Chapter 98
Regular Season Awards Announced! Another Match Against the Jazz! Old and New Grudges Sett
Chapter 98 Regular Season Awards Announced! Another Match Against the Jazz! Settling Old and New Grudges! [Please Subscribe]
run!
Run like crazy!
If you Trail Blazers are so capable, then keep two people following me! Then the rest of us will have to defend three against four!
If two players aren't constantly marking him, Lin Ze's running skills are enough to create irreparable defensive gaps for the Trail Blazers due to constant switching.
After a few quiet rounds, Lin Ze finally created an opportunity and easily caught the ball for a mid-range jump shot!
"Fuck!" Dunleavy was truly exasperated, feeling extremely distressed as he watched Lin Ze's score steadily increase.
He does have a way to deal with Lin Ze: bring on Davis and have Davis and Rasheed target him together, and Lin Ze will definitely be unable to score immediately.
The problem is that this will cause the Trail Blazers' offense to get bogged down!
While Dunleavy was weighing his options, Lin Ze found another opportunity!
This time, he used Grant's screen to spin around the basket twice!
Then, as he spun for the third time, the basketball suddenly flew into his hands, and he easily pulled it up and slammed it to the basket with a sideways motion.
Sabonis couldn't even turn around yet; his legs just couldn't keep up.
"Substitute!"
Dunleavy couldn't take it anymore. If Lin Ze continued to play like this, he was afraid that before he could widen the score gap, Lin Ze would catch up!
The substitution had an immediate effect; facing two formidable defenders, Lin Ze finally struggled to find opportunities to attack.
But the Lakers aren't just about Lin Ze!
Kobe, who wasn't in good form tonight, was no pushover. Although his shooting touch was off, he took advantage of Lin Ze drawing the Blazers' attention in the paint and drove into the three-second zone twice to score layups!
There were only 18 seconds left in the first half!
In the Trail Blazers' final possession, Stoudemire had kept the clock down to 6 seconds when he suddenly accelerated with his dribble. However, he couldn't shake off the defense again, and his drifting layup was slapped out of bounds by Lin Ze, who was helping on the defense!
"Buzz!"
Before the ball went out of bounds, the whistle for the end of the first half had already sounded. From this perspective, Stoudemire's control of the rhythm was indeed good; he didn't give the Lakers any time on that play.
Well—they didn't give the Trail Blazers any time to make amends.
"The Trail Blazers are likely to have a tough time in the second half." Smith's first words at halftime were sure to break the hearts of countless Trail Blazers fans: "They were too exhausted in the first half, especially Sabonis."
"This respectable veteran played a full 20 minutes in the first half! Keep in mind that he only averaged 21.3 minutes per game in the regular season this year. Tonight, he first constantly battled against O'Neal, and then had to constantly chase down and help defend Lin. He was truly burning himself out!"
"Although he only had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in the first half, which didn't seem like much of a threat."
"But anyone who watched the game can see just how important he is to the team!"
"In the second half, Sabonis will almost certainly run into fatigue. What will the Trail Blazers do then?"
Wilmarcus added, "And the number one contributor who allowed the Trail Blazers to fight tooth and nail but only lead by 6 points is Lin! Especially in the last few minutes of the second quarter, when O'Neal went to the bench due to foul trouble and Kobe's shooting touch was off, Lin completely shouldered the offensive burden!"
"More importantly, the Trail Blazers deployed a heavy defensive presence against him! Double-teaming, help defense, early double-teaming, fronting—Dunleavy's tactical level is very good. Although this veteran coach has many shortcomings, he has a much wider tactical package!"
"Even so, they were completely unable to defend against Lin!"
「半场比赛打完，林已经轰下了21分4篮板2助攻！其中光是第二节最后几分钟里，林就拿下了13分1助攻！」
"It's no exaggeration to say that Lin single-handedly changed the course of this game. The MVP award for tonight must go to Lin!"
The commentators showered Lin Ze with praise during halftime, but Lin Ze wasn't feeling so comfortable in the locker room.
He leaned back in his chair, panting heavily. Every time he finished a breath, he would gulp down a large amount of energy drink to restore his strength.
He is so tired!
Sabonis wasn't the only one who overexerted himself in the first half!
In the final minutes of the game, Lin Ze was practically doing anaerobic exercise!
