Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 588 425 Always Has Been
The Celtics had no choice; they had to continue their defensive strategy from the first three quarters.
For the veterans, a war of attrition was disadvantageous, but if the intensity dropped, the home-playing Supersonics would undoubtedly find their shooting touch faster than them.
So, even if it was a dead end, they had to fight for survival.
The Supersonics undoubtedly felt their opponents' determination.
In the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, the Supersonics couldn't break through the Celtics' defense, and the Celtics began to suffer the backlash. As they pushed their defensive intensity to the limit, their opponents had no way out.
In this situation, all offense was insignificant; defense was the key to holding on.
To stay alive, the Supersonics increased their defensive intensity to a level that could match the Celtics.
Two minutes had passed, and no one could score.
Surprisingly, the Supersonics, who went all out on defense, seemed to be more dominant than their opponents during these two minutes.
Kwame Brown was making no mistakes, playing one-on-one defense, helping out, and positioning himself like one of the League's top blue-collar players.
Marion was everywhere, just like a mini Garnett.
Fei had always been considered the most overrated presence in the best defensive lineup, because his defensive stats were good, averaging 2 steals and 1 block per game, but the actual defensive effectiveness he displayed wasn't top five in the League. How could he be selected to the All-Defensive Team so many times?
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Tonight, Fei gave the doubters an answer.
When Fei blocked Garnett twice in help defense within two minutes, Jeff Van Gundy said, "In terms of talent, there's no way Frye isn't an excellent defender. Many say his defense has been overstated; now look at this, his rim protection is no less than any center known for blocking shots!"
So far, Fei had racked up 25 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, 4 blocks, and 4 steals, truly covering both offense and defense.
The Celtics made another offensive play, disrupted by Durant's help defense.
Tonight was definitely a day of suffering for Durant; he had only made 2 of his 11 shots, rendering him useless on the offensive end. But defensively, although he lacked physical confrontation skills, his physical attributes were there, making him extremely valuable in help defense.
Now he also understood that even if he couldn't contribute on offense, he could still do some work on defense.
The Celtics quickly fell back.
Following a pass from his teammate, Fei slowly advanced.
Two and a half minutes had gone by, and the score was still frozen at 71 to 71.
Such defensive intensity was a significant drain on both sides, but when it came to stamina, the younger Supersonics would definitely not lose.
Fei raised his hand outside the three-point line at the top of the arc, signaling his teammates to steady themselves, then directed Brown to set a screen.
The Celtics' choice was to have Garnett up high, with Perkins guarding the paint.
Pierce and Garnett thought of many possibilities, but their defense had only a slight gap in the middle, a gap Fei saw as an opportunity. As the trap formed in an instant, he dashed forward with all his might, the seemingly trapped ball miraculously avoided the threat of four hands by slipping between his legs, successfully breaking through the trap.
Fei pierced the defense like an arrow released from its bow, taking one large step into the paint.
After that, Kendrick Perkins, the most steadfast interior man for the Celtics, stood guard in the paint like a guardian deity. But what guardian could stop a descending deity?
Fei leapt like a tiger, knocking Perkins straight on. The referee's whistle sounded faintly, but it no longer affected him.
He roared, slamming the ball through the hoop in the midst of Perkins feeling the sting in his eyes.
"BOOM!!!!!"
"Frye has murdered Kendrick Perkins!" exclaimed Mike Breen incredulously. "And One!!! Plus the foul shot! An unbelievable dunk!!!"
Jeff Van Gundy added, "That's the sixth foul for Kendrick Perkins."
This meant that the Celtics' barrier to sweeping the Eastern Conference's interior would lose a layer.
The Celtics boasted a strong frontcourt, but tonight, the defensively-minded Rivers had only three big men available.
Garnett, Perkins, and PJ Brown.
David Lee was skilled offensively, but with defensive intensity like this, his offense was superfluous, and he had been completely replaced by Perkins in the second half.
That was also why Perkins quickly accumulated fouls, and now, with Perkins fouling out, Rivers had no choice but to pin his hopes on the veteran PJ Brown to defend the paint.
"PJ, it's up to you now!" Rivers said earnestly. "I'm with you, brother, and all of New England stands with you!"
With so many people by his side, PJ Brown should have felt excited.
But no, he didn't feel that way.
He had thought the Celtics were a direct route to the championship, which was why he stood Fei up on the trade deadline.
He really hadn't expected the Supersonics to reach the finals and to fight the Celtics to a standstill.
When PJ Brown took to the court, Fei glanced at him.
The League's best player had no extra words.
He simply waited quietly for him to take position, then made the penalty shot.
PJ Brown did not regret his decision. After sixteen years of hustling in professional basketball, failing time and again, he knew how hard it was to win a championship, so, having decided to leave professional basketball, he returned to the court with family support, needing to ensure he could win a title.
At that time, the Celtics were the best choice.
He had no regrets.
But now...
Fei completed the 2+1, 74 to 71, the Supersonics leading by 3 points.
"If you don't have any other tricks up your sleeve, then it's my turn," Fei taunted. "Go back to New England bearing the shame of a full defeat on the road!"
