The 20-point advantage was instantly wiped out to 12 points, and the Jazz decisively called a timeout.
There is something audible but invisible in a basketball game, and its name is morale, which has a great influence on the direction of the game.
For example, right now, even though the Jazz are in the lead, their morale has plummeted due to a few minutes of scoring panic.
In this case, someone who can make the final decision is needed to save the situation. This is because the head coach has set his sights on Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.
As for Derrick Favors, sorry, he has lived up to his coach’s expectations.
"Al, now the team needs you to do a good job in scoring. I don't want to see anyone doing unnecessary back-and-forth movements anymore, okay?"
During the timeout, Tyron Corbin, the team's assistant coach who succeeded Sloan as the team's executive head coach last year, looked at everyone on the bench with a very unhappy expression.
In 2011, the Utah Jazz's meritorious coach Jerry Sloan and team star Deron Williams left the team one after another. When they were not optimistic, Tyron Corbin led the team to rank eighth in the Western Conference after the regular season. Reach the playoffs.
This allowed him to successfully gain recognition from the players.
Trail Blazers bench.
"King, good job, keep it up!"
Terry Stotts was very satisfied after seeing Wang Zelin really dominate the game on both offense and defense after coming on the court, leading his teammates to gradually narrow the score.
At this time, Wang Zelin was like the legendary giant Goliath, leading the Blazers all the way into the battle, making the enemy frightened.
"What a shame!"
"In my opinion, the Jazz have been beaten to the point of being unable to fight back. The balance of victory in this game is completely tilted towards the Trail Blazers..."
"You can't say that above. Basketball is round. No one dares to guarantee that they will win until the game is over..."
"The Blazers didn't even give up when it was 20 points, let alone 12 points!"
On some domestic forums, fans who were watching the live broadcast and visiting forum posts began to have heated discussions about this game and expressed their opinions one after another.
For many fans, tonight's game between the Trail Blazers and Jazz can be described as full of twists and turns and constant surprises.
Before the game, no one was optimistic that the Jazz would win. As a result, the Trail Blazers were trailing by a big score all night. Just when everyone thought that the situation was set, the Trail Blazers launched a strong counterattack in the last quarter and narrowed the huge 20-point difference in less than two minutes. half.
After some controversy, nearly 80% of the fans believed that the Trail Blazers would win the final tonight.
At the Rose Garden Arena, the game restarted after the timeout, and the Jazz served from the backcourt sideline.
In the next game, as coach Terry Stotts expected, the Jazz really moved their offense inside.
Both Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson have the ability to average around 15+ points per game, especially the latter, who averaged 23 points per game at his peak.
Therefore, when Wang Zelin immediately discovered that Al Jefferson was actively looking for him, facing this big man who once averaged over 20 points per game, he was not worried at all. He just twitched the corner of his mouth and looked increasingly excited.
As if to say: Let me see how many voices you have...ah, it's a lot!
Jazz players stretched out at half court to allow Al Jefferson to play 1-on-1 in the low post on the left side without any worries.
Wang Zelin's internal defense ability has successfully exceeded the 80 mark a few days ago. He is still 3 points short of the upper limit of internal defense for the Kidney Fighter star card. However, combined with his excellent physical fitness, his internal defense is enough to deter more than 90% of the league's players. Inside player.
No, don't forget, now is an era when inside players are declining. There are very few outstanding big men in the league, perhaps more than 95%.
At this critical moment, Al Jefferson chose to launch an attack in the low post on the left side. This is the hot spot where he is most confident in shooting, and where he has a very rich arsenal of weapons.
After hitting his back twice in a row, Al Jefferson quickly shook his shoulders and made an extremely realistic shooting fake. Then he suddenly took a big step back and got enough space to shoot.
As a short center of 2.08 meters, Al Jefferson is not good at defense. His foundation in the league is his offensive ability.
If we were to judge the most powerful inside player with the most offensive skills in the league, Al Jefferson would have the capital to sit in the top five.
