The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 349 Strong Without Curry

After all, the Rockets won Ty Lawson and still failed to meet expectations. This buddy declined very quickly due to alcoholism, and now the Rockets have made Beverly a starter.

The Rockets have both inside and outside, and it is also the best whetstone to test the lineup without Curry.

The Warriors let Livingston start instead of Curry. His height and wingspan will at least not allow the Warriors' No. [-] position to be bullied, and occasionally bully the No. [-] positions of other teams.

The Rockets' starting lineup has also changed. In addition to the No. [-] position, they used the second-year student Clint Capela at the No. [-] position, which enhanced the team's defensive ability.

The Rockets didn't start this season very well. Now they haven't even entered the top eight. They are also eager for a hearty victory to boost morale. The Warriors without Curry are just the goal.

And the Warriors who lost the ball also want to show their strength.

Before the game, there was a so-called first-point debate. The two protagonists, Harden and Klay Thompson, said in front of reporters that they didn't care about it at all, but they both showed [-]-point strength in the matchup.

Unlike the cold feeling in the last game, Klay Thompson exploded in this game.

With 17 points in a single quarter, the Warriors successfully took the lead.

On the Rockets side, Marcus Thornton, Corey Brewer and other substitute players performed well.

Harden's performance is actually not bad, but there is no comparison.

The opponent responsible for defending Zhang Xiaotian is Ariza, who is also a very good defensive predictor.

But in terms of weight and strength, Zhang Xiaotian has the upper hand, and it is very difficult for Ariza to restrain him.

The trouble for the Rockets is their internal defense. For this, Zhang Xiaotian, like Klay Thompson, mainly shoots from the outside.

However, Zhang Xiaotian is more in the CIC area, scoring points and also serving as a turning point.

And the impact of Curry's absence is that the Warriors will not take the initiative to go to a small lineup.

If a small lineup has deficiencies in defense, it must have a super-standard offense. It is really not easy to do without Curry.

But the Warriors' tactical system is still there, and Zhang Xiaotian can attack more with the ball.

In the second quarter, Klay Thompson was more restricted, while Harden scored more steadily. In fact, the two have their own characteristics, and the positioning of the teams is also different. The battle for the first shooting guard is more about fans Rivalry.

However, the opponent put too much defensive energy on Klay Thompson, and Zhang Xiaotian will definitely not miss the opportunity. This time he scored in double figures, and the substitute players also started to show off. The Warriors still maintained the lead.

Moreover, when the Rockets remove the double inside line during the rotation period, the defensive problem will be relatively large. A team like the Warriors who are good at seizing opportunities will definitely not miss it.

In the third quarter, the Rockets stepped up their guard against Zhang Xiaotian, and Klay Thompson got another chance to make consecutive hits.

Zhang Xiaotian was also a little funny. The Rockets' defensive system was really average, always staring at one and missing the other.

The Rockets' offense also experienced some fluctuations. Harden hit everything except free throws. At least in this game, Klay Thompson appeared to be more comprehensive.

By the end of the third quarter, the Rockets had trailed by 8 points.

If the opponent is another team, 8 points is nothing at all, but their opponent is the Warriors with the best record in the league, and there is Zhang Xiaotian, who is known as the master of the last quarter, and the pressure on the Rockets will be great.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Howard was there and Ariza was there. They didn't want Zhang Xiaotian to show his power to help the team expand the score advantage.

Howard also came up strong to win free throws and made two free throws. It is difficult for the Warriors inside, especially during the rotation period, to stop Howard.

However, Zhang Xiaotian immediately used the screen to hit a three-pointer when he came back.

Howard played again and won the free throw, but this time he made one of two free throws.

Looking back, Zhang Xiaotian squeezed Ariza away and hit two points consecutively, and the score difference between the two sides came to the threshold of 10 points.

It hasn't been long since the Rockets fired the coach because of poor performance. The acting head coach Bickerstaff has no other choice but to replace the team's first brother, Harden.

After Harden came up, the Warriors of course also adjusted accordingly.

The two sides put on the strongest lineups, and they will have a final contest in the last quarter.

After Harden came up, he hit two points, broke through and scored for his teammates, and then hit a three-pointer, quickly catching up with the score.

Harden is also a player who can explode points. Although he is not as exaggerated as Curry, he is also difficult to defend.

On the defensive end, though, he's not that strong.

Klay Thompson also hit a three-pointer, but Klay Thompson does not have such a strong ability to hold the ball and someone needs to feed the ball. Of course Zhang Xiaotian can do it, but what is even more terrible is Zhang Xiaotian's offensive ability.

The Rockets only discovered now that Zhang Xiaotian was almost impossible to stop.

The Warriors lost the last game not because Zhang Xiaotian was restricted, but because other players were restricted. The Rockets obviously did not have the defensive perimeter like the Mavericks. Although Beverly was desperate, his body was flawed.

Zhang Xiaotian made a strong hit, and he also hit Klay Thompson and Iguodala.

The three guards, Harden, Beverly and Marcus Thornton, continued to take shots from the outside, and there was a lot of iron.

Taking advantage of the opponent's bad touch, the Warriors extended the score to 10 points.

Howard did make two free throws for fouls, but only second.

In the final stage, the insiders don't even think about playing singles with the ball slowly, and the Warriors lead. They don't mind fouling on Howard. Howard's free throws are still relatively rare.

The Rockets lost all energy in the game, as if they wanted to end the game as soon as possible.

They scored two three-pointers in the last half minute, but it was meaningless.

The Warriors overwhelmed the Rockets and won the game. Klay Thompson scored 38 points and Zhang Xiaotian scored 25+6+7. On the offensive end, the two of them completely overwhelmed the Rockets. Of course, the team's victory and triple-double Draymond Green also played a big role.

Even without Curry, they are a top-notch team.

At this time, the votes for the first stage of the All-Stars were also counted.

Curry temporarily ranks second in the total number of votes, and the first is the fans' feelings for Kobe Bryant, because Kobe will retire after finishing this season.

Zhang Xiaotian has the third most votes in the frontcourt in the Western Conference. In fact, Durant is the only forward player in the frontline. The reason is that Kobe signed up for the frontcourt this season.

There is no way around this, Leonard followed closely, and is likely to lose his starting position because of Kobe.

Yang Feiyu felt that Zhang Xiaotian's ranking was not safe, and called on fans to vote again.

Although the Warriors have such a good record this year, Zhang Xiaotian should be able to enter the All-Stars without becoming the starter, but it is definitely better to be the starter, and he also has some expectations.

(End of this chapter)