start with scouting

Chapter 545 Considering the opponent in the next round

According to the schedule, the king has a day off.

At [-] a.m. the next day, the NBA officially announced the best team of the year. Curry was successfully selected for the first team and Cousins ​​was selected for the second team.

After getting the best team, Curry and Cousins ​​activated the bonus clause in the contract and paid an extra $80 in salary.

But it doesn't matter, with such achievements, the two will have fun playing, the average ticket price will also rise, and they can earn back in one game.

The team's marketing and department came up with a plan that had already been prepared, and held a celebration for Curry and Cousins.

Su Yang also went to participate, and watched the Eastern Conference Finals between the Eagles and Bulls at night, and found that the Eagles still had the same problem. There was no absolute superstar, and they couldn’t handle it at critical moments. The Bulls had all kinds of brutal defenses, and Rose, Butler, and Anthony took turns. heads-up.

As long as there are no accidents, the Kings will advance to the finals and start a duel with the Bulls. The current situation looks 55 to [-].

Regarding the Eagles losing by a big score, the fans called the Eastern Conference Finals boring. If you want to be exciting, you have to watch the Western Conference Finals and Harden.

Kings players are too strong.

Except for Harden, the Rockets' other players are too weak.

So that no one discusses whether Harden is not strong enough, so that Harden has not been evaluated by LeBron in the Cavaliers.

It may also be the reason why Harden did not enter the league with the name of the Chosen Son. Fans and the media did not expect so much.

On the 22nd of the next day, the Kings continued to face the Rockets.

After a few rounds, Su Yang found that Harden was still the same as in the first game. First of all, he mainly focused on passing the ball to drive his teammates, and decisively instructed LaVine to go to single defense. Change, forcibly send assists.

After doing it again and again, Harden really made it happen.

But Harden is so strong, the physical strength on the defensive end can't keep up, LaVine and Curry scored too easily, helped the Kings lead 36 to 28 in the first quarter, made five three-pointers, hit 60% from the field, and assisted 12 times , the scene looked like an in-team training.

The Rockets rely heavily on three-pointers, but they did not shoot at a normal level.

In the second quarter of the game, Harden may feel that he has to make the main attack. He appeared on the court after a 2-minute break, and started a crazy one-on-one match. He scored 12 points in a single quarter and got 3 assists and 5 rebounds. His best free throw was only 1 time. Because the king insisted on preventing breakthroughs.

But Harden is strong, and the Rockets have been unable to narrow the point difference to less than five points. It seems that there is a gap between the two teams.

Harden was not discouraged.

In the third quarter and the early stage of the fourth period, they insisted on attacking and grabbing. Unfortunately, the time could not change the situation, and the Rockets went desperate with 5 minutes left. Guard down.

Su Yang replaced Turner and Thomas Jr., and joined Curry to form a three-person organization. Antetokounmpo and Green rushed to the empty basket.

After several rounds of fighting, the Rockets automatically retreated.

After the game, the Kings won 104 to 98.

库里以73%的真实命中率，高效33分6助攻3篮板，而哈登以74%的真实命中率，超高效空砍38分9助攻10篮板3抢断1盖帽，可谓输球之夜，依然可以昂首离开。

But extreme fans don't care that much.

The first game was played without ridicule, and the second game was doubled.

What's "I can't win the championship without Durant", what's "not at LeBron's level", what's "the high shooting percentage is all due to the king's single defense and not defending the shot", what's "the reason to drive away McHale is to suppress the team's superstars Howard'…

Few people mentioned that Harden made 41 of 24 shots in the Western Conference Finals, averaging 58% from the field and only 8 free throws per game.

Many people mentioned that Harden led the Rockets to 0 to 2.

The winner and the loser are all like this.

At noon the next day, the NBA held a lottery meeting. Su Yang arranged for Xinji to participate, but unfortunately no miracle happened.

The Timberwolves got the No. 76 pick, the Lakers got the No. 30 pick, the [-]ers got the No. [-] pick, and the Kings got the [-]th overall pick according to their record.

