() Before the start of this game, the media generally believed that this would be an extremely exciting battle, a battle between dragons and tigers. Because both teams have made a lot of changes in the summer and greatly enhanced their strength.
The strength of the team. Moreover, both teams performed very well in the preseason. The Lakers had six wins and one loss.
They lost one game to the Jazz, and they lost due to luck. The whole team felt cold. The Rockets won seven consecutive preseason games. Although there was no particularly strong team to prove, there was also the playoff-level Denver Nuggets.
The whole team is in amazing shape. This proves that the transactions and reinforcements made by the two teams this summer are at least successful.
But no one expected that the first meeting between the two strong teams this season would be so weird. The Rockets' tactics were chaotic at the beginning and then returned to the half-court offensive mode of last season, as if they had not changed their head coaches. The Lakers
From the very beginning, they seemed to have fallen into the Rockets' defensive trap and were unable to break free. They even lost ten points in a single quarter.
"We need to hit the ball more to the weak side, to Adrian. He has an advantage in the low post. McGrady's defense is not good. Let's open up the offensive line from this point." Tactical adjustments between sections.
, Phil Jackson once again emphasized the need to hand the basketball to Adrian and let Adrian perform singles in the low post.
Derek Fisher nodded. In the previous training, the Lakers often practiced this tactic. He knew how to move and how to pass the ball. However, in the first quarter, he basically did not pass the ball to
Adrian instead chose to implement his original tactics. In the entire first quarter, Adrian only executed low singles once, shooting
The basket missed the frame, and he also tried a three-point shot. This is not that Derek Fisher has any objections to Adrian, but that he has already experienced a chaos and instinctively refuses the second chance that may come.
It was a chaos. Derek Fisher, who had experienced such chaos, clearly understood that the problem of ball possession was not just a problem of ball possession.
As the person involved, Kobe may not have felt it yet, because Pau Gasol has already taken away part of his ball rights. And for the sake of the team, he also chose to accept it. After all, Pau Gasol is a newcomer.
He didn't understand the complexity of the Lakers. He knew relatively little, so it was naturally difficult to detect such signs. But Derek Fisher, who was experienced enough to serve as the chairman of the players union, smelled the breath of unrest coming from nowhere.
But now it seems that some of the ball rights will be transferred. If Adrian can really open up in the low post, then the Lakers' game will be easier to play as a whole. Moreover, although they refuse to be turbulent, Derek Fisher is not good either.
Refuse Phil Jackson's repeated requests.
At the beginning of the second quarter, when Adrian blocked Tracy McGrady in the low post to get into a good position, Fisher did not immediately hand over the basketball to Pau Gasol.
.Instead, he chose to pass the ball to Adrian who had an opportunity in the low post.
Adrian holds the ball behind his back without dribbling. His body is slightly tilted back, which allows him to lean closer to Tracy McGrady, and at the same time, he is more concealed and more powerfully prepared to exert force.
"Are you ready?" Adrian tilted his head and smiled at Tracy, which reminded Tracy of the game last season. When Kobe's hand felt cold, Adrian kept holding the ball.
It was only by playing alone that he brought the final victory to the Lakers. Adrian was hit again and again, the pain and the dizziness that seemed to make his whole body tremble. Even today, Tracy McGrady still has the clarity
memory.
"Is it coming again?" Tracy McGrady wailed in his heart, and at the same time he had tightened his muscles, preparing himself for Adrian's impact.
But just when Tracy McGrady thought that Andre would hit him with all his strength, he turned around lightly and passed by him because he was too focused on defending Adrian's back.
This made Tracy unable to change his defensive method in a very short period of time. As a result, he could only stand there and watch Adrian pass by him and easily pick up the basket and score.
"You have to be ready, Tracy." Adrian smiled and said to Tracy McGrady as he retreated from defense: "I think I'm going to start scoring."
On the next ball, this time Tracy tried his best to compete with Adrian for the position under the basket. Unfortunately, long-term injuries seriously damaged his physical fitness. Whether in the Magic or the Rockets, long-term
Living as an offensive core obviously made him waste the tenacious defensive ability that he used to gain a foothold during the Raptors period.
