James Harden took the ball from point guard Russell Westbrook and drove toward the Indiana Pacers basket. However, O.J. Mayo always blocked his body between James Harden and the basket. James Harden had no chance to continue attacking with the ball and had to choose to pass the ball.
However, at this moment, Xu Nuo, who had been waiting for James Harden, suddenly started, and his quick eyes and hands quickly intercepted James Harden's pass! []
"What?" James Harden was surprised.
After Xu Nuo intercepted the ball, he immediately rushed toward the frontcourt at high speed, and Russell Westbrook pursued it hard. However, Xu Nuo suddenly flicked his wrist slightly, and the ball flew out from Xu Nuo's back, avoiding Russell Westbrook's defense, and accurately reached the hands of Danny Granger who was on the fast break on the other side of the court.
¡°It¡¯s Danny Granger again!¡± the on-site commentator Jeff Van Gundy shouted.
Danny Granger received the ball, raised the ball in his hand, and hit a mid-range shot under the defense of James Harden who quickly retreated to the backcourt.
"This ball was passed really well!" Danny Granger said to Xu Nuo with a smile and a high-five to celebrate.
When Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant received the ball, Danny Granger and O.J. Mayo immediately formed a double-team defense on Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant immediately passed the ball. However, James Harden's outside three-point shot after receiving the pass from Kevin Durant missed again. Indiana Pacers power forward David West grabbed the ball. On to the defensive rebounding.
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks frowned slightly and stared at James Harden on the court.
"It looks like James' shooting touch is starting to get worse" Coach Scott Brooks frowned and thought.
Xu Nuo took the ball from David West, immediately dribbled the ball on the fast break, and handed the ball to Danny Granger after reaching the frontcourt. Danny Granger, who received the ball outside the three-point line, first used a shooting fake to get rid of James Harden, and then rushed to the Oklahoma City Thunder basket with the ball. Facing Kevin Durant's supplementary defense, Danny Granger immediately changed from a face-to-basket attack to a post-up singles.
Kevin Durant spread his arms and struggled to block Danny Granger's attack. However, Danny Granger suddenly turned away from Kevin Durant and instantly came to the Oklahoma City Thunder basket. Facing the back and forth attacks from Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant, Danny Granger was fearless and picked the ball into the basket with one hand.
"It's too strong, it's really too strong!" Jeff Van Gundy exclaimed, "Tonight's Danny Granger has undoubtedly completely overwhelmed Kevin Durant, at least in terms of scoring. Danny Granger, who has scored 16 points, has scored a lot more points than Kevin Durant!"
After Danny Granger's layup, the away Indiana Pacers were seven points ahead of the home Oklahoma City Thunder with a score of 39:32. Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks couldn't sit still anymore and stood up to request a timeout.
After the timeout, James Harden was replaced by coach Scott Brooks. The player who replaced James Harden was Thabo Sefolosha, the best perimeter defender in the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yet even with Thabo Sefolosha on the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder still has Kevin Durant tasked with guarding Danny Granger. Opposing Thabo Sefolosha from the Oklahoma City Thunder is DeMar DeRozan, who has also just played.
"Does coach Scott Brooks also plan to let their star player Kevin Durant go head-to-head with Danny?" Xu Nuo thought in his mind.
In the first offense after returning from the timeout, Kevin Durant succeeded in a single against Danny Granger. But despite this, Kevin Durant only scored his ninth point in the game. However, the Oklahoma City Thunder players had just returned to their team's half, and before they could take a defensive position, Xu Nuo had already reached the Oklahoma City Thunder's penalty area with the ball.
"It's so fast!" Oklahoma City Thunder players marveled at the same time.
However, despite being amazed, defense still needs to be done. Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha both moved at the same time, trying to block the promise of a high-speed breakout. However, Russell Westbrook only felt a black shadow flash before their eyes, and the promise had passed between Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha, facing center Kendry. K. Perkins' defensive layup.
Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha looked at each other with a hint of reproach in their eyes.
"Just?Why couldn't you stop that boy Xu Nuo? "Russell Westbrook asked first.
"You know, it was you who faced Xu Nuo head-on just now!" Thapo Sefolosha said, "And it was you, Russell, who was originally responsible for guarding Xu Nuo!"
