Chapter 605 [Victory in the Preseason, Facing the Trail Blazers]
Many reporters were present at the Lakers media day, and some asked tricky questions, such as how much ball rights will Kobe get in the new season and what are the Lakers' main tactics?
A female reporter questioned that Kobe, who was just 30 years old, was old and his condition had declined. In the new season, the ball should be shared equally like the Celtics' Big Three, which would be more beneficial to the team.
Kobe was very angry, but the reporter's words were correct, because the Celtics' banner was for veterans to join forces to win the championship, not to form a peak team. Pierce was a "veteran" who just turned 30 last year, so the emotional card was... no Those who knew thought he was a thirty-year-old man with a sixty-year-old heart.
The Big Three of the Green Army are indeed very selfless. During the regular season, Garnett, who took the most shots on the team, only averaged 13.9 shots per game, Pierce 13.7 times, and Ray Allen 13.5 times. How could Kobe do this?
Some people used Kobe's performance in the Olympics as an example, thinking that he was no longer suitable for fast-paced offense, which directly angered Kobe. He did not answer the question and gave the reporter a death glare.
At this time, Kobe has made up his mind to compete for the regular season scoring title in the new season, take more shots, and prove that he is still at the top.
Yang Rui responded perfunctorily when reporters asked questions, preparing for the regular season. This year's holiday was too short, and he always felt that something was missing and he hadn't had enough fun yet.
The superyacht "Serenity" customized by Thomas Bentley was launched for the first time last month, and the next step is for engineers and technicians to conduct a ten-day maiden voyage.
The yacht is worth more than 800 million euros and was produced by the German Lurssen Yacht Company. It is about 170 meters long, 21.5 meters wide, has a displacement of 13,000 tons, and its turbocharged engine has a power of up to 20,000 horsepower. It is currently the largest yacht in the world.
At Thomas's request, the yacht was designed to be very trendy. The name "Serenity" was taken from his favorite movie "Serenity".
The yacht has a stage, exhibition hall, 3 restaurants, 2 kitchens, aquarium, disco, bath, swimming pool, gymnasium with sauna, steam room. The yacht has rooms for 100 guests and 70 crew members.
There are two helipads and hangars built on the yacht, which can accommodate two helicopters. There are 4 small sightseeing boats used to pick up and drop off guests, as well as 20 jet skis and an escape submarine. The submarine can enter and exit freely through a special hatch at the bottom of the yacht, allowing people to leave without noticing. .
Thomas's own introduction is: Except for Transformers and missiles, this ship has everything.
Yang Rui felt very depressed when he thought that Thomas would take a group of people out to sea soon, but he would have to fly the team back and forth to play home and away games. He had never lived on such a luxurious ship.
After a few days of training, the preseason began.
Yao Ming and Kobe Bryant will not play in the preseason, which was announced before the game.
Iguodala has become the first core of the Lakers. Yang Rui tried to let him play as a point forward, with two inside defenders covering the side, and the defender running to catch and shoot, or catch the ball and break through inside.
Even if the "drug combination" is not there, the Lakers can still achieve a balance of offense and defense. Odom and Millsap are good at guarding pick-and-rolls and protecting rebounds, and they can open up shots on the offensive end.
After Yang Rui selected Millsap, he asked him to practice three-pointers, increase his shooting range, and shoot in the middle and on both sides, learning from Rasheed Wallace. Millsap had some shooting ability when he was in college and has improved rapidly. Now the three-pointer is not accurate enough, and the mid-range shot is already very confident.
In Yang Rui's previous life, Millsap was only a mid-range shooter under Jerry Sloan, and he only started practicing three-pointers 10 years later.
Substitute DJ White became a big surprise in the preseason. He has the strength to withstand people. His offense mainly relies on mid-range shots, accounting for more than 60%. He is very accurate, and he can shoot from all positions. He and Landry play together. It can also open up space and help teammates create breakthrough opportunities.
