Chapter 1 The North Shore Garden Arena

Even though tonight, the Celtics are still tormenting Su Feng and his Heat to the point of ecstasy, just like in the regular season...

But when Su Feng repeatedly hits those miraculous shots for the Heat whenever the Celtics are about to gain momentum on the court...

The Celtics' supporters began to realize...

That their boos and jeers towards Su Feng before...

Were only because they were too afraid of this man.

After the first three quarters, Su Feng's jersey was already soaked with sweat.

And judging from his stats tonight...

His 31 points in three quarters are just his usual performance.

However, for the fans who watched the first three quarters of this game tonight...

The impact Su Feng brought to them on this night was even more exaggerated than when he scored 60+ in three quarters during the regular season.

During the intermission, on TNT, Barkley commented on Su Feng's performance in the first three quarters tonight: "If Michael Jordan still had Scottie Pippen to rely on when he was tired on the court...

Then tonight, Su is his own Scottie Pippen!"

Admittedly...

Due to his well-known "leg-hugging affection" for Su Feng...

It's difficult for Barkley to be as fair when evaluating Su Feng as he is with others.

But...

How many people in this league can withstand Barkley's "poisonous milk"?

Before the start of the fourth quarter, a very interesting scene occurred at the venue.

That was, when the Celtics fans in the arena noticed that Su Feng hadn't rested for a single minute tonight...

Almost all the fans subconsciously cursed.

"Erik, I'm starting to understand why John liked to overuse Su Feng in games when he couldn't make a decision." On the Heat's bench, looking at his disciple, Riley said with a serious expression.

Hearing this, if Spoelstra remembered correctly...

Last year, when watching Raptors games, Riley criticized John Davis for not using Su Feng scientifically.

But...

How long has it been...

Teacher, have you already become the very thing you once hated the most?

"Miller, I've rested enough tonight. Let me continue playing in the fourth quarter!"

And on the Celtics' bench, after noticing that Su Feng wasn't planning to rest...

Duncan also couldn't contain his "restless" heart.

Whoosh—!

On the sidelines, after taking a deep breath and looking up at Duncan's firm eyes, Karl nodded and said, "Alright!"

Although in recent years, more and more teams have seen the importance of rotation and the dangers of overusing key players from that Raptors team...

However, before this group of stars who inherited the glorious traditions of their predecessors fade out of the league, NBA games at this time are not just ordinary clocking in and out.

"Boss, if the Celtics continue to let Tim play in the fourth quarter...

Then please keep me on the court too!"

On the Heat's bench, Mourning, whose playing time tonight had already exceeded the safety line set by the Heat's team doctor, said to Riley.

For some people who believe that the most valuable asset of a professional player is their future...

They may find Mourning's thoughts difficult to understand at this moment.

However, just like Anfernee Hardaway was willing to bet his entire career for just one game in the first round of the playoffs...

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day...

The future?

Even if he could start all over again, "Penny" would definitely choose to take that shot.

Because Hardaway recently said in an interview...

He never regretted playing with an injury.

But rather that he didn't lead his team to win that series.

On the Heat's bench, Riley gently patted Mourning's back and then approved Mourning's request to play.

"Little guy, don't blame me for taking your playing time.

It's just... the current you can't handle Tim."

As the saying goes, even iron-blooded tough guys have a tender side.

Before entering the game in the fourth quarter, Mourning said to Milicic, who was anxiously biting his left thumb.

"I... I understand!"

And at that moment, looking at Mourning, Milicic regretted that his English wasn't as good as Su Feng's.

Therefore, in order to express his highest respect to Mourning...

Milicic waved his towel and said in a mixture of Serbian and English: "In the NBA, I remember, it seems that when celebrating victory...

Besides opening champagne, people also have the tradition of lighting cigars, right?

Although I can't do anything else now...

But if I could, I hope I could become your 'human victory cigar' tonight!"

On the side, when Su Feng, who was about to go on the court to continue grabbing Ray Allen to beat him up, heard Milicic say the phrase 'human victory cigar'...

At that moment, he almost fell to the ground.

Perhaps it was a coincidence.

Or perhaps it was fate.

Whether in his previous life or this one, Milicic couldn't escape the "human victory cigar" setting.

It's just...

The difference is...

Compared to that humiliating nickname, Milicic's handsome face was radiating infinite light at this moment.

Look, you see.

In this series, the Celtics have their reasons to defeat the Heat.

And the Heat also have their reasons to win.

In Su Feng's opinion...

Even if the Heat can barely advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be difficult for them to go further.

