Chapter 1 1 to 3.

After the game, the Spurs players left the arena looking dejected.

Seventy wins, the best record in team history, a luxurious Big Three lineup boasting Leonard, George, and Aldridge, plus Popovich coaching.

But after four games of the series, the score was already this. They were only one step away from being eliminated.

The Pelicans, on the other hand, successfully secured the match point after winning this home game!

The game was over, and the fans at the arena stayed for a long time, roaring and shouting together.

They were getting closer and closer to their goal of four consecutive championships, and they were more confident than ever before.

"This Pelicans team is severely underestimated. Although they were only ranked third in the regular season, their true strength is not inferior to, or even exceeds, the Lakers and the Spurs!"

During the TNT post-game show, Barkley went on a wild rant praising the Pelicans.

Scoring 130 points and winning by 25 points against the Spurs, either one was worth such praise.

"Without a doubt, the playoffs are a stage for superstars, and Tang is the biggest one!

Hey, Charles, you should have come out of retirement last summer and joined the Pelicans. Then you would have a championship ring."

O'Neal continued his consistent performance, not only hyping up Tang, but also making fun of Barkley.

"They not only have Tang now, but also AD. AD's performance in this year's playoffs has improved a lot. He is one of the best big men in the league."

Kenny Smith didn't forget to add.

Despite Tang Tian's dazzling halo, Davis, as one of the few American-born inside players, always received lavish praise from the media and experts.

Not to mention that Davis was indeed playing well now.

"They will end this series on the road. Tang hasn't really exerted himself yet. The next game will be intense, but the Pelicans will win the next one."

Barkley glanced at O'Neal with disdain and quickly changed the subject, making a preliminary analysis with his professional eye.

"I agree. Leonard and George can limit Tang, but the Spurs can't limit both Tang and AD at the same time."

Smith also followed up with his analysis.

"I agree. They will end the series after the next game. I'm looking forward to them facing the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. That will be interesting, Thanos versus the Avengers."

O'Neal also nodded in agreement.

His words drew laughter from Barkley and Smith.

The Marvel movie *Avengers: Endgame* was released in North America at the end of April, and it was now a global hit, with explosive box office numbers.

James and Durant had been defeated by Tang Tian many times, and now they were like the Avengers assembling on the Lakers.

And they were about to face their opponent, Tang "Thanos" Tian.

The Avengers had the last laugh in the movie, and now it was up to the NBA to see who would win.

O'Neal's analogy sparked a heated discussion among fans on social media.

Combining current hot topics with an apt metaphor, it was no surprise that O'Neal's comments went viral.

Moreover, fans unanimously agreed with the predictions of the TNT Big Three.

Popovich had made the best adjustments, but the Pelicans were in too good of a state, and with Tang Tian, the bug, it was really hard to lose.

If the Pelicans hadn't become complacent in the third game, they would have swept the Spurs and advanced to the Western Conference Finals by now.

The day before the game, the entire Pelicans team arrived in San Antonio again to prepare for Game 5 of the series.

Leading the series 3-1, with three match points in hand, the Pelicans had a great chance of advancing.

However, with the lessons learned from the third game, both the coaching staff and the players were very serious during training.

Moreover, the Pelicans scheduled training sessions on the day of their arrival and on the morning of the game day, showing how much the whole team valued this game.

They all knew that fighting a prolonged war with the Spurs would be of no benefit, and they all wanted to end the series in the evening game, and they were all prepared to do so.

After the training session, the players returned to the locker room one after another to shower.

Davis came out of the shower and saw Tang Tian sitting there, looking like something was on his mind.

"What's wrong?"

He wrapped a towel around himself and sat down on the stool next to Tang Tian.

"Huh?"

Tang Tian looked up at him.

"You seem to have something on your mind? Is it San? Or did something happen to Yongqi and the others?"

Davis continued to ask.

Tang Tian was calm and composed in everything, except for his family. Only his family could make him like this.

But to Davis's surprise, Tang Tian shook his head, indicating that he was fine.

Green had finished showering and changed his clothes. Hearing the content of their conversation, he also leaned over.

"Are you worried that the old man will pull some strange tricks tonight?"

Tang Tian smiled when he heard that, but he didn't nod or shake his head.

He did have something on his mind, but he couldn't tell anyone because it involved a secret.

"With you and AD, we will win. None of the old man's tricks will work."

Having experienced the last game, Green also had a lot of confidence in the team.

Tang Tian nodded.

He hoped his worries were unnecessary.

That night, Game 5 of the Pelicans-Spurs series kicked off at the AT&T Center.

The arena was packed. Although the team was trailing 1-3, the Spurs had been a powerhouse for more than a decade, and the fans were very loyal.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups of both teams were released one after another.

Popovich changed his lineup again for this game, switching back to the starting lineup from Game 3, with Bertans as the starting power forward.

The Pelicans, on the other hand, continued with the starting lineup from the previous game, with Robinson still at center.

The two teams' lineups were actually a gamble, to see whether the Spurs could break down the Pelicans' inside first, or whether Bertans would be blown up by the Pelicans first.

The game started quickly. Robinson still jumped high and tipped the ball back to his own half, winning the Pelicans the opportunity to attack first.

Tang Tian ran a pick-and-roll with Davis in the frontcourt. Davis caught Tang Tian's pass back and hit a mid-range shot, showing his excellent competitive state.

This performance sent the Pelicans fans on the hotline into a frenzy.

In the past, the Pelicans had won every game that Davis played well in, so the Pelicans would most likely win tonight as well.

However, in the next round, Leonard broke through Green, faked out Robinson, and scored with a one-handed dunk.

This dunk instantly ignited the atmosphere of the fans at the scene.

Leonard dunked after a layup, and his attack on the basket was very decisive. He had a strong desire to score tonight.

The Pelicans had another excellent performance on the offensive end. Siakam passed the ball to Davis in a double-team, and Davis responded with a two-handed dunk.

The Pelicans' competitive state tonight looked as good as in the last game!

However, in the next round, Leonard once again forced his way past Green and drew a shooting foul on Robinson.

He walked to the free throw line expressionlessly and steadily made both free throws.

Tang Tian's sudden stop after breaking through in the frontcourt also went in.

But in the next round, Leonard continued to break into the basket by using Aldridge's screen, not only scoring, but also drawing Robinson's second shooting foul.

Cheers rang out at the scene.

Leonard scored 6 consecutive points after the opening, and more importantly, he had already drawn two personal fouls on Robinson!

Stevens had no choice but to replace Robinson with Siakam, which was equivalent to declaring that the Pelicans' starting lineup had failed tonight!

However, Leonard, who had scored a 2+1, still had no expression on his face, and just walked straight to the free throw line to prepare for the free throw.

This was very Leonard.

Tang Tian was at the three-point line at this time. He looked at Leonard, and a small emotion flashed in his eyes.

He had long been prepared for Leonard's performance tonight, and only he understood it.