The mid-range step-back jumper is one of Al Jefferson's killer moves, and he is confident in his shot selection.
But immediately, he noticed something was wrong.
No. 36 on the opposite side didn't come up immediately. According to previous observations, his reaction and speed should not be that slow.
How is this going?
Could it be that he chose to give up!
Although he was extremely puzzled, no matter what, since he had a good opportunity, he naturally couldn't miss it. The team was still waiting for him to score.
So when he entered a familiar offensive rhythm, the moment he completed his shooting stroke, he pushed lightly with his right hand, and the orange basketball launched towards the Trail Blazers' basket.
Behind Wang Zelin, a group of people joined together inside, and everyone was preparing to grab the board.
However, Al Jefferson inadvertently showed a hint of joy in his heart. According to the past rhythm and his own feel, there is more than 90% chance that this shot will hit.
This is the confidence that every scoring master should have in his own shots!
At the same time, Wang Zelin, who had been motionless for a long time, suddenly lowered his body, bent his knees slightly, and jumped straight up.
"What?"
When Jazz coach Tyron Corbin saw this scene, he couldn't help laughing with the assistant coach next to him.
"That Asian guy is too stupid, or does he really think he is Superman..."
"Tyron, Superman has become old a long time ago!"
Harrison, the assistant coach next to him, chuckled.
"Hahaha!"
Tyronn Corbin also laughed, of course he knew who Harrison was talking about as Superman.
Isn’t it the Lakers’ No. 12?
The reporters around him had already raised their cameras, looking directly at Wang Zelin's face to record this series of confusing behaviors.
Regarding some of the strange sounds in the Rose Garden Arena, Wang Zelin's ears were not deaf and he could naturally hear them clearly.
But he was not angry. He had enough confidence to dare to do this, so he was also looking forward to everyone's next reaction.
If we say that the 78 bounce and 76 bounce speed obtained from McGee have given Wang Zelin a qualitative leap in his running and jumping ability, giving him the potential to become the league's top defender.
Then the arrival of the Kidney Fighter star card will directly shorten his time to become the league's top defender.
78 bounce, 76 bullet speed, 80 internal defense, 82 blocks... coupled with Shark O'Neal's static physical talent, Wang Zelin has directly become the top defender of this era without any suspense.
If it were Dirk Nowitzki's golden rooster independence, Duncan's 45-degree rebound, or Garnett's iron-blooded jump shot, Wang Zelin would not have the confidence to let it go, because those three old players were all once in the league. of superstar.
But if it is Al Jefferson, Wang Zelin is much more confident in guarding the opponent than the previous three.
With only a height of 2.08 meters left, he is already one step behind Dirk Nowitzki.
As Wang Zelin soared higher and higher, Al Jefferson's eyes changed from confusion to disbelief, and finally turned to dullness.
He actually~ He actually...
"Snapped!"
A loud sound silenced the entire audience, and the basketball was sent flying out of bounds and into the arms of an unknown lucky fan.
"Huge gift!!! King really blocked Al Jefferson's shot, he really did it!!!"
The Trail Blazers' home announcer was going crazy. He couldn't believe his eyes and rubbed them hard.
In the end, the bright scoreboard showed that he really was not dazzled.
Not to mention him, the players from both teams were all stunned on the spot, looking at the scene in front of them in disbelief.
That's Al Jefferson!
The former Wolf King, who averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game at his peak, was a top scorer who scored 40 points in a single game four times in his career.
Even if the upward trend is interrupted due to the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee, among the big players in the league, when it comes to offensive skills, few dare to say that they can steadily suppress Al Jefferson, let alone defensive skills. Live him.
"Beep!!!"
After a long time, the referee's whistle finally brought everyone's attention back.
The Jazz resumed attack time with 9 seconds left.
Randy Foye came back out of bounds three times in one step and served the sideline ball.
