Anthony the Reborn

Chapter 217 The lowest point
The Nuggets fought the Spurs to the tie-breaker and finally won, but they were left with a more difficult schedule. On the third day after they finished the game, they didn't even have much time to rest. Here comes the challenge of the Shakeout Lakers, who have rested for nearly five days before, and it can be said that they have a very large advantage.

Fortunately, the Nuggets have the first record in the regular season, and they have home court advantage in any round of playoffs, so they can be said to have the right location, and the Lakers can be said to have the right time , Both sides have their own advantages, and the first contest of the Western Conference Finals started on the plateau of Denver.

The starting lineup of the Lakers has not changed from the regular season. It is still F4, plus the defensive champion Devin George at the small forward. On the Nuggets side, D'Antoni also adjusted Brand to the starting lineup. The lineup of the game is also consistent, but Brand has been playing closed games. Although he is constantly insisting, there are still certain risks for the Nuggets.

Players from both sides have staged offensive and defensive battles several times during the regular season, and they are very familiar with each other, so at the beginning, both sides spared no effort to use their full strength, but this time, it was not Anthony who broke out first, but became Bryant.

It was Bell who defended Kobe, the player who had locked Kobe's throat in the overtime of the regular season. The opening showed a strong desire to attack.

Unlike the Spurs, the Lakers are no worse than the Nuggets except for the small forward position, and it can even be said to be stronger, and they have reached the Western Conference Finals. Their state has been adjusted to the best state, So the Nuggets didn't dare to double-team at the beginning of the game. Kobe and Bell have always been in a one-on-one state.

It should be said that Bell has learned a lot after the baptism of the playoffs, especially the confrontation between him and Ginobili in the game against the Spurs. His state should be considered very good, but sometimes, the player's touch is very difficult to stop, especially when the opponent is still a super scorer.

In the first quarter of the game, Bell can be said to have been blown away by Kobe. Kobe made 10 of 7 shots in this quarter, plus 8 of 6 free throws. He scored 21 points in a single quarter. Compared with the performance in the tiebreaker, they were not much better.

Thanks to Kobe's strong performance and O'Neal's position in the interior, the Nuggets couldn't take advantage of the inside and outside for a while. They were pulled by the Lakers to double digits in the first quarter.

Anthony was looking at the score on the field panting now. He could feel that the physical strength of the Nuggets players was a bit behind. Although it was a big victory in the last game against the Spurs, But they entered the next round of the playoffs without any rest at all. This is a very big challenge for the players, especially Brand. At this moment, his ankle is slightly swollen, and it seems that he has already reacted up.

After weighing again and again, Brand should not play in the next game. If he barely finishes this game, the next game, or even affects Brand's career, it will really be worth the candle.

The Nuggets did not allow Brand to play out of safety considerations, but for them, this game was very cruel. Without Brand's containment, the Nuggets played against the Lakers in an all-round way. Falling behind, they also experienced the difference between the regular season and the playoffs for the first time.

During the regular season, the Nuggets played against the Lakers. Even before Brand was traded, they could play inextricably. But in the Western Conference Finals, the core of the Lakers, especially Malone and Payton, this The two people's desire for victory is almost crazy. Coupled with Kobe's good touch in this game, they didn't take much advantage in the game, and they lost in the end. The fans at the scene expressed their regret left the arena.

Winning or losing a game, even in the division finals of the playoffs, is still not that irreversible for the players, but a piece of news after the game is bad news for the Nuggets.

Brand received an MRI after the game, and the test result was positive. The team doctor and Brand’s agent absolutely did not allow Brand to play again. If he played again, it would have irreparable damage to his career. injuries.

Brand weighed again and again, and after listening to Anthony's suggestion, he finally announced the season's reimbursement, which cast a shadow over the Nuggets. However, Brand's miraculous comeback allowed the Nuggets to enter the Western Conference Finals. It was a miracle.

