After Benson finished telling his story, he didn't leave in a hurry, but chatted with the team members one after another.

This kind of small talk helps the players a lot with their self-confidence.

When he left, the team members still trained hard, and that kind of spiritual encouragement can be seen.

After the training, Tang Tian pulled Jokic to chat for a while.

Jokic had a good first two games of his comeback, and in the second game, he made four three-pointers and was the hero of the team's victory.

However, the feeling in the next two games dropped significantly, and in the last game, he shot 0 of 3 from outside the three-point line.

Now that Williams is already using Jokic as a starter, his touch will have a bigger impact on the Pelicans.

And Jokic is the kind of player with a very high ball quotient, who won't force his shot if he knows he doesn't feel good, and will stand more under the basket.

It's a good choice, but the problem is that it makes him less strategic.

His defense is not as good as Whiteside's, so the starting effect will be less than Whiteside's.

"Nikolai, AD couldn't find his touch after he came back, and what I said to him was to keep shooting, because the next goal must happen after the next shot."

Tang Tian used Davis's example to encourage Whiteside before, and now he uses it to encourage Jokic.

"I know your worries, you're worried that if you don't shoot, you're going to hurt the team, but trust me, as long as you keep shooting, it's going to help the team."

He went on to add.

"I'm shooting threes, and if I don't make it's going to be a long rebound, the Spurs will take the opportunity to fight back."

Jokic voiced his concerns.

His understanding of the game is really on point.

"Just shoot, and the defense will be left to me."

Tang Tian's words gave people a full sense of security.

Jokic nodded, Tang Tian had said this, it was not appropriate for him not to vote.

Tang Tian had a private chat with Williams the next day.

It's about the team's defense.

He said in front of Jokic that the defense was handed over to him, and that was just to reassure Jokic and build him confidence.

Because most of Jokic's opportunities outside the three-point line came from his sudden points, he was mostly in the Spurs restricted area at that time, and it was too late to retreat.

At that time, it was the Pelicans' perimeter players who really needed to do a good job of retreating.

It's not anyone's business, it's the team that needs to do the defensive deployment accordingly.

Williams agreed with what Tang Tian said, and adjusted the morning training session to make retreat a special training content.

That night, Game 5 of the series between the Pelicans and Spurs kicked off at New Orleans Arena.

The stadium was full.

Although the team is down 1-3 and the outside world looks down on them, New Orleans fans still support the Pelicans.

Before the game begins, the Pelicans players are making final preparations for the game.

With Holt's interview stimulus and Benson's mental encouragement, the Pelicans' morale is not low now.

Before leaving, Tang Tian also pulled the team members to pour a burst of chicken soup.

It's just not the same as what was said before.

"Forget the big score of the two teams now, forget the situation we are in now, don't think about how we can win this series, don't think about the next games, let's set a small goal for ourselves first, win tonight's game, just win tonight's game!"

Tang Tian's words were loud, and the team members all nodded vigorously after listening to them.

If you want to win the whole series, you will have little hope as the outside world says, but if you focus on the present, it will be completely different.

Because they just need to win tonight's game.

And in a game, the chances of both sides winning are equal!

The big three of TNT also came to the scene to commentate.

Whether the Pelicans will be eliminated tonight is naturally a topic they can't escape.

"Of course not!"

O'Neal still sticks to his Don Blowing persona, unwavering in his side with the Pelicans.

"They're not going to lose this home stadium."

But what people didn't expect was that Kenny Smith also defected this time and was in the same camp as O'Neal.

Barkley glanced disdainfully at his old and new partners.

"They're going to lose this series, but they shouldn't lose this home game."

Before Barkley could finish speaking, O'Neal and Smith were already laughing.

With that disdainful look, they thought that Barkley was going to be tough to the end, but they didn't expect to choose to join them in the end.

O'Neal laughed and pointed at Barkley.

It's okay to turn enemies into friends.

Barkley himself laughed.

However, he is not stupid, and he summed up his experience the last time he was slapped in the face.

Originally, the Pelicans should have been demoralized after falling behind 1-3, but as soon as he saw the spirit of the Pelicans players when they came out of the players' tunnel, he knew that things were not good.

So he decisively chose to support the Pelicans.

Rarely, the TNT Big Three are all bullish on the Pelicans tonight.

This also made some fans who were not able to go to the scene, especially domestic fans, excited.

This is a very positive sign.

After the opening ceremony, the starters of the two teams were introduced one after another.

Both teams started the same as they did on the court, with Jokic still replacing Whiteside as the Pelicans' starting center.

Davis jumped to beat Pau Gasol to give the Pelicans a chance to take the lead in attack.

Tang Tian held the ball in the front court, and the Spurs' strategy was the same as in the previous games, still to contain Tang Tian.

However, Tang Tian's choice was very decisive, and after a change of direction, he pulled out his hand in the face of Green's defense.

"Huh!"

He's been in great form for the series, coming up with the first shot.

The cheers continued, and it was a very good start.

The Pelicans went first, but in turn, the Spurs' hammer play was over, and Parker faced Jokic.

Seeing Jokic defend himself, he hit a low-handed layup after a change of direction.

The Spurs have a clear offensive mind, still clinging to Jokic's defense.

The Pelicans' offense, Tang Tian broke through and was caught and distributed the ball to Jokic at the top of the arc.

Jokic made a decisive three-point shot.

"Bang dang!"

Striking iron.

Feel this kind of thing, once you lose it, it's really not so easy to get it back.

However, the Pelicans were quick to retreat from the perimeter and did not give the Spurs a chance to play a defensive counterattack.

Retreating to the halfcourt, Parker played Jokic again in a misplaced position, and this time Jokic shrank to the basket, and he opted for a mid-range shot.

"Huh!"

Parker's mid-distance score too.

The Spurs started the game 4-2.

This time, the Pelicans are in trouble.

Jokic's touch doesn't look like it's been found yet, and Parker looks to be in good shape, and Jokic's defense will be targeted infinitely.

Whiteside, who was on the sidelines, glanced at Williams at this time, and the expression had already written everything he wanted to say on his face.

Look at you don't need me to start, if you continue to play like this, you will definitely lose, and I am now the best choice for the Pelicans to start the center.