"
"As for what Robert said, just pretend he didn't say it."
"That's what I mean too." Iverson bumped fists with Lin Tian and said, "No one can stop me from hating and defeating you."
"Just like no one can stop me from believing that I am the best number one on this planet."
"Maybe." Lin Tian shrugged and gave Iverson a complicated greeting gesture, but he didn't back down at all, saying, "But I'm the best player in the universe. As for point guard or shooting guard, that's up to you."
"Just wait to die!"
After greeting everyone, Iverson swaggered away, and Webber leaned out from behind Lin Tian and said, "This kid seems alright."
"If you're happy being his little brother, he'll be the best big brother in the world, but if you're not, he'll be a nightmare." Lin Tian shrugged and turned to warm up with Webber.
Just as the players from both sides were warming up, the large screen above their heads suddenly went dark and then suddenly lit up again. But this time, the screen was no longer showing introductions of the Pacers players or highlights of the team from last season.
The image on the big screen changed to Madison Square Garden!
Judging from the situation at the stadium, it is clear that this is the scene of the Knicks' championship flag raising ceremony and ring presentation ceremony!
Today is a big day for the Knicks!
Not only were there an injured Ewing and a retired Jordan, but many Knicks legends were also present: Earl Monroe, Bernard King, Willis Reed…
This is, after all, a championship celebration for the Knicks that happens almost once every 30 years, so it's definitely worth celebrating properly.
"Thieves! They stole our rings!" Big Ben muttered indignantly, standing next to Lin Tian.
"It's alright, next we'll take everyone's rings!" Lin Tian glanced at the big screen and said, "They won't get a single ring!"
"I love that name!" Webber said, stretching his muscles. "Maybe we could change it to 'Predators,' how about that? It sounds way more imposing than 'Pacers'!"
"But it's so tacky, I don't want such a terrible name!" Lin Tian muttered. At this moment, the championship ceremony was already more than halfway through. Jordan spoke on behalf of the Knicks, everyone received their rings, and the championship banner had been raised to the ceiling.
At that moment, the big screen went dark again.
There's no need to continue reading the rest.
The home crowd staff played this for the Pacers to ignite their fighting spirit and anger.
Let them give the 76ers a good beating in their first game of the new season and show them who the real boss is!
The home team staff's move was clearly a great success!
And what they inspired wasn't just the Pacers' fighting spirit; the first to be spurred on, their eyes turning red, were the Pacers' fans!
The noise they made was ten times louder than before; they couldn't wait to tear their opponents apart! Whether or not this opponent was the Knicks, the team that had stolen their championship ring, they were determined to destroy them!
Amidst the almost ferocious roars of the fans in the stadium, both teams' players took to the field, waiting for the match to begin.
The Pacers continued with their preseason starting lineup: Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, Christie, Miller, and Lin Tian!
For the 76ers, Troy Hill, who has recovered from injury, has regained his starting position. The other four players are exactly the same as when the two teams met in the playoffs last season: Ratliff, George, Iverson, and Snow!
Although this lineup has changed one player, their playing style and core ideas are exactly the same as last season.
One shooter and four stealers; one offensive player and four defensive players!
Make every effort to create shooting space and opportunities for Iverson, and use every method to plug the gaps in Iverson's defense, so that Iverson can defend players who are not good at offense as much as possible.
As for the Pacers' roster, they have already demonstrated unparalleled offensive prowess in the preseason. Now, it remains to be seen whether they can carry this offensive system into the regular season!
The referee blew his whistle, and the basketball was tossed into the air.
Ben Wallace, who is said to be 206 cm tall, did not have much of an advantage when jumping the ball, especially since his hairstyle was really too exaggerated. Lin Tian even thought that his hair might have hindered his speed in raising his arm to touch the ball.
"Snapped!"
Hill tossed the ball to Iverson, who immediately accelerated and sprinted across half-court in the blink of an eye. After briefly assessing the situation, he immediately pushed his speed to the limit. Meanwhile, Snow and Lynch stood in front of Iverson's path, providing him with two screens in quick succession!
After colliding with two people, Lin Tian finally couldn't keep up with Iverson's speed. He watched as the guy drove all the way to the basket and scored 2 points with a layup!
Before Iverson could even clap and celebrate after scoring, Christie, who was only half a step late, picked up the ball and passed it to Webber, who had just run to the three-point line.
