Basketball Legends: Strikers Are King

"Using abundant lineup thickness and flexible strikers to consume the opponent's physical strength, and then replacing the main force at critical moments, this coach knows how to do it."

In the TNT studio, Kenny Smith whispered.

To be fair, he originally supported O'Neal's view and believed that the Heat could sweep their opponents and advance to the second round.

But unlike O'Neal, who mindlessly supported James Wade and completely ignored the coach, Kenny Smith knew the role of a good coach on the team.

Of course, after weighing the two young coaches who were newly appointed, he believed that in this regard, the two teams were tied, and it would depend on the quality of the stars.

But in the past ten minutes, Vogel's performance in rotating the lineup was somewhat beyond Kenny Smith's expectations. He seized on the shortcomings of the opponent's short rotation and used the thickness of the lineup to consume the opponent's physical strength. For this reason alone, the Pacers seemed to have an advantage.

Got some advantage.

Then Kenny Smith will have to revise his expectations.

"Is Charles right?"

O'Neal next to him immediately sneered:

"Whatever you say Kenny, I still stick to my point of view, Heat 4-0, sweep!"

"Ha, I hope you can stick to your point of view after today's game."

Barkley's cynicism was met with a retort from O'Neal:

"Charles, just wait and see the Heat's performance in the fourth quarter!"

"Give me!"

Granger got the basketball and prepared to play James alone.

But James challenged him, cut the basketball out of his hand with a quick move, and then quickly rushed towards the frontcourt.

Granger quickly returned to defense and after jumping up to block the shot, he heard the referee's whistle.

"Shooting foul, two free throws!"

"mine."

He raised his hand to accept the foul and watched his opponent walk to the free throw line.

Only then did Vogel know his opponent's plan, because including the two fouls in the fourth quarter, Granger had already committed 5 fouls!

"Apply for substitution."

With five and a half minutes left in the game, Vogel quickly replaced Granger with Qi Tian.

"What happened to Boss Danny?"

"Granger's 5th foul!"

The Pacers fans, who originally counted on Granger to lead the team to stabilize the situation, realized later and immediately fell into panic when they saw Granger leaving the game.

"Without the boss, how can we fight?"

"It's over now."

James smiled slightly and made one of two free throws, narrowing the point difference to 2 points.

"Without Granger, the Pacers will definitely not be our opponent!"

Only then did Wade know James' intention to suddenly provoke Granger. He was the only one who noticed that Granger had committed four fouls. If he provoked him even slightly, he would be replaced.

West scored on an inside jump shot, but Wade responded with a single to his opponent.

George Hill caught the ball and was about to organize an attack, but James suddenly came up to press him and stole the basketball again.

West had no choice but to pay for another foul and send James to the free throw line.

Fortunately, James missed the opportunity to equalize the score and made only one of two free throws. George collected the basketball.

But George was a little panicked and was intercepted by James from the side again. James did not rush this time and handed it over to his teammates.

Battier broke through and assisted Wade for an easy layup.

"71-72."

"Wade!"

"James!"

"nice shot!"

After a minute and a half of the game, the Heat shot 6-2 and took the lead in the last 4 minutes of the game. The Heat fans on the sidelines immediately became excited and shouted to cheer for the team.

The pressure has come to the Pacers. George received a pass from Hill and passed it hand-to-hand to Qi Tian, ​​who was running over.

Qi Tian caught the ball and started looking for his teammates. Taking advantage of Wade's distraction, he jumped up and deflected his opponent.

"Whoosh!"

Basketball hollow hit.

"73-72."

Seeing the Pacers finally responded, the fans finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The Pacers gradually stabilized the situation. West singled out Battier and caused a foul and made one of two free throws;

Wade turned around and also caused a foul on Qi Tian, ​​making one of two free throws.

Qi Tian took the ball in the high post, exchanged a look with West, decisively broke through and distributed the ball, assisting West for a reverse layup;

But Wade responded with a pass from James and hit a layup.

"76-73."

"Hey, have you noticed that the Pacers' offense seems to be a little smoother."

In the past two minutes, the scores of the two teams have increased alternately, which is indeed a bit better than the previous constipated offense.

His question was quickly answered:

"Then have you noticed that the defense has also dropped a lot?"

"Qi Tian's offense is still good, but the defensive restrictions on Wade are definitely not as good as George's, otherwise he wouldn't just play as a substitute."

Vogel saw that there were only two minutes left in the game, so he decisively replaced Granger while Qi Tian and Wade were working hard.

"Pay attention to the fouls and don't leave the field with six fouls."

Granger nodded, high-fived Qi Tian who was replaced, and returned to the field.

But the development of the game obviously will not go as smoothly as he imagined.

George's defensive end gave James a big block, and the fast break caused James to foul and go to the free throw line.

A scene that caused Pacers fans to suffer cardiac arrest occurred. George missed two free throws and missed the opportunity to widen the point difference.

Something even more shocking happened for Pacers fans. Wade hit a jumper, James grabbed the rebound, and the referee next to him blew the whistle again!

"No, it can't be?"

Looking at the few Pacers players under the basket, the fans murmured in their hearts, and when they saw the referee indicating that player No. 33 had committed a foul, they started wailing everywhere.

Granger's sixth offender left the field!

"M****r*uc*!!"

Granger, who did nothing for a minute after appearing on stage, was mentally shattered.

Qi Tian took the stage again, waiting for James' free throw.

Something strange happened. James also missed two free throws, missing the opportunity to equalize or even overtake the score!

"76-75."

"There is still a chance, there is still a chance!"

The Pacers fans' eyes lit up and their hearts instantly lifted.

No matter what, they maintained their lead. As long as they held on in the last minute, the victory was still theirs.

George collected the rebound and handed it to Hill. Hill controlled the ball at the top of the key and waited for the last ten seconds before using the pick-and-roll to make a pull-up jump shot.

"clang!"

The hearts of the Pacers fans seemed to have stopped for a beat, and they watched the basketball fly out with some suffocation.

West grabbed the offensive rebound!

"Nice!..."

As soon as the Pacers fans cheered, they saw West's tip-in bounce twice and fall out!

Heat fans are ecstatic.

"Uh~~"

"Nice!"

Before the voices of the fans from both sides could be heard, Qi Tian rushed in and grabbed the offensive rebound again!

Qi Tian pretended to take the ball out, but quickly passed it to Hibbert under the basket. Hibbert turned around and made a layup, causing Anthony's foul!

"clang!"

"Whoosh!"

"77-75."

The two sides replaced the center with a tacit understanding, leaving the decisive lineup.

Wade’s jumper missed;

George got the basketball in the last 14 seconds, and the Heat could only resort to foul tactics.

Hill made one of two free throws. The Heat theoretically had a final chance, but Chalmers' three-pointer missed and they could only watch the time quickly return to zero.

"78-75."

The Pacers came back and tied the game 1-1.

When the final whistle sounded, fans from both sides were at a loss.

In the last two minutes of the game, all 10 jump shots made by both teams ended in blackouts. Only Hibbert and Hill hit two free throws. Especially at the critical moment, both George and James missed two free throws, which made them

Some doubts:

Is there a mole in this game? If so, who is it?