Chapter 993
The Strongest Person on Earth, 175, Makes His Debut!
"The Lakers have picked up their shortest player, Isaiah Thomas, the 30th overall pick in the second round this year!" Miller immediately analyzed as soon as he saw the Lakers make the substitution. "But Thomas is definitely the biggest discovery the Lakers have made in the preseason this year."
As Miller said, Phil Jackson completely disrupted the rotation in their preseason games, with everyone taking turns to check on the players. This rather unrestrained approach made many players uncomfortable, resulting in poor performances.
However, at the same time, several players delivered unexpected and outstanding performances.
The most surprising person was Isaiah Thomas.
This short guy, who is only 175 cm tall and doesn't have Nate's explosive jumping ability, is playing with great ease in this chaotic situation.
His individual offense, pick-and-roll shooting, and drive-and-dish are all quite impressive. Although he is inevitably targeted on the defensive end and his playmaking ability is still questionable, only his drive-and-dish passing is somewhat interesting. However, with Lin Tian on the team, the team does not rely heavily on the point guard.
In particular, they don't need a point guard who is particularly good at orchestrating the offense.
According to Jackson's idea, if Lin Tian can play for more than 30 minutes in a game in the new season, then in the time when Lin Tian is not playing, he needs someone who can create chaos, set the pace, and disrupt the opponent's rhythm.
This is one of the reasons why he had no strategy in his lineup during the preseason.
He wanted to see if any of his men were suitable for chaotic battles, capable of maintaining a certain scoring efficiency amidst the chaos.
Jackson believed that with Lin Tian on the court, the team's offensive rhythm would never be a problem, making them the most stable team in the entire league!
Therefore, it would be pointless to find a traditional guard with the same style, whose selling point is calmness and good command skills, to be Lin Tian's substitute.
After all, the Lakers only have minimum salary players, so the players they bring in are unlikely to be particularly strong. Letting such a player replace Lin Tian in rotation time makes it easy for opponents to target and exploit them.
So instead of being chased and attacked by opponents using their usual style when Lin Tian is resting, it's better to switch to a completely different style and rhythm so that opponents can't find his weaknesses!
To put it simply, when Lin Tian was on the court, the Lakers' control and organization of the offensive rhythm was a perfect 10, but after he left the court, the players who replaced him were lucky to achieve even 5.
Because your opponents have adapted to Lin Tian's 10-point playing style, your 5-point level will be more easily countered by them. In the end, you might only be able to achieve a 3-point performance.
But what if you find someone with a completely different rhythm and style?
In this situation, a player who originally scored 4 points can catch the opponent off guard and perform at a 7-point level!
Then, Jackson got Isaiah Thomas, whose style was exactly the type Jackson needed.
In six preseason games, Isaiah Thomas' playing time gradually increased, from nothing to more. He played better and better, and his playing time continued to grow.
In the final game, when Jackson rested Lin Tian and Kobe, he directly put this guy in the starting lineup.
In that game, Isaiah Thomas played 35 minutes and scored 22 points and 7 assists. It was this game that solidified Thomas's place in Jackson's heart.
As long as this guy isn't just a flash in the pan, and as long as his performance doesn't experience any precipitous drops, Jackson will reserve a spot for him in the regular season.
Let him fill the gap of more than 10 minutes when Lin Tian was not there.
Now, Thomas faces his first major hurdle: his first official game in his professional career, against last season's champion and Finals MVP.
"Don't be nervous, you're faster than him, and your three-pointers are more accurate!" Before Lin Tian went on the court, he didn't forget to pat Thomas's head to give him a boost.
However, Isaiah Thomas, a typical American Black player who grew up in the slums, obviously doesn't need much comfort from others.
Confidence is the most consistent quality among these types of players.
Fear? Not at all!
"If I beat Rose, it'll prove I'm better than the Finals MVP!" Isaiah Thomas was eager to try. He wasn't afraid of Rose; he wanted to prove himself!
The last one called out in the draft? I'll show the first 59 people: they're nobody!
After entering the game, Thomas immediately showed his ambition. Facing Rose's defense, he accelerated and charged forward, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the basket and made a high layup against Boozer's angled defense.
"Shh!"
With a crisp sound, this little-known guy made a beautiful play in his first possession, blowing past Rose and forcing his way into the basket against the interior defense!
"This kid is really not stage-frightened!" Miller, who had been quite impressed with Thomas during the preseason, said with a smile, "I thought he had a chance to make it into the regular season rotation during the preseason, and now it seems there's absolutely no problem with that!"
