Pope of Basketball.

Summary

The Nets struggled to defend against Ku Li, and their lineup lacked depth compared to the Clippers. Blatche, despite his million-dollar contract, was a liability on defense due to his poor lateral movement and lack of focus. The Clippers' MVP, Ku Li, played for 25 minutes, scoring 25 points with 4 assists and hitting 5 out of 11 three-pointers. Ku Li's past performances in the finals showed his ability to excel despite tight double-teams. In the 2015, 2016, and 2017 finals, he averaged impressive statistics, including points, rebounds, assists, and shooting percentages. The Nets' coach, Stevens, chose not to double-team Ku Li, fearing it would leave openings for the Clippers' other accurate shooters. Instead, he substituted players to strengthen the offense, but the Clippers continued to dominate. Yang Rui, the Clippers' coach, employed a small-ball strategy, using a fast-paced lineup to lure the Nets into attacking the paint. The Clippers' defense focused on guarding the three-point line, disrupting the Nets' plan to create space. With 2 minutes remaining, Yang Rui reintroduced Chandler to bolster the defense, and the Nets trailed by 16 points, making it impossible to score in such a short time.

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