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

James stood at the free throw line, the lights focused on him, as if the whole world had stopped.

He took a deep breath, his eyes determined, ready to challenge the trick of fate again.

However, this time, the goddess of luck did not favor him.

The basketball slipped from his fingertips. The first free throw was off target. The second free throw still missed.

The basket seemed to have become an unreachable goal, which made the basketball superstar feel helpless.

Martin was as swift as a cheetah and grabbed the backcourt rebound, his eyes flashing with determination and courage.

He held the basketball tightly, as if holding the hope of victory.

Then he passed the ball to Durant, the soul of the Nets.

Durant took the ball as if he had taken a sharp sword.

He moved forward quickly with the ball, and while moving, he made a fake pass and directly shook off James who was defending in front of him.

James' body seemed to be pulled by an invisible force and he lost his balance.

Durant, on the other hand, rushed straight to the basket like a gust of wind.

Kuzma was shocked when he saw this scene.

He quickly stepped forward to assist in defense, trying to stop Durant's fast break dunk.

He knew that if Durant got his way, the Nets' morale would be even higher and the Lakers might be in trouble.

However, Durant is no slouch.

His reaction speed was amazing when facing Kuzma's help defense.

As if he could predict the future, he passed the ball without looking at anyone and passed it to Oubre who was following up on the right.

This pass scared the Lakers players.

They know that although Oubre doesn't have much playing time, he is very accurate in three-point shooting, with a hit rate of nearly 45%.

If he gets an open shot, the consequences will be disastrous.

After Oubre received the ball, a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

He felt as if the basketball in his hands had come to life, jumping and cheering.

He is ready to show his energy and strength once again and deal a heavy blow to the Lakers.

However, James did not give up.

After being shaken off by Durant, he quickly came to Oubre and switched defense with Kuzma.

He stared at Oubre, trying to block his shot.

His eyes were full of determination, as if to say: "I won't let you score again!"

At the same time, Durant did not stop his actions without the ball.

He cut quickly to the basket like a cheetah looking for prey.

When Oubre saw this scene, he was delighted.

He knew this was the best time to work with Durant.

So he passed the ball in the opposite direction and put it back into Durant's hands.

After Durant received the ball, he took three steps.

Facing Kuzma's defense, ready to dunk.

Kuzma forced a jump and completely blocked Durant's vision in the air.

He was like a wall, trying to stop Durant's attack.

However, Durant was not intimidated by this.

He forced his way deep to the basket only to draw a double team.

In the air, he suddenly contracted his abdomen and passed the ball to the left corner.

There, Martin had been waiting for a long time.

Martin was like a sniper, waiting for the best moment.

After receiving the ball, there was no one in front of him and he took an open three-pointer.

After the basketball left his fingertips, it spun at high speed and drew a rainbow-like arc in the air.

At that second, time seemed to stand still.

Everyone held their breath and watched, waiting for the basketball to fall.

The next second, with a swish, the basketball went into the net.

The Nets played a brilliant three-man collaboration in this counterattack, catching the Lakers off guard.

Durant and Oubre repeatedly disrupted the Lakers' defensive formation by passing the ball, and finally Martin, who was lurking in the bottom corner, delivered the fatal blow.

This goal not only expanded the lead to 6 points again, but also brought the Nets' morale to its peak.

During this period, Oubre has undoubtedly become a surprise weapon for the Nets.

After he came on the court, a dunk and an assist were like a stream of clear water, instantly breaking up the Lakers' offensive and helping the Nets successfully stabilize the situation.

His performance made the Nets fans cheer and also brought a proud smile to the face of Nets head coach Lu Yong on the sidelines.

Lu Yong stood on the sidelines with his hands behind his back, his eyes revealing satisfaction and pride.

He watched Oubre sweating profusely on the court, and his heart was filled with satisfaction.

He knew that the decision to make the substitution was correct and that Oubre's performance was exactly what he expected.

With the help of Oubre, the Nets are likely to end this quarter with a lead.

However, compared with Lu Yong's pride, the mental state of Lakers head coach Vogel seemed obviously not good.