"Is this the Finals MVP?" Isaiah Thomas's arrogance wasn't just reflected in his playing style; his mouth was also constantly moving. After scoring, he immediately opened his mouth to provoke Rose.
If it were Rose from before last season, he would probably be eager to challenge Isaiah Thomas right now.
But Rose is a seasoned player who has experienced the Finals. Thomas's words had no effect on him. He didn't even bother to talk back. After dribbling to the frontcourt, he waved to his teammates to spread out, then slowly turned to the side and started pushing hard towards the inside.
He pushed unimpeded all the way from the three-point line to near the Lakers' three-second zone. The two players were at least two weight classes apart in height and weight, and Rose didn't even need any skills to back him down; he could just crush him.
And just as Rose was about to enter the paint, the Lakers' help defense finally arrived! Durant moved laterally from the wing and double-teamed him.
The moment Durant arrived, Rose had already passed the ball to Hayward, who was left wide open. Hayward then pulled up and made a mid-range jump shot!
"He's matured! This is the change and baptism that the Finals bring! Rose is much calmer than last year! He knows when to use which style of play. If Rose at the beginning of last season was still like a general charging into battle..."
"With the progress of last season and the training during the offseason, Rose has now become a qualified marshal! He has clearly improved a level compared to last season in terms of overall command, strategic planning, and composure!"
"I'm afraid Isaiah Thomas is no match for him!"
Jackson quickly analyzed the differences between the two, but what he said was indeed nonsense.
Isaiah Thomas is no match for Derrick Rose.
Jackson didn't expect Thomas to dominate Rose; if he had that kind of fantasy, he'd really be past his prime. For the Lakers at this stage, the important thing is to keep the score close, not let them fall behind, and give Lin Tian enough time to rest.
When Lin Tian returns to the court after his rest, that will be the time for the Lakers to exert their strength and strive for the lead.
In the final four minutes of the first quarter, Thomas did have some performance on the court, and from that perspective, he didn't disappoint Jackson.
Besides a layup at the start of the game, he also had a drive that found an open Barnes assist for a three-pointer, and then he himself found an opportunity to make a mid-range jump shot.
In the first quarter, he made 2 of 4 shots, scoring 4 points and 1 assist.
Of course, there are also problems.
Durant and Kobe are both on the court right now.
This guy can take 4 shots in 4 minutes, that's a lot of shots.
It's alright if he can maintain a decent level of efficiency today, but if he goes off-target, it will be a nightmare for the team.
And an even more important issue: on the defensive end, he is really easy to target. The Bobcats, who are already quite mature, have started almost every offensive play from Thomas, following Stevens' reminders, and they are just chasing after him.
So while Thomas was contributing on the court, he also conceded a significant number of points. "Looks like we need to find a way to keep this guy out of the game and prevent the opponents from targeting him like this," Jackson thought to himself, stroking his chin on the sidelines, considering how to use Thomas more efficiently and safely in the future.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was temporarily set at 29-28!
The Lakers are currently leading by 1 point.
During the break, the three commentators naturally took the time to analyze Lin Tian's performance in the first quarter.
Miller said first: "Lin played quite well in the first quarter after returning. He made 2 of 3 shots, scored 4 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. His all-around game hasn't changed at all, and his control of the game is still there."
"The only change from three years ago is his aggression. He plays more calmly and doesn't make any breakthroughs in the main quarters. He hardly accelerates at all. Compared to his domineering and storm-like playing style before his retirement, he has really changed a lot."
Jackson laughed and said, "He's 38 years old after all. Lin's performance in the first quarter today reminded me of myself. That's how I played when I was young."
"Stop patting yourself on the back. Even if Lin plays with his knees and shoots with his face, he's still 30 times cooler than you." Miller snorted disdainfully, "The two of you don't even play the same sport."
"Lin is showcasing the limits of humanity, a fusion of strength and beauty, a domineering yet violent aesthetic within his elegant and unrestrained style! And you, Mark? You're my good buddy, but I have to tell you: your basketball playing style is almost exactly the same as your pooping posture!"
"How do you know what he looks like when he poops? Have you seen him poop?" Van Gundy added slyly from the side, which made Jackson laugh heartily with satisfaction.
Van Gundy then added, "But I think it's not that Lin can't fly and leap like before, or that he's slowed down or can't run anymore; it's just that he doesn't need to play like he used to."
“I worked with him for a whole year last season. Although he hardly touched a basketball that year and rarely showed off his physical abilities, that was only in public.”
"He fought bulls with you behind closed doors?" Miller immediately grinned mischievously, wanting revenge for his earlier insult.