On offense, he never stopped running, constantly battling, constantly sprinting and maneuvering.
Breaking through such a dense defense is not as easy as it looks!
Although Lin Ze's physical fitness cannot compare with those few physical monsters, it has never been his weakness. He rarely experiences physical exhaustion during a match.
This shows just how fiercely he played in the first half tonight!
This also shows just how incredible the physical abilities of truly top-tier players who are constantly subjected to targeted defense by their opponents are!
Especially that braised egg!
Regardless of how that guy played before, in the last three games, Lin Ze watched him destroy his opponents time and time again, scoring and winning against the opponent's tightest, most frantic, and most ruthless defense.
Physical fitness needs to be trained!
Lin Ze secretly made up his mind that he must train his physical fitness hard this summer!
"Leave the second half to me, Lin!" O'Neal patted Lin Ze on the shoulder and said, "Those bastards wore you out like this, I'll definitely get revenge for you in the second half!"
"Then go and destroy them, Shaq!" Lin Ze chuckled. "That old European guy is probably even more tired than me right now; I suspect he's already lying on the floor, unable to move! You need to score 40 points in the second half!"
"No problem! 40 points!" O'Neal laughed heartily. He was full of energy at this moment. Having rested for most of the quarter due to foul trouble, he was eager to destroy the Trail Blazers as soon as possible.
The second half of the game soon resumed.
After a 20-minute break, Sabonis was still in good form at the start of the second half, and didn't collapse to the ground.
At his current age, the physical exertion he expended in the first half is unlikely to be fully recovered in a short period of time. Right now, he's all show and no substance.
Sure enough, after holding his own against O'Neal for a few rounds at the start of the second half, the big guy quickly started to feel weak in the knees.
Four minutes and 45 seconds into the third quarter, O'Neal received the ball under the basket and powerfully shoved Sabonis in with his shoulder. Sabonis was completely knocked off his feet and nearly floated backwards in mid-air.
Then O'Neal pulled up, turned around and slammed the ball down with both hands, and after coming down, he pushed Sabonis to the ground.
Even after being pushed down, Sabonis didn't try to get an explanation from O'Neal or put up a fight.
He was so exhausted he was almost out of breath; the little energy he had built up during halftime was completely depleted again.
Another sign that his stamina was completely depleted was that he was unable to contribute on the offensive end. In the next round, when he and Stoudemire were doing a handoff, Fisher seized the opportunity and stole the ball!
Then, an excited O'Neal took the lead and rushed ahead!
Fisher, being such a sensible person, immediately knew what to do. He moved towards the sideline and then passed the ball to O'Neal. O'Neal pulled up and slammed the ball down with both hands, also giving the rim a hard thud!
With that pull, the entire basketball hoop let out a protesting scream and groan, shaking violently from top to bottom.
After that basket, although the Lakers had only just taken a one-point lead, many people had already seen the course of the game.
The Trail Blazers are finished!
In the following games, the Lakers gradually gained the advantage and initiative.
Although the Trail Blazers continued to fight back and launch counterattacks to try and catch up, the Lakers, who had already taken the lead, were unwilling to relinquish control of the game.
From the moment they took the lead in the third quarter, they never fell behind again and maintained their lead throughout.
Despite the Trail Blazers' relentless attacks, the Lakers managed to maintain their advantage.
The gap between the two sides was actually not that big, hovering around 8 or 10 points, but the Trail Blazers just couldn't catch up.
With five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the gap between the two teams was only seven points.
At this point, Dunleavy once again brought on the exhausted Sabonis, hoping he could lead the team to win the game back.
But the problem remains: Sabonis is an old man.
His endurance and recovery capabilities are no longer as strong.
He made a basic passing error as soon as he entered the game. He didn't notice Lin Ze suddenly moving in front of him when he passed the ball, and Lin Ze stole the ball and rushed to the frontcourt to complete a one-handed dunk.
Then, when Sabonis received the ball in the mid-range and took a shot, he inexplicably made a rather absurd airball.
After Sabonis' poor performance in those two possessions, the Trail Blazers' last hope and expectation have vanished.
The Lakers firmly held onto their advantage, while the Trail Blazers' players' desire to win waned, their performance deteriorated, and everyone became distracted, showing signs of wanting to give up.
