Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

After a day off, the Nets defeated the Raptors at home 116-107, starting with a fourth consecutive victory.

The Raptors have strengthened two strong players in Ibaka and Miles this season. They are very strong in the Eastern Conference and are a strong contender for the regular season championship.

However, this Raptors can only come out and jump twice in the regular season. In the playoffs, they don't need Lu Yong to take action, they will stretch their hips.

The two teams started off aggressively in the first quarter. The Nets' advantage lay in their youth and vitality, while the Raptors had many experienced middle-aged stars, and the score never opened up.

In the second quarter, Dinwiddie, Hardaway, and LeVert teamed up to create a climax, directly defeating the Raptors in just over four minutes.

丁威迪全场12投7中，三分球5中2，罚球3中3，只打了26分钟，得到19分3篮板4助攻，没有失误。

Hardaway and LeVert also scored in double figures, almost overpowering the Raptors bench in a crushing manner.

哈达威全场扔进5记三分球，贡献17分2篮板1助攻，赛季三分球命中率高达45%。

When his teammates break through and score the ball to attract hatred, Hardaway can easily get out of the open space and take a shot, rarely making strong shots against the defense.

The next day, the Nets defeated the Magic team back to back, extending their winning streak to 5 games.

When the Nets briefly topped the Eastern Conference, everyone was stunned. They didn't expect the Nets to be so good.

Although the outside world has paid enough attention to the Nets led by Lu Yong during the offseason, they did not expect that the Nets' burst of energy was stronger than fans imagined.

The average of 115 points per game ranks first in the league, which is even more exaggerated than the Rockets and Warriors behind them. Seven players on the team score in double figures.

On the 7th, the Nets continued to play at home and faced the challenge of the Rockets, the No. [-] team in the Western Conference.

Fans generally believe that this game will be very exciting, and it will not be easy for the Nets to continue their winning streak.

The Rockets have a super combination of Paul + Harden in the backcourt. Even if "Pan King" Capela is absent due to injury, the team's offense is not inferior to the Nets.

The bench is also led by sixth man Eric Gordon, who is one of the teams that shoots the most three-pointers in the league.

Especially after Capela sprained his ankle, high-poster Ryan Anderson became the Rockets' starting inside man. This allowed the Rockets to take more shots from beyond the three-point line, making them very threatening in chaotic battles.

Anderson averaged 9.3 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist per game this season. His statistics are not outstanding, but he averaged 2 three-pointers per game and shot 38.6% from long range.

He doesn't score much, but his tactical role is not small. Standing on the outside can open up space for Harden's breakthrough. He is a typical space-oriented big man.

Lu Yong actually doesn't look down on insiders like Anderson, who is not as easy to use as Tucker, who combines offense and defense. This guy is a typical beneficiary of the times. Anyone who entered the league ten years earlier would not have been able to get a premium contract with an annual salary of 2000 million.

Even more fortunately, even if Ryan Anderson's big contract expires, he can still play for two more years in the small ball era, and his annual salary in the free market will not be less than 500 million.

Lu Yong's coaching method once led to the popular three-point shooting, and spatial insiders like Anderson and Novak have gained more tactical status.

Rockets head coach D'Antoni is a master of fast-paced offense. When Capela was injured, he always let Ryan Anderson play center. Only when he couldn't defend, he sent in substitute veteran Nene.

It is worth mentioning that Chinese player Zhou Qi will also appear in this game, but I don’t know if he will have playing time.

Zhou Qi, who just entered the league, is indeed too thin. He is 2 meters tall and weighs only 16 kilograms. He is not as big as guard James Harden.

The key is that Zhou Qi's three-point shooting is also very average. This season, he averaged 1.1 shots per game, only scored 0.1 goals, and his shooting rate was as low as 10.5%.

This kind of efficiency is not to blame for D'Antoni putting him on the bench. For a newcomer who is not well prepared, even if the coach gives him a chance, it will be in vain.

Lu Yong is determined to help Zhou Qi. To be precise, he is helping Chinese basketball and trying to train more men's basketball players to play for the country.

It's a pity that the Rockets have just picked the players in the draft and they haven't warmed up yet, so they have to wait for a while if they want to pick up the missing players.

TNT TV station broadcast this game nationwide, and the gimmick is the competition between two offensive masters, Lu Yong and D'Antoni.

Currently, the Nets and Rockets are ranked in the top two in the scoring list. If they meet on a narrow road, one side will have stronger firepower. Fans can't wait to know the result.

After the players warmed up, the starting lineups of the two teams were announced on the big screen.

Nets starting lineup: Russell, Mitchell, LeVert, Millsap, Lopez.

Rockets starting lineup: Paul, Harden, Ariza, Mbah a Moute, Ryan Anderson.

LeVert started again tonight, responsible for keeping an eye on Harden on the defensive end.

Harden started this year averaging 30 points per game. It is normal for LeVert to be unable to guard him, but the effect of close entanglement is always better than that of Harris. This is a targeted adjustment.

Lopez won the jump ball and the Nets attacked first.

