The Indiana Pacers lost to the home team Oklahoma City Thunder by only four points in the first game of the Finals. This made the entire Indiana Pacers team, including the team staff, feel a little bit depressed. Stock gas. After all, the team once had a great chance to win the game, but fell short in the last few minutes. Therefore, from the moment the final buzzer sounded in the first game, the coaching staff of the Indiana Pacers immediately focused their attention on the following second game.
"We firmly believe that our team is fully capable of defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder!" When facing reporters, Indiana Pacers chief assistant coach Brian Shaw said, "Actually, if it weren't for Kevin Durant's sudden burst at the last moment, now it is our Indiana Pacers who have the initiative in the series!"[]
The team's coaching staff attributed the team's loss to the sudden outburst of Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant at the last moment of the game. However, in the minds of the players, everyone believed that even if Kevin Durant Durant suddenly broke out, and the team also had a chance to win the game. Even with Kevin Durant scoring 12 points in a row, the team still only lost to its opponent by four points, which is the most powerful proof.
On the morning before the start of the second game of the series, after the Indiana Pacers completed the team's regular training, the team's top star, captain Danny Granger, made a declaration in front of many news media that he would win this game.
"Although we were playing on the road, and although our opponent was the Oklahoma City Thunder, which had three outstanding young players, our performance in the game was not inferior at all." Danny Granger Facing the many reporters who swarmed up, he said, "Even if Kevin Durant scores 12 points in a row at the end of the game, we still have a chance to win the game. In this game tonight, Only we can win!"
While Danny Granger was being interviewed by many reporters, Xu Jiutianwen Xu Nuo put away the ball and turned around and walked straight to the players' locker room. Xu Nuo originally planned to avoid the large number of reporters and avoid the various questions they might ask, but Xu Nuo couldn't avoid it at all. When Xu Nuo passed by the group of media reporters, more than half of the reporters who were interviewing Danny Granger immediately ran over and surrounded Xu Nuo.
"Alas" Xu Nuo sighed helplessly, "I still can't escape it!"
Although Danny Granger who was standing aside was used to this kind of situation, he still had a slightly embarrassed look on his face. Although there were still many media reporters in front of him so he did not say it directly, but Danny Granger was quite critical: "Hey, it seems that this kid is much more popular than me, the leading star"
In desperation, Xu Nuo had to stop and prepare to face the reporters' attacks. But just in the slightest glance, Xu Nuo saw Danny Granger's face next to him, and couldn't help but let out a soft "Oh".
"Sure enough" Xu Nuo murmured in a low voice.
"In the first game, you scored 16 points and 12 assists as 'big data'. You have tried your best in the game, but this performance failed to help the team win. The distance. The start of the second game is getting closer and closer. I wonder if you have a better way to help the team win tonight's game?" A young man asked Xu Xu.
Such a question was asked without any concealment, and Xu Nuo could not help but frown slightly. "In a game like the NBA Finals, as players we naturally have to try our best in the game." Xu Nuo said, "However, the opponent's point guard Russell Westbrook is a better player. Players, it's a pretty hard job to stop him. If I can stop Russell Westbrook in a game, that's a big contribution to the team."
Hearing Xu Nuo say this, Danny Granger next to him couldn't help but turned his head slightly and glanced at Xu Nuo.
"If you focus most of your energy on defending Russell Westbrook, will this affect your performance on the offensive end?" Another middle-aged reporter asked.
"Of course there is an impact, but I will try my best to minimize this impact." Xu Nuo crossed his hands on his chest and said, "Now my main contribution on the offensive end is breakthroughs and passing. Most of the scoring comes from defensive counterattacks. Most of the time, the offensive burden of our team is borne by our top scorer Danny. We all believe that Danny will complete his task well. Task."
"But Danny Granger's performance in the first game was not as good as before.As good as it used to be, do you think it was this that led to the team's loss? " asked a female reporter.
"I personally think that the main reason why we lost in the last game was our defense, especially the defense against the opponent's star Kevin Durant." Xu Nuo frowned slightly and said, "In the last game, , we had Kevin Durant score forty points, and when Kevin Durant can score that many points in a game, it's hard for any team to beat Oklahoma City. From the Thunder. Danny scored nearly 30 points in the last game, which is already a pretty good number, but we failed to do better on the defensive end."
Originally, the reporters wanted to ask more questions, but under the constant urging of the Indiana Pacers team public relations, the reporters had to end the interview early and slowly left the arena. Xu Nuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned towards the players' locker room.
However, when Xu Nuo walked into the visiting team's locker room at Chesapeake Energy Arena, there was no one in the locker room. Some training clothes were piled haphazardly on the chair in front of the locker, and it was obvious that someone had just arrived. "I guess everyone went to rinse off." Xu Nuo murmured to himself.
At this moment, the door behind him opened with a creak, and Danny Granger, who had also just finished the interview, walked in. Xu Nuo remembered the change in Danny Granger's face just now, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.
"Hey, man, what tactics do you think we should use to deal with Kevin Durant in tonight's game?" Danny Granger asked Xu Xu while walking towards his locker. Said so.
Seeing Danny Granger speaking to him first, Xu Nuo couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief again. "Kevin Durant is indeed a difficult player to guard against. The strength of one player alone is far from enough." Xu Nuo said, "I want to use tactics and strategies to defend Kevin Durant. , Coach Larry Brown should have already made arrangements."
Danny Granger nodded silently, walked to his locker, sat down, and began to take off his training clothes.
"But I think we can think of more ways on the offensive end." After a moment of silence, Xu Nuo said.
"Oh?" Danny Granger, who was bending down to tidy up his shoes, heard Xu Nuo say this and immediately straightened up, "What can you think of?" Danny Granger asked.
"Naturally, we have to find ways to give you a better chance to shoot and score." Xu Nuo continued, "Although we cannot completely restrict Kevin Durant on the defensive end, we can still use offense to contain Kevin Durant. Special. If we can help you score points that are almost the same as Kevin Durant, at least we will not suffer too much. Only in this way can we help the team win."
"Really?" Danny Granger said calmly.
"In tonight's game, I will do my best to help you defeat Kevin Durant!" Xu Nuo said, and his face couldn't help but become serious, "Although it is rarely possible for me to win one-on-one. You're playing against Kevin Durant, but I can use passing organization to help you beat Kevin Durant. By the end of the game, you'll find that your scoring is not even close to that of Kevin Durant. There's not much difference between the top and the bottom." At this point, a smile appeared on Xu Nuo's face, a smile full of confidence.
"I will definitely do my best in tonight's game!" Danny Granger stopped what he was doing and said in a cold tone, "I must show that guy Kevin Durant. I am fully capable of defeating him! We also want to show the Oklahoma City Thunder team that our Indiana Pacers are also fully capable of winning the NBA championship! In this game tonight, we Must win!"
Seeing Danny Granger declare that he will win this battle with the same confidence as in the interview just now, Xu Nuo nodded heavily.
When the second game of the Finals series began, the players of the Oklahoma City Thunder suddenly discovered that their opponents seemed to be two completely different teams compared to the first game. In the first game, the Indiana Pacers looked like just a young team. However, at this time, the entire Indiana Pacers team exuded an aura of giving up, and It is difficult for a team to reach the finals for the first time to have such momentum.
"It seems that we really can't underestimate this opponent tonight!" Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks was sitting on the sidelines of the court and couldn't help but start to feel slightly worried.