Chapter 626: The Second Round Begins
The Phoenix Suns' 2nd round opponent would be decided between the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs.
Although the Spurs had a poor regular season record this year, they were still a veteran powerhouse with a deep foundation. That meant this series was never going to be easy for Dallas.
At the moment, the Mavericks led the series 3 to 2.
Game 6 between the 2 teams was held on the evening of April 28. Chen Yan lay on the sofa at home, watching the fierce battle on television.
He hoped the Spurs would win this game.
That way, the series would be pushed to Game 7, giving the Suns a few more days of rest.
This was a Spurs home game, and San Antonio had clearly done its homework. In order to win, Popovich made a major adjustment to the lineup tonight by moving starting point guard Parker to the bench.
Popovich did not make this adjustment because Parker had played poorly.
In fact, Parker had played well in the previous games. But even so, the Spurs still could not gain an advantage over the Mavericks.
After analyzing the series, Popovich discovered that the problem lay with the 2nd unit.
Dallas's bench had too much firepower. Terry and Bibby were both excellent scorers, while San Antonio could only rely on Ginóbili. However, if Ginóbili led the 2nd unit, the Spurs' starting lineup would lack offensive punch.
It was worth noting that the Mavericks' starting lineup featured 3 scorers in Nowitzki, Ray Allen, and Artest, with veteran Kidd organizing the offense.
That lineup had both experience and firepower.
After weighing his options, Popovich decided to keep Ginóbili in the starting lineup and let Parker lead the 2nd unit.
This was Popovich's clever move.
He believed Parker could effectively organize San Antonio's bench offense and help the 2nd unit survive Dallas's scoring bursts.
On top of that, George Hill's defensive value was higher than Parker's. His close pressure on Kidd would be the key to limiting Dallas's overall performance.
Kidd was the Mavericks' engine.
Although Dallas had many scorers, its lineup had 1 fatal flaw. It lacked a true outside ball handler.
Ray Allen and Artest were not strong dribblers or isolation creators. Nowitzki was an outstanding isolation scorer, but he often needed to establish position before receiving the ball. He could not dribble up the floor and create 1 on 1 like Nash or Chen Yan.
Simply put, Dallas relied heavily on Kidd to distribute the ball.
Popovich's strategy was to have George Hill pressure Kidd as much as possible, making it difficult for the other Mavericks to find rhythm.
Popovich's lineup change produced a miraculous effect.
With Kidd contained, the impact of the other Dallas players also dropped sharply.
The game lost suspense late in the 4th quarter, and the Spurs ultimately won the crucial battle 98 to 88, forcing the series into Game 7.
The happiest people about the series reaching Game 7 were the Suns players.
That meant they would get a few more days of rest.
However, too much rest was not always good. It could also cause a team's form to dip.
D'Antoni specifically reminded his players to stay focused and avoid relaxing too much.
Game 7 between the Spurs and Mavericks began on May 1.
San Antonio played with everything it had, but still could not withstand Dallas's powerful firepower.
Artest became the hero of the game, scoring a game high 31 points.
Nowitzki and Ray Allen also contributed 24 points and 21 points respectively.
The Spurs fought with great tenacity and showed their veteran resilience, but they still could not escape elimination.
In the end, the Mavericks won Game 7 by a score of 109 to 101 and advanced to the 2nd round.
The other Western Conference series had also ended.
The Los Angeles Lakers easily defeated the Rockets 4 to 1. The gap in strength between the 2 teams was obvious. Other than center, Houston was completely outmatched at every position.
The Jazz defeated the Denver Nuggets 4 to 2, which counted as a small upset.
Before the series, most people had favored Denver to advance. On paper, the Billups and Anthony duo looked slightly stronger than Deron Williams and Boozer.
But basketball was never decided purely on paper.
Compared with Denver's inside and outside pairing, Deron and Boozer had better chemistry and a stronger connection. They truly produced a 1 plus 1 greater than 2 effect.
