bookbashuk Chapter 74 Alliance Leader Lin! Trailing 0-2 in the Western Conference Finals, quickly go and invite
Chapter 74 Alliance Leader Lin! Trailing 0-2 in the Western Conference Finals, quickly go and invite
Chapter 74 Alliance Leader Lin! Trailing 0-2 in the Western Conference Finals, quickly go and invite Buddha Lin Ze! [Please Subscribe]
The next day at noon, when Lin Ze woke up and, without waking Britney, moved her legs off him to find his phone, he saw the countless missed calls and text messages on it.
Lin Ze was too lazy to reply to each one, so he just glanced at them.
It turns out the league announced the punishment results early last night, but at that time the entire Lakers team was celebrating their double victory of the game and the fight at the venue arranged by Jackson, and no one paid attention to this matter.
Later, Britney told Lin Ze that she was worried and returned to Los Angeles overnight to comfort him. Lin Ze had no choice but to leave the party early and return to his apartment. After a crazy night, Lin Ze's apartment was full of signs of a battle.
It's clear that the fight that took place in Lin Ze's apartment last night was just as intense as the one between Lin Ze and Ma Long.
While looking at his phone, Lin Ze wandered around the room casually. He walked past Britney's clothes left on the sofa, casually took down the high heels that were thrown on top of the cabinet, pulled out half a pair of stockings from behind the TV, and threw a half-burnt low-temperature candle into the trash can.
"A six-game suspension and a 100,000 yuan fine?" Lin Ze scratched his head. "That's lighter than I thought. I thought I wouldn't be able to come back until halfway through the finals."
"Ma Long also suspended for 3 games and fined 5? That old dog deserves it!"
"Ron was fined 7 for 3 games? No, it's 17. He said he would pay the fine for me. Wait, I think he said he would pay double?"
That's 27.
Lin Ze basked in the sun, talking to himself leisurely. The team did not practice today, and according to the league rules, he would not be able to practice with the team for the next few days. He would not be able to appear at Staples Center or in public with the team until his suspension ended.
Lin Ze was not in a hurry at all.
Malone has also been suspended for 3 games. Even without him and Harper, the Lakers still have Kobe and Shaq, and they can easily beat the Jazz without Malone. Unless something unexpected happens, this series is unlikely to exceed 5 games.
If we calculate based on a five-game series, he could return in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals after a six-game suspension.
These few days, I'll just treat myself to a break.
I still need to give Su Qun an exclusive interview; Su Qun made an appointment with me last night.
There's also community service; the league fined him 72 hours of community service, so he might as well finish it over the next few days.
After deciding on his plans for the next few days, Lin Ze opened the door and brought in all the newspapers that were hanging outside. Then he understood why Bass and West were so confident in telling him that everything was fine last night.
Los Angeles certainly has a lot of energy!
What should Lin Neng do if he is choked and slammed? He should either fight back like a man or lie on the floor and cry!
"
"The chokehold was just the beginning! In the first round of the match, Ma Long almost broke Lin's ribs with his elbow!"
Remember the All-Star Game? Lin once presented the MVP trophy to Malone with great anticipation!
"Ma Long showed Lin what a scumbag is in just one game!"
Lin is not fighting alone! When he throws a punch, the entire alliance's spirits seem to possess him, giving him power!
"Honey, what are you laughing at?" Britney's distinctive voice came through.
"The newspapers portrayed me as a revolutionary who dared to resist darkness and oppression," Lin Ze said. "I'm worried that if they continue to develop this image, I'll become some kind of revolutionary leader or savior."
"So it is you." Britney rolled over and sat on Lin Ze's lap. "After I ask my agent, I'll say something for you. I'll tell him you're my favorite NBA player, and I've never liked Karl Mahon since I was a kid."
"It's Malone," Lin Ze corrected. "What if they ask you who's better at dunking and post-up moves, Kobe or Shaq, and you can't answer?"
"Back-to-the-basket one-on-one?" Britney turned around, her back to Lin Ze. "I'm good at that too."
Over the next few days, Lin Ze completely relaxed. He handed everything over to the team and Schwartz, and did nothing except show his kindness and friendliness by appearing on the streets of Los Angeles, in nursing homes and orphanages.
He needs to conserve his energy and build up his strength.
As for the Jazz's Sloan, Stockton, and others, they have completely gone mad.
