EBE 406 Durant hits a buzzer-beating three-pointer!
406 Durant hits a buzzer-beating three-pointer!
The Thunder's head coach promptly called a timeout.
Even with only ten seconds left in the quarter, they didn't want to let this offensive opportunity slip away.
Thunder head coach Brooks held a clipboard and gestured to the Thunder's young trio, explaining the tactics.
His expression was serious and focused, and his eyes revealed a desire for victory.
Durant, Westbrook, and Harden surrounded the coach, listening attentively to every detail.
They nodded frequently, indicating that they understood and agreed with the coach's tactical arrangements.
The atmosphere on the field was tense and intense, with both teams' players fully focused on waiting for the game to restart.
Despite having only ten seconds of offensive time, the Clippers had no intention of substituting Su Hao.
They believed in Su Hao's ability and strength, and decided to keep him on the field.
At the same time, they substituted Curry with Paul George to strengthen their defensive capabilities on the wing.
This adjustment will allow them to better counter the Thunder's offense and provide more support on the defensive end.
The timeout ended, and the game resumed. Ibaka stood on the perimeter preparing to inbound the ball, and Harden received it at the top of the key.
He quickly started his attack, attempting to break through the opponent's defense, but was met with Gordon's tight defense.
Five seconds into the dribble, Harden was still unable to shake off Gordon's defense.
Faced with this situation, Harden tried to draw a foul by faking it, but due to the referee's strict enforcement, he did not receive a favorable call. Left with no other option, Harden passed the ball to Durant at the 45-degree angle.
The latter received the ball and glanced at the timer; the attack was now in its final countdown.
Because Harden held onto the ball for too long, there were only three seconds left when the ball reached Durant's hands.
Without hesitation, Durant faced Paul George and launched a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
His movements were fluid and decisive, as if he had been prepared for this moment all along.
The basketball traced a less-than-perfect arc in the air, flying straight toward the basket.
Su Hao under the basket did not try to fight for the rebound, because he knew that no matter the outcome of this shot, the game would end in this quarter.
"Swish!" The ball swished through the net with a crisp sound.
Durant successfully hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, earning valuable points for his team.
The Thunder players excitedly went up to Durant to high-five him, their faces beaming with joy and pride.
Durant remained calm, but he couldn't help raising three fingers to the sky to show his confidence and strength to the entire audience.
However, despite Durant hitting that crucial three-pointer, the Thunder were still trailing.
But this goal undoubtedly showcased Durant's formidable strength and ability in crucial moments.
In the next game, the Thunder need to continue their efforts to catch up.
The audience applauded and cheered for Durant's outstanding performance, while also looking forward to his even better play in the upcoming games. For the Thunder, this game has only just begun, and they still have a chance to turn the tide.
With the end of this quarter, both teams' players slacked off the court to rest and prepare for new challenges.
The upcoming matches will be even more intense, and whoever can better adapt to the opponent's tactical adjustments will gain the upper hand.
Durant's buzzer-beating three-pointer not only boosted the Thunder's confidence.
However, with their interior defense completely breached, the Thunder will undoubtedly suffer another merciless beating from Su Hao in the second quarter.
After a short break, the second quarter began.
The Thunder initiated the attack.
Westbrook drove to the basket, drawing a double team, and then passed the ball to Durant in the corner.
Durant swiftly sank a three-pointer.
The Clippers refused to back down, with Curry stepping up and hitting consecutive mid-range shots while also drawing a foul on Durant.
Harden then showcased his playmaking ability, assisting Ibaka for a mid-range jump shot.
Although the Thunder scored consecutive points at the start of the second quarter, they were unable to stop the Clippers from scoring.
Even if the Clippers didn't rely on Su Hao to score inside, their outside scoring was on par with the Thunder.
The score advantage remains unchanged.
"The Thunder can't just score! Their defense is terrible! You score two or three points, and the Clippers can respond immediately, it's like they're getting free points!" Barkley laughed.
"That's absolutely true. Their defense is deadly. No matter how strong the offense is, it's all for nothing without a good defense!" Miller said.
Halfway through the second quarter, the Thunder's outside shooting percentage began to decline.
Their shooting touch seemed to have gone cold, with each three-point attempt ending in a missed shot.
The Clippers' outside shooting percentage was also inconsistent, sometimes making shots and sometimes missing, and they were unable to widen the score gap further.
However, the Clippers made a timely change, choosing to return possession of the ball to Su Hao.
After Durant missed a three-pointer.
With his excellent rebounding awareness and physical attributes, Su Hao successfully grabbed the defensive rebound and quickly passed the ball to Curry.
After receiving the ball, Curry dribbled it up the court without hesitation and then immediately passed it to Su Hao.
At this moment, Su Hao, holding the ball under the basket, drew cheers from the entire audience.
Perkins, who was responsible for guarding him, frowned, because he knew he had no advantage in the confrontation with Su Hao.
He was completely helpless against an attack launched by a behemoth like Su Hao.
Su Hao held the ball in one hand, raised it high above his head, and then slammed it hard into the basket.
Throughout the entire process, Perkins did not even reach out to interfere.
It wasn't that he didn't want to interfere, but he knew perfectly well that he couldn't possibly interfere with Su Hao's attack.
If you try to interfere forcibly, you will not only likely fail to stop Su Hao from scoring, but you will also be very likely to be called for a foul by the referee.
Therefore, Perkins could only helplessly watch Su Hao complete this domineering dunk.
Perkins' behavior shocked and puzzled everyone.
"What on earth is Perkins doing? Doesn't he know what his job is? He just stands by and watches Su Hao rampage under the basket without doing anything, making no effective defensive moves whatsoever, letting the opponent score so easily?" Su Qun couldn't help but complain.
Yang Yi, who was standing nearby, smiled and said, "You can't blame him. After all, he's facing Su Hao! That player who's known as 'unsolvable.' Even top centers like Garnett and Duncan couldn't handle him. Do you really expect a little Perkins to stop him?"
However, Zhang Weiping disagreed, saying, "No matter what, as a professional player, even if you know you might not be able to defend, you should at least have a positive defensive attitude. But what did he do? He didn't defend at all, which is tantamount to telling his teammates that the game was doomed to be lost. This kind of behavior is really disappointing."