Wang Zelin is looking forward to the series with the Lakers, and the Trail Blazers players are also looking forward to it. After all, the opponent is the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the two super giants in the NBA. Its star player Kobe Bryant is even vaguely known as the "21
"The greatest NBA player in the first decade of the century", how could the young Blazers not be excited to play against such a legendary player?
At the same time, there is another highlight of this game, which is that Kobe and Carter, two super guards who were famous in the league at the beginning of the century, finally met for the first time on the playoff stage.
Kobe played for the Lakers for 20 years of his career, and was born with honors. He was the most accomplished of the four shooting guards at the beginning of the century; Carter, on the other hand, went through the Raptors, Nets, Magic, Suns, and Mavericks, and finally found his position with the Trail Blazers.
A sense of belonging and the possibility of wearing the second championship ring of his career.
However, these two playoff veterans, Kobe has always played in the Western Conference, while Carter has played in the Eastern Conference most of the time, so the two have never met on the playoff stage.
Finally in the second round of this season's playoffs, Kobe, the 13th pick in the 1996 draft, and Carter, the 5th pick in the 1998 draft, met for the first time at the twilight years of their careers at the ages of 37 and 39 respectively.
Young fans haven't thought anything of it yet. Kobe has a great reputation and high honors, and they have long been familiar with it.
But Carter, some young fans even got to know Carter for the first time through the highlights of Carter's career played on the big screen before the game by the Trail Blazers. Only then did they understand that the No. 15 veteran at the end of the Trail Blazers' bench used to be so Dior when he was young!
For many old fans, this wave of momentum before the league game is undoubtedly another wave of memories.
Obviously, Bald Hua's operation was excellent, which can be said to have weakened the impact of Durant's departure from the team to a certain extent.
On the Lakers side, Kobe has also been looking forward to the playoffs against the Trail Blazers for a long time.
Two years ago, when Kobe Bryant was very ambitious and planned to lead the Purple and Gold Army to win the championship again, he was defeated by the Trail Blazers in the first round and was eliminated in an embarrassing 0-4 way.
For the proud Purple and Gold fans and players, that is an outright shame.
So tonight, the Purple and Gold Army is determined to avenge its previous defeat by the Trail Blazers.
At the same time, Kobe now also knows that the league's structure has already changed. The Lakers management introduced Paul this season to help him fulfill his dream of a sixth championship in his career!
Kobe Bryant has long been the unshakable second shooting guard in history. He knows that no matter how hard he chases at this stage, he can't catch up with that black braised egg.
Of course, it would also be great if we could win one more championship and equal the number of championships with that black braised egg.
In addition, looking at the opponents he is about to face, as a veteran superstar who spanned the 1990s, the first decade of the new century, and the second decade of the new century, Kobe is confident that he can now compete with the strongest players of the new generation in the postseason.
Sai started a life-and-death showdown, feeling sincerely ecstatic!
Perhaps at this age, Kobe has long looked away from championships, best lineups, etc., and his mentality has slowly changed to enjoying the fun of basketball and the excitement of fierce competition.
Tonight, there happened to be an opponent on the opposite side that made Kobe very excited - Wang Zelin!
…
…
At 19:58, the referee signaled both sides to enter.
Wang Zelin looked at the five Lakers players on the court in the opposite seating area, ready to enjoy the baptism of the Rose Garden Arena!
The Trail Blazers still have the regular lineup: Lillard, Button, Batum, Aldridge, and Wang Zelin.
The Lakers sent out the strongest lineup of Paul, Kobe, Derrick Williams, Gasol, and Roy Hibbert.
In addition, there are two bench gangsters, Lou Williams and Brandon Bass, sitting on the bench, as well as veterans like Derrick Williams who were recruited to the Lakers by Lakers general manager Kupchak in the middle of the season.
Caron Butler.
Sources revealed that it was Kobe's idea to introduce Caron Butler. After the veteran left the Kings and joined the Lakers, with Kobe's help, he quickly regained his passion for the game and his condition improved. He averaged 8.8 points per game in the regular season.
4. In the playoffs, he averaged 7.3 per game. He is considered a reliable rotation member with rich competition experience.
Opening jump ball.
Wang Zelin and Hibbert came to the center circle. The latter had a bitter look on his face, probably knowing that he was going to suffer tonight.
"Snapped!"