They were clearly very dissatisfied with Malone's three-game suspension, and whenever they had the chance, they would complain that the league's punishment of Malone was too harsh and that the punishment of Lin Ze was too lenient.
But whenever reporters bring up the incident of Ma Long being choked and slammed, they quickly change the subject, saying that Ma Long's eyes are so swollen he can't open them, lamenting that this tough guy has always done good deeds and never hurt anyone, yet he has ended up in such a miserable state.
Reporters naturally didn't take the bait at all, and would go back and write articles like "Stockton says Malone is a good guy, maybe our standards for judging a good guy are completely opposite" to mock them.
Although the Salt Lake City media put in a lot of effort and tried their best to fight back, unfortunately, compared to the terrifyingly advanced media industry in Los Angeles, their counterattack was like a five-year-old child using a motion beam on his father.
It doesn't even qualify as a tickle.
Public opinion across the United States, unsurprisingly, overwhelmingly favored the Lakers and Lin Ze.
The reason why this one-sided situation was formed was due to the efforts of the Los Angeles media, the guidance of the league, and the bias of commentators such as Wilmarcus and Smith, but the most important reason was that Malone really had a lot of crimes to his name.
Almost no one sympathized with him or liked him.
As for China, it goes without saying.
Lin Ze's status has even risen from that of an ordinary sports star to that of a national hero; some people are even comparing him to Huo Yuanjia, Chen Zhen, and Huang Feihong.
As for the stadium?
This is the least surprising part.
With both teams missing key players, the Lakers completely dominated the game.
After the first three games, the Lakers led 3-0, completely dominating the Jazz.
In the fourth game, the Jazz managed to win a game thanks to outstanding performances from Stockton and Hornacek, thus avoiding a sweep by the Lakers.
And next, they will finally welcome Malone's return.
Malone, whose face was somewhat distorted by Lin Ze's blows and whose eyes were still wrapped in simple bandages, returned to the court in Game 5 of the series. He played quite well in this game, scoring a double-double of 33 points and 11 rebounds.
Unfortunately, his outstanding performance was not enough to help the team secure a victory on the road.
Kobe and Shaq combined for 77 points, easily defeating the Jazz and defending their home court.
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Lakers advanced by losing only one game each time.
They played with the level and dominance expected of a 73-win team! Whether in basketball or combat sports.
This series against the Jazz, in particular, means that the Lakers have finally emerged from the shadow of losing to the Jazz twice in the past few years!
The Jazz, the dominant force in the Western Conference for the past few years, are destined to gradually decline from their peak after this year's brutal series.
They are too old.
In another Western Conference matchup, the game between the Suns and the Trail Blazers also reached its most crucial moment.
In the first four games of the series, the Suns and the Trail Blazers went back and forth.
虽然第一场太阳就在客场输掉20分，可接下来他们靠着克里弗德·罗宾逊的27分8篮板和便士」哈达威的27分8篮板7助攻，成功在客场扳平比分，将系列赛带到了1：1！
In the third game, the Suns continued their momentum and won another game, gaining an advantage in the series.
But in Game 4, the Trail Blazers finally woke up, with Pippen, Rasheed, and Stoudemire all scoring 20+ points.
He scored, leading his team to tie the score.
2: 2!
The score is tied!
At this moment, the people of Phoenix were full of hope!
Because in the first four games of the series, the team's leader Kidd performed terribly, and even if Liu Wei had replaced him in those four games, it wouldn't have been any worse. However, with Hardaway and Robinson's explosive performances, the two sides still went to a decisive Game 5!
If Kidd has a slight burst of brilliance and puts on a nice performance, wouldn't we easily win this series and advance?
But in the pivotal Game 5, the series took a dramatic turn, suddenly losing all suspense, and Phoenix's dream was shattered.
Because the "powerful penny" has fallen again.
Less than three minutes into the game, Hardaway twisted his already shattered knee during a fast break with no contact and had to leave the court early.
Although Jason Kidd, whose performance in the first four games after his departure was even worse than Guo Shiqiang's, finally regained his form and recorded a triple-double of 22 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, the Suns still lost Game 5 due to the absence of Hardaway and Robinson's poor performance.
Finally, when the series returned to Phoenix, the defiant Hardaway chose to play through injury, but the result was disastrous.
This night became a nightmare for the people of Phoenix.
