NBA: Top 3D talents to start

Chapter 391 Unexpectedly, Butler was injured (revised)

Wang Feng's improvement in rebound protection is mainly due to the fact that after the end of last season, he has strengthened his blocking ability to 90%.

Offensive and defensive rebounding ability only improves the player's ability to judge and smell the rebounding point, while the ability to block positions is an important ability that directly determines the position at the basket.

The advantage of this ability is that Wang Feng can judge the opponent's position in advance and block the position, so that the opponent cannot grab offensive rebounds.

On the court, judging the strength of a player's ability to protect rebounds is often not based on how many rebounds he can grab, but on his ability to block. After all, anyone can do rebounds, even many guards Also proficient in this way, such as Westbrook, Rondo and others, but if you want to prevent opponents from grabbing offensive rebounds, what you really need is a blue-collar player who can get stuck in the main position at any time.

Although the ability to block positions is the job of standard blue-collar players, after Wang Feng has strengthened it, the effect on the court is indeed quite good. The Lakers are not under the pressure of rebounding, and Lopez can also play longer on the court. Howard, who has excellent frame protection ability but lags behind on the offensive end, as long as Lopez is on the court, his long-range shooting ability will allow him to stretch the shooting space for the Lakers and increase the success rate of the offense.

Wang Feng's progress is truly reflected in the overall strength of the Lakers. Compared with the previous season, the Lakers in the new season have obviously fewer shortcomings and stronger strength.

The unfamiliar cooperation between the Big Three of the Pelicans also reminded many people that although there are many heroes this season, those Big Three combinations that are mostly put together at zero time, facing the team that has teamed up with partners for three seasons Do the Lakers really have an advantage?
……

In the third quarter, the Pelicans rallied and rushed to catch up, but no matter what kind of counterattacks Brother Nongmei and Zion launched, the Lakers could resolve them one by one, and the point difference was always around 20 points.

Soon the game entered the final fourth quarter. The main force of the Pelicans played for about 4 minutes in the fourth quarter. Seeing that they were still unable to close the score, although they were very unwilling, they had no choice but to concede defeat. All the main players were replaced in advance.

The Lakers also took advantage of the opportunity to replace the main players. A group of players sat on the court, quietly waiting for the first win of the new season.

"Jimmy, what's the matter?"

Wang Feng, who was sitting next to Butler, noticed that Butler was sitting on the bench, and he always frowned from time to time, rubbed his right leg, and couldn't help asking.

"It's nothing, I just feel a bit sore in the knee of my right leg. I felt this way in the game just now. It seems that I accidentally twisted it?" Butler shook his head slightly and said, "It shouldn't be too serious. After all, I just ran on the field. I didn't feel any obvious pain when I moved."

"It's best to check after the game." Wang Feng said, he didn't take this matter to heart, the reason why he chose Butler as the team's second leader, on the one hand, was because of Butler's technical characteristics and personality, On the other hand, it focuses on his attendance rate in another time and space.

Wang Feng is very clear that until 2022 before his crossing, Butler has always maintained a relatively healthy competitive state and has not suffered any serious injuries. James' attendance rate is higher.

However, he never expected that Butler, who didn't feel very serious, found a very troublesome injury during the inspection after the game.

Indeed, Butler's injury is not very serious, and he can even continue to play, but with high-intensity games and physical confrontation, the degree of knee damage will continue to accumulate and deepen, and it may become a serious hidden danger in the playoffs .

The suggestion given by the team doctor of the Lakers is to completely solve Butler's right knee problem through surgery, but if the surgery is performed, Butler is expected to rest for 6 to 7 months.

This is no joke!Because it is already late October, and the 10-month recuperation period means that Butler's comeback will not be until May next year!He will miss all games of the regular season and the first and second rounds of the playoffs.

This news is undoubtedly a bolt from the blue, and the Lakers, who just won the Pelicans by 20 points in an away game and won a good start, are stunned.

