I’m Really Playing Basketball - Chapter 921 Last time!

The Nets played very strongly in the final 20 games of the season, with a 19-1 record that brought the team to a 67-15 record at the end of the season.

And this stand, in the entire league, can also be ranked fifth.

Yes, while the Nets were great in the late-season sprint, they didn't improve their rankings.

It can only be said that the front is far behind.

Before the All-Star break, the Bucks were 52-7, the Heat were 50-9, and the Warriors and Lakers were comfortably 50-9 and 48-11 in the West.

The Nets were 45-14 at the time.

So although the Nets behind the team played a very good result.

But at the end of the season, the Bucks were 72-10, the Heat were 70-12, and the Warriors and Lakers were 69-13 and 69-14, respectively.

To be fair, the top five in the league have more than 65 wins. Although it is not the first time in the history of the entire league, it is still very shocking every time.

No way, under the suppression of the five super teams in the league, apart from these five teams in the entire league, no team even has a record of more than 55 wins.

Even the teams with a record of more than 50 wins in the league are only eight. Yes, in addition to these five teams, there are only three teams with more than 50 wins.

It can be seen how obvious the stratification of the NBA regular season is this season.

So, after this year's regular season, the entire league is already saying that this year's championship must be one of those five teams.

Other teams have no hope.

So, in the Western Conference, the playoffs will depend on the Western Conference finals between the Lakers and the Warriors.

In the East, the playoffs are a semifinal and a final.

The entire playoffs will determine the results of this season with these three duels plus a final duel, a total of four duels.

Chen Xiao and the Nets didn't feel anything about being touted by the public opinion of the entire league.

It can only be said that the performance of the Nets this season is indeed very good.

Before the start of the season, the public opinion in the entire NBA is the four super teams, Bucks, Heat, Warriors and Lakers.

At the end of the season, the Nets were also recognized as being able to join such discussions.

This is of course the effort of everyone on the net.

For example, Xiao Xiao Chen, who was the No. 1 pick this season, has performed at the magician level in his career. Yes, Xiao Xiao Chen averaged 18+7+8 in his rookie season. That's true was compared to Magic's rookie season.

The data of the two are similar, the height and size of the two are similar, and even the style of play seems to be very similar.

In addition to the style of the game, one gorgeous and the other simple, the two have a strong control over the game as rookies.

Let's just put it this way, in the entire history of the NBA, there are many players with better rookie season data than Magic, but the control of the game, these rookies can't even see the rookie Magic's taillights.

Before Xiao Xiaochen appeared, the rookie magician had almost the only control of the game among the rookie guards.

Until the appearance of Xiaoxiaochen, everyone saw that the magician seemed to be really re-engraved.

Therefore, in the course of this season, Magician actually stood up and praised Xiao Xiao Chen more than once.

You can say that the magician may be rubbing off the popularity of Xiao Xiaochen and Chen Xiao's popularity. The magician is indeed a famous celebrity who likes to rub off on the popularity.

But his praise for Xiao Xiao Chen, in fact, it can be seen that there is still a lot of sincerity.

Therefore, this season, Xiao Xiaochen was not selected for the All-Star Weekend, which actually caused a great sensation.

Many people think that Xiao Chen is the player who should be selected as the All-Star bead compared to other players such as Embiid.

In short, Xiao Xiaochen's maturity this season has amazed all fans and experts.

Let's talk about Ingram, the second-leading player of the Nets.

After Chen Xiao came this season, Ingram's average points per game must have dropped compared to last season when he was sluggish, especially after Beasley and Jimmy Butler and others came, it is difficult for Ingram Unlimited shots like the season.

But even so, this season Ingram is still playing 23+6+5+1+1 data.

The average of 23+6+5 per game is actually nothing. What really makes the Nets satisfied is the 1+1 in steals and blocks.

Under Chen Xiao's training this season, Ingram's defensive enthusiasm and ability have increased tremendously.

Ingram was originally a standardized long-handed player that Chen Xiao liked very much.

Not only has long arms and legs, but also excellent athletic ability.

