NBA peak Jordan template

Chapter 126 The Second Round Against the Rockets

At halftime, the Lakers were 50-47 to the Rockets. When the third quarter ended, the score was revised to 70-67. Both sides failed to achieve their goals in the third quarter-the Lakers hoped to widen the gap, and the Rockets hoped to Go-ahead score.

As the home commentator spoke after the first half, the Rockets were more tenacious than ever today.

The three fights have almost made the Rockets and the Lakers know the bottom line, and the tactics between Wharton and D'Antoni have already been put on the table.

In this game, the competition is no longer about tactics, but purely depends on the players' concentration and shooting touch.

Zheng Long was indeed very accurate today. In the third quarter, he continued to hand in a high shooting rate of 8 of 5. He scored 30 of 25 and scored 50 points in the game.

50 points in three quarters, putting it on any NBA player, even an unknown drinking fountain player, is enough to make him famous.

But on Zheng Long, the fans are even a little accustomed to it. This man, as long as he wants to, let alone 50 points in three quarters, even 60 points in three quarters, he can do it.

The problem is that.

Zheng Long, who scored 50 points, did not lead the Lakers to complete the harvest of the game.

In the first three quarters of the game, Harden in the Rockets' starting lineup and Gordon, who came off the bench as the sixth man, both made outstanding performances in the second and third quarters.

Shuangdeng has hit 13 three-pointers in total, and the Rockets have hit 20 three-pointers.

With 20 three-pointers in three quarters, D'Antoni's "magic ball tactics" have been brought to the extreme.

In the playoffs of last season, the Cavaliers once scored 25 three-pointers in a single game against the Hawks, setting a single-game three-pointer record for an NBA playoff team.

According to the current feel of the Rockets team, they have every opportunity and strength to break this record.

They only need to hit a total of 6 three-pointers in the fourth quarter!

In this season, the Rockets have made 1181 three-pointers, surpassing the record of 1077 three-pointers created by the Warriors last season.

At the same time, the Rockets have made 10+ three-pointers in 20 games this season, surpassing the Warriors' record of 7+ three-pointers in 20 games in a single season created last season.

During the break after the third quarter, D'Antoni held the technical statistics table and exclaimed excitedly: "God will finally return the three-pointers that owe us!"

In the last game against the Lakers, the Rockets lost their shooting touch. After making 10 three-pointers in a single quarter, their touch was confiscated in the fourth quarter, with 7 consecutive irons. victory.

Today, D'Antoni doesn't believe that the team will have that kind of situation again!
Zheng Long's two points today are very accurate, but today the Rockets' three points are even more accurate!
This is also a topic that cannot be avoided every time the Lakers and the Rockets play each game. Two points vs. three points. You Zheng Long won last time. This time, it must be my turn, the Rockets!
Lakers bench.

Wharton could only keep emphasizing the strength of defense with the players and not leaving room for the Rockets players to shoot. During the players' free rest time, he approached Zheng Long.

Zheng Long is resting silently, every shot is accompanied by dribbles and breakthroughs, 30 shots, even if he is as strong as Jordan, the energy consumed cannot be ignored.

"The Rockets' three-pointer was very accurate today."

"Ah."

Facing Zheng Long's cold response, Wharton swallowed what he was about to say. He wanted Zheng Long to try more three-point shots.

Although Zheng Long took very few three-point shots this season, Zheng Long's three-point shooting percentage has also exceeded 40% this season. Wharton knows that Zheng Long is not unable to shoot, but just doesn't want to shoot.

Just imagine.

If Zheng Long's 25 shots were converted into three-pointers, the Lakers' current lead would not be a star.

But facing a player who made 30 of 25 shots, how should he speak?

He's already so accurate, what more do you want from him?
"You want me to guard Harden?"

In fact, Wharton was overthinking. Zheng Long's "coldness" was just because he was concentrating on how to win the fourth quarter.

Facing Zheng Long's rhetorical question, Wharton shook his head and said, "I want you to take more three-pointers in the fourth quarter."

Zheng Long was stunned for a moment, and said, "That's not necessary."

"Why?" Wharton didn't understand.

Zheng Long pointed to the scoreboard floating above the court: "Have you seen it? We are leading now, why do we need to shoot three-pointers?"

