Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 85 Your weaknesses are a little over a billion.
Playing against Kobe is like a marathon; he will challenge you in every aspect of the game.

This is reminiscent of those 120-minute productions in futuristic Japan that require male actors to fire ten shots at a cannon within a single minute. Everyone knows it's edited, but you can't help but think, "Wow, that's incredible!"

Kobe gave Xu Ling that feeling.

In the first five minutes, Xu Ling and Kobe accounted for 90% of the team's points.

Just when the audience thought the matchup would continue, the Lakers' interior defense broke the balance.

Or, to put it another way, Jaffaroni's order for Hakim Warrick to double-team Kobe prompted Kobe to pass the ball to Odom on the wing, who then passed it into the basket.

Bynum received the ball under the basket and, without making any complicated feints, relied purely on his young and strong body and explosive power to bulldoze his way in two steps like a bulldozer. He then rose up forcefully. Gasol tried to contend with this youthful power, but faced with an absolute power difference, his attempts to stop him were futile.

With a loud bang, Bynum slammed the ball over Gasol and scored.

That's when people remembered that the Lakers actually had other players who could play.

While Kobe's offense is their lifeline, this team is not lacking in talent. A mentally sound Odom, Bynum before he got his haircut, Fisher when he doesn't face athletic guards, plus Kobe who doesn't usually overwork his CPU—this is why the Lakers are surprisingly ranked in the top four in the Western Conference so far this season.

Give this team an All-Star caliber player and they'll become a formidable force.

Bynum's attack seemed like a harbinger that the rhythm of the game was about to change.

Upon arriving at the frontcourt, Xu Ling did not ask for the ball, so Lowry passed it to Gasol, who was calling for the ball in the low post.

However, Gasol was clearly not used to such a high intensity right from the start. When his teammates passed him the ball, he knew that Bynum was stronger than him after a few attempts. But if he didn't keep going, it would be too demoralizing, so he had no choice but to keep going. As a result, he missed his shots. Odom grabbed the rebound and dribbled the ball up the court. Then he made a high-post layup with his left hand.

Compared to the Grizzlies, a team built around a weak All-Star center and rookies, the Lakers are much more mature.

Although Kobe was threatening to leave, the team had made the playoffs for several consecutive years, and their overall strength, teamwork, and morale were superior to the Grizzlies. They knew how to win.

Kobe, in particular, immediately seized upon the Grizzlies' lack of offensive fluidity and adopted a high-intensity, close defense against Xu Ling.

When Lowry called for a pick-and-roll to break through but failed, and after wandering around to try and shift the blame to Xu Ling, he only saw that the latter was being closely guarded by Kobe and had no chance to receive the ball, so he could only pass it to Mike Miller.

Miller attempted a three-pointer, but missed.

Odom grabbed the rebound again, sparking a fast break, and delivered a brilliant pass to Kobe, who was in position.

Xu Ling followed closely, accurately predicting Kobe's every feint and cornering him completely.

Kobe was in a desperate situation where his passing lanes were blocked and his shooting angles were completely lost. All the spectators held their breath, waiting for their Lakers teammates to come to his rescue.

However, the next second, Kobe forcefully twisted his body under almost impossible circumstances, rising up in a posture that defied the laws of mechanics, and throwing the ball high towards the backboard.

"Bang!"

An unbelievable backboard shot hit!

The point difference widened to 6, and FedExCamp erupted in a deafening chorus of boos and gasps. Kobe, unfazed, coldly told Xu Ling, "Trying to shut me down? Unless you can prevent me from even jumping."

To be honest, before he time-traveled, Xu Ling only knew about Kobe Bryant from an Excel spreadsheet.

If you were to understand Kobe from an Excel spreadsheet, then at least from the perspective of fans of the small-ball era, Kobe would seem quite inefficient. Even after traveling back in time, the main impression of Kobe would still be that he was a very high scorer, but only after actually playing against him did you realize that this guy was quite unconventional.

In that situation, unless there was no time left on offense, what normal person would insist on taking a shot without waiting for their teammates to clear the way?
If you enjoy challenging yourself with high-difficulty tasks, you should be inefficient. It would be a miracle if you weren't.
However, when he makes that kind of shot, it has an excellent depressing effect on the defender.

However, Xu Ling had experienced countless depressing moments in his previous life, and now he would only consider it luck and then get back at it.

However, someone on the Lakers' side wanted to stand up for Kobe. Odom excitedly ran and clapped his hands, saying to Xu Ling, "Hey, 'the next Kobe,' looks like you're still a long way from 'the last one.' Maybe you should learn how to manage your dog first?"

Grizzlies head coach Marc Jaffaroni is already considering calling a timeout.

He wasn't a seasoned coach, or rather, he trusted Xu Ling more than himself. Most coaches would call a timeout to stabilize the game when the score difference reached 7 points, but he wanted to see if Xu Ling could continue the momentum with his response.

At this point, some people began to sense that Kobe was in control of the game.

