The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 266 Consume Durant
Durant didn't feel good at the beginning, and Zhang Xiaotian defended more comfortably.

But soon the opponent increased the number of breakthroughs, and the difficulty of defense became faster and faster. The Cavaliers did not have an inside line that could cover the penalty area, so Zhang Xiaotian had to hold it by himself.

Moreover, the Thunder's substitutes played well during the rotation period. Reggie Jackson and Anthony Morrow all have scoring ability, and Jeremy Lamb's touch is not bad.

Fortunately, Waiters also played well today, and he felt a lot better without James.

While his style of play hurts the team at times, he is good when he can score, which is why the team thinks he would be a suitable sixth man.

As a result, this guy was not up to expectations, and he was not liked by the coach, so he gradually lost a lot of opportunities.

However, the advantage the team had initially gained slowly disappeared. In the second half of the second quarter, Zhang Xiaotian was fouled twice by Durant, and the Thunder also overtook the score.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks has a better face. If James is not there, the Thunder will not be the opponent of the Cavaliers, so how can they play the ball.

Durant also heaved a sigh of relief. He still had a weird impression of Zhang Xiaotian. He didn't expect that Zhang Xiaotian's defense improved so much that he was almost restricted.

But Zhang Xiaotian is actually good at attacking, and Durant thinks he can handle it easily, after all, his wingspan can solve many problems
The mainstream of the two teams is the mutual explosion of Irving and Westbrook. The physical fitness of the two of them is not bad, but the defense is impatient, and they can steal but easily lose their positions.

In other words, there are not many opportunities for others, and the scores of the two teams have not been opened.

Time soon entered the last moment of the second quarter. At the end of each quarter, it is also a time when variables are prone to occur. Every team will work hard to enter the subsequent stage with more advantages.

This one to two minutes, like the last quarter, is basically the star's performance moment.

Durant also began to ask for the ball frequently. He wanted to scare Zhang Xiaotian in the first half, so that the team could beat the Cavaliers in the second half.

After all, on the front line, today's Cavaliers have no better defensive options.

Zhang Xiaotian, on the other hand, was full of fighting spirit. He might as well go home and go fishing earlier if he conceded defeat on the field.

Because of his height, Durant's absolute speed is not very fast, but he is not as fast as he is, and he is not as fast as him, so he can do whatever he wants on the offensive end.

Zhang Xiaotian increased his physical contact when he was not holding the ball. It was already his third season in the league, and Zhang Xiaotian's defensive skills had become much more refined.

But his physical contact skill is getting better and better.

Durant has just come back soon, it is definitely a wise way to consume energy.

By the time Durant received the ball, his strength had been exhausted a lot.

However, he is also an All-Star player. He adjusted immediately after a miss. After catching the ball, he let his breath evenly, and then directly pulled up with height.

The shot that has been practiced hard, the rhythm is right, it is there.

Irving hit one just now, and after Durant hit two points, the Thunder's lead came to 3 points again, and there were only a dozen seconds left in the first half.

The Thunder coach has already given a hint on the sidelines, and the last attack pinched Irving.

It's just that they didn't notice that Zhang Xiaotian greeted Owen when he was serving the baseline.

Zhang Xiaotian has performed well during this period, and his status in the team has also been greatly improved. He said hello, and Owen will also pay attention.

The Thunder also thought their defensive choice was sudden, and as soon as Irving was surrounded, he gave the ball to Zhang Xiaotian on the side. Zhang Xiaotian calmly made a fake move, which was a double-layer fake move.

After making a fake shot and making a breakthrough, Durant finally had a problem with his center of gravity.

Zhang Xiaotian pulled up easily and hit the net with a three-pointer. At 47:47, the two teams tied in the first half.

During the intermission, Zhang Xiaotian took the initiative to speak, "Durant's condition has not recovered to the best, I will consume him in the third quarter, and he will not be able to keep up with the rhythm at the end of the quarter."

The analysis is reasonable, although it hides the meaning of wanting the ball.

Without James, even if he takes half of the ball, there will be no problem. It should be said that if he can stand up, the team will be much easier.

In the third quarter, the Thunder launched a fierce offensive.

But the Cavaliers are not paper. After playing for 4 minutes, Durant was a little physically unable to keep up.

The Thunder can only choose to let him down to rest first. At this time, they have already led by 3 points again.

As soon as Durant went, the Thunder did not have a suitable player at the third position. They used Anthony Morrow as a temporary cameo to face a guard, and he was an average defensive guard. Zhang Xiaotian immediately played one.

Three minutes later, the Cavaliers completed the lead again.

At this time, Zhang Xiaotian will also go down to rest, and the rotation time will be handed over to Waiters, who feels good in the first half.

I just didn't expect this product to fail in the second half. What David Blatt doesn't like about Waiters is that this buddy chooses to shoot when he feels good, and he still chooses the same choice when he feels bad.

In less than 2 minutes, the Cavaliers fell behind again, and West's defense was also very average.

Zhang Xiaotian reminded David Blatt below, saying that his physical strength is still very strong.

David Blatt was kind and immediately took Waiters down again.

After Zhang Xiaotian went up, even if he didn't score, his defense was reassuring.

In the last minute of the third quarter, Ibaka hit a three-pointer from the outside and the Thunder led by 1 points.

This is obviously very unfavorable to the Cavaliers. When it was their turn to attack, Zhang Xiaotian immediately put on a singles stance after getting the ball. When the 24 seconds were up, he pulled it up and it was a three-pointer.

Durant, who was replaced just now, was a little upset. During the Thunder's attack, he stopped for two seconds after the ball, then turned sideways, and took a tentative step next to Zhang Xiaotian.

He is using his physical advantage, if Zhang Xiaotian reacts slightly wrong, it must be a foul.

If you relax a little, you may pass or lose your defensive position.

Zhang Xiaotian didn't make any unnecessary movements, and stepped aside in the direction of Durant's force, waiting until the opponent made a move and suddenly exerted force.

Everyone sticks together with dark energy, and the referee will not blow if there is no movement in the hand.

Durant is also bullying many players in the same position, Zhang Xiaotian doesn't like this, he is the best in physical confrontation skills.

Durant did nothing to steal the chicken, and instead of getting a better offensive opportunity, he was affected by the balance of the shot. The ball hit the edge of the basket and bounced out.

He didn't leave much time for the Cavaliers, but it wasn't that he didn't leave some, because Zhang Xiaotian's defense allowed him to throw the ball a little earlier.

Tristan Thompson got the rebound, at this time Zhang Xiaotian had rushed to the opponent's half.

The ball was thrown directly, Zhang Xiaotian pulled it up immediately after getting it, and the red light on the backboard with the ball still in the air lit up.

(End of this chapter)