Finally, with 49 seconds left in the game, Coach Dunleavy called a timeout.
Five ups and five downs.
As the team's key players left the field, the fans were extremely disappointed, and many had already lined up...
With regret, I reluctantly left the stadium.
Of course, there are also many remaining fans, all of whom are die-hard supporters of the team and hope to stay with the team until the very end.
Even if it's just watching the team lose and get eliminated.
In the following game, Wells hit two three-pointers.
But both of those goals were classic examples of "the baby is dead, the milk has come," meaning they couldn't change the course of the game.
The only thing we can do is to prevent the Trail Blazers from losing too badly and to reduce the final point difference between the two teams.
105: 99!
When the game ended, the Trail Blazers were only 6 points behind the Lakers, but they couldn't avoid being swept out of the playoffs by the Lakers.
Just a year ago, the Trail Blazers pushed the Lakers to the brink in the Western Conference Finals, but only a year later, they are no longer a match for the Lakers, who easily swept them in three straight games.
It is said that team owner Paul Allen was furious after the game and decided to completely dismantle the team this offseason.
He wants to rebuild!
Spending the most money in the entire league and getting the worst beating in the first round, Paul Allen obviously can't accept this. He may have a lot of money, but he's not stupid at all!
However, there is also good news for Paul Allen.
That means the Knicks, who spent the second-most money in the league, were also eliminated in the first round.
However, the Knicks performed slightly better than the Trail Blazers. They won two games and weren't overwhelmed by the young Raptors. On the contrary, they did an excellent job of limiting superstar Vince Carter!
Carter averaged only 22 points per game in this series, with a field goal percentage of only 37%, and his performance was negligible for most of the series.
The Knicks also engaged in a defensive battle with the Raptors using this tenacious defense. In the five games of the series, neither side scored more than 100 points in any game. Both sides were constantly missing shots and wearing down each other's energy and stamina in half-court battles.
But the role of a superstar is to score in games where no one else can score.
In the final Game 5, Vince Carter, who had been missing shots throughout the series and was the only player on both teams who could be considered a superstar, finally broke out.
He made 11 of 22 shots, scoring an efficient 27 points. In the fourth quarter, when the Knicks launched a furious comeback, repeatedly charging into the Raptors' half-court, Carter stepped up.
他在最后5分钟里4投3中，包括在比赛结束前最后31秒的时候，命中了一个将分差拉开到6分，彻底杀死比赛的3分球！
Carter's outburst propelled the Raptors to the second round for the first time in franchise history, while also eliminating the long-established Knicks.
This team, which managed to pull off a Cinderella run to the Finals just two years ago, has seen its other players visibly decline after trading away Ewing. Their future is destined to be tough.
The Raptors' opponent, on the other hand, is another team led by young players that eliminated a veteran powerhouse.
Philadelphia 76ers!
In this series, the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers gave the Indiana no chance, with Iverson averaging 31 points per game.
He scored 45 points in the second game, and also scored over 30 points in the third and fourth games.
As for the Pacers, apart from Miller scoring 35 points in Game 3, which helped the team avoid a sweep, they were completely unable to withstand the 76ers' onslaught.
3: 1!
The Pacers, who made it to the Finals last year, were eliminated in the first round this year.
However, this year's Pacers have at least seen Jermaine O'Neal's potential. Bird had high hopes for him, and if he can continue to improve, the Pacers may well rise again in the short term!
The matchup between the second-ranked Bucks and the seventh-ranked Magic in the East is somewhat similar to the 76ers' series.
The Bucks also won the series 3-1, with McGrady of the Magic unable to carry the team alone, despite averaging 33 points per game in the series.
He could score points, but all he could do was prevent the team from being swept.
But Orlando fans still have high hopes for this team.
After all, Grant Hill only played 7 games all year before his season was over.
But Hill can't stay bedridden for two years in a row, can he?
With McGrady being so dominant this year, their star duo will be fully formed next year when Hill returns!
At that time, the Magic will have no rivals in the entire Eastern Conference!
The Bucks' opponent in the semifinals is another team that successfully upsets an opponent from the bottom to advance.
Charlotte Hornets!
The Hornets and Heat made a big trade during the offseason, exchanging several players. In the playoffs, several players from both teams will face their former teams.
