Everyone on the Thunder team is fully prepared for this game, and they are eager to prove themselves in this game.

It's just that what they have to face is indeed not an ordinary team.

It's the Suns, currently ranked first in the Western Conference.

More importantly, they are currently in good shape and just defeated the Lakers by 13 points!

If you want to defeat such a team, you don't just have to have fighting spirit, you also have to have real strength.

Otherwise, even a lineup like the Lakers will not be able to defeat them.

In fact, if it weren't for Kobe, the Lakers wouldn't even have a chance to counterattack.

This is the horror of this Suns team right now.

This is why, after the Suns defeated the Lakers, reports flying all over the sky said that "the Suns are the biggest enemy of the Lakers in defending their title."

It's because the current Suns look too much like a championship team!

The Thunder quickly realized this.

At 3 minutes and 45 seconds before the start of the first quarter, the young Thunder team could still keep up with the Suns' pace with their energy. They were going back and forth with the Suns on both ends, especially the offensive end.

Only five minutes into the first quarter of the game, the Thunder gradually couldn't keep up with the Suns' rhythm, and they were surprised to find that the Suns' firepower could continue to increase!

After playing together for such a long time, we tried our best, but for this Suns team, it was just a warm-up!

What the hell, how can you fight?

Everyone in the Thunder gradually felt how powerful the Suns were.

Is this the top powerhouse in the league?

For some reason, head coach Brooks wanted to take a breath, hiss, it was so scary!

The Suns began to show more powerful firepower, and the Thunder were gradually suppressed, not only on the offensive end, but they were also suppressed on the defensive end!

The score difference gradually began to widen.

The Suns began to have some relatively big advantages. Before the end of the second quarter, the Suns suddenly opened the point difference to more than double digits.

Amid the cheers of the entire audience, everyone in the Thunder team left the court during the halftime break, looking as if they had lost the game.

Including Kevin Durant and Westbrook, both of their heads were lowered.

Is the gap really that big?

And James Harden.

In this game, he once again felt the huge gap between him and Lin Ri.

It's not just Lin Ri who has such a big gap.

He came on the bench during the substitute rotation, and he found that his performance on the court was gradually suppressed by Stephen Curry on the opposite side.

Stephen Curry has only started six or seven games so far in his rookie season, and he has played as a substitute in the other games.

It can be said that it is exactly the same starting point as James Harden.

In terms of prospects when he first entered the league, James Harden was ranked ahead of Stephen Curry.

But in this game, Stephen Curry's performance was obviously better than James Harden. Whether it was the cooperation with other players or other things, Stephen Curry felt like he was under pressure.

This makes James Harden a little frustrated.

Even compared to the team falling behind, this was something he found even more unacceptable.

After all, this means that not only Lin Ri has opened a gap with him, but Stephen Curry has also begun to open a gap with him.

How is this possible!

Throughout the halftime break, James Harden was thinking this in his mind.

And when the second half started, there was obviously a bit more desire in his eyes than usual!

Sitting on the bench, he looked at Brooks more often.

He was thinking in his heart: Let me play, let me play quickly!

Yes, James Harden can't wait to get on the court.

He had this idea just a few minutes into the second half of the game.

At this moment, he was more anxious than ever to go up and prove himself!

He wants to prove that the first half was just an accident and that he and Stephen Curry are still on the same level!

It's just that the Suns, who were attacking very fiercely at the end of the first half, changed their style from the beginning of the third quarter. They kept guarding the two-digit point difference and did not force any more. Obviously they wanted to guard this point difference.

, beat steadily for a while.

The Thunder therefore kept up with the Suns' offense.

The two teams fought back and forth.

They played back and forth, Brooks was not in a hurry to change the lineup, and James Harden came on the court much later than usual.

James Harden was so anxious this time. He stared at the court with both eyes, as if he was stunned.

"James, it's your turn!"

Finally, after the Suns replaced their main players, the Thunder's assistant coach ran to James Harden and called him in a low voice.

James Harden stood up as soon as he heard this, frightening the assistant coach who came to call him and giving him a blank look.

What's wrong with this kid today?

Why are you shouting like that?

"James, keep this point difference, I believe you can do it!"

The assistant coach noticed that James Harden was different from usual, but Brooks didn't notice it. He shouted to him when the latter passed by him.

When James Harden heard this, he curled his lips slightly.

He glanced at the score difference.

8 points behind.

That means the starting lineup has recovered some points.

Okay, I have to catch up with some points next!

Just kidding, he came up here to prove himself. He just maintained the point difference, so how could he do that?

James Harden glanced at Stephen Curry on the other side who was also preparing to play.

In the end of the first half, James Harden scored 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, and Stephen Curry scored 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. If he wants to prove that he is better than Stephen Curry, that is to say, he must at least be better than Stephen Curry.

Li scored 4 more points! This way he can prove that he is no worse than Stephen Curry.

In this case, I must get the point difference back to 4 points before I leave the game!

I have to hurry up!

James Harden came on the court with an expressionless face. He intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Lin Ri, who had just come off the court and was high-fiving his teammates, and said to himself: Next, just watch my performance!

James Harden wants to perform in front of Lin Ri.

As soon as he came on the field, he signaled his teammates to pass the ball to him, and then he dribbled towards the frontcourt.

Brooks' expression didn't change at this time, but when James Harden dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and caught Stephen Curry eager for a one-on-one without waiting for his teammates to get into position, he frowned slightly.

This guy's mentality today seems to be a little different from usual!

Are you so eager to prove yourself?

Brooks was thinking in his mind, suddenly thought of something, glanced at the opposite Suns bench, and then nodded slightly.

Suddenly he was no longer surprised!

Having such an outstanding college teammate here.

It’s normal for him to feel stressed!

Maybe it can inspire his fighting spirit!

Let’s do this for now!

What if this can inspire him to be in a better state!

Isn’t that how it’s done in movies?

A guy with good talent is inspired by his friends to perform in a better state, just like James Harden in front of Lin Ri now, he is in such a state.

Maybe it can explode!

Although what he told James Harden was to hold on to the current point difference, he did not want to put pressure on James Harden. To tell his true thoughts, he must be thinking that he can continue to catch up with the point difference during the substitute rotation stage.

Got it!

Of course, if he knew that the reason why James Harden is so excited right now is because of his words of "just keep the current point difference", he would not think so.

Stephen Curry's defensive attitude is completely fine, but James Harden's dribbling fakes are really good. After several confrontations, James Harden successfully deceived Stephen Curry, successfully penetrated into the paint, and then directly made a layup.
To be continued...