After receiving the ball, Webber turned and dribbled away without any sense of responsibility as an inside player. After dribbling for a couple of steps, when the entire 76ers defense was wondering what Webber was up to, the basketball in Webber's hand suddenly flew towards the basket.
"boom!"
The entire 76ers team only had time to turn around and look, and couldn't do anything else. The distance of the pass was really too long, and the timing of the pass was really too cunning!
Hanging on the rim was none other than Lin Tian, who had just been shaken off by Iverson's two screens. After swinging on the rim twice, he landed easily and, as he turned to go back on defense, he didn't forget to give Webber a high five.
Playing with this guy is really enjoyable!
Especially when Bird gave Webber a lot of tactical autonomy, allowing him to do everything in the transition between offense and defense, Webber's influence on the offensive end was brought to its fullest potential!
This lightning-fast attack naturally earned a wild cheer from the entire stadium as encouragement!
This is the kind of Pacers they want to see!
During the 76ers' offense, Iverson dribbled up the court and faced Lin Tian, immediately saying, "Is this all you know how to do, Lin? Huh? You don't even have the guts to face me?"
"You can play like that too!" Lin Tian yelled as he tried to steal the ball from Iverson, all the while continuing to shout, "Get Ratliff or Hill to pass you a few balls! Give them the ball, you lone wolf who never passes!"
"I averaged 7 assists per game last season!" Iverson said, while keeping an eye on Lin Tian's attempt to steal the ball, waving to his teammates to set a screen.
"I've been the assist leader for two seasons! Even if you're best at scoring, do you know how to write the words 'scoring leader'?" Lin Tian was caught off guard by Hill's screen, and seeing Iverson accelerate his breakthrough, he immediately turned around and continued to chase after Iverson from behind.
Ben Wallace carefully maintained the distance between the two of Iverson, his muscles taut, looking ready for anything. Clearly, he was determined to stop Iverson's attack.
Iverson continued his breakthrough, but he dared not stop. He knew that Lin Tian was waiting for an opportunity behind him, and if he stopped even for a moment, Lin Tian would immediately entangle him again.
But this ugly guy with the afro in front of him gave Iverson a sense of pressure that he had only felt when facing big men like Mourning and Mutombo.
Just as Iverson was hesitating whether to challenge Ben Wallace directly or slow down to find his teammates, Lin Tian caught up and suddenly attacked from behind, knocking Iverson's dribble away.
Having worked with Lin Tian for two years and already having a very good understanding with him, Ben Wallace was well prepared. He grabbed the basketball that had been poked away and quickly passed it to Lin Tian.
After receiving the ball, Lin Tian gave Iverson and the 76ers no chance to catch up. He accelerated and charged towards the frontcourt!
After a lightning-fast and frenzied advance, the only player the 76ers could still stand in Lin Tian's way was Snow.
But Snow didn't even have time to foul Lin Tian, because Lin Tian had already made a behind-the-back pass to the middle.
Then Snow saw a huge black shadow rushing towards him like a mountain crashing down.
Then Snow felt everything go black!
A tremendous force struck, sending Snow flying and crashing out of bounds in a sorry state.
"boom!"
After a loud bang, the person swinging back and forth with both hands on the rim this time was Webber!
The entire Conseco Center immediately erupted in gasps of surprise.
In this era, 95% of interior players are conventional post-up players who score easy baskets under the rim. Only a few elite stars can pull off some advanced moves like jump shots and face-up drives.
As for David Robinson, a monster whose skills such as face-up crossover, spin, and pull-up jump shot from the high post are no different from those of a small forward, he is unique in the entire history of the league, there will never be another like him.
As for Webber, a guy who can truly pass, organize, dribble, advance the ball, and participate in fast breaks and dunks, it's hard to find another one like him in the entire league!
His speed, agility, fundamentals, vision, and awareness are really not like those of an inside player.
Webber's dunk completely ignited the entire Conseco Arena. Fans roared wildly, cheering for the play between Webber and Lin Tian. Lin Tian gave Webber a high five and quickly returned to his position to begin defense.
They both knew that the surprises they brought to the fans today were only just beginning!
In the next possession, Iverson once again sought a screen from his teammate, then suddenly accelerated and forced his way past Lin Tian. This time, Iverson's attack was even more decisive and resolute. He didn't observe his teammates or hesitate; instead, he charged straight towards the basket!
Ben Wallace had been waiting under the basket for a long time. After calculating Iverson's steps, he pounced on Iverson like a wolf pouncing on its prey!
