Starting from the last bus in the NBA

Chapter 426 Lakers

2:2
The key arena is completely boiling.

Your Lakers can dunk, so can my Supersonics!
This is the Supersonic's offense, the highlight is a fast word, which does not give people a chance to react at all.

At this time, O'Neal and Karl Malone had just returned to the three-point line, and the SuperSonics' offense was over.

Fortunately, this is not the first time for them to experience such a situation, and they have already had psychological construction.

The Lakers did not delay and organized an offense again.

This time, Gary Payton reacted and began to guard John Stockton oppressively, preventing him from making good passes.

Although doing so consumes a lot of physical energy, the problem is that he will not lose to an older guy.

More than that, while PJ Brown is pestering O'Neill, Wang Hao and Kirilenko are ready to deal with it at any time.

Not to mention double-teaming after getting the ball, they simply didn't give O'Neal a chance to catch the ball.

John Stockton reacted very quickly, and he was not obsessed with O'Neill.

He walks off and hands the ball back to Bryant.

In this case, it is obviously a better way to use Kobe's breakthrough to tear apart the Sonics' defense.

It's just that Kobe obviously knows that once he enters the inside line, he will inevitably be double-teamed.

It's been like this this season.

This also led to a significant improvement in Kobe's mid-range and long-range shots throughout the season.

The farther you are from the basket, the more affected your shooting percentage will be.

This is also the reason why Kobe's shooting percentage has dropped severely this season.

Sure enough, Kobe played singles with the ball, and the Supersonics were not prepared to double-team because they did not enter the inside lane.

Continuous dribbling and shaking finally allowed Kobe to get rid of Michael Reid's defense and shoot a jump shot directly.

However, this distance is a bit far.

Because of the added step back, Kobe's shooting take-off position is only half a step away from the three-point line.

"Bang!"

Sure enough, the basketball bounced out of the frame.

It's just that this time the Lakers were prepared and retreated early. Although they didn't score a goal, they didn't give the Sonics a chance to counterattack.

The supersonic speed fell into the positional battle, and Wang Hao came to the low position very simply, keeping Kobe behind, and succeeded in gaining the position.

Gary Payton didn't delay and passed the ball immediately.

It's just that Wang Hao just got the ball, and the Lakers' double team immediately followed.

It was John Stockton, and his timing was good.

Almost at the same time that Wang Hao catches the ball, a double team can be formed, and there is even a chance to lock Wang Hao directly.

Who is Wang Hao, how could he not know John Stockton's thoughts?

He jumped up a bit, blocking Bryant with his right arm, intending to catch the ball firmly with his left.

However, at this moment, he reacted quickly.

After touching the ball with his left hand, he immediately grasped it, and then he passed the basketball with one hand.

I have to say that this action is not simple.

Observation, coordination, and a big hand are indispensable.

If you can't grasp the basketball, there will definitely be a lack of control, and there may be problems with the direction and speed of the pass.

The moment he landed, Wang Hao had already completed the pass.

And it was Gary Payton who received the pass from Wang Hao.

After passing the ball, John Stockton immediately shrank, and Gary Payton didn't understand what was going on.

He made an air cut immediately, and he also believed that Wang Hao would be able to pass the ball back.

This is not only the tacit understanding of playing together for many years, but also Gary Payton's trust in Wang Hao.

All this happened so quickly that O'Neal didn't even have time to react, and he saw Gary Payton make a layup.

Gary Payton was satisfied with high-fiving Wang Hao.

At this moment, Wang Hao clearly saw a trace of resentment and jealousy in Kobe's eyes.

That's right, it's jealousy, jealousy of Wang Hao's big hands.

Kobe could do the action just now, but he might not be able to do it so well.

The reason is not a technical problem, but his inability to grasp the basketball with both hands.

This will make him lack of control when passing the ball.

4:2
At the beginning of the game, the two sides still focused on probing.

After all, it's a 48-minute game, and it's not time to decide the winner, so don't worry.

At the end of the first quarter, the two sides scored 26:23, and the Sonics barely led by 3 points.

