NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 210 Eagles Change Formation

As it turns out, the Bulls without Rose are still a strong team, but not a top-tier one. The playoffs are a stage for stars; even a team as cohesive as the Spurs needs their "Big Three" (Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili) in the playoffs. The Hawks are also a team team, but in the playoffs, you could clearly feel when their tactics weren't working and when they needed their stars to step up. And Jia Fei truly stepped up.

Conversely, no one on the Bulls could step up... Noah proved he could be a defensive anchor alongside a superstar, a playmaker, a locker room leader, and provide passion and energy. But the one thing he couldn't offer was offense; he couldn't average 20 points per game, he couldn't change the opponent's defense, and he couldn't create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates.

The saying "defense wins championships" has always been true, but the premise is that your offense also needs to be on point. If your offense is too poor, no matter how good your defense is, you will still likely lose the game.

A player with top-tier offense and average defense will likely be more valuable than a player with top-tier defense and average offense, whether they are inside or outside.

Like KG, a top-tier defender with decent offense, capable of both off-ball and on-ball attacks as an inside player, but when he really needs to step up, he lacks the ability to truly break down defenses. Can you imagine him never scoring 40+ points in the playoffs? In contrast, Nowitzki, while having average defense, is a top-tier offensive player with a killer move, capable of turning the tide in crucial moments.

The Hawks' Game 1 victory immediately boosted their chances of advancing from 5% to over 7%. Sometimes it's really hard to believe those so-called experts, because their ability to adapt to changing circumstances is stronger than you think.

贾飞知道，系列赛1:0领先不算什么，除非你能3:0领先。2:0领先都不算什么，问问华夏的火蜜吧！当年拥有姚明和翠西的火箭2:0领先爵士，最终遗憾出局。

The NBA's best-of-seven series largely eliminates the element of chance. The stronger team generally wins. This is different from the NCAA's March Madness, which has a much higher degree of unpredictability.

On April 23, Game 2 of the series between the Hawks and the Bulls continued at the United Center, the Bulls' home arena.

For the Bulls, losing Game 1 meant losing home-court advantage in the series, and they had to win Game 2 to avoid going to Atlanta down 0-2.

In this game, the Bulls, who lost the previous game, did not choose to change their lineup. Coach Thibodeau is a well-known "open-ended player," comparable to his former partner, Doc Rivers. The difference is that Doc Rivers is a motivational speaker, while Thibodeau is a "ruthless" coach.

While the Bulls didn't change their lineup, they did make adjustments, especially on the defensive end. Jimmy Butler remained on the defensive end against Jia Fei, but when Jia Fei specifically requested Dunleavy Jr. or Boozer, they resolutely double-teamed him, forcing him to pass the ball out to other players. They also rotated to intercept the Hawks' ball movement, selectively leaving Antić and Teague open for three-pointers.

On offense, the Bulls increased their inside attacks. Whether it was Boozer, Noah, or other players, they would drive into the paint whenever they had the chance, either to score or to pass the ball.

The referees were a bit too strict in this game, and the Hawks quickly ran into foul trouble, making them even more hesitant on the defensive end.

What's more troublesome is that the Hawks' outside shooting went cold across the board under the Bulls' fierce defense.

Although the Bulls' own offense wasn't great, they gained the upper hand by getting more free throws and more rebounds, which led to more shot attempts.

The old captain was once again outplayed by Gibson. Facing the young and powerful Gibson, he showed his age everywhere. He couldn't keep up with the opponent's pace and couldn't stop the opponent's strong attacks under the basket.

The Hawks' starting lineup and second unit were both limited, ultimately leading to their loss in Game 2 of the series.

The Hawks lost Game 2 of the series, tying the series 1-1.

The Bulls secured a victory, and predictions of their chances of advancing have returned to 5%...

There are always so many opportunists; they can adjust the probability of advancement at any time anyway, so what's the point of predicting anything?

After Game 2 of the series, the entire Hawks team returned to Atlanta.

Securing one victory on the road is acceptable in terms of the result. However, the loss in the second game was quite frustrating. The outside shooting went awry collectively, and they were dominated on the boards. They couldn't match the intensity of the game and it felt like they couldn't compete.

On the 24th, the Hawks held a video analysis session, followed by a practice. After practice, head coach Budenholzer announced a lineup change for the next game and asked the affected players to understand.

Jia Fei knew that Art Mayork's opportunity was coming!

Sure enough, Coach Buden spoke with both the veteran captain and Art Mayork. The veteran captain was able to accept the team's decision to temporarily drop out of the rotation, as he knew he had played poorly in the two games in Chicago.

Art Mayork was ecstatic; his first playoff game was finally coming!

He rubbed his hands together, flexing his muscles. "Come on, warrior, let's get this muscle, Taj Gibson!"

That evening, Art Mayork came to Jia Fei's house and said excitedly, "Jia, you are really a prophet, just like a priest. How did you know I would have a chance? Did Coach Buden tell you in advance?"

Jia Fei remained calm: "Didn't you see Elton's performance? He played very poorly in the first game. He couldn't handle Taji. Sometimes it's not about his touch; it's just that he's not physically fit. If he can't handle Taji, then your opportunity has come, hasn't it? Coach Buden already felt a bit guilty about you falling out of the rotation. Elton's poor performance means the team needs adjustments after the loss, so putting you on the field is only natural. It's not that hard to predict. The coach didn't tell me beforehand; I analyzed it myself. Artest, use your brain more. I feel like you don't like to use your brain; you don't like to study!"

Art Mayork chuckled: "I don't like studying. I don't have the brains of you Asians! I've never been good at studying, and I'm not very good at social skills either. Jia, I'll have to rely on you from now on!"

"No problem, listen to my advice, try harder, and the result might be different!" Jia Fei said.

Game 3 of the Hawks-Bulls series will be played on the evening of the 26th at the Hawks' home arena, Philips Arena. Tickets for this game are already sold out. Not only this game, but tickets for the next game are also sold out. Although the home team lost their last game, they are clearly in better form, and they might even advance to the semifinals!