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Iverson and Ben Wallace collided heavily in mid-air. Then, Iverson felt an incredible surge of power, and in an instant, he lost his balance. He could only barely flick his wrist towards the basket, trying to put the ball in.
But Ben Wallace's Giant Palm had been waiting for this moment, and he slapped the basketball that Iverson had just released with perfect accuracy.
Iverson's fall was quite severe; he practically tumbled sideways and slid across the floor for a long time before finally coming to a stop.
Unfortunately, the Pacers failed to launch their fast break. Perhaps Iverson's fall was quite hard, or perhaps the referee was on fire, but in any case, the referee blew his whistle and called a blocking foul on Iverson, sending him to the free-throw line.
The big screen at the scene immediately and perfectly displayed a replay of the previous play, showing an impeccably clean block and perfect defense!
The fans in the stadium weren't going to hold back at all. They didn't even need the footage to boo the referee without any restraint!
They just felt that the play wasn't a foul!
The referee on site was a seasoned veteran. He ignored the boos from the fans, calmly walked to the baseline, gestured for two free throws, and then passed the ball to Iverson.
"How many times do you bench press?" Iverson asked, not in a hurry to shoot free throws, but instead looking at Ben Wallace.
Although he only played in the NBA for 3 years, what Ben Wallace just did to him really scared him. Before that, only a few violent monsters like Mourning and O'Neal had ever given him this kind of pressure.
"215 kilograms!" Ben flashed a big white grin, bulging his muscles with both hands to look fierce.
"Nonsense." Iverson cursed, looking unconvinced. After all, the NBA's current known bench press record is Barkley's 205 kg. How could you, an unknown guy with no memorable features except for his hairstyle, claim to weigh 215 kg?
You're kidding me!
However, Iverson also knew that even if Ben Wallace was exaggerating, there wasn't much exaggeration in it. Just now, even if Ben Wallace didn't weigh 200 kilograms, he definitely couldn't have bench pressed around 195 kilograms!
monster!
Iverson glanced at Ben Wallace, then at Lin Tian, a hint of jealousy creeping into his eyes.
Why don't I have such a monster teammate?!
Lin Tian, you're already so good at fighting, and you have such a powerful inside partner, it's practically a foul!
Despite his thoughts and jealousy, Iverson calmly made both free throws, not wasting the points that were practically given away.
"Ben, I remember your bench press was around 175 last season? Now it's 215?" Webber asked curiously as soon as Iverson and the 76ers players stepped back.
"Of course not, I'm not a monster, how could I gain that much weight in just six months?" Da Ben chuckled, revealing a smug expression. "It's just 200 kilograms. I was lying to that short guy. Lin often tells me to say I'm 206 or even 208 centimeters tall, so I can scare people."
"I think, like strength, the taller you are, the more intimidating you become."
"Smart!" Weber gave a thumbs up, but what he was thinking was that he must get along well with Ben in the future and never have any conflicts with him!
After all, his own bench press is only around 170 kilograms, which is at best average for an inside player.
As for the big guy...
Weber thought it was even more frightening that he reported the real data, after all, 215 kilograms was really unbelievable, and it sounded fake.
But 200 kilograms? That's so realistic! So realistically frightening!
The Pacers' offense finally fell into a half-court game. Snow immediately moved up to press and try to pressure Lin Tian's dribbling, making it difficult for him to move the ball around comfortably.
Unfortunately, Lin Tian completely ignored Snow's defense and easily dribbled in a different direction, leaving him aside. When Snow tried to catch up with Lin Tian again, he already felt a dark shadow next to him.
Weber has already rushed over to provide cover for Lin Tian.
Lin Tian dashed into the three-point line in the blink of an eye, and the 76ers' defense immediately went into a state of panic!
After Lin Tian dribbled to the free-throw line, he suddenly made a behind-the-back pass with one hand, which startled the 76ers players. They immediately moved two steps toward Webber, but as soon as they moved, they found that the basketball was still in Lin Tian's hand!
A passing feint!
After a moment of synchronized stunned silence from the entire 76ers team, they discovered that Webber had already started his attack and was in the area below the free-throw line. Then, somehow, the basketball in Lin Tian's hands had returned to Webber's hands!
"boom!"
Then came a deafening explosion as Webber slammed home another dunk!
The Pacers executed an incredibly smooth two-man play, completely dismantling the 76ers' defense.
Then, Lin Tian suddenly raised one hand to his head, clenched his fist, and roared, "Intensity!"
