702: Recognize the gap
On the pitch, the fans have lost the enthusiasm they had at the beginning. And on the commentary stage, Kenny. Smith and O'Neill didn't bother to talk for a few minutes. It wasn't until Barkley gave the two of them a disgusted look that they finally spoke.
Pitchside, Devon. Cassie sat lonely on the bench, her hands over her face. Beside him was Drummond with a solemn expression.
This gentleman scored a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds today, but as a "pie-eating" insider, Drummond only shot 44.4% today. And on the defensive end, Drummond didn't contribute much either. Lopez hit three three-pointers today, all thanks to a lack of timely defense.
Meanwhile, on the court, Antetokounmpo used his stride breakaway to break down Griffin's "fortress" that he had built with his body. Griffin was already a little physically overdrawn at this time, and he couldn't keep up with Antetokounmpo's pace.
And since Lopez has already made three three-pointers today, the Bucks' defense is not too daring to shrink. And just like that, Antetokounmpo completed another performance of bombing the basket. After this goal, Antetokounmpo has already scored his 38th point of the game.
It is only one step away from 40 points in a single game.
"It's another goal, Antetokounmpo's attack is just too easy. Griffin tried his best, but still couldn't keep up with Antetokounmpo. Before the game, many Detroit media expected Griffin to play well in the series, and Griffin himself said that he would leave no stone unturned. They didn't lie, but the brutal truth is ......"
Kenny. Smith was halfway through his speech when he suddenly paused. Because he knows that his next remarks will offend many Pistons fans. But the words have been spoken, and they cannot be swallowed back. So, the guy continued.
"But the brutal truth is that even if Griffin doesn't leave any stone unturned, he's not Antetokounmpo and Henson. Joe's opponent! β
Antetokounmpo's goal gave the Pacers a 16-point lead over the Pistons with 2:48 left to play. German. Casey wasn't going to give up yet, he didn't want to just admit his defeat.
So, he didn't make substitutions and didn't take a timeout. He still has hope for Griffin, and sometimes, maybe it only takes a few three-pointers to turn the tide around.
However, Griffin was still lost in the face of the huge difference in strength between the two sides. Then on a Pistons offense, Griffin's layup stumbled out again. Antetokounmpo's tough defense put Griffin under immense pressure and made every time he scored.
Griffin hit the basket, and the Pacers instantly switched offense and defense. This time, Antetokounmpo unexpectedly didn't cut inside, but ran outside the three-point line. It looked like it was opening up space for George's breakthrough.
But just after George hit the box, he suddenly split the ball, targeting Antetokounmpo from beyond the three-point line.
Antetokounmpo had already played with confidence and feel, so he was very decisive from beyond the three-point line this time.
I saw that this tall forward, whose three-point shooting rate will exceed 30% in the regular season this season, fell with his hand, and the basketball passed through the net, leaving only a "white wave".
At that moment, Devin. A string in Casey and Griffin's hearts seemed to break suddenly. With 41 points in a single game, Antetokounmpo completely blew up Griffin.
Griffin has only scored 19 points in the game so far, and every 19 of those points has been extremely difficult. From the first quarter of the game, Griffin made Antetokounmpo foul, but so far, in addition to giving Antetokounmpo 4 big shots, he has only made Antetokounmpo carry 3 painless fouls.
This three-pointer made Griffin and Casey realize the fact that the difference in strength between the two sides is too large. Whether it's the gap between the Pacers and the Pistons or the gap between Griffin and Antetokounmpo, it's bigger than the outside world thinks!
Finally, Casey called for a halt to the game. He looked at Griffin as he walked off the court, and Griffin looked at his head coach. But both sides didn't say anything, because their faces were full of unwillingness and helplessness.
They were not willing to be slaughtered by the walkers, but helplessly, they were unable to do anything to resist......
"Blake." After Griffin was seated, he returned to German. Casey spoke first, "From now on, take a good rest." β
Griffin froze for a moment when he heard Casey's order, but quickly nodded. He knew it was time to give up on the game. His pre-match wishes were naΓ―ve.
Griffin sat down next to Drummond, both of them looking equally disappointed. The two huge pillars that supported the piston had both fallen.
Also falling is the Detroit Pistons' dream of letting the defending champions take off a layer of skin.
As it turns out, let alone peel the defending champions. The Pistons just made it difficult for the Pacers, and they couldn't do it.
On the other hand, the Pacers' bench is a completely different scenario than the Pistons. How lifeless the Pistons are, how cheerful the Pacers are.
Antetokounmpo, who has scored 41 points, hugged his teammates one after another, most of which was Henson.
"Well done, boy. Want to score more? I can give you a little longer. β
Henson smiled happily, knowing that Antetokounmpo wasn't going to let him down. In fact, Henson didn't have any complicated tactics laid out today. He just told Antetokounmpo to take down Griffin, and he won the match.
"Don't worry about it, we've won and I've got enough stats. I didn't disappoint you. β
"Yes, you didn't disappoint me, Janis. Keep it up, I don't want to see any accidents happen in this whole series. β
Henson is content to withdraw the team, and the Warriors will be cornered by the Clippers, but it does not mean that the Pacers will also be in trouble against the underdogs.
And in itself, Henson has to do better than the Warriors to win the championship.
Finally, a shrill electronic beep put an end to the game. It was a relief for both the Pistons players and the fans in attendance.
Fans found the game a bit boring, and the Pistons players were left on the basketball court without a face.
"At the end of the match, the outcome and process of this matchup were not what I expected. Yesterday, the Clippers nearly upset the Warriors in Oakland. But today, the Pistons are experiencing what a real gap in thinking is in Indianapolis. Maybe you shouldn't have expected much from the Pistons from the start. β
Griffin stood up with blank eyes in his eyes, and at this point he had to accept that he was no longer among the top players in the league. Sometimes in the face of a huge gap in strength, you can't do anything with a lot of enthusiasm.
Reality is not a comic, it's much more brutal than a comic.
After the game, Griffin was approached by numerous media outlets asking him about the game. One of the most frequently asked questions by Griffin was, "How do you evaluate Janis. Antetokounmpo's performance today. β
In this regard, Griffin could only shake his head helplessly, "He scored 41 points on my head, what else do I have to evaluate?" β
Blake, who was proud 24 hours ago. Griffin, has come to terms with reality. In this year's playoffs, the Detroit Pistons are just a pebble on the Pacers' way to winning the championship. Henson only needed a light kick to kick the Pistons far away.
The day after the first game of the series, the Detroit press was all silent. They allowed the Pacers to crush the Pistons 4-0 without any rebuttal.
What is the difference between a real super striker and Griffin, Henson used the most simple and crude way to make everyone understand the difference.
However, Pistons coach Devin . Casey, but still unwilling to give up. As a coach who has led his team to the Eastern Conference Finals, he really can't accept that his team will be eliminated like this.
And at this juncture, a shocking event happened. This thing also made Devon. Casey's desire to win has become even stronger......