NBA: I am a master dealer

of course!

Normally, he shouldn't make such bold statements.

First of all, he is a superstar with enormous influence. Not to mention a game as popular as the finals, even a regular season game that couldn't be more ordinary, any slight movement from him would be big news.

And now he has directly stated that he is very confident of winning the championship, which basically shows that he does not take his old club seriously.

Second.

The Knicks are his old club.

No one expected that the two sides would meet again in the finals.

But this has become an established reality and there is nothing to say. It’s just that Xue Liancheng went all out right at the start and directly offended all the New York fans. One can imagine how they would react.

Perhaps the only thing they can do is to remember you as a hero in winning the championship and not visit your family.

Insults and ridicule are definitely a necessity.

After all, if you don't show any mercy, I won't show any face to you.

Based on these two factors, it is definitely the right choice for him to keep a low profile.

The reason why he did not choose to keep a low profile is very simple.

He needs to instill confidence in his teammates, he needs to boost their morale, and he needs to tell the world that he is not afraid of anyone.

At the same time, it also puts psychological pressure on the opponent.

Just like James.

After three years, James has already developed a mental demon. Otherwise, how could he have never won a single game against him?
perhaps……

James' fragile mind and inability to bear endurance are the biggest reasons why he always loses in the confrontation between the two.

Now that he has spoken out, he is putting the greatest pressure on James and at the same time activating James' inner demons.

in this way.

Only after the series is won will they have greater confidence.

After all, if we talk about the strength on paper, it is still difficult to compare the Lakers with the Knicks.

In addition to top superstar James, the Knicks also have two All-Stars, Lopez and Oladipo, who have proven themselves to be All-Stars.

Oladipo's efficiency has obviously declined this season, but after all, his confidence and tactical position have been demonstrated. He can still score 20+ points per game. He is a very important offensive point in the Knicks lineup, almost replacing Irving.

Lopez's average points and efficiency have also declined to a certain extent, but it is still 16+8, and he can be regarded as a substitute for Love.

Besides.

They also have a large number of high-quality role players, including David West, Ilyasova, Jeff Green, Crowder, PJ Tucker, Tyler Johnson, Rooney, etc. This is the richest asset Xue Liancheng left to James.

This is also the reason why the Knicks were able to make it to the finals with such an unstoppable force. They definitely gave enough support to the Big Three.

As for the Lakers.

Only Xue Liancheng is a true top star.

With performance like Randle's, he can only be considered a good role player at best. In the Western Conference semifinals and even the Western Conference Finals, his overall statistics were far lower than those in the regular season.

Especially in the series against the Warriors, he averaged 11.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentage of only 41%.

An inside player, a wild beast who makes a living by catching dunks, actually played with such efficiency. You can imagine how bad Randle's performance was.

In the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs, Randle was not much better, averaging 13.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 43.3% shooting, although it looked much better than the previous round of the series.

But he had four or five poor performances and only one or two outstanding performances, so this performance cannot be called outstanding.

Even in terms of on-court role, sometimes Randle is not as good as Vonleh.

After Vonleh returned, he gave the team enough support on both offense and defense. In the three games after his return, he averaged 12.7 points and 8 rebounds per game, which was still very good. His shooting percentage was 51.4% and his three-point shooting percentage was 35.6%.

In contrast, Randle's three-point shooting percentage was only 22.6%, which is terrible.

It is precisely because Randle does not have a stable three-point shooting ability that the Lakers' tactics have become rigid, and they have always been at a disadvantage in the match against the Spurs.

Like in the seventh game, Randle played normally and was able to make three-pointers.

The entire offensive space suddenly became wider.

For Xue Liancheng, it was like a fish in water. He could switch freely between passing and attacking, and played relatively easily.

The pace of the game also made a qualitative leap compared to the previous six games.

This is why the Lakers were able to suppress the Spurs.

In addition to Randle and Vonleh, Clarkson is an important offensive point in the Lakers' backcourt.

But this guy is so unstable.

When he's in good shape, he can score 20+ points. When he's in bad shape, he can only score single digits, and that's an extremely inefficient performance.

But throughout the Western Conference Finals series, Clarkson still averaged 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. His shooting percentage was a bit worse, only 43.6%, but for Clarkson, you can't ask for more.