The referee threw the ball into the air, and Wang Zelin jumped to the ball. Button and Batum immediately jumped down from the wings.
Lillard quickly advanced after receiving the ball and did not pass it immediately because the Lakers were mentally prepared for Hibbert's failed jump ball and retreated early.
At the same time, Kobe and Derrick Williams immediately followed Patton and Batum, preparing to cut off the passing route. Although Lillard speeded up, his mind was very clear.
At this moment, Kobe threw Hibbert away and played a pick-and-roll with Ladd. After the block, he immediately cut into the penalty area and Lillard took advantage of the situation and threw the ball high.
"boom!"
Gasol's assist was a beat late, and Wang Zelin succeeded in the alley-oop.
Wang Zelin helped the team win the first attack, and the audience suddenly burst into loud cheers.
The cheers were like a mountain roaring and a tsunami, and like a huge wave, sweeping towards the Lakers players.
Amidst this noise, it seemed as if every step I took was moving against the wind, which was extremely difficult.
At this moment, even experienced Kobe and Paul looked serious.
"Good job! But you should wear something higher next time, you know I can do that."
Wang Zelin retreated immediately after landing, high-fiving Lillard and laughing.
Lillard nodded repeatedly and quickly joined the retreating team.
Offensive and defensive transition, the Lakers attack.
Due to Kobe's performance of 28.5 points per game in the first round, the Trail Blazers were extremely afraid. Lillard did not dare to let go of Paul, and Batum had to guard against Derrick Williams, so the outside defense was restricted.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Fortunately, Lakers center Hibbert has limited offensive methods and lacks speed and explosive power, so Wang Zelin can be distracted to pay attention to Kobe.
But Wang Zelin's focus is ultimately on the three-point line. At this time, Kobe has changed his game style and switched to a large number of shots without the ball. In the past two seasons, his partnership with Rondo and Paul has honed his superb off-ball skills.
Ball movement skills.
Don't forget, this Black Mamba was once the king of the Western Conference Finals and one of the most experienced players in the entire Western Conference playoffs. Naturally, he is not so easy to pin down.
Paul controlled the court from the outside and observed the position of his teammates, especially the weak side.
The weak side, which is now the left side, is Gasol in the left corner and Kobe is 45 degrees outside the three-point line.
Suddenly, Gasol started running towards the paint area, attracting everyone's attention. But at this time, Kobe also suddenly moved towards the bottom corner.
Just when Barton was about to pounce, he was blocked by Gasol. Paul saw the opportunity and immediately passed it to Kobe, who decisively pulled up the three-point line in the left corner.
"Whoosh!"
The basketball is hollow and passes through the net, and the three-pointer is effective.
3:2, the Lakers lead.
"Oh, the Lakers played well together, using Gasol's cut to attract the Blazers' defensive attention, and then when Kobe ran to the corner, he also helped block the defender, allowing the Lakers to get this open opportunity.
."
Zhang Lili said with a surprised look on his face.
Ahem, how can the Lakers' game be without his presence?
"Both sides played well in the first attack, but the Blazers didn't do well defensively this time. Will they make changes?" Yu Jia asked.
Trail Blazers offense.
The same play style, after the pick-and-roll, Wang Zelin ran to the basket, Hibbert and Derrick Williams double-teamed, and Batum was left open.
Batum did not ask for the ball, but followed Derrick Williams into the paint area, entangled him, and provided a screen for Wang Zelin.
As for Aldridge and Patton, they were both pulled to the wings, the former on the left and the latter on the right, both outside the three-point line.
Taking advantage of the struggle between Derrick Williams and Batum, Wang Zelin used his faster movement to pull out from the basket.
At this time, Lillard's pass came in.
Wang Zelin caught the ball and saw Hibbert pushing against him from behind. He immediately turned around and was about to break through the latter and hit the gap behind him.
Hibbert took a look and quickly retreated to a reasonable collision zone going south. This was exactly Wang Zelin's intention of turning around. The Lakers didn't have many available inside lines, so his first goal now was not only to score, but also to cause damage.
When Hibbert retreated, he immediately followed him. After dribbling the ball, he carried Hibbert and started playing behind the basket.
At this time, Derrick Williams squeezed Batum away and rushed over.
