I've been playing in the NBA for three years, and this system is only now showing up?

Chapter 107 The Unique Chinese Characteristics Stern Couldn't Understand! O'Neal and Kobe Both Injured! [Please Subscribe]

Lin Ze wants to work hard in the training camp and let everyone see the success of his summer training.

Lin Ze focused on improving his dribbling skills during the offseason, especially his initial acceleration, including crossovers, jab steps, feints followed by a smooth drive, and quick drives after receiving the ball in a triple threat situation.

These are all the skills Lin Ze has been practicing hard this summer.

He knew that his physical talent and absolute speed were not comparable to those monsters in the league. If he wanted to break through with the ball, the best way was to make his dribbling and breakthrough style simpler.

The more you dribble, the more fakes and fancy moves you make, the easier it is for someone to defend you.

After acquiring Kobe's core strength, Lin Ze also incorporated more aggressive drives to the basket and shots after contact or dodging during the training camp.

In the past, he would have solved problems more often from mid-range or outside the three-second zone, but this year he will definitely be more focused on creating scoring opportunities. Kobe found Lin Ze's style of play quite incredible.

That bastard, he's copying my basketball skills!

Is this person trying to steal my job?

How could he suddenly become so good at jumping in just one summer? How did his hang time and pull-up ability suddenly become so strong?

How could he improve so quickly?

Could it be that I didn't train hard enough this summer?

Filled with disbelief and astonishment, Kobe fell into endless self-doubt.

Then, he came to a conclusion.

I've had too easy and carefree offseason.

We must make up for the training we missed over the summer!

So, almost from the first day of training camp, Kobe took the initiative to do extra training. He arrived earlier than everyone else and left later than everyone else. He became a real gym rat!

As for Lin Ze?

He still arrives on time and doesn't leave early.

But nothing more.

He would even invite his teammates to go out and have fun every night after training.

With O'Neal resting, Lin Ze took over his role and became the Lakers' king of the ladder!

Of course, O'Neal would also show up on many nights to pay the bill.

Sometimes they wouldn't even show up; they would simply have Lin Ze put the bill under his name.

Based on this alone, if the team really had to choose sides and everyone had to choose between Kobe and Shaq, Lin Ze would definitely choose Shaq without hesitation.

Kobe expressed utter disdain for Lin Ze's habit of clocking in and out on time and partying every night.

"He's faking it! I despise these bastards who say they won't train, won't train, haven't touched a ball all summer, and then come out playing with all sorts of new tricks!"

"What a load of crap!"

This guy is definitely practicing secretly!

As for how Lin Ze managed to have so much fun at parties every night while secretly working hard to improve himself—

Kobe didn't know.

But it can't be that this guy is incredibly talented, far surpassing me, and that he can improve so quickly just by spending time in the training camp without any extra training or effort.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

A month passed by so quickly.

Kobe trained relentlessly, using Lin Ze as a control group. The intensity of his training was so great that Jackson would specifically instruct the arena staff to turn off the lights early to prevent him from continuing to train. Otherwise, Kobe would probably have been injured from training too hard before the season even started.

Jackson couldn't hold back and talked to Kobe several times, but Kobe, who had always respected him and listened to him, was quite rude this time.

Despite Jackson's repeated advice, Kobe only said one thing: "It's impossible for me to rest unless you can get Lin to rest too!"

Jackson: ? ? ?

Lin is taking a break?

Do you want to listen to what you're saying?

When the hell did he stop resting? Did he ever practice for even a second longer?

Or do you want Lin Ze to rest after training tonight? To drink less, play less, and go home and sleep early?

If Jackson didn't know Kobe quite well and who he was, he would have wanted Kobe to take a urine test to see if he was high on drugs. Unless Lin Ze had 48 hours in a day, where would he find the time to practice extra?

Kobe: Then explain to me why he improved so quickly, why his skills, physical attributes, and finishing ability all improved so visibly?

Jackson: Hmm—maybe he's very talented?

After hearing Jackson's words, Kobe remained silent.

But he trained even harder.

Even if Jackson was terrified that Kobe would suffer unnecessary fatigue injuries from practicing too much, he couldn't control all the lights in Los Angeles, nor could he go to Kobe's backyard to cut the power lines to Kobe's private basketball court.

He could kick Kobe out of the Lakers' training facility, but he couldn't stop Kobe from training elsewhere.

