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“I just wanted to leave my mark on this series.”

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Heat vs Celtics turned into a tangled, tangled battle. After three consecutive wins, the Heat suffered three consecutive losses and faced “GAME7” in the enemy territory, but after being cornered, they demonstrated their strength and won the Celtics 103-84. Ace Jimmy Butler was named Conference Finals MVP.

Butler is the team’s ace and epitomizes the Heat’s mentality, which rises in the face of adversity. Caleb Martin is a close second to Playoff Jimmy in the Conference Finals MVP voting.

Butler has 28 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in the game 7, and Martin has 26 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Nine of Butler’s 28 points came in a near-decisive fourth quarter, and the impression is that he struggled with the Celtics’ defense throughout the series. It’s no surprise that Butler, the face of the team, gets the votes, but with both Butler and Bam Adebayo struggling on offense, the Heat wouldn’t have advanced to the NBA Finals without Martin stepping up.

Martin is in his fourth year of NBA career. He spent two seasons with the Hornets when he came undrafted, before joining the Heat last season on a two-way deal. He was in the rotation last season, but didn’t see much of a backup to PJ Tucker. Last season, in Game 7 of the Conference Finals, also against Celtic, Martin didn’t stand a minute on the court because of his defensive defence.

However, he has grown a lot in the past year. This season, when Tucker transferred, he was selected as the starting forward, but when Kevin Love joined in the middle of the season, he returned to second place. Still, he reverses his position during this series. A player who didn’t have a chance to play a year ago showed a work to save the team with a big success in offense and defense this time. “I knew what I was capable of, and I thought I could show it someday, but I’m really happy to be here in ‘GAME7’ in enemy territory,” says Martin.

“I just wanted to make my mark in this series. I wanted to prove myself.

Head coach Eric Spoelstra praised Butler, Adebayo and Martin for their behind-the-scenes efforts. Still, Martin said, “It’s because of this organization,” and continued: “With my coaches and trainers, I have been constantly preparing for this moment, to be able to compete at a very high level. I’ll use your strength to pave the way.”

I didn’t get a nomination in the draft, and I came here after going through the G League. At 27, Blake is a pretty late bloomer in the NBA, but he’s enjoying his time to the fullest and has his sights firmly set on what to do. “I’m always thinking about where I’ve been, and that’s why I know how wonderful it is to be here. It feels a little strange, but I’m still done.” No, I’m going to win four more. I’ve made it this far, so I want to win four more.”

Contributed in defense but not in offense

The Chiba Jets lost the second match of the B League Final against the Ryukyu Golden Kings 73-88, missing their goal of winning the Emperor’s Cup.

Chiba J received a 3-point shot offensive that should be their specialty, and they were behind in double digits in the early stages. After that, he played an incandescent battle following the first round, such as evenly competing in offensive rebounds and inside battles, gradually regaining his rhythm, and temporarily reversing in the third quarter. . However, as head coach John Patrick said, “The bench scored 45 points yesterday and today. I was thrown out.

Shuta Hara also said, “The players who came out, the players who came out were playing high-quality basketball. There were about 10 people who played basketball with extremely high quality all the time. I think that was the reason why we won the championship,” he said, honestly praising Ryukyu’s second unit. In particular, he sent a cheer to Naoki Tashiro of Ryukyu, who is also from Chiba Prefecture and has been working hard since his school days, saying, “He also had a difficult season for two years, so I want to congratulate him as a friend.”

In this match, Hara showed strong physical defense as a cornerstone of Chiba J’s defense. However, on the offensive side, he missed all five field goals and ended up scoreless.

In the first round, Hara almost shut out Ryukyu’s ace Keita Imamura, but at the time of the switch, he matched up with an opponent who was stronger than himself in physique and power, such as Allen Durham, and did not give him an advantage. However, the playing time extended to 44 minutes and 22 seconds, partly because it was tangled up to double overtime. Hara said, “I think it’s the same for Ryukyu, so it’s okay,” and it’s clear that the damage accumulated in the first game was greater than anyone else, but he cited physical fatigue as the reason why he didn’t make a shot. I didn’t.

“I regret that I should have played to break down.”