James Johnson is a relatively stable scoring point for the Lakers. The main reason is that he is too mediocre and his effect is not as obvious as it seems. Therefore, the person who is usually left out on the Spurs' defense is James Johnson most of the time.

This gave the boxing champion a chance to score.

And the boxing champion also seized this opportunity well.

In this round of the series, he averaged 11.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. His performance was still very good. There were no particularly bad games, nor any particularly explosive games. He did what a role player should do.

These are all the Lakers players averaging double-digit points per game.

As for the remaining bench, after Marvin Williams was replaced as a starter, his performance was just average throughout the series.

Others such as Joe Johnson, Courtney Lee, Zubac, Glenn Robinson and others can only be regarded as marginal figures. They only come on for a few minutes or more than ten minutes. It is impossible to expect them to have any outstanding performance.

This is the current situation of the Lakers.

The players who can play better are Clarkson + Randle + Vonleh + James Johnson, which is the starting lineup.

But among them, the highest average score per game is only Clarkson's 14.3 points, and the hit rate is only 43.6%. With such performance, it is difficult to call him a capable player, let alone a giant.

Randall, who is known as Xue Liancheng's best helper and a quasi-All-Star, averaged only 13.8 points per game with a pitiful shooting percentage of 43.3%, which is even worse than Clarkson, an outside player.

no doubt……

At present, Xue Liancheng is the sole core leader of the team.

No one will deny this, and no one can deny it...

Therefore, Xue Liancheng’s high-profile announcement of his victory was a card he played.

In terms of hand, the Lakers may not be as good as the Knicks.

But when it comes to dealing and playing cards, he is much better than James.

And this time.

All kinds of voices from the outside world were flying everywhere.

First, it was the Lakers fans who were partying, or more precisely, it was Xue Liancheng's fans who were partying.

The Twitter account of Frank, the number one Xue fan from FOX Sports, has become their gathering place.

"Frank! We really made it to the finals, oh my god! It's incredible, it feels so unreal."

"Frank, you're amazing."

"You were the only one who was so determined to lead the team to the finals."

"Everyone called you a bootlicker, but you slapped everyone in the face."

"When you made your prediction, the whole world criticized you for being so ugly, but no one expected that you would be right..."

"The moment George was injured, I really couldn't think that the Lakers could go on."

"The most important thing is that there was the Spurs in front of you, but you firmly told the world that Xue Liancheng could still win the championship even if he was the only core player. Did you know that? At that time, everyone thought you were crazy."

"I really want to know why you are so sure. I also like Xue Liancheng, but in that environment, I couldn't imagine the Lakers making it to the finals."

Xue Liancheng's fans went crazy, and Frank, who once again made the prediction in advance, became a hero in their eyes.

Frank responded to the last question: "Why? When you ask this question, it means you don't like Xue Liancheng enough and you don't know your idol well enough. I can tell you very frankly that Xue will become the greatest basketball player in history, no one else."

This statement immediately put Xue Liancheng and Frank at the center of public opinion.

Who is the greatest basketball player of all time?

Jordan!
With 6 championships, 6 FMVPs, 5 MVPs, 10 scoring titles, and one Defensive Player of the Year award, his dominance is truly unmistakable.

In addition, Jordan has another great achievement, which is to bring the influence of the NBA to the whole world.

result.

Now some people come out and say that a young man with 2 championships, 2 FMVPs, 2 MVPs, 2 assists leaders and 1 scoring leader is going to replace Jordan and become the greatest basketball player. Isn’t this nonsense?
Putting aside other things, there is still a clear gap between your honors and Jordan's.

2 championships, 2 FMVPs, 2 MVPs, do you want to P out their two three consecutive championships?
It's just a fantasy...

Not to mention the influence in the sports world.

and so.

The entire Twitter account exploded.

"Frank, you are indeed Xue Liancheng's ultimate believer! You are kneeling very straight."

"What you said is really heartless..."

"You won your third championship and you keep bragging about being the greatest basketball player ever. Ugh..."

"Don't you feel disgusted when you say that?"

"The honors don't match, and the influence is even more different. How can you even ask for that?"