Wang Feng was also a little speechless. Due to the butterfly effect, neither Durant nor Thompson suffered serious injuries, and they are still alive and kicking. Unexpectedly, Butler, who was supposed to be healthy, suffered such injuries.

After learning about the injury, Butler's first reaction was no surgery, only physical and drug-assisted treatment to slow down, and wait until the end of the season before surgery during the offseason.

The three consecutive championships are imminent, how could the tough-guy-style Butler miss the only chance in his life to create a dynasty?

However, after careful consideration, Wang Feng still persuaded Butler to make an appointment for surgery immediately.

"But, Wang, what will the team do if I undergo surgery?" Butler was very tangled.

"Leave the team to me, don't worry." Wang Feng said with a smile: "With me, Brandon and others, there is no problem for the team to enter the playoffs. Just grit your teeth and survive the first round." And the second round, if you can come back at the critical moment of the Western Conference Finals, we will have a chance to win the championship!"

Then, without waiting for Butler to say anything, Wang Feng continued immediately: "I know what you think, but you have also heard what the team doctor said. High-intensity exercise and physical confrontation will aggravate your injury. Now you may feel that you can persevere." It’s okay, but the regular season will take nearly five months, 82 regular season games, are you sure you can handle it?”

"If the injury worsens due to the accumulation of too much fatigue and injuries in the regular season, we will not even be able to play a game in the playoffs, and we will have no chance to win!"

Butler was silent. He knew that Wang Feng was right.

……

A day later, the Lakers officially announced that forward Jimmy Butler needed surgery for a knee injury and expected to take 6 to 7 months to recuperate after surgery. He announced in advance that he would be reimbursed for the regular season, and whether he could play in the playoffs was doubtful.

As soon as this news came out, there was an uproar in the alliance.

No one expected that the Lakers, who had won two consecutive championships and were about to launch an impact on the three consecutive championships, would suffer serious injuries to their main core after only one game in the regular season.

Although people always habitually ignore and despise Butler, his status in the Lakers is quite important. Many Lakers fans have already called Butler Wang Feng's "Pippen".

Butler was injured, which caused the Lakers to suffer a heavy blow on both the offensive and defensive ends of the perimeter. The configuration of the Big Three was instantly reduced to a dual-core lineup, and one of the core players, Brandon Ingram, was still the young star who had not fully grown up in the eyes of everyone. young players.

"Unexpected disasters and Butler's accidental injury caused the Lakers to fall directly from the ranks of the championship favorites. Even if Butler's recovery speed after the operation is very ideal, he will be able to play in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals at the earliest. return."

"The question is, without Butler, can the Lakers make it to the playoffs in the Western Conference where there are now many strong enemies? Even if they can, can they make it to the Western Conference Finals?"

"Wang Feng may face the biggest challenge in his career. Whether he can handle it will most likely become an important reference for whether he can secure his No.1 position in today's league."

……

While the outside world is discussing this matter, within the Lakers, head coach Walton has a headache about who will replace Butler.

But Wang Feng didn't even think about this question, and directly gave Wharton a standard answer.

"Let Poole try it."

Jordan Poole, who was intercepted by the Lakers in last year's draft and had little chance to play last season, was like a little transparent bench player, finally ushered in the opportunity.

Wang Feng is very optimistic about Poole. After all, this is a guard who averaged 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4 assists in only three seasons. He is the third-leading scorer of the Warriors in the 21-22 season, and he is still a substitute player. The data obtained by the identity of the company performed very well.

When there was Butler in the past, Poole could only be used as a substitute player, and Wang Feng didn't expect him to perform well, so he regarded it as hoarding talents.

Now that Butler is reimbursed for the regular season, Poole's importance has suddenly been raised.

"Jordan?" Wharton seemed a little hesitant about Wang Feng's suggestion. "Is he too young, this is only his second season, and his performance last season was not particularly good, or let Jeff Teague be the starting point guard, Wang Feng, you are at the shooting guard position how about up?"

Now Wang Feng can play almost all positions on the field, and can even serve as the starting center forward, but obviously the point guard position can maximize Wang Feng's advantages.

