601: A Prophet from the East
In the first three rounds of the series, Pacers fans were mostly excited in the first half and weak in the second. It's not that their enthusiasm has decreased, but most of the time the Pacers' game has lost its suspense in the second half.
Not to mention the Bulls and Raptors in the first two rounds, even the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals have repeatedly lost by large scores.
And today, when the game reached the end of the fourth quarter, the Pacers fans were still excited. Because at this time, the Pacers and Warriors still can't tell the winner. The big battle between the two teams did not disappoint the fans, and they will have to save the suspense until the last moments.
With five minutes left before the end of the game, the Warriors trailed the Pacers by four points.
Throughout the game, neither side ever opened up the difference. Henson's star-studded shot made Kerr unguarded. And since Kerr switched to a five-man lineup in the middle of the first quarter, the Warriors' offensive firepower has also made it difficult for the Pacers to stop.
In this way, the two teams have been anxious until now. In fact, the Pacers' defense today was pretty good. If it weren't for Henson's clear defensive strategy, the Warriors wouldn't have been able to trail by four points with their form today.
However, Kerr believes that the four-point difference will not be difficult for the Warriors. Sometimes, it only takes one or two excellent rounds to be able to emerge victorious in a confrontation at this level!
At this point, it's the Warriors who attack. Draymond. Green has the ball, and he's probably the most aggrieved Warriors player of the day.
On the defensive end, Green not only allowed Antetokounmpo to score 30 points, but on the offensive end, Green's 8 points were not enough. If it weren't for the five-man lineup, which caused him to misplace the slow-moving Lopez several times, Green wouldn't have even scored eight points.
Although the game was almost over, Green was still thinking about how to save face. He didn't want to make a big deal about the pre-game, but he didn't do anything.
Green passed the ball to Thompson, who had a good performance today, and Thompson had scored 23 points today, the most of any player on the Warriors other than Durant.
Green then made a no-ball swap with Iguodala. There is no doubt that he wants to continue to misplace Lopez.
Lopez, while his three-point shooting is as solid as Horford's, is still a little worse than Horford in terms of movement. So when Kerr was playing small, Lopez struggled very much on the defensive end.
But it's a pity that Green didn't pick up the soft persimmon this time. Because Antetokounmpo took the initiative to make up for Green, and then pushed Lopez in the direction of Iguodala.
"Antetokounmpo wants to defend Draymond himself. Green! Oh my God, he didn't give Green a chance! ”
Mike. Brin shook his head, Green was almost sealed by Antetokounmpo today.
Green was so angry that he gritted his teeth and chose to break through forcibly! In the first two seasons, even James couldn't stop him. What's so scary about being just a little kid?
But Antetokounmpo is indeed more terrifying than James in some ways. Like, his defensive range.
With Antetokounmpo's long arm wrapped around and blocked, Green's layup was off target again. Green's favorite thing is to force his way to the rim, and he has the confidence to score against most forwards.
But today, it was his 12th shot. However, his number of hits is still 3 goals.
"25%, Draymond. Green's shooting percentage today was nothing short of a disaster. With Curry not feeling well today, Green should have shouldered the load. It's a pity that he seems to be pushing the warrior into the fire pit with all his might. ”
Off the court, Henson asked McMillan for a tactical board, but did not call a timeout. No one knows what Henson was doing, but in reality, he was laying out the key ball tactics in advance.
With a few minutes left in the game, with Durant and Thompson in form today, they will definitely be able to bite the score. Today's game is bound to be played in a crucial round! And Henson's breakthrough is precisely the Warriors' defensive core Green.
After that goal, Henson believes Green's mentality has collapsed. His one-star shot was a success, and Green was completely suppressed by Antetokounmpo today.
Then in the crucial round, don't blame Henson for pouring salt into the wound.
In the next few minutes, Durant was still showing his scoring champion-level bombing ability. Even though George has been very well defended, Durant has always been able to deliver a fatal blow in the interference.
Thompson continues the art of off-ball offense, his ability to read the game and his judgment of defense is incomparably accurate, this guy is always able to show up at the best opportunity and deliver the killing blow!
Sure enough, just as Henson thought, in the last 38 seconds of the game, the Warriors successfully relied on the play of Klay and Durant to narrow the gap to 2 points. At this time, it was the Warriors' offensive possession.
The Warriors are such a team, even if Curry played average today and Green played badly, they could still rely on other stars to bite the game. The Warriors' terrible is not blown.
This time, Henson asked his players to focus their defense on Durant and Thompson. As long as the Warriors don't score this round, Henson will send all his shooters on the court for the next dull free throw shootout.
Durant was ready to single out George, but found that Oladipo was helping to defend him. Subsequently, Durant gave the ball to Thompson, but Oladipo made up for it with his strong athleticism and determination, and the Warriors still had no chance!
Henson used Oladipo in the final moments, just to defend. His athleticism is better than that of an off-ball scorer like Klay. Greene is better to use.
Seeing that the Warriors' 24-second offensive time was coming up, and neither KD nor Klay had a chance, the basketball was finally passed to Curry.
Curry has only scored 13 points so far today, and after shooting only 2 of 9 three-pointers in the first half, he didn't shoot much in the second half, but gave up all the opportunities to KD and Thompson, who were in better shape.
But now, Curry just can't think of it. Against Paul's defense, Curry took a step back after receiving the ball. This retreat brought him farther away from the three-point line.