In addition, Alonzo Mourning, who announced an indefinite absence due to severe kidney disease at the beginning of the season, returned to the team at the end of the season. Although his performance was average, with Mourning, the Heat's team spirit returned, and more people believed that the Heat could advance to the second round.
But once the match started, the situation was completely unexpected by most people!
First, Mourning's performance was below expectations, showing a significant decline compared to last year. He averaged only 11 points and 5 rebounds per game in the playoffs.
While he contributes to his rebounding tally, his best-performing shot-blocking ability only averages 1.7 per game.
If it were just Mourning being out of form, that would be one thing, since the Heat haven't had Mourning for most of the season. But the problem is that Hardaway is also injured and missed the first game of the series.
Although he made an emergency comeback afterward, his condition was far from satisfactory.
Meanwhile, on the Hornets' side, "Monster" Mashburn transformed into a former team killer, averaging 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in the series! In all three games, he was the highest scorer for both teams, and under his leadership, the Heat sadly bid farewell to the season.
In the Western Conference, only the Lakers swept their opponents in the first round.
Their opponent was the Utah Jazz, who had an incredibly tough first round and barely managed to defeat the Suns in a Game 5 to advance!
The first-round matchup between the Western Conference's top team, the Spurs, and the Timberwolves was widely expected to be incredibly exciting, given that it was a showdown between Garnett and Duncan!
But once the series started, it almost became a mirror reflecting the true nature of things.
Duncan's performance was understated yet efficient. He never scored more than 28 points in a game, nor did he ever score less than 24 points. He seemed to be following a pre-programmed schedule, steadily and methodically contributing his energy.
On the other hand, Garnett scored 29 points in one game, but in the other three games, he did not score more than 20 points, including a dismal performance of only 12 points on 4-of-18 shooting.
His shooting percentage in the series was only 39%, which is quite low for a power forward.
Under these circumstances, the Timberwolves naturally couldn't put up any decent resistance, barely managing to win one game before being swept out by the Spurs.
The final matchup in the West is also a head-to-head battle between two excellent power forwards. The Mavericks' unexpected rise this year is due to the sudden explosion of Nowitzki, while the Kings' ability to hold the top spot for a long time during the regular season is also due to their power forward Webber!
After a five-game battle, the Mavericks successfully eliminated the Kings!
Before this year, the Mavericks had last made the playoffs in 1990, and the last time they won a playoff series was in 1988!
After 11 disastrous seasons, the Mavericks have finally returned to the ranks of strong teams this season!
Their opponent is the San Antonio Spurs, the top team in the Western Conference!
It's worth mentioning that this is another power forward matchup!
At this point, the most troubled people are obviously those who once said that Garnett and Duncan would become the two pillars of the power forward team.
After all, this year alone, in the Western Conference, besides Garnett and Duncan, there are three other top power forwards: Nowitzki, Linze, and Webber. And that doesn't even include the slightly weaker forwards like Rasheed, Rasheed, Walker, McDyess, and Jamison.
And then there are the young players who are developing, such as Jermaine O'Neal, who became the league's leading shot blocker this year, and Kenyon Martin, the number one draft pick—
In addition, with the conclusion of the first round of the playoffs, all regular season awards were also distributed during the break between the first rounds.
The 76ers emerged as the biggest winners this year, with Allen Iverson winning the scoring title and his first MVP award, making him the shortest MVP in NBA history.
76ers head coach Larry Brown was named Coach of the Year, Aaron McGee was named Sixth Man of the Year, and Dikembe Mutombo, who joined mid-season, was named Defensive Player of the Year.
This Eastern Conference powerhouse, which has emerged as a dark horse this year, was at least undefeated in the regular season!
Tracy McGrady had a breakout year, scoring 26 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists, and became the Most Improved Player! His teammate Mike Miller won Rookie of the Year.
今年进步最快球员的争夺其实相当之激烈，除了麦迪之外还有从8分4助攻进化到17分7助攻的史蒂夫·纳什，从11分3篮板进化到20分6篮板的佩贾。
But McGrady's progress was so rapid and significant that it was no surprise that he won the award.
At this point, almost all the individual awards in the regular season have been won by Eastern Conference teams, making it seem as if the East is stronger and better.
But when the All-NBA Team is announced, the huge gap between the East and West becomes immediately apparent.