哈达威9投1中8分2助攻5失误5犯规。
基德13投3中8分2助攻5失误4犯规。
罗宾逊11投3中8分3篮板4犯规。
Marion scored 7 points and grabbed 7 rebounds on 2-of-11 shooting.
朗利8投2中4分6篮板4犯规。
None of the team's five starters scored in double figures, and they combined for hitting 41 shots but only made 11.
With this kind of performance, they were naturally ruthlessly crushed by the Trail Blazers!
87: 59!
The Suns, who scored only 59 points, suffered a crushing 28-point defeat at home, ending their season in an incredibly humiliating manner.
The Trail Blazers and Lakers will meet in the Western Conference Finals!
This is the Trail Blazers' second consecutive year reaching the Western Conference Finals. Last year they were swept by the Spurs. What about this year? Can they defeat the Lakers and contend for their first championship since 1977?
Meanwhile, in the East, the fourth game between the Heat and the Knicks also did not disappoint the fans.
This time, the two sides once again went to a decisive Game 7, marking their fourth consecutive season playing a full series.
In the seven games, the score difference between the two sides did not exceed 10 points in any game, and the score difference in three games was only one goal!
They were evenly matched and it was difficult to determine who was superior.
Even in the decisive Game 1, the Knicks only won by one point.
Neither team scored in the final minute of the game. The Heat had three chances to win the series, but Mourning's strong attack, Tim Hardaway's three-pointer, and Mashburn's jump shot all missed.
83: 82!
The Knicks narrowly defeated the Heat by one point on the road, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals once again!
It's worth mentioning that this is the third time the Knicks have defeated the Heat in the Finals, and all three times, they have taken place at American Airlines Arena in Miami.
Over the past few years, New Yorkers have truly brought Miami pain time and time again.
This can be seen as the price Riley paid for sending PJ Brown to use shameless dirty tricks to lure the Knicks into a fight, which resulted in a large-scale brawl.
If there's anything regrettable about this series of matches, it's that there wasn't a single fight between the two sides in all seven games.
A game between the Knicks and the Heat without a fight would just be incomplete.
Fortunately for the victorious Knicks, it's fine if there's no fighting in this round; they can fight in the next round!
Because the Knicks' opponent is also their arch-rival.
Reggie Miller and his Indiana Pacers!
If you ask New York fans who their most hated person was throughout the 1990s...
So this person is neither Mourning, who punched them multiple times, nor Jordan, who stood them up, nor Shaq, Barkley, Hill, or Hardaway.
There was only one NBA player that New Yorkers hated most in the 90s: the first mayor of New York City, the epitome of chokeholds, and Fuxie.
Reggie Miller.
The Pacers' opponent in the semifinals is the 76ers, led by Allen Iverson.
In this series, the Pacers demonstrated their strong team defense, holding Iverson to only 36% field goal percentage in the first four games and forcing him to commit 4.5 turnovers per game. The Pacers also took a 3-1 lead and secured the series point.
Although Iverson finally exploded in the fifth game, scoring his first 30+ point game of the series and leading his team to a miraculous victory on the road.
Just when the Philadelphia 76ers thought their lone hero could continue to create miracles, the Pacers poured cold water on their dreams in Game 6 of the series.
They relentlessly harassed and attacked Iverson throughout the game, forcing him to score only 19 points on 7-of-26 shooting. When Iverson plays at this efficiency, the 76ers' winning percentage is practically zero!
In the end, the Pacers easily defeated the 76ers by 16 points and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals!
Miller and his tough team are once again making a run for the championship!
With this, the matchups for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals have finally been finalized.
Knicks vs. Pacers.
Lakers vs. Trail Blazers.
Lin Ze's impressions of this round of the Western Conference Finals are quite limited.
Although he knew that the Lakers had narrowly advanced by staging a stunning comeback in Game 7, thus establishing the 0K dynasty, and he also knew that Kobe's dramatic change of direction in the final moments of Game 7 completely shook off Pippen and delivered the so-called "alley-oop of the century" assist to O'Neal.
But apart from that, Lin Ze, who was born before the Western Conference Finals started that year, really had no memory of this series.
Although he didn't have much of an impression of this series, Lin Ze knew the Trail Blazers very well!
Having played in the league for four years, the Lakers have always considered the second-ranked Trail Blazers in the West as their hypothetical Western Conference Finals opponent, so the Lakers' analysis and research on the Trail Blazers is quite in-depth.
