After losing to the Bucks by 1 point, the Grizzlies returned to Memphis overnight.
The players communicated privately, and they all complained about the defeat.
"Li, I know you were very angry and put you on the bench at the last moment, but you can't have a conflict with the head coach on the spot."
Gasol continued to comfort Li Tian, who had experienced a lot.
"If you have a conflict with Mark, then the next day's reports will point the finger at you, and you will be abandoned by the Grizzlies. Whichever team you go to next, they will not dare to choose you." Gasso You were young once, and he understands Li Tian's mood at this time.
"Everything will be fine. If there is no record, then over time, the attendance will drop, and the crazy fans will drive Mark out. At that time, the Grizzlies will either completely ruin it for the future, then they will fire Mark and let the fans Vent your anger completely, and then the opportunity will come."
Gasol did not mention the last scenario, which is to trade out some people who do not fit the team's future in exchange for more draft picks and accumulate enough talent for the future.
Li Tian is also a person who has experienced ups and downs, and has gradually adjusted.
No matter what, you need to be strong so that you won't be manipulated by the coach at will.
After flying back to Memphis, I ran to the training gym as usual and continued my training plan.
First, he practiced three-pointers, and basketballs flew out of Li Tian's hands at different positions.
Falling firmly into the basket.
In training, Li Tian's three-point shooting rate has reached a terrifying 93% or more. Now his three-point skill is only at the platinum level. Li Tian feels that his three-point skill will be upgraded soon, but it is just a little bit short.
Li Tian continued his three-point training.
"Li, you worked really hard. You were training all the time. When I came, you were already at the training hall. When I left, you were still there." Lori saw that Li Tian had already started early. train.
"Lori, I finally have a teammate. I'm so excited. A stupid bird has to learn to fly first. I want to see Memphis at four in the morning." Li Tian smiled and glanced at Lowry.
"Then what did you see?" Lori smiled.
"What a ghost. It's four o'clock in the morning in Memphis. There aren't even any birds. I can't see anything except ghosts." Li Tian used American humor.
After hearing this, Lori pointed at Li Tian and laughed.
"Okay, my stomach hurts from laughing so much. Li, you are so funny. But remember to call me next time you come to training. I also want to become stronger, so don't leave me behind."
Lori was also infected by Li Tian's efforts.
"Okay, let's train together. I'll wake you up at three o'clock tomorrow morning!" Li Tianpi said.
"Oh, are you a devil? If you wake me up so early, you won't even be able to see ghosts, right?" Lori said seriously.
"Ghost, where are the ghosts? What have you done? Why are there ghosts? It's so scary, that thing." Gasol covered his head and came behind Li Tian.
The two laughed even louder.
Ignoring Gasol, the two continued training.
...
The New Orleans Hornets' away game against the Memphis Grizzlies has officially begun.
In the first quarter, under the guidance of Chris Paul, the Hornets played a crazy game. The Grizzlies were pinned to the ground by the Hornets led by Paul throughout the first quarter.
Paul sent out 5 assists in the first quarter, and the Hornets shot 67%, which is simply unimaginable; this is not the most terrifying thing, the terrible thing is that the Grizzlies' shooting rate was limited to 38%. Completely blown.
The Hornets led the Grizzlies by 9 points 32-23 in the first quarter.
Milicic was injured while grabbing a rebound and left the game.
Mark was so angry that he kept sitting down, standing up, and kicking the bench. It was so crazy.
"Lee, you replace Guy." Mark glanced at Guy.
Although Gay's offense was okay, his defense and continuous missed shots made Mark unbearable.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Li Tian came on the stage and received cheers and shouts from the fans.
Li Tian suddenly felt that he was beginning to enjoy the sound. It was so great and intoxicating.
Li Tian and Navarro appeared on the stage, and the two cooperated to launch a wave of attacks.
Navarro continued to hit mid-range shots under the cover of Li Tian.
Under Li Tian's defense, David West's shooting percentage dropped off a cliff. From 4 of 6 in the first quarter to 2 of 7 in the second quarter, Li Tian successfully restricted David West.
After Li Tian hit a three-pointer, the FedEx Arena was filled with excitement, and people kept shouting "Lee".
The cooperation of Navarro and Li Tian reduced the point difference to 3 points.
After the start of the third quarter, the Hornets and Grizzlies felt like they were both touched by God's rain and dew. They kissed the Hornets in the first quarter and kissed the Grizzlies in the third quarter. The Grizzlies' feeling suddenly improved, while the Hornets' feeling was cold.
Gasol shot an incredible 5-for-5 in this quarter.
At the end of the third quarter, the Grizzlies led the Hornets by 3 points 81-84.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Navarro and Lowry appeared on the court at the same time, constantly attacking the Hornets inside and hitting frequently.
I have to say that Paul was really strong in the final quarter, constantly attacking Lowry and causing Lowry to foul, but he still equalized the score and took the lead.
The score came to 97-95, and the Hornets led by 2 points.
Mark called a timeout. There were 6 minutes left in the game, and the critical moment had come.
This time Mark didn't put Li Tian on the bench. If he put Li Tian on the bench again, I think the home fans would shout get out of class.
Li Tian and Gay appeared at the same time, and Gasol mentioned the center position.
In order to ensure the intensity of rebounding and defense, Mark chose to change his formation at the critical moment of this game.
The first change of formation had a miraculous effect, catching the Hornets off guard.
Li Tian assisted Gasol and cut to the basket for a dunk.
The score was tied again.
Under high-intensity defense, the connection between Paul and his teammates was cut off by the double-teaming of Navarro and Li Tian, and the Hornets were blocked for a 24-second violation.
Looking back, Gay, who was playing singles with the ball, was rewarded with a solid block by West. The Grizzlies' offense failed.
It's like the two teams have made an agreement, if you get one closer, I'll score one, and if you hit an iron, I'll definitely return one to you.
"Li, the critical moment is here. We need to rely on your three-pointers. How about it? Is there any problem?" Navarro asked Li Tian.
"No problem, you can trust me every moment, I will not let you down with your pass. If there is no chance to make a shot, I will pass the ball to someone who has the chance."
Li Tian could only insist on answering like this, and he knew that his passing was poor, but if he received the ball, Li Tian would usually shoot directly, and usually there would be no assists. He was afraid of making mistakes in assists.
Navarro held the ball past halftime. The Hornets did not see a good opportunity to double-team, so they did not dare to double-team Navarro. Paul could only defend Navarro by himself.
Navarro is taller than Paul, and Paul's defense cannot affect Navarro's passing vision.
Li Tian ran out of space under the continuous pick-and-rolls of Gasol and Gay.
Navarro threw the ball directly to Li Tian.
Li Tian received the pass and shot a three-pointer directly, making a steady hit.
The fans felt that victory was calling them and went crazy.