In Chen Xiao's eyes, he is simply a weakened version of Durant in all aspects.

Chen Xiao and Jordan created a player like Durant. Naturally, they know how to create a player like Durant.

Ingram is weaker than Durant in every way, but this is also compared to Durant.

If Ingram was only a quasi-superstar when Chen Xiao came to the team, then now, after the regular season of this season, he is undoubtedly a superstar player with excellent offense and defense.

After talking about Chen Xiao's right-hand man of the two teams this season, let's talk about the Nets' very surprising Bruce Brown this season, averaging 14 points per game this season, shooting more than 55% from the field, and 42% from three-pointers. The above, to be reasonable, after Chen Xiao came to the team, no one thought that Bruce Brown could play such a statistic.

After all, he only averaged 9+5+2+1 per game last season, with a shooting percentage of 51% and a three-pointer rate of 40%. As a role player, such data is definitely not bad. It can be said to be a qualified or even a 3D character players for the little elite.

But this season, with an average of 14+5+3+1.5+1, he is not just a small elite, but a big elite-level role player.

Not only has the shooting percentage improved, the offensive and defensive statistics have also improved, and even the number of three-pointers made has also improved. Last season, 40% of his three-pointers were made by averaging 0.5 three-pointers per game. , even if the hit rate is high, to be honest, it is not very meaningful, and it will still be selectively let go by other teams.

But this season, he averaged 1.7 three-pointers per game, which is quite objective when combined with a 42% shooting rate.

At the very least, the average team would definitely not dare to let Bruce Brown go casually.

Therefore, if last season's Bruce Brown 3 and D were unstable and could only be regarded as a small elite, then this season's Bruce Brown, 3 and D have become extremely stable and strong.

Therefore, after the end of the regular season, many experts and fans said that the most improved player in the league this season should be awarded to Bruce Brown.

Even he should be selected for the All-Defensive Team, no matter how many teams, he should be selected.

These are the original players of the Nets team, and the three new players of the Nets team in the second half of the season also performed very well. These three veteran players worked hard and were willing to integrate into the team. This is also the second half of the season for the Nets. The reason for such a good record.

After talking about the role players of the Nets, let's talk about Chen Xiao, the head player of the Nets.

This season, Chen Xiao's statistics for the Nets are that he averaged 16 shots per game, 9.4 shots per game, 8.8 three-point shots per game, 4 shots per game, 7 free throws per game, and 6.5 shots per game. Throughout the season, he averaged 29.3 points per game and averaged 29.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game.

In terms of the total number, this data is definitely not that exciting, and the scoring list only ranks fifth.

Compared with another MVP favorite, Antetokounmpo's average of 30+13+7, there is actually no advantage.

But the efficiency of Chen Xiao's data is really terrifying.

Averaged only 16 shots per game to get such data, which is better than everyone else.

In fact, before the All-Star Game, Chen Xiao's average per game was not so terrifying, and he even averaged less than 26 points per game.

It was entirely because of the next 20 games that Chen Xiao's statistics became extremely terrifying.

After Jimmy Butler, Beasley and Aldridge joined the team, Chen Xiao averaged a triple-double of more than 35 points per game in the next 20 games!

Yes, after all the teammates around him could open up space for him to attack, Chen Xiao played an average of 35+ triple-doubles per game for two months.

And it is a triple-double performance of 35+ per game with a hit rate of more than 60%.

And that's why the Nets have been elevated from second to first in the league by pundits and fans alike.

Because after Chen Xiao was restrained by his teammates, he once again showed everyone his invincible one-on-one singles ability and his ability to drive his teammates after attracting defense.

Let’s just put it this way, as long as Chen Xiao still has this invincible one-on-one ability and can show this ability, then Chen Xiao’s team will always be one of the favorites for the championship.

As many fans have said, Chen Xiao before the All-Star was an A+ star, very powerful, but for Chen Xiao himself, it was mediocre, and in the entire league, it seems that it is not enough to be unique .

There are even players in the league like Durant and Antetokounmpo who look better than him.

