Carlisle didn't make excuses for the team's first two losses, and he knew very well what kind of strength the Pistons could play after building a lineup with strong reinforcements like Rashid and Mo Wen.

In his press conference, he blamed the defeat on his own tactical mistakes, hoping to minimize the blame on his players.

But public opinion will not give up criticism of the other Pacers players just because Carlisle has put the pot on his back.

The first to be "named and praised" is Xiao Ao, who is ranked third in this season's MVP selection list, and he is completely unworthy of the "superstar" title in the previous games, especially the performance of G2 in the second half is even more disastrous.

There was no point in the second half, and even the local Indiana media didn't know how to wash him.

The second-leading Artest was also inevitably discussed, and his 17 iron in a single game broke Kobe's record of 16 iron in this year's playoffs against the Spurs.

Yang Yi also joked when commenting on this game, "I originally thought that Kobe Bryant was invincible in the world, but I didn't expect someone to be more powerful than Kobe, whose general is this?" ”

For Reggie Miller, people are debating whether the old guy should retire.

As for the rest of the Pacers, role players aren't taking the blame in this era.

Many pundits felt that the Pacers could be swept in the series, and they didn't show much blood at home; The first record in the regular season, but unable to hold a home field, this is not only ridiculous, it is simply ridiculous!.

In contrast, the Pistons, a "grassroots lineup" that many ordinary fans don't recognize, became the favorite to win the "Asia" in the mouths of basketball critics after showing the defensive suppression that surpassed the league in the second half of G2.

Big Ben has received the most praise, averaging 15 rebounds per game, and single-digit points have become the "No. 1 C in the East" in the media, and the baby-faced photo of him and O'Neal Jr. in the newspaper highlights his ferocity.

In the past two days of training with the team, Big Ben has laughed a lot - he has finally found an interior player with a lower shooting percentage than him.

Your brother has an average shooting rate of 40% per game in two games, while Xiao Ao's shooting rate in these two games is only 38%, let's see who dares to say that Ben brother can't attack in the future!

Hamilton's reputation as the "Mask Man" who has been playing steadily is getting bigger and bigger, and if it weren't for the fact that he doesn't shoot many 3-pointers, the media would inevitably give him the title of "Reggie Miller's successor".

And Mo Wen has become the rookie who is most incomprehensible to this group of media, he is the only player in the Pistons who can guarantee his scoring doubles in every game, and unlike Wade's "one trick is fresh, eat the sky" player, Mo Wen's stability depends on his versatility, which is very contrary to common sense.

According to common sense, the more difficult the game, the more specialized "tricks" are needed to tackle the problem, and players who are all-encompassing often become useless in such periods.

···

On May 22, the East Finals G3, the Pacers, who had no way out, could only fight with their backs.

In the playoffs, no team has ever been able to complete a comeback in a 0:3 situation, but there is a high probability of being swept by 0:4.

In the general manager's office of the Pacers, "Big Bird" leaned back in his office chair and watched the live broadcast of the game.

He didn't expect the Eastern Conference finals to play to such an extent, and the entire team has a better player configuration in all positions than the Pacers he led the team to the Finals in the 99-00 season.

Carlisle also has the real thing, at least much better than Isaiah, who is messing around in New York right now.

But if you really want to talk about the first two games of this team, it can only be described in two words - shame!

Larry Bird no longer expects the team to win the championship, and the Pacers in this state are also delivering food to the Finals.

But, you have to have a face when you come out, win one or two games, and give an explanation to your parents and fellow villagers, so that you can have hope for next year.

Carlisle summed up the reasons for the losses in the previous two games, adjusted the lineup, abandoned Foster, who had a more balanced offensive and defensive interior lineup, and promoted the pure defensive blue-collar Kloesschild who had stronger frame protection ability and better athleticism to the starter.

At the same time, in response to the defensive habits of Pistons players in this year's playoffs, a new offensive line has been formulated, reducing Artay's task in attacking the offense - judging from Atay's shooting percentage in the first two games, it is really difficult to say who this offense is helping to attack.

You Pistons Stud defend, then I Pacers too, you have DPOY, I have too!

