The Godfather of Basketball

Tang Tian was also in the coach's office working on the team's tactics for the next game.

If you can't use the iron ankle, you have to find other ways to make up for the gap caused by McGrady's injury.

As the media and fans have said, McGrady's absence still has a great impact on the Rockets.

But there is always a way.

If it was the Rockets last season, all of Yao Mai's injuries would be over, but this season's team's lineup configuration and depth are very injured, but not fatal.

On May 14, US time, after playing two games in New Orleans, the two teams returned to the Toyota Center in Houston a week later, where they will start their fifth game.

McGrady's absence has touched the hearts of fans, and also attracted the attention of media reporters.

When warming up before the game, the reporter found Tang Tian for an interview.

"Coach, McGrady's absence will have a great impact on the team's offense. Are you ready to deal with it?" The reporter asked a question that everyone cared about.

"Yes, the depth of our lineup this year is very good, and someone will stand up." Tang Tian didn't say anything clearly.

"Who? Or who?" The reporter asked.

"Someone, you can see it during the competition." Tang Tian let it go.

The reporter was puzzled, but Tang Tian's words made him even more curious. Tang Tian seemed very confident, but who would stand up?

After the warm-up is over, it will soon enter the first introduction.

McGrady was absent, Tang Tian put Battier back in the starting position, and the other starting positions remained unchanged.

The Hornets also maintained their original starting lineup and lost three straight games to the Rockets. The morale of the team was low, but with the absence of Tracy McGrady, confidence has returned to the team.

The commentary for this game is still Breen and Jackson.

"The Rockets went straight to the three cities and returned to the Toyota Center. This was their chance to advance easily, but with the absence of T-mac, the game will become confusing. Mark, do you think the Hornets have a chance?" Brin said and turned to look at his partner.

"There are definitely opportunities, but it depends on the Rockets' offensive adjustments. The Hornets' defensive problems still exist. It's like two people wrestling with each other. Whoever adjusts better will have more opportunities. "Jackson used a figurative metaphor.

"Yes, but at least, the absence of T-mac has brought the two sides back to the same level. For the Rockets, it is not easy to fill the 33-point scoring gap. Tang Tian was interviewed by reporters before the game. I said someone, but I don’t know who it is.”

While the two were chatting, the starters of both sides had already appeared one after another.

With the whistle of the referee, the game officially started.

Chandler got the lead on the offense for the Hornets.

Paul advanced to the frontcourt with the ball, but he did not directly attack with the ball as before.

Although it has something to do with the Rockets' defensive arrangement, the team's three-game losing streak made him realize that he could not win the game alone. At this time, he took the initiative to ask Chandler to do a pick-and-roll. After the ball was removed, Chandler walked in. He follows a lob.

Chandler catches the ball and wants to dunk, but Billups under him gets stuck and he can't jump up.

The dunk turned into a layup, and Chandler successfully scored the ball.

The Hornets took the lead.

After the goal, Chandler was a little excited, and when he turned around, he gave Paul a high five.

These few games were played by Paul alone, and they did hold back for a long time.

"It's a good start. The Hornets have made changes." Jackson, who was in the commentary seat, said that such a change is obviously a good thing for the Hornets. He then looked to the Rockets' frontcourt.

The Hornets have made changes. If the Rockets can't solve the problem of McGrady's absence, the situation may fall to the Hornets at the beginning.

Billups advanced to the frontcourt with the ball, and the rest of the Rockets began to settle.

When he saw that Yao Ming was still in the low post, Jackson couldn't help but shook his head. It seemed that the Rockets' offensive tactics hadn't changed much.

But just when he thought so, the Rockets' next tactics made him stunned.

Pietrus mentioned the three-point line and Billups did an outside pick-and-roll. After the ballup, Billups' defense changed from Paul to Peterson, and Pietrus directly put Paul Pulled to the other side of the half.

After facing Peterson, Billups did not call the pick-and-roll again, but directly began to change direction and break through.

Billups' speed was not fast, and his change of direction was not gorgeous, but his judgment was very accurate. Almost at the moment when Peterson's defensive center of gravity shifted, he suddenly accelerated, passed his opponent and went straight to the basket.

There was cheers at the scene.

In the first few games of the series, Paul was on the show, and Billups finally started to move this time!

Billups broke through Peterson, West hurried over to help defend, and Chandler quickly shrank to the basket at this time.

Mid-range shots and layup routes under the basket are all blocked.

"It's a pity." Jackson said with a little regret when he saw this.

After all, Billups is not McGrady, and this defense is enough to prevent him from shooting.

The fans were also worried after watching it.

But at this moment, something that no one expected happened. The moment Billups came into contact with West, he circled West's body with his right hand and threw the ball back.

The ball hit the ground with a slight arc of rotation.

"boom!"

After hitting the ground, the ball passed West in front of him and Chandler under the basket, and flew directly to Yao Ming on the other side.

After Chandler shrunk to the basket, Yao Ming was directly empty.

"Shua!"

Yao Ming made a solid mid-range shot after receiving the ball.

There was a burst of cheers.

Yao Ming gave Billups a high five excitedly.

The ball just now was separated by two people, and ordinary players couldn't pass it.

The Hornets' offense, Paul also looked for Chandler.

But this time Billups went around the front after switching defenses, holding his hands high to prevent Chandler from receiving the ball.

Paul glanced at the other teammates again. Peja and Peterson were still tightly attached by Millsap and Pietrus. West's off-ball pick-and-roll at the same time did not create an offensive opportunity.

Paul can only dribble the ball back to the three-point line, and make a three-point stop after shaking.

"boom!"

Yao Ming's footsteps were far from being as clumsy as they seemed. Although he was a bit slower, his height still disturbed him.

Paul's three-pointer missed the basket.

Shane Battier stuck Chandler under the basket, and Billups took off the defensive rebound.

The Rockets' offense was exactly the same as the last round, and Peterson still failed to defend Billups one-on-one.

West returned to the defense, Chandler recovered, and the Hornets' defensive change was that Paul chose to make up for Yao Ming this time.

Billups drove to the basket, switched the ball from his right hand to his left, and then slammed the ball with his left hand like the barrel of a cannon.