Arco Arena, Sacramento.

When was the last time the Kings weren't in the lotto? The answer is 2006.

That year, two years before the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, the most popular mobile phone was still Nokia, and you had to use MP3 to listen to songs. Wade, James and others have just entered their third year in the league......

It's a very rare thing for a team to make it to the lotto zone for 12 years in a row. Even the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost their winning culture for a while, have climbed up in the last two years with the performance of Embiid and Simmons.

This shows how weak the Sacramento Kings are.

But today, the weak king has put the Pacers in a bitter battle. Until the last 16 seconds, Willy. A layup from Cauley Stein gave the Kings a one-point lead over the Pacers in a crucial moment.

Henson called a timeout and set up a stunner tactic. But alas, Paul. George didn't take advantage of the last opportunity, and his mid-range shot allowed the Kings to hold the one-point deficit until the end of the game.

110-111, the Sacramento Kings broke the biggest upset of the season! And they also became the second team to defeat the Pacers this season after the Trail Blazers.

Although the loss of this game may feel incredible, it is also the charm of the NBA. No game is absolutely stable.

And if Henson is to say, the current king is truly talented. To get rid of the fate of consecutive lottos, these two years are the king's best chance.

After the game, the Pacers players were very frustrated. They actually played fairly well today, but the Kings held their ground with a 44.8% three-point shooting rate.

As for the goal at the last moment, in addition to comparing strength, the two sides are actually comparing luck.

It's just a pity that the Pacers were the worse side today.

Henson was ready to be "baptized" by reporters, after all, you are only allowed to lose, and no one is allowed to talk about you?

However, at the post-match press conference, Henson was surprisingly not troubled by any reporters!

"Coach Henson, do you think the Kings are a bit out of the ordinary?"

"Have you thought about going for 70 wins this season? How sure are you that you can win 70? ”

"In the next game against the Bulls, will you field your ultimate lineup?"

The journalists' questions were varied, but few were related to the loss. Henson looked at the reporters in astonishment, they all took the wrong medicine today? What a great opportunity to embarrass yourself!

However, all the journalists down there know. The loss was nothing to the Pacers. After all, they've only just had a month of victory. Losing the first game in December doesn't mean anything.

If you take the loss of this game to attack Henson, there is usually only one result - being slapped in the face by Henson's subsequent game!

So, journalists simply don't wade into troubled waters. After all these years, they have been messed up enough by Henson.

The next day, the Pacers were beaten by the Kings, who had been in the lottery for 12 years in a row, only to be lightly brushed off by reporters.

They all know that there's no point in playing up the Pacers' loss in this game. Of course, don't think that Henson will become a national icon. In fact, journalists are still not very friendly to Henson. It's just that they are patiently waiting for an opportunity.

Wait for an opportunity to bring Henson off the altar in one fell swoop.

After the loss to the Kings, the Pacers have been winning for most of December, just like they did this past November.

On December 4, he defeated the Bulls, on December 7, he defeated the Magic, on December 8, he took revenge on the Kings, and on December 10, he defeated the Wizards.

After that, the four teams of the Bucks, 76ers, Knicks and Cavaliers naturally couldn't stop the Pacers' brutal expansion.

The 76ers actually had a good chance to beat the Pacers, but it was a pity that Embiid's performance on 1-of-6 shooting from beyond the three-point line dragged him back.

So far, the Pacers have won another eight-game winning streak, and their record has accumulated to an exaggerated 27-2. Although this is Henson's last season, Wade's last season and Dirk's last.

But unlike the latter two, who are just enjoying basketball, Henson is still bloodthirsty.

Sure enough, the Pacers' loss to the Kings in early December was nothing to mention. Because the real defending champion cannot be denied by an ordinary loss.

So what if, the Pacers, experience a loss that is not so ordinary?

On Dec. 18, when the Pacers defeated the Cavaliers at home, the post-game press conference became extremely lively.

Of course, reporters didn't gather here because of the game itself. After all, the Cavaliers, as a lottery team, are not at all surprised to lose to the Pacers. The reason why the reporters are so excited today is that the opportunity they have been waiting for for Henson to make a mess has finally come!