Normally, Hara doesn’t show his emotions much whether he wins or loses, and he responds flatly in a good way. Even so, when I asked him for his honest impressions immediately after the defeat, partly due to his poor performance, he only said, “I’m sorry,” with a stern look on his face. And he emphasized that the season was over, and he looked back on the game like this. “I don’t have any issues because I don’t have the same team members, but to be honest, I think I was able to do my job in defense. I regret that I wish I had.”

I said the word “regret”, but it was a word that came out because I was looking for a reason for the defeat. Despite failing to win the championship, Chiba J has had a great season this season, winning the Emperor’s Cup and breaking the record for the highest winning percentage in the regular season. This fact never fades, and Hara is proud of it. “I don’t know if there will be a team that can surpass that record, but it’s amazing that they only lost 7 games in 60 games. I am proud to be a member of that team.”

“Well, it’s over,” Hara repeated, refusing to look back from beginning to end. It was the inside out of his frustration, and at the same time, it seemed like his determination to only face forward. He then said, “In the next season, I want to become a player who can lead the team to victory by being able to defeat him in important games,” and left the Yokohama Arena with a strong pace.

Hiroshima continues contract with 10 players, Tsuji leaves

We will summarize the movements of the transfer market that were released from the evening of May 22nd (Monday) to 15:00 on May 24th (Wednesday).

Levanga Hokkaido
Contract continuation
Tsukasa Nakano
Panasonic Yuta

Nakano will be in his 6th season next season, including his time as a special designated player. He scored 7.2 points in 56 games this season, including 34 starts. In addition to his signature shooting ability, defense is also expected. In his rookie season, Matsushita has played in 58 games, including 21 starts. His contribution on the defensive side was great and worked to hold down the starting point of the opponent firmly. Further growth can be expected next season.

Ibaraki Robots
Contract continuation
Mitsutsune Hirao

“Mr.Robots” will reach its 7th season, the longest season for the team, next season. Although the playing time has decreased this season, he recorded 8.6 points, which is the top Japanese on the team. As a captain who knows Ibaraki, he has been seen many times to inspire the team.

Contract expiration
Richard Glessman Head Coach

He has commanded Ibaraki for three seasons since the 2020-21 season in the B2 era, and this season has a record of 23 wins and 37 losses. The season started with an offensive roster that made use of mobility, and both offense and defense were stepped up from last season.

Utsunomiya Brex
Contract continuation
Shinji Takashima

Joined Utsunomiya as a special designated player from the middle of this season and participated in 39 games. He excelled in high-probability 3-point shots and defense. At the end of the season, he started the lineup and recorded double-digit scores in three consecutive games in response to the expectations of the team. Next season will be a rookie season, but it seems that he will hold the key to Utsunomiya’s reinstatement.

Kyoto Hannary’s
new contract
Satoru Maeda

Electric shock transfer from Kawasaki Brave Thunders. Although the roster has not yet been solidified, it is expected that the playing time and stats will increase. Yuta Okada, who also made a surprise transfer, became a joint battle since Toyama Grouses, and a very exciting duo was born.

Contract continuation
Kanta Mizuno

Although his playing time decreased in the second half of this season, he played a central role in the team as he spent more than 30 minutes on the court until the middle of the season. In the next season, which will be his third year as a professional, further steps up are desired in both offense and defense.

Osaka Evessa
Contract continuation
Joji Takeuchi

A famous local player who has been leading the Japanese national team for a long time becomes the first contracted player in Osaka. He has reduced his playing time a little this season, but he has shown his presence in rebounding and defense. I would like to expect the struggle of the big veteran who will be 39 years old next season.

Contract continuation
Matthias Fischer head coach
Leading Osaka for the first time this season with 27 wins and 33 losses. After deejay Newville, everyone succeeded in developing basketball. In particular, the improvement in defense was remarkable, and he thoroughly defended and ran well, and won many times from higher-ranking teams.