The morale of the Nuggets who lost Brand was somewhat low. Anthony mobilized before the game, but he could feel that the team's current state is very bad, and his feeling was fully expressed on the court.

In the second game against the Lakers, Anthony scored 36 points, but no other player scored in double figures except him. The Nuggets dedicated a 20-point rout at home to the present What's worse, the team's main point guard Williams accidentally fell to the ground in a fight with Payton and sprained his knee. He was also very pessimistic in the post-match inspection , is expected to be absent for one to two weeks, this will undoubtedly make matters worse.

The absence of Williams made the Nuggets even more stretched in the third game. Roger was ordered in the face of danger, but his ability was obviously weaker. On the offensive end, Payton almost dribbled the ball and couldn't pass the half court. With such a position, it is needless to say the other positions of the Nuggets. Their first game on the road also ended in a disastrous defeat.

The three-game losing streak of the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals put them on the cusp again. Although the absence of Brand and Williams and the strength of the Lakers were the difficulties the Nuggets encountered, but in the face of The lack of parry shown by the Lakers is obviously inappropriate. Some media even began to criticize Anthony for being too selfish in the game and unable to mobilize his teammates to participate in the game.

At this moment, Anthony and the Nuggets he is in are experiencing the greatest suffering since they entered the playoffs.

On this day, before the team's training session, in the team's locker room, the spirits of the players were a little listless. They were already 0-3 behind, and they lost their starting point guard and power forward. "F4" Lakers, although most people don't say it, they know in their hearts that they have no chance of winning. What they can do is to finish the last game and the contract expires. Players are planning how to find the next contract, and those whose contracts have not expired are preparing to start planning how to spend this summer.

So before Anthony entered the locker room, he could even imagine what the players were like at this time, but he held some things in his hand, and he hoped that these things could bring about some changes.

Anthony walked into the locker room and immediately attracted the attention of other Nuggets players. Although the team's situation is not good, and even the evaluation of Anthony from outside is selfish, but for them, they know Anthony is the best player, and his recognition has never changed.

"Hey guys, let me show you a few things," Anthony said to the other players as soon as he walked in.

Hearing Anthony's greeting, the Nuggets players rushed over curiously.

Anthony then took out the things in his hand. They were some photos. The first one was black and white, and it looked like it had been around for a few years.

The photo is a picture of a field, but the focus of the shot is not on the field, but on the bench. On the bench of a team, except for a player sitting at the end of the bench, there is a big man lying horizontally On the bench, it almost occupied the entire bench, and the time was signed on May 1977, 5.

"Washington Bullets." Mutombo is worthy of being the oldest in the team, and he recognized the target in the photo at a glance.

"Mello, what are you doing with this old photo?" Nene looked at the photo and asked curiously, scratching his head.

Anthony smiled and pointed to the date of inscription and said, "Do you know this time?"

Anthony said he looked at Mutombo, but seeing that he didn't answer, he then said: "This year was the year the Washington Bullets won the championship, and this game was when they were in the Western Conference playoffs. The game in the tiebreaker."

"Ah? This..." Nene pointed at the bench right now, not knowing what to say.

Anthony saw some effect, and then said: "Before this game, the Bullets had three main players injured, and they only played 7 people in the whole game, but they won this game in the end. It was a game that entered the annals of history, but because the history has passed for too long, it was gradually forgotten by people."

"Is this true?" Nene looked at Anthony suspiciously.

"I said that my father showed it to me when I was a child, and I found it after searching a lot of information." Anthony recalled.

"I seem to have a little impression." Mutombo said suddenly at this moment.

Hearing that Mutombo also spoke, the other Nuggets players no longer doubted, and their eyes were already full of shock.

Anthony looked up at Mutombo, and then said: "Guys, the Bullets were able to win the most critical tiebreaker when they injured 3 main players and only 7 players played. Now we have 12 players, but we can't win a single game right now."

Listening to what Anthony said, the Nuggets players felt a slight heat on their faces.

(End of this chapter)