When the Kawasaki Brave Thunders and Alvark Tokyo square off in the B. League Championship semifinals on Friday and Saturday, expect the foes to display physical, hard-nosed basketball.
But it's not just because it's the postseason, but also because of their longtime rivalry.
Japanese players are humble in general — at least on the surface — and do not verbally say provocative things. But once the Brave Thunders and Alvark step onto the same court, they tend to hit their bodies harder and occasionally get heated up emotionally.