And according to Riley's plan, the time Milicic has as his teammate is also running out.

But, if possible, why not take these young people to touch the Eastern Conference Finals floor and see a wider world?

Conquering the NBA is not something that can be done overnight.

However, the gene of champions also needs time to cultivate.

On the court, in the fourth quarter, as the Celtics inbounded the ball from the baseline...

Mourning, Haslem, Odom, Su Feng, and Ginobili immediately surprised the Celtics.

On TNT, Smith said in surprise: "Is this... one-three-one zone?"

On the side, as someone who understands basketball better than Smith, Barkley nodded and said, "This is one-three-one zone."

As everyone knows, in addition to limiting opponents' breakthroughs on the court, zone defense also has the effect of saving energy for the defending side.

Therefore, during the intermission, after learning that Riley was preparing to continue arranging for Mourning to stay on the court, Su Feng decisively proposed to Riley that the Heat should play one-three-one zone in the fourth quarter.

He would guard Ray Allen alone.

The other four would save energy by playing zone defense.

"Su... are you sure you can handle it?" At that time, after listening to Su Feng's suggestion on the bench, Riley's first reaction was...

Su Feng is crazy.

"Of course I can't handle it." Hearing this, Su Feng replied straightforwardly.

"Then you still..."

"However, before I can't handle it, the one who falls first tonight will definitely be Ray." On the bench, after waving his hand to interrupt Riley, Su Feng added.

Riley: "..."

"Stephen played average tonight... as long as we can strangle Ray, then the Celtics' perimeter won't be able to provide support to Tim.

And relying solely on Zach and Tim's hard pounding...

I believe we will wait for the moment of comeback to arrive." Before preparing to enter the game, Su Feng said to Riley.

And now...

Riley no longer hesitated.

As the version answer of this period, although the Heat had not played "one-three-one zone" in previous games, even Old Nelson, who "only attacks and doesn't defend," would arrange for the team to practice zone defense during daily training.

On the court, the Celtics' first attack in the fourth quarter.

Ray Allen, who had only been substituted for a 5-minute rest in the third quarter, was "intimately" embracing Su Feng as soon as he crossed half court.

As a tactic specifically targeting off-ball players, in principle, there are several ways to break one-three-one zone.

First, the player targeted by this tactic has a certain ball-handling ability.

After all, one-three-one zone, to put it bluntly, still forms a one-on-one in a local area for the "person being guarded."

And second, the team has a playmaker with a certain shooting ability who can stand on the free-throw line.

In theory, no matter what kind of zone defense, as long as you can stand in the free-throw line area, the zone defense will collapse on its own.

In Su Feng's original timeline, in the 18/19 season, Raptors coach Nurse firmly believed that one-three-one zone could help them solve Stephen Curry because he knew that Draymond Green, who had "saved" Steve Kerr's life, no longer had his previous shooting level.

In fact, in that Finals series, when Kerr no longer blindly insisted on his off-ball tactics and chose to give the ball back to Curry, Curry was not unable to give that Warriors team a return.

However, in Kerr's eyes...

First, Curry would be too tired to play with the ball all the time (isn't it tiring to keep running back and forth?);

Second, this way of playing simply couldn't highlight Green's tactical position in that Warriors team, who had "saved" his life.

So, inexplicably, one-three-one zone became a deadly weapon against Curry, a super shooter.

Moreover, what the Raptors were guarding at that time wasn't even one-three-one zone.

It was simply one-three-one zone plus unlimited switching defense.

In the previous few seasons, Auerbach had dealt with Su Feng in this way.

In addition to sending Artest to fight Su Feng in close combat, as long as Su Feng got past Artest, he would have to face the Celtics' double-teaming on the court.

However, in recent years, with Su Feng's own evolution, one-three-one zone has long become a tactic for Su Feng to pad his stats.

Because Su Feng is tall and has long arms, so in the case of not being able to limit him from receiving the ball, the game will eventually return to the idea that you must double-team him when he is in good form.

It's just...

One-three-one zone can't control Su Feng...

But it doesn't mean that he can't control Ray Allen when he is responsible for guarding him.

But...

Since in Su Feng's view, one-three-one zone can solve the problem of Ray Allen's sudden cold shots on the court, then why didn't the Heat use it earlier?

On the court, after Duncan and Randolph scored the ball through a high-low post play, the Celtics gave people the answer with their actual actions.

Because from the perspective of court space, a four-man zone defense is prone to leaks, so even if Su Feng can guard Ray Allen, it will be difficult for the Heat's other four to limit Randolph and Duncan's twin towers combination through a four-man zone defense.