"It's simply shameless. You're trying to scam Jordan. Seriously, if we only count the honors, James still has you beat. What the hell!"

"Wait until you have won six championships, five MVPs and 10 scoring titles before jumping out, okay? Sweet baby, do whatever you need to do now, even playing in the mud is fine, the bully won't hit you."

"Let's take a step back and say that even if you win the championship this season, you're still not as good as Jordan's toe hair. Jordan won two three-peat championships! What the hell are you? A bulk dynasty?"

And at this time.

Xue Liancheng's fans are going crazy at the moment, and the Lakers are also competing for the championship. To put it bluntly, they are in high spirits.

Of course they were unhappy to hear that their idols were being trampled on like this.

"This is Xue Liancheng's third season. He has won 2 championships, 2 FMVPs, 2 MVPs, 2 assists and 1 scoring title. This season he is competing for his third championship trophy in his third year of career. I would like to ask, what achievements did Jordan make in his third year of career?"

This counterattack hit the nail on the head.

A large number of Xue Liancheng fans began to gather and taunt.

“Struggling in the playoffs.”

"Jordan's third season was really great, averaging 37.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. His performance was simply explosive. However, he lost to the Celtics again in the first round of the playoffs 1:3, and was eliminated in the first round for the third consecutive year."

"Jordan is still trying to get out of the first round in his third season."

"What results? Do I, the basketball god, need to explain to you? I was eliminated in the first round in my third season, so what?"

"Don't look at things from such a tricky angle, please! He is the God of Basketball!"

"Playing is playing, but you stabbed someone in the heart, which is wrong."

"Don't compare like that. You should compare Xue Liancheng's three seasons' achievements with Jordan's entire career. In this way, I, Jordan, will still be the God of Basketball."

Except for the screen full of mocking voices.

There is another point worth discussing.

Xue fans: "If Xue Liancheng wins three championships with three teams, it counts as a loose dynasty? Doesn't that just prove Xue Liancheng is amazing? Even with George injured this season, he was still able to win the championship. Doesn't that make Xue Liancheng even more awesome?"

Joe fan: "Ugh! You go to different places to form a team of giants, without considering the structure of training players and the cost. You bring in the useful ones and discard the useless ones. Anyone can become a competitive team, right?"

Xue Fan: "This season, Xue Liancheng missed nearly 40 games. What is the Lakers' record? Speak honestly, what is the Lakers' record after Xue Liancheng returned? If you are not blind, you should be able to see it. And after George was injured, how did Xue Liancheng lead the team to break through? Averaging 13+ points per game in two consecutive series, plus + assists, are you kidding me?"

Joe fans: "What's the point of talking so much? If you, Xue Liancheng, stay in the Heat, you don't know what the situation will be like. The salary space alone can crush you. You said you are not a bulk dynasty, just prove it to everyone! Is there any need to run around?"

The two sides argued fiercely over this issue, and neither side was willing to give in.

Anyway, the current situation is a stalemate.

Just because of Frank's words, a huge wave was set off, which also indirectly shows how great Xue Liancheng's influence is.

At the same time, one thing is certain, Xue Liancheng's achievements in just three seasons are already unparalleled and have indeed threatened too many people.

It really has come to the point where everyone is attacking.

If Xue Liancheng wins the championship this season, it will really break the long-lost balance of the league and truly usher in an era of dominance.

Or to be more precise, it is the era that belongs to Xue Liancheng.

Therefore, many fans of current superstars are also panicked.

Just like James.

Originally, with 2 championships, 2 FMVPs and 4 MVPs, it was enough for him to rank among the top ten in history.

Xue Liancheng jumped out suddenly.

Not only has the value of his two championships been destroyed, but the question of who will get the FMVP also has to be a big question mark.

Plus, if Xue Liancheng wins the championship this season, it will be 3+3+2.

It seems that the honor is equal to that of James, but you have to know that Xue Liancheng obtained almost all of his honors by stepping on James' corpse.

This time, James was under great pressure.

This is James' current dilemma.

In addition to the heated debate over who will be the best player in history, predictions for this round of the series are also in full swing.

Some people are still willing to believe in the strength on paper. The Knicks' combination of James + Oladipo + Lopez is obviously a level higher than the Lakers' lineup.

