The Spurs are not in great form.

They shot horribly low three-point shooting tonight, shooting just 2-of-8 and not making a single three-point shot for the entire third quarter.

Popovich has always claimed that "Lao Tzu hates three-point shooting the most", but in fact, from a very early time, the Spurs have been a team that has a high degree of utilization and development of three-point shooting.

And the three-point shot feel is a thing that often comes when it comes to it.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Li Liang rested off the court, and Bird let Stephenson take the second team on the court.

Bird is looking at Stephenson's role in the second team.

If it works out, he will consider putting Stephenson on the bench and playing the role of sixth man.

From the perspective of function, personality and other aspects, Finson is actually very suitable for the role of the sixth person.

Of course, whether it is suitable or not needs to be practiced to know.

The Spurs opened the first attack in the fourth quarter, and when they were 14 points behind, the Spurs still played methodically and seriously ran tactics.

In the end, Belineri found an open space 45 degrees on the right and hit a three-point shot after receiving the pass.

It was a crucial three-pointer.

From the beginning of the third quarter, the Pacers pursued a strategy of shrinking the defense because the Spurs did not have a good three-point game.

When the Spurs can't shoot, the more the Pacers shrink.

In the case of overall height and interior line not dominant, the Pacers relied on shrinking defense to contain the Spurs' offense, and achieved good results.

But the Spurs hit a three-pointer as soon as the fourth quarter started, which meant the Pacers' defense was in trouble.

Luis Scola then burst in on a pass from Finson down the middle and then split the ball to the wing, only to make a mistake.

The ball was tackled by Dior, and the Spurs did not play a quick counterattack, but stabilized their position and attacked the position.

Dior handed the ball to Parker, and he fell to the low post, beat Scola with the ball, and with the Pacers coming up, a clever ground-and-hitting pass to Belineri, who was inserted in the middle, and Belineri received the ball and made another layup.

The difference was 9 points.

Finsen then passed the ball to Scola from mid-range and missed.

But the inside Lu Dairi grabbed the rebound in the front court, and then made a layup to score two points.

Li Liangdu got up and applauded Lu Dairi, and it was not easy to brush one board and two points in one attack.

But after all, the number of such balls is very rare, and the Pacers can't live on Luday's rebounds.

Spurs bench guard Joseph broke through the middle to the basket, dodged Luday's block, and scored a layup.

Then, after Scola and Stephenson blocked and cooperated, he moved to the baseline and caught the ball with a mid-range jumper.

The margin was still maintained, and it looked like Stephenson was playing well with possession of the ball and a calm mind.

But the Spurs played better offensively.

Their outside feel has revived.

Belineri carries the ball to the front of the court, and a simple return is given to Dio, who is following him.

Dio received the ball and shot straight from three-point - Scola stood inside the three-point line and didn't have time to interfere.

"Huh!"

A crisp sound of a ball scraping the net, hit.

The second three-pointer of the fourth quarter, the Spurs' resurgence of three-point shooting, put a lot of pressure on the Pacers' defense.

When Lance Stephenson chose to attack himself and missed, and after Belineri hit another breakthrough and toss in the counterattack, the score came to 90-84, and the Spurs still trailed by six points.

Bird called a timeout, and if he was chased like this, the Spurs would soon be able to turn things around again.

Li Liang and McGee replaced Rudej and Scola.

Bird also doesn't want to use a small lineup, firstly, this lineup is not particularly stable, and secondly, he always lets Li Liang play center, which is a drain on him, and he is not happy to do so.

On the first offense after the timeout, Li Liang received the ball with his back to the corner position, and then received a [Bill Wharton's pass behind his head] to assist Stephenson, who was cut in the air, and Stephenson received the ball and scored two points with an easy layup.

Popovich sat on the sidelines and couldn't help but shake his head.

How does this Bruce Lee feel like he has to learn everything?

He entered the league a year later than Leonard, and he was a little older, but he learned really quickly.

Popovich regretted a little in his heart, he should have increased his chips in the summer and replaced Li Liang.

After that, Leonard held the ball and singled Li Liang one-on-one, but his step-back jumper didn't touch the basket and smashed on the rebound and missed.

McGee got the backcourt rebound, and the Pacers counterattacked.

Stephenson pushed up the offensive tempo, CJ Myers had a good chance in the bottom corner, the ball was passed, but unfortunately the three-point shot didn't go in.

Spurs guard Joseph, on the other hand, scored two points after using a simple block in the high post and hitting a mid-range jumper at the top of the arc.

The role players of the Spurs are indeed very daring to play, no matter what little-known players sound, they have become daring to fight when they come to the Spurs, and I have to say that Popovich is very good at adjusting players.

On the Pacers' side, after Li Liang re-appeared, the team found the backbone of the offense, stabilized the situation, and maintained the difference at around 5 points.

With five minutes left before the end of the game, it felt like Spurs were going to be overwhelmed.

Every time the Spurs score a goal, Li Liang can use his personal ability or goal to assist and suppress the Spurs' counterattack.

If it was the NBA 10 years ago, the difference of 5 points in the last 5 minutes, the dialogue between the strong defensive teams was really difficult to chase.