So when the 76ers launched another attack, everyone noticed that the Pacers players, who had just been playing casually and not guarding them closely, suddenly increased their physical intensity, pressing them tightly, as if the game was already close to its end!
As for Lin Tian himself, he directly engaged with Iverson, and the two began their first head-to-head offensive and defensive duel of the night!
"Come on, Allen! Let me see what you've been practicing this offseason! Have you improved at all!" Lin Tian and Iverson got tangled up together, and Lin Tian started taunting him.
"Bring it on! I thought you weren't up to the task of playing one-on-one with me tonight!" Iverson's eyes lit up immediately, and he suddenly increased the speed of his dribbling, yelling, "Spread out! Spread out!"
That's right, Iverson is about to put on a show!
Unfortunately, neither Lin Tian nor Christie wanted him to show off!
Iverson felt like he had only dribbled the ball twice and hadn't even found his rhythm to start the attack when Christie suddenly appeared from his blind spot and, in the blink of an eye, formed a double-team with Lin Tian!
"FUXX! Lin, didn't you want to fight me one-on-one?!" Iverson roared in dissatisfaction.
"I wanted to fight you one-on-one, but Doug wanted to fight you one-on-one too! Neither of us could convince the other." Lin Tian shamelessly pressed his chest against Iverson, and at the same time, he tried to stab him but failed, so he continued, "So the two of us decided to fight you one-on-one together!"
"How shameless!" Even Christie couldn't stand it anymore. How could Lin be so thick-skinned?
Christie and Lin Tianke are both among the league's top perimeter defenders. With the two positioned on opposite sides, Iverson was in a very difficult position. He could only dribble backward, trying to create some distance to handle the ball.
Unfortunately, Lin Tian and Christie had clearly anticipated this and immediately pressed forward, giving Iverson no space or opportunity.
With Iverson realizing he would have to return to the court if he retreated any further, he had no choice but to jump up and try to pass the ball.
But he's a short guy who's barely 180 centimeters tall, and he's against someone who's 191 centimeters tall and someone who's 2 meters tall, and he just makes that kind of hard pass?
There won't be any surprises at all!
Christie used a volleyball block to slap Iverson's pass back to his half-court. Lin Tian sprinted forward, grabbed the basketball, and launched another fast break towards the frontcourt.
Lin Tian had a 1-on-0 dunk opportunity in the frontcourt. This time, his jump distance was much shorter than he was used to. However, this time, after jumping, he did not choose the tomahawk dunk he usually used. Instead, he swung his arm in a wide arc and slammed the ball into the basket with one hand!
One-handed windmill dunk!
This is a new move that Lin Tian learned after improving his jumping ability and body coordination; he wouldn't have dared to jump like this before.
If you can't jump that high, the ball will easily fly away.
But now...
Relax!
The fans immediately erupted in cheers. Although Lin Tian's dunk was still a bit less impressive than Carterby's on the bench, it was still an absolutely spectacular dunk!
"How's Vince?" Bird couldn't help but ask Carter.
"Not so good, not as good as me. I can dunk a windmill dunk that's about the same level without even taking a running start, and I guarantee it'll be rounder than Lin's!" When it comes to dunking, Carter is never modest or polite, he just says he's the best in the world!
"Who asked you that!" Bird rolled his eyes. "I wanted to ask you, do you think Lin's dunk this time is a significant improvement compared to last season?"
Carter recalled for a moment after hearing this, and then said, "This seems to be the first time Lin has ever done a windmill dunk. Before, he preferred to use gliding and slam dunks to cover up his average jumping height."
You're the only one who dares to say his jumping height is average. Someone who can dunk almost on the free-throw line, you're saying his jumping ability is bad?
Bird shook his head, deciding not to talk to Carter about dunks anymore. At the same time, Bird felt that Carter's subtle way of showing off was actually a bit like his own.
He's usually quiet and reserved, but when it comes to showing off, he's quite the expert!
But Carter's words clearly reminded Bird, and he carefully reviewed the two years he had worked with Lin Tian.
Carter is right, Lin Tian has never used a windmill dunk.
It's not that the movement itself is difficult, but rather that making it look good and turning the windmill perfectly round is truly challenging!
If you don't swing the windmill properly, it can easily look very awkward, like it's just shaking a couple of times in the air before you put the ball in.
Based on Bird's understanding of Lin Tian, this show-off guy definitely wasn't hiding a windmill trick he wasn't using; he just couldn't button it up nicely, which is why he wasn't buttoning it up like that!
