basketball player

Chapter 317 Chapter 315: "Football Game" with Pause

January 1 was a high-profile day for fans across the league.Although today is just an ordinary regular season game day, a suspense that affects thousands of people is likely to be solved today.

Who can stop the Pacers?
"The record of the Grizzlies so far is 26 wins and 13 losses. I know that this record is not worth mentioning compared to the Pacers. But then again, looking at the entire league, which team's record can be compared with the Pacers? Therefore, let's put aside the record. We all know that the Grizzlies have the highest defensive efficiency in the league. No team can play a smooth offense against them, even the Oklahoma City Thunder. A team to stop the Pacers."

"The Grizzlies have always been very low-key. Unknowingly, they have secured the fourth position in the Western Conference. This team is one of the most underrated teams this season. Even against the defending champions, their defense is strong enough."

"The league's painstaking advertising campaign for the Pacers is coming to an end, because tonight, the team that stops the Pacers will show up!"

Before the start of today's game, most fans were very optimistic that the Grizzlies could stop the Pacers' winning streak.After all, when a team wins too many games, they unknowingly become public enemies.So now, the only ones who expect the Pacers to win may be local fans in Indianapolis.

The Grizzlies' popularity has never been higher, and their game has never been more watched.But the players of the Grizzlies are very clear that in competitive sports, whoever has more fans will not be able to win.

Strength is everything.

Henson brought the players into the arena to warm up an hour before the start of the game. Since the Pacers were playing at home and the opponent in this game was tough, Henson asked the players to warm up early to prepare for the tough battle later.However, what is unexpected is that when the Pacers players came out, the Grizzlies seemed to have soaked their training vests!
"It's so early? It seems that the Memphis people don't intend to let us win the 17th game in a row." Henson was also taken aback when he entered the field. It is really rare for visiting team players to enter the field to warm up so early.

"The Grizzlies have ambitions this season, and they won't just be satisfied with being fourth in the Western Conference. Therefore, this group of guys will try their best to win all games, including the defending champion. Henson, how did you win the Grizzlies last season?" Stevens withdrew his gaze, and his eyes fell on Henson.

"Last season? Last season, they used West and Horford to break the Grizzlies' defense. But they can't do that again this season. They must have already responded. Moreover, the progress of the Grizzlies' players is not small." Henson pouted, saying that the old experience of last season would not be useful in this game.

Gasol Jr. has grown into a top center, Zach Randolph will no longer be impulsive, Tony Allen and Mike Conlily have matured a lot compared to last season, and Rudy Gay also knows what restraint is. He will no longer regard himself as a superstar and take twenty random shots every night.

Their defense is impenetrable. Halfway through the season, Henson hasn't seen any team that can beat the Grizzlies with normal offense.Of course, this refers to normal offense. If a certain player suddenly convulses, how can he shoot? Of course it doesn't count.

After all, Henson can't rely on luck to win.Whether someone in the Pacers will suddenly feel convulsed today is something he cannot predict.And betting on the unpredictable is foolish in itself.

From the warm-up stage of the whole game, there was a serious atmosphere.Players from both sides did not hug or high-five, nor did the coaches of the two teams shake hands before the game.Both sides just went their separate ways in their own half and had nothing to do with each other until the game started.

"Today, the air in the Bankers Life Arena is unusually heavy." Reggie Miller also joked about the unusual atmosphere.

Even when he was interviewed by reporters before the game, Henson put away his usual rebellious attitude.

"The Grizzlies' defense is very strong. We will seize all the gaps available for attack and strive to play an efficient offense!" Henson's serious face made Miller a little unaccustomed.

After hearing what Henson said in an interview, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins smiled disdainfully.

He can guarantee that it was the worst lie Henson ever told in his life!Because no team dares to use offense to disintegrate the Grizzlies!

Hollins is certainly not blindly confident. So far this season, the Grizzlies averaged 44.4% field goal percentage, 34.5% three-point field goal percentage, 42.7 rebounds, 20.9 assists and 93.4 points per game.It seems that the Grizzlies' offense is simply not in the flow.But even so, the mediocre offensive Grizzlies are still able to rank fourth in the fiercely competitive West, where the Lakers can't get along with F4.This shows how strong their defense is!

