Howard and Dalemport competed for the ball in the middle circle. Howard naturally pointed to basketball first and attacked the Magic first.

Nelson took the ball and pushed it over and immediately handed the basketball over the first half. The Turks have played in many teams in the league over the years, including the Kings, Mavericks, and Tekoglu.

After so many teams, Tkoglu is now in his best condition during the period of playing in the Magic.

Tkoglu is in the best shape now. Whether it is the team's support ability, personal offensive ability, or team defense ability, Tkoglu has reached the pinnacle of his career.

Moreover, Tkoglu's only weakness is that his single-player defensive ability is also compensated because the team is backed by Howard.

Howard, the best defensive player, can improve the team's defensive level.

Now Tkogru gets the ball and is about to start looking for Howard. The Magic's opening tactics focus is still on how to beat Howard.

However, the 76ers were prepared for Howard's defense. Evans fought desperately and Dalemport was attacking closely behind.

There is a cut-off route in front and a main position behind it will not let you hang backwards. It can be said that the 76ers took care of Howard meticulously.

Tkoglu got the basketball here, but it could not pass it to Howard. He could only pass the basketball to Lewis, who was exposed at the bottom line.

Lewis took the ball from the bottom line, raised his hand to a mid-range distance, and the ball entered!

Lewis, the power forward, can be said to be the inside player specially matched by the Magic for Howard.

Lewis is good at three-point shooting, and his existence is to open up space for Howard. The Magic's idea is not wrong. It is necessary to use a power forward who is good at shooting in the long term to open up space for the team's super center.

However, there is no need for the team's management to give Lewis a big contract worth 100 million yuan. If you want to find a tall shooter who can open up space for Howard, you can sign a contract at will in the transfer market for 8 million yuan a year. The Magic spends a lot of money, and signing Lewis is purely a crazy deal.

When this deal was concluded, fans and critics around the world agreed that Lewis was not worth the price.

Lewis himself is indeed not worth the price. He signed a superstar contract, but he did the role of a role player.

From this point of view, we can see that the Magic Management's degree of brainlessness is really as famous as New York. Later, they repeatedly corrected their "brainlessness", constantly challenged the lower limit of the fans' patience, and made brainless transactions that are incomprehensible.

Lewis scored two points at the beginning, but you need to give Howard a credit of at least 30%. Without Howard attracting the attention of the 76ers inside, Lewis would not have had any space at all.

Dalemport had no expression on his face and kicked out at the bottom line and passed it to Andre Miller.

Miller also encountered difficulties when he wanted to pass the basketball to Wang Kai according to common sense.

Like Howard, the Magic also defended Wang Kai with the dead, and the method used was to cut off Wang Kai's catch route, and at the same time, he was ready to come up to make up for defense at any time.

The 76ers also encountered the embarrassment of being locked in the core. At this time, Andre Miller immediately turned to solo. Compared with Nelson who was facing him, he had obvious physical advantages. Andre pressed his crotch to the free throw line area for two consecutive times, and then jumped up and ignored Nelson's short arms and short legs, and made a mid-range shot.

In the first leg of the game, both teams scored 2 points, but they had no direct contact with the team's core.

It can be seen that before today's game, both teams did their homework very well and strictly curbed the opponent's main players.

The magic came again in the second round, and Stan Van Gundy rushed over and shouted: "Tactic No. 4! No. 4."

With Van Gundy's shouting, the magic's style of play began to change. Niels pushed forward again and did not pass the ball to Tkoglu immediately, nor did he take action directly, but waited at the top of the arc.

While Nelson was waiting, the Magic made two consecutive cross-covers of the bottom line. Tkoglu ran along the bottom line, using Lewis' bottom line cover and Howard's 45-degree cover to get the basketball in the 45-degree open position on the right of the 76ers half.

Tekoglu had an open space, and he was originally responsible for the defense around the front, Howard Dreg Evans instinctively went up and harassed him.