He stood on the sidelines, his face as gloomy as coal, as if water could drip out of it.

He stared at the game on the field, his eyes revealing anxiety and dissatisfaction.

He knew that the Lakers' performance in this period was not ideal, with many loopholes on the defensive end and a lack of strength on the offensive end.

As Martin made a three-pointer in the corner, Vogel finally couldn't bear it anymore and called a timeout.

This decision was not an easy one as there was only one minute left in the third quarter.

But Vogel knew that if the Nets didn't adjust in time, they might widen the gap to double digits in the last minute.

During the timeout, there was silence on the Lakers bench and the players all lowered their heads like children who had done something wrong.

Vogel stood before them, his face terribly grim.

He first expressed to the players that he was very dissatisfied with the team's defense during this period, and his tone was harsh and reprimanding.

"Look at what you have been doing during this period of time?!" Vogel said loudly, "I don't see the energy and enthusiasm that should be there from you at all! Are you playing ball? Or taking a walk?!"

The players were so scared by Vogel's scolding that they didn't dare to look up. They knew that Vogel was really angry this time.

They looked at each other and felt the guilt and uneasiness in each other's hearts.

Why doesn't Vogel talk about offense?

Because there's nothing much to say about the offense.

In these few rounds, the Lakers have been shooting free throws, or to be more precise, James has been shooting free throws.

However, the free throw percentage was not high, which made Vogel even more depressed. After criticizing the defense of other players, Vogel turned his head and looked at James.

Facing the team's core player, Vogel's tone instantly became calm.

He patted James on the shoulder to show his understanding and support.

"LeBron, you did a great job tonight," Vogel said. "It's not your fault that you didn't make the free throws. I know you've been practicing free throws recently. You should take a break during this timeout. I'll put you on the court in the fourth quarter depending on the situation."

After listening to Vogel's words, James nodded and said nothing.

He knew in his heart that leaving now was the best option.

Although Vogel did not criticize him directly, James himself felt that he was dragging down the team's offense.

He needs time to adjust his condition so that he can better help the team in the fourth quarter.

After comforting James, Vogel breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he turned to look at the other players, and his expression instantly became serious.

He began to rearrange and emphasize offensive and defensive tactics, constantly shouting encouragement to the players.

"You have to remember, the game is not over yet!" Vogel said loudly, "We still have one quarter to catch up! You have to believe in yourself and your teammates! You have to be more committed on both offense and defense, and try to catch up some points in the last minute or so!"

After listening to Vogel's words, the players lowered their heads, and there was still not much fighting spirit in their eyes.

Although they knew Vogel was right, the game was not over yet and they still had a chance.

But some things are clear, but when it comes to actually implementing them, there are still great difficulties.

The game resumed, and the time-out seemed to provide both teams with a chance to catch their breath, and also set the stage for the fierce battle that was to follow.

James was replaced by Bradley, and the Lakers put out a small lineup, intending to gain an advantage in speed.

The Lakers attacked, Wall dribbled across half court, his eyes sharp, as if he could see through everything.

Faced with Rose's defense, Wall was not impatient. He immediately raised his hand to signal Kuzma to come forward to cover.

Kuzma understood the intention and brought Oubre to the middle.

At the moment of the pick-and-roll, Wall switched the defender to Oubre, which was one of the tactics they carefully arranged during the timeout.

Although Oubre has outstanding physical fitness, he clearly lacks experience in the playoffs.

Facing the experienced Wall, he seemed a little at a loss.

Defense has always been his weakness, and Wall saw this point clearly. He dribbled slowly closer, suddenly started, and changed direction to successfully deceive Oubre.

Wall lowered his center of gravity, accelerated, passed the opponent, and rushed straight to the basket.

His speed was so fast that it seemed like a flash of lightning cutting through the night sky.

At this time, the center guarding the Nets' restricted area was Martin, who was over two meters tall.

Looking at the aggressive Wall, Martin was not afraid. He jumped up and tried to block Wall's attack.

With a bang, the two bodies collided heavily in the air.

This is a contest of strength and a test of will.