After the All-Star break, Chen Xiao's strength seems to be an S+ level player. At this time, Chen Xiao seems to be the only player in the entire league.

Even Antetokounmpo, Durant, Curry and other players still seem to be players on the same level as Chen Xiao.

And such a strong team led by an S+ level player, for other teams, it must be something to fear.

As Vicious Tongue Maizi said in the TNT Tiantuan studio: "As long as you have watched the last 20 games of the Nets, if you are not afraid of the Nets, then it is not that you have the courage, but that you do not understand basketball."

So the question is, how many people in the NBA don't understand basketball?

That's certainly not much.

Therefore, after the end of the regular season, the Nets' championship odds dropped directly from fifth at the beginning of the season to the first position.

Many local fans in New Jersey said that at the beginning of the season, someone sold a house to beat the Nets to win the championship. If the Nets really win the championship this season, then he can not only buy back the house he held, but even go to New York, go to Manhattan, and buy another one. A house of the same size.

After all, at the start of the season, the Nets were 10 to 1 to win the title.

This is already fifth in the NBA, but compared with the Bucks, Heat, Lakers, and Warriors in front, this odds are really not high enough.

Now, the Nets are 1.65 to 1 to win the title.

In the middle, the difference is really quite big.

However, no matter how optimistic you are, for NBA teams, games are played one by one.

Even if you are the strongest team in the league, and it is recognized as the biggest favorite to win the championship, others will not hand over the victory.

The top eight teams in the East this season are the Bucks, Heat, Nets, Cavaliers, Wizards, 76ers, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, while the Nets' first-round opponent is the sixth in the East, Embiid Led the Philadelphia 76ers.

Chen Xiao is also no stranger to the Philadelphia 76ers.

After all, what he likes to watch the most in the playoffs in recent years is that the 76ers led by Embiid played the Wizards led by Harden in the playoffs.

And this year, obviously, the possibility that the Wizards and the 76ers will meet in the playoffs is very, very low.

If the Wizards beat the Cavaliers, it is possible that they will win. Although there is little hope, there is also hope.

And the 76ers play the Nets, the possibility of the 76ers wanting to win is almost zero.

On April 15, 2023, the Nets faced the 76ers led by Embiid, their first opponent in the playoffs.

Before the game started, Chen Xiao's good friend, Iverson, who was one of the top five guards in the NBA with Chen Xiao, appeared at the Nets' home court.

Seriously, the relationship between Iverson and Chen Xiao and Boss Ji is really quite interesting.

In the NBA that year, one of the most embarrassing players of Ji boss and Chen Xiao was Iverson.

In the 2003 season when the Nets legend won the championship, the most difficult opponent for the Nets in the playoffs was probably the 76ers led by Iverson.

And now, Iverson, as one of the greatest stars in 76ers history, is now the vice president of the 76ers.

After the Heat and Wade and Yao Ming won the championship together, Iverson returned to Philadelphia on a temporary basis.

Although it is useless to say that his vice president is just a name, but he appears on the sidelines, the morale bonus to the 76ers is still very large, especially the 76ers' home court, if Iverson appears on the sidelines, the morale , that cheers, it is simply an explosion to describe.

Let's just say, in the NBA, there are many people who have more historical status than Iverson, more champions and more honorable players than Iverson, and many more.

But for the American basketball world, there are few players with more influence than Iverson.

Every year, when the most influential media in the United States choose the most influential players in NBA history, Chen Xiao is the iron first, Jordan iron is the second, and although the third position is not so uniform, Iverson, Kobe, Curry, Durant, James... A lot of people can compete for third place. ,

However, it was Iverson who appeared the most.

In fact, this can be seen from the history of the 03 generation, James, Wade and Anthony are all Iverson fans.

And in this time and space, it's actually the same.

Even this time and space Iverson's influence is greater.

So, this is also quite interesting.

When Iverson came to the Nets' home court this time, he definitely didn't want to catch up with Chen Xiao and Kidd. He definitely hoped to bring some help to the 76ers.