Just as he moved forward, Howard turned around after covering the cover, and suddenly turned from facing the basket to a back-to-the-roof position. Howard instantly got the right waist position, and Tkoglu used his height to play the pass. The basketball quickly moved to Howard. Howard took the ball and when Reggie Evans came back, he turned around and took a step forward and attacked at a low post.

At this time, Dalemport had no choice but to push his arm down and make a foul action.

Dalemport did not make a foul at this time, and he could not withstand Howard. Howard was faster than him and stronger than him. Dalemport was forced to do so. Howard, who was violated, threw the ball towards the rebound while the referee whistle sounded.

The ball was not thrown, but Howard easily walked onto the free throw line, making one of two free throws, adding a point to the team.

The Magic came just in the first round and found that the 76ers were prepared for Howard's defense. In the second round, they immediately played a tactic specifically for feeding Howard's ball. They created a foul by Dalemport.

From the opening, the Magic adjusted very quickly and the Magic's goal was obvious. You still have to open the inside line first. Howard, who is in the inside line, will have a lot of opportunities in their outside shooter group.

The Magic set an example. When the 76ers came over, Chicks also shouted: "Play fast misplaced catch tactics, play catch tactics."

After Chiks finished roaring, Andre Miller immediately pulled over 45 degrees to the right side of the magic. Wang Kai ran bravely towards the top of the arc, but when he reached the top of the arc, Wang Kai did not go over to catch the ball. Instead, he suddenly stopped and drove a gravity muscle to provide a cover for Iguodala who was running over.

Wang Kai used gravity muscles as cover, and the quality of the cover was naturally excellent. Wang Kai staggered Tekoglu who was running over. Iguodala ran out steadily and received the basketball.

At this time, Wang Kai moved to the side and took over Tkoglu who was following him. Wang Kai also received the basketball.

Wang Kai, who received the basketball, like Howard, rushed behind him with all his strength and knocked away Tkoglu. Then Wang Kai immediately turned around and broke through and stabbed directly under the Magic's basket.

At this time, the advantages of the Magic are reflected. An excellent big defender is omnipresent, and his influence can spread to every position on the court on both ends of the offense and defense.

Wang Kai broke through and Howard immediately came back with the help of defense. The core of the two teams began their first confrontation less than a minute before the opening.

Wang Kai also felt that Howard was behind him. Wang Kai directly turned on the cheetah bouncing, flew up and his body shrank. Then he turned on the gravity muscles in the air and hit Howard tightly. Then Wang Kai had a very difficult left hand and threw out a hook.

Wang Kai used multiple abilities in an offense and finally made a difficult layup, but he was still too affected by Howard's defense. The basketball was swiped from the ring and finally came out.

Howard assisted in defense just now, and his feet were fast, so he rushed over at the first time. The intensity of the confrontation was high, and even if Wang Kai turned on the gravity muscles, he did not occupy space in the air. The bounce was also high, so Wang Kai had to use difficult actions to fight for a first-line space.

The ball did not go in, Howard landed and reached out to protect the backcourt rebound by relying on his height. Then he passed the ball steadily to Nelson.

At this time, Drexler said with some emotion: "That was Howard just now. If it were any defender in the league, Wang Kai would have scored this goal."

"As the number one center in the league today, Howard's offensive ability still needs to be tempered, but his defensive ability is the real number one person in the league. His footsteps, physical confrontation, jumping ability, and pressure are all extraordinary."

"Howard can defend from the three-point line to the basket, and his defensive pressure covers the entire court. As long as you are on the court, you need to be on guard against Howard's appearance at all times. Howard's role in the Magic's defensive end is immeasurable."

The glider gave Howard a very high evaluation, but in his heart, Howard deserves this evaluation. He is indeed an active player and the best defensive player in the league.

The Magic quickly advanced to the 76ers' halftime. Their speed was really very fast, which was completely different from the Rockets' team with big center Yao Ming.