But Bird would give him a 9 out of 10 for that dunk he just made!
In conclusion, Bird nodded with great satisfaction as he watched Lin Tian continue to pester Iverson.
This guy seems to be neglecting his duties during the offseason, spending his time in training camps, variety shows, and playing low-level games, wasting his energy.
But he really didn't slack off in his training at all, and he was able to improve so significantly!
It's practically a prehistoric monster!
Bird once again gave Lin Tianxia a new definition in his mind: this guy's speed and magnitude of progress are just too astonishing!
An absolute monster!
On the court, the Pacers relentlessly targeted Iverson in the first few minutes, preventing him from attacking one-on-one. Their constant high-post double-teams and high-intensity defense completely stifled the 76ers' offense.
That's not all. When the Pacers are on offense, their offensive tactics are even more unpredictable. Four out of the five players on the team have first-class to top-class ball handling and passing abilities. Their teamwork makes the 76ers completely unable to keep up, and every now and then there will be an open shot under the basket. The entire 76ers team can only watch the Pacers players make layups.
5: 15!
Four minutes into the first quarter, 76ers head coach Larry Brown knew he couldn't continue playing like this, and he called the first timeout of the night.
The Pacers are too aggressive on both offense and defense, he has to change his lineup in advance!
During the timeout, Brown made a substitution, removing George and Snow, who posed no threat on offense, and bringing in the energetic Hughes and the more offensively capable Aaron McGee.
Although these two players are far inferior to George and Snow in terms of defensive ability and size, well, if you put George and Snow in, they'll get blown out anyway, right? You might as well try to see if you can blow each other out.
Iverson dribbled the ball up the court again. After the 76ers brought in Hughes and McGee, who were relatively more offensively capable, the Pacers' defense obviously didn't dare to be so aggressive anymore.
This time, Iverson didn't have to face a double team. He chose to dribble continuously, then create a little space before taking a mid-range jump shot, which went in!
"You alone can't stop me at all!" After scoring, Iverson's confidence soared, and he started yelling at Lin Tian: "Lin, you're no match for me. If you dare to go one-on-one with me, I can beat you to a pulp!"
"I didn't want to back down you." Lin Tian calmly dribbled to the frontcourt, then turned around, backed up against Iverson, and suddenly exerted force, 'Bang, bang!' He slammed into Iverson twice in a row.
Even though Iverson possessed almost top-tier strength among perimeter players, he was utterly powerless in the face of the enormous size difference and inherent disadvantages. Apart from desperately reaching out to grab something, he had no way to deal with Lin Tian's back-to-the-basket post-up game, which was like playing dirty.
After two quick moves past Iverson, Lin Tian executed a smooth turnaround jump shot, easily securing 2 points!
"You just had to trash talk at me, weren't you asking for it?" Lin Tian spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders after scoring, as if to say, "You asked for it."
In the first quarter, Iverson was completely exasperated by Lin Tian's annoying expression and unreasonable back-to-the-basket plays.
If Lin Tian used Jordan's footwork, rhythm, and technique to beat Iverson one-on-one, Iverson would accept it, whether he was facing away or facing away!
But Lin Tian only needed one move to hit him.
He slammed the ball in several times before suddenly turning around and shooting.
This move seems basic, simple, and easy to defend against.
However, due to the height difference of more than 10 centimeters and the weight difference of almost 15 kilograms between the two, Iverson had no way to defend and was repeatedly bullied by Lin Tian without any temper.
Although Iverson's offensive space improved considerably after the Pacers switched to one-on-one defense and he made a few shots, his success rate was clearly no match for Lin Tian's.
After all, one of them was shooting from a half-open position after completely pushing the opponent away, while the other was forcing a shot while having to face the opponent.
Lin Tian went to the bench to rest after playing for 9 minutes in the first quarter, but he had already contributed an impressive 10 points and 3 assists. Miller also went to the bench to rest with him. Miller didn't have a good first quarter tonight, making 1 of 4 shots and only scoring 3 points.
Buckner and Carter replaced them.
When Iverson faced Buckner, his offensive efficiency improved significantly, making all three of his next shots in the first quarter.
Fortunately, Carter was in very good form tonight, scoring two goals in a row after coming on, which prevented the 76ers from quickly closing the gap.
20: 31!
Even though Iverson scored 15 points at the end of the first quarter, the team was already down by 11 points to the Pacers.