If there is no butterfly effect, it is impossible to select any outstanding players at the 30th pick. Su Yang asked Hinkie to focus on players who may lose the second round, Quinn Cook, TJ McConnell, Chris Wood, and then they will all find a way Sign a three-year contract.

Signing for three years can improve training on the one hand, and better control the salary space on the other hand, it is by no means to save money.

As long as those players are successfully cultivated, you can give up the team option in advance. If you meet a player like Parsons or Boozer and say that you agree to sign with the old club, but turn around and contact other teams, then take it for yourself. It's okay to look away.

Of course, if others don't want to sign for three years, that's another matter.

The inspection work has to be conducted in secret, so as not to be intercepted again. I heard that there are already many teams ready to catch the king's trial target and grab the wool. After all, Su Yang has not pulled a cross in so many dominant drafts in the past. , Copy it and you're done.

In a twinkling of an eye on the 24th, the Kings flew to Houston to compete with the Rockets in Game [-] of the Western Conference Finals at the Toyota Center.

The game is scheduled for eight o'clock.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted at six o'clock, calling on fans to rush to the home court to give the team the greatest support, probably knowing that Rockets fans are habitually late, and often only fill the audience at the start of the second quarter, not to mention that this time the Rockets trailed 0-2 .

Morey also emphasized that the King's home court advantage is no longer, and it is the Rockets' turn to play the home court advantage, and the Western Conference Finals has really begun.

After tweeting like that, some fans liked and forwarded it, emphasizing that the Rockets did not lose too many points in the two games, and they definitely deserved to play.

Some fans also ridiculed, saying that the Kings did not go all out, and they could recover after deliberately falling behind by 14 points. The Rockets had no hope.

The game starts at eight o'clock.

Half of the Toyota Center was not full.

Seeing this, Su Yang temporarily ordered the whole team to be full offensively and defensively, and strive to completely beat the Rockets' home momentum. Then he let Cousins ​​start for 2 minutes and then rested, and put Antetokounmpo+Green+Covington+Curry in advance + Gay's super offensive and defensive lineup.

The Kings no longer defend against Harden alone and give priority to defense against breakthroughs.

Double-teaming, delaying, fighting, all kinds of methods take turns to serve.

Harden's performance was severely restricted, and the Rockets pulled their hips accordingly. After the first quarter, the Kings led 30 to 18.

The game entered the second quarter, and the Rockets players were about to fill up the Toyota Center. It can be seen that the home team fell behind significantly, and many fans who had entered the stadium before left early. The momentum of the Rockets players collapsed completely between entering and exiting. Only scored 32 points.

In the third quarter after the halftime break, Mike Malone didn’t know what he said in the locker room. The Rockets players actually rekindled their fighting spirit and were very active in fighting. At one point, they played an 11-5 offensive. Seeing that something was wrong, Su Yang sent Guy to fight in advance .

The situation of the two teams suddenly reversed. The Kings fought back 8-2. Curry started to go wild, scoring 19 points in the whole quarter.

Shunfeng Curry is a little invincible.

The fourth quarter completely turned into garbage time. The Rockets arranged for Capela and other substitutes to come on the bench early and did not try to resist.

After the whole game, the Kings defeated the Rockets 115 to 80, leading the Western Conference Finals series 3 to 0, and the promotion is in sight.

库里19投12中，三分9投7中，全场40分7助攻5篮板，还有2抢断1盖帽。

In contrast, Harden, who was frantically targeted, made 16 of 3 shots and scored 11 points on 17 free throws.

Harden looked hurt.

Fans and the media ridiculed Harden one after another, mainly saying that Harden can't be the boss, he can only be the second or third master. The real shooting guard boss should be like Jordan, Kobe, and Wade. Team wins.

After the game, return to the hotel for replay.

Mike Brown suggested that Cousins ​​must be the main attacker in the fourth game, because the two rounds of the playoffs are almost over, Cousins' presence is getting less and less, and the frequency of Kings using five small lineups is too high. Give up, Cousins ​​is also positioned to protect the frame and grab rebounds.

Su Yang readily agreed.

(End of this chapter)