Chapter 480 Luck Is Also a Part of Strength (Second Update!)

The Pelicans flew to Dallas the next day.

As a team in the same division, this is the fourth and last time they have played against the Mavericks this season.

After arriving in Dallas, the Pelicans arranged daily training.

Before the practice session began, Williams announced in the locker room that Evans would be the team's starting center in the game against the Trail Blazers.

Evans averaged 13 rebounds in three games and worked hard to earn himself a starting spot.

Teammates got up one after another to congratulate Evans.

Evans' hard work on the court and the help brought by the team can be truly felt by his teammates.

Whiteside sat there without moving at this time, with envy and unwillingness in his eyes.

The main content of today's training is defense.

Borrego led the players in training, and Williams sat on the sidelines and studied the night's game while watching.

The Pelicans' record has fluctuated during this period, and they are still in the eighth position, while tonight's opponent, the Mavericks, is ninth.

With only more than one month left in the season, this direct match-up battle is very critical.

So he had to be well prepared.

"yeah!"

Just then, he heard excited shouts from the field.

It was from Whiteside.

He gave Gordon a hard hat.

Defensive training is divided into full court and half court. The whole court is mainly based on tactics, and the half court is based on the status of the players.

What is being practiced now is the half court, and there are two parts in the half court, one part is individual and the other part is team.

Personally, the inside line defends the outside line, the outside line defends the outside line, and the inside line defends the inside line.

If the defense is successful, one will stay on the field, and if the defense fails, the player will be replaced.

Whiteside defended Gordon, followed by Reeves Jr. and failed to score, and Holiday, who followed him on the field, was almost blocked.

It wasn't until Tang Tian swayed and shot in that he was knocked down.

Whiteside's competitive state looks a bit good today.

The individual part is over, followed by a half-time five-on-five.

Players are divided into offensive and defensive groups.

Whiteside was assigned to the defensive group.

He performed brilliantly again in this session. Although there will still be fouls, it can be clearly felt that he has done a lot better in control.

After giving Smith a big hat, he roared again.

He has reason to be excited.

What Tang Tian said before was enlightening. He studied it with a tablet for two nights, and even enlisted the help of his friends. Finally, he realized something.

In addition, Williams announced that Evans was starting, which stimulated him even more.

Looking at Whiteside's performance, Tang Tian was quite relieved.

If those words didn't make Whiteside come to his senses, then he was not out of his mind, but really stupid.

That's obviously good news for the Pelicans.

At this time, an accident happened on the field. Smith was anxious to prove himself, and he sprained his wrist due to excessive force.

This situation was sudden, and the team doctor hurriedly took him to the infirmary.

The news came quickly that Smith's injury was not serious, but he would definitely not be able to play tonight's game.

After practice, Williams also put Whiteside on the active list.

The competition in the NBA is cruel, and an injury is likely to change a player's entire career.

Smith's status in the team has dropped again and again, and there is a high probability that he will fall out of the team's rotation.

Similarly, this is also an opportunity for Whiteside. If he can seize this opportunity, the possibility of staying in the team is very high.

Tang Tian took a shower and was going back to change clothes to prepare for the evening game. Whiteside stayed at the end to chat with him.

"Thank you, Don."

Although Whiteside has a bad brain, he still knows how to be grateful.

"Playing a good performance on the court is the best thanks."

Tang Tian said, the current Whiteside just got another chance.

Whiteside nodded with a smile.

"God gave me a new chance."

What he said next was referring to Smith's injury. He couldn't talk about this kind of thing in front of his teammates, but he could still talk about it in front of Tang Tian.

"Come on, luck is also part of strength."

Tang Tian continued.

It seems that Smith's injury gave Whiteside a chance, but if Whiteside does not have the hard work on the training ground, the person Williams chooses to replace Smith will also be another insider of the team, Jeff Vichy.

So Williams was not happy with Whiteside's behavior, but he was not prejudiced as Tang Tian said.

Whiteside nodded, more confident now than ever.

That night, the game between the Mavericks and the Pelicans was played at the American Airlines Center Stadium.

The regular starting five for the Pelicans is Holiday plus Tang Tian on the perimeter, Aminuga Davis on the striker, and Evans on the center.

On the Mavericks side, Calderonga Monta Ellis on the outside, Marion Ganowitzki on the striker, and Dalembert on the center.

Carlisle is one of the two rare tactical attainments and Popovich is just positive. As soon as the game started, he grabbed the most fatal weakness of the Pelicans and played.

Evans' rebounding and defense are good, but his offensive ability and desire are too poor. Basically, Tang Tian is double-teamed every round.

Some of the balls he was able to take advantage of the space to dribble out on his own, but more passed to Evans, who failed to finish.

This is also Evans' biggest weakness. The impact of shortness is slow movement.

It's okay to say that other teams have not been targeted, but Carlisle not only targeted, but also targeted very thoroughly.

After double-teaming, if Tang Tian passed to Evans, he would switch to the smaller one.

The advantage in speed combined with Evans' ability to catch up on offense, this trick is very effective.

The Mavericks also rely on this to accumulate advantages a little bit.

Williams had no choice but to turn around and call Whiteside up from the end of the bench.

Every coach has a different strategy for using players, and Williams' usage belongs to the more flexible category.

Whoever performs better in training will get priority to play.

Whiteside has come to the rotation position of the first substitute insider.

Of course, if he doesn't play well, this only chance will be gone.

Whiteside was a little excited, and in the first defensive round of the substitution, he sent...a foul.

He was fooled by the opponent's aerial lever when blocking Ellis.

"Don't think about blocking shots every round, but give priority to occupying the defensive position inside."

At this moment, Tang Tian walked over to remind him that it was also noted in the tablet he gave Whiteside.

Whiteside nodded. He remembered that, but defensive habits don't change overnight.

Ellis made two free throws and the Mavericks led 14-6.

In the Pelicans' offense, Tang Tian continued to be double-teamed, and he directly lobbed the ball to the inside.

Whiteside attacks the frame directly after receiving the ball. The biggest difference between him and Evans is that he has an offensive desire and is very flexible as a big man.

Ellis switched defenses and went in but failed to keep up.

"Boom!"

With a hint of venting emotion, Whiteside jumped up and slammed the ball into the basket with both hands.

Violent abuse frame!

And after the filling, he bent his legs and hung his arms on the basket and pulled down, pressing the basket down a few centimeters.

This buckle is full of domineering!