Wang Zelin instantly pushed Hibbert on his back. The latter had a tonnage of 122 kilograms, which was considered to be at the top of the league, but he was still not as good as him. The gap in strength was even greater, and his center of gravity was pushed away.
Then he stepped with his left foot, turned around, took another step forward with both feet, and instantly shot up, with a bang, Hibbert was dunked.
Seeing this scene, Derrick Williams, who was helping to defend from the side, was also frightened and hurriedly stepped on the brakes. Then he heard the referee's whistle and Hibbert's thug fouled.
"And one!"
The spectators nearby roared excitedly, and Wang Zelin's dunk instantly ignited their enthusiasm.
"Good shot! Nice dunk!"
"The Trail Blazers will win! Come on, Wang, beat the opponent for me!"
"King, one more dunk! Let the people of Los Angeles know whose territory this is!"
In the Rose Garden Arena, all the fans had gone crazy. O'Neal and Nanny Riyue, who were sitting in the front row, stood up even more excitedly.
…
At the same time, the Golden State Warriors' headquarters is in the players' lounge.
Coach Kerr summoned the Warriors players who were not playing today to watch today's game.
Seeing that Wang Zelin started with an alley-oop dunk, and the second one was a brutal 2-1, all the players and the head coach set their sights on BoGt.
BoGt felt a little uncomfortable and sighed: "Why are you looking at me? That guy is a monster. I can't handle it alone!"
Thompson shook his head and couldn't help but sigh: "This guy should have gone to the 1990s to fight with the four major centers. In this era, it is simply a foul!"
Green waved his big black arm and said in a rough voice: "We are the invincible team in the Western Conference this year. It doesn't matter if that guy is strong alone. Basketball is a sport of five people. As long as we have firm belief, we will definitely be able to defeat him."
them!"
As the boss of the Warriors, the primary school student still had confidence on his face and smiled softly: "Okay, just concentrate on watching the game. The Spurs won't be coming tomorrow, and those old guys won't be that easy to deal with."
…
Rose Garden Arena.
Cheers erupted from the sidelines, while the Lakers players on the court were silent.
Gasol remained silent on the other side of the basket. Wang Zelin shocked him, and at the same time, some unfriendly memories appeared in his mind.
"Beautiful! Hibbert's thug fouled." Yu Jia shouted excitedly.
"It's absolutely ridiculous that you send guys like this just to guard against me!"
Ignoring Hibbert who was knocked to the ground, Wang Zelin turned to look at the other Lakers players and roared ferociously.
As soon as these words came out, they immediately aroused the anger of the Lakers players, and everyone turned their attention.
If looks could kill, Wang Zelin would have died eight hundred times.
Unfortunately, the murderous gaze of the Lakers players could not have any impact on Wang Zelin. When he stood on the free throw line, he steadily made extra free throws and scored 2-1.
5:3, the Trail Blazers took the lead by two points.
Kobe glanced at Hibbert, shook his head, and walked over to communicate.
"Roy, I need you to hold up Wang and don't give him too much room to shoot. You can do this, I believe in you." Kobe said.
At this time, Hibbert also realized that there was something wrong with his defense. He shouldn't be so weak. He should be tough enough to go head-to-head with that damn No. 36.
"Don't worry, Kobe, I will do it, I promise." Hibbert nodded.
Next, the Lakers attacked again.
Since Kobe was in better shape today, everyone else looked for Kobe and passed the ball to him.
After Kobe caught the ball in the low post, facing Button's defense, he chose his usual post-up play.
After a half-turn, he scored the ball with a small throw from the basket.
5:5, both sides tied.
"yes!"
On the sidelines, young coach Luke Walton clenched his fists and shouted after seeing Kobe Bryant score.
On the court, Kobe also turned his head and glanced at Wang Zelin provocatively behind the camera.
The eye contact between the two bosses in the air was also captured by the director and shown on the big screen.
Wang Zelin shook his head secretly.
There is no way, the strength gap between Barton and Kobe is a bit big.
Don't forget, Kobe here did not suffer from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Although he is old, when he used the system to test before the game, he found that Corey still had an overall strength evaluation of 90 points.
Compared with when he was young, the Black Mamba's defensive deterrence is far less than it was back then, but his offensive damage has not dropped much.
Speaking purely in terms of the threat he poses to the Trail Blazers, Paul, who is essentially the Lakers' top star with a rating of 93, is far less powerful than Kobe.