NBA: I am a master dealer

The Protopus Center was already overcrowded, and the fans on both sides were clearly distinguishable. It was easy to tell at a glance who supported the Lakers and who supported the Clippers.

According to common sense, Lakers fans should have an overwhelming advantage. After all, the Purple and Gold Legion is the largest club in the NBA. Their glorious history can capture a large number of followers. However, in recent years, the Lakers have fallen into a bad situation, which has hurt the hearts of many fans.

Looking back at the Clippers, since Paul came to Los Angeles, the Clippers have been in the playoffs every year, and their style of play is good. The reputation of the city of alley-oops is by no means in vain, and the number of fans has naturally increased sharply.

but.

This season, with the joining of Xue Liancheng and the arrival of George, many die-hard Lakers fans have been awakened. However, the first half of the season was so bad that many fans were very sad.

Therefore, there are still many Clippers fans in the attendance of this game, accounting for one-third of the game.

With the dim lights, the DJ introduced the players from both sides like a ghost, and the atmosphere of the game reached its peak in an instant.

In the noisy voice, Wang Defa's name was mentioned many times, and his enthusiasm for greeting the other party's mother never diminished.

Lakers starting lineup: Xue Liancheng, Courtney Lee, George, Randle, Von Lay.

Clippers starting lineup: Paul, JJ Redick, Mbah a Moute, Griffin, DeAndre Jordan.

Both sides basically played with their full lineups, and no important personnel were absent.

As the referee's whistle sounded, the game officially began.

jump ball.

After all, Feng Lai still couldn't jump over Jordan, and the height difference was indeed too big.

In the Clippers' first attack, Paul was more cautious and had no intention of confronting Xue Liancheng. He pushed over and immediately started a pick-and-roll.

The quality of Jordan's pick-and-roll at this stage is still good, and he blocked Xue Liancheng solidly.

Paul broke in smoothly, while Jordan quickly descended from the other side.

Of course, the Lakers couldn't sit still and wait for death. Randall quickly shrank to block Paul's path.

At this time, the Clippers' classic offensive strategy reappeared.

Paul raised his hand directly and threw the ball to the other side of the basket.

Jordan, who was rushing up, took off just in time, pressed Feng Lai and dunked the ball in.

A very classic alley-oop.

As for the essence of this kind of attack, it is not difficult to say it is difficult, but it is not that simple to say it is simple.

First of all, the quality of the pick-and-roll must be good, so that the defender can be completely thrown away.

The second is that Jordan can use his athletic ability to take the lead, and then use his height and wingspan to overwhelmingly catch the ball and dunk.

Because Feng Lai's height is really far different from Jordan's, no matter how high you jump, you can't reach the ball!

And if you play Zubac, Jordan will be able to use his athletic ability to get rid of you immediately.

This creates a result.

Not as fast as him, not as tall as him. This is the main reason why the cooperation between Jordan and Paul is so impeccable.

Another point is that Paul's passing skills are truly superb. A seemingly simple raise of his hand actually contains a lot of things.

Including angles, starting and landing points, as well as the judgment of Jordan's bounce, impact, explosive power, height and wingspan, and the interception probability of the Lakers defender, etc. These things are really purely based on feeling and cannot be practiced overnight.

This is enough to show how excellent Paul's overall view and passing ability are.

of course.

It’s not unsolvable either.

Infinitely switching defenses, or attacking in advance, can break this pick-and-roll cooperation.

second round.

When Paul continued to pick and roll with Jordan, Xue Liancheng simply refused to follow and hugged in front of Jordan, delaying Jordan's move immediately and allowing Feng Lai to follow Paul.

And Feng Lai's height is there, and the coverage area is too large. Paul actually doesn't dare to pick the basket when he rushes in. After all, his height of 183cm is not enough to support Paul to complete the shot.

On the other side, Jordan was still able to move smoothly after being delayed, and at this time, Jordan's height advantage was even more obvious.

But the Lakers changed defense, and George and Xue Liancheng directly switched defenders.

Not only that.

The Lakers' defense is in place at all times. As long as Paul dares to pass the ball, the left and right flanks will immediately attack.

With his body pressed down, it was impossible for Jordan to complete the alley-oop, so after receiving the ball, he could only pause for a moment, but everyone knew about Jordan's movement control skills, so he made a mistake.

