plumnovel Chapter 424 The Spurs
Chapter 424 The Spurs
Chapter 424 The Spurs
96:85
In the end, when the buzzer sounded at the end of the game, the Spurs not only failed to recover the score, but fell even further behind.
Once the Spurs get up to speed, there will always be mistakes in their busy schedule.
And once there is a mistake, the Sonics will definitely be able to seize the opportunity and turn the opportunity into a score.
It's not that Popovich can't see through. He saw it and even made adjustments, but sometimes the head coach is helpless.
The game is always played by the players, not the head coach.
Once you fall into that rhythm, it takes time and energy to adjust back.
At that time, the Spurs were still behind by more than double digits.
It can only be said that in the contest of the first game, the Spurs missed a move and the Sonics won.
Of course, Popovich is not in a hurry, this is a series.
In the second game, the Spurs obviously made adjustments and they were also fighting for the start.
From the first minute of the game, the two sides played extremely fiercely.
The final result was that no one could open up the game, and the point difference remained within 5 points.
This kind of entanglement is actually what Popovich is willing to see, and it is best to last until the last moment.
It's a pity that Popovich forgot one thing, the Sonics' scoring explosiveness.
When the game entered the second half of the second quarter, the main lineups of both sides returned again.
At this time, the Spurs still led by 2 points.
However, at this time, Wang Hao unexpectedly stood up and exploded.
He was caught off guard when he hit you first, and shot directly from outside the three-point line.
The three-pointer was hit steadily.
I don’t know if the SuperSonics completed the lead, which made the Spurs a little nervous, and Parker made a pass error.
Gary Payton quickly counterattacked and then passed the ball to Wang Hao.
Wang Hao raised the knife and made another three-pointer. The basketball flew into the net again.
The moment the goal was scored, Popovich jumped up from the bench and yelled at Parker.
At the same time, he also asked the team to stabilize the rhythm.
It has to be said that the Spurs have a strong ability to challenge, and they have stabilized the rhythm of the game.
Unfortunately, Duncan's offense failed to score amid the double-teaming.
Even so, the Spurs were still the first to return to defense, not giving the Sonics a chance to play a fast break.
The Supersonics fell into a positional battle, and Wang Hao got the ball and was double-teamed, so he immediately passed the ball.
Gary Payton gave the ball to Kirilenko. Kirilenko looked at Wang Hao, who was running, and left with a flash of inspiration.
I saw him slap the ball behind him casually, and the basketball hit the ground and jumped high.
At the same time, he moved quickly and helped Wang Hao complete an off-ball screen.
He slightly blocked Bruce Bowen, and at this time, Wang Hao had already come near the sideline, holding the basketball firmly.
Without any delay, he strikes again.
"Shh!"
Three consecutive three-pointers directly stopped the Spurs.
It has to be said that Popovich and the Spurs, in this case, are still standing still.
They are still ensuring their own rhythm, and at the same time, they pay special attention to Wang Hao's defense.
Sure enough, Wang Hao failed to continue his magical performance.
But Popovich forgot one thing, the Spurs were already behind.
Although the 7-point difference is not big, it is not small, especially for a slow-paced team like the Spurs.
Popovich's idea is very simple, stabilize the rhythm, hit the key ball, and fight hard.
In the last 5 minutes of the game, the Spurs really started to exert their strength and increased their defensive strength.
The Sonics missed consecutive shots.
The Spurs, on the other hand, relied on Duncan's hard work and relied on close-range shots to barely score two points.
Seeing this scene, Popovich nodded with satisfaction, as if everything was under control.
The only thing that's not good is that the Spurs are still 5 points behind, and the point difference is not small.
If there is a 3-point difference now, even if it is just one ball missing, the situation will be completely different.
But Popovich forgot that the Supersonics still have Wang Hao.
Everyone pulled away, Wang Hao held the ball and played back singles. In order to avoid being double-teamed, he didn't even fall to the low post.
Wang Hao chose a high position with his back to ask for the ball. After receiving the ball, he faced the basket and singled Bruce Bowen.
There is more space in the upper and lower positions, and there are more choices.
Bruce Bowen's athletic talent is slightly inferior, so what Wang plays is his speed.
