NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 476 The first one to enter the semifinals

The Clippers became the first team in the entire league to advance to the semifinals!

But this result didn't surprise him too much. If the Spurs, without their stoic demeanor, could eliminate the Clippers and pull off a Cinderella run, that would be the real big news.

The Clippers' opponent in the semifinals will be the winner between the Thunder and the Trail Blazers. The two teams are currently tied 2-2.

The Clippers, on the other hand, are sitting back and watching the battle unfold, waiting for their next opponent to emerge.

On April 25, after watching the pivotal Game 4 between the Thunder and the Trail Blazers with his teammates and coaches, Jia Fei was kept behind by head coach Budenholzer for a discussion.

"Jia, which of these two teams do you think is more likely to advance?" Coach Buden asked.

"The Trail Blazers are currently leading the Thunder 3-2, and they have a better chance of winning. The Thunder's spacing is still too poor, while the Trail Blazers' backcourt duo are both good at shooting with the ball, and the Thunder will have a hard time dealing with Adams in pick-and-roll situations," Jia Fei said, sharing his opinion.

"Hmm, that makes sense!" Jia Fei's opinion coincided with Coach Buden's, so they need to prepare more information about the Trail Blazers' games.

"It feels so good to be back together with you in the playoffs, it's amazing!" Coach Buden exclaimed.

“Me too!” Jia Fei looked into Coach Buden’s eyes and said sincerely.

Jia Fei was genuinely moved. While Budenholzer might not be as adept as his mentor Popovich in terms of tactical deployment and on-court reaction, he was far superior to Old Li's perpetually motivational speeches. If Budenholzer had led the Clippers in last season's Western Conference Finals, even if the Clippers ultimately lost, Jia Fei wouldn't have felt this frustrated.

Mike Budenholzer, then head coach of the Hawks, was certainly aware of Jia Fei's situation last season. The Clippers' elimination by the Warriors and the subsequent firing of Doc Rivers in the offseason clearly indicated that the relationship and collaboration between Jia Fei and Rivers were not amicable. Otherwise, why fire a championship-winning coach before finding a replacement?

Clearly, in the eyes of the Clippers' management, Jia Fei is far more important than Li, and Coach Budenholzer's trade to the Clippers is naturally inseparable from Jia Fei's wishes.

To put it bluntly, if Jia Fei doesn't agree to Coach Buden coming, Coach Buden simply won't be able to come to the Clippers.

This is reality! In the NBA, superstars are the most important asset. Apart from Popovich, no coach in the NBA is more important than a superstar, not even a championship-winning coach like Kerr.

Jia Fei was right; the Thunder were ultimately eliminated by the Trail Blazers 4-2. Westbrook has been eliminated in the first round for two consecutive seasons since leaving Durant.

This means the Clippers' semifinal opponent will be the Trail Blazers. The other Western Conference matchup is also set: both the Warriors and the Rockets have defeated their respective opponents and will advance to the semifinals.

Compared to the Clippers vs. Trail Blazers matchup, which has a clear gap in strength on paper, the Rockets vs. Warriors matchup is truly a clash of titans.

Many people are already predicting who the Clippers' opponent will be in the Western Conference Finals. Whether it's the Rockets or the Warriors, this year's Western Conference Finals will not disappoint in terms of hype and competition.

The Clippers vs. Trail Blazers semifinal Game 1 will be played on April 29 at the Clippers' home arena, Staples Center.

After training on the 28th, Jia Fei said to everyone, "Everyone outside is predicting whether our opponent in the Western Conference Finals will be the Warriors or the Rockets. What I want to say is that our series against the Trail Blazers hasn't even started yet. There are no weak teams in the semifinals. If we don't play with a do-or-die mentality, our opponents will make us pay the price. In competitive sports, anything can happen. Our goal is the championship, that hasn't changed. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Let's take it one step at a time and get closer to our goal!"

On the evening of April 29, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Clippers' opponent was the Trail Blazers. Although it wasn't the Warriors or the Rockets, the arena was still packed with people, with every seat filled.

The Clippers' fan base is constantly growing, with many former Lakers fans switching to Clippers in the last two seasons. Many fans aren't actually that loyal, or rather, fans aren't necessarily limited to just one team. Does liking the Lakers preclude liking the Clippers? There's no such rule; often, it's just us being too hard on ourselves!

Of course, some fans have simply stopped liking the Lakers and switched their allegiance to the Clippers. You can't blame these fans for being disloyal, given how weak the Lakers have been for so many years. Many female fans have gone from teenage girls to young women, and you guys are still in the water, so don't blame us for being fickle.

Besides, the Clippers are a Los Angeles team! Jia Fei is so handsome, much better than the Lakers' so-called "handsome and good-playing" Kuzma.

This match was broadcast live on Tencent, with commentators Wang Meng and guest Yang Yi providing commentary.

"Mr. Yang, regarding this series, I think the fans are unanimously optimistic about the Clippers. What about you?" Wang Meng asked.

Yang Yi twirled his pen and smacked his lips, saying, "It's not that we want to be unconventional or different; we're also rooting for the Clippers!"

"The Trail Blazers beat the Thunder. Mr. Yang, what do you think is the secret to their victory?" Wang Meng asked.

"The Trail Blazers can shoot! The Thunder aren't actually that good. When the young master faces a big center in the paint, he has a hard time. Lillard and CJ can shoot so much! In a game, they can make more than a dozen mid-range and long-range shots. Can the Thunder do that?" Yang Yi started talking like a storyteller.

"Speaking of the Clippers, how should we limit the Trail Blazers' duo?" Wang Meng asked.

"The Clippers are much easier to defend against the Trail Blazers than the Thunder. Beverley can grab one, and for the other one, either Jia Fei or George can grab one, that's all!" Yang Yi said casually.

The starting lineups for both teams have been announced.

The Clippers' starting lineup, playing at home, remained the same as in the previous series: Jia Fei, Beverley, George, Gallinari, and Olynyk.

The Clippers didn't change their starting lineup at all in the last series, and many people wanted to see how they would perform when they were in dire straits, but so far, no team has been able to force them to make adjustments.

The Trail Blazers' starting lineup for the away game is Lillard, CJ McCollum, Evan Turner, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Joseph Nurkic.

The core of the Trail Blazers is their backcourt duo, with Nurkic serving as a screener and rim protector, making him the team's third most important player.

Lillard was as domineering as ever. Without even checking his watch, he sank several three-pointers from more than two meters out during pre-game practice. Rondo and Westbrook must be green with envy.