This year's first team consists of O'Neal, Duncan, Webber, Iverson, and Kidd.
The second team consisted of Mutombo, Garnett, Lin Ze, Kobe, and McGrady.
The third lineup consisted of David Robinson, Malone, Carter, Ray Allen, and Payton.
While the All-NBA First Team of 15 may not definitively prove that these are the 15 strongest players in the league, it is sufficient to illustrate the point.
11 in the West, 4 in the East!
The number of people selected from the West is almost three times that of the East!
Even so, there are still many hidden gems in the West that failed to make the cut.
For example, Nowitzki, Nash, Peja, and others.
The best defensive lineup is led by Mutombo, along with Duncan, Garnett, Kidd, and Payton.
The All-Defensive Second Team consists of Shaquille O'Neal, Christie, PJ Brown, Kobe Bryant, and Bruce Bowen.
Similar to the All-Defensive Teams, the West has seven players selected, while the East only has three.
Los Angeles, Staples Center.
The Lakers players have gathered here once again; they are second in the Western Conference and second in the league.
Aside from facing the Spurs, they will have home-court advantage against every other team in the league.
In this round of games, the Lakers will naturally start at home.
In the locker room before the game started, O'Neal patted Lin Ze and said, "Go, Lin! Your turn?"
"Huh? What's my turn? Have we started taking turns cleaning here too?"
"What kind of bullshit hygiene is this?" O'Neal kicked Lin Ze irritably and said, "Go give a speech, give a speech, and give everyone a boost!"
"This is your job!" Lin Ze protested. "You're the team leader!"
O'Neal clearly enjoyed the term "boss." He didn't have such close buddies during his time with the Magic. This guy, leaning against the locker like a boss, said, "You come! Because you're best at this!"
Lin Ze was helpless. He didn't want to go, not because he wanted to be wary of O'Neal or anything.
He's just lazy. He doesn't give me the status and power of a boss, but he makes me do the work that a boss should do. How can that be?
"Go on!" O'Neal patted Lin Ze again. "I'm going to throw ten days of parties after the season ends!"
"Even if I don't do it, you'll still throw a party; even if I don't do it, you'll still call me!" Lin Ze protested again, but he stopped resisting. After saying this, he stood up and went to the middle of the locker room.
Grant, watching the interaction between the two, shook his head for what felt like the umpteenth time this season.
If Hardaway had been able to appease O'Neal like that back then, the Magic wouldn't have fallen apart, and Hardaway wouldn't have been left to carry the team alone, facing immense pressure and having to force himself to return to the court multiple times despite injuries.
In that case, perhaps the two of them would have already won the championship, and Hardaway wouldn't be facing such a tragic fate now.
"Finally, they're here!" Lin Ze shouted from the middle of the locker room, drawing everyone's attention. "Remember when they swept us two years in a row? Remember how arrogant and self-righteous they were back then?"
"The chance for revenge has arrived! The chance to utterly crush them has arrived!"
"Didn't we get our revenge last year?" O'Neal couldn't help but say. "We beat them last year, and you weren't there for the two years we lost! How do you know what they looked like?"
"Then you give the speech?" Lin Ze looked at O'Neal, this guy who was trying to sabotage him. You didn't want to give the speech, so I did it, and you're still picking on me?
"I was just reminding you," O'Neal quickly waved his hand and shut up.
"We were actually only swept by them once, the other time was 4-1!" Kobe also found the loophole in Lin Ze's words and pointed out the error.
"Can't we blame them for that sweep by the Spurs?" Lin Ze glared at Kobe. "You, who missed four shots, shouldn't cause trouble. You're destined to be etched in their memory for the rest of your life."
"Alright, any more questions?" Lin Ze turned around and looked around the locker room. The others were either holding back their laughter or shaking their heads to indicate that there were no more questions.
So Lin Ze kicked the bench in front of him, sending it flying right in front of O'Neal, startling O'Neal so much that he almost jumped up.
"Sorry Shaq, I did it on purpose." Lin Ze smiled smugly, then looked at everyone and said, "None of that matters! What matters is that we hate Salt Lake City people, we hate Malone, Stockton, and every single one of them!"
"Kill them! Sweep them away!"
"They won't win a single game!"
