Chapter 774 Is There Any Hope for Heiba? (Third Update!)
The news that Tang Tian and Davis tattooed the championship trophy was quickly exposed by the media.
This also sparked heated discussions among fans on social media.
"This is determination. Tang and AD will break the boat and the Pelicans will win the championship this year!"
"74 wins, this is proof of strength. The Pelicans are the strongest team in the league this season, and the championship is already in hand! (Pun intended)"
"Looking forward to the moment when the Pelicans win the championship, looking forward to the moment when Don proposes, looking forward to the moment when New Orleans history is born!"
…
"Getting a championship trophy tattoo before you win the championship? This is too flamboyant!"
"Although the Pelicans have 74 wins this season, the Warriors have also won 73. This approach will stimulate the Warriors and other opponents to lose their character!"
"I'm really looking forward to the moment when the Pelicans are eliminated. I really want to see the expressions on Don and Anthony Davis' faces at that time. It must be very interesting!"
…
The fans' opinions are very clear, divided into two groups: support and ridicule.
Amid this discussion, the door to the playoffs has quietly opened.
The Pelicans, Mavericks, Spurs and Thunder in the West, and the Cavaliers, Nets, Heat and Hawks in the East, the four groups will start first.
Dallas is very close to New Orleans, and they only arrived in New Orleans on game day.
And after arriving in New Orleans, they only had one or two hours of open-door adaptation training.
The Mavericks players seemed to be in a good mood.
Although they were ranked eighth and ranked first, this did not seem to affect their morale.
"We all know the strength of the Pelicans. They are difficult to deal with, but the same is true for us. We played well in the second half of the season. This shows that our mutual understanding is getting better and better. We scored many points. We There’s a chance to win the series.”
Jimmy Butler, one of the core players of the team, also showed confidence in front of reporters.
"We know you and Don have a very good relationship, does this affect your game?"
the reporter asked next.
"No, our relationship off the court will not affect our performance on the court. On the contrary, because I am familiar with him, it will help me guard him better."
Butler replied bluntly.
There are already many fans who have hopes for the Mavericks' black eight. Butler's remarks in the interview are well-founded and make them even more convinced of this.
An hour before tip-off, fans began streaming into the New Orleans Arena in droves.
The faces of the fans were full of confidence. When many fans saw reporters carrying cameras to take pictures, they ran over and shouted their slogans.
"Pelicans Championship!"
The tattoos of Tang Tian and Davis caused fans to argue on social media, and the supporting parties gradually began to agree on the same tone.
And this is their slogan.
And it's not just verbal, there are also such slogans written on the KT boards held high by many fans.
This slogan is catchy and will definitely accompany the Pelicans throughout the playoffs this year!
Half an hour before the game, the New Orleans Arena was already packed, and the fans couldn't wait for the playoffs in the new season.
Players from both teams were making final preparations in the locker room.
"Keep a normal mentality and don't get too excited. All we have to do is play normally."
Stevens' pre-game speech was very calm. He did not try to arouse the emotions of the players, but instead asked them to be as calm as possible.
He is very aware of the strength gap between the two teams. As long as the Pelicans perform normally, they have a great chance of winning.
Fifteen minutes before the start of the game, players from both sides entered the stadium one after another and began to warm up.
Tang Tian and Butler said hello in the midfield, but it was just a hello.
The two have a good relationship in private, but as rivals now, it is not suitable for them to have too much communication.
After the warm-up, the scene entered the opening ceremony, and the starting lineups of the two teams were announced one after another.
The entire Mavericks team is playing, including Deron and Butler on the outside, Harris and Nowitzki on the forward line, and Embiid at center.
The same goes for the Pelicans, with Holiday and Tang Tian on the outside, Ariza and Davis on the striker, and Jokic at center.
Davis looked a little excited. He jumped up and dialed the ball back to half court the moment the buzzer sounded, giving the Pelicans the opportunity to take the lead.
The regular season is long, and so are the playoffs.
Now in the first game of the first round, the Pelicans did not attack Tang Tian at first, but Jokic organized in the frontcourt.
Stevens' purpose is also very clear. He does not want Tang Tian to be exhausted prematurely, but wants to let others adapt to the intensity of the playoffs through the previous games.
In this way, everyone can be in good condition later in the Western Conference Finals and even the Finals.
Davis's air cut was beautiful, and Jokic's ball was timely. Davis jumped up and dunked the ball.
"Bang!"
But maybe he was really too excited, and the goal he was determined to win actually dunked away.
Embiid protected the defensive rebound.
The Pelicans retreated quickly, the Mavericks attacked the frontcourt, and Nowitzki held the ball in the low post and played back.
Nowitzki's playing time is limited as he gets older, and Carlisle will try to play him as much as possible while he is on the court.
Moreover, when Nowitzki plays from behind, the Mavericks' weak side cooperates with three-pointers and air cuts in off-ball pick-and-rolls.
As a master tactician, Carlisle is no weaker than Stevens.
Nowitzki relied on a few hits, then turned around and leaned back, and made an independent shot with his iconic golden rooster.
Davis's defensive coverage is very large, but he can't block this kind of shot, so he can only try his best to interfere.
"Uh-huh!"
Nowitzki is a veteran even in the playoffs, and he made this opening shot.
In the Pelicans' position battle, Tang Tian played the No. 1 tactic, breaking through to attract double-teams and then giving Ariza the ball.
Ariza caught the ball and shook Harris, flew in with the ball, and faced Embiid's shot, causing the latter to foul.
But it's a pity that his two free throws were a bit too big, and the ball hit the back edge of the basket and bounced out.
The Mavericks still failed to counterattack, and Nowitzki continued to hold the ball in the positional battle.
This time he turned around and gave the ball to Harris, who was cutting through the air, and the latter made a mid-range shot with a sudden stop.
Harris was a rookie in the same class as Tang Tian. His draft pick was not high and he didn't get many opportunities in the first two years.
But he has enriched his offensive skills step by step every year, and now he is also a player with super starting ability. Coupled with his emergency stop jumper, he is a bit like a poor man's version of Anthony.
These opening rounds became a microcosm of the first half of the game between the two teams.
Although Stevens had warned him before the game, the Pelicans players were still a little too excited in the first game of the playoffs.
Excitement is a good thing, but too much excitement, like Davis's dunk or Ariza's free throw, becomes abnormal.
The Mavericks are playing steadily with the outstanding performance of Nowitzki and Harris.
After halftime, the Mavericks turned away and led the Pelicans by 8 points 50-42.
Such a score made the fans supporting the Mavericks on the hotline excited, and there was hope for a black eight!
ps: Little Eggplant had a fever today and came back very late in the afternoon. It may be late for the fourth time. I will write as soon as possible.
Thanks to Free Dumbo, Xiao Mengmei, Wu Sheng, Bazahe’s Kitchen Knife, and Compassionate Listening for their rewards.