NBA: I just want to play soy sauce, you let me win the championship

Chapter 167 Do we still have to rely on the basket to score?

It’s really interesting. The first time we played against the Lakers was more than 100 chapters ago.

At that time, the Kings did not have Chris Webber in the team. In order to withstand the Lakers' offensive at the last moment, Lu Yuanzhi had to transform into a bomber, rush into the paint, cause O'Neal to foul, and knock O'Neal off the court.

Now, more than 100 chapters later, the team's absolute boss and absolute core Chris Webber has returned, but due to changes in mentality, the Kings are still unable to compete head-on with the Lakers at the last moment.

Lu Yuanzhi still had to carry the explosive bag and rush into the paint, consuming O'Neal's energy so that he could not threaten the Kings inside on the offensive end, nor could he block the Kings players who broke into the paint on the defensive end.

But more than 100 chapters ago, the consequences of committing a foul were obvious. Success was success, failure was failure. Everything was obvious.

But now, more than 100 chapters later, the matter of attacking inside and consuming O'Neal's physical energy is a bit mysterious. To what extent does it take to achieve the intended effect?
Lu Yuanzhi didn't know.

But Lu Yuanzhi knew that he had no choice.

I can only rush, rush, rush tirelessly!
Rush to O'Neill's collapse!
Because in these more than 5 minutes, the Lakers can fall behind countless times, but as long as the Lakers take the lead once, the tense nerves of the Kings players will collapse and the game will be over.

Lu Yuanzhi and Weber began to attack the inside regardless of their physical strength. Even Pollard followed the instructions of the coaching staff and entered the basket to eat the pie.

The whole Kings team temporarily forgot about the black cat in their hearts, and fully cooperated with the three of them to attack the inside to consume O'Neal's physical strength.

But. . .

Adelman frowned off the court, and Lu Yuanzhi, who was the first to see through the situation on the court, also looked worried.

Why does the referee's whistle sound so diligently?

Not only did the Lakers get whistles, but the Kings also took a lot of whistles.

If you look at the number of free throws the two teams received in the fourth quarter, you will definitely think that this is a fair and impartial referee.

But, we don’t want free throws!

No, what Lu Yuanzhi wants to be precise is, can we let the players from the two teams play the game on their own without making so many whistles?

In such an anxious game, such a crucial fourth game of the Western Conference Finals, according to common sense, the referee will never blow the whistle so frequently at the last moment.

Giving the ball to the players to play has always been the main theme of the league's playoffs.

But today, the calls were made more frequently than in the regular season.

why?
Did the referee get any instructions to keep O'Neal on the court?
Lu Yuanzhi received the referee's pass and glanced at O'Neal, who was resting outside the penalty area, and couldn't help but feel anxious.

Yes, the referee gave me a free throw opportunity, but he also gave O'Neal more than ten seconds to rest.

If this delay continues, O'Neal can recover his physical strength every time he makes a free throw, and he can't exhaust O'Neal's physical strength at all!

"Dangdang!"

While Lu Yuanzhi was thinking wildly, he missed the first free throw, which scared him and quickly calmed him down.

The lead is only 2 points now. If this ball is missed again, the Lakers may take the lead next time they attack!
As long as the Lakers take the lead, the Kings, who led by more than 20 points at the beginning, will definitely have a broken mentality.

Not to mention his own teammates, even a determined person like Lu Yuanzhi felt tremendous pressure.

As for teammates whose mentality is not very stable, it is probably even more difficult to say.

"brush!"

Fortunately, Lu Yuanzhi withstood the pressure and hit the second free throw.

97:94, the score is tight.

O'Neal quickly fouled Pollard on the offensive end and also made two free throws.

At 97:95, the point difference between the two teams came to 2 points again.Lu Yuanzhi quickly ran to the baseline to serve, but heard the referee blow the whistle.

2 minutes and 59 seconds, another 100-second long pause!
Lu Yuanzhi looked at O'Neal who was walking calmly, and his heart skipped a beat.

wrong!

In the three-minute match between the two teams, the referee gave too many free throws. The direct consequence was that O'Neal did not continue to consume energy on both ends of the offense and defense.

Even when his teammates were taking free throws, he could retreat to his own backcourt early to rest, even skipping the sprint stage.

For such a big and heavy center, if you don't let him run back and forth, it is tantamount to giving him the best rest!

Even if Lu Yuanzhi, Weber and Pollard continue to attack the inside, the consumption of O'Neal is not as good as running back and forth several times.

O'Neal's physical strength has risen instead of falling!
And in the last 3 minutes, O'Neal, who has a certain amount of physical reserves, will inevitably show his sharpest teeth and come to tear the Kings apart!
Adelman on the coaching bench also had dull eyes.

How could it be, how could O'Neal regain his strength!
According to this trend, even if the clock is stopped in the last three minutes and the game lasts for more than ten minutes, O'Neal will not be exhausted.

There is a deeper reason, which is the spiritual power of human beings.

If the game is far from over and their physical strength is gradually exhausted, most players will feel powerless and gradually give up.

But now, there are only 3 minutes left in the game. Even if O'Neal's physical strength is really exhausted when there are 1 minute and 2 minutes left, he will steel himself and grit his teeth to get through it.

Never underestimate the power of the human spirit!
Although he was very reluctant, Adelman had to admit that the tactic that he tried to wear down O'Neal's physical strength throughout the game had officially failed at this moment.

The entire tactical investment was officially sunk!

As a mature leek, Adelman knew it was time to cut it.

If you worry about those sunk costs at this time, you will most likely be dragged down.

"Max, Chris, Scott, give up attacking the basket," Adelman said, re-arranging tactics, "Doug, Michael, Max, you are looking for opportunities to shoot from outside the three-point line, but the tactics will not work. Let's give the ball to Chris and let him take Horry alone."

"Scott, come out and help your teammates to cover. O'Neal will most likely not follow."

Except for Lu Yuanzhi, who had expected it, everyone was confused when they heard Adelman's new tactics.

What's the situation? One moment you're rushing inside, and the next moment it's raining outside the three-point line?

This change is too big!

However, Adelman saw it very accurately. Today, O'Neal was determined to defend the basket. He was determined to retreat to the defense and would not care about the Kings' shots after the pick-and-roll.

The Kings tactics were very successful, and Bibby and Christie got a lot of shots from outside the three-point line.

However, their touch seemed to be exhausted in the first quarter.

At the last moment, the Kings made 5 of 1 three-pointers. Only Webber's hard work inside could not resist the wave of offense set off by O'Neal.

With 2 minutes left, the Lakers took the lead, and the Kings' mentality completely collapsed, and they could only helplessly shoot from outside the three-point line.

With 30 seconds left, the Lakers already led by 4 points and still had the ball.

At 100:104, the Kings swallowed the bitter pill of defeat at Staples Arena, and the series score became 2:2.

At the last moment, the Lakers relied on O'Neal's basket attack to make the final decision, while the Kings could only rely on Webber's basket attack to maintain the score.

So, in this era, do we still have to rely on the basket?
Then who can beat O'Neal under the basket?

(End of this chapter)