"So fast?" After a while, Li Yuanwei's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Well, if you want to make a big squad, keep all the training camps first, I want to see the state of the players at that time, and I'll go back and ask Thibodeau to send you a copy of the training method, just follow the above training, and communicate the rest at any time." Tang Tian was very crisp.

"Okay, I'll arrange someone to contact me then."

hung up the phone, Tang Tian then put aside the affairs of the national team first.

If he agrees, it means that he is ready to take responsibility, but that was also in August, and now his focus is still on the playoffs.

Now the team has managed to reach the Western Conference finals, but the real difficulties are actually just beginning.

The 07~08 season is called "the most tragic playoff in history" by many fans, it is not unreasonable, aside from the Suns and Mavericks, the new group of the Big Three teams, the Jazz, Hornets, and Spurs are definitely enough for the opponent to drink a pot, and the Lakers and Celtics, like the two boss guards before the championship trophy, are obviously stronger than other teams, but they are what you have to beat.

The opponent of the Rockets in the Western Conference is the Lakers, one of the bosses.

Although the Lakers are absent, the interior combination of Odom and Gasol allows them to play more flexibly on the court.

Of course, the most important thing is Kobe, to paraphrase the words of some fans, Kobe Bryant, the pinnacle Kobe, give him a garbage inside line that can be brought to the playoffs, give an ordinary star to guarantee the top four, and give a little strength, and it will be decided.

Gasol is clearly the one with the power.

Compared with last year, the strength of the Rockets has increased significantly, but their opponents are also stronger than last year.

And what's worse than the strength of the opponent is that Maddie can't play the first game.

Although he was already able to play a three-on-three confrontation, the advice given by the team doctor was to rest for another 2 days.

Tang Tian also didn't want Maddie to risk a comeback.

On May 16, U.S. time, the NBA Western Conference Finals were the first to start, and the two sides were the Rockets and the Lakers.

There are players on both sides of the side, but in comparison, Maddy and the Rockets are significantly more important than Bynum and the Lakers.

After the game started, the Rockets still played very targeted, using Battier and Petrus to wheel Kobe, Gasol was also choked by Yao Ming, but Billups faced the outside combination of Fisher and Kobe, and it was not as explosive as in the last game.

The two sides have been playing anxiously since the opening.

Until the fourth quarter, Kobe Bryant played the second strength of MVP at the critical moment, and scored three points in a row from the outside, although Yao Ming also scored hard in the face of Gasol at the critical moment, but the scoring speed of the inside line always couldn't catch up with the outside.

In the end, Kobe Bryant scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers take a 106-96 lead and take a 1-0 lead in the big score.

Tang Tian's wheel tactics are very effective, Kobe Bryant only made 11 of 29 shots in the game, but the performance of the superstar at critical moments can ignore the defense, and the reason why the Rockets lost the game is more because of the lack of firepower in the first three quarters, which is closely related to Maddy's absence.

There was a reason for this, but it also cost the Rockets home-court advantage and were at a disadvantage at the start of the series.

"Coach, I'm fully recovered." In the Rockets' training session, Maddy was a little impatient, as one of the core of the team, but he could only sit on the sidelines and watch the team lose, which was a terrible feeling.

"It's up to the team doctor to have the final say." Tang Tian was not in a hurry.

"I'm really fine."

After Maddie finished speaking, seeing that Tang Tian still had the same attitude as before, he took a ball and rushed directly towards the basket in the half.

A leap from inside the free throw line was followed by a spectacular windmill dunk.

"Coach, T-mac's latest inspection report is out." At this moment, the team doctor came over with the latest examination report in his hand.

"Just in time." Tang Tian took the report and glanced at it, and then shouted at Maddie on the field, "T-mac, prepare for full-court training." ”

When Maddie heard Tang Tian's shout, she immediately understood what it meant, "Oh oh" and shouted excitedly, and then ran directly to change clothes.

Maddie ushered in a comeback, the Rockets' morale was boosted, and the fans were also excited.

On May 18, U.S. time, the second game of the Western Conference between the Rockets and the Lakers continued to be staged at the Toyota Center, and the scene was full.

The loss in the first game did not discourage the fans, in fact, Maddie's absence was completely acceptable to lose by only 10 points, and even this point difference made fans more and more expectant of Maddie's comeback.

When I warmed up before the game, the cheers from the scene were already intermittent.

Lakers head coach Phil Jackson spoke to local media in Houston on the sidelines.

"Phil, the record of the two teams in the regular season, the Lakers are 1-3 behind the Rockets, will this bring psychological pressure to the team?"

"Regular season?" Jackson smiled as "Grandpa KFC", "Aren't we leading 1-0 now?" ”

Jackson knows how to pretend to be pressing, and he completely ignored the reporter's demoralization and directly skipped the regular season to talk about the playoffs and pretended to be forced.

"The Rockets were missing T-mac in the last game, and he will be back in this game." The journalist reminded.

"How will the players be when they come back from injury, can you guarantee that? And Kobe Bryant and Lamar (Odom) didn't have a good hand in the last game, they are so good, this game will be adjusted quickly. Jackson's face was confident, as always.

The reporter was speechless for a while, and after saying a word of blessing, he could only leave in a huff.

Jackson habitually touched his white beard, and it was not so easy to get a bargain from his mouth.

After the players from both sides completed the final pre-match warm-up, it was followed by the opening introduction of the starters.

"Shooting Guard, No. 1, Tracy ~~ McGrady!!"

When Maddie's name reappeared at the Toyota Center nearly a week later, the scene was deafening with cheers.

“T-mac！ T-mac！ ”

The neat shouts illustrate what they expect from Maddie.

Maddie was also very excited, waving frequently to the audience.

At the end of the ceremony, the players of both teams went to the midfield to greet each other.

Maddie and Kobe Bryant sympathized with each other, and when they arrived in the middle of the court, they inevitably whispered.

When Marc Gasol meets his brother Pau Gasol, he naturally has to chat a few words.

It's Fisher, who was eliminated by the Rockets in the Jazz last season, and this season he turned back to the Lakers to meet the Rockets again, standing in the half with a serious expression, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

The players have played face to face, and both sides have started one after another.

On the Rockets' side, Billups and Maddy on the outside, Petrus and Millsap on the front, and Yao Ming at center.

On the Lakers' side, the outside line is "Old Fish" Fisher and Kobe, the forward line is three-point shooters Radmanovic and Odom, and the center Pau Gasol.