Hiroshima Dragonflies
Contract continuation
Ryo Terashima
Asayama Shogo
Isaiah Murphy
Seiya Funayu
Kelly Blacksheer Jr.
Toshiki Uesawa
Kai Sot
Takuto Nakamura
Dwayne Evans
Nick Mayo

Hiroshima announced the contract continuation of 10 players at once. Terashima participated in 59 games as a constant starting guard and scored 10.6 points. He led the offense with speed that earned him the nickname “Flash.” Steel also recorded a career-high average of 1.4, and the struggle of defense was also seen. Veteran Asayama, who will turn 42 next month, continues. This season, he has been a role player, but his high-probability 3-point shot is still alive and well. Murphy established a firm position as the opponent’s ace stopper. Although the playing time and stats have decreased this season, the impression is that the sense of stability has increased in the play. Funai is active as a utility player. On offense, he calmed the game and on defense, he showed that he could protect from ballman to wing. Black Sheer Jr. played well in Japan for the first time. In addition to playing inside, he was an all-around player with 40.9% 3-point shots and assists. Uesawa, who was in his second year as a professional, contributed to the team with a high-percentage 3-point shot. He didn’t get many appearances, but he became something of a secret weapon to score when given playing time. Sotto, who joined in the middle of the season, took a solid advantage in height. He is scheduled to challenge the NBA off now, and it has been announced in advance that if he wins the NBA contract, the contract will be canceled with Hiroshima. Nakamura, who joined in the middle of the season, will welcome his rookie season in Hiroshima. He has already secured his second guard position this season and is expected to grow further. Evans recorded the team’s top score as the center of offense. He also increased rebounds and assists, contributing to the team’s first championship advance. Mayo also supported the team with his all-round performance. In addition to 3-point shots with a high probability of 43.9%, he showed a wide variety of scoring variations such as post-up and pick & roll.

leaving
Naoto Tsuji

Two seasons have passed since the shock transfer from Kawasaki Brave Thunders to Hiroshima. He started every game this season and continued to lead the team. His experience with a powerhouse team had a positive impact on a side that had been at the bottom of the league, leading them to their first championship berth. Move his activity to a new place.

Trade “Best Offensive Machine” and “Best Killer Defender”

After failing to acquire Kyrie Irving, the Suns acquired Kevin Durant in a trade, resulting in more strength than Irving. So far, they have struggled with 30 wins and 27 losses, but with the formation of a gorgeous quartet of Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton, it will be a fight to win only from here.

Durant will have a harder time finding what he can’t do offensively and will fit straight into the wing position without any problems. If I had to raise an issue, it would be about who would win the game at the end of the game. Is it Paul who is strong in the game, Booker who is an ace, or Durant who is the best offensive machine? It’s a luxury you can’t choose from, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

In order to add new options to the offense this season, the Suns dared to seal the traditional pattern and aimed to evolve as a team, but the results dropped suddenly due to the injuries of the main players one after another, and it is not the case. was forced into The team’s condition has improved with the return of injured players, but there was no time to try new things, and at a time when this was likely to be a cause for concern in the playoffs, Durant, who was entrusted with everything, came, and I felt that my concerns were blown away at once. I have.

Chris Paul may have declined at the age of 37, and the decrease in the success rate of jump shots was a source of anxiety for the team, but it will be resolved if the same play is entrusted to Durant. However, Durant is a player of a different dimension who solves everything by himself, but because he solves everything by himself too much, there is a risk that if Durant is the center of a team, it will become dependent on individual skills. Since he joined in the middle of the season, it may be more effective to use it as an option without mixing it into the team strategy.

Of course, the trade came at a cost, losing a ton of draft picks, sixth man Cameron Johnson and, most of all, Mikel Bridges. The release of Bridges will be a big blow, especially on the defense side. If Durant was “the best offensive machine”, Bridges was an excellent defender in modern tactics, which should be described as “the best killer defender”.

There are players who are better than Bridges if they just face and defend in 1on1, but in the modern offense, it is basic to move around off the ball while using the screen to hit a 3-point shot, and encourage the switch. While there are tactics that don’t even match up properly, not only the mark man in front of you, but also the placement of players on the entire floor, skillfully dodging the screener, read through the point where the next pass will come out. Bridges’ defense, which fills in first, is so overwhelming that no player can match it.

In addition, Bridges has not missed a single game since his rookie days, and the stable condition that keeps running more than anyone else was also a major feature. For that reason, the replacement of Durant, who is 34 years old and has increased injuries, will be a source of anxiety for the team’s stamina. Considering Durant’s ability, it may be a “trivial problem”, but in order to win the championship, the details are important, and Bridges, who contributed with excellent tactical eyes and high dedication, will not be gone. , may create invisible problems.

What kind of result will the contrasting trade of the Suns, who formed a luxurious quartet, bring to the Nets, who have all the hard workers due to the outflow of superstars? A win is the only achievement after giving up the fan-favorite Bridges for Durant.