In the second quarter, Paul Westphal made a special adjustment, replacing Gary Payton with Quentin Richardson and replacing PJ Brown with Reggie Evans.

At this time, O'Neal took a break, and the Sonics wanted to seize the opportunity to play a game.

I have to say that this lineup is full of impact.

The only problem is with rebounding and offensive organization.

As for rebounding, there is no other way but to rely on the Sonics to have more manpower to make up for it.

I didn't see them come up with such a lineup when they specifically picked O'Neal to rest.

As for the offensive organization, naturally Wang Hao took over.

I have to say that the effect was very good. While ensuring rebounds, the SuperSonics played too fast.

None of the five players on the field is less than two meters tall, and all of them have excellent athletic ability.

Needless to say, this is the fifth child of death.

Kobe and Karl Malone stayed on the court, and they couldn't withstand the impact of the supersonic speed at all.

For a while, the Sonics directly expanded the score to double digits.

Phil Jackson's reaction was quick, and O'Neal, who hadn't caught his breath yet, was substituted again.

I have to say that O'Neal is simply the nemesis of this lineup.

Because O'Neal is deep inside, the threat to offensive rebounds is too great.

Paul Westphal did not dare to delay, only gave O'Neal an offensive rebound, and then immediately made a substitution.

Brandon Haywood replaced Kirilenko on the field, and it was up to him to hold O'Neal to protect the rebound.

The point difference was narrowed to single digits again, and the Sonics barely maintained their lead.

This tactic failed, but it was also considered a success.

The reason why it fails is because whenever O'Neal plays, he can easily break this tactic.

However, the effect is not without effect.

O'Neal's rest rhythm was disrupted and he had to play early, which was a huge drain on physical energy.

If it was O'Neal when he was young, of course this is no problem.

But now O'Neal, what restricts him the most is not the opponent's defense, but his physical fitness.

At the beginning of the third quarter, especially in the second half, the Sonics finally found a chance to play a wave of rhythm.

In one fell swoop, the score was stretched to more than double digits.

Phil Jackson called a timeout consecutively, always hoping to smooth the point difference earlier.

It's just that the supersonic speed is not vegetarian.

At the critical moment, Wang Haoli made a sudden outside shot and kept firmly in control of the situation, preventing the score from being overtaken.

Until the fourth quarter, the Lakers were powerless.

O'Neill's body has dropped significantly, and even the inside singles with great control have made mistakes.

If it is normal, the score is leading, or when the difference is almost the same, it does not seem to be a big deal.

But now is the time for the Lakers to chase points, and every opportunity to attack is crucial.

Later, after receiving the ball, O'Neal took the initiative to hand the ball to Kobe.

This is very rare.

It can only show that O'Neill's body has really bottomed out.

This is also impossible. In today's game, O'Neal's playing time will inevitably go up to 40 minutes.

This is the limit for O'Neal.

Also, there are some people who are not supported in the body, not just O'Neal, but also Karl Malone and John Stockton.

In any case, no matter how well maintained the two are, they are now 40 years old.

And this game has been in a situation where the score is behind and has been chasing points.

High-intensity confrontation, the production time has also increased significantly, who can stand this?
Of course, the most important point is that the supersonic rhythm is too fast.

Even if there is no chance of a fast break, they will not pass halftime quickly, anyway, they just increase their speed.

If it's a slow-paced game, you and I have a round, but it doesn't consume much in the body.

Especially in these slow-paced games, when attacking and retreating, you can take your time and catch your breath.

Not so with the Sonics.

Even Wang Hao will feel tired after playing for more than 40 minutes.

Not to mention these old guys.

100:88
In the end, the Sonics won their first victory at home.

Of course, a game win means nothing, it's a series.

It is said that after the game, a little dispute broke out within the Lakers.

Outsiders may not know it, but, after all, this is the home court of the Supersonics, and the Supersonics must have a way to know.

It can only be said that today's Lakers are indeed suffering from internal and external troubles.

In the second game, it was still the SuperSonics' home court, and the Lakers actually made adjustments.

Phil Jackson returned to the style of play he played last season.

