Braised Eggplant with Minced Pork
Chapter 981 You Are as Bold as a Bucket, Possibly Kidney Stones (Fourth Update!)
The Cavaliers served the sideline ball again. James finally broke through and passed to Dellavedova, who was defended by Holiday for a 24-second violation.
The Pelicans attacked to the frontcourt again, and Tang Tian scored two points with a layup after a pick-and-roll breakthrough against James' help defense.
At this time, the physical advantage that Stevens expected began to appear.
The point difference was narrowed to 6 points!
With three minutes left, the Pelicans had a complete chance!
Lue reached out and called a timeout.
This scoring drought for the Cavaliers was deadly, and he had to arrange a wave of tactics to score first.
The 2-minute timeout felt like a century to the fans at the scene.
Many fans holding streamers in their hands were even more anxious.
Whether the Pelicans could lift the championship trophy at home for two consecutive years depended on these last three minutes.
"Beep~"
Finally, the timeout ended, and both sides returned to the court.
At this time, both sides were already using their full lineups.
The final battle of the last three minutes.
James continued to control the ball at the top of the arc.
Lue wasn't Kerr, and his tactics at critical moments would always choose the most reliable option: give the damn ball to James.
James continued to break through against Tang Tian. He drove into the restricted area, and Davis came to help defend, a death trap of the New Orleans' core duo.
James made an emergency stop and leaned back.
This shot selection was very beautiful, the ball leaving his hand and passing over the heavy encirclement of Tang Tian and Davis.
The ball fell into the basket.
But it bounced out again!
The arc of this ball was too high, and the force was too great!
Harrell tried his best to protect the defensive rebound.
Doing every defense well, grabbing every rebound, the Pelicans were gradually turning a small opportunity into a big one.
Now they really had a chance.
Tang Tian dribbled the ball on the outside!
Lue was a little nervous.
After giving the ball to James didn't work, he really started to panic.
Tang Tian's breakthrough was met with a double-team. He dribbled the ball back, and with a dry pull-up fake, he passed the ball to the right 45-degree angle without looking.
Holiday borrowed Davis' pick-and-roll, an auxiliary tactic.
The ball was in his hands, an opportunity.
He shot directly.
Love lunged forward, unable to stop, and knocked Holiday to the ground.
"Swish!"
But the ball Holiday shot actually went in!
A miraculous 3+1!
Lue couldn't believe it, holding his head in his hands.
In Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Brogdon contributed a miraculous 3+1, and in Game 5 of the Finals, Holiday did it again!
Last year, the Pelicans relied on Tang Tian alone to harvest the game, but this year, Davis, Brogdon, and Holiday all stood up in turn!
Although their lineup strength this season was not as enhanced as the Warriors and Cavaliers, the strength of their original players had been enhanced!
Holiday adjusted his breathing and steadily made the extra free throw.
The point difference was only 2 points!
There was still one and a half minutes left!
The Cavaliers had possession.
This time James chose to give the ball to Irving.
He also realized that after his physical strength declined, his one-on-one efficiency was obviously declining.
This was unavoidable.
Stevens' game was benefiting more and more.
Irving made consecutive step feints, but Holiday defended very tightly.
He was finally forced to shoot a fadeaway three-pointer outside the right three-point line.
This shot was very difficult and tested his core strength a lot.
The most classic was Kobe's game-winning shot against Wade.
Irving replicated that movement.
And then the ball...
"Swish!"
It went in too!
The cheers at the scene stopped abruptly.
Irving's 30th point!
This three-pointer was deadly!
Definitely a top-five play of the season!
Irving roared for once after scoring.
These hard-training brothers of his usually only got beaten when they met Tang Tian, their boss.
But his goal was worth a lot, and he launched the "uprising" horn of the hard-training brothers!
Stevens didn't call a timeout.
The fans felt an uncontrollable dryness in their throats.
The air at the scene seemed to be filled with the smell of gunpowder.
With a little over 1 minute left, a 5-point difference was enough to seal the victory.
If the Pelicans couldn't respond.
The Cavaliers also knew this. Lue and Drew shouted excitedly on the sidelines to remind them to defend, and the players on the court were also doing their best on the defensive end.
The Pelicans... had no chance.
With little time left, the ball was finally given to Tang Tian.
Tang Tian shot a dry pull-up directly.
Shumpert was a little anxious and rushed up to block.
Tang Tian saw the opportunity and played a time difference.
"Beep!"
He directly drew Shumpert's shooting foul.
A three-point shooting foul!
This foul was deadly!
James originally wanted to go over and comfort Shumpert out of consideration for his image.
But this foul was really too deadly, and he really couldn't muster any interest.
Tang Tian had three free throw opportunities.
He didn't waste any opportunity, making all three free throws steadily.
The point difference returned to 2 points again.
Irving attacked to the frontcourt again. This time he chose to create fouls near the basket.
But Davis' help defense was very effective. He failed to score the ball, and Davis got the rebound.
The Pelicans quickly launched a counterattack. This time Tang Tian followed up very quickly, received a pass from Holiday, and scored against Irving.
Hard-training brothers, he was the boss, and the younger brothers were still younger brothers!
120 to 120!
The point difference was tied!
Lue called another timeout.
With only 35 seconds left in the game, both sides had at least one more offensive opportunity!
Now, it depends on who can seize the opportunity.
"The Pelicans' defense in this period has been impeccable, and they have created opportunities for themselves!"
Miller said with emotion in the commentary booth.
It seemed that the Cavaliers' offense suddenly misfired, but Stevens' strategy plus the Pelicans' defense was the fundamental reason.
If the Pelicans won the championship last year by relying on Tang Tian alone, then this year it was really overall strength.
If they win the championship, they definitely deserve it!
After the timeout, James continued to hold the ball at the top of the arc.
He was stalling for time.
Because it was a tie, the Cavaliers' primary goal for this wave of offense was definitely to score, but at the same time, they also wanted to compress the time as much as possible, not giving the Pelicans too much time to attack.
When the Cavaliers' offensive time entered the last 10 seconds, there were only about 20 seconds left in the game.
James chose to break through himself.
He was really brave, even if he had failed to score on consecutive attacks, he still chose to attack himself at the critical moment.
He used his strength to force his way into the restricted area, but Davis, as before, decisively helped defend, and the defensive pressure they gave was very high.
James didn't choose to pass the ball.
He loved to pass the ball when he was with the Heat, but people change. After arriving at the Cavaliers, he would take care of such crucial balls himself.
If he scored, he would be a superstar, and if he didn't, at least he tried.
The ball passed over Tang Tian and Davis' defense.
It swirled in the air in a high arc.
"Clang!"
It hit the front of the rim.
James' shot, under the high pressure defense of Tang Tian and Davis, still failed to hit!