To put it bluntly...

Being able to force himself to the point where he has to carefully calculate every bit of his and his teammates' energy...

The last time Su Feng had such a headache as tonight was when he faced that Bulls team in his rookie season.

On the court, it was the Heat's turn to attack.

At the North Shore Garden Arena, after noticing that the Heat's one-three-one zone was just a "bluff," many Celtics fans immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Anyway, Ray Allen is just miserable!

As long as they can win, what does it matter if Ray Allen is tortured to madness by Su Feng tonight?

In the low post, after getting the ball through a triangle positioning with Odom and Ginobili, Su Feng did not show mercy to Ray Allen, who had been chosen to be sacrificed by the Celtics fans.

Bang!

As a light-weight guard who only weighs 98 kilograms and rarely fights with opponents in the low post...

Even though Ray Allen gritted his teeth and used all his strength, he couldn't withstand Su Feng's amazing power.

On the other side, seeing Ray Allen teetering, Randolph hurriedly slid over to help defend.

However, is it really okay to look down on Haslem so much?

On the left wing, Haslem, who seized the opportunity to slip out, received a wonderful pass from Su Feng in the high post.

Swish!

77 to 79!

On TNT, watching Randolph's anxious double-teaming choice, Barkley always felt that people's praise for Randolph's rapid improvement this season as having his former shadow was simply insulting him.

"By the time Zach slides over, my grandma's rice would have been cooked."

On the court, it was the Celtics' turn to attack.

And at this time, on the Celtics' bench, Karl had faintly sensed something was wrong.

That was, with Ray Allen being guarded to death by Su Feng...

At this moment, the Celtics seemed to be taking offensive choices under the Heat's deliberate guidance.

Although Karl hadn't figured out why the Heat would arrange it this way...

But Karl didn't like this feeling of being led by the nose.

"This is Pat Riley's open conspiracy, Miller!"

And in front of the TV, Auerbach, who had been specifically instructed by the doctor to rest at home, couldn't help but say after seeing this scene on TV.

Obviously, in addition to saving Mourning and Haslem's energy through one-three-one zone...

At this moment, the Heat's other intention was to increase Duncan's energy consumption on the court.

Want to score?

Of course you can.

But since you've scored, you have to pay the toll, right?

On the court, with Ray Allen being blocked, the other experienced Celtics players quickly started their zone-breaking mode around Duncan and Randolph.

This time, after standing on the free-throw line, Randolph lobbed the ball to the basket.

Duncan easily hit the bank shot and scored his 24th point of the night.

77 to 81!

And back, in order to help Ray Allen defend Su Feng, Duncan also stood in the core position of the Celtics' defense.

In the high post, seeing this, after signaling Ginobili to ask for the ball, Su Feng decisively winked at Mourning.

As a result, when he ran into Mourning's thick wall...

Ray Allen almost fell flat on his back.

And Duncan, who originally thought Su Feng would take the opportunity to rush in...

When he noticed Su Feng's attempt to raise his hand, he blocked him without saying a word.

On the court, because Su Feng kept dribbling backwards, and Mourning had already started to cut in...

Therefore, Ray Allen, who couldn't switch back his defense in the first time, had to transfer the responsibility of defending Su Feng to Duncan.

And on the Celtics' bench, watching this scene, Karl suddenly understood everything!

Good家伙! (Good fellow!)

So from the very beginning, you were thinking about how to trade with us?

And it's still using one Su Feng to trade for Duncan and Ray Allen, a one-for-two trade?

On the court...

In fact, as early as when Su Feng was constantly dribbling backwards and aiming at the basket, Duncan, who has an extremely high basketball IQ, had guessed what the Heat wanted to do.

It's just, like Auerbach said.

The Heat...

Have been playing open conspiracies from beginning to end!

Therefore, even knowing it was a trap, Duncan could only jump into it.

After all...

Based on Su Feng's range, you can't let him throw randomly on the court, right?

In Su Feng's previous life, as an important part of Tracy McGrady's 35 seconds and 13 points in the original timeline, many people believed that if Duncan hadn't defended too aggressively at that time and there hadn't been that three-plus-one, the Spurs might have won long ago.

However...

People who say this have never thought about it, if it weren't for being so aggressive throughout his career, how could Duncan have become a famous background board in the NBA and won five championships?

Pa—!

Pa—!

Pa—!

At the North Shore Garden Arena, watching Su Feng, who might launch an attack on him at any time, after bending over and patting the floor of this legendary arena with his big hands, Duncan told the world with his actions...

