The strongest champion puzzle

Chapter 490 Dangerous West
Coach Stevens is also constantly exploring the combination of star personal attacks and tactics.

The Celtics did not have a star with stronger offensive power like Irving before, and Thomas Jr. was a little bit worse.

The most important thing is that a single advantage can be converted into a victory. Irving has indeed done a good job this season, but in front of the Spurs, he is not as easy as he used to be.

In fact, it is not that complicated for the Spurs to limit Irving, just reduce Parker's playing time, and they did the same. Parker was replaced after playing for more than two minutes in the third quarter.

Owen has strong offensive power and explosive power, but he cannot be so stable under tight defense. This is also a common problem of many offensive guards. After all, his physical condition is not as good as that of strikers.

After Irving's scoring efficiency declined, both sides entered a stalemate.

Then the Spurs gained the advantage, and Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard's impact were at the top of the league.

But as the two went down to rest one after another, the Celtics chased the score back, this time they stood up Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics may not have players like Zhang Xiaotian and Leonard to stand up and attack the Spurs' defense, but there are many players who can play, and the Spurs cannot be careless.

In the final quarter, Tatum did not go down, and he and Marcus Morris guarded Zhang Xiaotian strictly.

However, the Celtics and the previous opponents of the Spurs made the same mistake, that is, insufficient offensive firepower.

If Zhang Xiaotian can't be locked, if they can't score, what's the use of restricting Zhang Xiaotian a little bit.

In 2 minutes, Zhang Xiaotian called the Celtics to a timeout.

At 2:7 in 0 minutes, the Celtics could only replace Irving and Horford.

So the Celtics began to score, but they also fell behind.

The Spurs will not give up the lead. Zhang Xiaotian's ball-handling singles are only one aspect. Ginobili, Evans, and Gerald Green all received the ball from beyond the three-point line.

Ginobili is now more effective than Parker, three-pointers are a very important reason, and he is five years older than Parker, it is very important for athletes to have more means when their physical functions decline.

Owen played well again and scored 2+1, but it only made the two sides stalemate.

When the time entered the last 5 minutes, the Celtics began to increase their three-pointers.

Irving, Tatum, and Jaylen Brown all hit three-pointers, but they also missed three-pointers.

Zhang Xiaotian also hit a three-pointer and went inside to score.

The score has been hovering between 5 and 10 points, the game has reached a fever pitch, and it is very difficult for anyone to go further.

At 1 minute and 32 seconds, Zhang Xiaotian steals Jaylen Brown.

Then he hit a three-pointer in the counterattack, and the score gap between the two sides came to 10 points again.

The Celtics finally lost their belief in winning, and then Irving made two consecutive shots against the defense from outside the three-point line, and also hit the iron twice in a row, and the game ended.

That's it, the Spurs have won eight consecutive victories, and Zhang Xiaotian's scoring average is still 30+.

In the second back-to-back game, the Spurs took a large-scale rotation, but Zhang Xiaotian and Aldridge did not rest, and the two were still stronger than each other with a substitute lineup.

The Suns didn't play well at the beginning, and the young players felt better without the pressure behind them, but it didn't have much impact on the outcome of the game.

The Spurs easily won the second back-to-back game, and they have won ten consecutive victories.

Leonard's strength has almost recovered to [-]%, and the playing time of each game can be increased. In a few days, he should not be included in the rotation list.

The Spurs' record has just surpassed the Warriors to become second in the West, and now the Rockets are number one in the West.

The Rockets got Paul, and their strength has steadily improved.

The main reason is that they have not been figured out by other teams, such as the luxurious lineups of the Spurs and Warriors, other teams are used to it, and with a lot of targeted tactics, it is impossible to always be a winning general in the regular season.

At this time, the powerful teams have gradually appeared in the eyes of the fans, and the competition for the top few in the East is also very fierce.

Zhang Xiaotian also agrees that the Spurs did not work hard in the regular season.

Like a strong team, the real battlefield is the playoffs, so the health of the players is very important.

When Leonard is not playing, Zhang Xiaotian has a lot of statistics, it is really difficult to play against strong teams.

On November 12, the Spurs came to Dallas to play against the Mavericks.

The Mavericks got off to a good start in this game, and Yogi Ferrell, the undrafted pick on their guard line, showed a very good scoring ability.

But then they returned to their true colors, and the Spurs caught up with the score in the second quarter.

In the second half, it was completely the Spurs' world.

The Mavericks have no one now, and it is difficult to play anything tactically, and Carlisle has no choice.

Now the Spurs have won [-] consecutive victories, and the outside world is also speculating how long the Spurs can win this time.

After Leonard came back, no one doubted the strength of the Spurs.

When Zhang Xiaotian faced the reporter, he honestly expressed that winning streak is not important, and hoped that all his teammates will be healthy.

Just when the reporter thought he had changed his temper, he said that health is the basis for winning the championship.

Reporters usually feel excited about this kind of topic, but Zhang Xiaotian talked too much, and they got used to it instead.

But on December 12, the Spurs still lost when they met the No. 15 Rockets in the Western Conference.

It is indeed a clever move for the Rockets to trade for Paul while retaining the core lineup in the summer.

The renewal of PJ-Tucker, Nene and other role players has kept the team from being hollowed out by the transaction. The Rockets, which have always been relatively economical, have also been generous this season.

In other words, the Rockets have great ambitions this season.

Of course, this is also because the Rockets have a new boss.

The new boss Fertitta is a well-known local tycoon, and he must do a lot to buy his hometown team.

This has nothing to do with the Spurs' loss. The Rockets' offensive power this season is really fierce. At the beginning of the game, the Spurs did not resist a little bit and something went wrong.

The Spurs also understand why the Rockets played so well at the start. The offensive power is only the appearance, and the significant improvement in defensive ability is the key.

The Rockets were even stronger on the offensive end last year, but their defense was a few notches worse. This season, they finally entered the ranks of a strong team.

There are already three first-tier teams in the West, as well as the Thunder, Pelicans, and Timberwolves that seem to be able to disrupt the situation. Popovich also said after the game that it will not be easy for the Spurs to break through in the West this season.

As for the weak teams in the West, let's take a break early. They can prepare to compete for a good pick soon after the season starts.

In the current league, if there are not a few All-Stars in the team, it's better to save the playoffs. The league's teams have greatly appreciated in value, and the team has to be willing to spend money.

(End of this chapter)