The game reached the critical moment of the fourth quarter, and the scores of the two sides began to tangle, taking the lead alternately.
At this time, Tyronn Lue was in trouble because he failed to think of the most suitable candidate to be on the court at critical moments.
Especially inside, in the past Randolph was a solid choice for the fourth position at critical moments, but tonight Randolph was suppressed by Howard and his performance was abnormal.
And Anthony Davis is too young, and Tyronn Lue is a little afraid to use him.
At the same time, because the Heat have a double inside combination of Howard + Bosh, Director Lu does not have the courage to directly use one large and four small.
Not to mention, like Min Congda, who dared to go to fifth primary school.
Out of conservative considerations, Tyronn Lue ended up using the safest combination of Randolph, Gasol, Leonard, and Hardengakuri.
As for the Heat, Spoelstra replaced Nash in the last few minutes. Nash's task has been completed. His physical fitness and defense are shortcomings at critical times.
The Heat use a combination of Wade, Ray Allen, Cole, Howard and Bosh. They have two All-Stars on the inside and three ball handlers on the outside. They maintain flexibility while defending reasonably well.
The problem with the Heat is that the backcourt is short, old and young, and is not as energetic and strong as the Clippers' backcourt.
However, a basketball game is not a track and field competition. There are many factors that determine the outcome on the field. The performance and state of the players are fundamental.
Cole's task is to entangle Curry, while Ray Allen mainly defends Harden. Harden has to face Ray Allen, and the pressure is not small.
As for Wade, he relies on his own experience and positioning to deal with Leonard. Being smaller in size is not a problem for Wade.
Height has never been his strength, but he has never let his height become his shortcoming. Among guards, Wade's shot-blocking ability is the best in the league.
The two sides entered the decisive moment. When the Clippers needed the most energy, the ball was given to Curry, who handled the ball.
He faced Cole's entanglement, used his dribbling to get rid of it repeatedly, and then broke into the middle to challenge Howard's basket defense!
Facing Howard's big slap, Curry made a high arc throw. The ball will pass Howard's fingertips and fall into the basket with strong rotation.
Hit! The Clippers regained the lead.
86:85, the Clippers took the lead by one point.
There are less than three minutes left before the end of the game.
The game entered the most tense and anxious moment.
This is the first time the Clippers have been in such a situation in this playoffs.
The whole team is a little nervous. If they lose the first game, it will undoubtedly be very disadvantageous.
The first home game was won by the opponent, and the Clippers must win the next game.
Then came three consecutive trips to Miami, which lasted more than a week.
Although the Clippers are the away team, the problem is that the Heat are also very strong at home.
For an older team like the Heat, being able to play three home games at home will definitely help them adjust well.
In 2006, the Heat won three games in a row on their own doorstep, completely turning the series around.
Of course, the Clippers also completed the same operation last year, as did the Pistons in 2004.
In short, three consecutive away games is quite scary. Many players and commentators are already complaining, hoping to cancel the 2-3-2 format of the finals.
After all, for a team with home field advantage, too many things can happen in three consecutive away games, which will cause too much damage to the advantaged team.
As for whether it will change, that is a matter for the future. Anyway, this season is still 2-3-2, and the Clippers are going to the south coast to endure three games.
The Heat didn't panic when they fell behind. Wade was in the high post, and Howard came out to pick and roll for Wade.
Cutting in from the middle and going directly to the basket, the Clippers' defense must shrink. Wade broke through and made a high throw.
The floater missed, but Howard caught up and grabbed the offensive rebound and layup, but still missed!
There was a scramble under the basket. Bosh took advantage of his long neck and took the lead in aiming for the ball and grabbing it.
The pass was passed to Ray Allen in the left corner. Ray Allen caught the ball and immediately shot a three-pointer without adjusting!
This shot was very decisive, and Ray Allen did not slow down to reorganize the offense because he knew that such a shot was not easy.
Slowing down again will only allow the Clippers to reorganize their defense, which will make it difficult for the Heat to play.
The ball flew in a fairly straight arc and then hit the target accurately!
Except for the basket net, it was not touched anywhere else, very accurate!
88:86, the Heat overtook the Clippers by 2 points!
Ray Allen scored the 21st point of the half. His performance tonight was really outstanding.
Tyronn Lue immediately called a timeout, with only one minute left before the end of the game.
The pressure is on the Clippers players.
In fact, the Clippers have defended this ball very well.
Randolph interfered with Wade's floater, and Gasol missed Howard's tip-in.
However, the tenacious Heat got the ball, and Bosh happened to find Ray Allen.
Allen's state was too hot tonight, and the Clippers never sent an effective defensive player to target Ray Allen.
The Clippers will definitely have to make adjustments in the next game.
But the top priority is now, how to arrange the next attack and the next defense?
Tyronn Lu looked back again, and at this time he finally waited for the small note handed over by Ada.
Director Lu felt excited, Mr. Smart finally took action! How should I make substitutions and what tactics should I use? There is no need to use my brain now.
Leave the commanding job to the person with the most basketball intelligence on the team!
However, when Tyronn Lu quietly took the note from Ada, held it in his hand and opened it, he was completely confused.
Blank paper? Nothing written?
No, it was held backwards.
When I turned it over, it was still blank paper!
