basketball kingdom

Chapter 412 First Round, Game 1

Chapter 412

The Staples Center removed Kobe's single-player poster after the regular season finale and replaced it with a poster with the entire team on it and the words "WE ARE BACK".This is the Lakers' playoff slogan, which is also printed on the team's cultural shirts.

Wearing a Li-Ning sports suit, Xu Tian arrived at the Staples Center ahead of schedule in a car driven by Boss Jin.For him, apart from the intensity and confrontation, there is no difference between this game and the regular season.As long as there is a competition, do your best to win.

The Rockets players came to play the away game, took the team bus together, and also came to the Staples Center early to prepare for this crucial playoff opener.

Bickerstaff is very aware of the importance of the first game. When he couldn't show more tactically, he prepared a speech, trying to motivate the players to make them play differently.This is an impossible solution, but he has to try.

Scott and Mark Madsen's coaching positions have been stabilized, and they came to the locker room early to continue discussing specific personnel rotations and offensive and defensive strategies.

Howard was the most threatening center on the defensive end at his peak, but his back injury caused him to fall off a cliff, and there is no possibility of returning to the top.In addition, he once threatened to play happy basketball and join the Rockets, which made him questioned in recent seasons, so he really wants to change the outside world's perception of him through this round of the series.

When players from both sides ran into the field, they immediately felt the difference.Almost all the fans who came to the scene wore cultural shirts with the team's playoff slogans printed on them, which looked very neat and gave people an unusual momentum.

The Lakers failed to make the playoffs in the first two seasons, so they are very concerned about this opportunity. The frontcourt and backcourt of the court are mirror-symmetrical, and there is a floor with the words "PLAYOFFS" printed on it, representing this. It's the playoffs.

Whether it is the fans at the scene or the infrastructure of the venue, the players are unconsciously sure that the playoffs are really coming.

Li Lang, Xu Wenye, Li Feng, Boss Jin and others all came to the scene, incarnate as the most ordinary Lakers fans, wearing team slogan cultural shirts, and came to cheer for the Lakers.

The Lakers warm-up uniforms are also different from usual, adding some color elements of retro jerseys, combining history with the present, and striving to achieve good results in the playoffs.

The pre-match warm-ups and introductions were no different. Players from both sides walked into the court calmly, ready to start the first match of the first round of the playoffs.

Kenny Smith and Barkley came to the Staples Center to comment on the playoffs that have attracted the attention of fans.

TNT released the starting list of both sides.

Lakers: Xu Tian, ​​George, Kobe, Josh Smith, Tyson Chandler.

Rockets: Harden, D'Angelo Russell, Ariza, Terrence Jones, Howard.

Xu Tian didn't go to say hello to the Rockets players, but stood quietly in the backcourt, touching the bracelet on his right hand with his left hand.

It was Howard who won the jump ball, and he helped the Rockets get the chance to attack first.

D'Angelo Russell slowly dribbled the ball to the frontcourt. After reaching the top of the arc, he passed it to Howard who was in the penalty area according to the established tactics.

Howard's offensive ability was not strong at his peak, but now that his core strength has declined, it is even more difficult to open the situation.However, against Tyson Chandler, who has an unstable base, he still has a slight advantage.

Scott called Thackeray to the sidelines and told him to replace Tyson Chandler.There is no limit to the number of substitutions on the basketball court, and there can be many changes.

Bickerstaff is leading the team to the playoffs for the first time. Even after seeing Scott's move, he still doesn't know how to deal with it.

Howard elbowed Tyson Chandler away, turned around and made a layup, scoring two points first!

0-2! (Lakers score first)

Tyson Chandler stepped out of the baseline and sent the ball to Xu Tian.

Xu Tian made a tactical gesture with his left hand to inform his teammates of the offensive tactics to be played in this round, so that they can respond in advance.

Josh Smith mentioned the top of the arc and formed a pick-and-roll with Xu Tian.

The Rockets used a defense switch to defend against the pick-and-roll, with Terrence Jones marking Xu Tian, ​​while Ariza followed up with Josh Smith who was rolling off the ball.

Xu Tian has unsolvable shooting ability and does not depend on space, so he doesn't care about the crowding of the basket.

Terrence Jones has played in the playoffs and knows that the penalty scale at this time is very loose, he exerts strong physical confrontation, and defends aggressively.

Xu Tian's core strength is very strong, like a general with a thick rib and a beard in ancient literature, or more like Xiang Yu, the mighty overlord of Western Chu. , directly without additional action, dry pull-back jumper.

Respond to the ball!

2-2!

Thackeray stood in front of the technical stage, looking at Xu Tian who confidently retreated to the backcourt, he really admired him.He didn't know why Xu Tian was so mature and fearless. On the stage of the playoffs, he was not affected at all, but even more excited.

Tyson Chandler and Xu Tian have been together long enough, and he has been influenced by the view that victory is paramount. He doesn't care about his reputation and chooses to defend around the front to limit Howard's receiving the ball.

Terrence Jones mentioned the top of the arc, played a pick-and-roll with D'Angelo Russell, and both hit the penalty area.

Harden is not good at playing off the ball, and his running position is a bit confused. He can only stand outside the three-point line and watch the cooperation between D'Angelo Russell and Terrence Jones.

Xu Tian defended against Terrence Jones. Although he had some height disadvantages, he had the upper hand in strength, and directly confronted him physically, forcing him to stop.

D'Angelo Russell was unable to play the ball, and the breakthrough position was too deep, so he was trapped in the penalty area instead.

Howard was a little dissatisfied with this situation, and wanted to respond to D'Angelo Russell, and unconsciously pushed Tyson Chandler in front of him.This scene happened to be seen by the referee behind him, and Howard was immediately sentenced to a foul for pushing.

The referee's whistle will be more or less biased towards the home team. Naturally, Howard's obvious foul action cannot be tolerated.

Howard turned to look at the referee, and smiled inexplicably after a while.He has often been troubled by fouls in recent seasons and dare not challenge the referee easily.

Thackeray took advantage of this dead ball opportunity to replace Tyson Chandler and came to the sidelines to serve the backcourt.

Xu Tian received the serve for half the court, dribbled the ball with his left hand, and observed his teammates' running positions.

Ariza's center of gravity dropped very low, and he watched the ball in Xu Tian's hand covetously, wanting to steal it.But soon he thought of the scene of being teased in the regular season, knowing that Xu Tian was very good at dribbling behind his back to avoid steals, so he quickly gave up the idea of ​​stealing.

Xu Tian didn't rush to attack, and passed the ball to Kobe on the left, asking him to single out Harden who was in charge of defense.

(End of this chapter)