The invincible kryptonite of basketball

There is the inheritance of the shooting guard, and here, it is the inheritance of the national team.

Chapter 824 Two 3 to 1

After winning the third game, the Pelicans had a 3-0 lead by a big score.

They hope that after sweeping the Mavericks, they will continue to sweep the Rockets out.

The fourth game is two days away, and the Pelicans are also preparing for the game.

During the training on the game day, Stevens was interviewed by reporters.

Sweep was a topic that was brought up many times.

"That will be a difficult thing to do. They certainly don't want to end the season in this way. They will play harder and harder than the first three games. We must be prepared to fight hard."

Stevens doesn't have much experience coaching the playoffs, but he has already experienced it when he played the Mavericks in the first round.

The Rockets are stronger than the Mavericks, and the game will be even harder to play.

That night, the fourth game of the Pelicans-Rockets series officially kicked off at the Houston Arena.

Although there is no hope of coming back from a 0-3 deficit, there are many ways to lose, and a sweep is definitely the last thing they want to accept.

Whether it is the serious expressions of the Rockets players during training before the game, or the state after the game starts, it all illustrates this point.

Although there were two big defeats in the first three games, the losses were all due to tactics and strategy, and the Rockets' players' fighting spirit was not defeated.

Especially in the last game they were leading at halftime, which helped them a lot in terms of confidence.

After the two teams played, the situation was very anxious.

The Rockets coaching staff is also making adjustments in offensive tactics.

They learned from the last game of the Pelicans. Two shooters were in the bottom corners to open up the offensive space, and then let Harden break through.

Cousins' defensive ability is not strong, and Jokic is actually like that.

This trick worked, and Morris continued to score a three-pointer at the beginning of the previous game, forcing the Pelicans not to shrink at will.

And Harden kept hitting Jokic until Stevens replaced Biyombo.

And on the defensive end, they selectively put Ariza and Holiday, trying to protect the basket as much as possible.

Relying on their enthusiasm and hard work, their defense is also doing well.

Of course, the most important thing is that Paul, who hadn't shown much before, ushered in an explosion.

He made 3 of 3 shots from beyond the three-point line in the first half, and he made every shot!

Where is this Paul, it is clearly Curry!

And he felt that this kind of outside player was still there in the second half.

After the whole game, he made 10 of 6 three-pointers and scored 30 points and 6 assists.

哈登和考辛斯表现也不错，分别贡献18分11助攻7篮板和21分14板。

The Big Three broke out collectively for the first time in the series.

This performance also allowed them to finally defeat the Pelicans 110-101 and get their first victory in the series.

What Stevens said before the game hit the nail on the head.

After the game, Rockets fans took to social media to celebrate that the team wasn't swept.

And D'Antoni once again showed confidence to the fans in the post-match press conference.

"It's not James alone, the last game DeMarcus stood up and we almost won the game, this time Chris stepped up and we won.

I believe they will still do that in the following games. If we win one game, we can win the second game. Playing game by game, I still have full confidence in the team winning the series. "

The Rockets defended their home court to avoid a sweep, rewriting the big score of the series to 1-3.

However, the attention of the fans was completely attracted by another game the next day.

In the fourth game that just ended between the Thunder and the Warriors, the Thunder beat the Warriors 108-106 at home, rewriting the big score to 3-1!

In the Western Conference semifinals, there were two 3 to 1!

It's just that the two 3 to 1 situations are completely different.

The Rockets barely avoided a sweep, while the Thunder were one step away from knocking out the defending champions!

This has attracted constant discussion from fans, and the latest episode of TNT's program has skyrocketed in attention.

The Big Three frantically analyzed the next game form on the show.

"I think the Rockets have found their way to win. If Cousins ​​hadn't been sent off in the third game, the score of the series should be 2 to 2 now, so they still have a chance to win the series."

Barkley opened his mouth to analyze.

"Yes, this round of confrontation was all about tactical competition. The Rockets were completely defeated, but as the game deepened, both sides have figured out each other's tactics. The next step is to play. I think the Rockets, although 1-3 [-] behind, but still have a chance."

Kenny Smith also said with his professional analysis.

"You mean, they will become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 0-3 deficit?"

O'Neill looked disturbed.

Smith nodded.

"Why not?"

Barkley asked back.

O'Neill pointed at the two people who sang together, couldn't help laughing and shaking his head.

Speaking of which, these two people were completely defeated by him in the first round of predictions. This is not reconciled, and they are standing on the united front again.

"Speaking of which, we should be concerned about the defending champions now, they are going home to fish soon."

Barkley continued.