Who says that a seven-foot-tall man can't lower his center of gravity when defending?

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

And in the arena, feeling the heat transmitted from the court, the nearly 20,000 fans also cheered for the brave Celtics' number 21 in their own way.

Heaven to the left, warriors to the right.

Before the "entertainment deck" filled this league, stacking armor and getting beaten up was never a shameful thing.

On the sidelines, at this moment, Bill Sharman, the original owner of the Celtics' number 21 jersey who came to watch the game tonight, said with emotion: "It is truly my life's honor to have Tim wear this number 21 jersey!"

In the high post, facing Su Feng who suddenly took off...

Tim Duncan...

He actually blocked Su Feng's first wave of attack by sliding!

And at the North Shore Garden Arena, watching Su Feng being forced to stop on the wing by Duncan, the Celtics' supporters cheered wildly at that moment!

It's just...

As the player in this league who believes he understands Su Feng the most, Duncan always felt that Su Feng had deliberately slowed down his speed during the breakthrough just now.

No...

He doesn't want to break through!

On the court, watching Su Feng put his left hand to his right hand, which was responsible for holding the ball, and his eyes had already started aiming at the basket, Duncan, realizing that something was wrong, hurriedly adjusted his center of gravity!

However...

Just as Duncan pounced on Su Feng, just as Duncan thought Su Feng would make a step-back shooting choice next...

After playfully sticking out his tongue at Duncan, Su Feng suddenly dribbled through Duncan's defense!

Not shooting, nor stepping back.

This is...

—A Buddha fake! (Bai Fo)

Moreover, compared to the Buddha fakes played by his two future successors, Curry and Irving, on the court...

This time, Su Feng's was a true Buddha fake in the real sense!

On the Heat's bench, watching Su Feng, who had sounded the drum of attack, Riley said with emotion: "Not retiring the Heat's number 23 jersey for Michael Jordan back then was definitely the most correct decision I've ever made in my life!"

At the North Shore Garden Arena, the Celtics' restricted area, without Duncan guarding it, was directly exposed in front of Su Feng.

Bang, swish!

In order to save energy, Su Feng did not show off his unparalleled jumping ability to the world.

After gently putting the ball into the basket, Su Feng, who was rarely low-key, retreated to his own half of the court under the stunned gaze of the nearly 20,000 fans in the arena.

On TNT, watching the wonderful replay of Su Feng's shot just now, Barkley commented: "The key to whether the 'Buddha fake' technique can succeed lies in whether you can make your opponent mistakenly believe that you want to shoot at that moment.

And when facing a top scorer like Su...

You really don't dare to bet whether he will choose to shoot after stepping back."

On the court, the game continued.

Still Duncan and Randolph's high-low post cooperation.

However...

Always playing the same tactics...

There will always be times when things go wrong.

In the restricted area, in Mourning's cheers, which were drowned out by the cheers of the audience, Mourning helped in place at the last moment.

On the court, Duncan's hook shot deviated from the basket.

And the Miami Heat also ushered in an excellent opportunity to overtake the score!

After being responsible for dribbling across half court, on the court, without waiting for Su Feng to speak, Ginobili raised four fingers for Su Feng and handed the ball to him.

Su Feng: "..."

Good fellow!

So you can understand my eye signals?

Ginobili's previous misinterpretations of Su Feng's various eye signals will be put aside for the time being.

Near the top of the arc, after playing the same pick-and-roll with Mourning as before, Su Feng once again switched Duncan in front of him.

And this time...

Duncan was really a little angry.

Uh...

Don't be surprised.

Duncan wasn't angry that Su Feng deliberately matched up against him.

But he was angry that Su Feng wanted to trick him in the same way! (Don't you know that the same trick can't be used on the Saints twice?)

In the high post, watching Su Feng, who was preparing to gather the ball and start aiming at the basket...

If Duncan's center-of-gravity adjustment ability wasn't far beyond that of ordinary seven-foot-tall men, his body would have instinctively pounced on Su Feng!

It's just...

When he saw Su Feng's next move, Duncan suddenly realized!

As the always passive defender...

When facing a player of Su Feng's level...

He wasn't making a multiple choice question of whether to pounce or not.

And what's more, this match-up is still a mismatch of small against big?

Dong—!

On the court, after dribbling the ball hard, Su Feng, who had retreated out of Duncan's blocking range...

Thus, he threw out this long-planned snipe in front of Duncan!

▄︻┻═┳一!

Aww