Wharton was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Don't panic. We're going to win the game. Since we're leading, just keep our pace for the first three quarters. If I can keep hitting mid-range shots, why choose riskier three-pointers?"

Wharton had nothing to say now.

And when the fourth quarter started, Zheng Long also confirmed his words with his own actions.

In the first offensive round at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Zheng Long once again extended his lead to 5 points with a perfect mid-range shot. In the next offensive round of the Rockets, Harden's three-point shot did not hit.

Immediately afterwards, Zheng Long once again extended the lead to 7 points with a CIC.

"32 out of 27! Zheng Long made history without knowing it!"

"He has scored 80.00 points with a shooting percentage of over 54%!"

"The Rockets can't limit Zheng Long's shots at all. They can't do more than pray for Zheng Long to hit the iron."

D'Antoni did pray from the sidelines.

The situation was different from what I thought. In D'Antoni's judgment, Zheng Long, who had already shot 30 times, could not maintain his physical strength and such a high shooting percentage in the fourth quarter.

But reality slapped me in the face.

Now it is useless to pray that Zheng Long feels bad, it is better to pray that the Rockets can continue to hit three-pointers in a row.

But just as Zheng Long expected.

The Rockets, who boasted three-pointers in the first three quarters, saw a cliff-like drop in their shooting percentage in the fourth quarter.

Although the Lakers continue to increase the intensity of confrontation, the Rockets can still get a chance to make a three-point shot, but they cannot guarantee the hit of the shot.

A very simple truth has been ignored by D'Antoni for a long time!
In the regular season, the Rockets were able to win the game repeatedly by relying on three-pointers because they almost killed their opponents in the first three quarters of the game they won.

And the Rockets' stamina bar is only enough for them to play for three quarters.

But facing the Lakers, even though the Rockets have hit 20 three-pointers today, they are still behind.

They had to grit their teeth and stay with the Lakers in the fourth quarter and continue to work hard.

Your Rockets are desperate, but not for the Lakers. The Lakers just continue to maintain the rhythm of the first three quarters.

All the teams in the league, have been ignoring one thing all the time.

The Lakers are not only strong in Zheng Long, but also in the fact that all members of the Lakers have monster-like physical strength. The Lakers players headed by Zheng Long and Butler, from the first quarter of every game, are trying their best to play their lives against each other. .

Desperate to defend, desperate to defend, desperate to run.

D'Antoni only focused on getting the players to speed up the tempo, but ignored the physical strength of the players, because the tempo in the second and third quarters has accelerated and it has reached the end.

The Rockets and the Warriors have similarities. They also rely on "eye-catching" three-point shots and off-ball running positions to win the game, using a lot of three-pointers and breakthroughs instead of mid-range.

But the reason why the Warriors can achieve better results than the Rockets is that the Warriors players are all physical monsters.

Although Curry seems to have the attributes of a "glass man", his stamina is far higher than that of Harden.

When the fourth quarter entered the middle of the game, the Rockets' offense and defense collapsed. The exhaustion of physical strength made them frequently hit the iron on the offensive end and made frequent mistakes.

On the defensive end, Zheng Long is still the unsolvable god of war.

With 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers leading to 9 points, Zheng Long made another cold-blooded mid-range shot.

With a perfect arc planned like a scalpel, the basketball flipped into the net.

Totally killed the game.

"In the last 2 minutes of the game, the Lakers have taken an 11-point lead!"

"Zheng Long has scored 58 points in this game!"

"I think we can congratulate the Lakers in advance for successfully securing their home game and winning the second round of G1!"

"And Zheng Long played another masterpiece in the first match after his return!"

"Even in the playoffs!"

"Zheng Long is still the same Zheng Long who can do everything in the regular season!"

When D'Antoni was forced to replace the starter and raised the flag to surrender, the Lakers' lead was maintained until the last moment of the game without any suspense.

The Lakers fans at Staples enthusiastically celebrated the near-miss victory.

We both beat them three times!
We deserved to win them for the fourth time!
And next, we have to win them three times!
Under the leadership of D'Antoni, the Rockets players left the field lonely. They couldn't even shout "I'll be back!" like the villain in a certain cartoon.