After retreating, Curry immediately took a shot. Paul's block was quick, but Curry's shot was faster.
This kind of difficult shooting is logically unreasonable and has no chance, but don't forget, the player who shoots is called Stephen. Curry.
The basketball hollowed into the net, as if a sharp blade pierced the heart of the Pacers! In the final 14 seconds of the game, Curry's three points gave the Warriors a one-point lead!
"Stephen. Curry, he stepped up in the most critical moment! That's where superstars come in, even if they don't do anything all night, they can definitely step up and save the team in the most critical moments! Cheers, the Pacers have taken their defense to the extreme. But the Warriors' offense is beyond the extreme! ”
Mike. Brin couldn't help but shout, and there was a sigh in the banker's life arena. The whole good situation is likely to be ruined by Curry's three-pointer.
Although Curry only scored 16 points today, he only made 3 of 10 three-pointers. But that three-pointer just now was enough to cover up all his previous shortcomings.
Mike. Brin was right, that's what superstars are.
"Damn!" Henson was also unwilling, and was overtaken by Curry's unreasonable three-point at the last moment. However, as a coach, as a benchmark for stabilizing the morale of the army, Henson cannot reveal his unwillingness and nervousness.
He calmly shouted to stop the game, and then beckoned everyone to come over. Fortunately, I had already figured out the tactics for the key round a few minutes ago.
"14 seconds, 1 minute. Truth be told, this is not the most critical moment we have ever faced. The Warriors thought they had won. But at the Banker's Life Arena, there is never a winner until the last second! ”
After the players left the game, Henson first poured a wave of "chicken soup" to stabilize morale. Seeing the players nodding indignantly one by one, Henson knew that it was time to lay out the tactics.
No one knows what Henson said, but just through the camera's special training, Mike. Brin could also feel the suffocating tension.
But in reality, Cole was more nervous than Henson. He didn't know what tactics Henson would set up for the final attack, that guy had just too many tricks. It's even quite possible that Henson will switch to a five-man lineup.
But when the timeout was over and all eyes were on the court, people found out. Henson didn't change the formation, he kept the starting five tigers on the field!
"What will he do? What will he do? Kerr meditated in his mind over and over again, by this time he had already been occupied by nervousness, and he had probably forgotten that he had said before the game that Henson was outdated.
Now, he is being cornered by an "outdated" coach.
On the court, Paul received the touchline ball and then gestured to organize the attack. Kerr saw that Green and George were actively running off the ball, could it be that this was a catch-and-shoot drama?
Antetokounmpo set up a screen for George on the right wing, and George immediately accelerated through, cut to the basket, and then raised his hand for the ball!
Paul really lifted the basketball and passed it out! The actions of the two Pauls startled the Warriors players. Durant hurried to follow, and Green also moved a step towards George.
However, the ball was not passed to Green, but to Antetokounmpo on the wing!
"Antetokounmpo with the ball on the flank, oh my God, what kind of tactic is this!?"
Mike. Brin had just finished asking, and the Pacers suddenly changed formation and pulled away! After a meal, it was still a star!
"Come on, come on! Kill me, you softass! Green was still provocative in his mouth, but he was actually panicking in his heart.
"This idiot!" Cole thinks Henson's tactics are too simple, as he has long been prepared to deal with the star.
In this game, the Warriors have won!
The moment Antetokounmpo received the ball, he remembered what Henson had just said to himself.
"Push with your back, provoke him step by step."
So, Antetokounmpo turned his back and chiseled in. Both the Warriors and Green were stunned, and this was Antetokounmpo's first attempt at back-to-back offense today!
'If he fouls, that's better. If you don't foul, you step up and continue to provoke him. ”
As a result, Antetokounmpo's elbow began to be dishonest, and he intentionally or unintentionally slammed into Green's ribs as he pushed his back.
"Fuck you, I'm going to kill you!" Green generally endured a sharp pain in his ribs and yelled and cursed.
"If all goes well, Green should have been enraged by now. He'll want to get back to the basket as soon as he picks you up, and Durant will definitely sneak over to make up for it. ”
So, Antetokounmpo took a look at the bottom line. Sure enough, Durant sneaked over and blocked the pass route to George.
"So what should I do?" During the timeout, Antetokounmpo asked Henson.
"It's simple, just get out of the free throw line and hit a free throw safely." Henson smiled and patted Antetokounmpo on the shoulder, as if a lore was so lightly played.
On the court, Antetokounmpo did just that. He gave Green a strong confrontation but suddenly took a step back and retreated to the free throw line!
Green originally wanted to put it under the basket, but due to Antetokounmpo's sudden change in center of gravity, Green lunged forward, only to slip and fall into a. And Durant is standing under the basket in confusion, saying that the good defense has arrived, but what about people?
Antetokounmpo shoots from the free throw line, and he's incredibly confident! This confidence comes from Henson's tactical arrangement. All of Henson's previous predictions were correct, as if he were a prophet. So Antetokounmpo believes that Henson's last language will also come true.
"At the end of the day, you're going to finish the game with a shot from behind the free throw line, score your 40th point of the game, and be the brightest star of the day." This is Henson's last prophecy at the time of the pause.
"Can Antetokounmpo make it!?" Mike. Brin shouted, but he was surprised to find that Antetokounmpo had run to the bench before the ball could be scored, as if he was going to hug Henson......