Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

As the warm-up was about to end, Lu Yong once again gathered the players together and reiterated a few words while holding the tactical board on the sidelines.

"Everyone, listen carefully," Lu Yong's voice was steady and powerful. He looked around at each player, his eyes revealing determination and trust. "For this game, we should not be nervous or stressed. Now we are leading 2:0, and the Nets are the dominant side. We must deal with the game with a normal mentality, just like we usually do in training, do every move well, and execute every tactic well."

He paused and continued, "As long as we win this game and lead 3:0, we will be sure to win the championship. I know the Lakers want to use off-court factors to affect your condition, but don't be fooled. They are trying to disrupt our rhythm and make us lose our composure. However, we are a united team and we will not be shaken by their provocation."

Lu Yong's words were like a warm current, warming the hearts of every Nets player.

They nodded one after another, their eyes revealing firmness and determination.

Some of the more excited young players also calmed down at this time. They knew that this game was not just a basketball game, but also a psychological battle.

They have to stay calm to perform at their best.

"Remember, no matter what happens, we must unite as one and face it together," Lu Yong emphasized again, "We must believe in each other and believe in our strength. As long as we unite as one, nothing can stop us from moving forward."

The Nets players all nodded after hearing this. They knew what this game meant to the team.

They fight not only to win, but also to prove their strength and team cohesion.

They believe that as long as they unite as one, they will be able to overcome all difficulties.

Encouraged by Lu Yong, the Nets players gradually calmed down.

They began to encourage each other and made final preparations for the upcoming competition.

They know that this game will be a tough contest, but they are fully prepared and will unite and face it together no matter what happens.

Before returning to the court, all Nets players stretched out their right hands and put them together high.

They shouted in unison: "One two three!" and then shouted loudly: "Let's go!"

At this moment, the Nets players' emotions reached a boiling point.

They looked at each other, their eyes revealing determination and resolve.

With the referee's whistle, the game officially kicked off.

The Staples Center instantly became boiling with cheers and shouts from the fans blending together to form a powerful wave of sound.

Cousins ​​and Davis stood in the center circle and both jumped at the same time for a jump ball.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze, and everyone held their breath, waiting for this moment to come.

Davis, who has more explosive power, took the lead. He leaped like a tiger and pushed the ball towards the Lakers.

The Lakers players immediately cheered, they knew what this opening offensive possession meant to them.

This is their best chance to break the Nets' defense and gain an early advantage.

The Lakers continued with their previous starting lineup in this game, and they wanted to use a stable lineup to deal with the challenge of the Nets.

However, the first attack at the beginning was no longer initiated by Wall holding the ball, but by James dribbling the ball himself.

He kept the ball firmly in his hands and passed the half court to the top of the arc.

James' eyes were firm and calm, as if he had seen through everything in the game.

The other players began to move according to the tactics. They ran around the field like a group of cheetahs, looking for the best attacking opportunities.

Pope kept moving around using screens. Like a nimble monkey, he shuttled around the court, looking for opportunities to catch the ball and shoot.

Kuzma also stopped and started quickly along the baseline, trying to break the Nets' defense by cutting.

However, the Nets' defense was very tight, and they held their positions like a group of iron-blooded warriors.

Whether it was Pope or Kuzma, they couldn't find any chance to catch the ball after running around without the ball.

Every attempt by the Lakers was promptly resolved by the Nets players.

Faced with this situation, James decisively changed his tactics.

He raised his hand and asked Davis for a pick-and-roll, a tactic they had practiced countless times before.

Davis immediately understood James' intention. He stood in front of James like a mountain, blocking the Nets players' defense for him.

James bypassed Davis' screen while observing the defensive situation.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he instantly caught the flaw in Durant's defensive position.

He saw that Durant's defensive position was relatively far back, and he immediately had an idea in his mind.

However, he did not rush to shoot, but chose to accelerate and rush towards the basket.

Durant had already left a blocking distance in advance and he was not worried about James' breakthrough.

He moved sideways and caught up with James in time, trying to stop him from moving forward.

However, James' passing vision has always been good. The moment he was blocked by Durant, he passed the ball to Davis who was cutting down.

After Davis received the ball, he forced a layup like a beast against Cousins' defense.

His movements were so swift and powerful that it seemed as if he was going to swallow up the entire basket.

Although Cousins ​​tried his best to defend, Davis was too strong and he was ultimately unable to stop Davis' attack.

With a "swish", Davis sent the ball into the basket.

2: 0!

The Lakers scored first!
At this moment, the Staples Center suddenly became boiling, and the cheers and shouts of the fans came like a tide.

They are excited and thrilled about the Lakers' start.

Offensive and defensive transition, the Nets attack.

At this time, Brunson was advancing with the ball, his eyes revealing firmness and determination.

However, just after half court, he encountered Wall's close defense.

Wall was particularly aggressive in this steal, as if he wanted to strangle Brunson in the cradle.

Brunson was still one meter away from the three-point line, and Wall had already started to press closely.

Obviously, Brunson's long three-point shots in the first two games left a deep impression on Wall. At the beginning of this game, Wall pressed very hard. This defensive strategy can indeed prevent Brunson from taking long three-point shots to a certain extent, but the disadvantage is also obvious. Wall will waste more energy on the defensive end, thus affecting the performance on the offensive end.

After all, Wall is a veteran in his 30s, and his physical strength is no longer as abundant as when he was young.

It is undoubtedly a huge challenge for him to exert efforts on both offense and defense for a long time.

However, he had to do it for the team's victory.