First of all, the biggest label for this Trail Blazers team is that they are rich and foolish, and incredibly extravagant.
Who can blame them when their boss is Paul Allen? Although Paul Allen's ranking on the wealth list is far lower than that of his partner Bill Gates, in the NBA circle, he is a force to be reckoned with.
In 00, when the salary cap was only $3400 million, the Trail Blazers' total salary expenditure this year reached a terrifying $7500 million! A record high in the NBA!
In comparison, the Lakers' salary expenditure this year is only $5500 million. Apart from the Trail Blazers, only another notorious overspender in the league, the Knicks, has a salary expenditure of $6900 million. Apart from these two teams, there is no other team in the league with a salary expenditure exceeding $6000 million.
The Lakers' $5500 million investment already ranks fourth in the league.
Even without a luxury tax these days, the Trail Blazers' salary expenditure is still incredibly outrageous.
This 7500 million roster doesn't have any superstars, but it does have a bunch of star players.
"The incredibly fast and agile 'Flying Squirrel' Damon Stoudamire, the hot-tempered 'Roaring God' Rasheed Wallace, the All-Star and rare backcourt sharpshooter Steve Smith, and of course, the second-best Batman in the world, Scottie Pippen."
In addition to these American stars, the Trail Blazers also have the "Roof of the World," the "All-Around Warrior" Sabonis, and the "First Generation German Machine," Schrempf.
On the bench were "The Stick" Wells, the yet-to-be-famous Jermaine O'Neal, and the tough and fierce forward Brian Grant.
Besides high salaries and a large number of talented players, Portland has another unique characteristic.
There are many villains and criminals!
It's known as the Portland Penitentiary!
These people have terrible tempers and personalities, each one worse than the last, each one a scoundrel.
Stoudemire was an alcoholic and a drunk driver; Pippen became a complete troublemaker after Jordan left; Rasheed's temper was notoriously bad; Sabonis's terrible personality and character were also well-known in the league; and then there were Grant, Wells, and Smith—
To put it another way: Rasheed, a notorious scoundrel who only likes to yell, shout, and swear but has never been to jail, is actually the most well-behaved player on the Trail Blazers.
If you've never been to the police station, never had a passionate confrontation with the police, and have no criminal record, do you even dare to call yourself a troublemaker?
The Trail Blazers are in a similar situation: none of them respect anyone else, none of them consider anyone else to be the leader, yet each of them thinks they are the leader.
There's even a strange betting odds in Las Vegas: when will the Trail Blazers have an internal brawl?
Mike Dunleavy led this group, a bunch of wild animals, surrounded by drugs, alcohol, and nightclubs.
This player had an unremarkable career, but after becoming a coach, he fully demonstrated his talent, especially in team building. This old guy was incredibly good at it and managed to keep these scumbags and villains in check, leading them to play Portland's unique egalitarian basketball!
Neither of you will submit to the other?
Okay, then there's no boss! Everyone's the boss!
There is no absolute leader. Only one player on the team averages more than 15 points per game, but five players average more than 12 points per game, and three players average more than 8 points per game.
Generally speaking, teams that emphasize egalitarianism and teamwork tend to have a very harmonious internal atmosphere.
However, the atmosphere within the Trail Blazers team was terrible, with players forming cliques and disliking each other, much like several street gangs.
Unable to appear on the sidelines and forced to watch TV from home, Lin Ze initially thought this series would be evenly matched.
A closely contested match.
Considering that even without his participation in his previous life, the Lakers were still able to fight the Trail Blazers to a Game 7, Lin Ze thought: Even if he couldn't play in the first two games of the series, the Lakers, playing at home, would definitely not be suppressed by the Trail Blazers, right?
After all, OK is still around!
But when the Western Conference Finals actually started, Lin Ze found that the situation was completely different from what he had imagined!
The Lakers, playing at home, were stunned by a surprise attack from the Trail Blazers right from the start!
In Game 1 of the series, the Trail Blazers thrashed the Lakers by 29 points on the road! Three Trail Blazers players – Rasheed, Smith, and Pippen – scored over 20 points, while only O'Neal scored in double figures for the Lakers.
Other players, including Kobe and Rice, all underperformed and failed to score more than 10 points.
Under these circumstances, it would be a miracle if the Lakers could win. They suffered a crushing defeat in their opening game of the Western Conference Finals, getting thoroughly beaten by the Trail Blazers.