Jackson did his best!

Kobe's almost self-destructive training methods soon had negative consequences.

In the team's last preseason game, Kobe suddenly collapsed during a drive to the basket and felt sharp pain in his Achilles tendon.

After examining the patient, Viti stated that this was a classic case of overwork-related injury; excessive and strenuous training had led to overexertion and muscle soreness.

He was unable to perform high-intensity movements under these circumstances, which led to his injury.

Fortunately, it's just a basic level one strain. All I need to do is put down the basketball and rest for a while, and I'll be fully recovered.

"You can't secretly practice anymore!" Jackson glared angrily at Kobe after the injury. "Unless you want your career to end here, unless you think a three-peat doesn't matter at all, unless you really want to become the next Hardaway or Grant Hill! Otherwise, you'd better get some rest!"

"Until Vitti allows you to participate in basketball activities!"

"Understood." Kobi, as if mourning the loss of his parents, left dejectedly.

Then, Jackson looked at Lin Ze.

"You haven't gone crazy like him, have you?"

"What?" Lin Ze was stunned. "Me? Just like him?"

He said you've been practicing like crazy every day, and that your significant improvement is because you've been secretly working hard where no one can see.

"Is he talking in his sleep?" Lin Ze interrupted Jackson without hesitation. "If I were to practice extra, I would definitely call all my media friends and have them film me secretly practicing. If I were to secretly practice extra, I would make sure the whole of Los Angeles knew I was secretly practicing."

"Why hide something like this?"

"That's right, that's you." Jackson nodded, indicating that he had lost his composure because of Kobe and Shaq's injuries.

Lin Ze would never do such a thing!

"But now you've finally got what you wanted, right?" Jackson looked at Lin Ze and said, "This is finally your team!"

You're the team leader now.

"It's temporary," Lin Ze shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, "but I'll make the most of this time and not let everyone down."

Watching Lin Ze leave as well, Jackson could only sigh.

The road to a three-peat was fraught with difficulties from the very beginning!

Putting aside the simultaneous absence of Kobe and Shaq, the Lakers' 2-4 record during the preseason alone has led many fans and media outlets to raise countless questions about the team.

Are you guys even capable?

Why are they already showing signs of fatigue in the preseason?

Many people have begun to be pessimistic about the Lakers, believing that they are unlikely to win a three-peat.

Of course, the vast majority of these people were not optimistic about the Lakers from the beginning. No matter whether the Lakers had a full roster or were short-handed, and no matter how many wins or losses they had in the preseason, their dislike and pessimism towards the Lakers would not change.

They just need an excuse and a reason to start criticizing; nothing else matters.

With injuries plaguing the team and doubts from the media and fans, it's no exaggeration to say that the Lakers are currently facing both internal and external troubles.

Under these circumstances, the regular season officially begins!

The Lakers will host the Dallas Mavericks at home!

Generally, the league will arrange for the defending champion to play against a team with more buzz and a stronger connection to the team in the season opener.

After all, this game is the start of the season, the day the championship banner is raised and the players put on their championship rings. The league needs the highest level of buzz and attention.

However, this year, the league did not allow the 76ers to face the Lakers in the opening game, and the Spurs, their opponent in the Western Conference Finals, is a team with little star power and low popularity.

Therefore, after careful consideration, the league decided that the Lakers' opponent in the opening game would be the Dallas Mavericks!

Last season's Mavericks were the league's biggest dark horse, achieving the best regular season record in franchise history and making it to the playoffs.

Western Conference Semifinals.

At the same time, thanks to the presence of Don Nelson, this team, which plays an offensive style of basketball, also enjoys considerable popularity in the league.

Their high-paced, high-rebound playing style, with everyone running and taking turns firing wildly, is exactly what many fans like.

For this reason, many people believe that the Mavericks will become the biggest stumbling block and threat to the Lakers' path to a three-peat in the new season.

This also demonstrates the NBA's intention to embrace the Chinese market, showing their sincerity towards it.

After all, in April, Dazhi, nicknamed "Chasing the Wind Boy" from China, joined the Mavericks.

Although it's unusual for a player to join the team only in April, at least he came and participated in the team's last 5 regular season games, and also made an appearance in the playoffs.

Since then, Chinese fans have been hoping for a Chinese derby to happen on the NBA court!