Nothing written? Was it given by mistake?
He looked up at Ada, who had already returned to her seat.
Could it be that some kind of invisible ink is used to write on this paper, and a special method is needed to show it...
You’ve seen too many movies! Since when are you still using invisible ink?
Besides, where did the invisible ink come from?
Tyronn Lue panicked all of a sudden. It was okay not to give him a note. He had his own ideas after all.
As soon as I gave the note, I felt dependent in my heart, but when I opened it, I found that there was nothing.
Now it's better, my dependence is gone, and I can no longer think of my own thoughts.
In the end, Tyronn Lue did not make arrangements for this timeout and gave the tactical board to Mike Malone to direct.
Tyronn Lue held this piece of white paper with various thoughts in his mind. What exactly did Mr. Smart mean?
Are you mocking me? Are you saying that I am just a blank sheet of paper and don’t understand anything?
Impossible, I, Tyronn Lue, the champion coach, still have something.
Could it be that you want to leave the game to the players?
It's possible, very likely.
Giving the game to the players at critical moments is sometimes much better than the coach making random arrangements.
Tyronn Lu thought he had vaguely guessed Min Congda's intention.
When the players were preparing to take the court, Tyronn Lue said: "Everyone can play freely and play your state. Don't be rigid!"
The Clippers players are a little confused and are free to play. So what do you call a timeout to let everyone rest?
Time was running out, the game continued, and the atmosphere at the scene was extremely tense.
At this moment, the Clippers actually made a mistake in their offense.
James Harden broke through with the ball in the middle, knocked down Ray Allen who was guarding him, and was called an offensive foul by the referee!
When the referee made the offensive foul gesture, the audience burst into boos. The Clippers were in danger now.
And Tyronn Lue became furious in an instant, waving his hands at the referee and exchanging passionate words. Fortunately, he was stopped by Kim Hughes.
Otherwise, if another technical foul or free throw is given, the Clippers will be very dangerous.
Tyronn Lue was extremely upset. This offensive foul was extremely fatal. The Clippers players were still not experienced enough.
Tonight, Ray Allen, a 38-year-old veteran, was deadly with all his moves, and even the defense caused big trouble for the Clippers.
When Tyronn Lue sat back on the bench and could only watch the game continue, he found that the note in his hand was missing.
It must have been when he was yelling at the referee that he waved his hand and missed the note and fell to the ground.
Director Lu glanced at it and found that the note was near the sideline. It had been crumpled into a small paper ball and was lying there quietly.
He has no time to worry about this wordless tip now. If the Heat's offense scores, the Clippers will be very, very dangerous.
At this moment, the Heat also made a mistake. Wade passed the ball to Ray Allen, but Ray Allen somehow didn't catch the ball?
The ball flew directly out of the sideline, an inbounds ball, and the ball returned to the Clippers?
This operation is incomprehensible. How could Ray Allen, who had just made a meritorious deed, make such a low-level mistake?
Ray Allen looked expressionless, but his eyes kept glancing toward the sideline and pointed to the sideline.
He muttered: "There are paper balls, there are paper balls, pick them up."
But no one paid attention to him. As a result, Harden, who was serving from the sideline, stepped on the ball of paper and quickly made a free throw.
Ray Allen's eyes were still staring at the sideline, and he found that the paper ball was gone, and it seemed to be stuck to the sole of Harden's shoe?
The floor is very clean, but players will sweat and the soles of their shoes will become sticky over time.
This paper ball must have been stuck in the middle part of Harden's sole. Ray Allen felt so uncomfortable!
All he wants now is to stop the game and let Harden dig the paper balls off the soles of his shoes!
Ray Allen knew that he was suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, but he had no way to control it.
When he was young, he tried to correct his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Once when he saw a piece of garbage that was not thrown into the trash can, he deliberately stopped himself from picking it up.
It happened that the cleaners took a break during that time, so Ray Allen spent a full two hours with himself, just not picking it up.
In the end, he failed and ran to pick up the garbage obediently. Only then did he feel comfortable.
Everything in the game originally went smoothly, and the Heat had already seen the dawn of victory.
But where did this paper ball come from? Why didn't anyone throw him in the trash?
It doesn't belong here, you have to throw it away!
Ray Allen's mind was filled with notes, but Harden had already launched an attack on him.
This time Harden broke through from the right side. Ray Allen was too slow and quickly reached out to grab it.
As a result, Harden went to the basket and made a throw, hitting the board, and also caused a foul by Ray Allen!
Two points count, plus penalty!
Staples Center was in jubilation.
With ten seconds left before the end of the game, Harden made a crucial shot.
The two sides are tied, and if the free throws are made, the Clippers can take the lead.
Ray Allen felt like he was about to die. He didn't care about the score. He wanted to take the paper ball away from Harden's feet!
So before Harden made the free throw, Ray Allen went over and said: "Harden, there's something stuck on the sole of your shoe, take it off."
As a result, Harden lifted his foot and looked at the sole. It was clean and there was nothing there.
Harden said: "Don't try to interfere with me, I will get in."
Ray Allen suddenly collapsed. Where is this paper ball? Where have you been?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder really kills people. Harden made a free throw and the Clippers took the lead at 89:88!
(End of chapter)