However, Martin failed to block the shot. At the moment of the physical collision, Wall showed his excellent skills and keen insight, directly reaching his hand under Martin's armpit and hitting the layup.

At this moment, the entire stadium seemed to be boiling.

Lakers fans cheered and saw hope for the team.

The Nets fans seemed a little frustrated, worried that the team would lose its lead.

After scoring the goal, Wall looked very excited. He waved his fist as if announcing his victory to the world.

Teammates also came forward to congratulate, knowing what this goal meant to the team.

Domestic commentators Yang Yi and Wang Meng who saw this scene also discussed it at the appropriate time.

Yang Yi looked at the situation on the court and said slowly: "The Nets' current lineup on the court is very strong in offense, with almost no flaws. But at the same time, their defense will become very poor. Especially their rim protection. Martin's height of more than two meters is a bit far-fetched to play center, and he is not a player who is good at rim protection. So facing the Lakers' breakthrough, they are at a great disadvantage."

Wang Meng nodded and added: "That's right, basketball games are like this, tactics complement each other. When James is on the court, the Nets' lineup is almost invincible. But now that James has been replaced by Vogel, the Nets' lineup has exposed many problems on the defensive end. I don't know what kind of sparks will come out of the two sides in the last 40 seconds."

Yang Yi continued: "I think the Lakers' current small lineup is very fast, which is a big challenge for the Nets. They need to adjust their defensive strategy, otherwise it will be difficult to resist the Lakers' offense."

Wang Meng agreed: "Yes, and the Lakers are in high spirits now. They just scored a goal, which is a big boost to their confidence. In the next game, they will definitely work harder to fight and attack."

Yang Yi added: "But the Nets are not without opportunities. Their offensive strength is very strong. As long as they can seize the opportunity to play a smooth offense, they may continue to expand their lead."

Wang Meng nodded and said, "That's right, the game is not over yet, everything is still possible. In these last 40 seconds, both sides will try their best to score a goal."

The discussion between the two added more suspense and anticipation to the game.

The fans kept their eyes on the game, afraid of missing any exciting moment.

The Nets were attacking, and Durant looked up at the timer. The bright red numbers were jumping, as if urging him on.

He decided to seize this round and expand his advantage with a brilliant attack.

Dripping across half court, Durant's steps were steady and powerful.

He faced Pope's defense, his eyes revealing determination and confidence.

Pope was staring at Durant intently at this moment, trying to capture his every move.

Outside the three-point line, Durant began his performance.

He made a series of between-the-legs dribbles, his movements smooth and rhythmic.

Every dribble seemed to be a challenge to Pope, and every shake was an attempt to confuse the opponent's judgment.

Pope stared at Durant, his eyes revealing vigilance and determination.

He knew that Durant was the most threatening scorer on the Nets and that every shot he took could change the course of the game.

Therefore, Pope dare not relax at all and he must defend with all his strength.

After a few confusing dribbles, Durant suddenly stopped dribbling.

His movements came to an abrupt halt, as if time had frozen at this moment.

However, in the next moment, Durant suddenly pulled up for a three-pointer.

There was no warning when he shot this ball, it was purely a one-on-one shot based on his personal ability.

Pope reacted very quickly and realized Durant's intention at the first moment.

However, due to staying on the court for a long time, his physical fitness has been affected.

His speed was obviously slower, and when he stretched out his hand, the ball had already left Durant's fingers, drew a beautiful arc, and flew towards the basket.

The next moment, with a swish, the basketball went into the net.

The sound was clear and pleasant, as if cheering for Durant's wonderful goal.

The Nets fans cheered and saw hope and the possibility of victory for the team.

Pope stood there, his eyes revealing reluctance and helplessness.

He knew that he had tried his best on this shot, but due to physical limitations, he failed to defend against Durant's attack.

The offensive and defensive transitions in this round were extremely dramatic, making the course of the game even more confusing.

The Nets once again extended their lead to 7 points with Durant's pull-up three-pointer.

With 30 seconds left in the quarter, this lead was undoubtedly a huge challenge for the Lakers. (End of this chapter)