NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 220 Core 1-on-1

The Pacers' biggest problem is their limited offensive capabilities. They were eliminated by the Heat not because of poor defense; in fact, they defended very well. The problem was that their offense couldn't match up, and ultimately, they were eliminated.

The Pacers struggled against the Hawks' modern style of basketball. They responded with a stretch four, and when the Hawks fielded an offensive big man, they relentlessly attacked the paint, making it difficult for the Pacers to operate.

Jia Fei played the entire first quarter and performed exceptionally well. Although he didn't make a three-pointer, he still managed to score 5 points, grab 3 rebounds, dish out 4 assists, and make 1 steal, showcasing an extremely well-rounded performance.

Paul George, who was matched up against him, scored 7 points, while Stephenson scored 4 points.

At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks were firing on all cylinders, leading their opponents 29-20 by 9 points.

The Pacers used a nine-man rotation, with four reserves: Scola, CJ Watson, Evan Turner, and Ian Mahinmi. Their second unit's offense was decent, but their defense wasn't as strong as the starters'.

The Hawks also used a nine-man rotation in this game, with four substitutes: Art Mayok, Scott, Schroder, and Carroll.

The second-string lineups on both sides were evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand, and the point difference did not narrow.

When Gao Yuanyuan came back on the court, Antić also came on, and the two continued to bicker.

Gao Yuanyuan was indeed in pain. Antić has the size and strength, and he's not the type of player who can dominate inside like Bo. His inside offensive skills are just so-so, with only three basic offensive moves. He can do well against mismatches, but against big European players like him, he doesn't really have much of an advantage.

The Pacers have two most advantageous matchups: David West against Millsap and Stephenson against Korver. In the other matchups, Paul George struggles against Jia Fei without a pick-and-roll, as Jia can't penetrate his defense; Jiao Zhixi also has a tough time against Teague, as Teague isn't an offensive player and lacks scoring explosiveness.

The Pacers' advantage in matchups is only on the offensive end; on the defensive end, Millsson can also match up against David West, and Korver, as a shooter, poses a huge threat and is always keeping the opponent on edge.

The Pacers were unable to close the gap while Jia Fei was resting, and it became even more difficult to catch up after Jia Fei returned from the second quarter.

At halftime, the Hawks led by 13 points, 59-46.

The Pacers fans in the stands looked a bit confused. They were clearly the top team in the East, so why were they playing against the fifth-ranked team, and getting completely crushed in the first half?

The Hawks' strength is truly unfathomable. They now understand why the Bulls were swept by the "gentlemen's sweep"—despite the Bulls' formidable offense, they couldn't contain the Hawks' offense. This Hawks team possesses top-tier offensive spacing in the league, a calm, selfless, and well-rounded perimeter star, and a group of top-class shooters and role players. The team's defense is solid, their teamwork is excellent, they have a well-developed system on both ends of the court, and they have no mental baggage whatsoever.

The Hawks have no mental baggage; in terms of mentality, they are much better than the Pacers. The Pacers are the top team in the East, and they can't afford to lose, while the Hawks can.

Mental state affects one's feel for the game, judgment, and consequently, the performance in the match.

Jia Fei contributed 11 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in the first half. He didn't have an offensive explosion, but he transformed into an all-around player and controlled the team's offensive rhythm.

Intermission.

Yu Jia said, "Mr. Su, please give your comments on the first half of the game!"

Su Qun adjusted his glasses and said slowly, "The Hawks played perfectly in the first half, and their strategy was excellent. I think the Pacers need to make some adjustments. They need to be clearer about whether to continue having Hibbert collapse inside or expand his defense outside. Neither team's stars have fully performed yet, so there's still room for improvement. The Hawks have a chance to win the first game on the road."

The third quarter began quickly.

The Hawks took the first possession, and Teague dribbled the ball over.

Jia Fei and Korver continued to move as shooters, while Teague used Antić's screen to force his way through.

Hibbert suddenly lunged forward, and Jia Fei made a sudden inside cut!

Teague passes the ball to Jia Fei!

Jia Fei received the ball after the layup, and facing David West's help defense, he faked out his opponent in mid-air and slammed the ball in!

Wow—that was a difficult shot, showcasing his hang time to the fullest.

61:46, the point difference has widened to 15 points!

On the Pacers' side, Paul George responded with a jump shot against Jia Fei, scoring in response!

Teague dribbled the ball over and passed it to Jia Fei!

Jia Fei received the ball and signaled to his teammates to spread out, which caused cheers from the crowd... Everyone had been eager to see these two play one-on-one.

"Come on, let me see your crossover!" Pao Jiao clapped his hands and began to encourage Jia Fei!

"I will satisfy you!" Jia Fei smiled slightly, pulled the ball between his legs and then to his left hand. With a hovering shot and a dragging step, he tricked Paul George into shifting his weight. Suddenly, he quickly pulled the ball across with his left hand. The speed was very fast, directly shaking off Paul George and successfully getting past his opponent. He then broke in and faced Gao Yuanyuan who came to help defend. He made a high shot off the backboard and scored steadily!

Wow--

At the scene, fans wearing Jia Fei's jerseys excitedly waved promotional boards with his image on them. "That shot was so cool! From getting past Paul George to challenging Gao Yuanyuan, he didn't hesitate at all and completed it all in a very short time."

"That's Durant's dribbling move!" Yu Jia couldn't help but exclaim.

Su Qun smiled and nodded: "It really is Durant's favorite double crossover. Jia Fei rarely uses this move to get past opponents, but I didn't expect him to choose to do it today against Paul George. It seems he's really relaxed and enjoying the game!"

Jia Fei guessed correctly; Paul George's center of gravity couldn't drop low, so lowering your center of gravity and changing direction to get past him was more effective. The same move wasn't as effective past JB because JB's center of gravity was lower.

Watching their star player get mercilessly beaten by the opposing star, and their defensive anchor in the paint being toyed with, some Pacers fans in the arena, especially those with a less-than-ideal mentality, couldn't accept it. They could barely accept being defeated by the Heat's Big Three; at least that kind of loss was respectable, and they could criticize the Heat for relying on superteams to win, deeming it an unfair victory and an insult to basketball. But losing to the Hawks, on the other hand, was truly inexplicable. The Hawks were clearly the 5th seed in the East, and they had lost their star center, Horford, who was only a 22-year-old Asian second-round pick.

After making the layup, Jia Fei winked at Gao Yuanyuan, which immediately annoyed her. She couldn't accept that she had been tricked by the opponent's high-lob shot; she was so close to blocking it, but just couldn't.

63:48, still a 15-point difference.

Paojiao continued to isolate against Jia Fei, using a high arc fadeaway jumper with his back to the basket, and more!

The fans at the stadium were incredibly excited; Paul George is our Jordan!

But soon, Jia Fei accelerated his breakthrough after a series of quick moves, stopped abruptly, pulled the ball between his legs, and calmly scored a mid-range shot, retaliating in kind!

Answerball!