For reference: hitherto the biggest defeat of yesterday's triumphs in the first match of the next season was “-15”, received by the “Lakers” in 1982. And then several anti-records happened at once - in addition to the repetition of the worst result in Pat Riley’s career, the biggest loss to Chicagoans in the history of “Miami” ... Yes, in the last championship, “-36” were a shame in a meeting with the finalist “Dallas”.
There was a feeling that the rivals were at completely different levels of readiness. As if the Bulls had been actively training all summer, and the guys from Hit celebrated, rested, played bowling and were engaged in charity events. This illusion (is it an illusion?) Was supported by videos demonstrating the non-basketball activity of the champions. The only exception was the magnificent Dwyane Wade, who had not spent his time in the US team in vain. A couple of his beautiful hits from the shield, a spectacular flight to the ring in the third quarter, a couple of branded slam dunks - at least Duane proved that he was not in vain given a gold ring studded with diamonds before the match. And the outbreak’s older partners will now have to reassure fans that the peak of their form will be in the playoffs. To live only to him with such a game. 66: 108 - and, as the great coach Pat Riley put it, welcome to reality!
For Chicagoans, this same reality looked much brighter. The trainers didn’t please the trainers unless Ben Gordon turned from a key reservist into a starter: the defender didn’t throw, and Scott Skiles painlessly put the guy on the bench. Chris Duhon, who had never been famous for stability, had easily taken over his functions, and then he realized 7 out of 8 from the game (in one of the segments Chris, as if mocking, sent three goals in a row, including a couple of “three rubles”). Experienced newcomers Ben Wallace and P.J. Brown worked very well on billboards, thanks to which the audience almost forgot about the existence of the “big” Shaquille O'Neill (7 points, 5 rebounds), Alonzo Mourning (1 point, 2 rebounds) and Eudonis Haslam (6 points, 6 rebounds).
We especially note the actions of Viktor Khryapa, who predictably spent 14 minutes on the site. It was not in vain that Skiles noted that the Russian fits into the team concept: with his participation, the ball moves very vividly, and three assists in such a short segment indicate the randomness of a large number of “assists” in the preseason. Forward playmaker “Chicago” was not enough before. By the way, it was Khryapa’s first exit to the site that allowed the guests to grow a slight advantage to the menacing “twenty”. And the second - to “+40”, which most fans of “Hit” have not seen. Celebrating All Saints Day at home is much more interesting.
Nikolai TSYNKEVICH