Chapter 873 Old Scar

"This is not the first time we have been his highlight moment background, nor will it be the last."

After the game, Celtics head coach Stevens said.

The key goal that Wei Xia scored to make the suspense disappear was just one of his many heavy hits on Boston.

Soon, that heavy blow will be forgotten, and the 2008 finals will be remembered forever.

"If you want to be a messenger, they have to get a little better."

Wei Xia said tactfully and plainly.

That night, he didn't stay in the hotel.

He had dinner with Tom Heinthorne, his only friend in Boston, who was 50 years older than him.

This meal was dinner for Heinthorne, and he explained that there was no food during the night of the game.

"Only in this way can I keep my hunger." Heinthorne smiled, "I want to explain with hunger."

Wei Xia needs to replenish energy, so he doesn't mind eating something.

"To be honest, we have also played with the Warriors. Judging from the quality of the game, you are a more resilient team, um..." There is an unfinished voice in his words.

Wei Xia casually rolled the noodles and asked, "Where is the warrior?"

"I hope you don't mind, I always have something to say." Heinthorne said, "The Warriors are the stronger team."

How could Wei Xia mind? This is the answer that the whole world knows.

Heinthorne said it directly, proving that he really didn't hide it.

"If we meet in the finals, who do you think will win?" Wei Xia asked casually.

He didn't care about Heinthorne's answer, but the other party seriously considered it: "If someone asked me, ask me a hundred times, my answers were all Warriors. They could only handle you with six games."

Six games? It's too much. Isn't it five games? Wei Xia thought to herself.

"But when I see you, when you ask me a question... I think you won't lose." Heinthorne smiled dryly, "I don't believe you will lose, wish, do you know how I spent Game 6 of the 2008 Finals?"

Weisha and Heinthorne are friends for many years. When they meet privately or call to contact each other, they often talk about the finals of that year.

Heinthorne always says that it was Weisha who stole the Celtics’ champion.

"You said that is a game that you will never want to review," Wei Xia said.

"Do you know why?"

Wei Xia listened and did not answer.

"Because no matter how you look at it, the Celtics had no reason to lose in that game." Heinthorne still can't let it go, "We shouldn't have lost."

The result of that game made the Celtics miss another championship after the Bird era. Although it made up for the regrets in 2010, the defeat in 2008 was even more painful.

Wei Xia couldn't answer, he helped the Lakers win that game and gave the Lakers his own "Havlicek steals the ball" moment.

That was the most critical interception in the history of the Lakers and even the NBA.

Because, without that intercepting the ball, the Celtics are the champion.

Because Wei Xia's interception was too critical, the final score of the buzzer-beating layup he completed after the interception was forgotten. In fact, it was the moment of being connected. It was just because of the opportunity of the interception, the opponent who was intercepted and the classic "wish stole the ball", which made the final score ignored.

So Heinthorne said Weisha stole the Celtics’ championship.

"Tommy, don't always complain. You have experienced too much of this kind of thing, right?" Wei Xia gave a casual example. "If Selbourne scored that goal in Game 7 of 1962; if Coach Nelson did not score that goal in Game 7 of 1969... What if these 'if', once it happened? In the end, the Celtics won those games, and 'if' didn't happen."

Heinthorne's spirits suddenly improved when he heard Wei Xia talk about the past: "You made me think of many interesting things, and you said it right. Just say the final in 1962. I tell you, it's really dangerous. Elgin scored 61 points in one game!"

Wei Xia laughed as she heard this.

That year was the year before Haflicek joined the Celtics. He had not experienced it, but he later searched the data and found that the situation was far more dangerous than he had heard.

In those seven finals, Baylor averaged 4,018 rebounds per game, and Jerry West averaged 31 points per game. In the history of NBA, there is absolutely no example of any team's dual core still losing the finals despite playing like this.

It can be said that the Lakers lost in the inside that year, and Russell scored his personal best final performance, averaging 22 points and 27 rebounds per game. However, if the last goal in the tiebreak was not Selbie, but West or Baylor, then the Celtics' eight consecutive championships are likely to no longer exist.

The Celtics escaped that year, and this was the "if" that was overwhelmed by history.

Heinthorne tells all the things that happened back then with a thrilling look like yesterday for him, and for Wei Xia, it was just another life he had experienced in the past few years.