It just so happens that Lin Ze and Da Zhi are both power forwards, and countless Chinese fans are looking forward to a showdown between them on the NBA court, preferably with a few exciting matchups!

The NBA is also incredibly excited about the China derby, which is a major reason why they scheduled the Mavericks vs. Lakers game for their opening match! They crave more Chinese fans and want to maximize the expansion of the Chinese market. Stern hopes that all Chinese people will come to watch the NBA!

Unfortunately, the NBA and Stern had good intentions, and they did a good job.

But they overlooked something else.

Chinese characteristics.

Stern really doesn't understand this stuff.

Because he hasn't even reported to the Mavericks yet; he's still in China!

According to Stern's understanding, once you finally land in the NBA, start earning money, play at the highest level, and gain more fans, shouldn't you play well, train hard, and strive to establish yourself on the team?

But the result?

Around the end of April, after participating in the Mavericks' last playoff game, I flew directly back to China.

The East Asian Games will be held in May.

In July, the Asian Championships will be held in Shanghai.

In August, the Beijing University Games were held.

The 11th National Games will be held in November.

Right now, Dazhi is still helping the team compete in the National Games with China Fortune, giving his all for a medal!

According to his statement to the Mavericks, he should be able to return to Dallas before Christmas.

Stern was completely stunned when he heard the news.

However, if he knew about Dazhi's educational background, he would be even more surprised: how could someone who didn't even finish high school participate in the University Games?

However, since the Lakers are unable to attend, the first-ever China derby in the NBA's imagination has to be postponed. But the already set schedule cannot be changed, so they can only hope that the Lakers and Mavericks can put on a good enough game!

Then O'Neal and Kobe were both reported to have injuries.

The once-mighty trio of defending champions has been reduced to just Lin Ze in the blink of an eye.

All he could hope was that the game would be entertaining and exciting. If it was entertaining, at least he could have people shouting that tonight was a preview of the Western Conference Finals!

However, it should be noted that those who believe the Mavericks can become a stumbling block for the Lakers in the playoffs and pose a huge threat to the Lakers are basically Mavericks fans. Industry professionals, including Lakers scouts, coaching staff, and players, don't really take this team seriously.

Jackson's pre-game assessment of the Mavericks was simple and direct: "They're just paper tigers. Their tactics won't work if we increase the intensity even slightly."

"They're just a regular season team!"

Jackson gave the Mavericks such a low rating because their roster was truly bizarre.

None of the players in this team's main rotation are known for their defense.

Nowitzki and Nash are both among the worst defenders in their respective positions; one is a big softie and the other a small softie.

In addition, neither team leader Finley nor shooting guard Adrian Griffin are particularly defensive stalwarts. In a decent defensive system, they can barely be considered as not dragging the team down.

However, in a poorly defended system, they will naturally become part of the leaky sieve.

A truly top-tier team can prioritize offense but may not excel at defense.

But you absolutely cannot be like the Mavericks, completely lacking in defense.

They didn't just specialize in one subject; they completely eliminated "defense" from their curriculum!

However, it's not fair to blame Don Nelson for not letting his players play defense.

There was simply no way he could defend against such a group of people.

Instead of forcing these guys to play awkward defense, it's better to let them focus more on offense.

Although I can't stop you, as long as I find a way to make you unable to stop me, I can win the game!

This is Don Nelson's philosophy, and it's what makes him so great.

The fact that he was able to lead this team to 50+ wins, achieve the best record in franchise history, and enter the playoffs again after more than a decade is enough to demonstrate his level of skill.

Aside from him, it's hard to find another coach who could bring the Mavericks to this level.

Although Don Nelson never won a championship, he was truly the league's top tactical mastermind and a top coach who excelled at tailoring instruction to individual players.

"Both of these teams have weaknesses." As the game time approached, Kenny Smith's voice finally came through TNT: "The Lakers are depleted; both of their star players are out."

"While the Mavericks have all their players available, their roster is quite unusual."

"I'd love to play against this Mavericks team!" Barkley chuckled. "With that Mavericks' frontcourt, I could easily score 50 points in my prime! Even if I had to put on my jersey and play tonight..."

"I'm sure I can score at least 30 points!"

"In all my years of playing basketball, I've never seen such a terrible defensive frontcourt duo!"

"Yes, Charles, yes," Kenny said. "I've seen one!"

