Then, Duncan, who was usually known as a good man, shoulder-bumped Lin Shuhao during his fast break.
He also received a technical foul, almost causing a conflict between the two teams.However, the wiser Spurs and Popovich won this adrenaline-pumping game to the end.
This was partly due to their home court advantage;it would be hard to say if Popovich's scheme played any role in this victory.
But of course, he would not mention any such plot.
After the match, he attributed the Spurs' win to teamwork, trust, defense, and three-pointers.However, discerning observers noticed that the Mavericks needed fewer fouls from their center, Chandler, and consistent playing time if they were to secure a victory.
In this series, whenever Chandler played over 42 minutes, the Mavericks won;but whenever he was limited to less than 30 minutes due to fouls, they lost.Originally, Wu Huang had planned to watch the evening game, but ended up unable to do so because his little star was even more hungry.
He hadn't realized that he had indulged himself earlier in the day, making Taylor Swift's performance seem as fierce and ruthless as a wolf that night.
This left him with no time or energy to focus on the match.The Bulls vs Heat’s playoff game was just as intense as the other three western showdowns, even resulting in an injury that Wu Huang had longed for.
Among the Heat trio, Pau Gasol, who had the most fragile body, ended up injured again this year, making it his second consecutive playoff injury.
It seems that flexible big men like him are more prone to injuries compared to other stars.LeBron James played 45 minutes today and barely took a rest, ultimately scoring 42 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists, helping the Heat scrape through and secure their most crucial game in this series.
In NBA history, from 1986 to now, only four players have scored over 40 points with at least 20 rebounds in a single playoff game: Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and David Robinson.
Even Howard has never reached this feat.
LeBron became the first active player, and the only guard, to do so.This year’s playoffs have affected Wu Huang's data due to the Knicks often finishing games in three quarters, making his average performance less extraordinary but still impressive.
James, however, really had an incredible average.
So far, he has averaged 33.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, silencing many critics with his play.
He also led the league in shot attempts at 23.3 per game but his shooting percentage of 46.1% was not particularly impressive since his main attacking zone is mid-range.In this crucial game without a way out, James showed from the start that he had to secure this victory by constantly holding the ball and using drives to attack the basket, showing his determination to lead the Heat to safety.
Despite the lackluster performance of Wade and Gasol today, LeBron not only scored while being heavily guarded but also created opportunities for his teammates, grabbed rebounds, and defended—supporting the offensive and defensive halves of the Heat single-handedly.LeBron continued trying to help Wade find his rhythm.
In the first quarter, a precise pass from him allowed Wade to complete an alley-oop dunk.
However, this was the only point he scored in that period.
LeBron played 12 full minutes in the first quarter, scoring 9 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists.When Wade's slump continued, LeBron seemed to return to his time with the Cavaliers, carrying the team on his shoulders as he waited for Wade and Gasol to come alive.
However, with Gasol struggling early in the third quarter, the Mavericks had no choice but to rely solely on LeBron’s individual efforts against a well-defended Bulls team.In the final quarter, LeBron alone scored 15 points, illustrating the value of an MVP player.
Despite this, the bad news about Gasol's injury made it hard for the Heat to enjoy their victory.
Wade said after the game: "Anytime we lose one teammate, it’s concerning.
When I saw his expression, I knew something was wrong and hoped for good news tomorrow.
No one can replace Gasol, but we must step up."Meanwhile, Spoelstra was not so optimistic;the Heat’s frontline was already weak.
If anything happened to Gasol, they would still face tough challenges against the Bulls in this series.
They might even struggle to win their next two games, and it seemed unlikely that LeBron could maintain such an extraordinary performance every game.If the Heat were to secure a victory with a weakened lineup, it would be nothing short of miraculous.
Just imagining a scenario where Gasol was injured while facing big men like Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, David West, and Mason Plumlee from the Knicks, the outcome is unimaginable.
It might result in another series where they can only dominate for three quarters.(To be continued.)