The magic has this rhythm, which is also caused by the differences between Howard and Yao Ming. Yao Ming is indeed more powerful than Howard in the lower plate. Yao Ming has the advantage in fighting at a low position. However, Howard's movement speed is indeed not as good as Yao Ming.

Howard's movement speed is very fast, so now even if the magic advances rapidly, Howard can still keep up.

Nelson came in with the ball and beat him slightly at 45 degrees on the left, and Howard almost immediately cut in from the middle.

Nelson passed the ball Howard. As soon as Howard got the basketball, the 76ers immediately doubled Howard's pass.

Bogans, who followed up, got the ball. Bogans was a killer when he played in the European League. After returning to the NBA, he was basically used as an engineer. His role in the team is defense and three-pointers.

Now that Bogans got the ball, Wang Kai hurriedly caught up. Bogans immediately passed the ball from the outside, and the basketball passed to Lewis near the bottom line again. Lewis was very similar to the position he took just now. He took another shot and the ball entered.

Lewis scored 4 points in a row at the beginning and looked good. It seemed that the Magic's $100 million was spent in the wrong place.

But you have to know that Lewis's moves are all empty, and his opportunities are created by Howard. In other words, he does the work of pure role players. It seems that his type, who can resist and grab a little in the inside, and who has baskets on the outside, can find at most 8 million in the league.

The Magic's opening offense seemed much smoother than the 76ers, and Drexler immediately continued the topic just now.

"Howard's influence on the defensive end covers the entire game, and the same is true on the offensive end. Although his offensive methods are not proficient enough, although he doesn't have many opportunities to get the ball. However, as long as Howard is on the court, the 76ers will always focus on Howard. In this way, the Magic's outside players will have more opportunities."

"Every moment Howard is on the court, he will have an invisible impact on the court in both offense and defense. This is why all teams in the league are striving for excellent inside players."

"In terms of the influence of the stadium, the influence of the big man is definitely much greater than that of the smaller man. Even Jordan can no longer cause qualitative changes to the team on the defensive end, but a good inside line improves the team's level on both offense and defense."

Drexler's remarks will definitely be criticized by some Jordan fans. But in fact, the small man's influence on the defensive end is indeed inferior to that of the big man.

The Magic played 2 minutes with the 76ers at the beginning, and the Magic led the 76ers by 3 points 5:2. Overall, the Magic was indeed more established than the 76ers.

At this time, the 76ers also needed to play more of their characteristics. The Magic scored, the 76ers immediately kicked off at the bottom line, and the 76ers advanced very quickly.

Wang Kai was stared at by Bogans, and Andre Miller came over to pass the ball to Iguodala. Iguodala got the ball and broke through Tkoglu as he marched.

The Turkish are tall and skilled, but they are really not good at single-player defense. They are almost beaten by Iguodala in one step.

Once Iguodala has made a breakthrough, Howard uses his speed to quickly appear at the basket and intercept Iguodala.

Iguodala passed the ball at the bottom line and sent the basketball to Wang Kai who appeared on the other side. Wang Kai received the ball, and he was treated like Howard, and immediately rushed towards Wang Kai with double-teaming.

In the crowd, Wang Kai used his gravity muscles to resist the opponent's pressing, and passed the ball with one hand and sent the basketball to Dalemport who was inserted in the middle.

Dalemport received the ball from the middle and directly missed the board and made a shot. The change of the 76ers was also far beyond the Magic's expectations.

Before this series, in order to make up for the shortcomings of their team's poor offensive ability, the 76ers used the week before the game to practice the empty-handed movement skills of Dalemport and Evans. Now, when the 76ers surprises came out, the effect was indeed very good.

So far, the main players of both teams are not their core players, but role players are scoring.

From this point of view, we can see that the difficulty of this game is. Both teams have done their homework off the court, and almost perfectly blocked the opponent's arrow characters on the court, putting the suspense of the game on the role players.

At this time, it was truly reflected that basketball is a sport of five people.


Chapter completed!