"Which one? That's impossible!"

"The 96 Phoenix Suns! Their interior defense was practically nonexistent; I could dominate them that year!"

"Fuck!" Barkley cursed, finally realizing that his new partner was mocking him.

At that moment, the lights in the Staples Center suddenly went out, and then a short documentary began playing on the big screen.

The Lakers' championship run last season.

The fans roared, cheered, and shouted continuously, their excitement coming from the bottom of their hearts!

As the lights came on again and the documentary finished playing, the cheers from the fans reached their peak.

Then the Lakers players waved to the fans one by one, and to everyone's surprise, Kobe, who was injured and absent, was among them.

With Shaquille O'Neal there, retired legend Ed Hubble returning tonight, and countless other big-name stars, Los Angeles is shining brightly once again tonight.

The players excitedly stepped forward one by one to receive their rings, and then the championship banner was raised, adding another championship to the Lakers' tally, bringing them one step closer to Boston!

Fans believe that the team will definitely be able to catch up with Boston in the next few years!

Sooner or later, they will become the team with the most championships in this league!

After the ceremony and speeches, the players from both sides took to the field to begin warming up.

Lin Ze didn't rush to shoot or anything, but instead walked towards the Mavericks' bench.

Although the Mavericks have had many players come and go over the years, he is still quite familiar with many people on the team.

Nash, Finley, Nowitzki, Bradley, and Nelson were all Lin Ze's old partners.

"Envious, aren't you!" The first thing Lin Ze did after walking towards the Mavericks' bench was to show off the ring on his index finger: "That's my fourth one! When are you guys going to get one?!"

"Faklin!" Finley gave him the middle finger and said, "I'm going to beat you to a pulp tonight!"

"Come on, Mike, take down Kobe first—oh, he's not here tonight." Lin Ze glanced back at his team's lineup and said, "Take down Richmond first, then come find me."

"I remember how badly he beat you back then."

"Go warm up, Mike." Old Nelson glared at Lin Ze and said, "When have you ever been able to out-argue him?"

Not to mention this kid spent two years with that old fox; his trash talk is only more annoying and infuriating!

"Still that old asshole—no, still that Tang Congming!" Lin Ze said, feigning an accidental slip of the tongue. "Sorry."

Tang, I respect you very much. You know me. I would never call you that. It's that guy who talks about you like that every day in the locker room.

"I unconsciously followed along with him, you're not angry, are you?"

"I'll have someone cripple you right now, and you'll be spending the rest of the season in a hospital bed, you believe me?"

'

"I don't believe it!" Lin Ze chuckled and leaned closer to old Nelson, whispering, "Seriously, what were you thinking, Tang? How could you come up with such a bizarre lineup? Dirk + Zhu Wang? Dirk is my buddy, so I shouldn't be saying bad things about him."

"Who came up with the idea of ​​a genius combination like Dirk Nowitzki and Wong Kar-wai?"

"Because of some idiot!" Old Nelson shrugged. "Some idiot wanted to build a super team, wanted to pile on more stars, and that's how it ended up like this."

After saying this, old Nelson apparently remembered something and suddenly started cursing.

"Fuck you! It's all that son of a bitch's fault for being so spineless. She didn't even dare to stand up to her boss. So what if she loses her job? Even if she gets fired, she'll still get severance pay. I don't know what this idiot is so cowardly about! FUXX!"

Seeing that old Nelson was getting more and more excited, Lin Ze silently took a half step back, then quickly retreated, getting away from the old man.

It's not for any other reason than that when this old man gets ruthless, he'll curse anyone!

He was clearly cursing at the Dallas Mavericks' general manager, Don Nelson.

His son.

What old man would scold his own son like that?

Lin Ze witnessed once again what a mad scientist is, and also what it means for me to be so ruthless that I even criticize myself.

"What are you guys talking about?" At this moment, Nowitzki and Nash also came over.

Why didn't you listen just now?

"We're not stupid," Nash chuckled. "You guys are definitely arguing. If we go, we'll either be forced to take sides or get caught in the crossfire, and then the old man will retaliate against us afterwards."

"So what are we going to do?"

"You're still as cunning as ever." Lin Ze looked at Nash and said, "Promise me you'll never become Coach Steve."

"But everyone says that cunning is an essential attribute for becoming a head coach."