As Kevin Harlan said, "We have no reason to be disappointed in Eli. He was not intimidated by the best players in the league, not only putting up a good fight in one-on-one situations, but also carrying the team single-handedly. But you have to admit, he is too young."

“Yes, that might be his biggest weakness,” Doug Collins said meaningfully. “He took on a team too early and was so good that the Grizzlies couldn’t stay in the tanking category, which will prevent them from finding good enough help for Eli in the draft. I mean, Eli may never have his own Scottie Pippen.”

As the TNT duo discussed the Grizzlies' seemingly bleak future, Lowry had already steadily dribbled the ball across half-court.

Then, Lowry saw Xu Ling reach out for the ball two steps outside the left three-point line.

"It's still early, hold on to this attack!" Jaffaroni shouted from the sidelines.

Lowry hesitated for a moment, but still passed the ball. Xu Ling received the ball two large steps away from the three-point line, a choice that puzzled even the commentators.

“This position is too far,” Harlan said. “Xu should reorganize the attack.”

Then Xu Ling made a stunning save, catching the ball, lifting it up, and then, to Kobe's astonishment, unleashing a long-range three-pointer with 16 seconds left on the shot clock.

"No! Don't throw like that!" Jafaroni almost jumped up.

The entire stadium fell silent instantly, all eyes following the incredibly high arc of the ball.

"Uh-huh!!!"

The crisp sound of the net being swished rang out like thunder!
"Lucky ball!"

Odom blurted it out.

"Yes, that's what makes Eli so terrifying!" Harlan said excitedly. "He hit two buzzer-beating game-winners from the logo position in the NCAA. That's no accident. Once he gets to the frontcourt, any position can become his offensive initiation point!"

The FedExCare arena, which had been suffocating under the Lakers' dominance, has regained its energy, and the fans are becoming even more enthusiastic about Xu Ling.

Even the most die-hard fans couldn't believe that Xu Ling could handle Kobe in this situation.

However, Xu Ling did not retreat to the backcourt. He stayed in the frontcourt, ready to retaliate by sticking close to Kobe, and also to pass on a message to the foul-mouthed Odom: "Lamar."

Odom was about to serve, but Xu Ling's presence in the frontcourt made him very uncomfortable.

Xu Ling continued, "What you should be most concerned about right now is where the Lakers will send you and your teammates, whom Kobe was so eager to get rid of, after the trade." Odom's expression changed slightly, while Kobe remained calm.

Xu Ling stuck close to Kobe, like a one-on-one full-court press.

Odom's wonderful mood was affected by Xu Ling's words. He was a simple-minded person, and most importantly, he was obsessed with everything about Los Angeles and didn't want to leave no matter what. The thought that if Kobe was traded, the Lakers would inevitably have to rebuild, and then all of them...
In that moment of distraction, Odom hesitated for a second before releasing the ball! The ball was too slow and the trajectory was too high. Kobe struggled to jump and barely managed to catch it, disrupting his offensive rhythm.

Kobe quickly passed the ball to the frontcourt. Odom, in a daze, ran towards the top of the arc. After receiving the ball, he should have passed it to the basket, but due to his distraction, he chose to take a hasty shot.

"boom!"

The ball hit the front edge and bounced off the rim.

However, at that moment, a burly figure suddenly leaped into the air, using his amazing explosive power to overpower Miller who was helping to defend, grabbed the offensive rebound with one hand, and violently slammed the ball into the basket!
Andrew Bynum!

After landing, Bynum pumped his fist and roared. Judging from his physique, he may possess all the qualities of a great center.

Xu Ling's impression of him mainly comes from Lakers fans' reminiscences in the basketball community: his talent, his downfall, his hairstyle—these all seem to be things destined to happen in the future, but now he looks like an idealized version of Eddie Curry.

This player's interior toughness and explosiveness are even greater than Gasol's, but the Lakers are still a team that focuses on the perimeter, so he can only pick up where Kobe left off.

However, it is still very threatening.

It was Bynum's dominance in the paint that changed the game between Xu Ling and Kobe, thus boosting the performance of the rest of the Lakers. On the other hand, for the Grizzlies, although Lowry could break through Fisher, he couldn't challenge Bynum and others' rim protection when he got to the basket. He also habitually passed the ball to Xu Ling, and over time, Mike Miller and others got cold hands. As a result, Pau Gasol also played worse and worse.

The reason why core point guards are important is that they can control the pace of the game, and the Grizzlies currently have no one who can play that role well.

The Lakers took control of the game with a better pace, scoring 27-22 in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Grizzlies substituted Xu Ling and shifted their offensive focus to the inside. Although Darko Milicic made some contributions, the Lakers, led by smart role players like Luke Walton, launched a high-quality team offensive and continued to extend their lead.

When the point difference reached 9 points, Jaffaroni had no choice but to bring Xu Ling back.

Pau Gasol also returned with Xu Ling.

