Chapter 175: The Decisive Moment
In the Alamo Dome Arena, the noise made by the Spurs fans made Qiao Hai's ears rumble, and it was never quiet.
The game had reached the fifth minute of the fourth quarter, and at 67:70, the Spurs led by three points.
This leading three-point point is the reason why the Spurs fans cheered wildly just now.
Jaren Jackson, who came off the bench, hit a three-pointer to turn the situation of the two teams into a three-point lead for the Spurs, and this three-pointer broke the deadlock, and the Alamo Dome naturally cheered wildly.
In the midst of this cheer, Qiao Hai called Maddie from the bench.
The time for the decisive battle has arrived.
Qiao Hai still has to rely on Maddy, in the first three quarters, Maddie scored 19 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and his performance was the best on the team.
In the fourth quarter, Qiao Hai gave Maddie a 5-minute rest, so that with 7 minutes left, Maddie could play energetically and solve the game.
The game became a defensive battle, and the Grizzlies' score should not be broken, but fortunately, the Grizzlies' defense was also good, limiting the Spurs, the score was scorching, and the Spurs were only 3 points ahead, Maddie re-emerged, and the Grizzlies still had a chance to win.
"Tracy, when you play, the ball is yours, and the San Antonio Spurs are resolved."
Very simple communication, and no special tactical arrangement, Maddie is almost used to walking on the field in the last quarter, getting unlimited firing, and then solving the opponent.
The difference was that he was playing against the San Antonio Spurs, one of the best teams in the league, and he was feeling the pressure.
Maddie went to the tech desk and got ready to play.
On the Spurs' side, Popovich also called up a few players and was ready to make substitutions.
On the court, the Grizzlies' offense, Mike Bibby broke through the inside line and raised his hand to make a layup.
Syllable!
Duncan hats, and the basketball flies off the sideline.
The ball was dead, the ball still belonged to the Grizzlies, and there were crazy cheers on the sidelines.
Usually, San Antonio fans are not so crazy, but this game they saw Qiao Hai, who last season, personally extinguished the Spurs' championship hopes, and in the eyes of Spurs fans, Qiao Hai is already their enemy.
Sideline substitutions, Grizzlies' side, Maddie comes on.
With the addition of Mike Bibby, Sean Marion, Raheem and Brad Miller, who were originally on the court, the Grizzlies are all on the field.
On the Spurs' side, Popovich replaced Mario Avery and David Robinson, plus Jaren Jackson, Avery Johnson and Duncan, and the Spurs are also the main force.
Mario Alley followed Maddy, he was responsible for defending Maddie, and as soon as David Robinson came on the court, the Spurs' defense was all together, and the game was difficult to play.
The Grizzlies serve on the sideline, Brad Miller serves, and Maddie catches.
Maddie catches the ball with 11 seconds left to attack.
Maddie made a quick breakthrough directly, forced out of Mario Alley's defense, raised his hand and threw it, and hit!
Superstar basketball, Greg Popovich touched his right hand that was a little chilly, this ball is a little familiar, last season's Western finals, another young guard named Kobe Bryant, beat the Spurs in almost the same way.
Spurs offense, Avery Johnson possessed the ball and gave it to Duncan.
Duncan singled, Raheem couldn't defend it, and the Grizzlies could only flank it.
Turning around Duncan to divide the ball into the corner, Jaren Jackson made another three-point shot, bang, this time it didn't go in!
In the rebounding battle, Raheem and Sean Marion were no longer able to participate, Brad Miller one-on-one David Robinson, he was stuck behind the old and spicy David Robinson, and he was forced to grab the rebound, but it didn't work.
The rebound was picked up by David Robinson, and he made a basket directly and hit it!
It was still a three-point difference, and Maddie took the ball directly from the baseline and quickly took it across the halfcourt.
Brad Miller took a cover in the high position, Maddie went straight to the middle distance, pulled it out directly, and with a bang, hit again!
