Chapter 550 The Whistle Is a Bit Off

The next day, May 30, the Western Conference Finals G4 battle started.

"Lars, the ratings of the Western Conference Finals are very hot. It is a great loss to the league to end it too early."

Stern spoke to vice president Russ Granik this morning at league headquarters in New York before he left for San Antonio.

"Okay, Mr. Stern, I'll take care of it." Lars Granik nodded.

"But don't overdo it. The Suns' ball market is ten times that of the Spurs. What we need is a big ball market like the Suns."

Stern exhorted with a smile.

"I think so too." Lars Granik laughed.

Before the game, the two sides announced the starting lineup.

Spurs: Horry, Duncan, Bowen, Ginobili, Parker.

Suns: Lee Ba, Marion, Battier, Posey, Marbury.

Before the game, the Suns accepted some media interviews in the locker laboratory.

Barkley asked: "Iron Hammer, after the Western Conference Finals, the league will announce the best defensive team. What do you expect?"

Li Ba thought for a while and asked, "Maybe I am eligible to enter the second defensive team? Well, the third team is also acceptable. I am mentally prepared."

Barkley and some reporters laughed helplessly, Hammer, you are so stingy, and isn't all the media targeting you?

After the substitute went out for a while, the starters started, and the two teams met again at the entrance of the tunnel.

"Hey, Tim, how will you fight this time?" Li Ba laughed.

"Hammer, I will blow you up." Duncan smiled out of mood and said seriously.

"This is good news. I have a chance to make a 4-double and a 5*5. Why don't you take 40 or 50 shots this time and let me make a 5-double?"

Li Ba said happily.

Duncan's stunned face twitched again and again, and suddenly he didn't want to speak.

When the visiting team played, Li Ba continued the old routine, hugging his girlfriends one by one amidst huge boos.

Jet Li and Cheng Long had already left, they were busy people, but Jay Chou, Chen Daoming and Gao Yuanyuan were still there.

But Gao Yuanyuan's complexion was very bad, and she didn't know what was going on.

"Hammer, this is Mr. Russ Granik, vice president of the alliance." At this moment, Colangelo walked over with a man in his fifties or sixties.

"Hello, Mr. Granik." Li Ba greeted.

This gentleman is the shadow of Stern, just like Pippen next to Jordan. He is very influential in the league and the American basketball circle. En's successor.

Granik was presenting the award for the possible Western Conference champion tonight. After chatting with Li Ba, he sat on the sidelines, accompanied by Colangelo and the bosses of the two teams.

"Kill the horse! Kill the horse! Kill the horse..."

Before playing, in front of the Suns bench, the voice that countless Spurs fans hated sounded again.

"This Chinese guy is always full of passion." Lars Granik said to Colangelo.

The relationship between the two is good, and Colangelo also intends to develop in the USA Basketball Association.

At the same time, he has more influence in the American sports world than Russ Granik, who only has a decent influence in the basketball world.

At the start of the jump ball, Li Ba touched the ball first, and the Suns attacked.

The Suns played a good fast break last time. Li Ba wanted to play one in the opening game. When he landed, he evaded Duncan and rushed to the frontcourt.

Horry reacted quickly, moved sideways with one step, and blocked the front.

Li Ba changed direction.

With a bang, the two shoulders collided.

Horry groaned and fell directly to the ground.

"Beep!"

The referee blew his whistle.

Li Ba was a little surprised, who made the foul?

He looked at the referee, who ran over, pointed at him, and made a bumping gesture.

Li Ba's eyes widened in an instant. Why didn't I notify me when the league changed its rules?

"Papa..." The Spurs fans began to applaud.

Frank and the Suns coaching staff were a little confused. They gave an offensive foul at the beginning. What is the league trying to do?

"Sean, let the hammer move a little bit." Frank said to the nearest Battier, looking back at Las Granik on the sidelines.

Battier nodded and ran over immediately.

On the other side, Popovich was also a little stunned, but soon understood the reason.

On the sidelines, Colangelo glanced at Lars Granik, who smiled without changing his expression.

The Spurs attack, or open tactics.

The only difference is that Duncan did not pull out, but took a low position on the right wing, facing Li Ba.

"Duncan didn't pull out to play. This should be because he pulled out on the field and the containment effect on the hammer was not good. On the contrary, because he pulled out, he completely lost control of the paint area." Yu Jia said.

"Yes, after the speed of the hammer's return to defense increases, the effect of the opponent's pulling out to fight will not work." Zhang Lili said.

At this time the ball came in, a little outside, and Duncan suddenly took a step outside to catch the ball.

Such a catch prevented Li Ba from making a sudden steal. Although he was a little farther away from the paint, it was still within Duncan's attack range.

Li Ba quickly followed and stood behind.

Duncan's back hit was not as strong as Li Ba's low back hit. He relied on Li Ba to dribble the ball twice in a row, and then turned left suddenly, making a bottom-slip motion.

At this time, Li Ba moved a bit, and Duncan suddenly turned right and took off. At the same time, he pressed Li Ba with his right hand, held the ball with his left hand, and threw a 45-degree kick.

The whole action is not gorgeous, but clean and neat, very coherent.

"boom!"

The basketball hit the board and passed the basket.

0:2, the Spurs scored.

"Tim Duncan made a mid-range two, which is a good sign. He's shooting 40.3 percent from that area, 44.2 percent from close range and 69.2 percent from the rim, which is kind of low. It's not good for the Spurs." Barkley analyzed.

"But he can't get in easily. Even if he hits in hard, he will consume a lot of energy. That's not his style." Kenny Smith said.

On the sidelines, Popovich beckoned, let Horry lean over a little, and said to him: "Be bold in assisting defense."

Horry was an experienced man, so he nodded immediately, and then accelerated to catch up with Marion.

At this time, the sun advanced to the frontcourt.

Li Ba had just received a foul, but he didn't intend to restrain himself. As soon as he reached the frontcourt, he ran directly to the basket.

Duncan tried his best to stand up, and once he couldn't stand it, he immediately went around and repeated it twice, but Li Ba couldn't stand in a good position.

At this time, five seconds were approaching, and he had no choice but to temporarily leave the restricted area.

"The Hammer should choose the fast attack method of fast break or Ba's lob in the previous game, and play hard from the low post. Duncan can make a good defensive effect against him." Zhang Reasonable said.

At this time, Marbury made a fake shot and made a three-pointer at the top of the arc.

Li Ba and Duncan immediately entered the basket, ready to grab a rebound.

With a bang, when the basketball hit the basket, Li Ba and Duncan took off almost at the same time.

However, Li Ba bounced faster, popped out, pressed Duncan and grabbed the rebound.

But at this moment, the whistle blew, and the referee came over to signal that Li Ba was violating the rebound by chasing Duncan first.