Chapter 158 This Is the First Start? (11th Update, 100 Monthly Tickets Plus Update)

The game against the Pistons was played at night, and Popovich's training session was mainly tactical.

Tang Tian has already mastered it, and thanks to Budenholzer's careful guidance yesterday, Leonard has basically kept up with the progress. Although Joseph is almost in the mood, the gap is not too big.

One thing that is different from usual is that Parker, Tang Tian, ​​Leonard, Bonner and Splitter were in a group during the full-court confrontation.

By the end of the training, there was a final answer to this abnormal thing.

Popovich finally announced the starting lineup for the night against the Pistons, which is their group.

13 people activated the list, except Ginobili, Duncan and Jefferson, all the other 13 people entered the list.

Tang Tian smiled wryly when he heard this decision.

It's really Popovich.

In the suspension season, there were only 2 preseason games in total, and he even played his rest method, which is probably the only one in the entire league.

However, the average age of the Spurs is old, and playing against the Pistons is not as strategic as the Thunder. It is understandable to take turns at this time, and the team now has 16 players, and one must be cut. This is considered a good opportunity for the old man.

The rest is understandable, but Tang Tian is still a little surprised about the starting lineup. After all, he only played one preseason game. It can be seen that Popovich also wants to really test him once.

If you don't play well, you may still have to start from the bench. If you play well, you may really be squeezed into the rotation.

So this game is even more critical than the last game against the Thunder.

"Don, what did you say yesterday?" As soon as he returned to the locker room, Ginobili came up with his shoulders crossed.

"Damn it, Manu, did you know beforehand?" Tang Tian remembered the flirty conversation with Ginobili yesterday, he had to buy pizza for the whole team.

"By God, I don't know, and you said that yourself." Ginobili gave me a look that had nothing to do with me.

Tang Tian could only smile helplessly.

But this is actually not a bad thing. Buying pizza for the whole team is also a way for him to build a good relationship with his teammates as a rookie.

The game at night was after 6 o'clock, and Tang Tian ordered pizza at 4 o'clock, and he called Leonard and Joseph to help get them to the locker room, and gave them to his old teammates.

He also didn't say that he was the one to treat the guests, and most of the team members gave them a thumbs up when they saw it.

This is different from pranking, this is something their rookies do on their own initiative, and these veteran players feel a little moved in their hearts.

It wasn't just the veteran players who felt it. Leonard and Joseph also looked sideways at Tang Tian. They just helped move and got compliments from the veteran players. In a sense, Tang Tian was helping them build relationships together. up.

This pizza is absolutely worth it.

After eating pizza and resting for a while, the team members began to change their clothes and prepare for the evening game.

Compared with the Thunder's home stadium, Chesapeake Energy Stadium, the attendance rate of the Spurs' arena is relatively low. The attendance rate of the preseason game is only about 30%.

The Spurs have steadily made it to the playoffs for more than ten years in a row. With a simple style of play, the attendance rate is average, let alone this is a preseason game, and the opponent is the Pistons who are still rebuilding.

There are fewer people and there are fewer people. In the front row of the auditorium, there are a large number of fans holding high the "Godfather" signboard.

"GDP" is already familiar to Spurs fans. Now that a popular rookie has come, and his performance in the game is eye-catching, the fans' love is naturally stronger.

Tang Tian was a little surprised that so many fans came to the scene to support him, and he also reached out and waved to them.

After a simple warm-up before the game, the starting lineups of both sides have been released one after another.

The Pistons have a regular starting lineup. The point guard is "Prince Key" Rodney Stuckey who once let Iverson play for him as a substitute. The shooting guard is "Old Prince" Prince. Bill Singler and Jason Maxhill with Greg Monroe at center.

Five starters and two rookies. After the disintegration of the "Five Tigers", the Pistons have a long way to go to rebuild.

The Spurs here...

When they saw the starting lineup of the Spurs, most of the fans had an expression of "here again", but some fans seemed a little excited because they saw that Tang Tian was also in the starting lineup.

"Kyle, is that the 'godfather' who killed you?" Stuckey said jokingly after seeing the Spurs' starting lineup.

"Yes." Singler nodded sullenly.

His four-year college happiness was ruined by Tang Tian, ​​and he was not selected by the Pistons until the 33rd pick in the draft, which was lower than Tang Tian. If it wasn't for Tang Tian's lore and Duke won the championship, then he must have more than this pick In his opinion, Tang Tian ruined his entire life.

"Greg, did you lose to this guy when you were in the Big East?" Stucky was very good at gossip, and now he turned to Monroe and asked.

Monroe nodded, he didn't have that much hatred towards Tang Tian, ​​but Stucky's words also made him recall some unpleasant experiences.

"The Spurs set up such a bench lineup to beat us. They obviously didn't pay attention to us. There are people who have a problem with you. That's just right. Let's beat them hard and let them know that they despise us. The price!" Stuckey averaged the highest points and assists in the team last season, and now he speaks like the boss of the team.

Both Singler and Monroe nodded, and there was nothing wrong with Starkey's words.

Prince also nodded. The young people on the team are so motivated, and he has to be serious. The other side, after all, is the Spurs that the five of them wanted to win.

"beep!"

A long whistle came from the sidelines, and the starting players of both sides appeared one after another.

Jump balls for Split and Monroe.

Monroe flicked the ball back into the Pistons' half, giving the visitors a chance to take the lead.

Stuckey dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, and directly called Monroe to the free throw line for a pick-and-roll. After breaking the ball, he went straight to the basket.

Although he is ridiculed by fans as "Prince Foundation", his own strength is not weak.

"Thiago, he doesn't know how to shoot. When you are defending, you can go in and close in earlier." Tang Tian suggested to Split at this time, just like what he said to Oriachi when he was in UConn .

Split nodded. Although he had no relationship with Tang Tian, ​​he instinctively liked him after eating the pizza Tang Tian sent him.

The Spurs' offense, Parker organized the offense at the top of the circle.

Among the three "GDP", "G" and "D" are already in their thirties, but "P" Parker is just 29 years old, at the peak age.

This is why Popovich didn't let him rest.

You must know that rest does not mean admitting defeat. Letting veterans rest and inspecting rookies is part of it, and winning is also part of it.