In addition, Xue Liancheng is now fighting alone, which is completely different from the previous two seasons when he had many helpers around him.

As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. No matter how brave Xue Liancheng is, it is impossible for him to defeat the three giants by himself, right?
The so-called fate curse is still vulnerable in the face of absolute strength.

The most important thing is, can the Lakers be as difficult to play against as the Warriors?
It would be normal if the Warriors of the Universe were wailing. Since the Warriors of the Universe have been defeated, what else is there to be afraid of?
What's more...

The Lakers are now lame in one leg, and theoretically, they should be the easiest team to deal with.

This is their opinion, which is more pragmatic and makes some sense.

But some people also believe that the Spurs think so too, and feel that the Lakers have a lame leg and can be easily defeated.

result.

In the end, he was caught.

At the same time, more people still subconsciously feel that Xue Liancheng will be a hurdle that James will never be able to overcome.

Let’s not talk about the regular season, because James has never won in the regular season.

Just talking about the playoffs.

In the first playoff encounter, Xue Liancheng rested for three games, and the Cavaliers only won three games. As soon as Xue Liancheng returned...

Finished!

The Heat directly completed a comeback from 3-4 to -. The Cavaliers and all the Cavaliers, including James, were nailed to the pillar of shame in history.

Then they met again in the Eastern Conference Finals the following year. According to predictions at the time, that series would be very fierce.

The result was unexpected. The Cavaliers were swept out 4:0, shocking everyone.

In fact, even Xue Liancheng didn't expect to win that series so easily.

of course.

There are many unpredictable factors, for example, Irving was injured while doing the splits, which greatly affected his condition.

For example, after the Cavaliers returned to their home court, they did not show their determination to win. This can be blamed on James. After all, as the leader of the team, your attitude will invisibly affect your teammates.

If you don't have the determination to give it a try and save face, then other role players certainly won't have that much fighting spirit.

This is why the Cavaliers suffered such a devastating defeat that year.

Now that time has passed, Xue Liancheng and James meet again. People who believe in fatalism are naturally more willing to believe in the natural magic power that Xue Liancheng has.

of course.

This is just one of them.

The second point is that the Knicks are Xue Liancheng's former club. This season, the Knicks have basically retained the defending lineup and there have not been many changes.

The only change is that Xue Liancheng was replaced by James.

This is also the reason why James' reputation began to improve.

Xue Liancheng was able to lead such a Knicks team to win the championship last season, and James was also able to lead such a Knicks team to the finals, which can be considered as indirect self-affirmation.

But the problem is, if your lineup doesn't change much, it means that the former core players will know your lineup structure, tactical adjustments, and system construction very well.

Then.

Xue Liancheng will find your weaknesses, attack your weaknesses, target your weaknesses, and finally kill you with your weaknesses. This process will become smooth.

And there is no way to avoid it. Because your enemies know you too well.

This is a fatal problem, and it is also part of the reason why we are optimistic about the Lakers.

They believed that Xue Liancheng's passing and attack switching would be very smooth, so smooth that the Knicks would feel uncomfortable.

At this time, reporters had already rushed to the training ground in New York and conducted extensive interviews with all Knicks players.

Reporter: "PJ, you should know that your opponent in the finals will be your old friend. Do you have anything to say about this?"

Tucker: "It felt so incredible. They actually turned the tables after falling behind 1:3. This really opened my eyes. My respect for Xue increased a little bit."

Reporter: "Xue said in the interview that he would bring the championship trophy back to Los Angeles, and his answer was very sonorous and confident."

P.J. Tucker: "He has the ability to express confidence, but it's clear that he underestimated his old friends."

PJ Tucker's answer was relatively calm and he did not respond sharply.

Next, the reporter interviewed Jeff Green.

Reporter: "How do you feel about meeting Xue Liancheng again on the finals stage?"

Jeff Green: "It's kind of exciting. I'm looking forward to playing against him."

Reporter: "But he said he would beat you and bring the championship trophy back to Los Angeles. What do you think?"

Jeff Green: "Everyone will say it, we need to see it on the court."

Others such as David West and Tyler Johnson were also interviewed.

They did not respond to the extremely offensive remarks made by their former boss, and at most they clarified their position.

