The Pelicans flew to Dallas the next day.

As a team in the same division, this is their fourth and last time in the season with the Mavericks.

After arriving in Dallas, the Pelicans arranged daily training.

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

Evans used his three-game performance of 13 rebounds per game and won himself a starting position with his fighting spirit.

All teammates stood up one after another to congratulate Evans.

Evans's fighting spirit on the court and the help the team brought are something that his teammates can truly feel.

Whiteside sat there and didn't move at this time, with envy and unwillingness in his eyes.

The main content of today's training is defense.

Borrego led the players to train, and Williams sat on the sidelines while watching and studying the evening game.

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

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

So he must be prepared.

"yeah!"

At this moment, he heard excited shouts from the scene.

It was sent by Whiteside.

He gave Gordon a big hat.

Defensive training is divided into all games and half games. The whole game mainly uses tactics and depends on the players' status in the half game.

What we are practicing now is the half-time, and there are two parts in the half-time, one is the individual and the other is the team.

Personally, it is carried out in the order of preventing the outside line, preventing the outside line, and preventing the inside line.

If you are successful, you will continue to stay on the field, and if you fail, you will be replaced.

Whiteside defended Gordon, and then Reeves failed to score, and Holiday, who followed him on the court, was almost blocked.

It was not until Tang Tian shook his way and then he beat him down.

Whiteside looks a bit good today.

The personal part ended, followed by a five-on-five half.

The players are divided into offensive and defensive groups.

Whiteside was assigned to the defensive team.

No matter how impressive he performed in this session, although he still had fouls, he could clearly feel that he was doing much better in control.

After giving Smith a big hat, he let out another roar.

He had reasons to be excited.

Tang Tian’s previous words were enlightened. He studied the tablet for two nights, and even found friends to help him, and finally realized something.

In addition, Williams announced that Evans started, which even more excitingly stimulated him.

Tang Tian was quite relieved to see Whiteside's performance.

If Whiteside cannot wake up after saying those words, it would be a bad mind, it would be really stupid.

This is obviously good news for the Pelicans.

At this moment, an accident occurred on the field. Smith was anxious to prove himself, and he exerted too much force and had a wrist sprain.

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

The news came soon, Smith was not seriously injured, but she would definitely not be able to play in tonight's game.

After training, Williams also put Whiteside on the activation list.

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

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

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

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

"Thank you, Don."

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

"The best thanks is to play well on the court."

Tang Tian said, Whiteside now has just got another chance.

Whiteside nodded with a smile.

“God gave me new opportunities.”

What he continued to say was about Smith's injury. He was not good for him to say such things in front of his teammates, but he could still talk about them in front of Tang Tian.

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

Tang Tian continued.

It seems that it was the Whiteside opportunity given by Smith's injury, but if Whiteside did not have the same hard performance on the training ground, the person who chose to replace Smith would be another insider of the team, Jeff Vichy.

So Williams was unhappy with Whiteside's behavior, but he was indeed not biased as Tang Tian said.

Whiteside nodded, his confidence nowadays.

That night, the Mavericks and Pelicans game started at the U.S. Route Center Stadium.

The Pelicans' regular starting fives, Holiday in the outside, Tang Tian, ​​Amino and Davis, and Evans in the center.

On the Mavericks, Calderlongamonta Ellis on the outside, Marion Ganowitzki on the front line, and center Delhamport.

Carlisle is one of the few tactical attainments that can compete with Popovich. At the beginning of the game, he grabbed the Pelicans' most deadly weakness.

Evans has good rebounds and defense, but his offensive ability and desire are too poor. Basically, Tang Tian is in double team every round.

He was able to use the space to transport some balls to his own chance, but more of them passed to Evans, who failed to finish the end.

This is also Evans' biggest weakness. The impact of shortness and strength is the slow movement speed.

It's okay to play other teams that are not targeted, but Carlisle not only targets it, but also targets it thoroughly.

If Tang Tian passes it to Evans after double-teaming, he will use a small man to switch to defense.

With the advantage of speed and Evans's urgent offensive ability, this move is very effective.

The Mavericks also rely on this to accumulate advantages little by little.

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

Each coach has different strategies for using players, and Williams' usage belongs to the more flexible category.

Whoever performs better in training will be given priority to playing.

Whiteside is now in the rotation position of the first substitute inside.

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

Whiteside was a little excited and sent out a foul in the first defensive round he replaced the court.

He was fooled by the opponent's air trolley while blocking Ellis.

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

Tang Tian walked over and reminded him that he had noted it in the tablet he had given to Whiteside.

Whiteside nodded. He remembered that, but the defensive habits cannot be changed at once.

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

During the Pelicans' offense, Tang Tian continued to encounter double-teams, and he directly gave the ball high to the inside.

After Whiteside received the ball, he directly attacked the box. The biggest difference between him and Evans is that he has the desire to attack and is very flexible as a big man.

Ellis changed his defense and didn't keep up.

"Bang!"

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

Violent abuse box!

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