NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 695 Three more victories needed

The Bucks couldn't completely contain the Clippers' offense, especially their jump shots. No matter how well they defended the paint, if the Clippers kept hitting jump shots, they couldn't win in today's game.

The Bucks knew that Brook Lopez's presence prevented them from utilizing their defensive strengths, so they decisively substituted him out halfway through the first quarter and brought in the speedy center Portis!

Portis is also nearly 7 feet tall, with dark skin, large, round eyes, and a fierce look, much like his former teammate Miles from the Running Man Cavaliers 1.0 era.

Portis is most famous not for his skills or physical abilities, but for his boxing prowess. Even before entering the NBA, he had a notable record of beating up his stepfather with punches. Back when he was with the Bulls, he got into a fight with teammate Mirotic during practice and beat him so badly that he was forced to leave the NBA.

Portis isn't a traditional center. Although he's tall, he wasn't originally a center, and his rebounding and rim protection are actually average. However, compared to Brook Lopez, he's quicker on the feet, can initiate fast breaks, and gets back on defense faster, allowing for switching on defense and not needing to constantly retreat.

After Portis came on, the Bucks' defense finally got pushed back, and they started to increase their switching on pick-and-rolls.

There was a lot of switching on defense on both sides, and the game was cut into more local one-on-one situations.

At this point, the Clippers still held the advantage. Giannis' offensive advantage was shifting; in half-court situations, he could only exploit mismatches against smaller players or drive directly to the basket, offering limited options.

The Clippers have no short players on the court; their shortest player is 2 meters tall, which already creates a mismatch. Furthermore, the Clippers' players are all very strong defensively, making it difficult for Giannis Antetokounmpo to gain much of an advantage.

Therefore, the task of one-on-one duels fell more heavily on Middleton and Holiday...

The match became Jia Fei + Paul George vs Middleton + Holiday.

Middleton's physique is similar to that of a Los Angeles blacksmith, and he has comprehensive offensive skills, but why was he only a second-round pick? It's because his physical attributes are relatively mediocre.

He lacks a quick first step and his explosive power is average; he relies on technique, rhythm, and his long arms and high release point. But against Paul George, he couldn't capitalize on his strengths.

Holiday's one-on-one ability can't compare to Irving's. His strength is defense, and his offense is better than Smart's, but not by much. Although he can't be compared to someone like Tony Allen, he's not as good as Irving, Curry, or Mitchell.

The Bucks are at a disadvantage again...

Giannis was getting impatient. The opponent's defense was tight and their transition defense was quick, making it difficult for him to find a comfortable transition opportunity. Even when he did find a transition opportunity and drove to the basket, the opponent would either block him or swat him, making it very difficult for him.

Olynyk quickly picked up his second personal foul and went to the bench. Hartenstein, who hadn't played in the previous series, came on.

Hartenstein doesn't have a three-point shot, but Olynyk is a good defender and rebounder. He can act as a shield in the paint and withstand Giannis's attacks.

The Clippers don't have a lot of interior depth, but all three are functional players. Even if they all get into foul trouble, they still have 15 fouls to use. So what if Giannis can drive to the basket?

It's worth noting that Giannis' free throw shooting isn't that accurate either. If things get really bad, the Clippers will just foul him outright, sending him to the free-throw line instead of letting him comfortably dunk. They love watching him stand at the free-throw line for ages without taking a single shot, and even when he does, it's likely to miss.

Jia Fei played the entire first quarter, and the Clippers led by 9 points at 22-29!

At the beginning of the second quarter, Jia Fei went to the bench to rest, and Brunson led the Clippers' second unit into the game!

The Bucks' second unit is mainly composed of Portis, Connaughton, DiVincenzo, and Jeff Teague, and the overall roster height is not high.

The Clippers' bench was led by Brunson.

It's worth mentioning that four Villanova players met in this match...

The Clippers have Bridges, Brunson, and Hart, while the Bucks have DiVincenzo. It's clear that Villanova's championship team has unfathomable talent. They weren't even top 10 draft picks, yet each of them is a formidable force.

There have been persistent rumors that the Clippers are collecting Villanova University players. If they also bring DiVincenzo into their roster, it would truly be a Villanova alumni reunion...

This is a really hot topic! Although the Clippers don't need to rely on this kind of topic to gain attention anymore, it's still a topic, isn't it?

For the media, they will not let go of any topic that can generate traffic.

The second unit on both sides wasn't one-sided, but it was clear that Brunson's leadership was stronger than DiVincenzo's and Jeff Teague's.

Teague's decline is truly visible to the naked eye. Back in his days with the Hawks, he was the starting point guard for that championship team, but now, he's not even good enough to be a substitute.

With their bench players unable to outperform their opponents, the Bucks substituted their starters back in. The Clippers didn't hesitate either, quickly returning their starters as well.

With the competition reaching the finals, Coach Buden is no longer holding back; it's time for Jia Fei to play 40 minutes.

The Clippers' five-outside lineup continued to target Brook Lopez, making it difficult for him to play extended minutes. With Lopez out, the Bucks' advantage in the paint diminished significantly, greatly increasing the Clippers' success rate in attacking the basket.

At halftime, the Clippers led by 13 points.

贾飞半场就砍下17分7个篮板7次助攻2个抢断2个盖帽的数据，全场比赛拿下三双没有任何难度。

Intermission.

"Teacher Su, you see, the Bucks played both their big lineup and small lineup in the first half, but the results weren't very good. What adjustments do you think they need to make in the second half to change the unfavorable situation on the court?" Wang Zixing asked.

Su Qun adjusted his glasses and said, "The current situation is not good for the Bucks. Their biggest advantage in the regular season was the height of their twin towers in the paint, which guaranteed their rebounding advantage and protected the paint. Offensively, they have their Big Three, so if one doesn't work, the other will. But the Clippers are playing with five outside shooters, which means Brook Lopez is in a difficult position. Without him, they lose their height advantage in the paint. Portis is indeed faster, but his rim protection and rebounding are really not as good as Brook Lopez's."

At the start of the third quarter, the Bucks fielded the same starting lineup. They became even more determined to defend, as if they were absolutely resigned to their fate and were gambling on your three-pointers.

But the result disappointed them. Grant made 7 three-pointers in the game, and substitute Lee Kyle made two, completely destroying the Bucks' defensive tactics.

The Clippers easily defeated the Bucks 96-110 at home, winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals. They are now three wins away from completing their amazing four-peat!

贾飞全场贡献38分13个篮板12次助攻4个抢断3个盖帽，完成三双，成为主导比赛的那个男人。