Basketball Dragon

Chapter 173 The distance to the top of the east

Chapter 173 The distance to the top of the east

After playing after a timeout, the Knicks also showed the momentum to win.

Their first offensive tactic was successful. Li Hai attracted the opponent's attention and assisted Marbury to hit a three-pointer.

Marcin Gortat, who replaced Eddie Curry, also showed enough effort. The Pistons did not have a figure like O'Neal inside, and Gortat would not have any problems even if he played longer.

The key is that the Knicks are united. Under the leadership of several core players, they did not give the Pistons a chance to expand the score. At the end of the first quarter, they narrowed the gap to 3 points with Li Hai's mid-range shot at the buzzer. .

In the second quarter, the madness of the Pistons really began to weaken.

If you can't gain a tactical advantage, you can't support the whole game with enthusiasm alone. This is even more unreliable than relying on a star to turn things around.

But their team's two strongest scorers, Billups and Hamilton, continue to be strong.

In fact, at this time, the Pistons have returned to the situation where the two teams met for the first time, which can be regarded as the most regular performance of their main lineup.

It's just that they no longer dare to increase the playing time of the substitutes. Whether they win or lose depends on this.

After the Knicks adapted to the opponent's rhythm, they played better and better. When Ben Wallace was resting, they took the lead in using a small lineup and overtook the score all at once.

Seeing that something was wrong, the Pistons immediately made adjustments.

By the end of the half, the Knicks were 45:46, only 1 point behind.

"I just said, they can't support it for so long, we still have more staying power."

Hearing Li Hai's somewhat rude comparison, the group of people burst into laughter, while the head coach Larry Brown talked about the details of the first half and asked the players to pay attention in the second half.

In the Pistons' lounge, the two Wallaces were also a little excited. They had tried their best and managed to make it like this. If they failed like this, they would be extremely unwilling.

The few of them have been playing together for some time, and after shouting a few words, they have some fighting spirit again. Billups emphasized: "We must win this home game. I don't want to be beaten at the door of my house." Keep your heads down."

Entering the second half, Billups led by example, first sent just the right assists to allow Rasheed Wallace to score, and then forced Francis to get a free throw, and then opened the score to 5 points.

At this time, Li Hai rushed to grab the offensive rebound and made a hit.

"The opponent's second attack has begun, but we can't stop it even with two hundred attacks, don't be cowardly."

"The grandsons are the ones who are cowardly, and we have never been afraid of them."

Sensing the fighting spirit of the Knicks, the Pistons also gritted their teeth. They have no way out, and they can only go home obediently after losing this game.

Prince also showed a strong desire to win. He used the cover of Ben Wallace to run to the bottom line for three-pointers. After receiving a pass from Billups, he made a decisive shot and hit a three-pointer.

Under Li Hai's defense, Prince has not played very comfortably in these few games. He has concerns about some shots and is afraid of wasting the team's opportunities. Now he has completely let go, and he also needs to be on the offensive end. Give strength.

When it was the Knicks' turn to attack, Li Hai made a shooting action from the three-point line, and Prince rarely jumped up. He defended very hard, but his actions were usually not big. Now he is also going all out.

However, Li Hai didn't intend to fight back. When he saw that Prince was flying, he immediately started and rushed in at full speed. Ben Wallace took a step forward, and his big palm completely sealed the space where Li Hai made the basket.

Once again, he made a satisfyingly predictable move, laying up with an empty hand, and the other hand comfortably sent the ball to Eddie Curry, who immediately dunked with both hands.

Excited enough but still calm, Li Hai can always do the right thing to help the team.

Both Billups and Rasheed Wallace tried to open the score with three-pointers. Even if they didn't want to admit it, they still subconsciously worried that there would be problems with the Knicks for too long.

But the Knicks had anticipated this problem a long time ago. During the intermission, they talked about defending Billups' strong three-point shot and how Rasheed Wallace slipped outside the three-point line to intervene.

When the opponent missed a three-pointer, the Knicks immediately counterattacked. Even the Pistons had no effective way to deal with the Knicks' breakthrough during the rotation.

The Knicks have too many people who can attack. When their team defense has not had time to settle in, they don't know who to focus on.

Halfway through the third quarter, the Knicks tied the score at 55:55.

The Pistons did not get what they wanted, and the two sides took the lead alternately in the next score.

Entering the rotation time, this situation still has not changed, and the atmosphere is so tense that the fans in the auditorium feel a little suffocated.

McDyess hit the mid-range in the final attack, and the Knicks trailed by 66 points at 68:2 for the final quarter.

The Pistons' inside substitute, McDyess, felt good. He also made consecutive hits at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Seeing that the score was about to be opened, Crawford scored an unreasonable three-pointer and approached the score again. Compared with the trump card of the rotation, Crawford, the best sixth man, will not lose to anyone. It's like shooting unreasonably.

His style has limited his positioning, but it also allows him to do things that are often impossible to do.

After Crawford completed a 2+1, the score gap between the two teams came to 1 point again.

The Pistons couldn't wait to switch to the starting lineup, and only McDyess, who had a good handle, continued to stay on the court.

The Knicks responded accordingly, and the moment of the decisive battle between the two sides came.

At 3 minutes and 25 seconds, Billups fouled Francis again, and the Knicks fell behind 80:82.

At 2 minutes and 55 seconds, Li Hai made a shot from outside the three-point line, and the Knicks took the lead 83:82.

The Pistons began to calculate carefully, always trying to find a way to use McDyess when attacking and Ben Wallace when defending. It can only let the other party succeed.

At 1 minute and 52 seconds, McDyess stepped to the free throw line and made two free throws, and the Pistons took the lead.

At 1 minute and 17 seconds, Francis also fouled Billups, the Knicks 85:84.

At 36.9 seconds, the Knicks encountered a pick-and-roll defense in the defense. Prince caused a foul by Marbury and hit a free throw. The Knicks 85:86.

The last moment came, and the Knicks were only one goal away from the finals.

(End of this chapter)