Jackson, who had been hiding nearby, stood precisely next to Lin Ze after Lin Ze finished his strange speech and everyone waved and roared.
"Great, I think we've reached an agreement on this series: sweep them!"
"I've always wanted to rip off that old bastard Sloan's dermatitis. I've already done it three times in the playoffs! I hope this year will be the fourth!"
"But as everyone knows, the Jazz are very strong, and they've upgraded their roster this year."
"They brought in John Starks. Well, okay, this guy's a liability. He's a complete liability who doesn't play defense and can't make a shot. When he's on the court, Kobe, you know what you're supposed to do!"
"They also brought in Donye Marshall, a swingman who plays the 3-4 position. His playing style is similar to Lin's: he's accurate from three-point range, can catch and shoot at any time, and has a certain level of physicality and rebounding ability. Ordinary small forwards would easily be at a disadvantage against him."
"But overall, this guy is just a completely weakened version of Lin, so Lin, you know how to deal with him, right? Just like beating up a version of yourself from three years ago."
"Huh? Me?" Lin Ze was stunned for a moment. He really didn't expect Jackson to ask him to deal with Marshall. He originally thought he would be matched up against Malone. Thinking of this, Lin Ze looked at Hubble and Fisher. Could Jackson really be asking these two to guard Malone?
How can we replicate the heroic feat of that bespectacled guy from Hainan who defended against Sakuragi?
It's highly unlikely. These two didn't sleep with Jenny, so Jackson wouldn't send them to their deaths.
That's Grant? This guy is one of Malone's old rivals. He went up against Malone a lot when he was with the Bulls and the Magic.
"Yes, you'll be in charge of Marshall, because I've decided to change the lineup for this series!" Jackson said, then looked at Madsen: "Mark, we need a warrior who isn't afraid of Malone, who dares to go toe-to-toe with Malone, and even dares to elbow him a few times in the heat of battle. Are you that guy?"
"Me?" Madsen was also stunned.
He only played a few minutes in garbage time in Game 2 of the first round, and after that game in the regular season where he shut down Webber, he was not able to squeeze into the team's regular rotation. But now, suddenly he's being put in the starting lineup?
It's the playoffs now, and the team's goal is to sweep the Jazz. In this situation, should I start myself?
Lin Ze, who was already sitting next to O'Neal, suddenly raised his hand and elbowed O'Neal. This was partly out of revenge, and he used quite a bit of force. O'Neal almost cried out in pain, rubbing his arm and glaring at Lin Ze.
Lin Ze gestured towards Madsen with his lip, and O'Neal immediately understood, then let out his signature, hearty, and flat laugh: "Hahahaha, Mark, I also think you're the best choice!"
"We all believe you can take down that old man Malone! He's nothing to fear, not scary at all! You'll definitely be fine!"
Madsen immediately looked at O'Neal with gratitude, then nodded emphatically: "Leave it to me! I'll give it my all!"
O'Neal then whispered to Lin Ze, "Thanks, Lin. I owe you one more time!"
Lin Ze shrugged and didn't say anything.
"So Ron, you'll be a substitute tonight, but you have to be ready at any time. We might need you to step up from the bench and contribute to the team!"
"No problem!" Hubble, a veteran who has played for more than ten years, has long been calm. The mere matter of being a substitute will not give him any thought. In addition, Jackson had contacted him two days ago and told him about this. It was just that tonight was the first time he announced it to everyone.
By doing this, Jackson could both reassure Hubble and make him feel respected, and also further unite the entire team.
Even a veteran like Hubble is willing and unhesitating to give way to the younger generation. Who else would dare to quarrel over playing time or shot attempts?
"Then there's Shaq, and their center is still your old rival Polynes. You completely destroyed him last year, and this year—"
"I will continue to destroy him!" O'Neal said confidently.
He's gained a few kilograms this year compared to last year, further widening the weight gap between him and Polynes. Destroying this guy is easier for him than drinking water.
Then Jackson looked at Fisher, the last starter on the team, and said, "Derrick, be careful."
This clearly meant that Fisher should be careful of Stockton, who was notorious for his underhanded tactics!
"I brought groin protectors!" Fisher even tapped his crotch before laughing, "Besides, we have Stockton's nemesis Ron and Malone's nemesis Lin here. I don't believe they'll dare cause any more trouble in this series!"
