14 to 10!

Vogel called a timeout.

Carter had just hit two consecutive three-pointers, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout!

"Vince! Vince!"

As he walked off the court during the timeout, the fans couldn't contain their excitement as they chanted Carter's name.

That name represented the youth of many people in the arena!

Stevens also patted Carter hard on the shoulder as he walked off the court.

One three-pointer might feel like luck to the opponent, but two in a row meant that unless Vogel was brave enough, he definitely wouldn't dare to leave the Pelicans' outside line so open again.

As long as the Lakers didn't dare to leave them open, the pressure on Tang Tian would be less, which would be a definite advantage for the Pelicans.

When the timeout ended, Durant ran to get the ball and made a shot, stabilizing the situation for the Lakers.

Then it was the Pelicans' turn to attack.

Sure enough, Carter stood in the corner and tied Durant down.

Tang Tian used a change of direction to break through the double team and directly attacked the basket, scoring and drawing a defensive foul on Lopez.

Just as Stevens had predicted, the Lakers didn't dare to easily triple-team anymore, and Tang Tian's scoring became significantly easier.

Tang Tian made the free throw, giving the Pelicans a 17-12 lead.

These possessions became a microcosm of the quarter.

Although Carter didn't take any more shots after that, the Lakers didn't dare to shrink their defense easily, and Tang Tian played with ease under the double team.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 35-24, with the Pelicans taking an 11-point lead.

Without Davis, the Pelicans' performance swept away the slump of the past two games.

Carter's two three-pointers were indispensable.

However, the Lakers' performance in the semifinals against the Mavericks had been really good.

During the bench rotation, led by Simmons and Middleton, the Lakers managed to tie the score again.

Falling behind in the starting lineup, chasing points during the bench rotation.

This became a recurring theme for the Lakers and Pelicans tonight.

Carter's presence in the starting lineup allowed the Pelicans to gain an advantage, but their bench players weren't as effective as the Lakers' tonight.

They failed to seize the opportunity to pull away.

The two teams battled until the final minute.

Durant and James once again demonstrated their superstar abilities, combining to score a flurry of points and help the Lakers close the gap to 111-115.

With one minute left and a four-point difference, the outcome was still uncertain.

Tang Tian drove to the basket and drew a foul on Lopez, earning two free throws.

Amidst the cheers of "MVP" from the fans, he made both free throws, bringing his personal stats to 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists, achieving a 40+ triple-double in the playoffs.

However, on the next possession, James showed his strength, hitting a contested three-pointer over Green's help defense, bringing the score to 114-117.

Stevens called a timeout.

A three-point difference!

With 30 seconds left in the game, the Lakers had a chance to force overtime if they could defend the Pelicans' next possession.

When the timeout ended, the Pelicans made a substitution, with Carter replacing Green.

Carter was 2-for-4 from three-point range tonight, and although he missed his last two attempts, Stevens chose to trust him at this crucial moment.

Moreover, the main focus of this play was Tang Tian, and bringing on Carter put psychological pressure on Vogel.

Sure enough, Vogel called another timeout to rearrange his tactics after seeing the Pelicans' substitution.

He was clearly traumatized by Carter's two opening three-pointers.

If it weren't for those two three-pointers, the Lakers wouldn't have been in a passive position all night.

The consecutive timeouts were long and agonizing for the fans in the arena.

They were almost out of breath when the whistle finally blew.

If the Pelicans scored on the next possession, even if it was just one point, victory would be in their grasp.

When the timeout ended, the Pelicans inbounded the ball from the backcourt, and Brogdon passed it to Tang Tian after advancing to the frontcourt.

Tang Tian was running down the clock.

Whether he scored or not, the more time he consumed, the more advantageous it would be for the Pelicans.

With about 10 seconds left on the shot clock, he used a series of crossovers to get past Durant and accelerated towards the basket.

Vogel shouted for everyone to collapse on him.

Driving to the basket and drawing a foul was the Pelicans' safest way to score.

All five Lakers players were collapsing on Tang Tian!

In the final moments of the previous game, Tang Tian had scored despite being defended by four players, so the Lakers were even more thorough this game.

Four players weren't enough, so they sent five, all in!

However, Tang Tian didn't choose to force a shot this time.

If the team was behind, he would have most likely chosen to force it.

But the team was still leading by three points, so it hadn't come to that point yet.

He chose to pass the ball, and the target was clear: Carter in the corner.

He and Stevens had the same level of trust in Carter!

And if Carter missed, they could simply fall back on defense.

Stevens wasn't the type of coach who would risk a free throw contest with a three-point lead.

When the ball reached Carter's hands, the Pelicans had only two seconds left on the shot clock.

He didn't hesitate and shot the ball directly.

The Lakers' defense was too late and could only watch as Carter shot the ball.

Vogel felt a tightness in his chest at this moment.

After making the defensive choice, he was betting on the Pelicans' outside shooting.

This was the right choice, as the odds of Tang Tian making the shot were definitely higher than anyone else.

But he still felt nervous when Carter shot the ball.

Even though Carter had missed two shots in the second and third quarters, Carter was a veteran, a former superstar, and his mental fortitude was incredible.

And clutch plays were all about mental fortitude.

The ball spun through the air towards the basket, falling straight into the hoop under the gaze of everyone in the arena.

The excitement in the eyes of the fans in the arena was palpable.

"Swish!"

A crisp sound.

Carter's clutch three-pointer went in!

120 to 114!

With seven seconds left in the game and a six-point difference, the game was over!

Vogel called his last timeout.

He had used a timeout earlier to rearrange his defensive tactics, but he still failed!

And the direct consequence was that even if the Lakers could make this shot, they would have no timeouts left, making it basically impossible to win!

Carter, oh Carter, this 42-year-old veteran's final shot had really sealed his fate.

Tang Tian took the initiative to give Carter a high five.

Although Carter only made three three-pointers tonight for nine points, each one was worth its weight in gold.

"Vince! Vince!"

The fans in the arena chanted Carter's name in unison.

For a 42-year-old veteran, Carter had truly made the greatest contribution he could.

He deserved the cheers.

Many fans were even moved to tears.

In this arena, they had witnessed Rose's 50-point performance last season, Tang Tian's 102-point performance this season, and now they had witnessed 42-year-old Carter's performance at a crucial moment in the Western Conference Finals.

This arena was truly a place of legendary moments.