April 30, 9 pm Western Time in the United States.
This time is usually when housewives turn on the TV and watch TV series.
But for fans, it is a rare festival of the year.
From April to June every year, the NBA playoffs are a feast.
There is no relaxation in the regular season, no tacit understanding in the regular season, and no fancy skills in the regular season, only the most intense and passionate fight.
Even in 2004, the year when the Pacers won the championship, although their defense was so ugly that it made people want to cry, their toughness and determination, which was as strong as steel and concrete, were still astounding.
In this year's NBA playoffs, in the first half of April, everyone believed that this year's East-West showdown should actually be between the Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavaliers have two superstars in James and Irving, and the Golden State Warriors have the best offensive system in the league.
Both have similar chances of winning the championship, so it's no surprise who wins.
Even now, the Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are hailed as favorites to win the championship.
Just not the only one anymore.
Because the momentum of the Los Angeles Lakers is so fierce that people have to look at it with admiration.
Although the Trail Blazers cannot completely test whether the Lakers are paper tigers or a real ferocious beast, the next Western Conference semifinals, the Spurs, who have not missed the playoffs in 18 years, are the best tester.
Duncan, who just turned 40 years old 5 days ago, is said to be in his last season.
Even if Popovich wanted to let him play for two more seasons, even as a substitute to bring in new players, Duncan rejected the proposal.
It's just that he will join the coaching staff of his mentor Popovich next and start to continue his basketball career.
In this life, it is impossible for Duncan to be separated from the NBA, or it can be said that he will basically not be separated from the Spurs.
Even the owner of the Spurs didn't dare to tell Duncan to leave, otherwise the fans would smash up his home the next day, and they would do it every day.
But even though Duncan is about to retire, as long as he still plays games, he will definitely do his best.
Duncan is one of the best players in the NBA. Karl Malone was much inferior to him back then.
Now he has handed over more offensive tasks to Kawhi Leonard and Aldridge, and focused on defense and organization. On the contrary, his skills in these two aspects have not declined.
But the only shortcoming of the Spurs is that they are too old.
Duncan is 40 years old, Ginobili is 38 years old, Tony Parker is 32 years old, Aldridge is 31 years old, Danny Green is 28 years old, and the only one, Kawhi Leonard, is 23 years old.
The average starting age is around 33 years old.
This is even with the new addition of Kawhi Leonard, otherwise the average age in previous seasons would have been older.
The Los Angeles Lakers are actually not much better.
Iverson is 40 years old, Kobe is 37 years old, Roy Hibbert and Lou Williams are both 29 years old, only Russell is 20 years old, and Shen Huan is 17 years old, which greatly reduces the average age.
Judging from the cards, the Lakers, who shined in the first round of the playoffs, are definitely even more powerful, and Shen Huan can definitely beat Kawhi Leonard.
But the problem is that the playoffs rely more on experience and the ability to control the rhythm of the game.
Although some young players can attack with their bravery, it would be bad if you encounter a master who controls the rhythm and you can't show your strength at all and the fight becomes uncomfortable.
If you can't use your abilities to half of your ability, and you feel uncomfortable holding your breath, you will naturally be impulsive and irritable. After doing this a few times, you will naturally lose your mentality, and you may be punished directly.
This is how many super rookies end up in their first playoff season.
Only Duncan was different. In his first season, he was like a veteran who had played in the playoffs for 20 years. He was as stable as a mess, and he had been like this for more than ten or twenty years from beginning to end.
Apart from him, there has been no other person like him in recent years.
Therefore, everyone is not optimistic that Shen Huan can show his true strength under the defense of old monsters like Duncan and Ginobili.
In comparison, Kawhi Leonard's exit was much better.
Neither Kobe Bryant nor Iverson are superstars known for their defense, so Kawhi Leonard can play more.
From a head coach's perspective, Popovich of the Spurs is more than one level higher than Byron Scott.
In terms of on-the-spot command and changes, Popovich can knock down the three-time championship ring winner with one hand.
Taking this into consideration, everyone feels that the Spurs still have a higher chance of winning.
But what about the reality
From the very beginning tonight, Staples Center was in a frenzy of shouting.
The reason is very simple. After Roy Hibbert succeeded in the first challenge for the ball, Shen Huan continued to grab the ball and attack as usual. Not only did he pass Danny Green all the way, but he also directly hit the second Gino who made a small move in front of him. Billy fell to the ground on his elbow.
None of this is the most surprising.
The most surprising thing was that when Shen Huan jumped high and dunked, he faced Duncan's flying block.
As a result, Shen Huan smashed the ball directly into the basket and dunked Duncan hard at the same time.
Damn it!
Seeing this situation, Nicholson stood up from his seat holding his head and yelling crazily.
After being shocked for a second, the fans present also let out earth-shattering screams.
Oh my gosh!
This is Stone Buddha Duncan!
This is Duncan, the absolute top three super power forward in NBA history! !
Although he is 40 years old, and although he is often in the background, only a superstar with amazing talent can defeat him.
This was only Shen Huan's third game. Shen Huan, who had only played two NBA games, actually dunked Duncan in a head-to-head encounter!
Of course, these mortals don't know what the brutal basketball skills of professional basketball (historical level) given by the good master are.
The only reason the boy could do it was that he jumped higher than Duncan and suppressed Duncan in the air. When Duncan fell, he dunked the rim with both hands and rode on Duncan.
Such a scene not only shocked the fans, but Duncan himself couldn't even imagine it.
If Duncan is exhausted after a hard fight, then he can still accept such a buckle.
But this is still just the beginning!
His physical strength is at its strongest, how could he lose to this young man
To be honest, Duncan really felt like he had hit an iron wall just now and was knocked away.
This powerful collision of forces made him feel a little helpless.
If it had been 10 years ago, he certainly wouldn't have lost so miserably, but after all, he is 40 years old and can no longer withstand the years!
Buckley, who was in charge of speaking, stood up and shouted loudly: "Look! I say Shen Huan can do it! You still think he is too young! This is the strength of genius, this is the ferocity of genius! He is better than Michael powerful!!"
This old fat man had completely forgotten how ridiculed and dissatisfied Shen Huan was before he appeared on the NBA court.
Anyway, now he has become a die-hard supporter of Shen Huan. He is the one who clamored for the idea that Shen Huan can surpass Jordan in one championship.
"Eh? What were Shen Huan talking to Duncan after she jumped down? Did Duncan laugh? Wow... He also hit Shen Huan with a slap on the head..." Reggie Miller also laughed endlessly, "Listen to the group of female stars on the sidelines. Scream and reprimand! They are scolding Duncan for being shameless, and want to turn Shen Huan, who has such thick hair, into a bald head, and then lower Shen Huan's appearance!"
Buckley said in surprise: "Really? When did Hollywood stars like Chinese men? Even if he is good at playing ball! Shouldn't they like a mighty and strong man like me?"
"you?"
Reggie Miller chuckled and ignored this guy.