The two sides launched a tooth-wrenching iron feast, with no fast attack, no tactics, only defense, desperate defense.

The overall defensive ability of the Pacers is definitely a little weaker than that of the Pistons, but the offensive ability of the Pistons is not necessarily good.

In the first half, except for Hamilton, who had a certain shooting percentage after receiving the ball after covering, the other starters scored all thanks to Mong; The Pacers are not much better at killing 1,000 and losing 999, and the defensive intensity they have seen in the regular season on the Pistons' home court, and they can make a successful shot.

The Pistons trailed the Pacers by one point at 17:18 in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Mo Wen rarely played for Hamilton for 5 minutes, which was actually telling Hamilton that you don't want to rest for a minute.

There are not many opportunities that Mo Wen can find in this kind of intense game, and the referee only relaxed the penalty scale and did not give many home whistles, Mo Wen shot 1 of 3 and scored only a 3-point before being replaced.

At halftime, the score of the two teams was 34-36 for the Pistons.

Not to mention the spectators watching the game at home, the fans at the scene were sleepy.

The commentary in the studio is predicting how long the two teams will last with this intensity of defense.

The answer given by both teams is - until the end.

The final score of the two teams was 67-71, and the Pistons, who had a worse hand, lost by four points, and the Pacers struggled to pull one back.

"Well, although the game was very difficult under the high-intensity defense, I have to say that this game is definitely the most expensive game in the East this year."

"Both the Pistons and the Pacers showed their breathless defense, and in this game you don't see furious dunks, you don't see elegant passing, you don't see smart breaks, you just have a defense that both players erase everything, and the belief to the death."

"I think all the coaches should have included this game and watched it over and over again, it's every defensive battle without mistakes."

Albert, TNT's commentator, was still trying to whitewash the game, saying nonsense that even he didn't believe.

"Oh, it's almost groom (Albert), and if I want me to say this race is shit of shit, it can't get worse than this." Buckley, who dragged his big pie face with his arms in his arms, would rather be fined than complain.

"Ben and Ron showed off their best defensive players, Rashid and Shaw put their energy into defense, and then everyone else was gone, and I felt like I could explain the game in four words: shoot - interfere - hit iron - rebound, oh, and add the corresponding names to my salary"

"Jermaine (Ow) shot, Rashid interfered, hit the iron, Big Ben grabbed the rebound."

"Hamilton shot, Miller interfered, hit the iron, Ron's rebound."

"Okay, okay, don't talk about Charles, I'm sleepy." Kenny Smith quickly interrupted Buckley from casting a spell.

Larry Bird, who had smoked a whole cigar, was relieved to see that the game was over, and finally saved his face.

But the team's problems are still there.

The Pacers lack a reliable striker or single-player player, Miller is old, and in the three rounds of the playoffs, Miller's performance is not as good as the first, and it is unrealistic and unreasonable to expect him to keep running out of the open space to score on the outside like he did when he was younger.

Larry Bird on the Pistons bench is also very eye-catching, he sees his shadow in Mo Wen, but the Pistons can't trade with them, and Bird also knows that many teams have taken a fancy to the Chinese, and they give a price that Bird can't give.

But fortunately, he still has options.

·······

In the next two games, the Pistons did not give the Pacers another chance to turn the tables.

Carlisle gave up his habit of being a dead man, and kept trying to change formations, but he couldn't break the wall he had erected.

Xiao Ao finally rebounded in the last game, cutting down 20+10 stats, leading the team to a 10-point lead before the end of the third quarter.

But after the start of the fourth quarter, Mo Wen covered a three-point and Rashid made a bottom corner three-pointer, which instantly melted the difference between the two teams, and if it weren't for Miller's yelling, the Pacers' morale would have collapsed in an instant.

In the final moments, Prince, who replaced Mo Wen, also completed the greatest save of his career so far.

He chased Miller, who threw the killer shot, although he fell hard into the crowd of fans for it.

The final whistle blew and the silent Consec Arena resounded with the unforgivingly screaming of the Pistons players.

The finals are just around the corner.