On May 15, US time, under the one-sided public opinion situation, after three days of rest, the Lakers boarded the plane to Oakland. On that night, the two sides will usher in a match in the Western Conference Finals.

Before the game between the two sides started, a reporter interviewed the head coach of the Warriors and asked several questions related to the game, including about Tang Shuai.

"Tang Shuai averaged 35.6 points per game in the four games he won against the Spurs' defense, which is more than 5 points higher than his average score in the season. Does the Warriors have a way to limit his scoring?"

The reporter's question is very targeted. The Warriors are strong in their fierce firepower this season. Although they are excellent in defense, they are still a little worse than the Spurs. Even the Spurs cannot limit Tang Shuai, so the Warriors are even more choking.

"This question is meaningless. Why do we have to focus on limiting Tang Shuai?"

Cole's answer is just around the corner, but it is thought-provoking.

Thanks to the team's strong performance for three consecutive seasons, Oakland's market has now reached its peak, especially this year, with 4, they have never lost in the playoffs so far and have become a veritable victory team.

The Oracle Arena was already crowded, and the fans held high the boards of the main players and looked at the field with their eyes wide open.

The pre-match training of 4 attracted the most common people to watch, which is even more exaggerated than the scenes of Curry last year.

In the eyes of many fans, this team has been regarded as an invincible team that surpasses Jordan's leadership.

The Lakers players were late, but judging from their excited expressions, there seemed to be no psychological changes because their opponent was the Warriors.

This is actually the growth of the playoffs. The team that was timid in the game at the beginning of the playoffs has long disappeared. Putting aside strength, they are no longer inferior to any team in terms of energy.

With the last three minutes left before the start of the game, the starting lineup of both sides was released on the big screen on the scene.

Billups put Deng back to the starting position again. Facing Durant, Thompson and Curry, the pressure on the defensive end cannot be quite small.

The Warriors are still in a regular lineup, with 4 plus starting center Pachuria.

When the starters of both sides came on the court, Green turned his head provocatively and looked at Stephenson sitting on the bench.

The grudges caused by the fight of verbalism are no longer missing.

In fact, this kind of grudge itself is not limited to a fight of words. In the last round of the regular season between the two sides, Tang Shuai had a chance to win in the last attack, but because of the home referee's turn a blind eye, the team eventually lost. In addition, Tang Shuai led the team to eliminate the Warriors who won 73 times in the Clippers. At this time, the new and old hatreds combined have reached a point where they are not enough.

After the referee signaled Nol and Pachulia who were jumping the ball, he threw the ball into the air.

Accompanied by the cheers from the audience, Pachuria and Nol jumped up to grab the ball almost at the same time.

Nor was young after all, and his excellent bounce allowed him to push the ball back to the Lakers' half.

The visiting team got the chance to take the lead in attacking.

Shuai Tang received Batum's pass and then pushed forward with the ball.

The Warriors guarded the individual and stared at him, and Tang Shuai was in front of him.

This defensive formation was put out, and Billups on the sidelines opened his eyes wide, and Tang Shuai was also a little surprised.

Single defense? Isn’t it a bit too much?

Of course, this idea just flashed through his mind. After seeing that the Warriors did not double-team, or even prepared to double-team, he decisively chose to break through.

After Thompson and Tang Shuai fought more often, they were already quite familiar with each other. The two of them were entangled from the outside and entered the free throw line. Tang Shuai did not get a good chance to make a phone call, and Thompson could not stop him from going in.

Going further in, you will be in front of Pachulia. Tang Shuai stopped suddenly, followed by a McGrady.

Thompson took advantage of his height and then jumped up.

Thompson's choice is not a problem. Even if Tang Shuai doesn't take action, he can use his height advantage to interfere with it after landing. This has been verified many times when the two of them fought.

But it is obvious that Thompson did not study the video of Tang Shuai's last round of the game. Tang Shuai, who had a single-package of Pan, was obviously different from Tang Shuai's previous one.

When Tang Shuai saw Thompson jumping, he flicked his finger. Instead of shooting on the spot, he suddenly turned back and then leaned back.

Thompson was shocked and it was too late to fly over.

"Swish!"

With a sound, Tang Shuai scored two points steadily.

There was an uproar at the scene, and Tang Shuai's choice of this shot was almost perfect.

However, Cole was still sitting calmly on the sidelines and turned around to communicate with the assistant coach, which made people feel unpredictable.

The Lakers scored 2 points with Tang Shuai's wonderful goal, but when they turned around, the Warriors scored a cooperative ball. Durant used Green's pick-and-roll and received Thompson's cross pass and directly hit a three-pointer from the outside.

Because Curry, Thompson, and even Green are very threatening on the court, the Lakers dare not double-team, and Durant basically did not receive any defensive pressure on this ball.