The beautiful reporter from the TV station led the big brother camera to the court at the first moment, and held Zheng Long enthusiastically before he was about to leave.

She tried her best to squeeze out what she thought was the sweetest smile, for fear that Zheng Long, who was seen by the media as having a weird temper, would ignore her and leave the venue.

"That. May I ask Mr. Zheng Long, can you share with us how you feel when you come back and lead the team to score 58 points and win the Rockets?"

Seeing the little reporter being so nervous, Zheng Long couldn't help laughing. So he was so difficult to deal with in the eyes of the media this season?

"The feeling of winning the Rockets is very calm, without too many emotions. There is an idiom in China called Qiqi Menghuo, which I think is very suitable for the competitive relationship between us and the Rockets."

Zheng Long's tone was very flat. Although the reporter didn't understand the meaning of the idiom that Zheng Long said, it was very obvious that Zheng Long didn't pay attention to the Rockets at all.

Wharton, who was listening to Zheng Long's interview on the sidelines, also looked at the players curiously when he heard Zheng Long's "seven captures of Meng Huo".

"What does the idiom that Zheng Long said mean?"

And Jokic, who is willing to think, has already taken out his mobile phone and is looking it up. Soon, he found the explanation, showed a look of sudden realization, and then laughed.

Now, the Lakers players are even more confused.

Butler poked his head in front of Jokic's cell phone, "Little fat man, what are you laughing at? Explain!"

Jokic put away his smile and showed a mysterious expression, "Look for yourself, I can only say that ordinary people really can't understand the meaning of the idiom Brother Long."

Jokic's words made everyone even more confused.

They took out their mobile phones to search.

Some people gradually understand, while more people are still confused, including Wharton.

For Laomei, it is really difficult to understand Chinese idioms, especially those with allusions such as "Seven Captures Menghuo".

"Forget it, I guess it's not just us who are confused. When Brother Long's report goes out, the fans will also be confused. I'll go to the forum to see how the fans can explain it."

Little Nance scratched his head and chose to give up and continue thinking.

But he did hit the mark.

After the game that day, the idiom "Seven Captures Meng Huo" immediately became a hot search on the sports sector.

Fans are discussing what Zheng Long said in the interview, what does it mean.

When this Chinese allusion was picked up and analyzed, the old American fans finally understood. What Zheng Long meant was that the Lakers would easily win seven times against the Rockets, completely convincing the Rockets!
That is to say, I didn't pay attention to your rocket at all!
You are an easy target for me to handle!
Domineering, how domineering!
And the word "seven captures of Meng Huo" quickly reached the ears of everyone on the Rockets who were staying in Los Angeles, waiting for the day after tomorrow's G2.

The Rockets, who had lost G1, were depressed. They could only be "sorrowful and angry", sad at losing and angry at being humiliated.

Zheng Long is talking trash in a different way!
D'Antoni sighed helplessly, "Win a game! Let's win a game!" After G1, D'Antoni finally realized how big the gap between the Rockets and the Lakers was.

It has become a luxury to win the Lakers in the series!
Now, D'Antoni only hopes to win the next game in the next series!
Play so much throughout the year!

Just win one game!
Otherwise, Zheng Long, the man who "captured Meng Huo seven times" would really be faking it!

It is a pity that Miracle does not belong to the Rockets in Los Angeles, but only to the Lakers. Two days later, in G2, the Rockets played away against the Lakers again. Not only did they fail to win the next game, but they were defeated.

It took the Lakers less than three quarters to completely lose suspense in the game.

In addition to Zheng Long still playing well that night, Butler also scored 60 points with 30% shooting in three quarters.

Zheng Long played alone, and the Rockets never won. Adding Butler was like a catalyst, accelerating the death of the Rockets.

The Lakers turned the big score into 2-0.

Except for the Rockets fans, no one believes that the Rockets can win the Lakers in this series. Now the fans are even more curious.

Can the Rockets win a game?
It's been a five-game losing streak against the Lakers, can your Rockets win a game?
In G3 and G4, the Rockets will return to the home court and have the home court advantage in two consecutive games.

It will be the Rockets' last chance to win the Warriors this season.

(End of this chapter)