“Unofficially, he would give some players extra training, like Jeremy and Derrick.” Van Gundy completely ignored Miller and continued, “I accidentally saw them doing extra training.”
"Lin's extra practice is actually very simple: one-on-one! He plays full-on defense, letting Derek or Jeremy attack him with all their might, trying to break through his defense and score. Otherwise, why do you think those two guys can always appear so calm under such intense defense?"
"To put it simply, Derek can sometimes put up some good performances and score a few brilliant goals even under Lin's all-out defense, but Jeremy, if he and Lin are rated 100 points, he probably won't get 10 points."
“At least last season, Lin’s stamina, lateral speed and defensive ability were still top-notch in the league, so I don’t think he’s gotten slower or less aggressive because of his age.”
"He just hasn't taken it seriously yet!"
Still not serious?
Van Gundy's words silenced his two partners.
It wasn't that they didn't believe Van Gundy; on the contrary, because they both knew Van Gundy and knew he wasn't the kind of person who would spout nonsense, they were even more convinced that what Van Gundy said wasn't just empty talk.
How can a 38-year-old man, whose physical abilities have not diminished at all, still be able to shut down an MVP-caliber, top-tier starting guard in a one-on-one situation throughout the game?
If Lin Tian could do this in a five-on-five situation, Miller and Jackson would have no doubts, since there are defensive tactics and help defense in official games, and the court space is not that big.
But now, in a one-on-one situation throughout the game, is it really possible to keep an eye on someone? That's a bit of an exaggeration...
Miller and Jackson exchanged a glance.
Ultimately, they didn't offer any further opinions on the topic; they wanted to wait and see before making a decision.
Lin Tian has already slapped too many people in the face over the years. The two of them don't want to become the new generation of face-slapping duo, so they want to observe.
At this point, the second quarter had just begun, and Kobe, Thomas, Barnes, Turiaf, and Murphy returned to the court to continue the game.
This lineup, needless to say, is a formation where the two guards take turns dribbling the ball and attacking to score.
However, after performing exceptionally well in the first quarter, Thomas didn't have as many opportunities in the second quarter.
Just kidding. He is a second-round rookie after all. He will be given the opportunities he deserves, but if he keeps taking crazy shots and constantly attacking on his own, that doesn't fit the team's operating logic. After all, there's Kobe on the court!
However, Isaiah Thomas's characteristics dictate that if he's on the court, he must always have the ball and attack, otherwise he will become a complete defensive liability.
Stevens on the other side accurately grasped this point, allowing Jeremy Lin to continue bullying Isaiah Thomas.
Jackson, however, was not in a hurry. Although Isaiah Thomas would be targeted, Jeremy Lin's success rate in one-on-one situations against Thomas was not much higher than Kobe Bryant's dominance over the Bobcats' backcourt.
Jackson wasn't in a hurry.
He didn't signal Lin Tian to come on until two minutes into the second quarter, when the gap between the two sides was still only one point.
Along with Lin Tian, another second-round pick, Parsons, also went up.
The moment the two of them came on stage together, it immediately drew cheers from the audience.
They were mostly girls.
What girl could refuse this?
The young, fresh-faced guy paired with Lin Tian, a handsome man with no flaws, is a killer combination!
"Don't be nervous, just run, the ball will come to you." Taking advantage of the dead ball, Lin Tian and Parsons entered the game at the same time. After Lin Tian gave him a high five, the game continued!
Kobe passed the ball directly to Lin Tian, who was still standing at the top of the arc. He gestured for Murphy to come forward and screen for him.
After the two players crossed paths, Lin Tian still didn't accelerate. Instead, he successfully switched his opponent after the pick-and-roll and faced off against the Bobcats' center, Thomas.
Facing his old friend, Lin Tian pulled back to the three-point line, then used two consecutive crossovers and a series of dribbling fakes to make Thomas's legs go weak.
The rhythm is completely off, I can't keep up at all!
That's how Thomas felt right now. After a series of feints, Lin Tian suddenly accelerated with a step, making people think he was finally about to break through. But then, just as Thomas subconsciously stepped back to catch up with Lin Tian's breakthrough, Lin Tian stopped again.
However, this time he didn't show off any skills or rhythm, but directly launched his attack.
"Shh!"
After a crisp sound, Lin Tian's mid-range pull-up jump shot went in!
Throughout the entire process, he remained completely at ease and composed.
"Here it comes! Here it comes! Lin is starting to show his fangs!" Miller shouted immediately. "Let's see if Lin can keep up the output and create a surge! Although Lin only played eight minutes in the first quarter, as his fan, it was definitely not enough."
"Now let's see if Lin will continue with this style of play!" (End of Chapter)