Seeing Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha start to bicker on the court, coach Scott Brooks on the sidelines couldn't help but start roaring. In the past, Coach Scott Brooks gave people a very gentle impression. It was rare to see Coach Scott Brooks get angry. At this time, seeing coach Scott Brooks roaring on the sidelines, Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha stopped saying anything and took the ball and started attacking.
On the offensive end, Russell Westbrook continued to hand the ball to Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant was holding the ball facing Danny Granger outside the three-point line. He suddenly jumped up and shot a three-pointer. Danny Granger had no time to interfere with Kevin Durant. When shooting, he could only watch the ball pass over his head and "swipe" into the net.
"Kevin Durant is going to show off his power!" Jeff Van Gundy said.
However, immediately afterwards, Danny Granger received the promised pass on the offensive end and hit a mid-range shot, helping the Indiana Pacers maintain a six-point lead. After this assist, Xu Nuo's statistics in the first half of the game have reached nine points and nine assists. With about three minutes left before the end of the first half, Xu Nuo scored three goals in the first half. It's easy to get double-double data.
Kevin Durant came to the offensive end and once again fired from a distance outside the three-point line. Although this time he missed the long-range three-point shot from the outside, it gave Serge Ibaka under the basket a chance to attack again. Chance. Serge Ibaka grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a shot. The home team Oklahoma City Thunder trailed the visiting team Indiana Pacers by four points at 41:45.
"It doesn't matter, I will expand the lead again soon!" Danny Granger confidently said to his teammates.
"It looks like we can continue to give the ball to Danny, and Danny can continue to score without any mistakes!" Xu Nuo said while taking the ball from DeMar DeRozan.
Promise dribbled to the frontcourt and immediately handed the ball to Danny Granger. Then the Indiana Pacers players took the Oklahoma City Thunder defense away from Danny Granger, allowing Dan Nie Granger has enough offensive space to isolate Kevin Durant. Danny Granger dribbled one step beyond the three-point line and suddenly raised the ball high above his head. If Kevin Durant does not choose to step forward to defend at this time, then Danny Granger can directly shoot; and if Kevin Durant steps forward to defend, Danny Granger can either choose To commit a foul, you can also choose to pass the ball.
Kevin Durant naturally understands this, but even if he commits an early foul and sends Danny Granger to the free throw line or forces Danny Granger to pass the ball, it is better than rashly letting Danny Granger pass. Jay shoots better from beyond the arc. So Kevin Durant stepped forward to block Danny Granger's shot. At the same time, Danny Granger suddenly collected the ball, leaned his body towards Kevin Durant, and then came on duty. Referee Joe Crawford blew his whistle. Despite loud boos in the Chesapeake Energy Arena, Joe Crawford still called a defensive foul on Kevin Durant.
"You are really almost invincible tonight!" Xu Nuo said to his big brother with a smile when he high-fived Danny Granger in celebration.
Danny Granger went to the free throw line and made two of three free throws, and the Indiana Pacers still led by six points.
Seeing that no matter how hard they tried, they still couldn't catch up with the score, the Oklahoma City Thunder players began to feel a little impatient, and they even didn't know how to play. It is precisely because of this that the Oklahoma City Thunder trailed the Indiana Pacers by seven points, 44:51, at the end of the first half.
In the first half of the game alone, Xu Nuo had already scored 11 points and ten assists. Only halfway through the game, Xu Nuo already had a double-double. As the leading scorer of the Indiana Pacers, Danny Granger performed equally well. He scored 20 points in the half, giving him the upper hand in the duel with Kevin Durant. .
"It is precisely because of the outstanding performance of Danny Granger and Xu Nuo that the Indiana Pacers were able to turn the tables and take the lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder." Game commentator Jeff Van Gundy said, " It seems that during the halftime break, coach Scott Brooks has to think of ways to limit the opponent's twin star combination. However, the Indiana Pacers also have a problem that needs to be solved, and that is why the entire team Are they the only two people who can perform so well?"
? www.piotia.comThe Walkers also have a problem that needs to be solved, and that is why are they the only two in the team who perform so well? "