"Billups and Clifford Robinson's pick-and-roll, Stockhouse was open, great chance, Stackhouse made a 3-pointer, the ball was a little off, and Mutombo grabbed the defensive rebound. ”

"Meng Xu broke through with the ball, Artest and Starkhouse's bag, Meng Xu shook off Artest, mid-range shooting, very beautiful arc, alas, a little shorter."

"Ben Wallace has a long pass from the backfield, and after receiving the ball, Stackhouse launches a fast break, Richard Hamilton! Hamilton dropped back very quickly and he managed to keep out Stackhouse's lane. ”

"Beautiful, beautiful chasing hat, after Hamilton delayed the advancement of Stackhouse, Meng Xu, who returned to the defense in time, blocked Stackhouse's throw, a very perfect block!"

"Meng Xu received the ball at the top of the arc, Stackhouse's bag was very timely, Meng Xu squeezed away Stackhouse, passed the ball to Jamal Tinsley on the left, Jamal Tinsley went straight to the basket, and Jermaine O'Neal leaned on Ben Wallace hook and missed."

。。。。。。

"Erwin, do we need to check both sides' baskets to see if they're covered?" In the second quarter of the game between the Pacers and the Pistons, the two sides have not scored a single point for more than four minutes, and the sound of thumping iron continues to echo in the banker's life arena, so Michaels on the commentary bench also joked with his partner.

"The defensive intensity of the Pacers and Pistons in this game is simply suffocating!" Although before the game, Magic Johnson expected that the game between the Pacers and the Pistons would likely be a defensive battle, but the Pacers and Pistons were able to play to this extent, which was also greatly beyond Magic Johnson's expectations. In the first half of the first quarter, the game looked like a very normal game, but from one minute before the official timeout of the first quarter, the two sides fell into a bitter defensive battle, and the Pacers and Pistons continued to strengthen the defensive intensity of the game. The first 5 minutes were played 14-11 between the two teams, in the remaining nearly 7 minutes of the first quarter, one scored 7 points, the other scored 9 points, if the score of 21-20 at the end of the first quarter of the game, it seems barely acceptable, then when the game enters the second quarter, the situation on the court can only be described as shocking, 10 minutes have passed in the second quarter, and the score of the two sides turned out to be 29-28, that is to say, in these ten minutes, The Pistons and Pacers each scored just eight points, and since the official timeout in the second quarter when the main lineups of both sides came up, the two teams have not scored a single point until now.

"Maybe the NBA playoffs' record for the lowest total points in a single game will be broken again today!" When there was 1 minute left in the second quarter of the game, Meng Xu finally broke the 5-minute scoring drought between the two sides through free throws, and Michaels on the commentary bench also shook his head helplessly, the NBA playoffs are now the lowest total score record in a single game, which was created by the Pistons and the Nets in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, in that round of tragic defensive battles, neither side scored more than 100 points, and the series G4 set a record of 64-66 The lowest score in the playoffs, this kind of game is simply a ratings poisonTherefore, the series between the Pistons and the Nets also set the worst ratings record in the playoffs in recent seasons, and as ABC's commentator, Michaels naturally does not want the series between the Pacers and the Pistons to evolve into the kind of ending of the series between the Pistons and Nets last season.

'Maybe after the timeout, the situation on the pitch will change a little bit.' When the half was over, looking at the players of both sides who had walked into the players' tunnel, and the back of Larry Bird, who was the last to leave the bench, Magic Johnson was also very much looking forward to Larry Bird's change in the second half, Magic Johnson wanted to see if Larry Bird would continue to maintain this high-intensity defense to wear down the Pistons, or would he change direction and strengthen the offense to break the deadlock on the court.

"So far, everybody's done well." As soon as he walked into the locker room, Larry Bird praised all the Pacers players sitting there, and the players who made these Pacers immediately lowered their heads, although the Pacers played an epic defense in the first half, but their performance on the offensive end was a mess, in addition to Mutombo 1 shot, Meng Xu shot 4 of 11 in the half, Jermaine O'Neal shot 2 of 6, Hamilton shot 1 of 4, Jamal Tinsley shot 0 of 3, these are a few starters of the Pacers, The first half was on the offensive end, so after Larry Bird complimented them on a good performance, the guys immediately hung their heads and stared at the floor beneath their feet as if there was something fascinating on them.

"Okay, the first half is over." After seeing the reaction of his players, Larry Bird clapped his hands and motioned for them to turn their attention to their side: "After the second half starts, we will use full-court pressing tactics against the Pistons, Meng, you don't have to play in the third quarter, rest off the court." James you replace Meng, you take over Meng's duties on the court, Tyshawn you replace Jamal, Tyshawn defends Billups, and Richard continues to defend Starkerhouse. ”

"James, it's up to you to defend Artest, no problem, right?" After arranging the team's tactics, Larry Bird asked James Posey a little uneasily, and the grievances between James Posey and Artest are now well known, so Larry Bird is also a little worried that in the process of the two of them, James Posey will have a hot brain and make some uncool moves.

"Coach, don't worry, I'm fine, I still know the severity, even if I go to that bastard after the game is over, I won't make any uncalm moves on the field." James Posey, who heard Larry Bird's question, immediately got up from his seat and patted his chest to reassure Larry Bird.

"Meng, you don't have a problem with your physical strength, right?" After handing over the specific tactical details to assistant coach Lester Connell, Larry Bird sat directly next to Meng Xu, today's game, Meng Xu rarely played the entire first half, in addition to the high-intensity defensive confrontation between the Pacers and the Pistons in the first half, so Larry Bird is also worried that Meng Xu's physical strength may have some problems. Although the situation on the court is a little difficult now, the Pacers do not need Meng Xu to continue to play the second half now, what Meng Xu needs to do now is to rest well and save some physical strength for the fourth quarter.