But this is the 2014-2015 season, and the NBA is no longer the same.

Popovich called a timeout, replaced Dio, and adopted a four-big lineup of Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, Greenga, and Leonard.

After the first shot after the timeout, Ginobili hit a three-point shot with the help of a cover from Duncan on the outside!

Ginobili didn't play well all the time, but he was still able to score goals at critical moments.

followed by Duncan and Leonard and began to wrap up Li Liang.

Li Liang passed the ball to JR Smith, and Smith missed a three-point shot from an open position.

The Spurs got the rebound in the backcourt, and Parker found Leonard in the bottom corner in the half.

Leonard dodged JR Smith's block with a shot feint, then adjusted his pace, stance, and a three-pointer from the bottom corner...... The ball is in!

Overtake!

In just two rounds of offense and defense, the Pacers failed to grasp the three points in an open position, and the Spurs overtook the score.

It only took a minute for the situation to change dramatically.

Bird immediately called a timeout.

I didn't want to use a small lineup, but it seems that I can't use it.

Li Liang knew that Bird was going to play center again, and he made a suggestion, saying, "Larry, can you let Danny play?" Let him try? ”

Li Liang wanted Granger to play with him for a while.

Although the medicine has not been taken for a long time, it must have some effect.

Bird hesitated and thought for a moment, thinking that he could give it a try.

Originally, the Pacers' small lineup was to let Li Liang play center, the forward position was given to Scola, and the backcourt was Stephenson, JR-Smith and Sloan.

But at Scola's point, the defense is a big problem, and the offensive end is not flexible enough.

Bird's idea is that David West will come back later to replace Scola.

In fact, West is basically the same as Scola in terms of offensive style and offensive range, but the offensive threat is greater, the body is stronger, and the defense is a little better.

Granger is different, a different kind of player in terms of style altogether – provided he can return to at least six or seven percent of his form, of course.

Bird doesn't think Granger can get back to that form, otherwise he wouldn't have been traded last year.

But now that Boss Li has spoken, of course he has to let Granger go up and give it a try, and prove that his Bird's vision is actually not wrong.

It's not that I'm ruthless, it's that this world is this sub-seed, survival of the fittest.

So Granger came on without playing in front, and the Pacers formed a combination of Leung, Granger, Finson, and Smith Gasloan.

The Spurs are one big and four small, and the Pacers are not big five (no) small lineups, also known as no big and no small.

It's a big test for the Pacers' defense.

And Li Liang withstood the test.

On the first ball after his debut, Li Liang chose to hold the ball in a high position and rushed Leonard face to face!

To be honest, Leonard's defensive level, the whole league, including James and Durant, is difficult to rush down one-on-one.

But Li Liang can, what does he rely on?

Momentum!

This psychological advantage is crucial to one-on-one high-level offensive and defensive duels.

As a result, Li Liangqiang hit the basket, and then caused Leonard's foul and went to the free throw line.

Leonard spread his hands at the referee, and he didn't know why he had fouled.

Don't say you don't know, Li Liang doesn't know either, it's a foul anyway.

With both free throws, the Pacers regained the advantage on the court.

On the defensive end, Duncan tried to play Li Liang one-on-one again.

As a result, Li Liang activated the skill [Death Coil] and cut off the ball directly from Duncan's hand.

After the break, the Pacers launched a three-line fast break, and the ball passed quickly to Danny Granger.

Granger catches the ball, quickly breaks to the basket, dodges Leonard's block, and dunks with one hand!

The home fans fell silent while the Pacers' bench exploded.

Mike Brown got up from his stool and cheered Granger with his hands in the air.

Nice fast break, nice dodge, nice dunk.

Granger feels like he's in pretty good shape, the best he's been in in the last two years.

Although it can't get back to the top, it's better than faltering.

Bird was a little surprised, Granger could dunk like this?

It's strange, I shouldn't be able to do it.

The goal was a huge morale boost for the Pacers.

Subsequently, Ginobili broke through the basket and was interfered with by Li Liang and missed the layup.

Granger grabbed the backcourt rebound, and then handed the ball to Li Liang, controlling the tempo and playing positional offense.

That's the difference between Granger and Finson.

This has to be replaced by Finson, such a good situation, and he will be reckless when he gets a backcourt rebound!

Li Liang personally controlled the ball across the half, and still faced Leonard one-on-one at the top of the arc.

Two years ago, Li Liang at the top of the arc could only receive the ball and make a transition, but after two years, he has been able to organize with the ball.

He pressed the time, watching the offensive time come to the last 5 seconds, and after an accelerated dribble, a weird smile on his face, followed by a stop-and-go jump shot!

[Sam Cassel's smile!] 】

Ball hollow into the net! Two more points.

The attack consumed more than 20 seconds.

Li Liang's so-called "ability to control the field" has become more and more powerful, and his use of skills has become more skillful.

Leonard was still expressionless, but a minute later, Li Liang's eyes floated in front of his eyes [anger +20, from Kawyan-Leonard.] 】

Alas, what is the use of being incompetent and angry?