This season, free throws have become a very important scoring method for James Harden.

In the ending regular season, he won a total of 792 free throws, ranking first in the league.

Dwight Howard once dominated the top free throws for a long time, but his shooting percentage was destined to not be very efficient in scoring.

Harden is different. He is another defender who ranks first in the league in free throws since the 2oo6-2oo7 season.

The last one was Kobe Bryant.

Harden averaged 8.6 points per game with free throws, second only to Kevin Durant, because Durant's free throw shooting percentage was a little higher.

The one behind the two was Kobe, and then Russell Westbrook.

Well, it makes sense that these three people are respected as "Thunder Three Waves".

Of course, creating fouls is a way to score using rules. Any excellent nBa scorer is a master of all the experts.

The farthest are Adrian Dantley, the nearest are Paul Pierce and Kevin Martin.

Harden stood on the free throw line and made two free throws, allowing the Rockets to continue their score.

However, in the playoffs, it is probably not that easy to commit fouls like the regular season.

Kobe is not very interested in fouls, his goal is the basket, not the opponent's hands or body.

The reason why he can get so many free throws is mainly because his opponent is afraid of being beaten. He can't stand it if he doesn't commit a foul and watches keep making a move.

Kobe took two fouls on Harden, obviously angry.

In the next round, Kobe received the ball from the outside and used the double covers of Li Liang and Howard to enter the inside, facing a master Asik's throw-in and hit the board!

37:26, the score difference is still in double digits.

For the Rockets, if the score difference cannot be narrowed as soon as possible, the game will be a chronic death.

Fighting positions is not their specialty, the Rockets must hit the mark.

After Beverly came on the court, the Rockets had an extra point to control the ball and a three-pointer shot from the outside.

They gave up the inside frontcourt rebounding battle.

Although Smith had an amazing performance in playing against the Lakers before, this was the playoffs after all.

Jeremy Lin handed the ball to Harden in the first half, but it was still Kobe who fought against Harden.

Asik came out to do pick-and-roll cover, but Howard did not follow him at all. After the cover, Harden found a gap in the middle, and Nash came over and blocked him.

Harden immediately made the ball to give Jeremy Lin on the wing, and Jeremy Lin had the opportunity to take a three-pointer with an open space!

But Li Liang rushed over at the bottom corner immediately, Jeremy Lin's three-pointer was disturbed and missed the iron.

Asik got the frontcourt rebound and handed the ball to Parsons.

Parsons made a sudden step and did not dare to go on his own because Ci Shiping came to guard against him.

After a few passes, the Lakers' defensive matches were all in chaos.

But it doesn't matter. Everyone performs their own duties. Even if they are misplaced, with the Lakers players' figure and defensive experience, they are not afraid of Nash as long as they are not Nash.

Parsons still passed the ball to Jeremy Lin, and Jeremy Lin still had a chance to make three-pointers.

He made a decisive shot, but unfortunately he still missed.

In the first time playing in the playoffs, Jeremy Lin's hands were too tight.

The ball felt wrong as soon as it was shot, and the shooting movements were a bit out of touch.

Howard grabbed the backcourt rebound, Nash passed the half, and Ci Shiping had the chance to single Harden at the low post on the left.

The two of them happened to face each other. I wonder if they were afraid of Ci Shiping's elbow to greet him, Harden took a step back.

But Ci Shiping was not fooled and he accepted Nash's pass, turned around and killed the basket, pushed Asik out of the board and made a layup!

39:26, this is how the playoffs play.

McHale called for a timeout again, and he was almost half the second quarter, and the Rockets' score has not yet exceeded 3o.

The Rockets are a foothold in the league with a fast whirlwind. In terms of scoring per game, they are second only to the Denver Nuggets, ranking second in the league with an average of 106 points per game.

The Nuggets, which is the No. 1 point less than the league's No. 1 point.

Their three-point shots undoubtedly lead the league and tied for first place with the New York Knicks.

Their assists are also ranked in the top five in the league, and they can be said to be an absolute offensive team.

Now their attack cannot be played, and they scored 26 points in one and a half quarters. How can they play?