Another detail actually reveals more about the issue.
Allen Iverson, the 76ers' absolute core player, played the entire first quarter.
But for the Pacers, Webber played for 8 minutes, while Lin Tian and Miller both played for only 9 minutes.
The difference in playing time for key players, coupled with a gap of more than 10 points between the two sides, clearly demonstrated the disparity in strength between the two teams from the very first quarter!
In the second quarter, Iverson did not rest and continued to team up with McGee and Hughes on the perimeter. This time, they finally went on a small run and narrowed the gap to 5 points.
Then, the Pacers quickly substituted in their starting lineup!
After Lin Tian and Webber relentlessly attacked the 76ers' defense, the point difference quickly rose to over 10 points again, but it did not widen further.
During this period, the Pacers fielded an all-out offensive perimeter combination of Lin Tian, Carter, and Miller, along with two equally offensively-minded inside players, Webber and Lewis. Logically, this should have been the time for the Pacers to quickly widen the gap and launch a relentless counterattack.
The Pacers' problem this time mainly stems from Miller!
From the time this lineup entered the game with 8 minutes left in the second quarter until Bird made a substitution with 3 minutes left in the first half, Miller had 4 opportunities to shoot from beyond the three-point line, two of which were wide open.
But he only managed to convert one of them, missing the remaining three shots!
If it weren't for the Pacers' other players' high offensive efficiency, and the 76ers' lack of a reliable second offensive option besides Iverson, and Iverson being targeted and exploited by Lin Tian, then the Pacers would have been much better.
Otherwise, it's still uncertain who's in the lead!
In the final minutes of the second quarter, when Bird made another substitution, replacing Reggie Miller with Christie, the Pacers' offense became fierce again!
Both were open three-point opportunities, but Miller missed, while Christie made it!
After Christie and Carter each hit a three-pointer from the left and right respectively, the 76ers' middle defense immediately opened up, making Lin Tian's breakthroughs even easier. With Webber also providing support, the Pacers went on an 11-0 run in just three minutes!
The point difference between the two sides quickly reached over 20 points!
On the bench, Miller, who had a terrible performance and was also having a bad shooting night, remained silent, pursing his lips as if lost in thought.
"It's okay, Reggie. Everyone has their off days." Bird noticed Miller seemed a little distracted and put his arm around his shoulder. "Don't tell me I have to spare energy for comforting you."
"Screw you, I'm fine." Miller pursed his lips, indicating that he was alright, but his eyes clearly said: something was wrong.
After taking a lead of more than 20 points in the first half, the Pacers gave the 76ers little room for imagination in the third quarter. With both teams returning to their starting lineups, the Pacers immediately double-teamed Iverson, preventing him from unleashing his offensive firepower.
Then came a series of dazzling offensive onslaughts: Webber's post-up plays, Lin Tian's drive and dish, Webber's high post pass to Christie for a dunk...
And the most exciting round of the entire game tonight!
Webber received the basketball at the top of the arc beyond the three-point line, and with a behind-the-back bounce pass, he slammed the ball directly into the paint from beyond the three-point line. Lin Tian, who had cut to this spot, received the ball but didn't dribble even once. Instead, he made another behind-the-back pass to Christie, who had rushed over to the middle.
Christie, who was also having fun, made a behind-the-back pass, and the basketball was delivered to Ben Wallace under the basket.
Right now, there was nothing in front of Ben Wallace except the basket. The entire 76ers defense was stunned by these three consecutive behind-the-back passes.
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Ben Wallace slammed home a two-handed dunk, scoring his first two points of the night and extending the Pacers' lead to 30 points for the first time!
Then, during a dead ball situation after one possession, Bird quickly substituted his starting lineup, bringing on five players: Davis, Harrington, Mullin, Carter, and Buckner.
After the five players played for a few more minutes, Bird simply substituted Davis and Carter, and then brought in two role players, officially declaring that tonight's game was over!
In the end, the final score of the match was 99:119!
The 76ers managed to recover some points thanks to their aggressive play in the fourth quarter, preventing them from losing too badly.
On this night, the Pacers announced their strong comeback with an easy victory!
Meanwhile, the Knicks, who had just received their championship rings on another court, were not so lucky tonight. They were crushed by 31 points, becoming the defending champions in NBA history to suffer the worst opening game loss after winning the championship!
With Jordan retired and Ewing's return uncertain, the Knicks are clearly going to get a lot of similar beatings this season!
(End of this chapter)