Faced with Wall's close pressure, Brunson quickly turned sideways and used his body to separate Wall.

While protecting the basketball, he waited for his teammates to come forward and receive the ball.

At this time, Durant immediately stepped forward and opened his hand to ask for the ball.

Brunson dribbled the ball between his legs, temporarily getting rid of Wall's entanglement, and then passed the ball to Durant.

After Durant received the ball, he was about to launch an attack.

However, James on the side was quick-witted and immediately reached out to steal the ball.

Durant's long arms came in handy at this time. He took control of the basketball first and held the ball in his arms.

But James's action was very rude. Relying on the advantage of playing at home, he grabbed the basketball in Durant's hand with a very violent move.

The referee's whistle sounded immediately, and the atmosphere on the field became tense in an instant.

Lu Yong thought the referee would call a defensive foul on James, but unexpectedly, the referee made a gesture for a ball fight.

This means that the Lakers and Nets will jump ball again to compete for the ball.

At this moment, domestic commentators Yang Yi and Wang Meng immediately made their comments.

"Oh, look at this ball!" Wang Meng's voice was filled with surprise. "From these two rounds of offense and defense, we can see that the Lakers are very well prepared for this game today. They have become more aggressive in both offense and defense. Wall's close pressure on Brunson and James' tough steal on Durant all show the Lakers' determination to dominate this game."

He paused and continued, "If the Lakers can keep this momentum throughout the game, the Nets might really be in trouble. Their defense was torn to pieces by the Lakers, and their offense seemed a little flustered. This game is undoubtedly a huge challenge for the Nets."

After listening to Wang Meng's words, Yang Yi nodded in agreement: "Yes, the Lakers' defense today has indeed reached a higher level. They are no longer as tepid as before, but have become more proactive and put a lot of pressure on the Nets. This level of defense is undoubtedly a huge test for the Nets' offense."

However, he changed the subject and pointed to the fight for the ball just now: "However, speaking of which, James's action of grabbing the ball just now did have some suspicion of foul. He obviously couldn't control the ball, but he still used his body to hit Durant and tried to grab the ball. This kind of action should be called a foul in a regular game."

He shook his head and continued, "But the referee didn't whistle, but called a scrimmage. This makes us suspect that the referee of today's game seems to be more on the Lakers' side. This is undoubtedly bad news for the Nets. They are playing away from home and are already under great pressure. If the referee favors the home team, then their game rhythm is likely to be disrupted."

Wang Meng listened to Yang Yi's words and nodded in agreement: "Yes, the referee's decision has a huge impact on the game. An unfair decision may change the direction of the game. I hope that in the next game, the referee can enforce the decision more fairly and let the two teams compete in a fair environment."

He paused and continued, "But then again, the Nets are no pushovers. They are an experienced team that knows how to fight back in adversity. I believe they will adjust their state to meet the next challenge. This game is destined to be a fierce contest."

After listening to Wang Meng's words, Yang Yi nodded in agreement: "Yes, the Nets are a tenacious team. They will not give up a ball easily, let alone a game."

On the court, James and Durant stood at the free throw line, preparing for a jump ball.

Both of them stared at the basketball in the referee's hands, as if they wanted to see through it.

The referee lifted the basketball high and then threw it down suddenly. James and Durant jumped at the same time, competing for the basketball in the air.

Relying on his keen sense of smell, James jumped first. His body was as agile as a cheetah and he touched the basketball before Durant.

He passed the ball to Wall, who caught the basketball steadily and dribbled across half court.

The Lakers' offense began, and Wall continued to pass the ball to James.

This time, Davis, who was at 45 degrees on the right side, gave Pope an off-ball screen and suddenly ran back to the basket.

His movements were quick and agile, cutting across the court like a bolt of lightning.

James understood what he meant, and with a flick of his wrist, he immediately passed the ball.

The next second, the ball arrived, Davis jumped high and caught the pass with both hands in the air.

Davis's movements were smooth and natural, as if everything was planned in advance.

The Lakers fans at the scene exclaimed, they were expecting Davis to perform a wonderful aerial relay.

However, Cousins ​​was unwilling to see this happen.

He grabbed Davis from behind, and the foul was obvious.

The Lakers fans exclaimed, expressing their regret for Davis' failure to complete the air relay and their surprise at Cousins' decisive foul.

They didn't expect Cousins ​​to foul so decisively, ruining a great offensive opportunity for the Lakers.

There was no expression on the faces of the Nets players, they seemed to have become accustomed to this fierce confrontation.

Lu Yong even kept clapping his hands off the court, indicating that Cousins ​​committed an excellent foul and the move was big enough.

He knew that in a game like this, fouling was sometimes a necessary tactic.

However, the expression on Davis' face was not pretty.

He had a chance to get two points on an alley-oop, but now he went to the free throw line.

His free throw percentage in the playoffs is just over 70%, which is better than James, but not accurate either.

Davis stood at the free throw line under tremendous pressure, trying to adjust his mentality.

However, things backfired.

Davis' first free throw missed the basket, and the Lakers fans at the scene expressed regret.

They didn't expect Davis to miss at the beginning of the game, which made them feel very sorry.

Davis took a deep breath and tried to adjust his mindset.

He knew he still had a chance for a second free throw and he had to seize it.

However, when he stood at the free throw line again, his mentality had changed subtly.

He became more nervous and uneasy, which caused his second free throw to also miss the rim.

The Lakers fans at the scene fell silent for a moment; they couldn't believe their eyes.

Davis missed both free throws, which made the Lakers lose a great scoring opportunity. (End of this chapter)