"It is rare for young people like you who are young, promising and knowledgeable about history." Heinthorne said appreciatively, "Most people only care about their own salary, teammates, history has long been unimportant."

For Heinthorne, there are only two objective reasons that prevent him from loving Weisha.

One, he is not a Celtic.

2. This kid is really too hard to play against the Celtics.

Wei Xia smiled and said, "Our family is all Celtic fans, so I know more or less."

"I know, the media has reported that I have talked to your grandfather. He is a pure fan." Heinthorne started chatting. When talking about his grandfather, Wei Xia couldn't help but fill in something and not speak.

I wonder if Heinthorne knows that his grandfather has passed away?

However, Heinthorne did not extend the topic, but instead focused the focus of the chat to the current Celtics.

"Do you know where our problem is?"

Heinthorne looks like he is still the Celtics coach.

He stayed in Boston since he retired and was the invisible totem of the Celtics. Doug Rivers in his early years called Heinthorne a "hero" because Heinthorne helped him through the difficulties when he encountered difficulties in coaching in his early years.

Heinthorne is also a staff officer for Brad Stevens. When Stevens considers the rotation of the team's center, he will ask Heinthorne for advice and learn his experience in dealing with these issues.

"Actually, there are many problems. For tonight, I think the Celtics' rotation is not stable enough." This is what surprised Wei Xia the most. "The regular season is about to end, but the Celtics seem to have not established their core team yet."

"It seems you have the potential to be a coach." Heinthorne laughed, "Yes, you're very right!"

They were like two coaches communicating with each other and discussing the issues of the Celtics.

In terms of tactics, the Celtics need certain weak side and bottom line offensive tactics as ingredients to be more proactive in mobilizing opponents' defenses instead of relying entirely on strong side pick-and-roll to tear the gap.

However, in Stevens' offensive system, the ball handlers decide on offensive choices and have the actual unlimited fire. Under the general intensity of the game, they can freely gallop in the wide open space and adapt to their teammates to create possibilities. However, in today's defensive jungle of the 76ers, they all have their own limitations. Isaiah Thomas does not have enough vision, Turner lacks stable attack methods, Embiid is too young, and he still needs time to adapt.

"When the shooter feels bad and the ball holder is frantically double-teamed, if the high pick-and-roll and horn-mounted attacks cannot start, they should add some counterattacks or misplaced singles tactics that are close to the basket, even if it is just to get foul free throws..."

Heinthorne's serious attitude made Wei Xia dare not neglect, and he also carefully reviewed the game.

The Celtics once performed very well in the first half, but those playing styles, due to the changes in the 76ers' defensive strategy, basically disappeared at the end of the third and fourth quarters, and the consequence was that as long as it was in a stalemate, the 76ers could always easily start.

The biggest problem for young teams is that once they fall into a stalemate, they don’t know who will attack.

The 76ers are very simple, Wei Xia is the first choice, and Cousins ​​is the second choice.

"After giving Joel Embiid a few more years, he will definitely grow into a great player," Heinthorne said confidently.

Wei Xia is also optimistic about Embiid's development. He has all the qualifications to grow into a great center, as long as he stays healthy.

This dinner that lasted for more than an hour, Weisha and Heinthorne communicated a lot.

From the past, to the present, to the future.

"Although the Warriors seem unstoppable, you don't have to make things difficult for you, because not all teams that perform great in the regular season will reach the top in the playoffs." Heinthorne uncovered another scar in his heart, "For example, the Celtics in 1973."

If Heinthorne could not let go of the final in 2008, then the defeat in 1973 made it difficult for Heinthorne to settle today 43 years later.

"We swept all teams that year and achieved the best record in team history. If we could reach the final, Dave Coins could slaughter Wilt directly, and he had done it in the regular season - a pity, unfortunately, Hondo's injury caused us to lose in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals." Heinthorne said sadly, "That was the first time the Celtics lost the tiebreak."

"That year should have belonged to us!"

"We should win!"

Although Weisha has been with Haflicke for many years, he still doesn't know what happened in 1973.

Because he hasn't experienced it yet.

...No, aren't you experiencing it now?

In 2016, Havlicek in the old days is in the brightest 1972-1973 season since Bill Russell retired.
Chapter completed!