Wang Zelin's defense just now shocked his heart, and he suddenly felt intimidated by the Blazers penalty area guarded by the former.
This is the powerful deterrent that an excellent defender brings to his opponents.
Al Jefferson patted his head and forced his turbulent inner circle to calm down.
Coincidence...it must be a coincidence!
I can't be locked up so easily...
I want to score...yes, the team still needs me to score!
We still want to make the playoffs!
Thinking of this, Al Jefferson positioned himself in the short corner on the left and once again reached for the ball.
Whether it was injuries or being traded by the Timberwolves, none of these hardships defeated the tough guy Al Jefferson, let alone a mere block.
For those who have fallen to the bottom, as long as they can get up again, their inner perseverance and determination are far beyond what they can admit.
Unless there is a second, more serious blow...
Compared with the previous step-back jumper, Al Jefferson was much more cautious this time. His back continued to exert force and his shoulders swayed left and right. He felt Wang Zelin's change of defensive focus all the time.
Right now... Al Jefferson suddenly pushed in, stepped out with his left foot, and made a 180-degree turn. Then, without changing the axis angle, he retracted outward and turned sideways to face the basket. hook.
There’s no way it will be blocked this time!
After Al Jefferson completed the action, he let out a big breath. On the offensive end, he was like a textbook inside player, showing off his steady and gorgeous steps to the basket and his soft-touch little hook under the basket.
Al Jefferson was full of expectations after using up all his life-long training to complete the shot.
"Snapped!"
The basketball just flew a short distance, and before it reached the highest point, it was slapped away by a yellow palm. The ball hit the backboard hard and bounced back.
Lillard took advantage of Aldridge's position to grab the rebound in advance and directly launched a defensive counterattack. With a fake fax in the frontcourt, he deceived Marvin Williams' block and succeeded in a layup.
72:82, the score difference is only 10 points.
As we all know, in a basketball game, there is a hurdle within 5 points, another hurdle within 10 points, and another hurdle between 10 and 20 points. A sharp point difference will affect the mentality of the players on the court.
If the Jazz still can't score in the next attack, then the mentality of the Jazz players is really not far from collapse.
The Jazz attack with pass-and-cut tactics.
Randy Foye controlled the ball on the outside, and Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson cut inside in both directions after picking and rolling.
The ball finally went to Paul Millsap, and Aldridge behind him was unable to defend in time.
It has to be said that the timing of this shot was very accurate. Paul Millsap has excellent basketball awareness and is good at cooperating with his teammates to get easy layup opportunities in the game.
Unfortunately, he ignored that there was a giant beast standing behind him.
"Snapped!"
Just before the basketball is about to enter the basket, it finds a pair of big hands to block the shot.
Paul Millsap looked up and saw that damn yellow again.
How could this Oriental react so quickly?
Why is he so fast?
He...quickly!
The Trail Blazers once again got a good opportunity to defend and counterattack, and Batum personally guided him to complete the basket-breaking performance.
74:82!
In the last four minutes of the game, the Trail Blazers chased for 12 points in a row, while the opposite Jazz failed to score a single point.
As expected, the Jazz called timeout again.
From leading by 20 points to 8 points, everyone on the Jazz team is buzzing now. The defensive performance of Trail Blazers No. 36 tonight exceeded everyone's expectations.
"I took a look, and the King has now blocked 5 shots, and 3 of them were in the final quarter. It's really... awesome!"
At the end of Director Zhang's words, he couldn't help but blurt out the word "bad".
"I don't know if you have noticed, but the king's defensive ability seems to have made new breakthroughs compared to the past, as if it has reached a new level."
"I have not seen many rookies who can continuously improve in the game in my many years of commentary career. The last player to show such potential was Kobe Bryant of the Lakers... …”
Fans are already used to it when Director Zhang reveals his true nature while talking, but they have to admit that what the bad old man said this time does seem to make sense.