White's jaw injury has long been healed, but Yang Rui still provides him with a certain amount of protection. He is not required to attack in the low post. The air-cutting task is all Landry's.
All he needs is screens and mid-range shots.
Yang Rui is interested in cultivating White, because White was a loser in his previous life. If he plays a role for the Lakers this season, Yang Rui will have a sense of accomplishment.
His destiny may change here. With his good shooting ability and good support, he may be a defensively weakened version of Millsap.
Brooks is also a key training target. This year he is more daring to attack with the ball, and he and Lou Williams have sharp breakthroughs.
However, Daniel Gibson is still the starting point guard candidate because he is extremely accurate from three-point range. He shot 44% from the field last season and could hit two goals in a game.
The Lakers performed amazingly in the preseason. They won all 7 games without the "drug-addicted combination", including a victory over the Celtics. Garnett's playing time was relatively short, and the Celtics failed to withstand the impact of the Lakers' two defenders. Perkins and "Big Baby" Davis partnered, and the pick-and-roll was too slow.
Brooks and Lu Wei are terrible defenders. Not many people can guard them when they rush forward. Not only are they fast, they can also shoot. Yang Rui plans to reuse them in the regular season. As long as the opponent's outside shooting is average, they can be sent out.
The Lakers ranked first in the NBA's first official strength rankings, surpassing the Celtics who won the championship last season.
Experts generally believe that the Lakers are slightly better than the Green Army. The Green Army's championship last season had a lot to do with Yao Ming's absence. If Yao Ming can play, it will be difficult for them to prevent the pick-and-roll cooperation of the "drug combination".
The two giants of the Green Army, Garnett and Pierce, were dissatisfied with being looked down upon by the media. In interviews, they stated that they would definitely defend their title this season and were confident of defeating the Lakers and any team.
As the third giant, Ray Allen remained silent and seemed not united enough. There are also problems in the Celtics locker room. Ray Allen is unsociable and often does not attend team gatherings, even championship gatherings. He likes to do his own thing, that's how he lives his life.
On October 28, the NBA arranged two opening games, namely the Celtics VS Cavaliers and the Trail Blazers VS Lakers. Due to the time difference, the Los Angeles game started four hours later.
The two top teams in the Eastern Conference staged a defensive battle. The offensive and defensive rhythm was slow, lifeless, and the ratings were not high. The Cavaliers lost 85-90 in an away game.
James made 9 of 21 shots, 0 of 4 three-pointers, and 4 of 8 free throws. He only had 22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.
Pierce made 10 of 19 shots, 2 of 4 three-pointers, 5 of 8 free throws, and scored 27 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. James once said in an interview that Pierce is his biggest enemy. "Truth" does have the ability to suppress the "little emperor", and his physical deficiencies can be made up for by technology.
Rondo became the starting point guard and played 30 minutes, making 4 of 5 shots, 6 of 10 free throws, and scored 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Rondo's advantages are good defense, fast speed, and sharp breakthroughs. Because of his existence, the Green Army is unwilling to renew West's contract with a high salary.
The Western Conference game begins, live broadcast on CCTV5.
Zhang Lili said: "Last season, due to the lack of Yao Ming, the Lakers regretted not being able to win four consecutive championships. However, Yang Rui proved himself in the Olympics. Under his leadership, the Dream Team is unstoppable. The nickname Pope is really not just a boast." of."
Yu Jia said: "The Trail Blazers are a team with great potential. Roy's playing style is similar to Kobe. Last season he averaged 19.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game, and was successfully selected as an All-Star. Against the Lakers at home in the regular season, Roy Yi and Kobe scored soaringly, scoring 42 points and 6 assists to lead the team to victory. The matchup between the two must be very exciting, which is why the league arranged for them to play in the opening game."
Zhang Lili smiled and said: "However, I guess the Blazers players are under a lot of pressure. They won last season because of Yao Ming's absence. Yao Ming is back today, which will be a test for Joakim Noah."