Chapter 285: Role Player's Counterattack
"Tim, you have to calm down and be careful to protect yourself and don't foul again." In the battle between the Spurs and the Lakers, with two minutes left, Popovich used the Spurs' last timeout, and before the timeout, Duncan was whistled for a foul again while defending O'Neal. Of the Spurs' three interior players, two have now graduated, and the remaining Duncan has now committed five fouls. Duncan's role for the Spurs is self-evident, and now the Spurs are still 4 points behind the Lakers, and if Duncan is being fouled, then the Spurs are really dangerous.
"Coach, I see." Duncan nodded calmly, O'Neal gave Duncan too much pressure in this game, in the past, when facing O'Neal, Duncan, with the cooperation of David Robinson, could still limit this big fat man a little, even if it was not good, he could do it with him. But in this game, Duncan not only had nothing to do with this big fat man on the offensive end, but was also repeatedly fouled by O'Neal's strong on the defensive end, which made Duncan, who has become the first person in the league, unable to swallow this breath. Therefore, in the minute just now, Duncan also wanted to force O'Neal to a wave, but the success rate was not high, and only scored 1 goal in 3 attacks, which also made the Spurs, who had just equalized the score, fall behind the Lakers again.
"Tim, today's big fat man is not normal, don't take it to heart." After Popovich arranged the tactics after the timeout, just when the two sides were back on the court, Meng Xu walked to Duncan's side and patted Duncan on the back. Duncan's current mood, Meng Xu can also be completely understood, if he has just ascended to the throne of the first person, at the moment of calling for wind and rain, suddenly a guy jumps out and makes himself full of meat, he will definitely not be able to swallow this breath.
"The final showdown between the two sides is about to begin, Ervin, how do you think the Spurs and Lakers will attack next?" When Sean Elliott stood on the sidelines and was about to serve the sideline ball, the climax of this battle of Tianwang Mountain officially began.
"At this time, there is no room for adjustment, now is the stage for superstar performances, the Spurs and Lakers just need to continue to execute according to the previous tactics and hand over the game to O'Neal and Meng Xu." Although he has only been the head coach for less than a month, with the IQ of Magic Johnson, he can see the situation on the court very clearly at all times. Until now, the Lakers have maintained a 4-point advantage, and O'Neal has always been unavailable inside, so giving the ball to O'Neal is undoubtedly the best option. On the Spurs' side, although they are always short of breathing, Magic Johnson also believes that at this time, it is wisest to hand over the ball to Meng Xu.
"Well, but the Spurs and Lakers are now without a timeout, even if Popovich and Phil Jackson want to make any adjustments next, I'm afraid they won't have a chance." After Magic Johnson finished speaking, Michaels nodded, this game has actually been out of the control of Popovich and Phil Jackson so far, at this time, the coach's influence on the court has been minimal, as for the later games, it is completely dependent on the players on the court to play.
As expected by the Magic, this attack of the Spurs, Meng Xu stood at the top of the arc directly with the ball, while the rest of the Spurs players, Duncan went directly to the basket and fought for the position with O'Neal, while Sean Elliott, Mario Eli and Derrick Anderson were all pulled away outside the 3-point line, waiting for Meng Xu's single.
Leaning sideways on Kobe, Meng Xu glanced up at the scoreboard, there was still 1 minute and 55 seconds left, 117 to 113, a 4-point difference, as long as the difference could be narrowed to less than 2 points before the end of the game, then there was still a chance.
"The Lakers are starting to wrap Meng Xu." Just after Meng Xu started to move to the right side with the ball, Rick Fox immediately gave up his defensive object and rushed towards Meng Xu, in this game, Meng Xu's hand was so good, Kobe Bryant couldn't prevent him at all, so at this time, the Lakers did not hesitate to start wrapping Meng Xu.
Just when Meng Xu stepped into the 3-point line with the ball, Rick Fox appeared in front of Meng Xu, and with the cooperation of Kobe, blocked most of Meng Xu's passing space, but Meng Xu was thinking about not passing at all, but how to score a goal and narrow the score, so seeing that there was no room to change direction to the left, Meng Xu took a step back in an instant and withdrew from the 3-point line while retracting his footsteps.