Without any skills, Wang Hao is just a tough one, before the opponent's double-team arrives, he directly pulls out his hand.
"Shh!"
The point difference returned to 7 points again.
The Spurs constantly want to recover the score, but the Sonics can always score.
But time is constantly passing by.
When the whistle sounded at the end of the game, the Spurs still failed to overtake the score.
91:86
The Sonics have won two consecutive victories at home, leading 2:0.
The situation is very gratifying, but it's not yet the time for the Sonics to be happy.
Because next, it is the home court of the Spurs.
The same is true. Going back to the first game in San Antonio, the Spurs exploded with tremendous energy.
The GDP combination scored 60 points, and finally, relying on the defense at the critical moment, won the game.
In the fourth game, the referee's whistle was relatively loose.
As a result, the Spurs' defense continued to increase in intensity, which seriously affected the Sonics' game rhythm.
A normal game is played with constant fouls and free throws.
And such a human rhythm seems to be very suitable for Tony Parker, he can always burst out of speed suddenly.
In the end, with Tony Parker's 30 points and 6 assists, and the Sonics leaving the field with 6 fouls, the Spurs won again.
Although the Spurs seem to have more fouls, but these fouls are very scattered.
The supersonic speed is relatively concentrated.
Gary Payton and Kirilenko have six offences, and the Sonics' defensive system is in tatters.
It is not incomprehensible to lose in the end.
The situation changed from 2:0 to 2:2. It must be said that this situation is not good.
But don't forget, this is the championship.
After returning to the home court, after a brief adjustment, the Sonics ushered in a big explosion.
On May 5, in Tianwang Mountain, the Sonics scored 13 points.
You know, this is in the playoffs, but the opponent is still one of the best defensive teams in the entire NBA.
But today's supersonic speed is so unstoppable.
Especially outside the three-point line, the Sonics made 40 of 18 shots today, directly breaking the playoff three-point record.
What's even more exaggerated is that Wang Hao made 15 of 8 shots alone.
Today's Wang Hao went crazy. He scored 55 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists alone.
Faced with such offensive firepower, the Spurs are powerless.
As soon as the game started, the Spurs were beaten, and the point difference was directly opened to 15 points.
At this time, Popovich knew very well that maintaining the so-called slow pace was slow death.
There is no other way but to let go of the rhythm and find a way to grab points first.
If it was the previous game, Popovich would definitely not do this, but this is the battle of Tianwangshan.
The final result is that after completely letting go of the rhythm, the Spurs completely fell into the rhythm of the Supersonics.
The two teams continue to play offensive and defensive transitions, but the Sonics are often the one that can better seize the opportunity.
Popovich was helpless, but also helpless.
At this time, the Spurs can only try their best to adjust and protect their home court in the last series.
What the Sonics need to do is to contribute to the Spurs' home court.
It was still an extremely fierce game, from the first minute of the game to the last minute.
It can be said that today's Spurs have already used all their strengths.
Duncan and Bruce Bowen, who took no more than 2 minutes to rest, really responded to that sentence and took a breath.
Of course, the supersonic speed is similar, it is really hard work.
It's still a high-intensity confrontation, it's still a hand-to-hand game, but today the Sonics didn't pull their hips.
Especially Wang Hao, he told everyone that he can not only fight offensive and defensive battles, but also hand-to-hand combat.
In this game, at the end of the game, the Sonics scored 84 points.
Wang Hao scored 40 points alone.
Among them, there were only 3 three-pointers, because the Spurs did not give him a three-point chance at all.
The rest of the points were obtained by relying on Wang Hao hitting the inside again and again, and even getting free throws.
These 40 points are what he got today with countless falls and countless fouls.
84:83
The Sonics lead the Spurs by 1 point, but the offensive ball is in the hands of the Spurs.
There are only 27 seconds left in the game.
The key ball at the critical moment depends on which side can hold it better.
The timeout of the game ended and the Spurs served.
Popovich is very experienced and has too much time. He was not in a hurry at all and chose to serve from the backcourt.
In this case, there is still a risk of mistakes in the midfield serve.
As for serving in the backcourt, unless the Sonics are playing a full-court press, there is unlikely to be an accident.
