The Pelicans flew to Dallas the next day.

As teams in the same division, this was their fourth and final game of the season against the Mavericks.

After arriving in Dallas, the Pelicans scheduled their usual training.

Before the training 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 earned a starting position with his hustle and an average of 13 rebounds in three games.

His teammates got up one after another to congratulate Evans.

His teammates could feel Evans' hustle on the court and the help he brought to the team.

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

The main focus of today's training was defense.

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

The Pelicans' record had fluctuated recently, and they were still in eighth place, while their opponent tonight, the Mavericks, were ninth.

With only a little over a month left in the season, this head-to-head game was crucial.

So he had to prepare well.

"Yeah!"

Just then, he heard an excited shout from the court.

It was from Whiteside.

He had just given Gordon a huge block.

Defensive training was divided into full court and half court. Full court was mainly about running tactics, and half court was about player form.

They were now practicing half court, which had two parts: individual and team.

The individual part was done in the order of inside defending outside, outside defending outside, and inside defending inside.

If they defended successfully, they stayed on the court; if they failed, they were replaced.

Whiteside defended Gordon, and then Little Rivers failed to score. Jrue Holiday, who came on next, was almost blocked.

It wasn't until Tang Tian shook him and made a dry pull-up jumper that he was taken down.

Whiteside seemed to be in good competitive condition today.

After the individual part was over, it was time for five-on-five on half court.

The players were divided into offensive and defensive groups.

Whiteside was placed in the defensive group.

He had more eye-catching performances in this part. Although he still committed fouls, it was clear that he had much better control.

After giving Smith another big block, he let out another roar.

He had reason to be excited.

Tang Tian's words had been enlightening. He had studied the tablet for two nights and even enlisted the help of friends, and he had finally gained some understanding.

In addition, Williams' announcement that Evans would start had further motivated him.

Tang Tian was quite pleased with Whiteside's performance.

If those words hadn't awakened Whiteside, then it wouldn't be a matter of a bad brain, but of being truly stupid.

This was obviously good news for the Pelicans.

Just then, an accident happened on the court. Smith was eager to prove himself and strained his wrist from overexertion.

The situation was sudden, and the team doctor rushed him to the infirmary.

News came quickly that Smith's injury wasn't serious, but he definitely wouldn't be able to play in tonight's game.

After the training session, Williams also put Whiteside on the active roster.

The NBA is very competitive, and an injury can change a player's entire career.

Smith's status in the team had been declining, and this injury would most likely knock him out of the team's rotation.

Similarly, this was also Whiteside's opportunity. If he could seize it, the chances of him staying with the team were high.

Tang Tian took a shower and was about to go back to change clothes for the evening's game when Whiteside stayed behind to chat with him.

"Thank you, Tang."

Although Whiteside wasn't very smart, he was still grateful.

"Putting on a good performance on the court is the best way to thank me."

Tang Tian said. Right now, Whiteside had only regained an opportunity.

Whiteside nodded with a smile.

"God has given me a new opportunity."

He was referring to Smith's injury. He couldn't say this in front of his teammates, but he could say it to Tang Tian.

"Keep it up. Luck is also part of strength."

Tang Tian continued.

It seemed that Smith's injury had given Whiteside an opportunity, but if Whiteside hadn't shown that kind of effort in training, Williams' choice to replace Smith would have been Jeff Withey, another of the team's inside players.

So Williams wasn't happy with Whiteside's behavior, but as Tang Tian said, he didn't have any prejudice.

Whiteside nodded. He had unprecedented confidence now.

That night, the Mavericks and Pelicans played at the American Airlines Center.

The Pelicans' regular starting lineup consisted of Holiday and Tang Tian in the backcourt, Aminu and Davis in the frontcourt, and Evans at center.

The Mavericks' lineup consisted of Calderon and Monta Ellis in the backcourt, Marion and Nowitzki in the frontcourt, and Dalembert at center.

Carlisle was one of the few coaches whose tactical skills could go head-to-head with Popovich. At the start of the game, he targeted the Pelicans' most fatal weakness.

Evans was good at rebounding and defense, but his offensive ability and desire were too poor. Tang Tian was basically double-teamed every possession.

He could use the space to create opportunities to shoot, but most of the balls passed to Evans failed to be converted.

This was Evans' biggest weakness; the effect of being short and stocky was slow movement speed.

It wasn't too bad if he wasn't targeted severely against other teams, but Carlisle not only targeted him, but he targeted him thoroughly.

After double-teaming, if Tang Tian passed to Evans, they would switch a smaller player inside.

The advantage in speed, coupled with Evans' worrying offensive ability, made this tactic very effective.

The Mavericks relied on this to gradually accumulate an advantage.

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. Williams' approach was relatively flexible.

Whoever performed better in training would get the chance to play first.

Whiteside had now reached the rotation position of the first reserve inside player.

Of course, if he didn't play well, this only opportunity would be gone.

Whiteside was a little excited, and in his first defensive possession after being substituted on, he committed… a foul.

He was tricked by Ellis's mid-air lever when he tried to block him.

"Don't think about blocking every possession. Prioritize occupying the defensive position in the paint."

Tang Tian walked over and reminded him. That was also something he had noted on the tablet he had given Whiteside.

Whiteside nodded. He remembered that, but defensive habits weren't something that could be changed overnight.

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

On the Pelicans' offense, Tang Tian continued to be double-teamed. He directly lobbed the ball to the inside.

After receiving the ball, Whiteside attacked the basket directly. The biggest difference between him and Evans was that he had the desire to attack, and he was very agile for a big man.

Ellis switched to defend him but couldn't keep up.

"Boom!"

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

Violent dunk!

After the dunk, he bent his legs and hung from the rim, pressing the rim down a few centimeters.

This dunk was full of domineering spirit!