area51novel Chapter 791 What is basketball bullying? Today I'm going to make things difficult for you.
Chapter 791 What is basketball bullying? Today I'm going to make things difficult for you.
Judging from the Knicks' very first offensive play, this tactic was effective!
The only problem is that Stoudemire's defense is really bad, and Don Nelson is genuinely worried that this guy's defensive ability won't intimidate anyone.
For example, during the Cavaliers' first offensive possession, Gasol took advantage of Stoudemire's momentary lapse in defense to complete a cut and drive to the basket.
Tonight, Stoudemire's task is definitely going to be very demanding!
But how should I put it?
Don Nelson did not overestimate Stoudemire's defense; his predictions about Stoudemire's defense were entirely accurate and reliable.
There's absolutely no hope for this guy's defense. Even if his defense has improved this season, that only means he can hold his own against pure role players like Varejao. You can't expect him to play against someone of Gasol's caliber.
That would still be a breeze to crush them in no time.
While Don Nelson didn't overestimate Stoudemire's defense, he underestimated Stoudemire's character.
Or rather, they underestimated the dark side of Xiao Si's humanity.
Old Nelson also didn't hear what Lin Tian said to Stoudemire before the game started.
"Amaree, what's it like to scare someone so much they pee their pants on an NBA court?"
"That's definitely exciting enough!" Xiao Si got excited as soon as he heard this: "Who peed? Is there a video? Is it obvious? How did they wipe themselves afterward? Did they just wipe it off as if it were sweat? Or did they quickly ask to leave the field to change their pants?"
"No, stop right there, that's not what I meant." In Lin Tian's long career, he had rarely been so frightened, or even so frightened that he was somewhat at a loss.
But Xiao Si's excitement at this moment startled Lin Tian.
This bastard, does he have some weird XP?
For example, using someone as a toilet, or having someone put something on your face...
Ouch... I can't think about it, it's too scary!
Lin Tian waved his hand, quickly interrupting Xiao Si's reverie and also breaking his own train of thought.
The situation right now is really a bit scary.
"Amaré, what I mean is, if there's someone on the court who's afraid of you, who trembles when they see you, who gets blown out of their matchup by you and doesn't even dare to look at you, who walks with their head down and avoids you."
"Especially since this guy is an All-Star caliber player! If you had that kind of opportunity and could beat someone up like that, what would you do?"
"That would be absolutely awesome! That would be absolutely awesome, Lin! Just thinking about it makes me super excited!" Xiao Si's eyes lit up once again.
It was pure, without any impurities or scheming, full of longing gazes.
This guy is definitely suspicious.
Lin Tian silently removed the arm that had been draped over Stoudemire's shoulder, quietly took a half-step back to create a tiny distance, and then continued, "Gasol! That guy is notoriously intimidating! I heard he was so scared of Garnett that his legs were shaking."
"You're not worse than Garnett, are you?"
"I'm not as good as him?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Si's eyes widened again as he looked at Lin Tian and said, "I can kill him!"
"So what if you beat Gasol so badly? It's no big deal!"
"I'll get it done today!"
Xiao Si patted Lin Tian on the shoulder, indicating that everything was up to him.
Then I went to warm up.
……
Clearly, although Stoudemire's defense had some problems in the first round, he did not forget his pre-match conversation with Lin Tian.
He simply failed to defend in the first round, not that he didn't want to defend!
In this possession, when Wade passed the ball to Gasol to back down Stoudemire, Stoudemire began his work!
One hand was gripping Gasol's waist, while the other hand was poised to slap him on the head at any moment.
"Little girl, how about coming home with me tonight? I promise I'll be very gentle! I love fair-skinned girls like you!"
"Come on, backstab me, let me see how strong you are! Try harder, you idiot! Didn't you eat? If you keep this up, your brother Amaret won't give you a reward tonight! No reward at all!"
"What are you doing! You call this a backflip? When I was three, I was harder and stronger than you at backflips. By the way, you don't actually lack that thing down there, do you? You can't get hard at all, do you?"
While spewing out a torrent of trash talk, Stoudemire was also incredibly dirty with his hands and feet.
Of course, Stoudemire didn't use any underhanded tactics like stepping on someone; no one on the Knicks would use such a dirty trick.
He kept attacking Gasol on defense, constantly challenging him and putting him under immense psychological pressure.
Then, less than 5 seconds later, Gasol gave up his personal back-to-the-basket move and obediently passed the ball out.
If I can't beat them, can't I just run away?
Of course not!
As soon as Gasol passed the ball, Stoudemire took a step forward without thinking and shoved Gasol away with his shoulder and elbow, pushing Gasol, who had just desperately tried to get close to the paint, back out of the game.
Everything we just did was for nothing.
Not only was it all for nothing, but Gasol also lost the position he had managed to secure. Now, with his positioning with Stoudemire, it's impossible for the Cavaliers' ball handler to even see Gasol, let alone get the ball or attack. He's completely blocked behind Stoudemire!
"So, do you like these confrontations with sissies? Do you like this kind of physical contact? Does it make you go soft or hard? Hmm? Answer my question, why are you looking down? Look me in the eye, you idiot!"