If it were just one loss, it would be fine, but the Lakers lost the second game of the series!
Before the game, the Lakers made ample preparations and mobilizations, and everyone put themselves in their best condition.
Shaquille O'Neal had a double-double of 31 points and 22 rebounds that night, while Kobe Bryant and Ed Harper, who had been back for several games, also bounced back, combining for 33 points.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are also closely guarding the trio that had a breakout performance in the previous game, trying to minimize their offensive impact.
But the Trail Blazers showed their advantage at this time.
There are so many people!
In terms of absolute dominance and superstar players, we can't compare to your Lakers.
But we have many capable players, and many potential star players!
That night, Stoudemire scored 21 points and 9 assists. Although Sabonis, who only had one leg, was completely unable to compete with O'Neal physically, he fired away from mid-range and long-range, hitting three three-pointers and several jump shots, ultimately scoring 20 points.
Not only did the starters have a breakout performance, but the Trail Blazers' bench also dominated tonight.
Grant and Wells combined to dominate the Lakers' bench, scoring 35 points, while the Lakers' six bench players combined for only 12 points.
Even though Pippen and Rasheed had a rather poor performance tonight, the Trail Blazers still managed to secure the victory.
96: 88!
The Trail Blazers won by 8 points that night.
2: 0!
They won two consecutive away games, giving them a dream start!
At this point, many people had already condemned the Lakers to death.
If you lose two games in a row at home, including one by nearly 30 points, what's the point of playing?
If they can't even defend their home ground, how can they expect to get revenge on the road?
Portlanders were jubilant, believing their team was just one step away from the NBA Finals.
Las Vegas has also updated the odds to an amazing 100:1000! If you bet $100 on the Lakers to advance, you'll end up with a $1000 return!
In contrast, when the Lakers faced the SuperSonics in the first round, the SuperSonics' odds of advancing were only 700.
If someone dares to bet everything on the Lakers' advancement at this point and wins, they could become rich overnight!
But many people still believe: The Lakers are finished! If you bet on the Lakers now, you're just giving money to the bookmakers.
However, despite being down 0-2 and on the brink of elimination with no way out, the Lakers also had some good news.
Lin Ze's 6-match suspension has finally ended!
He can return to play on the road and can play for the team in Game 3 of the series!
This is also the source of confidence for many fans who still have faith in the Lakers!
We did get down 0-2 to the Trail Blazers, but we gave you an All-Star starter!
Now that our All-Star starters are back, how can we lose?
That's impossible, isn't it?
In short, the nerves of Los Angeles fans have been pushed to the limit, and many Los Angeles fans are even afraid to watch the broadcast of Game 3 of the series.
They were afraid of seeing a hopeless ending.
If they're down 0-2, they still have a chance; but if they're down 0-3, then it's really over.
We must win tonight!
There is no way out!
This is the thought of all Lakers fans, and it's also the slogan Jackson shouted!
If roses represent romance, then Portland is the most romantic city in the world, home to the largest number of rose plantations in the world.
But tonight, the Los Angeles fans had no interest in appreciating the vibrant red and delicate skin; the atmosphere in the Lakers' locker room was rather somber.
Silence, gloom, everyone is doing their own thing.
Then suddenly, the television in the locker room, which had been mostly silent, suddenly became very loud and started playing highlights of the game.
Highlights of the Lakers being schooled by the Trail Blazers in their first two games.
This was clearly the first gift the Portlanders gave them tonight.
Faced with the arrogant and provocative video footage, the Lakers' locker room fell even more silent, with only the cheers and provocations of the Portland fans remaining.
Suddenly, a dark shadow flew towards the television, followed by a loud "crash" sound. The once arrogant television screen shattered into countless pieces, and the images and sounds on the screen became a jumbled mess.
"You guys really can't do without me," Lin Ze's voice rang out as he chuckled and walked in from the locker room door. "You actually managed to put up with this stuff playing in our locker room for so long?"
"Even if you can't find the remote, you can't be unable to find a chair, right?" Lin Ze sat down in his chair and said casually, "Relax, guys, I'm back, and I'll lead you to victory! Give me the ball tonight, and I'll avenge you."
"Who needs you to avenge us!" O'Neal said in a deep voice, "I'm the boss of this team!"
"But I don't see that coming from Shaq!" Lin Ze said. "You don't even dare to smash the TV."