In addition, Anthony had been pushing for a trade all season. Unstable team morale was another major reason Denver lost the series.
The Eastern Conference results were also settled.
The Cavaliers easily defeated the Chicago Bulls 4 to 1.
Yi Jianlian had a terrible series, averaging only 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds. He was completely outplayed by Jamison, the power forward Cleveland acquired midseason.
In the final 2 games, head coach Del Negro simply benched Yi, giving him only 10 to 15 minutes per game.
Rumors began spreading that Yi Jianlian's career with the Chicago Bulls was over, and that the team would trade him during the offseason.
The Magic swept the Bobcats 4 to 0.
This was the Bobcats' 1st playoff appearance in many years. Jordan, as the team owner, enthusiastically attended the games, only to watch his team get thoroughly beaten.
His various expressions on the sideline were quickly turned into countless memes.
The Boston Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 4 to 2.
The Durant and Rose duo showed the 1st signs of their brilliance. Their energetic performances captivated many fans, and some even believed the future belonged to that backcourt pair.
The series between the Miami Heat and the Hawks was the most competitive.
Atlanta had a very balanced roster with no obvious weakness at any position, but Miami's Wade and Pau Gasol inside and outside combination was superior.
In Game 7, the Hawks once took the lead.
The turning point came in the latter half of the 3rd quarter.
Wade 1st drove and kicked the ball to Pau Gasol, assisting him on a mid range jumper. Then, on 2 consecutive possessions, Wade tore apart Atlanta's defense and finished 2 strong 2 plus 1 plays.
This was the value of a superstar.
That surge not only overturned the score, it also crushed the Hawks' morale.
In the end, Miami secured a 101 to 95 victory and proudly advanced to the next round.
Wade delivered a complete performance, finishing with 30 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. He was the main reason Miami won.
Pau Gasol had 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Mario Chalmers also erupted in this game, scoring 19 points with 5 assists. Haslem added 10 points, while Richardson contributed 8.
The schedule for the 2nd round of the Eastern and Western Conferences was set.
The Phoenix Suns versus Dallas Mavericks series would begin on May 3, United States time.
Both teams were healthy.
Phoenix had a physical advantage over Dallas, and all 13 Suns players would face the upcoming challenge in peak condition.
Game 1 was played in Dallas.
That felt a little unusual for the Suns players.
During the previous 2 seasons, they had been the best team in the league, enjoying home court advantage wherever they went.
Mavericks fans were full of confidence.
As they entered the arena, they held up all kinds of banners and chanted slogans to support their team.
Dallas fans felt that Phoenix was no longer as strong as before.
Not only had Stoudemire left, but Nash had also been in and out of the lineup with injuries. Many offensive weapons had also departed from the Suns bench.
Mavericks fans believed this year was their best chance to win the championship.
But the prerequisite was clear.
They had to get past Phoenix first.
Before the game, both head coaches traded words.
Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said Dallas was ready to contend for the championship, and that the entire team was full of confidence this year.
On the other side, D'Antoni directly scoffed.
"I have never heard of a championship team that cannot get past the 2nd round. Let them beat the Phoenix Suns first before thinking about anything else."
Phoenix's starting 5 were Nash, Chen Yan, Grant Hill, Diaw, and Jordan.
Tonight, D'Antoni put Jordan into the starting lineup.
Dallas had 2 big men on the court. Artest was also extremely aggressive on the glass, and even point guard Kidd was a strong rebounder.
D'Antoni did not want Phoenix to be completely crushed on the boards.
The Mavericks' starting lineup was Kidd, Ray Allen, Artest, Nowitzki, and Haywood.
This was a typical half court offensive lineup.
Its advantages were organization, height, and isolation scoring.
Its weakness was just as obvious.
A lack of mobility.
If Phoenix could quickly drag the game into its own rhythm, Dallas would have a very hard night.
.....
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