After the Thunder players entered the locker room, they all had sullen faces. Originally, although the Rockets had some strength, they were far less difficult than the Spurs. But they didn't expect that the fight would be like this today. They couldn't beat the Rockets at all.
The team's interior twin towers, these twin towers alone left them almost helpless.
The assistant coaches saw that Coach Brooks didn't speak and just held his chin with one hand as if he was thinking about something. They didn't dare to talk about tactics casually and could only try their best to encourage the Thunder players.
But in this situation, how can they cheer up the Thunder players with just two or three words?
At this time, Coach Brooks spoke: "At present, it seems that we can only start with defense. For the Rockets' offense, we can adopt a pressing defense. For their offense, we must adopt a close strategy. Especially for holding the ball.
People should constantly use their body and hands to interfere with their dribbling, but be careful not to actually pick up the ball to avoid losing position. Under our huge interference, they are likely to make mistakes. Once they make a mistake, we will seize the opportunity.
Counterattack. They have twin towers, and their speed is far inferior to ours, so they can't stop us at all."
"This is a fast break. If they retreat in time, how should we position ourselves?" Durant thought for a moment and asked.
"It's very simple when playing position. Since we can't break through the inside, we shoot from the outside. Others work hard to cover Durant and let Durant shoot. We have to believe in his scoring ability. Once he shoots,
The Rockets had to double-team, and that's when our opportunity came."
When the Thunder players heard the coach's words, they raised their heads one after another, and their gloomy faces gradually became happy. The coach's arrangement was very suitable. As long as they played like this, they believed that they would be able to curb the Rockets' momentum.
At this time, the Rockets players are still immersed in the joy of chasing points. They guarded the Thunder's second young man to death, and their offense was so good. What else can be said?
But Wen Hao was thinking. He knew that the Thunder would definitely find a way to curb the Rockets' momentum, but he didn't know what method the Thunder would use to curb it. After all, he is also a human being, not a god, especially not a magic stick.
But his feeling told him that Durant was likely to break out in the third quarter. Once Durant broke out, it would be impossible to prevent it. So he made a suggestion to the coach: "We should wait until Durant is still there."
When he is not open, try to find ways to guard him, making it difficult for him to get the ball. Even if he gets the ball, it is difficult to shoot, and even if he does, it is difficult to make a shot."
Regarding Wen Hao's suggestion, McHale thought about it and said to Parsons: "In the third quarter, you must guard Durant. You can save some energy on offense and use all your energy on defense."
Wen Hao listened to McHale's arrangement and sighed secretly in his heart. Parsons alone could not prevent Durant from dying. McHale also knew this, but did not make any further arrangements. Maybe he thought that even if Durant
It doesn't matter if one person breaks out, as long as he prevents others from dying. Is it possible that Durant can kill the entire Rockets team by himself?
However, Wen Hao couldn't say anything at this time. After all, these were just his own guesses. Besides, he couldn't confront the coach every time. In that case, what was the use of having a coach? Let the coach do what he should be concerned about.
Be careful, if you think too much about tactics and other issues, it will interfere with your thinking on the court. The thinking of players and coaches is very different. If you confuse the two, you will be in big trouble.
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For players, rest time is always short.
Soon the third quarter started. The Thunder attacked with the first ball. Wei Shao dribbled the ball past half court and handed it directly to Durant.
Durant didn't hesitate and just caught the ball and shot. Although Parsons had been warned by the coach just now, he was also guarding against Durant. But Durant was tall and had long arms, and Parsons couldn't block the shot at all. Three-pointers shot through the heart.
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Seeing this, Wen Hao felt a thump in his heart. He knew that if Durant made a move, it would definitely be terrible.
The Rockets continued to attack. After Wen Hao dribbled the ball past half-court, he did not hand it to the inside. Both Dayao and Warcraft were defended by the opponent. The four big men stood inside and there was no room to pass the ball. So Wen Hao will
The ball is handed to Harden, hoping that Harden can bring opportunities with his breakthrough.
But as soon as Harden got the ball, Sefolosha came up and kept waving his hands underneath to interfere with Harden's dribbling.
Sefolosha's arms are extremely long. Such interference made it difficult for Harden to dribble smoothly. He tried several times left and right, but couldn't break through at all. When he wanted to pass out, he saw that the rest of the Rockets were being targeted.
, Harden had to force a breakthrough by himself.
But such a forced breakthrough hit Sefolosha, and the ball lost control as his center of gravity swayed. At this time, Wei Shao next to him suddenly jumped out, picked up the ball and ran towards the front court.
Wei Shao's speed is not something to be boasted about. Looking at all the players in the field, no one can catch up. I can only watch him with another gorgeous aerial tomahawk chop.
Wei Shao landed, raised his head and roared, finally letting go of the tightness in his chest. At this time, the Rockets were already 7 points behind again.
