I just play ball

Chapter 63
Seven o'clock in the evening on the 25th, Pepsi Center Arena.

With the lights on, the pre-match ceremony was completed, and the players of the two teams entered the field.

In the ESPN commentary booth, Mike Brin and Jeff Van Gundy sat side by side, speaking to the camera.

"The Nuggets lost by [-] points in the last game. If you look at it from the coach's perspective, what adjustments can be made?"

"They need to play their own style, and they can't play with the rhythm of the Lakers. It's difficult to play their technical characteristics like that."

"Will Faried's comeback in this game become a key point? He has a strong impact on the inside."

"Coach Carl should let him be more responsible for flanking and pick-and-roll. The offensive end may be more easy to score, but the Lakers have three days of rest this time, and their physical fitness is very sufficient. It is very clear whether they can play the effect."

"Okay, the game will start right away."

...

On the court, Li Yue stared closely at Faried, who was jumping the ball with Howard, trying to understand the opponent's mental state.Before the game, many media speculated that Faried would come back from injury. If that was the case, he would not dare to go all out on both offensive and defensive ends.

The conclusion has not yet been reached, and the long whistle is played.

The referee walked to the middle circle with the basketball in his arms, raised his hands and tossed it lightly. Faried and Howard took off one after another.

boom!The basketball was forced to fly to the side of the Nuggets, and Lawson picked it up in his hand and slowly pushed forward.

The audience cheered and shouted in unison, the Pepsi Center turned into a blue ocean, and the dynamic BGM was played.

Lawson crossed the ball at the top of the arc and strode to the left corner.

Iguodala received the ball with both hands raised high, and with the help of Faried up to cover, he got rid of Li Yue and dribbled to the left.

Howard followed up in small steps, neither grabbing nor retreating, always keeping two body distances and hovering in the free throw line area.

Li Yue then arrived, and Iguodala jumped up and passed the ball to the left sideline.

Lawson received the return pass and put on a three-threat position. Wilson quickly stepped forward and set up a wall to block Blake.

There was a breakthrough space on the bottom line in an instant, and Gasol hurriedly went around to intercept, and the four players from the two teams huddled together.

Wilson suddenly retreated and ran to the basket, Gasol and Blake reacted a little slower and failed to form a block.

Seeing this, Howard shrank and intercepted, and Lawson immediately threw the ball to the free throw line.

The unguarded Faried received the pass, took a step forward, and took off to throw a throw in the face of Howard who returned to the defense.

when!The basketball hit the rim and rebounded twice. Howard got the rebound, turned around and threw Nash.

The audience shouted for defense, and the Lakers fell into a V-shaped formation in the frontcourt, but it was Blake and Howard who stayed at the top of the arc.

Nash drives the ball over the center line, and Blake goes up to make a side screen.At the same time, Li Yue started from the right sideline, used Gasol's cover to get rid of Iguodala, and ran along the baseline to the left half.

Lawson squeezed forward with his body sideways, trying to squeeze past the screen early to intercept, but Blake immediately disassembled and ran to the left, rushed to 45 degrees with the help of Howard's screen, received a pass, and faced Faried. Slam the ball to the floor with one hand.

The basketball rebounded and flew into the hands of Li Yue who just rushed to the left basket at a perfect angle and timing.

boom!The basketball bounced off the board and into the net.

"This is a two-line hammer tactic. The Lakers have rarely played it before. In my impression, I have hardly seen it. Coach D'Antoni didn't use it very much before. Could it be that it was specially used to deal with this Nuggets who took the initiative to change?" Van Gundy said.

"At least it shows that the Lakers did not relax their vigilance because of the first big victory. This is the attitude that the playoffs should have." Brin said.

The Nuggets attacked, and Lawson quickly dribbled the ball to the top of the arc, using Faried's cover to rush in.

Blake flew around and chased, Howard and Gasol moved in the direction of the basketball, and the Lakers were airtight under the basket.

Lawson had no choice but to throw the ball out to Iguodala, and ran to the left sideline again. Iguodala made two three-threat attempts and decisively passed the ball back. Wilson quickly retreated to the basket to make room.

Lawson dribbled the ball with his left hand to break through the baseline, took three consecutive steps, made an emergency stop and retreated to shake off Blake, and took off steadily to make a shot.