The Lakers' fast break push is very crazy.

Randall and Feng Lei fired their bows from left to right, charging like armored vehicles, and there was no way to stop them.

Xue Liancheng was able to directly provide assists when changing and rushing forward, allowing Randall to complete the alley-oop.

In the opening two rounds, both sides conducted a simple test.

Next, start working on the intensity.

Physical strength, confrontational strength, fighting strength.

I won’t let you fight well anyway.

Whether it's breakthrough or screen cooperation, or even your shot, you will never be allowed to shoot from a comfortable point. It is almost a playoff-level confrontation.

This caused the whole place to ring with the clanging sound of iron.

Neither side has a good rhythm, and neither can do anything to defeat the other.

At this time, the quality of the superstar will be tested.

In this regard, Xue Liancheng and George's individual singles abilities are still much better than Griffin and Paul.

But the Clippers' success today is by no means ordinary. Their bench depth and three-point shooting stability are relatively better than those of the Lakers.

End of first quarter.

Both sides fought evenly.

The Lakers only led by 24 point with a slim advantage of 23:1.

The commentator of this game concluded: "This game has the flavor of a playoff battle."

Not only the intensity of the confrontation, but conflicts between Randall and DeAndre Jordan, Von Lay and Griffin almost broke out, and the smell of gunpowder became more and more intense.

Obviously.

Both sides play this game with determination to win.

The commentator chuckled: "Can you not go all out? Look at Rivers' expression, it's really scary."

In the camera, Old Rivers is dancing and giving a speech, with a facial expression that is three points ferocious and five points terrifying. He is undoubtedly urging the players to work hard.

The host also shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Actually, it's not Rivers' fault. Who would have thought that the Lakers would actually turn corruption into something magical, shocking everyone along the way. I also didn't expect that Xue Liancheng said that he would hit the top four. Come on."

Commentator: "So in order to avoid this loud slap in the face, the Clippers have no other choice. They can only win, especially for Rivers, who has no retreat at all."

Commentator: "This shows how terrifying Xue Liancheng's dominance is, but what I want to know more is, if the Clippers are really surpassed by the Lakers, will Rivers keep his promise and resign?"

The host shook his head: "I don't think he knows how. He doesn't even dare to answer this question directly."

The commentator said: "If he can't keep his word, he will lose all his prestige. Even if he stays in Los Angeles, he will become a laughing stock. So as long as Old Rivers is not confused, he should still keep his promise."

While the commentary team was discussing, the second quarter had quietly begun. As soon as they came up, the Clippers' tactical strategy changed. Their offensive attack shifted from the pick-and-roll between Paul and DeAndre Jordan to Griffin, with Paul taking on the role of receiving the ball.

It's equivalent to a dual-control tactic, and the effect is pretty good.

But if Jordan doesn't hit the penalty area, it's no different than being useless. After a few rounds, Old Rivers replaced him.

As soon as DeAndre Jordan was gone, the Clippers' rim protection level immediately fell from the clouds to the abyss, and Xue Liancheng was able to get whatever he wanted.

Basically fighting in and out, and then using their feet to sneak up on one, there is nothing the Clippers can do.

Both sides worked hard in this quarter, but Xue Liancheng was obviously better at controlling the rhythm, pushing fast break counterattacks, and having a stronger ability to switch offenses.

The Lakers basically rely on the opponent's unsteady footing to hit the basket, which can cause the Clippers a headache.

Because even if Jordan is present, it is impossible for one person to guard two people. The impact of Randall and Vonlei on the left and right is really sweeping over like a wave, giving you no time to react and attack. The round is over.

Randall's statistics this season are good and his efficiency has improved significantly, which is why he has done so.

And Feng Lai regained his life again because of this.

Xue Liancheng's driving ability, defensive ability, and deterrence are really not comparable to ordinary players.

In addition, there is a first-class superstar George standing next to him, so you don't dare to go short.

in this way.

There will be a situation where you have no way to guard against fast breaks and transitions.

Old Rivers replaced DeAndre Jordan ahead of schedule, but DeAndre Jordan couldn't outrun Randall and Von Lay when he turned back, resulting in a 5-on-4 situation.

Crawford, who was replaced, was only as tall as a guard. Although his speed could keep up, the difference in tonnage was too big, making their defense useless.

