If it were an ordinary role player, even winning consecutive championships with the Spurs wouldn't bring about this kind of insight.

But Tang Tian was the basketball godfather in his past life, and his insights were truths summarized from countless championships.

This is what makes his words so infectious.

The Pelicans players stared intently at Tang Tian.

They were like students in school, full of curiosity about the unknown, and Tang Tian was the tall and imposing life mentor.

Perhaps only a veteran player like Metta World Peace could resonate with what Tang Tian was saying.

The others were just learning.

More importantly, Tang Tian spoke very frankly, and they absorbed his words.

There were no grand pronouncements, no rallying cries, but the players' faces gradually revealed confidence and determination.

The game had allowed them to grow in strength, and Tang Tian's words had allowed them to grow spiritually.

The second half of the game was about to begin, and Williams and Borrego came to the locker room.

They had discussed the team's tactics for the second half in the office, and ultimately decided to give the players a pep talk to boost morale.

But when they got to the locker room and saw the players' expressions, they swallowed their words back.

It seemed… unnecessary.

The second half resumed after halftime.

The atmosphere at the arena was high-spirited, with the Spurs leading by 12 points at halftime, giving them a great chance to win the game.

They knew that in the first encounter between the two teams last season, Tang Tian led the Pelicans back to San Antonio, and ultimately descended like a god, scoring 4 consecutive three-pointers to take the victory.

That scene wouldn't be repeated; miracles could only happen once, and this time the Spurs wouldn't even give a miracle the chance to happen.

The Spurs attacked first in the second half.

Leonard drove to the basket and drew a foul on Ariza, earning two free throws.

Whistles filled the arena; this was a rhythm to continue widening the score difference.

Williams protested to the referee for a while, but to no avail, and then looked at the players' reactions, only to find that their emotions weren't fluctuating much.

This was completely different from the first half.

Leonard made one of two free throws, helping the Spurs widen the gap to 13 points.

The Pelicans' offense, Tang Tian passed the ball to Holiday, who caught the ball and shot a three-pointer.

The angle was good, but luck was a little lacking, and it bounced off the rim.

Pau Gasol secured the defensive rebound.

The Spurs played a coordinated offensive set in the frontcourt, with Duncan catching the ball under the basket and scoring off the backboard.

The gap had reached 15 points.

The cheers of the fans in the arena were constant, this game might be decided in the third quarter!

"Defense! Defense!"

The arena DJ seized the opportunity, leading the audience to cheer for the home team.

This was to take advantage of the momentum and win the game in one fell swoop.

In the Pelicans' offense, Tang Tian was at the arc and the others continued to pressure the baseline.

Tang Tian called Davis out, and after the pick-and-roll, seeing that the Spurs didn't switch, he directly accelerated into the paint.

Gasol was obviously unable to keep up with the chase.

Duncan helped defend, and Tang Tian shot a pull-up jumper from the free throw line.

"Clang!"

Duncan had contested the shot intensely, and Tang Tian's shot was affected, the basketball bouncing off the rim.

But at this moment, Whiteside leaped high under the basket and slammed the ball in for a put-back dunk.

The Pelicans finally scored.

There was a commotion on the sidelines.

The point difference was narrowed back to 13 points.

In the Spurs' offense, the hammer tactic was executed, and Green caught the ball and shot a three-pointer against Davis's defense.

This shot was difficult.

"Swish!"

But the ball went in!

The point difference was widened to 16 points again!

The cheers of the fans in the arena were constant, the Pelicans were just struggling in vain!

But their cheers didn't last long; in the Pelicans' frontcourt, the same tactic was used, but this time Whiteside pinned Duncan.

After Tang Tian broke into the paint, he leaped high and slammed the ball into the basket with his right hand.

The point difference was back to 14 points!

The Spurs wanted to widen the point difference to 20 and end the game, but the Pelicans wouldn't allow it!

Parker was holding the ball at the arc, dribbling without passing.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but the Pelicans' defensive intensity had obviously increased in the second half.

Green's shot had gone in because of luck, but the Spurs' tactics hadn't really worked.

He finally signaled to spread out, and then gave the ball to Leonard for a one-on-one play.

Leonard had become the Spurs' strongest isolation scorer over these past few seasons.

Ariza was fully defending.

Leonard posted up, turned, and went for a layup under the basket.

Davis helped defend at this time.

Seeing this, Leonard passed the ball to Duncan under the basket.

Duncan shot after catching the ball, but Whiteside had already helped defend, reaching out to interfere.

"Clang!"

Duncan's bank shot hit the rim.

Gasol reached out to grab the offensive rebound, but Davis had already retreated to the basket, boxing him out and securing the rebound!

The Pelicans' help defense in this sequence was perfect; they were really doing every detail well, just like Tang Tian had said at halftime!

In the Pelicans' frontcourt offense, Davis's mid-range shot missed, but Whiteside, boxing out Gasol under the basket, scored with a put-back!

The point difference was narrowed to 12 points again!

Popovich's expression was serious at this time.

More than 3 minutes had passed in the second half, and the point difference was still the same as at halftime.

But what he could clearly feel was that the Pelicans' game temperament was completely different from the first half.

From the impatience at the start of the game, the sense of powerlessness at halftime, to the tenacity now.

The feeling wasn't that they were behind by 12 points, but that they were still in a stalemate with the Spurs.

In the Spurs' offense, Leonard showed his superstar potential, making a difficult fadeaway shot over Ariza's defense, and drawing a foul on Ariza's hand.

After making the free throw, the Spurs widened the point difference to 15 points again.

The cheers in the arena were constant.

But in the next possession, Tang Tian responded with a step-back three-pointer after shaking off Green with a crossover.

When the Spurs' next offensive possession didn't score, it was Tang Tian again, driving into the paint, drawing a double-team, and passing the ball to Whiteside for a dunk under the basket.

The point difference was narrowed to 10 points!

Time was passing bit by bit, and the point difference fluctuated, but a very obvious trend was that the Pelicans were closing the gap.

Popovich finally confirmed something at this time.

Although he didn't know what had happened in the Pelicans' locker room at halftime, the Pelicans' performance in the second half was truly the performance of a strong team.

After this conclusion was drawn, he himself felt a little unbelievable.

The Pelicans were a team led by a group of young people, and this was only their second year.

This change was really incredible.

The Spurs executed a wonderful offensive play in the frontcourt, with more than 7 passes, and finally Gasol made a steady mid-range shot from the free throw line.

The mercury-like offense drew cheers from the excited fans in the arena.

But in return, Tang Tian, using Davis's screen, directly broke into the paint, fought against Duncan, and put the ball in, also drawing a foul on the latter.

Now, they had a chance to narrow the point difference to single digits!