Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 1149 - 632: I Can Still Fight 82 More Matches!_2
Chapter 1149 -632: I Can Still Fight 82 More Matches!_2
Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.
For example, he would have George guard Antetokounmpo, then send Kemba Walker to face Yu Fei, letting the Clippers pass the ball to Yu Fei.
Yu Fei knows what Popovich is thinking.
This year, the tactical core of the Clippers has gradually shifted to Jokić and Antetokounmpo.
Yu Fei’s role has become the pivot and fulcrum between the two.
Letting Yu Fei handle the ball is tantamount to allowing him to use that “ball-hog” style of play to disrupt the existing tactical balance of the Clippers.
Although this approach carries the risk of backfiring, if the Clippers don’t make a change, the Spurs stand no chance at all.
Rivers’ complex tactical arrangement is correct, but Popovich has overlooked one key point: Rivers is actually just a tool left in the coaching team by Yu Fei.
Usually, as long as Rivers makes no mistakes, he is the coach; timeouts, rotations, and arrangements against opponents are all controlled by him.
Yu Fei makes him a “three-good coach,” providing Rivers with both face and authority.
But once Rivers is in trouble and his mind is in disarray, Yu Fei will take over.
He is still that dominant “ball-hog”, but now he controls not just the game, but the entire Clippers team.
That is why he is willing to give up ball control and tactical position.
Do you think he has changed? No, it’s just a strategy to stabilize the team.
Popovich took the initiative to send Walker to face Yu Fei, and he certainly wouldn’t miss the opportunity.
Bring one, fight one.
Indeed, the Clippers have undergone changes, but not the negative transformation Popovich hoped for.
Instead, it is a ground-up teamwork.
Yu Fei has taken on a “supporting role” this season, but this does not mean his status has diminished.
Both Antetokounmpo and Jokić are well aware that Yu Fei’s sacrifice is for them.
If the opponent interprets this “step-back” as the decline of the GOAT, or a power struggle among the younger players, that would be suicidal.
The Spurs faced yet another loss in the second game of the series.
Popovich looked at Yu Fei, who was already 35 years old, but still dominant.
Everyone is waiting for him to age, yet it seems that time erodes him too slowly.
Perhaps the best course is to hope for his retirement at the end of the season.
But will he really retire?
Why did Jordan retire in 1998? It was because the Bulls’ owner decided to break up the team.
As long as the GOAT still has such competitiveness, how could he willingly leave the court?
Popovich isn’t a player, he can only analyze Yu Fei’s mentality from a competitive standpoint.
But if only considered from a competitive level, the Spurs’ prospects are even gloomier.
Paul George, seemingly approaching his peak, still pales in comparison to the 35-year-old GOAT.
His speed, agility, and physicality may be superior, but these advantages brought by youth are not enough to bridge the gap between him and the GOAT.
In the third game at San Antonio, George scores 40 points, but only with a 44% shooting rate; whereas Yu Fei scores 34 points with a shooting rate of 66%.
George has reasons to defend himself; his teammates are clearly not as strong as those of the Clippers.
Kemba Walker’s performance further proved, facing an overwhelmingly talented opponent, his physical disadvantages have become a fatal weakness for the team—not only getting constantly outplayed in defense, but also unable to break through the opponents’ height and athletic ability in offense.
George, struggling alone.
The fourth game.
Yu Fei tries to limit George on the defensive end, but he finds that his own jumping ability and explosiveness have obviously declined compared to his younger days. Facing a player skilled in pull-up shooting like George, if the timing of the block is slightly delayed, whether the ball goes in is no longer within the opponent’s control.
Tonight was George’s “lucky day.”
Yu Fei’s blocking wasn’t high enough, Antetokounmpo wasn’t quick enough, and George kept exploiting with his explosive shooting touch.
Yu Fei tried to stop him, but failed.
So he could only respond with offense.
In the end, the Spurs lost the game by 16 points and were swept out by the Clippers.
George scores 40+ points in two consecutive games.
“Frye, I didn’t lose to you!”
At the end of the game, George said this to Yu Fei.
“If you haven’t lost, does it also mean I didn’t win?” Yu Fei retorted.
“Yes, you didn’t win, and you didn’t lose.”
Such words only occur with a star who lost the series but played outstandingly.
If these words got out, fans would think he lacks responsibility.
But Yu Fei didn’t argue with him.
The young stars most desire to challenge him. They hope one day to take him down themselves.
But how soon can this process happen?
Yu Fei himself is not sure.
As he ages, his defense will increasingly become a problem. To cover this weakness, he needs to keep powering through on offense.
This is not difficult for him. With solid technical skills and extraordinary physical qualities, even playing until 40, he can still put up impressive figures.
Moreover, with the rising stars like Antetokounmpo and Jokić behind him, if he wishes, he really could dominate until he’s 40.
But if this “domination” no longer comes from himself but relies on external forces, then it means he has lost real control.
He cannot accept this reality.
He never relies on anyone.
Just after the semi-finals, Yu Fei made up his mind.