"You're clearly terrified! You're no match for Sabonis, are you?"
"How is that possible!" O'Neal stared at Lin Ze, wide-eyed. "I'm not afraid of him at all! I crushed him in the last game!"
"But we still lost," Lin Ze shrugged.
"Not tonight!" O'Neal said viciously. "Not tonight! He'll die a horrible death!"
"Then I'm relieved." After saying that, Lin Ze turned to Kobe, who was on the other side of O'Neal, and said, "What about you? In the first two games, you were guarded by Scottie like his son, without even a little resistance."
"Back when we were with the Bulls, during our intra-squad scrimmages, Michael always beat Scottie like a son. Wait, is this your way of trying to catch up with Michael?"
"To become his grandson?"
"Fuck!" Kobe roared, throwing the towel he was holding onto the floor. "What are you talking about?"
"It's no use yelling at me here." Lin Ze shrugged and said, "If you've got guts, beat up Costie and prove yourself."
"Shaq may not be able to lead his team to victory, but at least he has some stats. What have you done in these two games?"
"It'll be here starting tonight!" Kobe said fiercely, "The stats, the wins! I'll get them all, I'll beat that old man Costie to death!"
"Ron!" After exchanging a few words with Kobe, Lin Ze turned to Hubble: "You said before that if I got into a fight and got fined, you'd pay double?"
"That's how it is." Hubble was curious about what Lin Ze was going to say.
"Could you pay for the replacement TV for me?"
At this moment, Jackson, who was standing by the locker room, was at a loss for words.
The scene before him was strikingly similar to that of Neymar, where the team's top three players were exchanging barbs, creating a tense atmosphere.
But after that exchange of insults, the atmosphere within the team was noticeably different.
At least Kobe and Shaq are both gearing up right now, ready to unleash their anger on the Trail Blazers players.
Jackson discovered that the speech he had prepared for two days was no longer needed.
Lin Ze used an incredibly crude yet highly effective method to revitalize the two people at OK.
Jackson himself would never dare to use this method.
If things go wrong or go too far, then there will be real internal conflict, and a locker room riot will break out.
But Lin Ze just walked in, and then, with just a few words, he got it done?
Jackson had previously criticized Dunleavy's team-building methods, believing they were essentially a form of cult.
But now, Jackson is starting to think that he might be the one who's actually raising a treacherous bird.
"Well then." After Lin Ze finished playing and completely ignited the suppressed anger in Kobe and O'Neal's hearts, Jackson walked to the middle of the locker room: "I won't say more about how important tonight's game is."
"Shaq, Robert, Ron, Glenn, Kobe, you five starters!"
"As for you," Jackson glared at Lin Ze before he could speak, "Sit still on the bench! The league's suspension is the league's, but if you fight on the court, you'll have to accept a team suspension as well, understand?"
What can Lin Ze say about this?
He couldn't very well ask Jackson, "You said you played well and brilliantly just a few days ago, how come you're turning your back on me today?"
Moreover, Lin Ze also knew that Jackson was doing this for O'Neal and Kobe to see.
These two were just scolded by me, and they're still seething with anger.
Now Jackson is essentially standing up for these two.
Whether this tactic worked on Kobe is debatable, but it clearly worked on O'Neal.
His expression shifted from gloomy to cheerful, and he patted Lin Ze on the shoulder with a smile: "Just watch from the bench. After I've blown the game out of the box, you can come up and get a feel for it!"
Lin Ze shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
But he knew the Lakers would definitely win tonight!
It's not just because he's back, but also because the team's morale and confidence have completely returned!
Soon, everyone got up and headed to the court, while Jackson deliberately walked with Lin Ze.
"Well done!" Jackson praised his top confidant.
"A raise?" Lin Ze was quite pragmatic.
"Your salary will definitely increase next season!" Jackson made this meaningless promise, then quickened his pace and ran away.
cut!
After the Lakers arrived at the Trail Blazers' home arena, the nearly 19000 spectators unsurprisingly showered the Lakers players with wild and extreme blessings.
A team's fans reflect its team's characteristics. If the Portland Trail Blazers can be called "Portland Prison," then their die-hard fans can't be saints.
"This is outrageous!" Lin Ze couldn't help but exclaim as he entered the stadium.
"What's so surprising?" O'Neal said with a look that said, "You've never seen anything like this before. The boos in Salt Lake City are way more extreme than here!"