"The biggest problem for the Warriors now is that they consume too much in the regular season. In the three games they lost in the past, almost every one of them except Curry and Thompson scored in double figures. It is too difficult to win the game. .”

"That's why I've never been optimistic about them. The jump shot team can win a championship by luck, but there will never be a second time."

O'Neill and Barkley took turns to analyze, and they felt that the defending champion was cold.

"No, I think the Warriors still have a chance."

Smith offered a different perspective.

"The Thunder's style of play is very aggressive. They have been frantically rushing and defending throughout the series, which will consume a lot of their energy. If they can win the next game, the series will be over. If they can't , they will likely lose the series."

Smith's statement is very novel, but very convincing, Barkley and O'Neal have nodded one after another.

"Actually I hope the Warriors win, I just watch the Pelicans play the Warriors again."

O'Neill continued.

The Big Three reached an agreement on the Warriors, and it seems that only the Pelicans can make them have huge differences.

After Game [-], the Pelicans returned to New Orleans the next day.

On the plane, Tang Tian and Stevens talked about team tactics again.

It's impossible for Paul to hit six 6-pointers every game, but there's no guarantee he won't be able to hit the next one.

The Pelicans only focused on Harden's defensive style and succeeded in one game, but the effect in the past two games has not been very good.

Although D'Antoni's reaction was a bit slow, he is a famous coach after all, and the adjustment between field and field is still good.

"Let's keep it simple and put me and LeBron directly against each other."

Tang Tian mentioned his thoughts to Stevens.

Chapter 825 Destroying Harden

Harden didn't score much in the past two games, but he assisted a lot. His role in the Rockets is still very important.

Tang Tian's idea is very simple, he wants to use the most brutal one-on-one method to blow Harden up.

The Rockets with only Paul and Cousins ​​are no match for the Pelicans.

And this is also a warm-up for the next round of competition.

If it is still the Warriors, playing Curry in a dislocation is an inevitable tactic. If it is the Thunder, they also need to play Adams in a dislocation.

In other words, this is a tactical adjustment and a warm-up for the next round of competition.

Stevens agreed.

The next game is played in New Orleans, which is the best time for the Pelicans to end the series.

If you lose again and go to Houston, the series will be dragged on for a long time, and it may even be overturned.

"I'm going to put Jokic on the bench."

Stevens continued.

Tang Tian nodded.

Jokic's defense against Cousins ​​is mediocre, and if he decides to play one-on-one with Harden now, his physical strength will be exhausted faster than before.

If he leaves early, Jokic needs to play early to organize.

And Jokic is very professional, unlike Whiteside before, as long as Stevens makes it clear, he shouldn't get emotional.

On game day, when the Rockets arrived in New Orleans, D'Antoni only arranged for an hour or two of acclimatization.

The mental outlook of the Rockets looks very good.

"I still have full confidence in the team, they will continue to play like the last game."

D'Antoni said the same thing before the media.

As a head coach, he has to show this confidence to the outside world.

That night, fans held up signs and chanted the slogan "Pelicans Championship" and poured into the arena.

It's a pity that it failed to sweep the Rockets, but it's also a very good thing to be able to end the series at home.

"Today, I think the Pelicans are likely to make adjustments again. Their tactics against Harden in the past two games have not been that effective."

In the broadcast booth in the arena, Zhang Weiping began to explain the heat early.

"What does Director Zhang mean?"

Yang Yi on the side spoke up.

"I think they will probably use Tang Tian to defend against Harden."

After Zhang Weiping finished speaking, he immediately explained again without waiting for Yang Yi to ask.

"Look, if Tang Tian is used to defend Harden, then the others will be liberated? Then Paul and Cousins ​​will definitely not be able to play like the previous two games. Wouldn't the game become easier?"

Zhang Weiping analyzed it for a while, and then showed his iconic smile.

Yang Yi on the side laughed and laughed.

It was obvious that he didn't agree with Zhang Weiping's statement.

The offense of the playoff stars is too important, especially in the small ball era of pursuit of offense. Few coaches will use the team's superstar to defend against the opponent's superstar, which is not worth the candle.

Zhang Weiping's thoughts are still stuck in his own time, which is already out of date.

The two were talking, and the starting players of both sides had already appeared on the stage one after another.

The Pelicans have a starting adjustment here, and Biyombo replaced Jokic as the starting center.

Biyombo beat Cousins ​​and officially kicked off the game.

Holiday held the ball across half court, and Tang Tian and Ariza had an off-ball pick-and-roll.

When Tang Tian's defender was replaced by Harden, Holiday then handed over the ball and pulled the defender away.