The more Stoudemire gained the upper hand, the more energetic he became. At this moment, he even wanted to chase after Gasol and give him a good scolding, sticking to his principles and never letting up.
"When did Stoudemire's defense become so good?" Stoudemire's performance left the TNT commentators stunned. Barkley stared wide-eyed and said, "His defense has improved so much, yet he held back all season and even the first round of the playoffs? Is this guy that cunning?"
"Do you even know anything about basketball, you idiot?" Miller immediately retorted. "Hiding on defense? When have you ever heard of that? Hiding for an entire season? Do you think Amar'e is that calculating? Let me tell you, he's only slightly smarter than you! Just slightly!"
"Then explain yourself, explain what happened. An All-Star power forward couldn't even get position against Stoudemire. He was even blocked from entering the paint just now." Barkley spread his hands, looking like a rogue who demanded an explanation.
"I can't explain it." Miller was quite straightforward, directly stating that he didn't understand why this scene occurred either, but he still added, "Maybe it's because Gasol is too bad!"
"A power forward who played for seven years, made the playoffs multiple times, reached the conference finals, was a multiple All-Star, and is widely recognized as the most skilled and awareness-driven power forward in the league—you're saying he's bad?"
This time it was Barkley's turn to laugh and mock.
"Yes, Gasol is definitely not comparable to Duncan, Garnett, Nowitzki, and he may even be inferior to players like Jermaine O'Neal, Milicic, Bosh, and Boozer."
"But you're saying he'll be locked down by Stoudemire's defense? What a joke! Stoudemire's defense can't even hold down his dog! I've seen Stoudemire's dog break through his defense and make a layup!"
"It's not that Gasol is bad, it's that he's too weak." Payton, the only one among the four who is good at defense and made his name through defense, finally couldn't stand these people talking nonsense anymore. If they keep talking nonsense, Stoudemire's dog might be able to participate in the 08 NBA draft.
"When we're on defense, if you're facing an opponent who's aggressive, tough, technically skilled, physically strong, and particularly likes to use elbows and knees to gain an advantage, then most defenders will unconsciously loosen up their defense to avoid getting beaten up."
"On the other hand, tough and excellent defenders will actively engage in physical contact and use tactics to intimidate offensive players, making them afraid to attack and thus preventing them from performing at their usual level, which in turn leads to difficulties."
"When a top attacker meets a top defender, and neither side is willing to admit defeat, neither side is willing to back down, and neither side is intimidated, then we can enjoy a top-level offensive and defensive spectacle."
"At the end of the day, offense and defense are psychological battles. It's about two people doing everything they can to gain an advantage for themselves and to have the upper hand on a psychological level before it comes down to a battle of skills and tactics."
"The above describes the situations that would occur under normal defensive conditions."
"The relationship between Amar'e and Gasol is abnormal. Currently, it's Stoudemire bullying Gasol; he's the one abusing him!"
"You've all been to school, so you must have all been school bullies to some extent, bullying the more honest kids, right?"
"The bullied kids are often like Gasol. Maybe they are excellent, good at studying, and liked by teachers and parents. If they are brave enough to fight back, teachers and parents will help them, and the school bullies will not dare to lay a hand on them again."
"But if he doesn't dare to do it and keeps backing down, then his opponent will not let him off the hook at all. Not only will he not let him off the hook, but he will also bully and harass him even more until he completely feels that bullying him is meaningless, and then he will stop all of this."
"Sometimes, it's not that those school bullies are so powerful or brave; they simply only dare to bully the weak and enjoy the feeling of bullying the weak."
"It's the same at school and on the sports field."
"Right now, Stoudemire is using his physicality and toughness to bully Gasol and is enjoying the thrill of 'taking down a top power forward with his defense,' so Stoudemire's defense looks particularly excellent and tough right now."
"But in reality, he is utterly vulnerable. As long as Gasol dares to resist and respond, Stoudemire will immediately reveal his true colors and become a coward who doesn't dare to make a move."
"But if Gasol can't stand up for himself and fight back fiercely, then Stoudemire won't have a change of heart and let it go. Instead, he'll bully him even more and continue to bully Gasol in this way."
"That's about right, isn't it... Wait, what are you three bastards doing? Why are you all so far away from me?"
As Payton was speaking, he suddenly realized that the remaining three people had all retreated in perfect unison, giving him the middle area, their expressions as if they were avoiding a plague.
"Weren't you the kind of bully who liked to pick on classmates when you were in school? Let me tell you, I will never forgive you! I was bullied when I was in school, and it left me with a very serious trauma!" Kenny declared that he was going to cut ties with him.
"You explained it so clearly, even describing your inner thoughts so well. If you had studied psychology and were a top student like Lin or Duncan, that would be one thing, but you're such a jerk whose grades are so bad you're about to be expelled. How can you say something so insightful?"
Barkley snorted, indicating his disbelief.
"That's right, so there are only two possibilities!" Miller concluded. "1. You're a villain who loves bullying people; that's your own inner monologue and self-analysis!"