To put it bluntly, even he felt that it was not that simple to forcibly maintain the combination of the Four Heavenly Kings.

To put it bluntly, it is not difficult to have four people on the court at the same time, but also to make all four people comfortable and perform well.

Ever since, Phil Jackson simply returned to last season and chose an OK-based style of play.

As for Karl Malone and John Stockton, then use them as enhanced versions of the fourth and first positions.

But the problem is that the effect is extremely limited.

Karl Malone and John Stockton are at that age, and they are no longer as brave as they used to be.

What's more, don't forget the OK combination last season, which was also the defeat of the Sonics.

Moreover, Karl Malone and John Stockton are not too adapted to this style of play.

Karl Malone is okay, with a middle distance, he can also open up a certain amount of space for O'Neal.

As for John Stockton, making him play like the little fish Fisher is obviously not his strong point.

He is also good at three-pointers, but he doesn't take many of them, and he still needs to take them when the opportunity is good.

To put it bluntly, he is a traditional point guard who does not focus on scoring, but passing the ball.

But the problem is that now you need to open up space, not pass the ball.

The end result is not hard to imagine.

The Lakers once again lost an away game, and the Sonics remained unbeaten at home in the playoffs this season.

Don't underestimate the record of unbeaten at home, if the Sonics can maintain until the end of the season.

That means they won the championship.

As the regular season champions of this season, they have home court advantage when facing any team.

Winning all the home games means winning the series.

106:95
The Sonics have won two consecutive victories and are one step closer to the finals.

The entire Sonics team rejoiced, but it wasn't the time to be completely happy.

Again, this is a series, and we still have to fight.

Sure enough, back in Los Angeles, the Lakers at Staples Center taught the Sonics a lesson.

Sometimes things just don't make sense.

The third game of the series was staged at the Staples Center. From the beginning of the game, the Lakers were full of firepower.

The Lakers are still the main OK combination, and the Supersonics' choice is still double-teaming.

This gives O'Neal and Kobe a chance to pass the ball.

In fact, it was like this in the last game, but the Supersonics can switch defenses in rotation.

That's their housekeeping skill, and they've been doing really well.

But in this game, Karl Malone and John Stockton were completely open.

You know, the two are not just pure pitchers.

The two can also attack with the ball. In the second attack, the two scored consecutively.

In this way, it may make the supersonic particularly distressed.

Should we continue to double-team O'Neal and Kobe?

In the end, Paul Westphal chose not to double-team, or not to double-team temporarily.

From a tactical challenge, let Karl Malone and John Stockton feel cool first.

As a result, Kobe and O'Neal had a great time.

By the time of the second half, Paul Westphal made another tactical challenge.

They double-teamed O'Neal and Kobe again, forcing them to pass the ball.

John Stockton and Karl Malone turned out to be plug and play, and the feel didn't cool down at all.

In the end, the two veterans from the Jazz made 22 of 15 shots in the game and combined for 36 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

Looking at the data, it seems that the OK combination played better, but anyone with a discerning eye knows who is the real hero for winning.

It's a pity that Karl Malone and John Stockton are old after all, and it is impossible to maintain such a state.

Moreover, O'Neal and Kobe are not willing to pass the ball every time.

Both of them are the kind of characters who are willing to solve problems on their own.

Sure enough, in the fourth game, the OK combination broke out again.

The two scored 61 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists together in this game, and their performance was very shocking.

However, the Lakers still lost.

Because Wang Hao also scored 50 points in this game, the three-man battle brought the game to a climax.

It's a pity that, except for the OK combination, only Karl Malone scored 10 points for the entire Lakers team.

On the other hand, the Sonics had 4 points in double figures, and Wang Hao had more helpers.

It's no wonder that the rest of the Lakers, in comparison, have the shooting rights concentrated on the four stars.

Others, that is, Fisher, can still start to play a role, and the rest are purely used to make up the numbers.

In any case, the score between the two teams has reached 3:1, and the SuperSonics gained three match points.

The current situation is that the Lakers have reached the edge of the cliff.

(End of this chapter)