After all, when they meet again, they will be enemies.

They can be friends and have a very close relationship off the court, but on the court, they have to confront each other.

Oladipo's answer was very thorough: "Xue taught me a lot, told me how to play the game, told me how to adjust my mentality, and told me how to have a strong heart. He is like my life mentor, guiding me forward. I can even say bluntly that everything I have now is given by him, but I want to tell him that the championship belongs to New York, no one else can win it, I firmly believe in this."

Reporter: "So will you respect him on the court?"

Oladipo: "On the court, we are enemies fighting for life and death. What bullshit respect is the greatest disrespect to him. In the matchup, I will definitely go all out and make him suffer."

of course.

Oladipo is feeling pretty good right now and has already started boasting.

Lopez also expressed his respect for Xue Liancheng: "I didn't expect to come to New York that year. After all, they spent far more than the market price to sign me. Later I learned that it was Xue Liancheng who recommended me. Thank you for bringing me to New York and teaching me how to play basketball correctly, how to win games, and how to win championships. Thank you Xue!"

After a pause, Lopez changed the subject: "But if we meet again, I promise to use my skilled skills to blow up their inside line. I will make him lose his words and let him know how powerful we old guys are."

There was still a bit of resentment in his words towards Xue Liancheng's departure.

But that's the NBA.

Every player has his own path to take, Xue Liancheng just left too early.

After all, the Knicks won the championship last season, which can be said to be very successful.

If you are so successful, why leave?
He couldn't understand Xue Liancheng's motive for leaving.

of course.

He could not understand the love-hate relationship between Xue Liancheng and James.

After James settled in New York, he established good relationships with many people, including Lopez.

After spending a year together, Lopez feels that James is still a very good person.

This was why he couldn't understand why Xue Liancheng couldn't just laugh it off with James and let go of the grudge.

They are obviously two very good people, why did they quarrel so ugly?
The scene where the reporter interviewed James became very exciting.

Reporter: "LeBron, when you learned that Xue made it to the finals, how did you feel?"

James: "I'm very excited. I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

After a pause, James continued, "Everyone knows why I joined the Knicks last summer, but many malicious people criticized me, saying that I was clinging to someone powerful, and Xue Liancheng was dismissive. The facts are not important now. I just want to prove myself, and the best proof is to beat him face to face and then hold the O'Brien Cup."

Here comes the interesting part.

The reporter asked: "So, why did you join the Knicks last summer?"

This made James' mouth dry.

He really was talking about something that was not relevant to the topic. His face turned dark in an instant.

but.

James is an old hand after all, and his reaction ability is still very fast: "I have reiterated many times, I don't want to waste time on this, understand?"

At this time, the reporter added another stab: "What if you lose this series again? How will you react?"

James replied with a sullen face: "I answer you very seriously, there is no such thing as a miracle. The championship can only stay in New York."

The reporter added: "You always say this before every match with Xue Liancheng...but the result is that you never win once. How do you explain it?"

James almost jumped up, but he still suppressed his anger: "I have sensed your deep malice, but it doesn't matter, I will prove it to you."

Reporter: "Okay! I hope it's true this time."

Hear this.

James almost vomited three liters of blood on the spot. It was so disgusting.

But there was nothing he could do, the only thing he could do was turn around and leave.

The Knicks Forum has already begun attacking Xue Liancheng.

"Do you really think you're that important? Didn't we make it to the finals without you?"

"Some people always think that the world will stop turning without them."

"Who can't brag? I can, too. The New York Knicks are about to win their eighth consecutive championship."

"You are indeed a man who can lead the team to the finals, but it is wrong for you to speak so arrogantly. Do you really think the Knicks are the Spurs? Can you control them?"

"You had a bunch of helpers before, so it was normal for you to speak arrogantly. But who do you have around you now? Do you really think you can win?"

"You ungrateful thing, if the Knicks hadn't bailed you out of Miami, you wouldn't know what to do now."

"That's right. When you asked for who to be the head coach, the management didn't hesitate to say anything. When you asked for who to sign, the management was also clear. You specifically asked for the person you wanted in the trade. The team tailored the lineup for you, but you just left without saying anything. Don't you find it disgusting?"

