April 22, Chicago, United Center Arena.

In the stands, the Bulls fans all wore bright red T-shirts. This formation will make the visiting team players nervous just to see it.

Today, however, the situation has been reversed. Bulls fans in red T-shirts were lifeless, while Pacers players in corn yellow away jerseys were playing the court.

This is Chicago, and this is Sag's resting place. So, Henson didn't allow himself to fail in Chicago. His agreement with Sag is still in effect.

By this time, the series had become 2-0, and the Pacers had won two home games cleanly. Today, for the first time, the series is being played on the Bulls' home court.

In the first two games, although the Bulls fought very fiercely, the difference in strength between the two sides was too huge. This gap is not a gap in a certain position or a certain round, but an all-round gap from starter to bench, from defender to center.

And the injury of Rondo's broken finger in the last game cast a shadow on the Bulls' black eight dreams. When there was Rondo, the Bulls couldn't beat the Pacers. What's more, right now, they don't have this All-Star point guard.

So today, the game in Chicago set the tone early. The Pacers led the Bulls by 20 points in the third quarter and then kept the tempo in check.

The Bulls simply gave up on the point guard, and Hojberg was forced to use Wade at the No. 1 spot, making 2015's No. 19 rookie Jerry Brown. Grant plays the second position. In this way, a line of guards was put together.

As a result, Wade couldn't get a bargain on Paul. And Paul. George, on the other hand, blew up Grant's little transparent.

No more Rondo, Jimmy. Butler and Wade also lacked a lot of easy shots. Although Rondo will not score, the difference between the team with him and the team without him is indeed very obvious.

In the absence of Rondo, Wade and Jimmy. Both of Butler hit below 40 percent. And Paul. George used a full 45-point performance to teach Hojberg a good lesson.

In the playoffs, don't play players you're not sure about.

At the end of the 48-minute battle, the Pacers scored 104 points. The Chicago Bulls, on the other hand, only scored 87 points.

Wade 18 points, Jimmy. Butler 14 points. The Chicago Bulls' offense was simply powerless against the Pacers' defense, which in turn was as fragile as paper to the Pacers.

Coach Henson made the series 3-0 in Chicago. It seems that even at home, the Bulls still can't play up against the Pacers. There's no doubt that Chicagoans can already plan their vacations. In the fourth game of the series, Coach Henson will not be relentless. Because, there is no need to extend the first round. ”

Jeff. Van Gundy sighed from the commentary stage, and it was probably the most boring round of the series outside of the Cavaliers and Hawks.

The Bulls are no match for the Pacers and are now injured by a Rondo...... It has to be said that Angeli's singing voice may have really brought good luck to Walkers and Henson.

At this moment, Chicagoans must miss Thibodeau and Ross very much. After all, only these two guys led the Bulls, who had ever eliminated the Pacers......

※※※

After the game, Henson wanted to visit Sag's graveyard. But after thinking about it, I still gave up this plan.

He decided to visit Sag again when he got his ticket to the finals, and by the way, he would be offered a ticket to the finals.

Now, without ESPN's permission, Henson can show up in the Finals if he wants to!

So, after the press conference, Henson followed the team back to the hotel by bus.

Having just won a big win, the mood of the players on the bus was very high. Everyone was fighting, and Henson felt as if he was on a bus for elementary school students to go on a spring outing.

Even Siakam, a relatively silent and introverted guy, was smiling a lot today.

Still, Henson, who has a keen sense of smell, noticed that not everyone was smiling at this time. For example, Henson's assistant McMillan, that guy ate alone before the start of today's game, and was warned by the referee because of frequent running to the toilet during the game. Now that he is suffering from illness, he will definitely not be able to laugh.

In addition to McMillan, Chris. Paul also pulled his face and looked out the window at the street scene.

If McMillan was not in a good mood because he was sick, Henson could understand why Paul was also depressed, Henson couldn't guess.

In today's game, Paul scored 16 points, 8 assists and 3 steals, a very typical "Paul-style" statistic. Moreover, he also limited Wade to just 33 percent shooting.

His performance was not bad, it could even be said to be very good, so there was no reason to be depressed. And as the team's locker room leader, Paul has always been a benchmark and a pillar of spirit for others. It stands to reason that he is rarely depressed after winning a match.

As far as Henson knows, Paul probably hasn't had much to do lately. So Paul's mood made Henson feel a little strange.

Henson then stood up and motioned for Green, who was next to Paul, to switch places with him. Paul wasn't surprised by Henson's behavior, as he knew that the slightest bit of something was wrong with the team wouldn't escape Henson's eyes.

"Chris, what's going on?" Henson got straight to the point, and he and Paul already knew each other well.

When Paul was depressed by injury, it was Henson who turned him into a legendary point guard.

Without Henson, Paul wouldn't have been the player with the most rings in the "Dust Four." And without Paul, Henson would not have been able to turn on championship mode so quickly.

Therefore, these two people who have achieved each other do not need to greet each other at all. They all know how to get along with each other.

"Nothing, really nothing, I'm just ......"

Paul's eyes traveled from Henson to the window again, and Henson didn't interject, but waited for "just" behind Paul.

"I just suddenly remembered the Eastern Conference semifinals two years ago, and now we're going to the Eastern Conference semifinals again."

Hearing this, Henson immediately understood the reason for Paul's sullenness.

For the past two years, the Pacers have stopped in the Eastern Conference semifinals. One of the very important reasons for this is that Paul has been injured in the Eastern Conference semifinals for two years in a row.

Today, after seeing his old rival Rondo sit on the sidelines and watch his team lose, Paul must have remembered what he had experienced over the past two years.

After all, he is 32 years old, and he is no longer the young "Queen Bee Paul". Now he is a veteran with a history of major injuries. He fears that his ambitions for the season will be dashed again by injury.

This kind of anxiety may only be shared by Paul, who has experienced a major injury.

"Well, we're going to the divisional semifinals again. I know what you're worried about, Chris. I'm not God, and I can't predict everything. But at the very least, I can guarantee that you'll be healthy this season until we win the championship. Don't worry, I'll be able to monitor your health at all times. You're as strong now as you were the summer we first met, Chris. ”

Henson smiled confidently, he certainly wouldn't say that his confidence came from the use of those badges.

Henson is glad that he once hoarded a bunch of injury prevention badges, and if it weren't for the Pacers' injury control, it would have been very difficult to win a triple championship.

"The summer we first met, I almost didn't kick you out. A beautiful coach who is not well-known and says that he has a plan for the championship as soon as he enters the door, hahahahaha! ”

Henson didn't have to say a word to make the anxious Paul laugh.

"And we really did, didn't we?"

"yes, we're really ...... Thank you, sir. I'm feeling so much better, I can't wait to go to the divisional semi-finals. ”

Paul clenched his fists, and since his first title, Paul has 100 per cent trust in Henson. He said it would be fine, and Paul believed that it would be okay this year.

Two days later, at the United Center arena, the Pacers defeated the Bulls 105-95 to sweep their opponents and advance to the division semifinals.

Henson left Sag's homeland with praise and victory, and Paul, at the age of 32, once again ignited a fire in his heart.

They're going to the Eastern Conference semifinals.