As a young team, the Rockets don't have much playoff experience, from players to coaches.

Only Harden and Asik have playoff experience for the five players, Jeremy Lin, Parsons and Smith are all playing in the playoffs for the first time.

Even their head coach Mike Hale led the team to play the playoffs for the first time.

So in the first game, their offense and defense were being tested.

The Rockets are just playing fast, attacking 7 seconds in various 3-point line and making extra quick shots.

In this game, McHale seems to want to play some cooperation, some tactics and success rate.

But obviously, this made the Rockets lose their style.

Mike Brown is good at coaching defense, and the Lakers have made arrangements for the Rockets' pick-and-roll screens on the Rockets' outside so they can't play.

After the timeout, the Rockets returned to the regular season style of playing, and they would make three points whenever they had the chance on the outside, and they would try their best.

But Parsons missed a three-pointer, and the Lakers fought back.

The Rockets retreated quickly, but they were in a hurry.

Nash first passed the ball to the inside, and after Howard got the ball, the Rockets contracted.

As a result, Kobe missed the outside.

Do you dare to miss Kobe? Who is defending Kobe? Stand out!

Howard immediately passed the ball to Kobe, and Kobe caught the ball from the top of the arc and made a three-pointer.

The Lakers made all four attacks in the first game and were in excellent condition.

The Rockets need to score, otherwise they will be defeated in the first quarter.

James Harden used the ball from the outside and broke through the basket, causing Kobe to foul and went to the free throw line.

Both free throws were hit, solving the urgent problem.

Sure enough, the scoring at the free throw line is the most stable, and Harden is deeply impressed.

The Lakers' most stable scoring point is undoubtedly Kobe.

After experiencing injuries and resting, Kobe has improved his condition to his best after making a comeback.

After Harden committed Kobe's foul, Kobe of course had to fight back.

Li Liang held the ball from the outside, Kobe got on the back of the waist, and Li Liang gave Kobe a lob.

Kobe received the ball and observed the Rockets' defense. There was no double team and there was someone under the basket.

Asik moved to the strong side, and if he walked on the bottom line, he would hit the wall.

If Parsons is focused on the line, there should be a pincer attack.

Kobe Xun judged the situation and then pushed Harden away from him.

Although Harden is not very heavy, for Kobe, he can even play LeBron James like him, let alone Harden.

Kobe still went to the bottom line, but not turning inside, but taking a step outside, turning over and jumping in the middle distance!

The posture is quite beautiful, but I didn't enter.

After a long time of interpretation, a blacksmith came.

This is very Kobe.

Jeremy Lin grabbed this backcourt rebound and directly acted and counterattacked quickly.

This is the familiar rhythm of the Rockets. Jeremy Lin passed the half and passed the ball to the basket. Parsons had already reached it.

It's also an air relay!

But Parsons didn't expect that Li Liang followed from behind and slapped the ball off his hand with one palm!

The ball flew out of the bottom line, but the Rockets' ball rights.

The Rockets' chance of a simple score was destroyed.

Lakers players felt that they were bound to make the goal, but they didn't expect Li Liang to destroy it.

Mike Brown couldn't help but applaud. Before the game, Li Liang said that his defense has improved. Is it true?

When attacking the position, the Rockets don't have many ways to attack, so they'll give the ball to Harden.

The Lakers' defensive strategy is very clear. Kobe defends Harden one-on-one. If he can, he will let him play, but he will never give him the chance to pass the ball and lead his teammates.

Mike Brown's strategy is correct, and Harden is the Rockets' real and reliable motivation.

Jeremy Lin and Parsons are also very good, but if Harden's point is not opened, the Rockets' offense will not be alive.

Harden faced Kobe, dribbling continuously and went to the left, breaking through Kobe's defense line and making a layup!

Harden has scored 7 points, and the Rockets' 7 points are all from him.

Li Liang couldn't see it and said, "Boss, can you do it? If you don't, I'll be on guard?"

Of course Kobe won't let Li Liang defend himself. After all, he can be beaten to death by Harden for so many times?

Kobe, who was defeated by Harden, immediately returned to the offensive end.

He received the ball from a high position, used the screen to hit the edge of the three-second zone in one step, and then made a quick stop and jump shot.

The Rockets' defense lacks stickiness, and Kobe's position between the three-point line and the three-second zone is free to come and go.

And their offense was suppressed by the Lakers.

Li Liang would immediately press the Rockets' ball holder in the backcourt and would not give him any advice.

After half the game, he will change defense to relieve Nash's defensive pressure.

Anyway, Greg Smith doesn't need Li Liang to spend much energy on defense, so he can naturally come out to help.

His [basic defense of the outside line] reached 81 o'clock and entered a new level.

[Follow the defense/sticking defense] It was also at 71 o'clock. Jeremy Lin now it is difficult to get rid of Li Liang, whether it is cost or strength.

In the first quarter, the Lakers beat the Rockets 28:19 and led by 9 points.

If Kobe hadn't felt bad in the first quarter, the score difference would have been even greater.

Li Liang scored 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in the game.

His performance is quite perfect, with a reasonable team on the offensive end and a crucial defensive end. He is not as reckless as a rookie.

At the beginning of the second quarter, he sat off the court to rest. Mike Brown next to him couldn't help but praise: "I played well in the Blues. I will continue to maintain the first playoffs."

Li Liang said: "Brother, are you good at using snacks on the offense? You see what you arranged and you are letting you play from the inside. Haven't you learned enough of the regular season lessons?"

Brown spread his hands: "It's safer in the playoffs. Starting from three-pointers, there will be risks. You see, we're controlling the rhythm."

Li Liang said: "You don't open the three-point game, and do you think you can open it if you want to? We control the rhythm by defending, not offense. But other teams will not be as easy to defend as the Rockets."

Li Liang gave Brown a roll of his eyes. His playoff ideas were obviously the old ideas, and the Eastern Conference team's ideas.

Regardless of the situation, seek stability, attack success rate, and then fight for defense.

There is no problem playing against the Rockets, because the strength gap between the two sides is too big, so there will be no big chance of playing against the Rockets normally.

But there is still a semi-final in the future, and the opponent will become stronger and stronger in the final.

The end of the regular season does not mean that the team's game will be finalized, and all the tests will be done.

On the contrary, the playoffs are a process of constant change, growth and running-in.

Many teams have evolved through the training of the playoffs and reached their best state.

Li Liang's words made Mike Brown think, maybe he should really think of some solutions on the offense.

...

In the second quarter, Gasol brought substitutes on the court, and the Rockets replaced Beverly, Garcia, and Delfino.

The Rockets' substitutes have always been very good in the regular season, and they often use the second team to score points.

Gasol missed the outside shot from the opening game, and the Rockets quickly counterattacked. After conducting consecutive passes, Garcia made a three-pointer at the bottom corner but didn't make a hit.

After Gasol returned from injury, his condition has been average and he needs time to find his feelings again.

The Lakers are also testing the players and lineups, with Blake and Meeks appearing on the bench at the same time.

The two made a cross-cover cooperation from the outside, and Minsk received the ball and killed the basket!

Layout!

Three no-touch...

This short hand is not once or twice as long as it takes three layups.

The Rockets counterattacked, the ball was passed to Terrence Jones, and they made a layup with three big steps after receiving the ball!

Walking...

The substitutes on both sides show the lower limit here.

"Soak the ball! Soak the ball!"
To be continued...