Two 3-1 Leads

After taking Game 3, the Pelicans held a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.

They had a chance to sweep the Rockets out of the Playoffs after sweeping the Mavericks.

Game 4 would be played two days later, and the Pelicans were also preparing intensely for it.

During game day practice, Stevens accepted an interview from reporters.

A sweep was a topic that came up repeatedly.

"That would be very difficult to do. They definitely won't want their season to end this way. They'll play harder and fight more fiercely than they did in the first three games. We have to be ready for a tough battle."

Stevens did not have much coaching experience in the Playoffs, but he had already experienced it during the first-round series against the Mavericks.

The Rockets were stronger than the Mavericks, and the game would be even harder to play.

That night, Game 4 of the Pelicans-Rockets series officially began at Houston's arena.

Although being down 0-3 meant a comeback was nearly impossible, there were many ways to lose, and a sweep was definitely the one they were least willing to accept.

Whether it was the serious expressions on the Rockets players' faces during pregame practice or their condition once the game began, both showed exactly that.

Although they had suffered crushing defeats in two of the first three games, those losses had come down to tactics and strategy. The Rockets players had not lost their fighting spirit.

Especially since they had led at halftime in the previous game, which had given them a major boost in confidence.

The game was fiercely contested from the opening tip.

The Rockets coaching staff made further adjustments to their offensive tactics.

They copied what the Pelicans had done in the previous game, placing two shooters in the