"The most disgusting thing is that the Knicks spent a lot of money to trade you from Miami, but you just played for one season and then left. You have no morals at all."

The force of the attack was still very fierce, and the point of attack was also very accurate, specifically picking out one of the unfair things Xue Liancheng did to attack.

of course.

They didn't say a word about Dolan's behind-the-scenes dealings.

It can be said that a big part of the reason why Xue Liancheng left was that Dolan did not respect him.

If you want to sign James, you should tell me in advance!

I lost it!

In the end, Xue Liancheng learned about this incident from the Internet, and he even argued with the fans, saying that this was impossible.

result.

He's the only fool.

Dolan's operation, which he thought was flawless, really disappointed him completely. Did he think that everything would be perfect after the matter was settled?
of course.

Promising Kobe is another important reason.

However, even if he left at that time, the Lakers were prepared to provide the Knicks with reinforcements in the form of a trade.

Then he just walked away, he was really angry.

But these did not cause much trouble to Xue Liancheng.

After all, he is a hero in winning the championship!

The famous commentator A. Smith is a die-hard Knicks fan. He once said: I have been watching Knicks games since I was very young. I am their die-hard fan. I was only five years old when the Knicks last won the championship. I am 48 years old this year. I hope to see the Knicks win the championship in my lifetime. I don’t know when this wish will come true.

It's really sad to hear this said.

And last season, after they got Xue Liancheng, they won the championship with a bang.

From then on, A-Smith only praised Xue Liancheng and never disparaged him.

Someone who realizes his dreams!
How to denigrate?
There are many Knicks diehards like A. Smith. They all respect Xue Liancheng very much. Even if Xue Liancheng says he wants to deal with the Knicks, they will subconsciously defend Xue Liancheng.

Therefore, there were not many voices of abuse or even bad words directed at Xue Liancheng's family.

This is very embarrassing.

In the entire New York City, it seems that only James and Xue Liancheng have a grudge against each other.

The first game of the series will soon begin at Madison Square Garden.

The audience was still very enthusiastic and gave Xue Liancheng enough respect. When Xue Liancheng came out, most of the audience stood up and applauded.

And it lasts forever.

This made James even more embarrassed.

If they fail to win the championship this time, James will be criticized to death, there is no doubt about it.

The game begins.

James showed his toughness and rushed in with the bomb in his arms.

Although Vonleh is not at a disadvantage in terms of size, he is still a little lacking in confrontation and cannot effectively put pressure on James.

Once Feng Lai is gone to protect the rim, the field becomes basically flat.

Expecting Randle to protect the restricted area is like expecting an ordinary person who is 160cm tall to dunk. It is simply unrealistic!

But the Lakers are not without solutions.

Xue Liancheng and Mike Brown were quite familiar with James. After discussing for a long time, they came to a conclusion.

Can't I defend you alone?

Then I'll put two people to guard you.

James Johnson is strong enough and Randle is fast enough, they can both become the most powerful weapons to double-team James.

However, one thing that needs to be paid attention to in this defensive strategy is the assisting defense for Lopez.

After all, James' passing is no pushover.

Lopez has the advantage of size and height, so it is easy for him to cooperate with James.

Therefore, they must always pay attention to this point, and when double-teaming, they must accurately cut off James' vision and route for passing inside.

in this way.

Defending James will definitely be successful.

This is true.

Although James's impact was very strong, he couldn't continue to attack when facing two burly men who were no smaller than him in size.

Then the only way left is to pass the ball.

However, James generally likes to pass the ball inside or break through. If you cut in, it will be easy for him to be surrounded.

Therefore, in the Knicks' tactics, when James is holding the ball and attacking, they don't cut in very often. Only Oladipo takes advantage of his absolute escape and occasionally cuts in a few times.

But this style of play is not mainstream and is not that important.

Besides.

We also need to be wary of the Knicks' fast break counterattacks.

Tyronn Lue still absorbed some of the essence left by Xue Liancheng. After protecting the backcourt rebounds, they usually pass the ball to Oladipo immediately, and the person who quickly breaks the ball is undoubtedly James.

before.

This scoring job is usually done by Oladipo, but now the situation has been switched, with Oladipo controlling the ball and James turning into a running man to score some simple points.