Harden hit one goal with three-pointers so far and Garcia hit one.

Many other attempts, none of them hit.

Mike Brown undoubtedly noticed the Rockets' three-pointers at the pre-match preparation meeting, so he mainly focused on one-on-one in defensive strategy, and did not shrink easily and maintained pressure outside the three-point line.

Except for Harden, Rockets players have not strong ability to hold the ball and attack, and have no strong attack points at low posts.

It depends on fast offense and defense conversion, and the unstable foothold is not stable, plus three-pointers to improve efficiency.

Once Du is strangled, the Rockets lose their motivation.

McHale knew that this was a reflection of the gap in strength between the two sides. No matter how they adjusted, it would be difficult to have immediate results.

However, he still made a substitution, allowing two veterans, Delfino and Garcia, to play, and replace Parsons and Jeremy Lin.

In the playoffs, the veterans are still more reliable.

Parsons and Jeremy Lin were almost handled by Li Liang alone in the first half.

He first directly guarded Jeremy Lin from the backcourt and refused to allow him to cross the half.

After halftime, he will switch defense with Nash.

Parsons' holding the ball could not seize the opportunity to play Nash in a misplaced manner.

Once Li Liang is replaced, Parsons will not be able to fight.

His fake shooting with the ball was more realistic than Trance Jones's.

Li Liang didn't even sway at all, and he even had the energy to help defend the inside.

After Delfino came on the court, Li Liang was under greater pressure.

Delfino has a more comprehensive and experienced style of play, and is an important ball-holding point on the Rockets' bench.

The Rockets now have to score points in position attack first, otherwise they will be constantly attacked and the gap will grow bigger and bigger.

After Delfino appeared, it had an immediate effect.

After using the cover to enter the inside, he was pressed by double-teaming and a clever pass to the basket, and Asik received the ball and dunked with both hands.

In comparison, the Lakers' position attack routines are much more.

The main ones are at least five different tactics, including Kobe, Nash, Howard, Ci Shiping, Li Liang, and other tactics, as well as various tactics derived from this.

Head coach Mike Brown knew almost nothing about this.

What if he doesn't matter, just grasp the general direction.

This time, Nash handed the ball to Kobe, who made more cautious and meticulous offensive choices in the playoffs than in the regular season.

After Delfino and Garcia got on, the Rockets' defensive end slowed down.

Harden is protected on the weak side and will not let him defend Kobe. The one-on-one person with Kobe is Beverly.

This small guard with a low figure and full of energy is a typical garbage dog-type player.

He is extremely hard-working on the defensive end, can grab frontcourt rebounds on the offensive end, and has a good three-pointer.

It is a good choice to use him to deal with Kobe, but his figure is really not enough.

If you don’t have enough figure, you rely on your vitality.

Kobe received the ball with his back and held him back, and he kept digging the ball with his hands to interfere with Kobe.

But how could Kobe be afraid of this interference? He gave a look to the weak side.

Nash ran to the middle to cover Kobe on the weak side.

It is rare for point guards to cover, but not without them.

For example, when Stockton was at the Jazz, he was very good at providing pick-and-roll cover for Malone.

The meaning of this cover is to bring Harden here.

If Beverly squeezes through, Kobe will directly attack Harden at the basket.

If Beverly bypasses, Kobe will definitely attack directly at the free throw line.

Delfino wanted to come over to help defend? Li Liang was ambushing in the bottom corner, and his three-pointer was very fatal.

For the Rockets' defense, this is a dilemma, and they don't even have time to think.

Beverly chose to squeeze through and wanted to secure Harden in advance.

But Kobe entered the three-second zone like a spirit snake, and Harden could only defend.

Asik was pulled away by Howard.

As a result, Kobe defeated Harden and made a layup, scoring two points and causing Harden to foul!

Harden has no choice but to watch Kobe make a layup.

Kobe wanted to lure Harden into a foul, so his pace was just right.

If you score, you will have to get extra free throws. Kobe will hit the free throw line and make extra free throws.
Chapter completed!