"Coach Henson, will you fly to Toronto right away later?"

"What preparations have you made for tomorrow's game?"

"Does back-to-back play affect the team's form? Do you have the confidence to win? ”

Underneath, the flashing lights made Henson feel a little dizzy. Today's game shouldn't have been so appealing, but unfortunately, the heat of tomorrow's game has already reached Indian's Presspolis.

Tomorrow, Dec. 19, Henson will lead his team to Toronto in the north.

If it had been placed in the past, Henson would not have taken the Toronto Raptors seriously at all. Don't look at the Raptors who played well in the regular season, but when they meet a really top team in the playoffs, they wilt.

But this year was different, and the Toronto Raptors turned into a truly top-tier team. So far in the regular season, the Raptors have not lost in double digits. It's a testament to how strong they have been this year.

Of course, the most important point is.

Today, the Toronto Raptors are led by Kawaii. Leonard came to lead!

Henson couldn't help but smile as he looked at the formation in front of him. I knew that I wouldn't have cultivated them so well in the first place......

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It only takes 1 hour and 35 minutes to fly from Indianapolis to Toronto. However, even a short flight time can be a torture for players who have just finished a game.

By the time the Pacers plane landed in Toronto, it was already 1 a.m. And unfortunately, it is snowing heavily in Toronto at this time, and the climate is very harsh.

"Damn the weather, I hate it here!" Henson wrapped his big padded jacket tightly, and even so, it was still bitterly cold.

Toronto is a place that most NBA superstars don't want to come to, which is why the Raptors have been short of superstars. In addition to the Raptors' mediocre strength, Toronto's poor climate has also turned most superstars away.

Winter in Toronto starts in October and the low temperatures continue until April! It can be said that for most of the year, Toronto spends the winter.

How many people will like such a climate?

It's December, and it's one of the coldest months in Toronto. The average low temperature in Toronto in December reaches minus 3°C, and the extreme low temperature can even be as low as minus 30°C!

Before coming today, Henson also looked at the temperature here. Thankfully, the Pacers didn't experience extreme temperatures. But they were also very unlucky, because the temperature in Toronto was much lower than expected on average, at -15°C.

After getting off the plane, Henson didn't have the heart to think about the Raptors and Leonard at all. The bad weather has already made him anxious.

After leading everyone back to the hotel, Henson felt like he was breathing a sigh of relief. Just now, he thought that the team bus was going to be flooded by a snowstorm.

"It's not too early, let's rest early! Start training tomorrow at noon, don't take it lightly! ”

After a few words, Henson let everyone disband. He himself fell asleep quickly, fully prepared for tomorrow's big battle.

Toronto Raptors vs Indiana Pacers, this is the first meeting between the two Eastern Conference Finals competitors this season!

Everyone expects the Raptors to end the Pacers' winning streak, and reporters have waited long enough for this day.

※※※

"Knock knock!"

A sharp knock on the door woke Henson from his sleep, and the man, who was almost 40 years old, opened his eyes dimly to find that the sky outside the window was still black.

"Knock knock!"

The knocking continued, and Henson turned on the light, then looked at the clock on the bedside table, and was shocked.

It's four o'clock in the morning, and it's time when someone comes looking for you, usually it's an emergency! Could it be that there are players who go out and fool around?

He immediately opened the door, but it wasn't McMillan or Becky standing outside the door. Harmon, not even the team's equipment manager, is the Pacers' chief team physician, Jim. Clarke.

"Clark? What happened? ”

"Henson, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but...... It's Janis, and the kid isn't in good shape. I just took his temperature and he seems to have a fever. ”

Listening to the team doctor's words, Henson's eyes widened. Yes, his badge only guarantees that players get as few injuries as possible, but there is no way to ensure that players avoid getting sick.

"Well, he ......"

"He's probably not going to be in time for tomorrow's back-to-back games." Before Henson could ask, the team doctor said what Henson feared most.

This trip to Toronto has become more and more difficult.