The Godfather of Basketball

Not long after the Rockets won the Spurs, another focus battle in the Eastern Conference has just ended.

The Magic unexpectedly beat the Cavaliers 112 to 89, which surprised many experts.

After a two-day break, Game 2 of the Rockets-Spurs series continues at the Toyota Center.

Tang Tian put Artest directly in the starting lineup, and the Rockets also played an infinite cut tactic at the beginning of the game.

With Artest on the court, the Spurs didn't dare to play dirty, and Popovich didn't have much to do with this trick.

The Rockets took advantage in the opening game.

The Spurs struggled to catch up in the following games, but the situation was somewhat the same as in the first game, and they failed to catch up in the end.

102 to 91, the Rockets made another victory and took a big 2-0 lead.

After the game, the Rockets fans were very excited. Two years ago, the Rockets reversed their 0-2 deficit. Now they are leading 2-0, and the promotion situation is very good.

"This is the championship year for the Rockets." In the TNT program after the game, Barkley also commented like this.

Lineup, coaching, experience, this Rockets team really looks unassailable.

Good things come in pairs.

Just the day after the end of the series between the two sides, the league also announced some important honors.

The NBA's best lineup is out.

A team of guards: Kobe, McGrady; forwards: Garnett, James; center: Yao Ming.

Second team guards: Paul, Wade; Forwards: Nowitzki, Duncan; Center: Howard.

Three guards: Roy, Parker; Forwards: Pierce, Anthony; Center: O'Neal.

Yao Ming defeated Howard and was selected to the first team for the second consecutive year!

Not only the best team, Yao Ming was also selected to the best defensive first team, and Artest was selected to the best defensive second team.

At the same time, the league's MVP was also hotly released.

With 30% of the votes, Yao Ming beat James (23.25%), Kobe (20.16%), Garnett (16.21%), Howard (10.21%), and was elected as the MVP of the regular season for the second consecutive year. First person!

After Yao Ming returned from the Olympic Games, his state continued to be hot. Although the Rockets experienced many turmoil this season, his statistics have reached the highest in his career.

He averaged 34.5 minutes per game, contributed 26.6 points, 12.5 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.1 blocks, shot 61% from the field and 92.6% from the free throw line.

It is also because of his outstanding performance that the Rockets ranked first in the league for the second consecutive year, and the MVP title is well deserved.

The MVP of the regular season, the MVP of the All-Star Game, the best first team, the best defensive first team, and now there is only one finals MVP. For Yao Ming, this year is an absolute perfection, a real year of Yao.

Things got better for a while.

On May 9th, US time, after a two-day break, the Rockets flew to San Antonio and ushered in the third game of the series against the Spurs.

The Rockets players are full of confidence and morale is quite strong.

Tang Tian is also in a good mood. Popovich's coaching skills are excellent, but this trick of infinite air cut is his deadlock.

If the Rockets can strike while the iron is hot and sweep their opponents 4-0, they will definitely explode in momentum.

If you fight the Lakers with this momentum, it is really possible to have a sweep and win the championship.

That night, the AT@T Center Arena was packed. Although the team fell behind by a large margin, San Antonio fans did not give up on the home team. They believed in Duncan and Popovich could turn the tide.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups of both sides were released one after another.

The Rockets started the same game as they did on the field, with Billups plus McGrady on the outside, Artest plus Yi Jianlian on the striker, and Yao Ming on the center.

However, there was a big change on the Spurs side. Ginobili was mentioned as the starter, but it was not Bowen or Finley who replaced him, but McDyess.

The Spurs played a lineup of one big and four small.

Tang Tian was slightly taken aback when he saw this lineup. This was obviously not Popovich's style.

The game started quickly, and Duncan got the first offensive opportunity for the Spurs.

Parker dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and played a hammer tactic directly. After the striker was defended by the Rockets, the ball was in Duncan's hands. Duncan misplaced and hit Artest.

Artest can carry it, but he is a small forward after all, and he is still at a disadvantage against players of Duncan's level.

Duncan made two free throws to give the Spurs the lead.

The Rockets went to the frontcourt, Yao Ming held the ball at the three-point line, and the Rockets continued to play unlimited cut tactics.

At this moment, Tang Tian understood Popovich's intention to make a substitution.

The Spurs changed players every pick-and-roll. Although the pace was still a bit slow, but because the other four players had no real insiders, the switching speed was timely enough to prevent them.

Billups reacted quickly, seeing that the infinite cut could not be played, and after getting the ball at the top of the circle, he saw that there was a misalignment and directly gave the ball in.

Artest hit Manu Ginobili and turned around to kill the basket, but Bowen's defense was quick, Artest's layup missed, and Duncan accepted the defensive rebound.

The Spurs attacked, and when they reached the frontcourt, Duncan and Parker played a small match, and the latter made a small throw after catching the ball.

Looking back, it was still the same defensive tactic. Billups gave the ball to Yi Jianlian to play Bowen in the low post, and Bowen made various small moves.

Yi Jianlian tried his best to squeeze Bowen to the basket, but Duncan had a huge defensive area, so he stood up ahead of time and successfully interfered with the shot.

"boom!"

Yi Jianlian missed the rebound, and Duncan turned around and received the defensive rebound.

The Rockets didn't score in two consecutive rounds!

The scene cheered loudly.

Tang Tian also understood at this time.

Unlimited defense changes!

This is the defensive tactic used by the Warriors in the previous life. I didn't expect Popovich to use it in advance!

Popovich is a direct upgrade in adversity, directly evolving from version 1.0 to version 2.0.

The Rockets can't play infinite cuts, so they can only play positional battles with the Spurs.

The situation is once again in a state of anxiety.

Duncan is also at ease in the new system, playing a dominant role on both ends of the offense and defense.

In the end, relying on Duncan's dominant data of 36 points, 21 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks, the Spurs defeated the Rockets 103-98 at home, won the game, and pulled back a big score.

The game, it seems, is far from being as simple as it seems.

After the match, Tang Tian also had a sleepless night.

In the coaching industry, directing a group of billionaires to play, holding the power of life and death, seems to have unlimited glory, but the pressure is also unprecedented.

Otherwise, his predecessor, Van Gundy, wouldn't have such a shiny forehead.

"Ding! Release the system task, beat the Spurs to advance to the Western Conference finals, reward: 3 honor points."

After staying up all night until dawn, Tang Tian suddenly heard a system notification sound in his mind.

3 honor points, the system is a big deal!

But he probably knew that the Rockets were in trouble, and this was to give Tang Tian motivation.

"Yes!" I don't know if it's because the sting made him completely sleepy, he slapped his forehead, and he already had an idea.