But unfortunately, Iverson was unable to drive the fans of the Nets to cheer for the 76ers in this game.

The Nets easily beat the 76ers 122-107 at home.

The best player for the Nets in this game was Jimmy Butler, who scored 11 of 22 and scored 36 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

In this game, Jimmy Butler played extremely lethal. After Chen Xiao emptied the inside line of the 76ers, various breakthroughs caused damage.

15 free throws were made throughout the game.

I have to say, Jimmy Butler's style of play is really tough.

Although it is said that the speed is not as strong as Morant, but in the case that Chen Xiao has already emptied the opponent's inside line, as long as you are tough enough, you can actually have many opportunities.

I'm afraid that you are not brave enough and will be pulled out by someone else's fake defense.

In this game, when the 76ers faced Chen Xiao's empty situation, they let Embiid follow.

This is also something that can’t be helped. Last year’s finals, even the Bucks had nothing to do with Chen Xiao’s style of play. In the entire league, except for the Lakers, no team could deal with the use of Chen Xiao by a team with Chen Xiao. Invincible one-on-one ability to play.

This game looks to have Jimmy Butler out.

It seems the defense has failed.

However, for the 76ers, Chen Xiao scored 10 of 14 points, 3 of 5 three-pointers, 4 of 4 free throws, and only scored 27 points and 16 rebounds.

At least, this game, especially in the road game where the whistle has no advantage, the 76ers did not collapse.

By the way, this game is also Xiao Xiaochen's career playoff debut.

In his playoff debut, Xiao Xiao Chen didn't want to record any record-worthy data.

In fact, before the start of the game, many Nets players said that they would let Xiao Chen get a big statistic.

But in the end, Xiao Xiao Chen refused.

For him, the first playoff game of his career seemed to make sense, but it didn't seem to make that much sense either.

So in this game, Xiao Xiaochen made 6 of 12 shots, 2 of 5 three-pointers, 5 of 5 free throws, and scored 19 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists.

In fact, this data can no longer be regarded as quite satisfactory, and it is difficult for most rookies to hit such data.

But if it is placed on Xiao Xiaochen, it is really average, because he can output data such as 18+6+8 in almost every game.

And this has become Xiao Xiaochen's standard data this season.

Whether it's the regular season or the playoffs, Xiao Xiao Chen can almost output such data.

It can also be seen from this how terrifying the stability of Xiao Xiao Chen is.

As a rookie player, with such terrifying stability, many people will once again think of Magician, even Chen Xiao.

After easily beating the 76ers in Game 1 at home.

The Sixers certainly want to struggle.

But the strength gap between the two sides is too obvious.

Take Embiid, the pillar of the 76ers.

In the past few seasons of the playoffs, although Embiid was always killed by Harden in the first round, Embiid's free throws and fouls were indeed very powerful.

But this time in this series, Embiid is averaging just eight free throws per game.

Facing Chen Xiao's defense, Embiid not only couldn't make a foul, he didn't even have the strength to hit Chen Xiao with the back.

It is said to be a big center, but compared with Oden, Yao Ming and other big centers who can really post up Chen Xiao, Embiid is a bit unworthy of his name. Even Embiid's best hand against Chen Xiao is short. Shooting for Chen Xiao...

As such a big center player, when facing Chen Xiao, such an attacking method really makes people wonder how to complain.

And that's where the 76ers are desperate for this series.

Even when their superstar faced Chen Xiao, the series only averaged 21 points and shot only 41%, so you can hardly expect this team to beat the Nets by one game.

So 4 to 0, the Nets easily swept the promotion.

In the first round of this year's playoffs, on the East side, all four games were swept.

Yes, you read that right.

In the first round of the four Eastern Conference games, all were sweeps.

In fact, the Bucks swept the Knicks, the Heat swept the Bulls, and the Nets swept the 76ers is not surprising.

The real surprise was that the Cavaliers swept the Wizards of James Harden.

This series of James and Oden's most outstanding interior partner in NBA history is worth paying attention to once again. At the same time, James Harden's lack of fighting spirit in this series is also worth paying attention to.