To sum up the Grizzlies game in one sentence: "It doesn't matter if I score or not, but I will never let you score easily!"

So this time, Henson was talking nonsense in front of the media, and he didn't fool Hollins.

At 07:30 in the evening, the starting players of both sides officially stepped into the court, and the game officially started.People are speculating whether Henson will change his formation and replace with a few surprise soldiers.Some people are also discussing whether Henson can use some subtle offensive tactics to break the Grizzlies' defense.After all, when playing the Nets, the dazzling inside tactics that Henson formulated were indeed very exciting.

But after the game started, it was discovered that the Pacers hadn't made any changes at all.Paul, George, Green, West and Horford, as soon as these five starters came up, they showed their determination to fight the Grizzlies to the end!

On the first goal of the game, Rudy Gay took a mid-range shot through the screen, but was interfered by Horford, who switched defenses in time, and missed the shot.

On the Pacers side, the offense was also not going well.Paul broke through and scored, and George feinted a shot after receiving the ball from outside the three-point line to go to the basket.This trick works wonders against most defenders.Because George is a catch-and-shoot shooter, many defensive players will think about blocking George's shots and get caught up in fake moves.

But Tony Allen didn't. He seemed to have seen through all of George's thoughts, and used his strong body to block him roughly, stopping George!
"Death entanglement!" Reggie Miller exclaimed. The word "death entanglement" has been used more and more on Leonard this season, but in fact, when the word was born, it was used to describe Tony Allen!
The tactic didn't work out, and George had to hand the ball back to Paul.Paul asked for a screen several times, but failed to get the desired effect. In desperation, Paul had to hold the ball and break through the penalty area.

The Grizzlies defense shrinks so fast, Paul is surrounded by slender arms, and as a pass master, he can't even find a pass in this situation!

In the end, Paul had to bite the bullet and force a layup.However, as a result of this, the Pacers' first offense also ended in failure!
"It's too tight, the Grizzlies' defense is really suffocating!"

After the first back and forth, neither side could score.Considering the defensive level of both sides is not weak, this is not really surprising.

But no one expected that the situation where the two sides had been unable to score lasted for a full 4 minutes!

"Marc Gasol jumped up hard. Although he failed to block the shot, he still interfered with Horford's mid-range shot! The European fortress once again protected the basket!"

"Danny Green played very tough, and Rudy Gay missed a layup under high-intensity confrontation!"

"Mike Conley tried a long-range three-pointer, but Paul didn't give him a chance. The Grizzlies' offense failed again!"

"West turned over and made a jump shot. Unfortunately, Randolph put too much pressure on him."

The fight between the two sides was very lively, and everyone was turned on their backs.Reggie Miller explained dryly, but looked up. The score was still 0-0.

Offensively, Henson keeps things simple.Because he knows very well that in the face of the Grizzlies' defense, complex tactics are impossible to succeed.A simple attack, if you can score, you will score, if you can't score, you will be pulled down.This allows the Pacers players to maximize their physical fitness on the defensive end.

Want to defend?Then come on defense!I can't score goals, and neither can you!
It wasn't until 8 minutes into the first quarter that Paul George made a beautiful layup, finally breaking the scoring drought on the court.After the ball, Lionel Hollins stopped the game.When the game was stopped, the score was a wonderful 2-0.

Score a goal and call a timeout?If the football game could be suspended, it would probably be at the pace it is today.

Hollins didn't expect that there was a team that dared to fight the Grizzlies defensively!Isn't Thibodeau's fate enough to explain the problem?He wants to see who can grind the other to death first!

At the same time, in the commentary booth, Jeff Van Gundy was also a little puzzled.

"I can't believe it. Coach Henson's strategy is to use defense against defense. Not all teams in this league can rely on defense until the last moment like the Grizzlies."

"Why not?" Just after Van Gundy finished speaking, Reggie Miller took over the right to speak, "The Grizzlies are the team with the highest defensive efficiency in the league. The Pacers rank second."

The famous Pacers star looked at Henson who was arranging tactics, and committed the next offense. Isn't this what that guy is good at!

(End of this chapter)