BSI Chapter 350 What will become of us Celts?
Chapter 350 What will become of us Celts?
"28 points without missing a single shot, even a robot couldn't do that, right?"
"Damn it, if KG were still here, he would have blocked his shot long ago!"
"What is PP doing? Is he even playing defense seriously? And why can't that black coach even come up with the most basic double-team strategy?"
"Don't be afraid, this is just a technical adjustment for the team."
In the stands, the home fans were buzzing with discussion.
Inside the home team's locker room, Rivers didn't spout his usual motivational platitudes that "warmed him up all day," but instead unusually pulled the players aside to discuss defensive tactics.
Each person was assigned to confirm specific defensive tasks and areas.
The chief teaching assistant and trainee farmer, Thibodeau, would occasionally add his comments from the side.
The entire Celtics coaching staff displayed an unusual level of efficiency and competence.
There was no other way. It wasn't that Rivers realized motivational speeches were useless; rather, he realized that if Mo Wen continued to fight like this, he would really be fired.
It's the same principle as when Camby participated in Mo Wen's 88 battle and no matter how impressive his stats were, no one voted for him as the DPOY.
If Mo Wen really maintains a 100% shooting percentage until the end of the game, it can only mean that he is a complete fraud as a defensive coach.
However, to the home fans' great dissatisfaction when the Celtics returned for the second half, they did not make any personnel adjustments.
But when they got into position, they found that the player Mo Wen was matched up against had changed from Pierce to Carter.
Before the whistle blew again, Mo Wen did nothing but stare at Pierce for ten seconds.
Pierce's face was burning red, as if it were in the focus of a concave mirror.
Rivers initially strongly opposed the idea of him and Carter switching defenders.
He lost so badly, if he doesn't win back in the second half, how can he face the Celtics as the nominal leader?
But he was not a pure gambler and could not understand the wisdom of all-in betting.
So Thibodeau privately explained the pros and cons to him—
If Carter can defend Mo Wen, it would be a win-win situation for the team, and they wouldn't have to worry about being humiliated.
If Carter can't do it either, then at least someone else will be put on the cross of judgment with him.
Pierce was initially reluctant as well.
However, as the team's leader, and considering the team's perspective and the overall situation, he reluctantly agreed.
Carter: ...
Before the game, Hardt, who rarely speaks, encouraged Vince, saying, "Give him a taste of his own medicine, let him know that scoring goals comes at a price!"
As he spoke, Hardt even swung his fist twice in the air, as if he wanted Carter to learn from him.
Carter: ...
Back on the court, Carter displayed 100% defensive effort, but did not heed the strong cues from his teammates and coaching staff.
He's not that kind of person.
Mo Wen also gave Carter the same respect. He was confident in defeating Pierce because he had played four games with Pierce in the previous night and was able to observe Pierce's defensive habits with confidence.
But Carter wasn't on that Celtics team.
Carter is currently at the end of his prime, and his 211cm wingspan combined with his good athleticism is still enough to support him as a top defensive player.
However, there's a reason why Carter hasn't won any defensive accolades throughout his career.
His lateral speed isn't top-tier, and he's particularly bad at defending pick-and-rolls. His early years as the team's leader also fostered a bad habit of conserving energy on defense. He also has a similar problem to Kobe: his focus on defense off the ball is inconsistent, and he's easily drawn to the ball handler, subconsciously helping out and leaving his man behind.
Therefore, Mo Wen's response was quite simple.
They called Tyson to the high post, set a screen, and his opponent became Perkins.
Before Perkins could even reach out to greet Mo Wen, Mo Wen accelerated and left him far behind.
Looking at the unguarded basket, Mo Wen suddenly found himself missing the tough guys.
That kind of goal is really boring.
Mo Wen swung his arm in a half-circle in the air and slammed the ball in.
The Celtics coaching staff were initially a little unhappy that Carter was so easily screened, but cheers suddenly erupted in the next possession.
In this offensive possession, Carter, like Mo Wen, called for a pick-and-roll from Perkins at the high post.
The SuperSonics hesitated when switching defense, and Carter seized this precious time difference, easily taking the shot and making it.
Mo Wen then scored twice in the same way, penetrating the Celtics' paint to score.
Carter responded with a three-pointer of his own, using the same pick-and-roll.
The Celtics' home crowd erupted in what was probably the loudest cheers of the day.
A response shot, or a three-pointer response shot!
The demigod truly lived up to his name.
But Carter didn't show much excitement on his face.
She only glanced at the man with a rather complicated look when she passed by Mo Wen.
Mo Wen remained expressionless, only wanting to make a fortune in silence.
With a 14-point gap between the two teams, Carter could score seven or eight points in one go if he keeps chasing.
During halftime, Hill actually asked him if he wanted to increase his shot attempts in the second half and do some everyday news.
But Mo Wen refused.
Compared to simply getting a high score, hitting the target consecutively is obviously more challenging and more fun.
But Mo Wen's wishful thinking was shattered in the next round.
Rivers called a timeout just three minutes into the second half.
It wasn't because Carter finally missed a shot and couldn't respond in time.
It was because of the director on the sidelines.