These are problems that the Clippers cannot solve.

At halftime, the overall strength gap between the two sides began to show. The Lakers led the Clippers by 54 points 46:8.

The situation is getting worse.

The camera followed Rivers Sr. until he disappeared into the tunnel.

The commentator joked with a smile: "Overestimating one's abilities is probably the worst thing. In fact, I now seriously doubt whether old Rivers is really as powerful as imagined."

Old Rivers was acquired by the Clippers through a trade. While serving as the head coach, he also served as the team's deputy general manager of basketball affairs.

This is really the greatest trust, which is equivalent to giving the entire team to Rivers to build.

result.

I haven't even touched the floor of the Western Conference Finals.

Now he is uttering wild words again. Judging from the current situation, he is about to be slapped in the face.

And this slap in the face was in front of all the sports media reporters and basketball fans around the world. You can imagine how painful it was.

Commentator: "I think only defense can save this Clippers now, but old Rivers seems to have lost his special skills in Boston."

It is a well-known fact that the defense of the iron-blooded Green Army was suffocating back then. The Lakers and Celtics finals reached the tiebreaker, and it is still regarded as a classic by fans.

The Big Three Green Army that year were indeed known for their iron-bloodedness and were indeed omnipotent on the defensive end.

The host laughed: "Have you forgotten who the defensive coach of the Green Army was? Thibodeau!"

Done.

The three of them raised their heads and laughed.

That's right.

One of the assistant coaches of that iron-blooded Green Army was the now famous defensive master Thibodeau.

and so……

The Green Army's success that year didn't seem to have much to do with the old Rivers?
There is no answer to this question. After all, we can’t go back to the past.

However, Old Rivers' ability to control superstars is not comparable to that of ordinary coaches.

The connection with the team management is also beyond expectations.

For example, when Thibodeau broke up with the Bulls, he did not have the ability and means to get along well with the management, and the quarrel was quite ugly.

The old Rivers and Angie broke up in a relatively decent manner, and even brought a first-round draft pick to the Green Army. Boston fans also spoke highly of the old Rivers.

and so.

If the Green Army can succeed, it cannot be said that the old Rivers has no role.

He was able to suppress the Big Three back then and make the sharp-edged Rajon Rondo willing to assist him. That was also an ability.

The third quarter begins.

The Clippers have indeed strengthened their defense, but the feeling is that the dopamine secretion caused by excitement and excitement makes them run tirelessly on the defensive end. There seems to be no change in defensive tactics.

If I must mention one change, it would be to make advance arrangements for a pincer attack against Xue Liancheng.

However, this is not a problem for Xue Liancheng. His offense continues to be fierce and he launches the offense by connecting the ball. This is where Feng Lai and Randall cooperate better.

The former has been his teammate for many years and knows his playing habits. Especially last season in New York, Xue Liancheng played a lot of connecting balls. Feng Lai naturally has a certain understanding of this.

And Randall's central axis level has begun to show. He is already very skilled in connecting and responding to the ball at the top of the arc.

of course.

In fact, it is more George holding the ball to initiate the offense.

In this case, Xue Liancheng didn't panic at all. He had a good outside touch in this game, so when George held the ball, he could also move to create space for his teammates.

The effect is also excellent.

After all, he is also at the top level even without the ball.

After three quarters, the Lakers trailed by 89:71 by a full 18 points. In other words, the Clippers lost by a full 10 points in the third quarter, and it looked like the game was over.

at this time.

The Clippers players on the field had no expressions at all. They all had dull faces, pale lips, and eyes staring blankly ahead. Their expressions were no different from those about to be executed.

Just when everyone thought the Clippers were doomed.

even……

The Clippers players themselves probably feel helpless.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Crawford broke out and scored two consecutive three-pointers.

Then Paul also started to hit three-pointers, and he also scored two in a row.

Seeing that the score was about to shrink to single digits, Xue Liancheng stepped forward to stop the team's bleeding.

Then he played against Redick twice.

The so-called one blast, then decay, and exhaustion.

Continuous three-pointers failed to bring the score closer, and the Clippers finally plummeted.

As the referee's whistle blew, the Lakers almost defeated the Clippers 123:109, completing their first big upset.

(End of this chapter)