No one could have imagined this situation before the game.
Tang Tian had previously broken Kobe's 81-point record against the Lakers at Staples Center.
Now, back at New Orleans Arena to face the Lakers, he had another chance to break his own 82-point record!
Lakers: What did we ever do to deserve this?!
Tang Tian even ran over to Anthony and gave him a high-five while getting back on defense.
Anthony still had no idea what had happened. He merely raised his hand in instinctive response.
Only when he saw the numbers displayed on the LED big screen the next second did he realize it, and he could not help smiling as he shook his head.
Tang Tian, his teammate, had broken his record right in front of him.
Cheers and whistles suddenly erupted from the crowd.
That high-five represented the passing of a record, and that moment was an NBA classic.
It also reminded everyone even more clearly of what was happening before their eyes.
Not just before the game—even after three quarters, fans could not have imagined this outcome.
Because Tang Tian had "only" scored 44 points through three quarters!
Yet he had already scored 36 points in the Fourth Quarter!
With 50 seconds remaining, Tang Tian truly had a chance.
The pressure was now entirely on the Lakers.
They could very well become the backdrop once again, and they were also down by three.
Vogel did not call a timeout.
The Pelicans' relentless Fourth Quarter offense had forced him to call timeouts repeatedly. The Lakers now had only one remaining, and he wanted to save it for the crucial moment.
"Defense! Defense!"
The cheers from the crowd shook the arena.
Amid the roaring support, and with the Elementary School Celebration buff, the Pelicans' defense was airtight.
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