Facing the Rockets' high-pressure defense, the Green Army showed great discomfort. They were blocked three times in a short period of time. When another attack came, Rondo made a hasty shot and made a three-pointer.
The Rockets seized the opportunity and succeeded in fast break counterattacks one after another. Jeremy Lin took the lead. Harden and Butler were on both sides. The three-line fast break was full of mercury, which was very enjoyable to watch.
After a wave of 8:0, the score difference returned to double digits.
"The Rockets are indeed becoming more and more champion-like. They don't overturn when playing against weak teams. They are resilient and can come back even if they are 20 points behind. They can increase their defensive intensity as they wish, and their counterattack efficiency is guaranteed. The Rockets have all these points. .”
Anji looked at Xu Xin and said with admiration.
"Then what does Mr. Anji think the Rockets are lacking now?"
Xu Xin was not complacent, but asked calmly.
"If you ask me that, you must already have the answer in your mind."
Anji said with a half-smile.
"I'd like to hear whether Mr. Angie and I have the same vision."
Xu Xin said with a smile without comment.
"There is a lack of superstars who can make the final decision at critical moments."
Anji is concise and to the point.
"Harden and Butler can't do it?"
Xu Xin asked back.
"No, at least not now. I am more optimistic about Butler in the future."
Angie said without hesitation.
On the field, Rivers called a timeout to adjust, but the timeout had little effect.
The Rockets continue to play high-pressure defense, and the Celtics have difficulty getting the ball out. They can only rely on Pierce and Parsons to defuse bombs to complete the game. The offensive efficiency is naturally not very high.
The "extra training team" seized the opportunity, cooperated with each other tacitly, and launched continuous counterattacks to further expand the score.
Seeing this, McHale did not replace Harden in advance as usual. In the game with three quarters, let's rest in the fourth quarter.
Harden saw that McHale had no intention of replacing him and understood his intention. Then the firepower was fully opened, the offensive arsenal was opened, and all kinds of martial arts were used. One person scored 12 points in a row, and the game completely lost suspense.
The three quarters were clocked in successfully, and the fourth quarter became a training ground for both sides.
In the end, the Rockets beat the Celtics by 24 points 136:112.
Harden, Butler, and Jeremy Lin combined to score 77 points. Garnett made 7 of 12 shots and performed well, recording a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
For the Celtics, Pierce scored 24 points on 8 of 16 shots, Parsons also scored 24 points on 6 of 11 three-pointers, Terry had 15 points, Crawford had 17 points, and Bradley played well. Abnormal, shooting 2 of 12 from the field and only scoring 5 points.
"Pierce is a player with leadership qualities. He will be Butler's best mentor. Moreover, you have also seen his current ability. He averages more than 20 points per game easily. He will be the key to the current Rockets. The best choice tactically.”
Angie said.
"Indeed, I will think about it carefully, and I will let you know the decision within a week at the latest."
Xu Xin said with a smile.
"wait for your news."
Anji stopped talking and hugged Xu Xin to say goodbye.
Back at the hotel, Xu Xin turned on the computer and checked the lineup:
Point guard: Jeremy Lin, Beverley, Livingston. Shooting guards: Harden, Delfino. Small forward: Butler, Ariza. Power forward: Garnett, Tucker. Center: Asik, O'Neal Jr.
Harden and Butler are definitely not for sale, and Jeremy Lin, Ariza, Garnett, and Tucker are also people who will not move unless absolutely necessary.
If he wants to trade Pierce, Xu Xin doesn't have many chips to offer.
And with the addition of Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Iverson, the team's offensive resources have been further enriched, and Paul Pierce is not that important.
In addition, Xu Xin still has concerns. Several veterans used to be the most influential players in their respective teams. It is inevitable that there will be no friction when they come together. The most intuitive thing is how to distribute the ball rights?
If there was going to be a conflict in the locker room, Xu Xinke would have messed up.
As for Butler's mentor, McGrady can also be qualified. You know, Butler has said more than once that his idol is McGrady.
After some thought, Xu Xin made a decision, and Pierce decided to forget it. Not to mention having to pay a few draft picks, joining "Truth" would do more harm than good.
Maybe after two seasons, when Pierce can no longer play, Xu Xin will consider him and sign young players with a minimum salary. This deal is a sure profit.
Early the next morning, the entire Rockets team flew to Philadelphia, their last away game, where they were greeted by the Digital Team, a youth team like the Cavaliers.
Although there are no players with superstar qualities like Irving among the digital players, they are all practical players.
Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and Thaddeus Young all have strengths that cannot be underestimated, and there is also a master of chaos, who forces him to dominate Nick Young.
The team's overall combat effectiveness is much higher than that of the Cavaliers. It is currently ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference and is only one step away from the playoff zone.
Xu Xin is a little worried. This is the last game of the team's five consecutive away games, five games in seven days, two back-to-backs. Yes, tonight's game is also back-to-back.
Although it was easy and enjoyable to win against the Celtics last night, fatigue is accumulated, not to mention that the team is eager to return home, which is human nature.
Strong teams lose to weak teams, which often happens during this time period.
"To mobilize before the game tonight, I remind everyone to be more focused. In the last game, we will go home with five consecutive victories!"
Thinking of this, Xu Xin and McHale sitting next to him said.
"Okay, tonight's game is really not going to be easy."
McHale nodded, his face a little solemn. He has been in the league for decades, and his rich experience in the game has given him a keen sense of prediction for many games. This was the case tonight.
In preparation for the game, McHale lectured loudly in the locker room, motivating the players to perform at their best and go home victorious.
Garnett, dressed in sportswear, also delivered a speech and played the role of a locker room leader. In this back-to-back game tonight, he will not play.
The players are also very good. They showed their form very early today and hit a small climax as soon as they started. Harden acted as the vanguard and scored consecutive points to help the team build a lead.
But the numbers man played very tenaciously, and Jrue Holiday led the team to hold on to the score with two consecutive three-pointers.
As the No. 17 pick in 2009, he was also the first post-90s player to enter the NBA. After star Andre Iguodala left the team, Holiday has gradually become a team leader, standing up at critical moments many times. Keep the team on your back and move forward.
After half a quarter, Harden and Asik took a break and were replaced by Ariza and Livingston.
Tucker plays the 5th position and faces Spencer Hawes on the defensive end. Although this white center is 2.16 tall, his interior offensive skills are lackluster, and he more often ends with mid-range shots or three-pointers.