This season, Wang Zelin averaged 1.8 blocks per game, ranking 7th in the regular season blocks list, a full 1.2 blocks away from the first-place Thunder team's 28 blocks.
Of course, this is normal. You must know that this beast was able to average 3.7 blocks per game last season, which was the highest since the 21st century.
However, according to big data statistics, if Wang Zelin's average data is divided into several stages, mid-November can be regarded as a watershed.
Before mid-November, Wang Zelin's average game data was roughly 18 points + 9 rebounds + 1 block + 1 assist. Although it was eye-catching and enough to overwhelm all players in the same class, it was not as amazing as it was later and could cover previous players. .
After mid-November, Wang Zelin seemed to have passed his running-in period in the NBA and completed a gorgeous transformation. First, he ushered in his first triple-double in his career. In early December, he even staged consecutive rebounding explosions, increasing his average game data. In one fell swoop, he rose to around 22 points and 15 rebounds.
In addition to points and rebounds, Wang Zelin's assists and blocks have also increased rapidly. His assists have now exceeded three per game, and his first-pass passing ability is excellent among big men.
In comparison, the blocks that receive the least attention have begun to approach an average of two per game. This is also the biggest shock to the outside world about Wang Zelin.
We are all rookies and everyone is growing slowly, so why are you blooming alone?
According to past practice, most players in previous drafts will be busy dealing with the long and tedious regular season at this stage, and have almost no time to truly improve themselves. They must wait until the offseason to have enough development time.
Unless it is like some extremely rare and exceptional existence...
For example, the "No. 21 rookie" and the "30-year-old man" who have not improved in more than ten years...
In other words, the immediate combat ability and huge potential shown by Wang Zelin in his rookie season have reached the strongest level among all NBA rookies.
…
Back on the field.
After adjustments, Jazz players returned to the court.
Power forward Paul Millsapura went to the high post to provide support and successfully took Aldridge away from the low post. Shooting guard Randy Foye cut into the paint from the left wing, attracting Wang Zelin's attention.
Randy Foye, after all, has an average offensive threat of about 10 points, so Wang Zelin inevitably pays attention to him.
However, according to data, Landifoye's advantage lies in 3-pointers and average athletic ability, so he rarely breaks through. Then... Wang Zelin suddenly became vigilant.
Just as Randy Foye came to the paint, Jazz small forward Marvin Williams drove straight into the heart of the Trail Blazers' penalty area from the low left corner.
Randy Foye split the ball and flew it to Marvin Williams.
"Beautiful breakout, the Jazz got a great opportunity to break the scoring drought, the Trail Blazers have to be careful."
Director Zhang couldn't help shouting.
At this time, Wang Zelin was staring at Randy Foye sideways, and Marvin Williams behind him was in the blind spot.
Marvin Williams looked excited: "Portland people, we are sure of this victory! Even if Jesus comes, he can't stop him!!!"
The second overall pick in 2005 was already soaring into the sky, grabbing the ball with his right arm and about to smash it down.
At the same time, Wang Zelin, who had been alert early, suddenly turned around, took two steps from the left corner, rushed to the basket, and jumped into the paint area.
Almost at the same time, the basketball in Marvin Williams' hands was infinitely close to the basket.
"Snapped!"
The aerial performance was interrupted by Wang Zelin's slap, and the basketball flew directly out of the court.
"Man, your skill swing is too long!"
Wang Zelin had a cold expression and shook his finger disdainfully.
And he was telling the truth. If Marvin Williams had chosen to go for a layup just now, he would not have been easily blocked.
But the latter was greedy.
Thanks to the fact that this was the home court and Wang Zelin's finger-wagging action was fleeting, the line judge at the bottom line let go of his whistle.
"Fuck Fake!"
Marvin Williams roared lowly and punched the ground with his right hand.
Although he didn't understand the meaning of Wang Zelin's words, he could still see clearly the former's attitude of not taking him seriously.
He is the No. 2 pick, and you are just the No. 8 pick. Why do you look down on me?
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