Lin Ze didn't remind O'Neal that he had also played two series against the Jazz, but instead pointed to several signs in the stands and said, "I mean these."
O'Neal looked in the direction Lin Ze was pointing.
"Lin, Rashid will teach you a lesson! He'll pin you to the ground and beat you to a pulp!"
"Do you dare lay a hand on Steve? Steve is the real tough guy!"
"Kirsty, kill that Asian kid! Let him know who the real League of Legends God of War is!"
"These fans—" O'Neal couldn't help but say, "They're really confident!"
"Do Rashid and his team know that the fans have these expectations of them?" Rice chimed in. "Do they know that their fans want them to have a real fight with Lin?"
"Ron, are you joining this time?" Lin Ze looked at Hubble, who was obediently warming up. "What grudge do you have against that little mouse?"
"No grudge," Hubble shook his head. "But if you two start fighting, I'd be happy to send him to meet God!"
"Don't take it seriously, guys, don't take it seriously." Pippen, with his large, long face, walked towards the Lakers' side. Leading 2-0, he looked quite relaxed, as if everything was under control: "Let's play well."
"Lin and I are best buddies! Right, Ron? You can vouch for that! We've even fought together!"
"That's absolutely right." Lin Ze bumped fists with Pippen and said, "But our McIlroy is going to beat you to a pulp tonight!"
Lin Ze pointed at Kobe and said, "You'd better be prepared."
"Him?" Pippen curled his lip, his disdain written all over his face. "How about we discuss where to get together after the game tonight? This is the last chance. You'll be eliminated after the next game, and you definitely won't be in the mood for a get-together, right?"
"Just you wait!" O'Neal stepped in front of Pippen and said fiercely, "Let's see if you'll still be saying those things after tonight's game."
But Lin Ze had already turned to Kobe at that moment: "He looks down on you!"
"He would never dare to look down on Michael!"
"None of your business." Kobe's face darkened, and he turned to the side to find a basketball and start shooting.
Lin Ze, who had fueled the fire and raised the Lakers' temper to a whole new level, was now relaxed on the sidelines, letting the physiotherapist help him relax.
Over the past few days, he has done a lot of defense against Britney's post-up plays. This singing girl, to say the least, has incredibly long and powerful breath control.
A dozen minutes later, after both sides finished warming up, the starting players from both sides took to the field, ready to start tonight's game.
O'Neal and Sabonis stood in the center circle, and immediately jumped at the same time after the referee threw the ball into the air.
Or rather, O'Neal jumped up, Sabonis made a token gesture by extending his arm, and then turned to defend.
Jumping for the ball with O'Neal is not something an old man like him should do.
On the Lakers' first offensive possession, Kobe called for the ball at the top of the key and faced off against Pippen. However, Kobe did not use his most effective crossovers and fancy dribbling techniques at this stage to compete with Pippen.
He immediately dribbled the ball, accelerated, and drove straight into the paint, overpowering Pippen!
Knowing that his younger brother was in a bad mood and needed to vent, O'Neal immediately stepped aside to block Sabonis, who was trying to help defend, clearing a wide path for Kobe.
"boom!"
With a deafening roar, Kobe dunked over Pippen!
"Still in the mood to plan tonight's party?" After scoring, Kobe's eyes widened as he stared intently at Pippen. He had been thoroughly outplayed by Pippen in the previous two games, and tonight, he was going to get his revenge!
Pippen pursed his lips, ignored Kobe, and then moved on to the Trail Blazers' offense. Stoudemire immediately focused on attacking the Lakers' weaknesses.
He initiated a pick-and-roll with Sabonis at the high post, then immediately accelerated towards the basket, attempting a layup while O'Neal was out of the paint.
As the saying goes, there are wrong names. For example, someone named Guy isn't necessarily gay, and someone named Kobe isn't necessarily steak.
But there's absolutely no wrong nickname. Damon Stoudamier's nickname is "Flying Squirrel," because he must be as fast and agile as a mouse!
In the last game, the Trail Blazers used this 1-5 pick-and-roll to make O'Neal and the Lakers suffer. When he came out, he let Stoudemire attack the basket; when he didn't come out, he let Sabonis catch the ball and shoot from mid-range.
O'Neal ran out right after Sabonis, and upon seeing O'Neal, Stoudemire naturally drove straight to the basket, raising his hand to complete a layup.