Super Role Player

During the halftime break, Anxi rested for about ten minutes, and Brett Brown walked to the middle and began to plan the play for the second half.

Anxi will continue to play in the second half. After resting for about ten minutes, his physical fitness has almost recovered, so in the second half, Anxi continues to play the role of the team's main attacker. Then, Brett Brown waved his hand: "In the second half, Louis (Williams) ) as the point guard, with No. 2, small forward Jae Crowder, power forward Channing (Frye), and center Paul (Gasol). On the offensive end, we try to pull out as much as possible and use your range advantage to create space on the outside. .”

"Defensively, Ann, you go to guard James Harden, and Paul protects the rim."

On the defensive end, Jae Crowder has already committed five fouls. Brett Brown does not dare to let him defend James Harden anymore, otherwise Jae Crowder may have committed six fouls and left the game in just one round.

On the other side, in the visiting team's locker room, Kevin McHale was in a pretty good mood. After all, at halftime, the Rockets did not fall behind, which meant that against the defending champion 76ers, the Rockets still had a better chance.

In the second half, Kevin McHale was prepared to continue to strengthen defense, because he felt that it was a shame to let Anxi score 29 points in the half, and it would be even more shameful to let Anxi score another 50 points in the whole game.

In order to avoid humiliation, Kevin McHale put Josh Smith and Dwight Howard on the inside, plus Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza on the outside. In a main lineup, except for the second position, With James Harden on the court, almost everyone can defend him.

Kevin McHale also first arranged for Patrick Beverley to guard Anxi. In the second half of defense, the Rockets still wanted to fight a wheel battle to consume Anxi's energy.

The 76ers took the lead in the second half, but the starting lineups of the two teams really surprised Turner Sports commentator Doug Collins: "The Rockets' starting lineup, except for James Harden, almost everyone can defend. It looks like they will focus on defense in the second half!”

Sean Battier also followed up and said: "The 76ers' lineup is also very interesting. Lou Williams, Ann, Jae Crowder and Channing Frye. Everyone on the outside can shoot three-pointers. Plus With Pau Gasol as a guest center, almost everyone in the 76ers lineup can shoot from distance.”

"Judging from the starting lineups in the second half, the ideas of the two teams are too different. The 76ers think more about offense, while the Rockets think more about defense. The two teams have different arrangements and considerations, and the game in the second half is also good to watch. Will the 76ers' offense break through the Rockets' defense, or will the Rockets' defense lock down the 76ers' offense? The game has begun!"

The referee blew the whistle and the 76ers served from the backcourt.

Anxi took the basketball directly from the backcourt,

After advancing beyond the three-point line in the frontcourt, Anxi stopped.

The teammates were all spread out, and the attribute that all players on the field could shoot from long range made it quite difficult for the Rockets to defend, but they still invested more defensive energy and shifted to the Anxi side.

As for Anxi himself, his offensive choice was very simple. With his teammates all separated, he turned around and hit Patrick Beverley with a high back.

Beverley is also a little depressed. In the past games, he has guarded many of his opponents' top stars. Beverley can always use his annoying characteristics and even the characteristics of many small moves to make the opponents miserable. The Thunder Russell Westbrook was even injured by Beverley.

Sometimes Beverley is quite proud. He thinks he is the modern Bruce Bowen.

But when he met Anxi in this game, every time Anxi turned around and hit him with his back and directly crushed him with his body, Beverly felt very powerless.

Small moves were ineffective against Anxi, and he didn't dare to make big moves. He could only grit his teeth, endure Anxi's strong blows, keep retreating, and then wait for the support of his teammates.

Before Ariza could rush over to double-team, Anxi pushed back hard, then turned around and broke through from Beverley's right side.

After accelerating, the Rockets could only use one Josh Smith to block Anxi's breakthrough. Anxi did not stop and had no intention of passing the ball. He continued to accelerate, rushed to the inside, took advantage of the situation and turned around again, leaning on Josh Smith. Smith, trying to make a layup.

However, his first layup was a fake move, and he took the ball back when he reached normal. After taking it back, Anxi avoided Josh Smith's block and hooked the basketball from the other side. basket.

beep! The referee blew the whistle at the same time and Josh Smith fouled.

Uh-huh! Anxi's hook also hit, and the ball was scored, 2+1!

For a time, the Wachovia Arena was filled with cheers.

Doug Collins in the commentary box also shouted excitedly: "What a beautiful goal. Anxi single-handedly challenged the Rockets' defense, and finally scored a 2+1!"

Shane Battier didn't look down on Anxi's shot because of his status as a Rockets star. In fact, Anxi's shot was really beautiful. Facing the Rockets' full containment and defense, Anxi was tough. scored the goal and caused a foul by Josh Smith.

