Banks Life Fieldhouse.
This is the home arena of the Indiana Pacers.
It is also the venue for the third game between the Heat and the Pacers.
The game is about to start, and the players from both sides have returned to their respective team seats. Zhao Feiyang returned in this game, and head coach Erik Spoelstra specifically asked him to start in place of the retired Dwyane Wade.
Zhao Feiyang was surprised by the sudden starting arrangement.
However, after a brief moment of happiness, he quickly accepted the arrangement.
call out.
The referee's whistle sounded and the game officially started.
Both sides staged a jump ball.
As soon as Zhao Feiyang stood on the court, his defender came.
The person who came to mark him this time was Lance Stephenson. Previously, this guy was specifically marking Dwyane Wade. After Dwyane Wade was injured, he became the one who restricted Zhao Feiyang.
Snapped.
The referee throws the basketball.
The Heat won the ball first.
Mario Chalmers carried the ball across half court.
After arriving at the half court, Zhao Feiyang started running and tried to catch the ball. However, what puzzled him was that when Mario Chalmers saw him running out of space, he did not give the ball to him. Instead, he transferred the ball to LeBron James on the right.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't you believe me yet?"
Zhao Feiyang was speechless.
LeBron James took the ball and looked around. He broke through to the basket, dribbled the ball all the way into the penalty area and suddenly passed the ball to Chris Bosh.
Chris Bosh hit hard under the basket, but the basketball failed to fall into the basket. After the rebound came out, Heat player Udonis Haslem quickly picked up the rebound.
The defensive players immediately double-teamed him. Haslem glanced around and found Zhao Feiyang before throwing the ball into Zhao Feiyang's hands.
Snapped.
Zhao Feiyang, standing in the bottom corner, successfully received the basketball.
Upon seeing this, Lance Stephenson rushed towards Zhao Feiyang. Zhao Feiyang pretended to take action, but actually stood on tiptoes to deceive the opponent. Lance Stephenson was unexpectedly thrown away.
Zhao Feiyang took advantage of the situation and shot a three-pointer.
Uh-huh.
A precise three-pointer fell firmly into the basket.
The Heat bench cheered.
The Pacers fans on the sidelines couldn't help but shake their heads.
It was the Pacers' turn to fight back.
As the ball passed half-court, Paul George seized the opportunity for a single on the right side of the basket. When he was about to force his way into the basket for a dunk, LeBron James rushed out from halfway and blocked him.
boom.
Paul George's dunk was ruined and the ball he threw hit the backboard.
"Fast attack."
LeBron James shouted.
Chris Bosh, who picked up the rebound, reacted quickly and threw the ball into the hands of Mario Chalmers with a long pass. Mario Chalmers quickly passed halftime. When he was caught up by two Pacers players, this time he finally did not hesitate anymore and directly transferred the ball to follow up, already reaching the wing three-point line. In the hands of Zhao Feiyang.
Snapped.
Zhao Feiyang received the basketball and shot directly.
Lance Stephenson's reaction was actually not slow, but Zhao Feiyang's shot was obviously faster, especially since he specially adjusted his shot point, so that Lance Stephenson's defense could not touch the basketball in his hand.
After scoring two consecutive three-pointers, Zhao Feiyang became one of the Heat's offensive firepower.
LeBron James also took the opportunity to reduce singles, deliberately dribbling the ball on the outside to constantly attract double teams, and at the same time letting Zhao Feiyang run into the open space to find shooting opportunities, using this method to consume the Pacers.
call out.
At the end of the first half, the Heat were no longer pulled away by the Pacers. On the contrary, this time they were in the lead.
53 to 46.
The 7-point gap allowed the Heat to clear away the haze of Dwyane Wade's injury.
Zhao Feiyang played 12 minutes in the first half and scored 18 points with 6 three-pointers and 2 assists.
After the start of the third quarter, Zhao Feiyang continued to play.
The Pacers tried to counterattack and replaced substitute player Russell Butler to mark Zhao Feiyang. Unlike Lance Stephenson, Russell Butler is taller and has stronger physical fitness.
It was the Heat's turn to attack.
Zhao Feiyang ran across the half court to respond, but Russell Butler followed him and continued to interfere. The opponent does have physical fitness and knows how to use his body, especially the small moves he keeps making, which sticks to Zhao Feiyang like candy, which makes him feel troublesome.
Snapped.
The ball once again came to Zhao Feiyang.
Zhao Feiyang tried to play singles, but Rasul Butler quickly came up. His huge body blocked part of Zhao Feiyang's sight, and also made Zhao Feiyang's shooting space even narrower.
"No! This guy is too big! If I try to force it, I'm afraid he will kill me..."
"The bigger they are, the less flexible they are... In this case, I will compete with him in speed and use my strengths to suppress his shortcomings..."
When Zhao Feiyang was about to play singles, something unexpected happened to him.
I saw LeBron James coming around from the bottom corner. On the surface, he seemed to be coming to catch the ball, but in fact, he suddenly came up to help Zhao Feiyang fend off Rasul Butler.
LeBron James' pick-and-roll is really rare, and his strong body also makes Russell Butler completely unattractive.
This time, he helped Zhao Feiyang block the opponent.
Zhao Feiyang did not hesitate, dribbled the ball to open up a little space and shot directly.
Uh-huh.
Another three-pointer fell steadily into the basket.
LeBron James was so happy that he fought with Zhao Feiyang.
Off the field.
The Chinese fans watching the game on the other side of the ocean are undoubtedly the most excited. A three-pointer is nothing special, but it is really rare for LeBron James to take the initiative to help Zhao Feiyang pick and roll.
As superstars in the league, players like LeBron James not only have privileges, but can also be exempted from many obligations at certain times.
If you are an ordinary player, you must help your teammates in pick-and-rolls. But superstars are completely able to refuse or ignore it.
LeBron James can take the initiative to help Zhao Feiyang pick and roll, which is extremely rare in the entire league.
"Awesome! James comes up to block Zhao Feiyang!"
"From this point of view, James still hasn't said anything to his teammates... Zhao Feiyang has also cooperated with Kobe before, but Kobe didn't help him pick and roll that time..."
"It's not surprising! The two of them have different personalities. Kobe is very aloof and arrogant. Even if Michael Jordan comes, let alone Zhao Feiyang, Kobe's personality may not be willing to pick and roll..."
Inside the venue.
LeBron James' initiative also drove the entire team, and Zhao Feiyang's three-pointer kept the Heat in the lead.
Finally, with 51 seconds left in the game, the Heat led the Pacers 109-101.
8 points difference.
It seems that it may be difficult for the Pacers to turn defeat into a victory.