Tony Parker dribbled the ball across the half court, not in a hurry at all, he followed the coach's arrangement and took time first.
Seeing the time go by little by little, when there were 15 seconds left in the game, he suddenly made a move.
Parker passed the ball directly, and the basketball was given to Duncan, who was raising the ball to cover.
At the same time, Ginobili and Turkoglu immediately slipped to the baseline and moved, and there was a mutual pick-and-roll.
Immediately afterwards, the two left their pockets and came out to catch the ball.
Is this to let Duncan be the pivot and give Ginobili the last chance to attack?
However, at this moment, Duncan also suddenly made a move, and he broke through directly.
To be honest, this is really unexpected, because there are too many foreshadowings ahead.
But, if you think about it carefully, it's not hard to understand.
Among the entire Spurs team, the one most worthy of Popovich's trust must be Duncan.
Duncan's breakthrough was sudden, but he couldn't break through immediately.
Because PJ Brown's attention is very focused, he immediately discovered Duncan's move.
It's just that Duncan is Duncan after all.
Although he failed to break through, he relied on his physical advantage to squeeze out the space to take action.
Facing PJ Brown's defense, he still shot with a fadeaway.
To be honest, such an action is not a simple action even for a defender.
It is even more difficult to make it with Duncan's stature.
But he just did it.
Not only that, but his shooting was very stable, flying a parabola with a not very high arc, heading towards the basket.
At this very moment, the SBC center arena fell silent instantly, and everyone's minds were touched.
Everyone's attention is focused on basketball.
The silent atmosphere didn't last long, followed by the roar of mountains and tsunamis.
That's right, the ball went in!
84:85
Tim Duncan lived up to the trust of Popovich, let alone the trust of all San Antonio people.
"pause!"
Wang Hao immediately asked for a timeout and returned to the bench.
Before getting off the car, he turned his head and glanced at the timer. There were 5.8 seconds left in the race.
"5.8 seconds, guys, that's our performance time."
Wang Hao's voice was very flat, but to the ears of the supersonic players, it was inexplicably convincing.
Because the person who said this sentence has fulfilled his promise time and time again, it is impossible not to believe it.
"Yes, we still have a chance, and the victory will eventually belong to us."
Paul Westphal shouted, cheering for his players.
Obviously, as a championship team, no one will raise their hands early and surrender.
Even, in their view, this is a performance moment specially prepared for them!
This is the spirit of a championship.
"Quiet me, it's fine, we haven't won the game yet.
Don't forget, what kind of guys are on the opposite side, they are champions, never underestimate the championship. "
Not only does Paul Westphal understand this, but so does Popovich.
If possible, in fact, he is not willing to decide the outcome with the Sonics at the last second.
Of course, he also understands that this is beyond his control.
What he needs to do now is to make the best arrangements to keep this final victory.
The 1-minute timeout is over, and the referee is already urging.
Paul Westphal did not delay, the tactics have been arranged, so just let the players play.
As for what tactics?
What else could be the tactic? Naturally, hand the ball to Wang Hao.
In 5.8 seconds, Kirilenko served from the center line outside the sideline, and Wang Hao received the ball in the backcourt.
Bruce Bowen did not dare to press directly for fear of being squeezed away by Wang Hao. This was not the last second.
If it is a last-second game, then there must be no chance to connect the ball.
After Wang Hao caught the ball, he quickly advanced and passed half the ball first.
As for the other supersonic players, they were all standing in a neat row near the baseline at this time.
There is no need for pick-and-rolls, just pull them all out.
With only 3 seconds left, Wang Hao took advantage of the situation and broke through. His right hand holding the ball suddenly shot, and the basketball was transferred to his left hand.
Immediately afterwards, he took a sudden step and went directly to Bruce Bowen's right attack.
It has to be said that Bruce Bowen's reaction was quick and did not allow Wang Hao to completely break through.
Still, that's enough.
Wang Hao did not directly break through to the basket, but was near the free throw line, and he directly provoked it.
He leaned back as far as he could, and sure enough, Bruce Bowen came after him, trying to interfere.
It's a pity that it can only interfere a little bit.
Wang Hao's body seemed to be suspended in mid-air, and then he threw the ball extremely softly.
(End of this chapter)