"The Rockets' defense is too simple, and Josh Smith makes up too casually. In fact, he can let Beverley entangle Anxi, let Anxi go in, and then cooperate with Beverley to interfere with Anxi's layup... "Sean Battier found fault with the Rockets' defense for a while. As a defensive expert at the time, he was qualified to say so.

In fact, the current Rockets are indeed not good at defense. Daryl Morey's magic ball theory is gradually abandoning defense.

If the Rockets didn't have a strong defensive lineup, the Rockets' defense would probably fall into the Mariana Trench this season.

Anxi made an extra free throw to score 2+1, and the 76ers took a 3-point lead.

Then, the Rockets' offense, James Harden held the ball, faced Anxi's defense.

Harden did not choose to force this ball because the Rockets' offensive style changed in the second half. Kevin McHale decided to increase the number of Dwight Howard's inside singles. Therefore, after Howard got a good position in the paint for this ball, Harden will The ball was passed.

Dwight Howard beat Pau Gasol inside and hit a hook layup to seal the score.

Pau Gasol failed to guard against Howard's strong attack. He seemed a little dissatisfied. On the one hand, he was dissatisfied with his defensive performance. After all, he and Howard had a grudge, and they competed on offense and defense. On the other hand, Howard's single action just now It was a bit too big. Pau Gasol thought Howard had committed a foul, but the referee ignored it.

Although he was dissatisfied, Pau Gasol just shook his hands to vent, because he knew very well that the Rockets are now well taken care of by the league, which can be seen from James Harden's body hair whistle.

Although Howard's action was too big, it was still between a foul and no foul. It is understandable that the referee did not call it.

So Pau Gasol is still more dissatisfied with himself.

The 76ers' offense still relies on Anxi getting the ball.

Although Anxi felt that he should give the ball to Gasol and let Gasol play an answer ball, but after thinking about it, he still didn't give it. His task was a bit heavy in this game. After 2+1 in the third quarter, In this game, he just scored 32 points, 18 points short of 50 points.

If the 76ers play crazy in the third quarter, maybe this game will be clocked out in three quarters again, so Anxi needs to score points as soon as possible. He has to score 80 or 9 of the remaining 18 points before the end of the third quarter. Just stay within ten.

Of course, it is said that it is a score gain, but in fact every goal scored by Anxi is very valuable, and it is all obtained through strong play.

In this game, Anxi faced the Rockets' continuous defense, and every shot was difficult.

Returning to the offense, Anxi continued to face Patrick Beverley's defense. This time, he called a pick-and-roll from the outside. After a single block, Anxi broke through in one step, and then made a jump shot.

Trevor Ariza came belatedly from the other side, stretched out his long arms, and only blocked Anxi's eyes a little bit.

Swish!

The ball goes in!

After two points, Anxi scored 34 points and the 76ers led by 3 points.

"Anxi succeeded in consecutive strong attacks, but the Rockets' defense seemed to have no effect."

Doug Collins is very happy. Judging from the opening rounds, the defense that the Rockets attach great importance to has no effect at all. Anxi continues to score, and his personal score has risen to 34 points.

But just after he said this, Sean Battier on the other side added unconvincedly: "But the 76ers failed to widen the point difference. The point difference between the two teams is still 3 points. The Rockets have the next step." possession of the ball."

Before he finished speaking, the Rockets' offense quickly ended, and they handed the ball to Dwight Howard. Howard hit hard inside and hooked the basketball in with a left hook, continuing to bite the score.

Pau Gasol became more and more depressed. In this round, Anxi no longer kept the ball in his hands. He gave the ball to Gasol and asked Gasol to play an answerball.

But Gasol's mid-range jumper was directly interfered by Howard and missed.

The Rockets turned around and wanted to play a fast break, but Anxi quickly returned to defense and blocked it.

Then, Brett Brown on the sidelines waved his hand to make adjustments. Just as the Rockets were about to enter a positional battle, Channing Frye rushed up and fouled Howard. The 76ers had just begun the third quarter and started playing shark-cutting tactics.

However, the number of fouls has not yet reached, so the Rockets can only serve from the sideline.

The Rockets made a free throw from the sideline. This time the ball was given to Howard. Howard stepped inside and wanted a layup. Pau Gasol rudely fouled Howard.

This time it's a free throw.

Dwight Howard went to the free throw line and made one of two free throws. The score between the two teams was actually tied again.

The Rockets played very tenaciously, but Kevin McHale obviously has to consider one issue, and that is Dwight Howard's free throws.

The 76ers obviously want to use a shark-cutting tactic. Whether to continue to let Howard play the main offense is a choice that must be made.