The Thunder's home court was full of jubilation. In just one minute of the third quarter, they went from a two-point lead to a seven-point lead. The intensity of the Thunder's scoring was really exciting.
Looking back, the Rockets continued to attack. This time, Wen Hao seized the opportunity and threw the ball to Dayao. Dayao singled out Perkins and hit the hook after half-turning.
Looking back, the Thunder continued to attack. They dribbled the ball to Durant after half court. This time, Parsons stayed close to Durant and did not give him an easy opportunity to dribble and shoot.
But Ibaka suddenly came up and set a screen for Durant. Durant shook off Parsons, shot from outside the three-point line, and hit another three-pointer.
"It's incredible, it's incredible, Durant fired, now the Rockets are in danger." Director Zhang said in the CCTV live broadcast room.
"McHale should call a timeout to set up and see how to defend Durant. If he really opens up, the Rockets will be finished. His scoring ability is extremely terrifying. You must know that he has been the scoring champion for several consecutive times.
Ah." Yang Jian said.
But just like many Rockets games, when everyone thought it was time to call a timeout, McHale stubbornly refused to call a timeout. He wanted to let the players adjust on their own.
At this time, the Rockets continued to attack, but under the Thunder's biting defense, Parsons' layup missed the basket, and the Thunder counterattacked again. Although the Rockets retreated quickly this time,
But Durant didn't attack the inside at all, but directly shot a chasing three-pointer.
With this three-pointer, the Thunder finally expanded their lead to 11 points.
McHale finally called a timeout at this time. If he didn't call a timeout at this time, the Rockets would really be doomed.
When Durant came off the court, he punched his chest hard with his fist and collided with Wei Shao, his momentum was like a rainbow.
The Rockets began to fall silent. Originally trailing by only two points, it was stretched to 11 points within three minutes of the game, which is really unacceptable.
Only then did McHale remember Wen Hao's suggestion during the halftime break, and regretted that he had not taken strict precautions against Durant in advance. So he made arrangements for the Rockets: to press the Thunder in half-court defense, and once they passed the half-court
Just hit it on the court. If Durant holds the ball at the three-point line, double-team him immediately!
Don't you know that by doing this, he played into Coach Brooks's plan. Coach Brooks said to Durant: "Okay, you have successfully attracted the Rockets' defensive attention. The next thing you have to do is double-team the Rockets."
Pass the ball to the open player, and if they don't double-team you, continue to crush them with your firepower.
Returning to the court, Durant carried out the coach's instructions. After returning to the court, he was double-teamed by the Rockets after getting the ball. He immediately passed the ball to the open Sefolosha. Sefolosha did
A fake shot made Harden pounce, but he passed the ball to Wei Shao who was in the open position. Wei Shao finally had a chance at this time, dribbled the ball in two steps, jumped high from the free throw line, and made a jump shot.
On the next ball, Durant passed the ball to the inside at the moment when he was double-teamed. This time Ibaka finally seized the opportunity and dunked a basket.
At this time, Rockets head coach McHale was anxious. He finally realized that something was wrong. He hurriedly yelled at the Rockets players: "Double-team, but don't double-team too thoroughly. You must prevent him from passing the ball to the open space."
"
Therefore, the Rockets players did not dare to double-team too hard. They just delayed Durant's dribbling forward and quickly retreated.
But who is Durant, who can be stopped by a delay? After being delayed by Harden, he actually followed Harden's footsteps and ran to the inside. But he did not break into the center guarded by the Twin Towers.
Instead, he made a jump shot from the free throw line. Another hit.
"It's terrible. Durant's scoring ability is terrible." Director Zhang said in amazement.
"Honestly, the scoring champion is not just a boast. In the past, when he could get inside, he tried his best to get inside to score. But today, when he couldn't get inside, he used jump shots to solve the problem. The scary thing is that his jump shot shooting rate is too high.
It’s high.”
At this time, the Rockets had to call a timeout again. When the Rockets players came off the court, McHale looked directly at Wen Hao, with a hint of help in his eyes. How should he defend Durant now, and how should he defend the Thunder?
Wen Hao came off the court, but acted as if he hadn't seen it. He had just tried his best to guard Wei Shao, and had no time to think about how to break the Thunder's offense.
Seeing that Wen Hao was silent, McHale said, "Wen Hao, everyone knows that you have the most ideas. Is there anything you can do?"
Wen Hao smiled awkwardly and said, "Coach, I can't think of a way yet."
McHale shook his head helplessly and had to say to the Rockets players: "Continue to double-team Durant, but this time he must double-team more thoroughly and resolutely. At the same time, the defense against Wei Shao cannot be relaxed, Beverly,
Your defense is very good, then you go up and defend Wei Shao."
Next to him, Wen Hao was not disappointed because Beverly replaced him, but was thinking about something.
In fact, he still has a way, but it should not be used lightly unless it is absolutely necessary. (To be continued.)