The Lakers attacked, and Shuai Tang was still single-player Thompson. This time he went to the inside and flicked a shot and relied on Pachulia to score the ball.

After hitting consecutively at the beginning, Tang Shuai felt quite good.

However, the Warriors are not bad either. This time it was Durant. After the fake move attracted the Lakers' assisted defense, a beautiful long pass was sent to the inside, and Green directly scored a layup with a low hand.

Looking back, Tang Shuai played again. This time he chose to make a tough breakthrough, using the time difference to pass through the double-team between Thompson and Pachuria, and sent the ball into the basket with one hand.

After scoring this goal, similar to the previous round of the Spurs, he scored all the team's scores in the beginning.

However, when the Warriors' offense, Curry broke through and attracted double teams, Durant and Durant scored Thompson again, and Thompson made another three-pointer with his hand.

The Warriors led the score 8-6.

By this time, the meaning of the sentence in the pre-match interview became very obvious.

Cole used Thompson to defend Tang Shuai alone, and this choice seemed a bit arrogant, but as he said in an interview, he did not want to limit Tang Shuai at all, because he knew that it was difficult to really limit the team's defensive strength, but as he said, he didn't need to do this, because relying solely on the team's offense, they could still take the initiative on the field.

Using offense to offset the points lost on the defensive end, and in the playoffs, Cole is probably the only one who has the confidence to do this.

It's really a good hand, and you have an advantage no matter how you play it.

Tang Shuai is still in a brave state, and even played Thompson to be unable to take care of himself, but the Lakers were also beaten on the defensive end and could not find him.

Compared with the regular season, the Warriors' tacit understanding on the offensive end has been significantly improved since now.

In the Warriors' offense, Green played a pick-and-roll for Curry, and then pushed forward after receiving Curry's pass. Thompson, who didn't look at the pass, cut the ball from the right. Thompson relied on the play and then handed over to Durant on the outside, and Durant started and shot directly.

If you vote, you will have it!

With this three-pointer, the Warriors have expanded the score to 19-12.

Although the lead is not big, the score difference is slowly widened by a little bit.

This was when Tang Shuai was present. When Tang Shuai was replaced, the two superstars on the Warriors led a group of powerful substitutes, including West, to break the score.

This kind of lineup combination of peak superstars and veterans has an unprecedentedly powerful practical ability.

Although Tang Shuai's super performance in the third quarter helped the team close the score difference to 10 points, the four giants of the Warriors really achieved the effect of "killing the master with random punches".

111 to 96, the Lakers tried their best, but they still lost.

Tang Shuai played for 34 minutes, made 17 of 30 shots, scoring 40 points in the empty score, while the Warriors' Big Four scored 20 three-pointers, while Green scored 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, with triple-double data. He really had the helplessness of being unable to defeat four-handed hands with two fists.

After the game, Green made a fuss and said that he finally knew who should go back to fish.

In fact, the Warriors lineup is a powerful existence in any era, but Green's high profile makes him look even more eye-catching.

However, it is precisely this high-profile style that fans who were originally disdainful of the peak grouping approach turned to the Lakers, hoping that the Lakers can teach the Warriors some lessons in the next game.

However, the pressure of public opinion obviously cannot change the substantial strength gap between the two sides.

In the second game, the Lakers still lost 102-122.

They lost 2 away games in a row, and they were both big losses. They were already behind 0-2 in the big score and were in the same situation in the semi-finals.

After learning from the change, Tang Shuai played from Kobe to the singles of the Pan from Kobe, thus reversing the decline in the game in one fell swoop. But now, there is obviously no such opportunity.

However, there is multifaceted change, not just to package the path.

In the second game, the team returned to Los Angeles to train. After the training that day, Tang Shuai did not go to the locker room as usual, but went straight to the coach's office.

Billups was sitting in the office studying the video of the two previous games, and he seemed a little surprised to see Tang Shuai come in.

"Tang, what's wrong?" Bilups put down the tablet in his hand and looked at Tang Shuai in confusion.

"Coach." Tang Shuai walked to the stool in front of his desk and sat down, and continued, "We have to make some changes, otherwise we will be swept away if we lose at home."

"Well, I know this." Bilups said, frowned unconsciously. Of course he knew what Tang Shuai said.

He looked up at Tang Shuai, smiled bitterly, and said helplessly, "The Warriors' lineup is close to perfection, and there are really not many changes that can play a role."

Although Billups has excellent coaching skills, he is not on the same level as the Warriors now. He really feels like a clever man is unable to cook without rice.

"Some." Tang Shuai looked directly at Billups at this time.

A look of excitement burst out in Billups' eyes, but it soon became full of doubts. To be continued.
Chapter completed!