The post-game press conference was attended by general manager Kerr, coach Gentry, core James and Nash.

"In a losing season, will the team make any additions in the offseason?" A reporter asked Cole.

"A lost season? No, we're just getting started, there were a lot of external factors to the first-round loss, the T-mac injury, the short run-in time, it wasn't a losing season, but there's no doubt that we'll be able to strengthen up in the offseason. Cole said with a smile.

"Steve, your contract expires this summer, will you stay at Phoenix?" The reporter asked Nash.

"This is my home." Nash said with a smile and glanced at James.

"LeBron, you have a player option in the summer, will you exercise it and then stay in Phoenix? Stay here and be with those fans who are crazy about you. The reporter finally asked James.

"yes, the fans here are crazy, I love Phoenix and I'd like to be a part of the Suns again, but that's all summer, and we'll have the answers." James didn't give an affirmative answer, but gave a positive signal.

……

The Suns' first-round exit has sparked a lot of buzz among fans, but there's never a shortage of topics to talk about in the intense playoff game.

The day after that, Game 6 of the series between the Celtics and Pacers kicked off in Boston.

This is the Celtics' last home game, and a loss would see them and the Pacers face up for a tie-break in Indiana.

There have been countless tie-breaks in NBA history, with more than 20 Finals alone, but home teams have won 70% of the time, and no team would want to play on the road if they had a choice.

So for the Celtics, this is the best time for them to win the series.

And for the Pacers, who finished third in the regular season and have no way out, they are even more so.

At the beginning of the game between the two sides, it was full of physical confrontation, and the field was full of gunpowder, both teams defended with all their might, and the scene was a stalemate.

It was not until the fourth quarter that the Celtics showed their playoff experience, began to break through the interior to make kills, and slowly built up a lead.

86-81, in the end, the Celtics won the defensive battle, eliminated the Pacers 4-2 to advance to the second round, and successfully achieved the "Black Six".

Garnett and Pierce both contributed 20+, and Rondo also had a quasi-triple-double of 9 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

It was also after this game that the second round of the East and West matches were all released.

West: Thunder vs Lakers, a matchup between the old and new aristocracy; Spurs VS Grizzlies, last season's Black Eight grudge, this time extended to the second round;

East: Bulls VS Heat, two new strong teams meet in a narrow way; Cavaliers VS Celtics, Tang Tian is attacking for the 6th championship trophy of his career, and his opponent is the last Celtics.

TNT's latest episode also features a final analysis of the four matchups.

When talking about the Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Barkley thought for a long time before saying, "This is the least suspenseful matchup, and playoff experience is the only advantage that Boston people have." ”

"Are the Cavaliers inexperienced?" O'Neill asked rhetorically with a smile.

Barkley held his hands in the air, didn't hold back a word for a long time, and finally looked at O'Neill a little speechless: "You have to give them a chance!" ”

"Okay guys, it's a little smaller, but Boston still has a chance to win." Smith spoke at this point.

"Look, Kenny still knows the ball, he's always been my support." Barkley opened his mouth wide.

"But the Bostonians have the advantage not so much in their experience, but in their forward line, the combination of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pearce, which is stronger and more mature than the Knicks' forward combination, and defensively, they are much better than the New Yorkers." Smith continued.

Barkley's face was a little swollen, but he was also thick-skinned, and he immediately continued: "That's what I haven't had time to say." ”

After he finished speaking, O'Neill and Smith burst out laughing.

……

"It's a game, and whether or not our forward line can hold on will determine the direction of the whole series." At the Cavaliers' coaching staff meeting, Casey was the first to speak.

"I think Dwayne was right, it's going to be a defensive battle, a hand-to-hand fight, and our forward line is going to be decisive." Cassel followed suit.

The other teaching assistants nodded in agreement.

What Barkley and Smith saw, the Cavaliers' coaching staff could see.

The combination of Anthony and Stoudemire, one who can't pass the ball and the other who can't be reused, looks flashy but flashy.

But Garnett and Pierce are both old partners, and both have been in excellent form in this year's playoffs, which is a 1+1>2 combination.

When the Cavaliers had James, the front line did not suffer and even had an advantage, but without James, everything was reversed.

Tang Tian has never expressed an opinion, he can see all these things, but he has some ideas of his own, although it may not be very mature.

After the regular meeting, Tang Tian called Kassel to his office alone.

"What do you think of the Celtics' interior configuration?" Tang Tian asked after sitting down.

"In the regular season and in the first round, they used a combination of Buss and Garnett, but I think against us, they might use the two big men of Stiesma and Hollins, who are both standard meat shields." Kassel analyzed.

"Did you watch the first-round game between the Thunder and the Mavericks?" Tang Tian then asked.

"Look, they're ......," Cassel was slow to react, saying that he quickly realized something, "are you trying to crush the Celtics from the inside?" ”

He was a little surprised, this line of thinking was different from the previous regular meeting, or the mainstream view of most people.

Tang Tian nodded: "The singles on the inside, and the breakthrough impact on the outside." ”

Cassel is different from Kessie, the latter belongs to the old-school coach and emphasizes defense, but Cassel's tactical ideas and ideas are more active, so Tang Tiancai looked for him alone.

"It's a very novel idea." Cassel said with some excitement, realizing that Tang Tian had asked him what the Celtics' interior configuration meant.

Garnett is a year older, and his ability has deteriorated more obviously, and he can still carry Yao Ming in the first two years, but it is difficult now, so as he said before, the Celtics will definitely use more Stiensma and Hollins on the inside, but that is also two meat shields, if the Cavaliers really want to fight against them, it will be difficult for them to stand on the inside, and it is estimated that they will be beaten in a few rounds.

"But there may be risks." Excited, Cassel continued.

Tang Tian looked at him curiously.