After this series ended, many Wizards insiders broke the news that James Harden was desperate for his career in the Wizards.

Many Wizards insiders said that James Harden was a guard and did not show up to the team before and after the All-Star team.

People close to James Harden said in an interview that James Harden really wants to go to the Nets and wants to play with God very, very much.

And James Harden also knew that before and after the All-Star break, he failed to apply for a trade to the Nets, which meant that he would forever lose the opportunity to be teammates with God, which made him feel very frustrated.

Chen Xiao was actually a little taken aback by this news.

To be fair, if James Harden is really willing to apply for a trade during the All-Star weekend, the Wizards won't actually stop him from coming to the Nets.

But James Harden probably didn't want to come to the Nets at the time. At that time, the Nets didn't show such a strong dominance, and it didn't make people feel that they could challenge the Heat and Bucks.

Let's just put it this way, before there were no teammates who could open up space for him at that time, Chen Xiao seemed to have slipped a lot.

This season, even before the All-Star break, Chen Xiao never made it to the top three in the MVP rankings.

As the first player in the league this season, although Chen Xiao's previous performance was outstanding, it did not meet everyone's expectations.

Such a Nets, except for Jimmy Butler and Beasley, who are very close to Chen Xiao, are willing to come, other superstars may not really be so willing.

Just say Jimmy Butler, he actually has the veto power in the Spurs.

He could not come to the Nets at all, but he still came. He did not use his trade veto power and resolutely gave Chen Xiao his final career.

And Beasley, after negotiating with the Pacers to terminate the contract, can even go to the Bucks, the team that he sent his junior and his brother.

The Bucks were definitely closer to winning the title than the Nets at that time.

But in the end, Beasley chose Chen Xiao's team.

Now James Harden sees Butler and Beasley playing very happily with the Nets, and regrets why he didn't hurry up in the first place.

In fact, this is a dump of too much self-calculation and careful thinking.

If history repeats itself, James Harden may not have chosen to come to the Nets so decisively at that time.

However, on the other hand, the Nets' play style is indeed enough to be pleasing to the eye and enviable.

Let's just put it this way, when teammates can open up space for Chen Xiao, it's not only Chen Xiao who benefits, but also teammates.

The entire Nets, now it seems, the chemical reaction is simply described as an explosion.

In the West, the teams entering the second round are the Lakers, the first in the West, the Warriors, the second in the West, the Thunder in the third in the West, and the Spurs in the fourth in the West.

In the first round of the Western Conference, the Warriors and Lakers also swept their opponents.

In the first round of the playoffs, the five super strong teams plus the Cavaliers, the strength of these six teams, is really eye-catching.

After the first round of the game, the NBA also entered the awards season.

This year's regular season MVP was finally awarded to Antetokounmpo, who competed with Jokic for a season this season.

Chen Xiao joined the team after the All-Star.

In the end, Chen Xiao ranked second in the MVP vote.

There is no way to do this. Chen Xiao's data is very good, but it was actually pulled up in the next 20 games. In the first 60 games, Antetokounmpo and Jokic are indeed more like MVPs than Chen Xiao.

In previous seasons, before the All-Star team, the MVP can basically be decided. This year is especially fierce, not because of Chen Xiao, but because Jokic has performed very well in the past.

Although Chen Xiao broke out very quickly, he couldn't make up for the backwardness of the first 60 games.

In addition to the MVP, this year's best rookie was given to Xiao Chen, the best defensive player was also Antetokounmpo, and the most improved player was the Nets' Bruce Brown. In fact, there was news after the vote. Released, and the best sixth man this season is the Warriors' Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie Irving was really low-key and pragmatic in the Warriors this season. His performance this season will definitely add points, but, can his past notoriety be washed away with this season's low-key and honest, then I no longer know.

However, that didn't stop him from excelling off the bench this season.

In addition, this year's first team players, the center position is Jokic, the forward position is Chen Xiao and Antetokounmpo, and the guard position is Morant and Curry.

Yawen Bar

There has been a lot of change this season.