Boom!The basketball hit the hoop and bounced back and forth into the net, and the cheers of the Pepsi Center resounded from the ceiling.

"It seems that the Nuggets intend to weaken the defensive power of the Lakers' inside twin towers through sideline offense." Van Gundy said.

"The frontal attack will encounter Howard and Gasol at the same time, and the side attack only needs to face one." Brin said.

The Lakers attacked, and Nash rushed to the frontcourt with the ball, and played with Blake again in the previous tactic.

Li Yue was about to kick the ground to start running, but found that the Nuggets changed their defensive strategy, Blake failed to move smoothly to the left, and Nash also adjusted his strategy to dribble to the right, and he immediately ran to the right wing.

After receiving the pass, he rushed directly to the free throw line, using his speed to forcefully break through Iguodala.

Faried was forced to step forward to intercept, and Howard walked sideways to the basket, holding his right hand high for the ball.

I don’t know how many times this kind of cooperation has been played. He skillfully took off and threw the ball, and then knocked down Farid who was coming up.

Beep!The referee blows his whistle and calls for an offensive foul.

The audience cheered and applauded, Li Yue almost rolled his eyes in anger, and hurriedly explained that he took off first and Farid stood behind.

The referee ignored it, and the Nuggets kicked off from the sideline of the backcourt.

Lawson took it to the top of the arc, faced Blake's defense, and rushed to the three-point line with Faried's cover. Seeing Howard was waiting at the free throw line, he jumped up and made a two-pointer without hesitation.

Boom boom boom!The basketball hit the circle and bounced several times, and finally fell into the net.

Howard helplessly spread his hands, and D'Antoni waved his hands on the sidelines, as if to indicate that there is no need to blame himself.

Shrinking the basket is originally a defensive strategy, and it cannot be easily changed unless it is a last resort.

When the Lakers were on the other side of the offense, the Nuggets suddenly resorted to a full-court press, and the three players faced Nash at the same time.

Blake stretched out his hand for the ball, received it and observed it for a while, and then accelerated to bring it forward, but just as he rushed to the right wing to hand it to Li Yue, Iguodala and Fournier took the first step to double-team and press.

Blake quickly changed hands behind his back to avoid it, but he made a mistake too much, and Will picked up the basketball and pushed it forward.

Li Yue buried his head in the chase, Wilson passed the ball to Lawson, and the Nuggets played quickly, as fast as the wind.

Blake chased all the way to the basket, jumped up with Lawson, and stretched out his hands to block the shot.

Beep!The referee whistled for a foul, and Lawson hit a backhand layup at the same time.

Go in!

There will be an additional penalty!

Pepsi Center cheers went straight to the sky.

Amidst the excited shouts of the audience, Lawson made a hit and added a penalty, and the Nuggets led 7-2.

The Lakers attacked, Nash rushed to the front court with the ball, passed it to Blake at 45 degrees on the left, turned around and ran to the right sideline, and made a cross screen with Li Yue.At the same time, Gasol stuck Wilson in the low post on the left, and Howard stood in the short corner on the left.

Li Yue came to the right wing smoothly, and Blake passed the ball to Gasol upon seeing this.Just when the Nuggets' defense focused on the basket on the left, Howard turned around and went up the wall to block Iguodala. Li Yue took the opportunity to rush to the three-second zone, and Gasol passed the ball sideways.

All of this happened within two seconds. Seeing that the Lakers were about to form an air cut cooperation, Faried seemed to temporarily open the perspective of God, and rushed towards the direction of Gasol's pass without warning.

Snapped!Faried completes the steal, grabs the ball firmly, and pushes hard forward.

Lawson took the ball from the center line and rushed to the frontcourt in three seconds, chasing the pull bar against Li Yue for a layup.

Li Yue made a foul on his back, and he didn't dare to make it easily, so he could only interfere with it from a distance.

boom!The basketball bounces into the net.

Lawson scored 9 points in a row and the Nuggets led 9-2.

"Judging from these 2 minutes, they finally played the previous style, but the Lakers were a little out of order." Van Gundy said.

"But the Lakers didn't ask for a timeout. Coach D'Antoni and his players seemed confident that they could catch up with the score."

(End of this chapter)