"But cunning alone isn't enough; you have to be genuinely intelligent," Lin Ze said. "I mean, truly intelligent."

"Go to hell." Nash rolled his eyes, too lazy to pay any attention to Lin Ze.

Only Nowitzki, Lin Ze's die-hard fan, remained beside him, saying, "Boss, are we going head-to-head tonight? I've been waiting for this day for ages! I'm going to crush you tonight!"

"You probably don't have much of a chance," Lin Ze said. "You're a center, and I'm a power forward. We're not matched up against each other."

"What you need to do now is not to chat with me, but to go and pray."

"Pray that Shaq won't be in any of our games this year."

"Otherwise—tsk tsk tsk, I'm actually quite looking forward to that scene!"

Nowitzki fell silent, clearly thinking about the outcome of his matchup against O'Neal, and couldn't help but shudder a few times.

If the Lakers' current roster is a standard depleted lineup, then the Mavericks' is a chaotic mess.

Depleted formation vs. chaotic formation!

The match is about to begin!

After the warm-up, the starting players from both sides took to the field.

For the Lakers, second-year player Mark Madsen temporarily replaces O'Neal as the starting center, Lin Ze plays power forward, Rick Fox and newcomer Richmond play small forward and shooting guard respectively, and Fisher starts at point guard.

This roster really looks a bit weak. Without Kobe and Shaq, the Lakers' strength is indeed very limited.

This is problematic.

For the Mavericks, the lineup includes Nowitzki, Howard, Finley, Griffin, and Nash.

With these five players starting together, they look like they're easy to bully.

If the Lakers' roster is characterized by mediocrity, and they are a weak team that doesn't seem likely to win many games...

These five players on the Mavericks easily give people the illusion that: my grandma could score 20+ points against the Mavericks in the NBA.

Then, in the very first round of the game, the five players made a rather basic defensive mistake.

Madsen successfully secured the first possession for the Lakers, and Fisher dribbled the ball up the court and immediately passed it to Lin Ze.

With Kobe and Shaq out, Lin Ze naturally has unlimited shooting rights!

Facing Howard's defensive outburst, Lin Ze received the ball and immediately executed a basic triple threat in basketball. He then accelerated and drove to the basket.

This step was neither fast nor sudden; at most, it was just a breakthrough of the league's average level.

But in that one move, he successfully shook off Howard.

Lin Ze easily drove into the paint and charged straight at Nowitzki.

Take off, engage in combat.

In mid-air, Lin Ze passed the ball from his right hand to his left, dodging Nowitzki's abysmal defense, and with a flick of his wrist, sent the basketball into the basket.

Next, Nash initiated the play and quickly found Nowitzki. After receiving the ball, Nowitzki faced Madsen and was about to make a few moves when Madsen pounced on him and stuck to him.

While Dirk Nowitzki is now a true All-Star scorer, he is far from reaching his peak. His playing style is noticeably soft, and he seems somewhat at a loss when suddenly faced with such fierce defense. He can only pass the ball quickly back to Nash, who then passes it to Finley.

Finley took a jump shot but missed.

When the Lakers were on offense, Lin Ze took the ball again without hesitation, easily turned around and brushed past Howard, and then pulled up for a jump shot.

Another hit!

"Howard's defense is worse than my grandma's!" Barkley said. "I still can't understand why the Bullets gave him such a big contract back then! What made him worth a hundred million?"

"You're jealous!" Kenny laughed. "Charles, you want that hundred-million-dollar contract too, don't you?"

"Who wouldn't want that?" Barkley glanced at Kenny and said, "Besides, am I not worthy? If it were Michael taking one..."

"A hundred million? I might not be quite there yet, but Juwan Howard? Sorry! If he can get a hundred million contract, then I'm worth at least two hundred million."

"Then why don't you take it, Charles? Don't you want to?" Kenny continued to mock Barkley with a wicked grin, which clearly hit Barkley's sore spot again.

Barkley, whose sore spot had been touched, remained silent.

For the Mavericks' offense, Howard finally gave Lin Ze a response this time, receiving a pass from Nash and hitting a mid-range shot.

This is his specialty, but clearly, his current offensive firepower is completely unable to compensate for his black hole nature on the defensive end. In the next round, Lin Ze asked for the ball for the third time in a row.