The Rockets letting Anderson jump the ball is almost equivalent to giving up. Since Capela was injured, the Rockets have never won a jump ball. They always play from behind.

Russell dribbled the ball outside the three-point line and played a pick-and-roll with Lopez, bursting to the right and attracting Mbah a Moute to help defend.

Mbah a Moute also played as a substitute under Lu Yong for a season before. His offensive ability was mediocre, mainly defense and catching three-pointers. He worked well as a 3D player.

Mbah a Moute's three-point shooting percentage this season is 36.4%, which is not excellent, but it is enough to open up space as a 3D player.

Mbah a Moute's active defense blocked Russell's breakthrough line. The latter almost made a mistake in passing the ball through the seam, but Paul reached out and cut it. He was inexperienced in handling the ball after facing double teams.

Fortunately, Lopez, who was standing on the right, stood up in time and grabbed the ball before Paul.

Lu Yong stood off the court and shouted at the players, signaling everyone on the strong side to pull away and leave the basket to Lopez for singles. Ryan Anderson's defensive ability is very poor in the NBA. He does not have enough height, strength and experience. Daluo has a great advantage when he goes to the basket tonight.

After his teammates scattered around, Lopez leaned back and turned towards the center. He didn't completely get rid of the defense, but he still hit the board easily with his height and strength. Ryan Anderson was pinned down and couldn't jump. He could only raise his arms to interfere. The effect was very limited, 2-0.

The Rockets attack, and the Nets guard man-to-man.

LeVert followed Harden every step of the way, entangled him closely, and reached out for the ball when he had the chance. If he couldn't guard him, he would not be able to comfortably hold the ball in singles.

Mitchell suffered a disadvantage in defending Ariza due to his height, but it was easy. Ariza is a pure outside 3D. He relies entirely on catch-and-shoot jumpers to score. In D'Antoni's system, there is almost no breakthrough with the ball. There is no pressure on Mitchell to guard him in a misplaced position.

Harden and Anderson played a pick-and-roll in the middle, relying on rhythm to get rid of LeVert and go to the basket. Lopez kept his distance and retreated to the penalty area to defend. Harden burst out for the second time, failed to challenge Daluo's height, and missed the layup with his right hand.

Lopez is tall and long-armed, and has rich experience in protecting the frame. His save had a disruptive effect, and he got back in time without being fouled by Harden.

Millsap stuck Mbah a Moute behind him, and his tonnage advantage easily protected the backboard.

Mbah a Moute is 2 meters tall and weighs 03 kilograms. He plays hard enough on the court, but he is obviously smaller than Millsap.

Mi Shen got the ball in position in advance, and Mbah a Moute was so squeezed that he couldn't even get around the basket, so he could only choose to return to defense immediately.

Russell dribbled the ball past half court to slow down the rhythm. Seeing Millsap drop to the low post, he immediately hit the ground and passed the ball to the basket.

Tonight, the two inside stars of the Nets have an advantage. Lu Yong clearly wants to use the twin towers to bully the Rockets' deadly five players. It is impossible to fight for three-pointers. If there is no good opportunity, he must attack the basket with the ball.

Millsap leaned against Mbah a Moute to get the ball, lowered his shoulders, hit him and turned towards the baseline. The tonnage advantage was extremely obvious at this moment. Mbah a Moute was unable to stand even after the physical confrontation.

Millsap's weight of 113 kilograms was enough to crush him. He knocked away Mbah a Moute and jumped to distance himself. He then violently dunked with both hands and scored, bang, 4-0.

The fans at the scene stood up and cheered. Millsap hit the ball hard enough, without any fancy moves, it was just the most primitive collision of power.

Lu Yong also applauded from the sidelines. Millsap is indeed smart in his game. He averaged 3.7 assists per game last season and was not afraid of double teams. In the small ball era, being a core player is enough.

Barkley sighed: "Millsap's body is too strong. Mbah a Moute is a little smaller than him. It's not that Mbah a Moute doesn't work hard enough. It's really one-on-one in the low post. He really can't guard him."

Kenny Smith said: "As long as Millsap can maintain this state, the Nets will make money from this summer signing. Russell, Mitchell, Dinwiddie, Hardaway and LeVert are all very talented. From the outside, what the Nets need most right now is stable performance from their inside stars, and the twin-tower combination of Millsap and Luo is a perfect match."

Barkley nodded and smiled: "Today the Nets changed their offensive strategy. They did not try to take shots from the outside at the beginning. They hit the basket for two consecutive rounds. It seems that Coach Lu still wants to lead more than the three-point team title." The team wins.”

When the Rockets attack, Harden holds the ball at the top of the arc and picks and rolls with Anderson. He breaks through from the left and always relies on the defensive player. As long as LeVert dares to take the ball, he can immediately get a foul from under the referee's nose.

Fans like to call this behavior a slap in the face. In fact, this is Harden's offensive method. His average of 10.1 free throws per game this season ranks first in the league. He memorizes the league rules before going to bed every day.