Players such as Rose, James and Durant, who were very stable in the past, are now all in the second team.

By the way, in addition to Chen Xiao, the Nets were selected for the first team, Ingram and Xiao Xiao Chen were selected for the third team.

This season, the 24-man All-Star was selected, and Xiao Xiaochen was not selected, but the 15-man best team was selected, and Xiao Xiaochen was selected.

In addition, this year's best defensive player first team is Oden, Antetokounmpo, Lowe, Herbert Jones, Leonard.

The Nets' Bruce Brown was selected to the defensive second team.

As a role player, Bruce Brown has definitely had a bumper season this season, the most improved player, and the second team defensively.

To be able to get two honors in awards season is definitely the pinnacle of role players.

Therefore, Bruce Brown cried with excitement when he won the Most Improved Player trophy.

Before Chen Xiao came to the Nets, he really did not expect that he could have such achievements in the Nets.

Even when he entered the NBA, he never dreamed that he could have such an achievement.

And Bruce Brown's harvest in awards season is definitely an inspiration for the entire Nets team.

Especially with those role players on the Nets.

In fact, Bruce Brown is just a mere second-round pick.

He can have such achievements, why can't I?

All I can say is that everyone remembered the sentence again at this time: "At God's side, as long as you work hard enough, everyone has a chance!"

Chen Xiao has brought out too many talented players.

It can be said that the morale of the Nets team is really explosive.

And this is quite uncomfortable for the Nets' second-round opponent, the Heat.

This matchup between the Heat and the Nets is one of the four matchups that will determine the direction of the playoffs this year, and it is also the most watched matchup in the second round.

The Heat and the Nets, the Heat are the twin towers of Gao Bo and Adebayo, with the top perimeter combination of Brother Zan, LaVine and Rose, while the Nets are Chen Xiao, Ingram, Jimmy Butler, Bruce Brown And Xiaoxiaochen's one, four, or five.

On defense, both sides can't defend against the opponent in theory.

Therefore, in this series, when the experts looked ahead before the game, they said that the fight was to attack.

But when the series started, things were a little different.

Because of the Heat's twin towers, the speed is slow, and the Nets' defensive enthusiasm is very high, and their close-fitting and running are very strong. Although the big man hits the small man, the shooting is over, but not all big men are very stable. Not all big men can shoot.

In the face of the demoralized Nets, the ultra-small Nets, the Heat played very uncomfortable.

Even the Heat's head coach Spoelstra said: "The Nets five are harder to play than the Bucks."

This is definitely Spoelstra's truth.

The Bucks five are actually not that small. The Heat Twin Towers are useful in facing the Bucks for five hours.

But it wasn't that useful when the Nets were five.

In other words, all the fists hit the cotton, and he couldn't do much damage, but the other party did a lot of damage to him.

Although the Heat are still strong, in this series, the Heat, which had home-court advantage, were defeated by the Nets in G6.

Not even able to finally bring the game back to home.

The Nets beat the Heat 4-2, which surprised even the Bucks.

"I didn't expect the Nets to be so successful..."

The strongest opponent on the road to win this year!

"Our prediction was right!"

For the Bucks, they want to win this year, and the Nets are the biggest opponent.

For the Nets, in fact, not necessarily.

In fact, before the series, the Nets knew that their biggest opponent in the playoffs was the Lakers.

The Nets also thought so after they eliminated the Bucks 4-2 in the series and reached the finals.

And, the Lakers, are now in sight.

"This is the twelfth Finals of my player's career.

It was also the last Finals of my player's career. "

Before the start of Game 1 of the finals between the Nets and the Lakers, when Chen Xiao said this at the pre-game press conference, the entire NBA was in an uproar.

And this time, it is no longer about looking at flowers in the fog. After Chen Xiao said this, the league's president Jordan quickly said in an interview: "Thank God for his great contributions to the NBA and basketball, I believe he will never Will leave basketball, like he said it himself, it's just his farewell as a player, I respect him and all of us should respect his decision."

This time, it's finally here...