In the first half of the first quarter, the Minnesota Timberwolves still performed relatively well. Especially as a superstar, Zhao Feiyang has shouldered the team's scoring burden from the beginning, choosing to hold the ball to attack the Memphis Grizzlies' basket most of the time.
Even if the opponent's defense is very tight, he can still find the opponent's loopholes and send the ball steadily into the basket.
In addition to Zhao Feiyang, the Grizzlies offense also did a good job this time.
Perhaps because the pressure was gone, the Grizzlies played very relaxedly in the first quarter. After relaxing, Conley, Gasol and others also felt hot. This allowed the Grizzlies not only to not be pulled away by the Timberwolves in the first quarter, but to lead the Timberwolves by 4 points.
34 to 30.
That was the score between the two teams at the end of the first quarter.
During the break, the atmosphere on the bench between the two teams was completely different.
The Grizzlies players were very excited to return home. Everyone was talking and laughing, and even made jokes on the team bench. On the other hand, the Timberwolves, from the core players like Zhao Feiyang to the most marginal substitutes, all the players looked solemn. Even the head coach Eric stood on the sidelines and almost never sat down.
call out.
The second quarter arrives.
The Grizzlies continued their previous lineup arrangement, and head coach Thibodeau did not relax his vigilance just because he was ahead. For the Timberwolves, Rose didn't take a break either. He and Ricky Rubio took turns on the court before, so he still has a lot of energy left.
Zhao Feiyang could definitely rest, but Coach Eric's request was rejected by him and he still walked to the court.
Another person who didn't get a rest was Serge Ibaka in the paint. As the current pillar of the Timberwolves' paint, Ibaka couldn't just watch the team being pulled apart at this time.
The two sides started fighting again.
The Grizzlies serve.
Mike Conley advanced with the ball, and after reaching half-court, Rose went up to guard one-on-one. The two met each other, and Rose was not shaken away. Instead, he pressed forward to interfere with Conley's dribbling.
Conley did not choose to force the ball and gave the ball to his teammate JaMychal Green on the wing. Jamychal got the ball and sprinted to the basket. Andrew Wiggins, who was guarding him, was half a beat too slow to react and watched helplessly. Drive the ball to the hoop.
Just when Jermichael was about to take a shot, Ibaka once again chose to cover up. The two faced each other, and the basketball thrown by Jermichael was slapped by Ibaka and flew away.
"pretty!"
"nice shot!"
On the team bench on the sidelines, a group of Timberwolves players stood up and shouted cheers.
The basketball fell out and was picked up immediately by Conley. Unexpectedly, he had just gotten the ball when Zhao Feiyang and Rose directly chose to double-team him.
The sudden double-team caught Conley by surprise. Before he could fully react, Zhao Feiyang reached out from behind him and slapped the ball away.
Snapped.
The basketball falls out.
Zhao Feiyang rushed forward and pressed down the basketball. Lying on the ground, he didn't even have time to adjust his body before he immediately threw the basketball to the half court.
Rose had already sprinted towards the half court at this time. After receiving Zhao Feiyang's pass, he quickly ran to the opponent's basket. Conley, who was chasing him, was not idle either. He rushed behind Rose at the risk of his life and planned to have a head-on confrontation with him.
If it were in the past, Rose would definitely not have spoiled him, and would most likely end the battle with a two-handed dunk. But now Rose was really afraid of getting hurt, so he didn't choose to force it, but looked behind him at the positions of other teammates.
With just one look, Rose threw the ball decisively.
Conley subconsciously turned around, only to be met by Zhao Feiyang, who was leaping high. He caught the ball with one hand in front of the shocked eyes of the fans in the audience, and then accurately smashed the ball in with a gliding dunk. to the basket.
boom.
The ball went in.
The ball was so explosive that even Grizzlies fans couldn't help but scream.
"Oh! God!"
"This guy is too outrageous!"
Many people even turned their attention to Vince Carter, who was sitting on the Grizzlies bench. Even his teammates couldn't help but pat Carter on the shoulder at this time.
"Hey, Vince, what does this guy have to do with you? Is he your apprentice? He looks so much like you when you were young..."
Carter smiled helplessly and shrugged.
Zhao Feiyang's dunk indeed awakened the sleeping memories in his body. Unfortunately, no matter how powerful the athlete is, even a basketball god like Michael Jordan will eventually be defeated by time.
No one can stay at the top forever.
"But objectively speaking, it is incredible that this guy can still maintain such a condition even though he is 30 years old... His body feels like he is only in his twenties... ..."
Carter muttered in his mind.