After Mo Wen scored another goal, the director did not direct the camera at Mo Wen, but instead focused on the crooked-mouthed warrior, Payton, wearing a casual suit on the SuperSonics coaching bench.
After looking up at the large screen above, Payton paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly and clapped his hands.
Even after retiring, this brat is still messing with my mentality.
The previous NBA record holder for a 100% field goal percentage in a single game was Payton.
14 out of 14.
Mo Wen, after making that shot, now has a perfect 15-for-15 record.
A new record has been set at TD Garden.
However, the fans present here don't know how to "appreciate greatness".
They just kept booing.
Mo Wen originally didn't feel anything.
But the boos coming from all directions in the stands really gave him a thrill.
Yes, yes, that's exactly how it's supposed to taste!
Mo Wen nodded and opened his arms.
It's as if they're embracing the boos, and as if they're embracing the world like Jesus.
"Screw it, so what if we lost? Now you're all going to double-team us!"
"We absolutely cannot let him make another move. If he does, foul him, foul him hard!"
Rivers slammed his clipboard on the ground and yelled at his players, his temper flaring.
Thibodeau did not object to Rivers's instructions.
Double-teaming an assist leader, especially one with an extremely low turnover rate, is a decision that would be ridiculed by any professional basketball coach.
This is undoubtedly an act of suicide.
But at this moment, given Mo Wen's incredible form, this was a necessary and absolutely correct decision.
After a tall center forward receives the ball comfortably in the penalty area, what should the defenders in front of him and those closest to him do?
A hard foul before he even made his shooting motion!
why?
Because tall, big men, with their superior build-up, can easily score with an extremely high accuracy rate.
Rather than watching them score easily, it's better to commit a foul and gamble that they won't make the free throw.
Therefore, when Mo Wen demonstrates a more reliable shooting touch in the paint than even taller stars, he should receive the same treatment.
However, even simple double-teaming could not stop Mo Wen's advance.
After all, Mo Wen not only has top-notch ball control skills, but also top-notch off-the-ball skills.
Chasing after and double-teaming a player making an off-ball movement violates their long-standing indoctrination of sound basketball principles and contradicts their hard-earned defensive positioning instincts. Six minutes into the third quarter.
Pierce took over the task of guarding Mo Wen from Carter, following Mo Wen across the free throw line, from the baseline to the other corner, and despite Millsap's screens in the elbow area, he still couldn't stop Mo Wen from getting around to the high post and successfully receiving the ball.
When Carter saw Ray Allen run away, he didn't follow. Instead, he blocked the passing lane and then sneakily circled around him.
Mo Wen felt Pierce's hand on his waist, but without stopping to check, he dribbled between his legs, shifting his weight to the left, and then pulled back sharply as Pierce caught up.
But Carter appeared just in time to Mo Wen's side and covered up the gap left by Pierce's shift in center of gravity.
Mo Wen had no intention of stopping and passing the ball. He made contact with Carter's shoulder, used his assist hand to push away Carter's arm that was trying to steal the ball, lowered his center of gravity to make a strong breakthrough motion, and then suddenly slammed the ball back.
Carter was shaken and stumbled, but Pierce, who had just regained his balance, didn't let his good friend "Dumei" slip as well.
Mo Wen took a step back, jumped out of the three-point line, gathered the ball, and raised his hand.
Undistracted, the basketball once again drew a rainbow across the sky, creating a white wave inside the Celtics' basket.
43 points.
Mo Wen scored his 43rd point of the night, and the statistician's pen trembled slightly.
He knew that another record had been set by his pen.
Meanwhile, the eldest princess on the sidelines also shrank back.
Maybe next time I really won't take the medicine, and let's see if this jerk can be as accurate as he was today.
In the next possession, after receiving the pass in the low post, Pierce, realizing his incompetence, decisively followed the coaching staff's instructions and lunged at Mo Wen, then forcefully slapped Mo Wen's arm from the side with both hands.
The ball flew out of Mo Wen's hands, and the referee promptly blew his whistle loudly.
Despite being thrown off balance by the impact, Mo Wen still managed to tilt back in a relatively elegant manner thanks to her strong core and rich experience.
When Tyson saw Mo Wen fall to the ground, he immediately rushed over like Tyson and shoved Pierce.
"What the hell are you trying to do?"
Millsap and Guy also instantly switched to combat faces and rushed over.
Several burly men on the Supersonics' bench also stood up.
Even Ray Allen, who usually dislikes fighting, rushed over.
The linesmen and the referee who came over to the Celtics Arena immediately felt an overwhelming pressure.
It's worth noting that the SuperSonics have a history of misconduct in this arena.
The two teams nearly clashed last season over Sebastian's foul on Ray Allen.
Although Mo Wen outwardly showed them respect that time, they later learned that Mo Wen was playing a trick on them, secretly beating them up again.
Pierce didn't feign innocence; he simply shrugged.
After committing the foul, he honestly raised his hand.
Upon seeing the Supersonics team surrounding him and realizing what he had done, Pierce raised his hands straight up.
I fouled, referee! What the hell are you looking at? Call the foul on me!