However, Harden missed this time. He was covered by Millsap's help and did not pay attention to his back. The young and energetic LeVert grabbed the ball from behind, stole the ball and started a fast break.

Paul returned to defense quickly, but at 1 meters tall, he was a little short, and the gamble-style steal failed. He could only watch as LeVert European-stepped towards the basket, wiped the board with his right hand and scored a layup, 83-6.

Barkley exclaimed: "Beautiful! The Nets played a wonderful fast break counterattack. Harden's scoring in the past two seasons has been impeccable, but he still can't control turnovers. He averages 4.4 times per game, ranking first in the league, almost every game. They will all be counterattacked by their opponents after stealing the ball."

Kenny Smith smiled: "Generally speaking, Harden has improved. He has made fewer mistakes since the start of this season. Last season, he averaged 5.7 turnovers per game, which was more than Westbrook, ranking first in the history of the league. "

Barkley nodded: "That's true, but the Nets are a team good at catching their opponents' mistakes. The young people in the team play with passion. If the Rockets don't control well tonight, it may be very dangerous."

In the next round, the Rockets finally broke their scoring drought. Harden did not look for a cover and directly relied on his personal ability to single out LeVert. He continued to feint with dribbling under the hip, then stepped back and made a three-point jumper. Whoops, 6-3. .

Harden is the best defender among all players in the league at step-back jump shots. LeVert's ball was almost blocked in his face, but he still couldn't block it.

Step-back shooting is already his regular weapon. When used in combination with breakthroughs, it makes it difficult for defenders to make a choice, and can often produce good offensive effects.

There is a reason why Harden can become an MVP-level star. The combination of touch + step back + breakthrough points is enough to defeat most defensive sharpshooters.

Lu Yong sat off the court without panicking. There is no player in the league who can limit Harden's scoring within the rules. As long as LeVert sticks close to consume Harden's energy, half of the success tonight will be achieved.

When the Nets attacked, Mitchell and Lopez played a pick-and-roll to get rid of Harden. They went to the right and rushed to the three-second zone to stop, attracting Anderson to cover up. The ground pass was just sent to Lopez who was cutting in from the strong side. .

Lopez took a step after catching the ball, raised his head high towards Ryan Anderson, and made a one-handed throw in the air, 8-3.

Mitchell passing Harden is as easy as crossing the road in the early morning. He has been ridiculed by fans as "eye defense" at his peak. His athletic talent is not bad, but the main problem is his attitude. He is unwilling to do the dirty work on the defensive end.

Rockets head coach D'Antoni stood on the sidelines with a look of helplessness. The Nets' twin towers scored consecutively in the penalty area at the beginning. At this moment, he suddenly missed Capela.

Ryan Anderson and Mbah a Moute started together. The space and mobility are indeed good, but the shortcomings are also obvious, and the protection of the penalty area is insufficient.

Mbah a Moute's style is similar to 'Moon' Moon. He is fast, has good physique, can run and jump, and is good at assisting defense and flanking after the pick-and-roll. However, his strength in the fourth position is too weak. Even if he helps defend, it can only interfere with the situation, and it is difficult to help share the pressure in the fifth position.

Ryan Anderson has no defense when playing center, and his ability to protect the frame is close to zero.

D'Antoni dared to play small ball with the Suns in the [-]s. Now that the league has truly entered the small ball era, there is no lineup that he dare not try.

In Lu Yong's previous life, D'Antoni once asked Tucker, who was 1 meters tall, to play the starting center in the playoffs. The offensive tactics he arranged were also very simple. Harden held the ball in a one-on-one challenge, and the other four people all stood on the outside waiting to receive the ball. Ball, a typical defender with one star and four stars.

It's not that this guy doesn't understand defense, it's just that compared to offense, D'Antoni pays more attention to mobility and shooting when arranging the lineup.

In the positional battle, Harden continued to play LeVert in isolation, and his high-throwing hand missed due to interference. Lopez grabbed the backboard.

The Nets counterattack was seen through by Paul, and Russell could only bring the ball to the frontcourt to find a pick-and-roll, and passed it to Millsap with a sudden step.

Millsap faced Mbah a Moute in front of the frame. He tried to move to the left and hit the ball with his shoulder. He turned to the middle and quickly entered the penalty area.

Anderson made up the defense in time, and Millsap passed the ball to Daluo. The latter received the pass in the three-second zone and easily dunked under the basket, 10-3.

Lu Yong stood up from the sidelines and led the applause. In these rounds, the Nets played very resolutely. Without Capela, the ball was able to force the ball to the basket, which was much more efficient than floating outside jumpers.

Both sides are teams that use their defenders to initiate tactics, and winning depends on offense.

However, the Nets' inside advantage in positional warfare was fully activated. The Rockets, with Capela absent, were unable to parry. In order to strengthen the offense, the penalty area was beaten into a sieve.

Thanks to Harden's three three-pointers in a single quarter, Anderson also had a catch-and-shoot performance, otherwise the score would have been long ago.

At the end of the first quarter, the Nets led 33 to 27. (End of chapter)