As I mulled in my mind the 1,024 kinds of phrases about W.B. Tough or Not, today's game was almost over in my mind: The Grizzlies led the Timberwolves by 19 points after Morant hit a three-pointer in the third quarter; Booker killed Red Eye at the end of the second quarter, slashed eight points in a row, and scored 31 points in 17 minutes before the end of the first half, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before Lillard broke Lillard's single-game three-point record in the playoffs last year.
So, do I have to wait for Booker? Really broke the record or better than Butler's 45 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 0 turnovers. The third quarter of the Suns may be a wave of flow, it is better to have a meal first.
I came back from dinner and clicked on the live stream, only to see Ingram hit a hit, the score was 88-80, leading the Pelicans?
this? I knew the Pelicans didn't come to Phoenix with the mentality of sightseeing and feeling the atmosphere. But the Pelicans and Suns are as strong as Trae Young came to Miami from New York. Suddenly demoted from mayor to cute Baby.
Speaking of Baby, Today's spring breeze triumphant Booker also greeted Baby on the sidelines after a mid-range shot. It's so cute. Hopefully, the injury will recede and Booker will return soon.
Back to the game. While I was eating, Monty played a riotous operation, replacing five up and five. Perhaps it was the huge strength advantage that made him a little drifty, trying to rehearse the lineup in the playoffs and give the main force more time to rest. Can you show operations in front of your former teaching assistant Willie Green? Somewhat careless.
Pelicans, as I've said before, the two cores are very similar to the Nets. They are the poor version of Durant + the poor version of Irving. Both are classical scorers who like to work in the middle distance. But CJ is limited by his stature, in the face of size foot, can go around the cover of the front line defensive tough, will not be able to open, when playing the Clippers CJ can not break out like the Spurs, pelicans and Suns first game, CJ under Bridges' defense, 9 shots 0.
But today, also against Bridges, CJ scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including a crucial 5 points in the final quarter of the game.
Another problem exposed by the Suns is rebounding. Ayton will not suffer from the vast majority of center forwards in the league, because the traditional heavy interior line is almost extinct, and for the center, this year's change of defense is much more important than the squat pit. In the first game between the two teams, the Pelicans players were 2 of 16 against Bridges and 20 when they faced Ayton.
The Suns' internal and external defensive core changes were indeed in place, but Valanciunas grabbed 25 rebounds in the first game, 13 of which were frontcourt rebounds. The Pelicans are also the league's rare starting twin-tower team. This is a huge problem for any team's rebounding scramble. The Pelicans grabbed 43 rebounds today, 10 more than the Suns. Varan had 13 rebounds, Ingram had 11 rebounds, and even CJ had 8 rebounds. Ayton, who has the most rebounds for the Suns, has only 9 rebounds.
Today's Worst of the Suns team is Crowder, 11 in 2 of the offensive end performance is not mentioned, when 1 meter 98 against the 2 meters 11 Hayes, after many rebounding failures, he did not actively change defense, retreat problems. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Suns had played very well with Shamet, because Crowder was frequently overtaken by the other side on the field, and the team's defense gradually collapsed. Such emotions spread to the suns at the end, and when the suns were 5 points behind at the end of the game, there was such a defensive problem, do you believe that this is the top three teams in the league defense?
Outrageous? Jones stole two such quick shots at the end of the fourth quarter.
On the offensive end, CJ and Ingram really have a hand, and they can play as much as they want. There is no special tactic, just pure personal ability. In the final five minutes, the duo scored 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
It can be said that the Pelicans have gone from a 36-win ninth in the West to a road win today, and along the way, there is indeed an element of luck. Just like the first sentence of Su Qun's explanation before the first game between the two teams: "It was the Clippers who should have played the Suns, but it was a pity that George had a new crown." ”
This statement somewhat reveals disdain for the Pelicans, whose record this season is not as good as New York (20th in the league), but is it enough luck? Helpers help.
What Teacher Su didn't know was. The Pelicans' starting fivesome (CJ + Ingram + Varan + Hayes + Jones) played in a total of 12 regular season games, and the Pelicans won 8 and lost 4, with a net 8.2 points per 100 possessions. If you count the playoffs and playoffs, the five-man record is 11 wins and 5 losses.
The current Pelicans are no longer the 1-12 fish belly they were at the beginning of the season. Of the seven Pelicans players who played in the fourth quarter today, except for Ingram, 6 did not play for the Pelicans last season: CJ and Nance were sent by portland in the middle of the season through trades; Varan was exchanged for Adams last offseason; Alvarado, Jones, and Murphy, the three main substitutes are rookies selected and cultivated by the team themselves.
All along, Ingram has had many fates, from frequent changes of head coach, messy management, to his own blood clots and Zion who can't play, but he doesn't seem to complain about anything, just has been honing his skills and slowly waiting for the time to come.
CJ told Ingram after his win over the Clippers: "This team, there's something special in the bud. ”
An experienced veteran like CJ is exactly the right arm that Ingram desperately needs, and with him to share the offensive pressure, even if the Pelicans have three players in the starting lineup (Varan, Jones, Hayes combined to average 1.8 three-pointers per game), the rebounds they provide and the defense that helps CJ wipe his ass are enough.
In front of his teenage idol Paul, Ingram played the most remarkable game of his career. Speaking about Ingram's performance, CJ said: "That's what he's been waiting for, playing on a stage like this, that's what he's looking forward to, the opportunity to show his ability and hard work and mentality. ”
How should the Suns change their tricks? When playing the Bucks in the regular season, jealous of the Bucks' frontcourt size advantage, Monti once sent the twin towers to start the inside line. This time, it looked like he could give it a try too.
No one expected that the series, which was considered the most suspenseful in the first round, was actually spelled out by the Pelicans. Before the series began, Pelicans fans generally believed that if they could win one game, they would not lose. Won the game at home at home to the Suns at home at 32-9 (league-best) this season? This season's Pelicans have been complete, and they have won wherever they go.
Just poor Paul, when will we end Foster's 14-game losing streak?