This principle is very simple and easy to understand. Wang Feng, who is 2 meters tall, has an obvious height advantage only at the point guard position. The dislocation advantage of playing small and big is really obvious. This is from Magic Johnson and the current Philadelphia 01 Human Ben Simmons can see it.

"We can try it first. The schedule of the regular season is still very long. No matter who is the starter, the key is to help the team win."

Wang Feng said.

Jeff Teague was indeed a very good player when he was young. He was very fast and had a very lethal impact on the basket.

But as he grows older, Teague today has lost the explosive power of his youth, and his long-range shots lack stability.

Last season, he averaged only 10.9 points and 5 assists per game. In another time and space, in the next two seasons, Teague's attendance rate was only about half, and his average data dropped to 6 points and 2 assists per game. Relegated to a substitute rotation role player.

The signing of Jeff Teague by the Lakers was not Wang Feng's intention, but general manager Magic Johnson wanted to strengthen the guard line. After all, the Lakers cannot rely on Wang Feng alone for the point guard position. No matter how strong Wang Feng is Maybe the entire game 48 minutes to stay on the court?

But Johnson may be wrong. Wang Feng, who now holds three purple fatigue badges, is fully capable of playing a full 48 minutes on the court. Even if he can't do it every game, it is not difficult to maintain an average time of about 45 minutes per game.

Wanting to guarantee the Lakers' record while Butler is recuperating, Wang Feng is already mentally prepared to play every game.

……

On October 10, the Lakers ushered in the second game of the regular season at their home court, which was also Butler's first game after being reimbursed for the regular season.

According to Wang Feng's suggestion, Wharton let Poole start as the team's shooting guard, and the Lakers' starting lineup also became Wang Feng, Poole, Ingram, Kuzma and Lopez.

The game was extremely stalemate. In the end, relying on Wang Feng's lore three-pointer, the Lakers beat the Suns 132:130.

Wang Feng scored a game-high 44 points, along with 16 rebounds and 12 assists, including 6 offensive rebounds.

After strengthening the positioning ability and offensive rebounding ability to 90, Wang Feng's rebounding level has risen, especially in offensive rebounding. With his keen sense of offensive rebounding and excellent jumping, there are always unexpected surprises.

英格拉姆这场比赛24投10中得到25分，库兹马14投7中得到17分。

As for Poole, who started for the first time in his career, his performance was not satisfactory.

Obviously, he is not very suitable for the starting position. He made 8 of 3 shots in the game, and his shooting percentage was only 37.5%, and he only scored 8 points.

On the Suns side, Booker scored a team-high 37 points, and DeAndre Ayton, the No. 18 pick in 30, got a large double-double of 12+[-].

These two are the main reason why the Lakers played very hard in this game.

"Sure enough, the strength of the Lakers without Butler has been greatly reduced. It was so difficult to face the Suns, which ranked third from the bottom in the Western Conference last season. Although they have won two consecutive victories at the beginning of the regular season, the future of the Lakers is worrying."

"The head coach of the Lakers chose to let the young rookie Jordan Poole replace Butler. It was obviously a wrong decision. The rookie's offensive efficiency is low, his movement on the court is like a headless chicken, and his defense is seriously insufficient. In this game, Suns guard Devin Booker scored 37 points under the defense of Poole. Even Booker can score so easily. One can imagine that when Poole faced the top scorers in the league What kind of scene will it be?"

The Lakers, who have won two games without a defeat, are not favored by anyone, especially the second game against the Suns. It was so difficult that even the Lakers fans were a little worried.

But they didn't know that Booker, who was underestimated by them, had completely matured his basketball skills this season and had transformed into a powerful shooting guard.

In another time and space, Booker and Paul partnered to directly let the Suns take off this season, passing all the way until reaching the final finals!
Although the current Suns do not have Paul and their overall strength is damaged, they are by no means at the level of the last season in the Western Conference. If you look at the Suns from the perspective of an underdog, it is really a big mistake.

(End of this chapter)