There was an oppressive atmosphere wafting through the Trail Blazers locker room, with everyone putting their hands on their laps and bowing their heads, not knowing what to think.

"We can't do this," head coach McMillan was the first to break the atmosphere, exclaiming: "We were just 15 points behind and we didn't lose the game. What's more, this is just the first game of the series, this is a battle, not a knockout game, everyone cheer up! ”

McMillan's words were deafening, and the leader Roy was the first to raise his head, his eyes becoming firm again, as if he understood something.

Roy thought for a while and muttered: "The coach is right, we can't go on like this, we have to regain confidence, the Timberwolves are nothing to be afraid of, the first half is just that they feel better, we can definitely regain the initiative through running, through hard defense." “

Encouraged by the team-up of McMillan and Roy, everyone gave their opinions, and the oppressive atmosphere in the Trail Blazers' locker room gradually dissipated

Compared to the Trail Blazers' locker room, the atmosphere in the Timberwolves' locker room is much more cheerful, although it is not a chance to win, but it still makes the players feel much more relaxed with such a big advantage.

Whitman entered the locker room and laid out the starting lineup for the second half.

What was the scariest thing about the Trail Blazers this season? Many people say that it is the interior line of the Trail Blazers, after all, the interior line of the Trail Blazers with Aldridge, Purzbilla, and Oden is considered to be strong. However, in Zheng Ke's opinion. The strongest of the Trail Blazers is still the outside line, and Roy is definitely the most terrifying big killer of the Trail Blazers, in terms of system evaluation. He's a super scorer who excels at using feints and mid-range jumpers.

At the beginning of the second half, Roy used a feint to trick Afflaro into a foul while jumping up and throwing the ball in.

Added free throws, 56-44.

Roy's excellent form made Zheng Ke frown, and he had just broken through to the baseline along the covering line from receiving the ball. Then the retreat feint tricked Afralo's action in one go, even as an opponent, Zheng Ke couldn't help but cheer in his heart.

Timberwolves offense.

Zheng Ke came out to catch the ball with the help of Lefou's cover. But it couldn't shake off Batum's defense. He looked left and right, the Trail Blazers had no intention of wrapping up, and Love also left the three-point line in amusement.

Zheng Ke holds the ball in his right hand and sinks his right shoulder. He took a small tentative step forward. Batum wasn't fooled, but to be on the safe side, he flicked in place.

Zheng Ke dribbled the ball under his crotch, exchanged the ball with his right hand to his left hand, and cut his body diagonally to the left 45 degrees, and the speed was extremely fast. This time, Batum's pupils, who had just descended to the ground, instantly dilated, and he took a step across his right foot. wants to block Zheng Ke's breakthrough route. Zheng Ke held the ball in his left hand, and his body could still be twisted back. He changed hands in front of him, swapped the ball to his right hand, and then switched to a right-hand rush.

This time, Batum couldn't get back to his body, and he stretched out his left hand in vain to interfere with Zheng Ke, but Zheng Ke was extremely low, and even if Batum had a 7-foot-2 arm span, he couldn't break Zheng Ke's dribble.

Zheng Ke dribbled a step on the right side and hit a pull-up jump shot.

Batum was a little discouraged, but there was no expression on his face. It's so hard to defend Zheng Ke, this senior who was born about a month earlier than him is really omnipotent, Batum thought helplessly. This season has been his rookie season, and he has defended many small forwards, the most difficult of which are Zheng Ke, Pierce, Anthony and James.

But if he was asked to shoot a high and low, he felt that he would choose Anthony and Zheng Ke, Anthony's kaleidoscopic offensive methods made him feel that the defense was very difficult, and he met Anthony several times, but he didn't get a favor. But Zheng Ke is even more annoying, if he finds a way to attack, he will continue to use it again and again, and compared to James, who is now with average back-to-back singles, Zheng's back-to-back singles are too difficult to defend, and this Liliang is simply O'Neal in small forwards.