This time, after receiving the ball outside the three-point line, Lin Ze once again used a triple threat and a quick drive to easily get rid of Howard.

After a few steps to the basket, Lin Ze collided head-on with Nowitzki again. He pulled away from the defense and put the ball into the basket. This time, he also drew a foul from Nowitzki and scored a 2+1!

"Dirk." After making the shot, Lin Ze asked Nowitzki, "Who taught you rim protection? Your first coach's grandmother?"

Even when it comes to his own brothers, Lin Ze doesn't hold back when he starts trash-talking.

"Try coming in again next time!" Nowitzki glared at Lin Ze, his expression saying, "If you dare to come again, I'll cripple you."

"Are you going to give me another 2+1?" Lin Ze looked at Nowitzki and said with a smile, "But seriously, I've watched every game you guys play this season, especially your defense."

"The thought of you facing off against all the league's top centers this year as a center is incredibly exciting. By the way, should I buy you some life insurance in advance?"

"FUXX!" Nowitzki was once again hit where it hurt by Lin Ze, and could only curse. He didn't even dare to think about what would happen if he faced teams with strong inside players.

During the preseason, he was often taught a lesson by the centers of several teams, including the Spurs. The thought that this long season had only just begun made Nowitzki feel that his future was bleak.

He even started to miss the helpless moments last season when Don Nelson made him play the small forward position, and he was repeatedly overtaken and outmaneuvered by the various beasts on the league's frontcourt, leaving him only able to chase after them.

"Whoosh!"

Lin Ze made the penalty, completing his first three attacks of the game.

Fortunately, Old Nelson wasn't a stubborn old man. Seeing that Howard and Lin Ze were just easy targets in a one-on-one fight, he didn't hesitate and immediately double-teamed them.

When faced with a double team, Lin Ze's weakness of not being a top-notch player was quickly exposed, and he failed to score in the next few possessions.

The Mavericks quickly took the lead with this double-team.

But after two years of hard training, Lin Ze obviously wouldn't be so easily shut down by the Mavericks.

In the next possession, Lin Ze stopped asking for the ball and started looking for screens from his teammates, running around the court constantly.

He successfully broke through to the three-point line using a screen from Madsen, received a pass from Fisher, and immediately pulled up for a shot.

"brush!"

With a crisp sound, Lin Ze scored his 10th point of the night!

Moreover, he doesn't just shoot directly after receiving the ball during off-ball movement.

He can also use his teammates' screens to find opportunities for misalignment, and once such an opportunity arises, he will seize it immediately!

For example, with 2 minutes and 31 seconds left in the first quarter, Lin Ze found Nash through a series of screens. After Nash matched up with him, Lin Ze immediately called for the ball, then backed down and positioned himself to drive hard into the paint.

Even though Nowitzki came to help defend in time, Lin Ze still jumped hard and drew a foul on Nash.

2 free throws!

After making those two free throws, Lin Ze's score in the first quarter had reached 20 points!

"Lin is as cunning as a fox! The Mavericks simply can't catch him," Barkley said. "And Lin's style of play... before him, no other interior player had ever played like that!"

Kenny said, "Maybe he can create a whole new style of play? I think countless interior players will try to imitate Lin's style of play in the future."

"Impossible." Barkley shook his head without hesitation. "Maybe some perimeter players can imitate his style of play, but inside? Impossible! His style is simply not replicable."

"Where else in this league can you find a center who combines Lin's shooting ability, agility, and off-ball skills?"

"Okay, no, not really." Kenny thought for a moment and nodded in agreement: "And don't forget, besides these, Lin also has the ability to post up and turn around for a jump shot! If a team treats him as an outside player and uses a more agile and faster outside player to defend him..."

"He can immediately teach the opposing perimeter players a lesson with his post-up skills!"

"This guy," Barkley said, "in some ways, he might be the hardest to defend and the most unpredictable player on the entire Lakers team!"

Lin Ze was substituted after scoring 20 points in a single quarter, and he was completely soaked in sweat when he left the court.

Tonight's first quarter was his first time unleashing his full power and attacking without holding back.

None of his points in the first quarter were easy baskets; every single one required physical contact, positioning, and...

The move after breaking free.

This style of play is tiring, but the feeling of firing endlessly without any restraint is really exhilarating!