This is also the main reason why Oladipo's efficiency and scoring have declined at the same time.

Because in terms of influence on the court, Oladipo has made obvious progress this season. He has made fewer mistakes, his individual singles have become much more stable, his passing awareness has also increased, and his offensive ability has become visibly stronger.

But unfortunately, Oladipo's average points and shooting percentage have dropped significantly.

This is the siphon effect of James.

James will only take shots when he is sure of scoring or when he is sure of the chance to score. If you ask him to shoot a long three-pointer at the buzzer, it would be like asking him to die.

Sometimes teammates can't find opportunities and the cooperation doesn't work. When a star player is needed to make a strong shot, the choice will not be James, but Oladipo.

It's just so weird.

of course.

It’s not that James is really incompetent. Sometimes after a pick-and-roll, he suddenly starts and rushes in, dunking the ball with all his might.

I have the personal abilities, but I can't take responsibility, and I don't have the desire to do so.

This is the downside of James.

Therefore, it is actually a very simple thing to stop the Knicks' fast break counterattack. If you keep James under control at all times, then with Oladipo's current passing skills, he still cannot make accurate long passes.

Even if James has the advantage of jumping, positioning, and impact after taking off, everything will be in vain if he fails to pass the ball well.

of course.

If it is not a long pass, then Oladipo will have to be closely interfered with by defense. Once Oladipo is entangled, there will be a pause in the pass, which is enough for them to make many reactions and deployments.

This is the main strategy for defending the Knicks.

On the offensive end, the Knicks' weaknesses are even more obvious.

Big Lopez.

This is the point that Xue Liancheng specializes in.

That's right!

It was the military training of his once beloved teammates.

Although Lopez has black ancestry, his skin is still fair, so he lacks the explosiveness and impact of pure black people. His strongest points are his soft touch, good mid-range, and good rim protection.

And his shortcomings are also very obvious.

Slow movements, slow speed, and slow lateral movement, these three slownesses are the most important elements of military training.

In addition to military training, Lopez's slow speed also greatly drags down the team's overall defense.

The Lakers' lineup is considered a small lineup, and their advancement speed is very fast. Whether it is Randle or Vonleh, they run with great vigor, not inferior to some small forward players, and even faster than some ordinary small forwards.

and so……

How could Lopez's retreat speed keep up with the rhythm?

He played like this for five minutes in the first quarter. He was constantly called out and given military training. He couldn't keep up with the speed of retreat. Finally, Tyronn Lue had no choice but to withdraw this top-notch inside player.

The equally shady Jeff Green was put on the field to confront the Lakers.

And this is actually exactly what Xue Liancheng wanted.

The Knicks' advantage is actually the big center Lopez. His pick-and-roll cooperation with James is sometimes impossible for the Lakers to stop.

What's more, Lopez's low-post skills are really excellent, his touch is very soft, and his role on the offensive end is huge.

Anyway, no one on the Lakers can match Lopez, and Zubac may be able to barely match him.

But the problem is that with Zubac on the court, their offense was also dragged down.

and so.

This is actually a game.

In the end, the Lakers won the game, and the Knicks withdrew their heavy offensive weapons and entered the Lakers' familiar rhythm of offensive battles.

In this situation, how can you beat the Lakers?

After the first quarter, the Lakers led the Knicks by 33 points with 28:5.

According to the prediction, the Knicks, who had a much stronger lineup, were suppressed by the Lakers in the first quarter, which was really disappointing.

During the break in the first quarter, the audience seats were completely silent.

It's completely different from the heat we had in last season's finals against the Warriors.

A-Smith served as the commentator for this game. After seeing this situation, he helplessly spread his hands and said, "I don't know why. I always feel that the Knicks are missing something, but I can't put my finger on it."

Mike Breen: "Maybe a championship heart?"

Burke: "Yes! They don't have the same sense of unity as last season, nor the determination to win the championship. Their eyes are not as hot as before."

A-Smith smiled bitterly: "So, letting Xue Liancheng go is definitely the stupidest decision of the year, no doubt about it. He is so young, he is so outstanding, he is so strong, he is so determined, these things are not possessed by ordinary stars at the same time. I am really disappointed with Dolan."

(End of this chapter)