Barkley smiled: "ZK's dribbling is at the top level among small forwards, and the change of direction just now is usually only seen on the guard, and he can make it, it's really perverted." “

Smith sighed: "It's not easy for Batum to defend ZK, except for his weight, none of the other liliang, speed, and bounce are at the same level as ZK." I really can't figure it out, ZK has such an excellent physical fitness, not to mention that it is rare to see it once in ten years, it must be rare to see it once in three years, why did it fall to the second round before being selected? “

Barkley nodded and said, "I can only say that ZK's growth ability is amazing, if I were to judge, the most improved player of the season, the best first team, and the best defensive first team will have his name." “

This time, Roy rushed inside with Aldridge's cover, dodged Anderson's blockade in the air, and passed back to Pulzbilla, who jumped up and dunked with both hands.

Zheng Ke made a block and dismantling cover for Billups, Billups was rare and coquettish, and after breaking into the interior line, he didn't look at the pass, and passed directly behind to Afflalo, who was ambushed on the bottom line, but Afflalo's three-point jumper missed.

The scene suddenly remembered a sigh.

Afflaro himself felt a pity, Roy was attracted to the inside, this is an absolute vacancy, and it is a top ten goal, but he did not grasp it.

The deflected rebound was grabbed by Roy, and the Trail Blazers fast-break.

Roy, Batum, and Blake are fast, and Zheng Ke is the only one who retreats here, and the Trail Blazers rarely attack quickly, but they have a great opportunity.

After advancing to the Timberwolves halfcourt, Roy gave the ball to Batum, who returned it to Roy, at which point Zheng Ke had completely lost his defensive position, and Roy hit a left-handed layup.

58-50, the second half completely became Roy's stage, and so far, he has scored 6 points and 1 assist, and the momentum of the Trail Blazers has gradually increased.

As the Timberwolves crossed halftime, Whitman called a timeout.

Whitman felt Roy should be targeted, telling Afflalo and Jung: "Brandon [Roy] is coming up, we need physical contact, we need to play tougher. Aaron (Afflalo), close to Blanton, fouls are fine, but you remember, you must be ruthless when you foul, the foul just now, if you play harder, he can't play two plus one! “

Speaking of Zuihou, Whitman actually had a vicious feeling. Zheng Ke glanced at the head coach in surprise, he couldn't say this kind of thing before, but he didn't expect that he would say such tactical instructions now.

Afflaro was very ashamed, and after hearing what the head coach said, he hurriedly nodded his head a few times and said: "Don't worry, coach, either you won't foul, or you will play a heavy hand, I will definitely not give him a chance to play two plus one." “

Whitman was satisfied to see Afflalo's reaction, and then looked at Zheng Ke, who suddenly dropped a cold sweat and said, "Me too, coach." “

After the timeout, Zheng Ke motioned to Anderson to come out, and the two made a high pick-and-roll.

After the blocking, Zheng Ke directly faced Pulzbilla, which was a small and big dislocation, Zheng Ke used the simplest breakthrough to kill the inside line without any feints, and Purzbila retreated again and again.

Two steps later, Zheng Ke made a quick stop jump shot and hit!

Purzbilla's movements are too slow, and even if he reacts, Zheng Ke has already shot when he pounces, and Zheng Ke now has an 80 percent shooting rate in a middle-range pull-up jump shot like this kind of almost unguarded.

The court fell into a dead end, the Trail Blazers offense was smooth, but the Timberwolves offense was equally good, and in the playoffs of the two teams, the offense of both teams played well.

The hole dug by the Trail Blazers in the first half was too big, and even if they gradually regained their form in the second half, they still couldn't fill it. In the end, the Timberwolves won 104-92 at home against the Trail Blazers.

Zheng played 42 minutes, shooting 17-of-26 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, scoring 47 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. Roy scored 29 points and seven assists and was also incredibly efficient.

Barkley was delighted, and he had once again succeeded in his prediction. Zheng Ke really broke the record of N more and became the player with the most points in his playoff debut.

As a rookie, Love scored 10 points and 14 rebounds in his playoff debut, Billups scored 14 points and 6 assists, and the funniest thing was Brewer, a substitute who only scored 2 points. He jokingly told the media that he and Zheng Ke combined to score 49 points.

The Timberwolves won their first victory, winning heartily, and Zheng Ke's angry performance of 47 points surprised countless experts, those who said that Zheng Ke was just a regular season player, and the playoffs will be revealed in their original form are now all shrunken turtles and no longer emerge. (To be continued......)