Qiao Hai clapped his hands, the bench benches waved towels, and the Alamo Dome was booed. Popovich on the other side raised his eyebrows, how can this ball become more familiar the more you look at it? The Grizzlies don't play Princeton anymore, and with two balls in a row, both are superstar singles.
One point difference, the Spurs' offense, Duncan hit a mid-range shot, and then turned into three points.
Maddie was a little anxious, turned around and hit a three-point miss.
Spurs, in turn, scored another goal to turn the margin into five points.
Then, Maddie hit the inside and made a layup.
The Spurs' Duncan continued to shoot from mid-range, and this time it was Raheem who defended alone, did not pinch the shot, and scored again.
Maddie hit another three-pointer, but still didn't score.
Fortunately, after the Spurs' offense, Duncan's single was pinched, and the ball was given to the outside, Avery Johnson's long-range shot missed, and the Grizzlies grabbed the rebound, and no one further widened the difference.
With a 5-point difference, Maddie was obviously anxious, and he didn't score three points in a row, and he didn't continue to shoot three-pointers, and he broke through the basket again, but was hatted by David Robinson.
The basketball was snatched by the Spurs.
Duncan played the board from mid-range, and this time, Duncan obviously won't miss another opportunity.
Hit the board, 7 points difference.
Qiao Hai frowned, on the court, the Grizzlies automatically made adjustments, Maddie's singles frenzy ended, and Princeton's offense began to work.
But after a few balls, the Spurs' blatant joint defense made it a little difficult for Grizzlies' Princeton to operate, and it was another wave of iron.
After the substitution, the Grizzlies were actually opened up by a 10-point gap by the Spurs.
It looks like the game is going to be lost......
Princeton couldn't play offensively, and it was a little difficult to deal with Duncan's singles on the defensive end, Qiao Hai thought about it and made adjustments in the air: continue to let Maddie single to see if he can fight, and on the defensive end, Sean Marion switched to Duncan and let Raheem deal with Jaren Jackson.
With such an adjustment, Maddie started playing singles again.
The Spurs are already leading by 10 points, and Popovich is relieved in a good situation.
Maddy's singles, or Brad Miller's cover.
Turned around and made a long-range two-point shot on the outside, and with a bang, missed.
Time is running out, Maddie's shot becomes casual, Qiao Hai doesn't stop it, sometimes, the game has to be played like this.
Duncan singled Shaun Marion, there was no pinch, he shot directly, and he didn't score.
With a difference of 10 points, Qiao Hai looked at the time, and there were 3 minutes left.
The Grizzlies' offense is still Maddy's singles, but this time, Sean Marion also appeared at the top of the arc, and the cross cover in this position, Maddie first held the ball past Brad Miller, and then cooperated with Sean Marion.
Turn around and shoot directly from beyond the three-point line.
On the sidelines, Popovich was already talking to the team's assistant coach, Mike Budenholzer.
With a bang, the piercing sound of basketball wiping the net sounded, Popovich turned his head directly to see that Maddie had already raised his right hand to shoot, and the DJ on the scene also shouted in a low voice: "Tracy McGrady, three-point ......"
The difference instantly became 7 points.
Switching to the Spurs offense, Sean Marion stretched out his long arms and interfered with Duncan getting the ball.
Duncan still singled with the ball, seeing that the Grizzlies still didn't pinch the shot, he didn't put the rookie Marion in front of him in his eyes, and raised his hand to shoot again, but he obviously underestimated Marion's defense, and the moment he shot, he was forced by Marion and missed a little when he shot.
Bang, didn't go in.
David Robinson took advantage of the basket again, turned and jammed Brad Miller, stared at where the rebound landed, and raised his hand to collect the rebound.
Suddenly, a Maddie flew out from behind him and grabbed the rebound directly.
The scene booed continuously, and Maddy, who grabbed the rebound, took the ball and rushed to the frontcourt, without stopping, took three steps, and made another three-step layup, scoring 2 more points.
At this moment, there are less than 2 minutes left in the game, and the difference of 5 points, Popovich narrowed his eyes, and this game is in suspense again.