Leonard calmly made the free throw. He had scored 7 straight points to start the game, helping the Spurs take a 7-6 lead.
Green missed a catch-and-shoot three-pointer at the frontcourt, and George secured the long defensive rebound.
After the Spurs advanced into the frontcourt, the ball still went to Leonard.
Tonight, like the Pelicans, the Spurs had abandoned the hammer play and were relying on isolation.
The on-site fans began cheering Leonard on.
Leonard drove past Green again. His body was strong enough to go head-to-head with James. He was genuinely powerful.
Davis came over on help defense, and Leonard immediately kicked the ball out.
Bertans caught it and fired from the baseline.
Swish!
The three-pointer went straight through the net.
As a big man, Bertans had a 42.9% Three-Point Percentage this season. That was an absolutely terrifying number.
Or, to put it more plainly, Baynes could shoot threes, while Bertans could truly stretch the floor.
10-8!
The Pelicans had not missed on offense to start the game, yet they were still trailing the Spurs!
Driven to the edge of the cliff, the Spurs had brought out their best form as well!
Tang Tian launched a deep three-pointer directly from the frontcourt.
Swish!
It went in too!
The two teams had launched into a scoring duel!
Not only the on-site fans, but even viewers in front of their televisions were thrilled, hardly daring to breathe.
This was not merely a scoring duel. Both sides were playing high-quality defense. Being able to put the ball in the basket was purely a matter of skill.
And on the next possession, boosted by Elementary Schooler's Carnival, the Pelicans' defensive intensity grew even stronger. Their Help Defense Rotation was airtight.
Leonard tried to drive twice but failed both times.
He finally passed the