Although Tracy tried his best to resist, Adrian didn't put in much effort. He still got stuck in a favorable position. Adrian did not spend this summer on vacation. If he wanted to launch a low attack, he had to first attack first
The first step, and the most important step, is to get stuck in a position that is favorable to you.
Because in a post-up attack, if you can't get a position, then even if you have all the means of post-up offense, it will be difficult to use it. Even if you use it, you will be defended, blocked, blocked, and double-teamed.
It will also be much larger than being stuck in a good position.
However, Adrian, who had just been stuck in his position, suddenly rushed forward and gave up his already stuck position. This sudden move allowed him to easily shake off Tracy McGrady and run out of the three-point line.
Outside. The moment he ran out of position, DePaul Gasol's pass also came.
Derek Fisher initially passed the ball to Pau Gasol, but when he observed Adrian suddenly running out of the three-point line and there was no one around him, he decisively passed the ball to Pau Gasol.
Transferred out.
After receiving the pass comfortably, Adrian took a shooting stance. Tracy McGrady, who followed Adrian and ran out, jumped up quickly. The distance between him and Adrian was a little too far. If he hadn't been there earlier,
If you jump up at once, there will be no chance of any interference.
But Adrian didn't jump. He calmly waited for Tracy McGrady to jump up, watching him turn his body sideways in the air in surprise, trying to block his breakthrough route in this way, and bent his waist into the air.
Tracy McGrady collided with Adrian and he shot the basketball from the three-point line.
Adrian did not master this shot well. Although he had been specially trained to shoot stably under strong physical contact, it was really difficult to ensure a considerable hit rate. The basketball was played at the front of the basket.
It bounced away directly, but Adrian's goal had been achieved.
"Red No. 1 blocked foul, three free throws!" The referee blew the whistle decisively at the first moment, noting that McGrady had committed a foul, but also indicating that Adrian had three free throw opportunities.
"Good pass!" Adrian gave a thumbs up to Pau Gasol.
"Nice shot!" Pau Gasol immediately gave a thumbs up in return. The two looked at each other, smiled, and immediately high-fived in celebration.
Although Adrian had concerns about Pau Gasol and was quite uncomfortable with him taking away possession of the ball as soon as he arrived. But Adrian understood that this had nothing to do with Gasol, he was just a player.
He can't decide his own future at all. He is not the one who really makes all this happen.
Moreover, Pau Gasol's pass is indeed beautiful. It is not only immediate, but also has the right strength and height. This pass completely proves Gasol's technical level in Europe.
Adrian is a sure shot at free throws, and this time is no exception. Adrian easily hit three free throws. After not scoring at all in the first quarter, Adrian already scored in the first two minutes of the second quarter.
Got five points.
For the third goal, Adrian still chose to post up McGrady. This time he chose his best offensive method of back-up force push, pushing McGrady staggering back to the basket. From the corner of his eye.
His eyes found that Yao Ming had double-teamed him from the right side. Adrian pretended to turn to the right, but suddenly turned left, pressed Tracy McGrady and used a small hook to pick the basketball into the basket.
Adelman stood up and called a timeout. Adrian's consecutive hits had posed a serious threat to the Rockets.
On the bench, Tracy McGrady was a little depressed after being beaten by Adrian continuously. Adrian's progress was too fast and too obvious.
Although Adrian was also good at post-up play last season, he only had a simple mode of post-up play last season, back-up play. In short, it was brute force to clear the way and forcefully squeeze the defensive players away.
Or squeeze to the basket and then turn around for a layup or a shot. During the season
In the early period, he developed the ability to turn his back and shoot, which made his back attack more difficult to defend. However, in general, although his back attack was efficient, it seemed simple. If his physical fitness was strong enough, it would be more targeted.
The defense can still be effective.
But this season, in the three previous games, Adrian clearly chose three completely different low-post singles methods, and all of them were successful. Not only did he allow Adrian to score seven points in a row on his head, he also
A foul was caused by Adrian.
Obviously, his offensive mode is no longer monotonous, and his offensive methods have been enriched a lot over the summer. It is no longer possible to observe him with the same eyes as last season!
Facing Adrian, who was fully playing, Adelman chose to make substitutions. Sean Battier was replaced by Rafe Alston. In a completely tall lineup, Tracy McGrady became the point guard.