"Unless they want to get beaten up and then eliminated like last year!"
"Very good! Then go! Go and take them down! Beat them so badly they don't even have a chance to use any dirty tricks!"
Encouraged by Jackson's final words, the Lakers players stormed out of the locker room.
Tonight at Staples Center, of course, was a star-studded event. Lin Ze was already quite familiar with these big names on the sidelines. For example, as soon as he entered the arena, Nicholson smiled and gave him a high-five: "How many points are you planning to win tonight?"
"I hadn't thought of that," Lin Ze replied. "But they won't win a single game in this series! You'll have to come next, Nico, because we'll only play twice at home in this series!"
"That's the spirit! Let's crush those damn Salt Lake City guys!" Nicholson nodded happily, then went to interact with the other Lakers players.
As for the Jazz on the other side? No one from the Lakers went to chat with them or interact with them.
After a brief warm-up, the starting players from both sides took to the field.
Madsen's appearance surprised many people.
"You're sending this little guy to guard me?" Malone sneered arrogantly, pointing at Madsen, "Are you guys planning to have this rookie retire after this series?"
"Think about yourself first, Carl. Who knows who'll be the toy tonight!" Lin Ze said. "Mark will show you how terrifying he can be."
"Retirement is something you're better at," O'Neal added. "You're more like that sissy who'll retire after this playoff series!"
"Trash!" Kobe was not far away and, seeing his teammates starting to criticize, he also added a harmless comment.
"Very good!" Malone said, "Remember how arrogant you are now, because—"
"Because we'll be even more arrogant after the series is over, right?" Although Lin Ze won't be facing off against Malone tonight, he will definitely continue to put pressure on Malone if he has the chance.
"It's okay, don't help me!" After an initial silence, Madsen gradually adjusted to the tense atmosphere. He took a deep breath and said, "I'll handle him!"
Malone said menacingly, "Rookie, you'd better remember every word you said!"
"I'm not like you, you senile old man!" Madsen retorted. "I won't forget what I said!"
"Beep beep!"
At this moment, the referee had also arrived in the middle of the field and threw the ball into the air.
Game start!
O'Neal secured the first possession of the night for his team, and the Lakers began their attack!
Although the Lakers changed their starting lineup, they had obviously experimented with similar lineups in training, so they were not uncomfortable at all. Kobe and Shaq stood on one side, and Lin Ze and others quickly spread them out.
The Lakers' opening strategy was to have O'Neal bully Polynes!
How could Polynes, who weighs only 100 kilograms, possibly stop O'Neal's one-on-one attack? He couldn't even withstand one touch before O'Neal shoved him aside and then slammed him down with a dunk, scoring the first 2 points of the game!
Sloan, sitting on the sidelines, pursed his lips and remained silent; O'Neal's rampage was part of his plan.
The key to the game is whether his next plan will succeed.
Originally, Sloan wanted to start with Malone, letting Malone teach Lin Ze a lesson. If Malone could suppress the Lakers, then the Jazz's subsequent tactics could be executed smoothly.
But now the Lakers' lineup change and matchup changes have caught Sloan somewhat off guard and put him in a passive position.
But for him, it doesn't really matter whether it's Lin Ze or Madsen. As long as Malone can dominate his opponent, the Jazz will have a chance to gain the advantage.
In other words, if the Jazz want to beat the Lakers, Malone must create an advantage!
The Jazz's first offensive play immediately spread out, sending Malone to face Madsen one-on-one.
But while Stockton was directing his teammates, something had already happened to Madsen and Malone!
Malone tried to block the position, but Madsen refused to give way. After a fierce struggle and confrontation on the flank, their arms were tightly intertwined and their legs were completely pressed together.
In this situation, neither of them could stand steadily on the floor anymore, and with a "thud," Malone and Madsen both fell heavily to the ground at the same time.
"Beep beep beep beep beep beep!"
The referee's whistle blared wildly, and three referees rushed onto the court immediately, trying to separate Malone and Madsen.
Lin Ze was not far from the two, but instead of helping, he grabbed Marshall, who was about to intervene, and said, "What are you doing? Want to fight?"
Marshall dared not mess with Lin Ze. This guy wasn't exactly a tough player, so he quickly shook his head and said, "I'll break them up!"