Chapter 833: Chapter 276: No One Can Lay a Hand on Su Wan Before Me, Not Even David Stern
Su Wan could also feel the attitude of the Pacers’ team members, and he too was seriously engaging in the warm-up.
Then the game officially began.
The New York Knicks maintained their regular lineup.
For the Pacers: Point Guard Lin Shuhao, two Afflalo, small forward Leonard, Power forward Zach Randolph, five Marc Gasol...
This season, the Pacers’ lineup changes were quite apparent.
Billups had further regressed and could no longer maintain his concentration during high-quality games of over 30 minutes.
Rick Carlisle placed Lin Shuhao in the starting position.
Lin Shuhao, taking steady steps without achieving the "Lin Madness" state, still performed well this season with an average of 15 points and 6 assists per game.
Actually, Su Wan was quite familiar with Lin Shuhao.
Apart from that period of "Lin Madness", Lin Shuhao had another highlight period when he played as a backup for the Bobcats, which became the Hornets later on. During that time, he definitely had a starter-level performance.
If that kind of performance is considered his norm, then this season’s Lin Shuhao has achieved that state.
Then comes Marc Gasol’s ascension.
His rise is somewhat similar to Lin Shuhao’s.
Little O’Neal could no longer serve as the starting Power forward for prolonged periods, and as Marc Gasol began to show his skills, his edge became undeniable, so he replaced Zach Randolph as the team’s five, while Zach Randolph moved to Power forward.
Seeing this lineup, a term popped into Su Wan’s mind:
Reinforced Grizzlies!
Moreover, it’s a comprehensive reinforcement compared to the original Grizzlies.
However...
This reinforced version has to wait for Leonard to develop his one-on-one skills.
Right now, there’s not much difference from the original Grizzlies.
The only possible difference is that the original "Black and White Bears" went through the championship baptism this time and have become more successful than before.
"Toot!"
During the jump ball, Tyson Chandler exemplified what "invincible" means.
The New York Knicks gained first attack rights.
Leonard matched against Su Wan.
Rick Carlisle shouted to Su Wan: "Don’t be polite, Su, teach this kid a lesson for me!"
He increasingly liked Leonard as he watched him.
In his view, once Leonard completes his transformation, he’s just a quality series away.
In his opinion, this series against the Knicks is just such an opportunity.
Su Wan said to Rick Carlisle: "Rick, I left Indiana two years ago, do you still need me to bring in newcomers?"
Rick Carlisle laughed: "I’m just saying, don’t hold back!"
However, the first shot by the New York Knicks wasn’t taken by Su Wan, but by Boris Dior passing to Curry’s three-point shot.
"Swish!"
The live audience erupted in cheers.
Nobody knows when it started, but New York’s first attack has always been initiated by Stephen Curry.
The reason is:
Su Wan will surely face a lot of defensive pressure, and in this situation, if Stephen Curry can hit a shot right at the start, it will be a headache for the opponent.
Barkley said: "It feels like Stephen Curry will surely become an All-Star level player next season!"
Kenny Smith was even more extreme: "No, in my opinion, Stephen will make it into the best lineup next season! Right now in the New York Knicks lineup, he is just like a fish in water, and Su Wan’s presence ensures that he doesn’t have to bear so much defensive pressure!"
The Pacers counterattacked, with Lin Shuhao holding the ball, and Marc Gasol stepped up to screen.
A little-known fact is, being in the same rookie class as John Wall, even though he went undrafted, Lin Shuhao’s speed is as fast as John Wall’s.
What he lacks compared to Wall is explosive power.
That’s one of the reasons he could originally play in the NBA.
His physical attributes are quite similar to Yi Jianlian’s, each having their own pros and cons.
For a speed-oriented Point Guard like Lin Shuhao, as long as there’s a quality screen, he can definitely attack the basket.
However, Tyson Chandler is present under the New York Knicks’ basket, which allows him to interfere effectively.
Seeing this, Lin Shuhao driving inside passed the ball to Zach Randolph on the side.
The "Black Bear" bulldozed over Dior to score.
His condition is much better than his peers at the same time.
But it’s normal since he "reformed" earlier than his original self.
Sparing a year’s wear and tear on the body extends its use by another year.
It’s a simple arithmetic issue.
Dior felt like he was run over by a steamroller.
In this era, Power forwards like Zach Randolph have become "rare commodities."