And Kobe Bryant and Rick Fox can only watch Meng Xu complete the step-back dry pull-out jump shot after the breakthrough emergency stop when the center of gravity of the body is extremely low, Kobe Bryant is a little better, in many duels, Kobe Bryant has become accustomed to Meng Xu's various actions that are against the sky and some violate human physiology, and Rick Fox in front of Meng Xu is now a dumbfounded look, watching Meng Xu throw this 3-point in front of him, hollow hit, and his body seems to be frozen, I didn't even do a symbolic take-off cap.
117 to 116, after Meng Xu's 3-point hit, the difference between the two teams was narrowed to 1 point. Meng Xu now wiped the sweat from his forehead with a relaxed face and began to retreat.
"Very beautiful breaks, very beautiful stops, even the shooting action is so beautifulγγγγγγ" After Meng Xu hit the shot, Michaels was like a nymphomaniac, constantly shouting beautiful and beautiful.
"Give me the ball." O'Neal reached out to Fisher for the ball just after he walked across the free throw line, and like the Spurs, the Lakers now don't have any triangle offense, and when it comes to the offensive end, they give the ball directly to O'Neal, and the rest of the players all pull away and let O'Neal go to single.
And this time, O'Neal just rushed into the paint area with the ball, Sean Elliott and Mario Ely, gave up their respective defensive objects, and rushed towards the basket at the same time, the Spurs made a three-man package on O'Neal, and O'Neal, like Meng Xu, did not have the slightest intention of passing, but forced to get up with his back to Duncan.
Meng Xu, who was tearing up with Kobe Bryant from a distance, also felt a little incredible after seeing this scene, O'Neal had his back to Duncan, and on both sides of his body were Mario Elli and Sean Elliott, and Sean Elliott had obviously hugged O'Neal, in this case, O'Neal had to forcibly turn around.
"Shaq, you're so arrogant." Just after O'Neal had Sean Elliott on his waist and completed the turn and strengthened, the basketball in O'Neal's hand was directly slapped off by Duncan before it could be thrown.
"Not good." Seeing the basketball that was knocked out by Duncan flying behind him, Meng Xu felt a little bad, after the Spurs made a three-man package on O'Neal, and now the Lakers' Rick Fox and Robert Holly are in an unguarded state. Rick Fox, Meng Xu still doesn't take it to heart, the only thing Meng Xu is worried about is Robert Hawley, this player who is known as a player who eats and waits for death when he gets a big contract. Because Meng Xu heard a "Holly's Law" in Anna, that is, as long as there are Holly's players, they have never lost in the finals, and this guy who looks wilted, has shot more key shots and kills in his career than many superstars, so in this round of the competition, Meng Xu has always been very vigilant against Robert Holly, but fortunately, in the previous games, Holly's playing time has not been much.
"What a cheat." I really want to come whatever I want, I turned around and looked at the basketball, Meng Xu saw that the basketball that was shot out by Duncan happened to be picked up by Robert Hawley who was standing at the top of the arc, and after winning the ball, Hawley threw the basketball in his hand with a calm face, hit a 3-point shot, and the difference between the two teams came to 4 points again.
However, this was only the beginning of the pit, when there was 1 minute 05 seconds left, Meng Xu hit a 3-pointer again, but after it was counted as 2 points because he stepped on the line, Robert Hawley hit a 3-pointer again where he shot just now.
γγγγγγ
"The game is over, and if someone says before this game that Robert will be the one who decides the outcome of this game, then I think everyone will think he's crazy, but now that's exactly the case, Robert has crushed the Spurs' last hope with three consecutive 3-pointers, and he deserves the title of Mr. Key." When Meng Xu's 3-point missed and Robert Hawley's 3-point hit again, the Magic directly announced the Spurs' death sentence, 26 seconds, the Spurs trailed by 8 points, and without any timeout, the Spurs had no hope of turning the tables.
"Yes, it was an unexpected game." Michaels' gaze swept over the Spurs' bench, all the Spurs players and staff were standing on the sidelines in a daze, even if Michaels was so far away, he could feel the desperation emanating from them.