"2. You have been bullied, badly bullied, so you have psychological trauma. That's why you pretend to be tough and strong everywhere to cover up your cowardice and weakness."
"Tell me, 1 or 2! If it's 1, then you bastard get out of the studio. I won't associate with scum like you!" Barkley said confidently, as if to say, "I won't go along with your filth."
"But if it's a 2, you'll be all our precious darlings." Miller said, suppressing a laugh. "We'll give you everything we can to help you recover from that terrible, painful memory as quickly as possible, to help you forget it all! God, you're so pitiful."
"Maybe it started when he was 5! I suspect Gary was beaten up when he was five! That's how he developed mental health issues!" Kenny said confidently, insisting he was absolutely certain he wasn't mistaken!
"I think it's because after he started school, didn't you guys notice that Gary is a little afraid of crowded places? This is a lingering effect on him."
"That's called a stress response, you idiot."
"It's the same idea! Gary definitely had a tragic childhood!"
"Get lost! I don't bully people, and I won't be bullied! I didn't have a miserable childhood either, I've had a great life! My life has been great!" Peyton cursed, genuinely too lazy to talk to these people anymore.
I was giving you guys a proper analysis of the game, and you were all dissecting my childhood?
"We believe in you! We're brothers!" Barkley patted his chest and said, "But you also have to believe in yourself, you have to follow your heart! Really, Gary, you can talk to me about anything, even your painful past."
"I'm your best buddy, I'm always ready to lend a hand, I'm a good listener, and you can talk to me anytime. Seriously, Gary, I mean it."
"If there weren't any weapons here, I guarantee you three bastards would be in the hospital tonight! FUXX!" Peyton cursed. "You three deserve to go to hell! No, even hell isn't as wicked as you! Hell won't accept you!"
The four of them were bickering excitedly, while on the court, Stoudemire's bullying of Gasol was almost non-stop. Tonight, Gasol was as hard as a diamond, the kind that had just been dug out from the depths of a rural outhouse.
It was hard and smelly, with all sorts of disgusting residue attached to it.
Anyway, Gasol was really disgusted and vomited.
Throughout the first quarter, Gasol was completely dominated by Stoudemire, and was bullied by him the whole time. Apart from a quick breakthrough at the beginning, Gasol missed all three of his shots in the rest of the quarter.
Furthermore, his signature playmaking ability was almost completely neutralized by Stoudemire's aggressive defense; he didn't dish out a single assist throughout the entire quarter and even committed two turnovers.
Absolutely terrible, utterly unremarkable, and completely dragging the team down.
This is a microcosm of Gasol's performance in the first quarter.
If it were just a matter of poor offensive performance and complete invisibility, that would be fine. But the problem with Gasol is that he can't contain Stoudemire on the defensive end either. Stoudemire drives inside and shoots outside, leaving Gasol with no chance to fight back.
第一节比赛小斯打了8分钟就5投4中，罚球2罚全中拿下10分！
The two are worlds apart in terms of scale, data, and actual impact, and are completely incomparable.
Gasol was truly and utterly crushed.
In this quarter, both Wade and West were in excellent form. Wade scored 12 points, which goes without saying. West also seized the only two opportunities against Lin Tian's defense, hitting two three-pointers and driving to the basket for a layup to score 2 points.
The two combined for 20 points in the first quarter, successfully helping the team keep the score close.
Thanks to the performance of their backcourt duo, the Cavaliers still managed to score 26 points in the first quarter.
But against the Knicks, 26 points in a quarter is clearly not enough!
Because everyone else performed so poorly!
Aside from the 20 points combined by these two, the rest of the Cavaliers only scored 6 points, with Gasol and Zydrunas Ilgauskas each making a field goal, and Pavlovic making both free throws.
Apart from that, everyone else was forging iron!
This is not only due to the Cavaliers' poor performance, but also because Lin Tian's defensive attitude was extremely aggressive tonight!
This is also a key reason why West was able to score 8 points.
Because Lin Tian was more aggressive on defense tonight, he helped defend much more often than before, and he always chose to help his teammates defend after West passed the ball.
His repeated help defense and rotations, and several times even his return to the basket to fill the team's last line of defense and participate in protecting the rim.
Under these circumstances, the Cavaliers players naturally had a very difficult time. Everyone, including Wade, had been completely shut down by Lin Tian in just a few moves, causing their offense to stagnate. They either had to force a shot or pass the ball, or Lin Tian would steal the ball from them.
At this point, West was in good form and stepped up.
Lin Tian letting him go to defend other players naturally gives West a lot of space.
Although most of the time the Cavaliers' players couldn't get the ball to the Knicks, whenever they did, West would make the Knicks pay the price!
There's no way around it; apart from Lin Tian, the Knicks' other players' help defense and rotation abilities are simply too weak!
Lin Tian can block the open shots created by the Cavaliers, and he can also prevent the Cavaliers players from finding suitable passing options. They either have to force shots and miss, or they have to waste opportunities to reorganize the game because they can't find suitable teammates.
But of course, there are exceptions! (End of Chapter)