12投7中，3分球2投1中，罚球5罚全中，林泽单节轰下20分3篮板！

In the first quarter when he led the team alone, Lin Ze's performance was perfect, and the Lakers successfully took a 5-point lead over the Mavericks under his guidance.

"How is it?" Jackson asked, sitting down next to Lin Ze.

"I'm exhausted," Lin Ze said, his eyes gleaming with excitement, "but it was so much fun!"

"Keep this feeling and excitement going!" Jackson patted Lin Ze on the shoulder with satisfaction. "You're unlikely to get much rest until those two guys get back."

Lin Ze didn't reply. Instead, he tilted his head back and took a big gulp of energy drink. Then he completely relaxed and tried to recover his strength as much as possible.

In the two minutes he was absent in the first quarter, the Lakers were not overwhelmed by the Mavericks, and the first quarter ended with a score of 27-33.

After resting for 4 minutes in the second quarter, Lin Ze returned to the court with 8 minutes remaining in the game.

After Lin Ze entered the game, the Mavericks didn't double-team him immediately. He immediately chose to back down Howard, then turned around...

He pulled up for a turnaround jump shot and made it again!

"You need to double-team me, old man! Double-team me now!" Lin Ze yelled at Old Nelson as he returned to defense, "Otherwise, how are you going to defend me?"

"Adrian!" Old Nelson was so angry his beard stood on end. He pulled Griffin aside and said, "When you go up there later, find a chance to give him a good thrashing. Pull this little bastard down from mid-air, preferably headfirst."

"Huh? You really want to do this?" Griffin was stunned. Why would his own coach do something like this?

Isn't Lin supposed to have a good relationship with the older players on the team?

"Of course it's fake!" Old Nelson scoffed. "But if you can land a few punches on him without crippling him, I won't object."

"Ah, this—" Griffin indicated that he was not a hitter, and at the same time he thought of Malone being pinned down and beaten by Lin Ze.

He felt it was inappropriate.

It would be better to have him pull Lin Ze down from the air.

At least that way he won't get beaten up.

"He has absolutely no sense of humor." Old Nelson rolled his eyes, suddenly missing Lin Ze a little.

When Lin Ze was on the team, he always managed to make him happy.

"Try not to challenge me, Zhu Wang!" Lin Ze positioned himself behind Howard on the defensive end. This guy, who had a huge contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars and was arguably the league's number one overpaid and underperforming player, passed the ball out again after receiving it, showing no intention or thought of challenging Lin Ze one-on-one.

Seeing this guy pass the ball again, Lin Ze immediately started trash-talking: "Your team pays you so much money a year, not for this kind of work. You have to dominate your matchup to be worth the money!"

"None of your business!" Howard didn't seem to like talking much. After muttering this, he started running around again.

That's how this guy plays in the first quarter. He'll definitely shoot if he has the chance, but if he doesn't, he's absolutely too lazy to create one.

He has completely degenerated into a catch-and-shoot finisher.

If he gets a mid-level contract, he will definitely be a quality role player.

The problem is that he can earn close to 2000 million a year!

This guy is now a typical basketball civil servant. He's already got the money, so he doesn't cause trouble or become a troublemaker. He plays when he's asked to and trains when he's asked to.

But besides that, do you want him to take on any other responsibilities?

Howard would tell you: basketball is just a job.

In the first quarter, he didn't attempt any one-on-one plays at all, and his few shots were catch-and-shoot jumpers.

Now that it's the second quarter, he's still playing the same style.

Lin Ze has finally found someone who is completely unaffected by his trash talk.

Duncan was the first, Howard was the second, and this guy relied on lying down without any fighting spirit.

He doesn't care.

No matter how much you criticize him, he doesn't care.

"Softie!" Lin Ze continued to berate Howard, hoping that Howard would take one-on-one shots, as the Lakers also needed Howard to take one-on-one shots.

After all, the Mavericks' style of play is that everyone can attack and everyone can initiate offense.

Once they get going, with Nash orchestrating the offense, they can always find comfortable scoring opportunities.

However, if Howard gets carried away and goes one-on-one, the Mavericks' advantage will disappear.

Unfortunately, Howard wasn't taking the bait; he really had no fighting spirit whatsoever.

Faced with Lin Ze's "softie," this guy was just short of telling Lin Ze, "You're right."

I'm a coward, I'm just coasting along, so what? With an annual salary of 1800 million, will you shortchange me by even a penny?

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