"I'm okay, Larry." Taking a towel and wiping the sweat on his head again, Meng Xu nodded at Larry Bird, in this game, Meng Xu not only has to face the entanglement of Artest and Starkerhouse on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end, Meng Xu is also attacking everywhere, while keeping an eye on Artest, he constantly makes up for Jamal Tinsley, so in the first half of this game, Meng Xu's physical consumption is really not optimistic, this kind of high-intensity confrontation, I'm afraid no one can last 48 minutes.

"Rest well, there's an even more important fourth quarter waiting for you!" After getting Meng Xu's reply, Larry Bird nodded at Meng Xu.

"The third quarter must die, just at the beginning, the Pacers used full-court pressing on the Pistons, and the Pacers' three outside lines are James Posey, Richard Hamilton, and Tyshawn Prince, and the cooperation between them is very skillful, although Meng Xu did not play, but at present, it seems that their pressing effect on the Pistons is still very good."

After the Pacers started with a full-court press, Rick Carlisle on the sidelines immediately clenched his fists, and full-court pressing, which is now the killer feature of the Pacers, so Rick Carlisle has been studying the strategy of cracking this season, although in the long regular season, Rick Carlisle has also found some ways to crack the Pacers' full-court pressing, but when the Pacers use full-court pressing again, and his team wants to use these strategies, Rick Carlisle will still be a little nervous, I'm afraid that the killer feature I have prepared for a long time will not work. However, as the game progressed, Rick Carlisle gradually relaxed, James Posey, Richard Hamilton, and Tyshawn Prince, although the three of them pressed and were indeed very efficient against the Pistons, especially Tyshawn Prince's defense compared to Loops, which was much stronger than Jamal Tinsley, but James Posey, who was responsible for leading and assisting in defense, was still a little worse than Meng Xu. In fact, it is disorganized.

"Looks like Rick studied us a lot before the game! Larry, should we replace Meng? Rick Carlisle can see the problem, and Lester Connell on the Pacers' side can also see it, so Lester Connell immediately suggested to Larry Bird to replace Meng Xu, without Meng Xu's full-court pressing, its effect has been greatly reduced.

"I'm afraid Rick has been studying us all season." Rick Carlisle's performance today really surprised Larry Bird, and after saying a word with a smile, Larry Bird waved his hand: "Not for the time being, let's talk about it when the third quarter is over." ”

Although the team's performance on the defensive end is somewhat unsatisfactory, but on the offensive end, compared with the first half, the Pacers have obviously improved, in the eyes of Larry Bird, James Posey, who belongs to the low-profile version of Meng Xu, although he is not able to take on all the organizational tasks of the Pacers, but it is more than enough to assist Jermaine O'Neal, the Pacers' current tactics, as long as Meng Xu is on the court, Meng Xu will hold the ball, break points, x**d free switching, and once Meng Xu is off the court, if Jermaine O'Neal is still on the court, Then it is the combination of internal and external tactics with Jermaine O'Neal as the core, although with Jermaine O'Neal's current ability, under the tactical system of combining internal and external, it is far from reaching the power of O'Neal and Duncan, but the rotation lineup that leads the team is enough.

"Meng, get ready to play, Reggie, Bobby, nn, Lorencen, you're ready too."

As soon as the third quarter of the game ended, Larry Bird immediately made substitution adjustments, Jermaine O'Neal and others, who played the entire third quarter, all went to rest, the Pacers' current lineup, can play on the court, and can play well There are many players, and the interior position is even more frustrating, in order to prepare for O'Neal in the finals, Larry Bird hoarded 7 inside lines in one breath this summer, Lorenzen White, who was the team's starting center last season, has directly halved his playing time this season, This also made Lorenzen White, who is in his contract year, quite complaining.

"Coach, let's get on the field!" After seeing the adjustments made by Larry Bird, on the Pistons' side, Artest and Ben Wallace, who were panting on the bench, immediately asked to continue to play in the fourth quarter, and the Pistons' bench lineup was in a slight position in front of the Pacers' bench lineup, and now Meng Xu is playing with the bench lineup, with the current benches of the Pistons, I am afraid that in less than two minutes, the 5-point advantage that the main lineup worked hard to establish in the third quarter will come to naught.

"Okay." After a brief consideration, Rick Carlisle reversed the arrangement and re-established the team's main lineup. Although the Pistons are now in the lead, the 5-point advantage is not safe, to be precise, in front of the Pacers and Meng Xu, the 10-point advantage is not necessarily safe, so after Meng Xu plays in advance, the Pistons can only cancel the rest time of the main lineup.

"Larry, you're the better one." Looking at Artest, who has obviously lost the efficiency of the first half on the defensive end, Rick Carlisle can only sigh helplessly. Artest is the key to the Pistons' defense of Meng Xu, but after the third quarter and James Posey's hard work, Artest, who played all the first three quarters of the game, has now declined very much, and when defending Meng Xu, not only can he not withstand Meng Xu, but even Meng Xu's footsteps have been a little unable to keep up.

Originally, when Larry Bird put Meng Xu on the bench in the third quarter, Rick Carlisle still didn't quite understand, but now, Rick Carlisle has fully understood Larry Bird's intentions, let James Posey, who has a deep grudge with Artest, play against Artest, with Artest's character, he will definitely fall into endless entanglement with James Posey, so that when Meng Xu returns to the court, Artest, who has been consumed by James Posey, will still have enough energy and physical strength to defend Meng Xu.

"Sure enough, the ginger is still old and spicy!" Rick Carlisle, who couldn't think of any countermeasures, glanced at the figure of Larry Bird not far away, and sat down in the seat behind him, he had done his best, and now he could only watch the players on the field play.