The game continues on the court.
The Grizzlies counterattacked with a fast break. After the ball passed halftime, Marc Gasol and Conley cooperated. The two entered the basket one after another. Conley threw the ball high and hit the backboard. Gasol followed up. Saul jumped up to catch the ball and smashed the ball in with a dunk.
As soon as they scored, Wiggins quickly threw the ball under the basket.
He made a long pass to Rose who was running across half court. Rose played two-on-one with Zhao Feiyang under the Grizzlies' basket. The two faced Tony Allen's defense and deliberately passed the ball to tease each other. Finally, Rose A high throw threw the ball to the edge of the basket. Zhao Feiyang jumped up and dunked the basketball with both hands.
boom.
The ball went in.
During the second quarter, the Grizzlies' defense was still strong, and their offensive performance was not bad at all. However, this time the Timberwolves did not engage in more positional warfare. Instead, they accelerated the pace and started a mobile warfare with the opponent.
What is gratifying is that whether it is Zhao Feiyang or Rose, or Ibaka and Wiggins, these people have good physical talents, and their speed is by no means weaker than any team, so such a fast pace The style of play made the Timberwolves like a duck in water.
When the buzzer sounded at the end of the second quarter, the Timberwolves not only recovered the previous point difference, but also led the Grizzlies by 3 points.
66 to 63.
Although there were not many 3 points, it was enough to clear away the previous haze of the Timberwolves. At least it allowed more fans to see that such a lineup did not collapse in the first half.
Beep.
At the end of the first half, players from both sides returned to the locker room to rest.
Off the field.
In the hotel where the Timberwolves are staying, Howard, LaVine and the other four are watching the game nervously. After the first half was over, all four of them couldn't help but wipe the sweat from their foreheads.
"Fortunately! This game went better than we expected..."
"Maybe the team won't lose...maybe!"
"It's hard to say. The second half is the time to test the team. I don't know how the Grizzlies will arrange it, but it will definitely be difficult..."
"What a pity! If Kevin hadn't chosen to retire at the end of last season, we would have had a stronger output now... If Dwight hadn't been injured, we would have been 2-0 now. ....."
The four of them sighed while discussing.
As the culprits who caused the trouble, the four of them knew that the team's punishment was not the most critical, but the trust from their teammates was the most critical.
It would be very bad for something like this to happen during the game. Everyone is training hard and striving for victory, but a few of them go out at night to indulge and indulge, and it also affects the team's victory or defeat. Who would do such a thing? Unacceptable.
"It's a stupid thing we did, but... that blonde last night was so good! Damn! I'm so obsessed with her, I'm sure I could fuck her Back-to-back games...absolutely no problem!"
Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Howard suddenly said with a bad smile.
However, his evil smile did not attract the approval of LaVine and others. Whether it was LaVine, Adrian, or veterans like Gorgi, they all showed obvious disapproval at this time.
"Dwight, I advise you not to think like that!"
"Yes, I will never allow this kind of thing to happen in my career again...I don't mean that I will no longer relax, but I will never put the important games of the team elsewhere. Other than that..."
"Dwight, I'm very grateful that you invited me to have fun last night...but as part of the team, I think we still have to be more serious now. If the team loses the game, we will not be able to win this season." It’s over! Of course, you have been injured so you don’t need to bear such pressure, but we can’t, we still have games to play..."
Seeing everyone's attitude, Howard could only nod boredly.
His eyes returned to the field.
The third quarter came quickly.
This time, the Timberwolves replaced Rubio at the first position, Shabazz Muhammad at the third position, and marginal player Cole Aldridge at the fifth position.
The main players went down to rest for the time being, while the substitutes came on to maintain the situation.
Coach Eric originally decided to replace Zhao Feiyang, after all, he had barely rested before, but this time Zhao Feiyang still rejected the former.
"Coach Eric, I can do it. I have plenty of energy now and can definitely continue playing!"
Coach Eric couldn't bear it, but due to the team's situation, he could only agree to Zhao Feiyang's request to continue playing.
Seeing the Timberwolves' arrangement, Coach Thibodeau of the Grizzlies was uncharacteristic. He did not continue to let the main players take the lead, but only kept Conley and four substitute players.
"It seems like the Timberwolves are already physically limited! So just let the substitutes go up in this quarter..."
Coach Thibodeau was planning and arranging tactics.
"Don't worry, you can fight however you want! As long as they persist in this quarter, they will never be able to defeat us in the last quarter..."
"I have only one request for you, and that is to double-team Zhao Feiyang! Regardless of whether he scores or not, you must try your best to consume him..."