The referee promptly signaled Pierce with a flagrant foul 1, and Mo Wen was pulled up from the ground.
He stopped his teammate from making a big splash.
Even though he took protective measures, he still fell and it hurt a bit, so Mo Wen subconsciously did a few movements to loosen his shoulder armor.
Seeing this, the referee thought Mo Wen was going to go himself, so he picked him up from both sides.
"No, no, no, Brother Mo, let's talk this out. I've already called him a first-degree criminal. If it still doesn't work, I can review the video again. Please calm down!"
Mo Wen felt a bit amused and exasperated.
He really didn't intend to make a move this time.
He could tell that Pierce had just been emotional and wanted to give him a piece of his mind, rather than trying to do anything shady.
Mo Wen is willing to accept any action that falls within the bounds of the playing field.
Of course, he also hopes that Pierce will be able to accept a similar response later on.
grunt.
Pierce noticed Mo Wen's intense murderous aura and unconsciously swallowed. He suddenly thought that if the referee had really upgraded his foul to a flagrant foul 2 and ejected him from the game, he would have accepted it.
But then I remembered, Sebastian seemed to have gotten beaten up after returning to the locker room...
This isn't a referee, this is an upright and just official!
With a three-point foul and a flagrant foul, Mo Wen will have four free throws.
When Mo Wen stepped to the free-throw line, the home fans initially tried to make noise to distract him.
Some of the front-row audience members even presented guardian (race) knights.
Having long been accustomed to the noise of the stadium, Mo Wen threw two consecutive swishes, and the noise level in the stadium immediately dropped by more than half.
By the time Mo Wen took the final free throw, the enormous TD Garden stadium had transformed into a library.
47 points.
The record of 100% accuracy continues.
With just over half of the third quarter gone, even though the gap between the two teams had reached 20 points, Mo Wen had every reason to stay on the court.
After all, he played 16 minutes in the first half. As the face of the league and the leader of the West, he can't be allowed to play less than 30 minutes against the top-ranked Celtics in the East and then be out of the game.
Not only is it impolite, but it's also disrespectful to the home fans who bought tickets to watch the game, isn't it?
During the Celtics' offensive possession, Pierce, sensing his situation was about to turn bad, wisely refrained from calling for the ball.
But when it came to the defensive turn, he still couldn't help but stand in front of Mo Wen.
Then a somewhat comical scene unfolded: instead of spreading his arms to defend, Pierce placed them in front of him, like a rugby player waiting to receive an impact.
"What are you cowardly for? Just fight him! Can't I fight if I can't play basketball?" Wolf King yelled from the sidelines, exasperated.
Rondo, who had been listening to his muttering, couldn't help but glance at him sideways.
Tree new bee.
He talks like he's a great fighter, but he's seen the video. Last time the Wolf King clashed with Mo Wen and tried to make a move, he was captured by Mo Wen before he could even touch Mo Wen's clothes.
If a real fight breaks out, the Wolf King's greatest contribution would probably be taking up one of Mo Wen's hands.
So can injuries make people tougher?
Although Mo Wen wanted to get revenge for what he had just done, he wasn't so short-lived that he couldn't hold back for even a moment longer.
Since Pierce dared to make such a conservative move, Mo Wen naturally accepted the space he offered.
With a push-off from his left foot and a crossover step, Mo Wen didn't make any unnecessary feints this time and directly got past Pierce.
Fortunately, Tony Allen, who was supposed to be replacing Rondo, stepped in in time.
Realizing he had done something stupid, Pierce returned to the double-team position before Tony was elbowed away by Mo Wen.
Even Mo Wen found it difficult to maintain control of the ball when double-teamed.
So, Mo Wen made a perfectly normal move: using his elbow to brace against Pierce's chest to protect the ball.
Then, he suddenly turned around, the force twisting from his ankle to his waist and hips, and finally transmitted to his elbow.
Pierce cried out in pain, lost his balance, took two steps, and finally fell to the ground in a "descending goose" position, landing on his buttocks.
After clearing the space, Mo Wen easily broke into the mid-range and managed to throw the ball before the Celtics could collapse.
49 points.
"He committed an offensive foul; he elbowed me just now." Pierce rubbed his chest. It wasn't because he usually ate a lot and was muscular; just from that one touch, he had to ask Dan for the contact information of a rib specialist.
The referee glanced at Pierce with some disgust and didn't want to talk to him.
Pierce, who felt truly wronged, wanted an explanation.
The referee impatiently warned him that if he kept talking, he would receive a technical foul.
From the referee's perspective, Pierce had just fouled someone aggressively, almost starting a fight, and now he's yelling that he's faking it just because he was touched by an assistant's hand, which is really an insult to their intelligence.
Rivers couldn't help but call a timeout at that moment.
Mo Wen was just one point away from achieving a 100% shooting percentage of 50 points.
Just thinking about it made Rivers feel suffocated.
What bothered him even more was the fear he felt because Mo Wen was so accurate.
The sense of defeat, which was so overwhelming and impossible to defend against, severely eroded the confidence of every fan who came to watch the game in their home team.
"What will become of us Celts?" (End of Chapter)