NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 121 It’s dawn

On the evening of May 12, at FedExCare, the Grizzlies' home arena, Game 3 of the series took place.

The Thunder didn't change their lineup, which many people predicted before the game. There's a joke going around that if you want Coach Brooks to change the lineup, either someone gets injured or he gets fired.

In this game, the Grizzlies continued with the strategy that won the previous game: to overwork the Grizzlies' duo of Gasol and Conley and wear down Durant.

The Thunder's strategy was to have Durant play more off-ball in the first half to conserve his energy, and then carry the team with the ball in the second half.

But ideals are often grand, while reality is often harsh. Durant playing off-ball was certainly a good idea, but the Thunder's other four starters were too offensively capable, making it difficult to pass the ball well to Durant. In the end, Durant was forced to take one-on-one shots, which actually made him more physically exhausted.

In this situation, Durant's efficiency was also affected, and he didn't score as many points as in the two games in Oklahoma City.

Jia Fei and Reggie were still not given important roles. In Coach Brooks' eyes, it seemed that Kevin Martin was the only substitute player.

In this situation, the Thunder were completely dominated by the Grizzlies, both in terms of the score and their performance on the court.

The game was never won, and the Thunder ultimately lost to the Grizzlies on the road, suffering their second consecutive defeat and falling behind 1-2 in the series.

Compared to the previous game, this loss by the Thunder was even more desperate. Throughout the entire game, they showed no sign of turning the tide, constantly being suppressed and utterly without hope.

After the game, Durant declined to be interviewed, while Coach Brooks did. When asked why he didn't give more playing time to young players like Jia Fei and Reggie, he stated that the loss wasn't about that; even if they had played, the outcome would likely have been the same. He added that they need to go back and study the game film to try and win the next game, regain home-court advantage, and then play the pivotal Game 5 in Oklahoma City.

May 14th, Game 4 of the series.

Neither team made any changes to their lineups for this game. The Thunder did make some adjustments, but these weren't changes to their rotations or increasing Jia Fei's playing time. Instead, they focused on overworking Durant.

You think I'm not good enough? Fine, I'll show you my ultimate technique—Durant plays the entire game!

Durant played the entire game against the Grizzlies, who boasted the Grizzlies' "Grit and Grind" duo. He was so exhausted in the final quarter that he could barely stand, yet Coach Brooks refused to substitute him, instead letting Jia Fei try out.

Jia Fei and Reggie were practically getting hemorrhoids from sitting on the bench so long, but they could only watch helplessly as their beloved Du Xiaoshuai played the full 48 minutes, his lips as white as if he had drunk someone's bathwater.

Even so, the outcome of the game remained unchanged; the Thunder lost another game, and now trail 1-3 in the series...

If the opposing head coach is Doc Rivers, you might have a sudden realization when your team is down 1-3, and feel that anything is possible.

In the NBA, there is only one Doc Rivers, and he is not with the Grizzlies at this time, so for the Thunder, they are basically standing on the edge of a cliff.

Does the Thunder have any trump cards left? This is a question on many people's minds. But clearly, they have none left. Coach Brooks' trump card was Durant playing the entire game, and he used it in this game, and it failed.

Thunder fans didn't get to see Game 5; instead, they're facing a do-or-die game on their home turf. Game 5 of the series: win or go home, a gentleman's sweep or keep hope alive, a chance to create a miracle—it all comes down to this game.

May 16, Game 5 of the series, Ford Center.

The Thunder did not change their lineup (which was never going to happen anyway), and neither did the Grizzlies.

The Thunder had no trump cards, a fact that many people realized from the start of the game.

Westbrook was on the court with crutches. His image appeared on the big screen, and seeing his stubborn expression, many Thunder fans couldn't hold back their emotions. If he were there, the team wouldn't be in such a difficult situation.

Fans have cursed Beverley's family a thousand times over. It's all because of this scumbag. If it weren't for this dirty bastard, even if Coach Brooks is incompetent, relying on the two young stars to overpower the opponent would have been no problem for them to make it to the Western Conference Finals.

Halfway through the first quarter, Sefolosha was forced to leave the game due to foul trouble. Soon after, Fisher also found himself in foul trouble.

In this situation, Jia Fei and Reggie were forced to get the opportunity to play earlier.

When Jia Fei and his partner came on the field, the fans expressed their love for them with enthusiastic applause.

After Jia Fei and Reggie entered the game, they immediately increased the pace, relentlessly attacking the Grizzlies' transition offense. On the defensive end, they rotated constantly, pressing and harassing, seemingly with inexhaustible energy.

The Grizzlies were a bit confused. Were these two on drugs?

Under their combined attack, the Thunder went from trailing to taking the lead!

The Ford Center was ablaze with excitement, the fans were both thrilled and furious. They were thrilled by Jia Fei and his teammates' incredible performance, but furious at Brooks for not looking earlier, for letting Durant work himself to death instead of utilizing such a valuable asset. It's truly a case of a general's incompetence ruining the entire army.

本场比赛，贾飞创造了进NBA以来季后赛单场上场时间最高记录——24分32秒。他全场贡献了20分8个篮板3次助攻2个抢断1个盖帽，创造了个人NBA季后赛单场新高，表现炸裂Plus！

Reggie Jackson also delivered a strong performance, contributing 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, and together with Jia Fei, they dominated the Grizzlies' second unit.

Ultimately, thanks to outstanding performances from Jia Fei and Reggie, the Thunder defeated the Grizzlies at home, avoiding a gentleman's sweep and keeping the series suspenseful.

Jia Fei accomplished a task in this game – “scoring 20 points in a single playoff game”, for which he received a reward of 2000 points.

But he wasn't optimistic about the team's future. After all, the opponent had two lives, while they only had one. Game 6 of the series would be played at the Grizzlies' home court. The reason he and Reggie were able to play for so long in this game wasn't because of the coaching staff's plan, but simply because Fisher and Sefolosha were in foul trouble.

So unless the coaching staff completely trusts them and gives them a chance, they will most likely be eliminated in the series.

May 18, Game 6 of the series, FedExCare.

In this game, the Grizzlies played with intensity, further pushing their starters to the limit. The Thunder, on the other hand, appeared somewhat conservative, not continuing their rotation from the previous game, and still letting Sefolosha and Fisher each play more than 30 minutes.

Durant played the entire game, but it wasn't enough to turn the tide.

Ultimately, the Thunder suffered a narrow defeat to the Grizzlies on the road, losing the series 2-4 and failing to reach the Western Conference Finals!

Daylight broke...