The Toyota Center continues to be full, and as the defending champions, the Rockets are still going strong.

The Rockets are fully on the lineup, and the starting lineup is the same as for most of the regular season.

On the outside are Billups and Maddy, on the front are Battier and Millsap, and in the center Yao Ming.

The Hornets also continued their usual starting lineup, with "Queen Bee" Paul on the outside, 3-and-D player Maurice Peterson in the backcourt, the team's two leading scorers in the front, veterans Peja Stojakovic and David West, and center Tyson Chandler.

Including Chandler, the Hornets are actually barely a Big Three.

Amid the cheers of the fans, the referee blew the whistle for the start of the game.

Chandler dominated the game, taking advantage of the bouncing advantage to flick the ball from Yao Ming's fingertips back into the Hornets' half.

Paul advanced with the ball and immediately commanded his teammates to run at the top of the arc.

Most people's impression of Paul stays in the Clippers or Rockets period, but Paul in the Hornets period has a more obvious core role, his role is a bit like James, and a bit like Rose at his peak, both of which are a system that is a team by himself.

At this time, Westra blocked the pick-and-roll high, Chandler went down, Peterson blocked the pick-and-roll, and the entire Hornets moved at the first time.

Paul borrowed West's pick-and-roll to Millsap and then accelerated inside.

His first move was very fast, almost in the blink of an eye.

However, Millsap took a big step back early, and Paul couldn't break through after accelerating.

Paul's reaction was also quick, and he threw the ball back to West, who was going high up.

The classic pick-and-roll combination, Paul and West, is as effective as Deron and Boozer.

West receives the ball, and he can usually shoot directly in this position, but he has predicted it earlier than Loops, and he has already been in place in advance, raising his hand high to not give him a chance to shoot directly.

When West saw it, he turned around and hit his back.

However, as soon as he turned his back, Maddie in the diagonal side went straight to him, and he was forced to distribute the ball to Peterson on the outside.

Peterson made a three-point shot, and Maddie pounced on the defense.

"Bang!"

Although it was not covered, Maddie's interference still had an effect, and Peterson's three-point shot was missed, and the rebound was collected by Yao Ming.

The Hornets played very uncomfortably.

In the regular season and the first round, this kind of round can basically be finished by Paul or West.

The Rockets' offense, Yao Ming holds the ball at the free throw line, holds it high, and passes the ball after seeing Billups in the air.

Billups received the ball to press the Hornets defense and then split the corner Battier, who hit a three-pointer with an open hand.

Team Rockets played, very fluid.

Hornets Paul pushed the front court to play again, and this time he hoisted the ball straight inside Chandler.

The Hornets had a spectacular regular season this season, with Paul and Chandler being regulars in the top 10 shots.

However, this time, Yao Ming collected it inside, and Chandler did not have the space to receive the ball directly, and wanted to be strong after landing, but Yao Ming was directly covered by the court.

The scene burst into cheers.

Hornets head coach Byron Scott's face was very ugly, he frowned and turned his head to look at the Rockets bench, Tang Tian was too targeted.

The audience may not be able to see it, but he sees it at a glance as a coach.

Millsap's early retreat, Maddy's bag, these are all offensive routines that pinch the Hornets.

Tang Tian has studied the offensive routines of the Hornets very deeply!

The game continued to play, the Hornets played particularly awkwardly, West didn't have a few comfortable shots at all, not to mention Peja and Peterson, the two outside shooting points, Peterson was better, Peja was clinged to Battier and almost didn't take the ball, not to mention Chandler on the inside, he couldn't play the empty catch in the regular season, and Yao Ming alone was even more foolish, and there was almost no sense of existence on the offensive end.

More than halfway through the game, the Rockets took a double-digit lead over the Hornets at 23-11.

"It's incredible, the Hornets have completely lost the momentum they had in the regular season and the first round!" Mike Brin in the commentary seat couldn't help but sigh.

"That's the strength of the defending champions, Tang Tian's defensive strategy is very successful, and the execution of the Rockets players is exceptional." Miller also nodded in agreement, being able to limit the Hornets to this point, and the Rockets' defense is amazing.

At this moment, the two sides changed players and replaced the substitutes one after another.

On the Rockets' side, Tang Tian used a nine-man rotation, except for Battier who remained on the court, the other four positions, Marc Gasol, Scola, Petrus and Sun Yue all played.

The Hornets' rotation is much smaller, except for Wells who came up to replace West, and Pargo who came up to replace Peterson, and Paul and Chandler who started are still on the court.

"Fight according to the tactical arrangement, and give me your legs!" Tang Tian shouted at his substitutes at this time.

When the regular season was met, the Hornets let Prego play this period, and now Paul is not playing, and he doesn't know what the game will look like.

Paul borrowed Wells' block to break through, Scola closed the position in advance, Paul glanced at it at this time, and did not return the ball to Wells, but directly made a small throw that stopped urgently.

Scola's defensive habits are much worse than Millsap's, and he didn't raise his hand to close the position, and it was too late to lift it again.

"Huh!"

Paul's small throw hits.

"Luis, reach out." Thibodeau stood on the sidelines at this time to remind.

The Rockets' offense, Sun Yue and Gasol played blocking and dismantling, and after the ball was dismantled, Gasol was divided.

Gasol glanced at Paul, who was half a body shorter than him in front of him, and directly chose the middle distance.

"Smack!"

Paul made a lightning shot and slapped the ball right away from his hand.

Before Gasol could react, Paul held the ball and lunged forward, shooting at a meteorous speed directly past the Rockets' defense, and rushing to the front court was a light layup.

The scene was in an uproar.

Tang Tian also paused, this speed is comparable to peak Ross.

He got up and called Sun Yue, who was retreating, to the sidelines and admonished him for a while.

The Rockets attacked the front court again, Sun Yue handed the ball to Scola in the low post, and then pulled Paul outside the three-point line on the other side.

Paul is the league's steal king this season, and Tang Tian deliberately arranged for Sun Yue to pull him to the far end of the offense.

Sun Yue has 3 points, and Paul doesn't dare to release people at will.

Scola responded in the low post, Petrus cut to the basket, Scola hit the ground, and the latter took the ball and went straight to the basket.

Chandler was in early position at this point and blocked Petrus' layup.

Although he was suppressed by Yao Ming a little miserably on the offensive end in the first half of the quarter, he was still an iron gate on the defensive end.

Petrus' layup was deflected wide and the rebound was picked up by Chandler.

Paul holds the ball and pushes forward.

This time he beckoned Chandler to come out and block the pick-and-roll, and after the pick-and-roll, he glanced at Peja on the outside.

Battier moved out.

At this moment, Paul suddenly accelerated, directly broke through the defense of Battier and Scola, and rushed to the basket against the retreating Gasol.

Gasol stretched out his hand to interfere, and at this moment, Paul suddenly changed direction without slowing down, and jumped up directly.

Gasol turned to get into position, but he couldn't keep up.

"Bang!"

In the incredible eyes of the fans at the scene, after Paul jumped, he pressed the ball directly into the basket through Gasol Jr.

Queen bee.

Lose your marbles!