Chapter 1350 Harden: They Are Not the Pelicans Anymore

Two days later, the series opener between the Pelicans and the Rockets kicked off at the New Orleans Arena.

The Pelicans played against the Rockets at the beginning and took a double-digit lead at halftime.

But in the second half Harden began to explode, helping the Rockets tie the score two minutes before the end.

At the last moment, Durant scored consecutively to help the Pelicans pass the risk 104 to 101 and won the first game of the series.

The game was won, but the fans on social media after the game were not so excited and even worried.

You must know that in the opening game of the series, or the playoffs, the Pelicans at home had the highest morale, but they only won by 3 points.

After a two-day break, Game 2 of the series continued at the New Orleans Arena.

The fans' worries became a reality. The Rockets' morale was high in this game, and they were in a stalemate with the Pelicans at the beginning.

The scores of the two teams rose alternately until the end of the game. This time Harden stepped back and hit a key three-pointer to help the Rockets beat the Pelicans 112 to 108.

The big score of 1 to 1 means that the Rockets have grabbed home court advantage from the Pelicans.

In the press conference after the game, D'Antoni and Harden couldn't hide their joy on their faces.

This is the first time they have taken the initiative in the game against the Pelicans.

"What do you think is the key to winning tonight?"

The reporter asked Harden questions.

"We gave it our all from the start, we knew we would get a chance at the end, and yes, we did."

Harden nodded.

"You are the seventh in the West, but now you are tied 1-1 with the Pelicans, the second in the West. What does this mean to you?"

The reporter then asked.

"It means we have a chance to complete the black seven?"

Harden's answer drew laughter from the reporters in the audience.

Harden laughed himself, he was really in a good mood.

"Yeah, that meant a lot to us, you know we had injuries in the second half of the season and then dropped to this position and we had to face a tough opponent in the first round, but we've got the home advantage back now , that would put us in a good position and give us more confidence."

Harden added.

"You mean you are more confident about the next series? We all know that the Rockets have never had an advantage against the Pelicans in the past, whether it was the regular season or the playoffs."

The reporter's follow-up questioning was very targeted.

When he said the past, he was naturally referring to the Rockets and the Pelicans team led by Tang Tian.

"Yeah, we're not the same team that we used to be, you know what I said, we've improved a lot with the arrival of Russell, and likewise, they're not the same team as the Pelicans, so you're right Yes, we will be more confident."

Harden's post-match interview was reported by the media.

"James Harden thinks the Pelicans are getting weaker and Don's retirement makes them not that amazing team anymore."

Such news headlines immediately attracted the attention of a large number of fans.

Many Pelicans fans were very angry after reading the news.

There is nothing wrong with this sentence in itself. With Tang Tian's retirement, the Pelicans' decline in strength is inevitable.

But the problem is that the words came from Harden, and now the Pelicans have lost home court advantage.

It's an exasperating feeling.

"Harden will never be worthy of MVP, he dared to speak like this after Don retired!"

"That's right, tell me when Tang is here? I haven't seen you win when Tang is here!"

"Are you still living in the past? Hurry up and wake up, it's already 2020, Tang Zao has retired, so you should be black sevens obediently!"

"That's right, some people live in the past forever. Durant really thinks he can compete with Tang when he wins the AMVP? You are all noobs now!"

"Durant is not as good as Tang, but he is much better than your family's Pengcideng and stepping back!"

"Then you guys won! Don't just talk about it, who was the lore in the last game?"

"Then who killed you in the first match?"

...

On social media, because of this news, Pelicans and Rockets fans are already arguing.

The media always likes to take things out of context and add some verbal exaggeration.

But I have to say that the effect of this rendering is excellent, and it successfully provoked the anger of the two teams.

But no matter how noisy the fans are, it is the Pelicans who are passive at this time.

The home court advantage was robbed, and the next two games were away games.

For the Pelicans, this situation is obviously very unfavorable. For the players, this situation also puts them under a lot of psychological pressure.

Stevens led the team to Houston two days before the game. He allowed the players to adapt to the field in advance and also let them decompress in advance.

Tang Tian also went to Houston the day before the game.

He watched the team's daily training in the training hall.

Originally he was worried that the morale of the team would be low, but he soon found that his worries were unnecessary.

Although the psychological pressure is not small, both Durant and Davis have shown a very positive attitude.

Especially Durant, Tang Tian was also very pleased to see it.

It seems that after being bullied by himself before, Durant has really matured a lot.

After the training, a reporter from the sidelines interviewed Tang Tian.

"Don, what do you think of James (Harden)'s remarks? He said that the Pelicans are no longer the same Pelicans."

It's only natural for journalists to ask about the hottest topics on social media right now.

"I'm not the same as I was when I was playing."

Tang Tian's answer made the reporter unable to react.

But after thinking about it for a while, he understood the meaning of these words. Tang Tian was using Harden's words as an analogy.

"But I can still easily score 20 points in NBA games, you know, I'm talking about the Masters game."

Tang Tian said with a smile.

The reporter couldn't help laughing after hearing this, Tang Tian pretended to be coercive again invisibly.

"Just kidding, I know why James (Harden) said that, he wanted to express his optimism, he thought the Rockets would be the team with more hope of advancing, but I think I have to remind him too , this is a team that completed four consecutive championships, and they ranked second in the Western Conference during the regular season."

Tang Tian was full of momentum this time, and the analogy with his own example earlier was also very convincing.

"You mean the Pelicans still have a better chance of making the cut?"

the reporter asked.

"Of course, their goal is to win five consecutive championships. I believe in them, whether it was at the beginning of the season or now, I have full confidence in them."

Tang Tian also replied very positively.

That's the difference between being a player and a management.

Saying this as a player is obviously setting a flag, but as a management, it is an expression of confidence and encouragement for the team.

In an away game and facing the impressive Rockets, the Pelicans need more momentum.