Jaffaroni moved Xu Ling to the point guard position.

Xu Ling learned from Lowry's mistake as soon as he arrived and fed Gasol the ball repeatedly. Facing Kwame Brown, Gasol finally showed his skills, scoring twice in a row with his back to the basket, which helped him rebuild his confidence.

The Lakers brought back their full starting lineup. Kobe hit a three-pointer as soon as he entered the game, while Xu Ling continued to run 1-5 pick-and-rolls with Gasol, as if he was feeding the Spaniard until he was sick of it.

Gasol went from being cold to hot in just half a quarter, but that wasn't enough to tie the game.

Inside the VIP box at FedExCare, Jerry West paced back and forth, becoming increasingly agitated whenever the Grizzlies played at home and he witnessed a poor performance.

Today, this unease began to arise after Xu Ling took over the number one position.

It should be said that the Grizzlies overestimated Xu Ling, or rather, they were too eager for a savior who could dominate both scoring and playmaking.

Xu Ling has only ever played point guard in both his past and present lives, never truly taking on the responsibility of a core point guard. He possesses the skills a ball-handler should have, but lacks the playmaking awareness that requires long-term development. Playing him as point guard isn't impossible, but the cost is that his individual offensive brilliance will gradually dim under the constraints of "playmaking first."

Given Xu Ling's All-Star caliber firepower at the shooting guard position, if he could be paired with a truly high-quality point guard...
West's gaze involuntarily drifted to his desk. It was piled high with deal proposals from the past few days: Baron Davis, Chauncey Billups, Andre Miller, even Jason Kidd. He had scrutinized each name repeatedly, and had even made initial contact with some.

But the problem always loomed ahead – Kobe.

Kobe's future remained uncertain, like a thick fog shrouding the entire league. Countless teams harbored illusions, believing "we also have a chance," completely failing to understand that Kobe didn't want a new environment, but a roster capable of contending for a championship and proving he could reach the top even without Shaq. Those lousy teams that only drained their resources without any competitiveness were simply not worth his attention.

It was Kobe who pressed the pause button, causing the entire trading market to fall into a strange standstill, with no one daring to make any rash moves.

Now, with the first half coming to a close, the Lakers still lead by 6 points. The Grizzlies have possession. Xu Ling, who scored 18 points in the first quarter, only scored 5 points in the second quarter, but delivered 5 assists. Facing Kobe, he raised his hand to call for a screen from Gasol, and then charged forward, not only getting past Kobe but also breaking through Bynum's help defense. He drove to the basket, jumped over Fisher who came to help defend, completely knocked Fisher aside, and slammed the ball into the basket.

"OMG!!!!!"

Kevin Harlan roared excitedly, "Eli practically murdered Derek Fisher in mid-air!"

Furthermore, Fisher was called for a foul with only 1.1 seconds left in the first half.

The Lakers had virtually no time to launch a final offensive attack.

Therefore, this was absolutely a perfect last-minute attack.

Xu Ling turned around and overheard Kobe's comment on the play: "You only know how to bully small guys?"

He immediately realized that Kobe preferred this kind of cold-water trash talk—it didn't sound rude, but it was like pouring ice water on someone's head, enough to make an unsteady opponent feel frustrated.

This was exactly what Xu Ling wanted to do. As a player who enjoys interacting with his opponents, he was happy to try all styles of trash talk, especially since there were just too many "flaws" to criticize about Kobe.

As he stepped to the free-throw line, Xu Ling smiled and replied, "I just tend to target the weakest link."

Xu Ling paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the other Lakers players on the sidelines, before slowly adding, "It's just that your team seems to have a lot of these kinds of moments."

As soon as he finished speaking, he made the penalty kick with ease.

After that, Kobe attempted a long-range three-pointer from the backcourt, but he couldn't even touch the rim.

At halftime, the Lakers led 61-58 by 3 points.

To everyone's surprise, Xu Ling not only did not collapse under the all-around pressure from the undisputed number one player in the league, but also delivered a stunning performance in the first half.

Kobe continued his consistent performance, almost single-handedly carrying the Lakers' offense, scoring 32 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in the first half, seemingly on track for his third 50+ point game against the Grizzlies.

Xu Ling, as a rookie, was equally impressive, putting up a well-rounded stat line of 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, steadily handling every pressure Kobe exerted.

"Admittedly, most of Kobe's points came from unstoppable isolation plays, which undoubtedly showcased his exceptional individual ability; while Eli didn't have many possessions where he directly isolated against Kobe," Kevin Harlan commented at halftime. "But please don't forget that Kobe was not only the world's best offensive player, but also one of the top defensive guards. Few people could maintain a consistent performance under his full pressure and determination to win."

"For a freshman who is not even 20 years old, Eli's performance tonight is enough to prove that all the attention and hype surrounding him is not unfounded. He is a true and foreseeable superstar of tomorrow."

With Haaland's summary, this highly anticipated match went into halftime.

(End of this chapter)