Chapter 499 497. I Won't Listen, I Won't Listen...

On February 23, 2003, the Eagles came to the Energy Center Arena in Salt Lake City to challenge the Jazz away.

Taking advantage of the morale of the lore Kings, the Eagles did not give the Jazz too many opportunities from the beginning, relying on their tough defense to suppress the Jazz.

Shuangsha can't move the Jazz this year.

Last year, at any rate, they were able to maintain the posture of a strong team, but this year it really can't.

Shuangsha is still very powerful. Stockton averaged 10+2+8 per game this season, but both his shooting percentage and three-point shooting percentage fell to a new low after his rookie contract, but he also had a shooting percentage of 48+36, but his performance was true. Not as good as last season, because most of the time he passed the ball, it was difficult to convert it into an assist, and his teammates were one year older, which led to more and more double-teaming times for Shuangsha, which made Stockton His organizational ability cannot be reflected like last season.

Then Malone was forced to take on more mid-range singles organization work. Malone averaged a career-high assists per game this season, averaging 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5 assists per game, and became 20+5+5. players.

Apart from Malone and Stockton, Matt Harprin, Kirilenko and Mark Jackson, who were sent to the Jazz by the Knicks in the second round, are the most powerful players on the Jazz. He is defensive. Kirilenko's organizational ability has not yet been developed. This year, he averaged only 1.7 assists per game. He is not the core of the future organization and cannot help Shuangsha too much. Assist performance.

Therefore, the Jazz's organizational pressure is all placed on the three elders of Shuang Sha and Mark Jackson. The three together averaged 20 assists per game, and the entire Jazz team averaged 23 assists per game. No one has the ability to score independently, and it all depends on three people to support the Jazz's offense. In the past 18 years, the Jazz averaged 103 points per game. Last season, they averaged 98 points per game. This year, they directly collapsed to an average of 93 points per game. Prynne began to enter the peak period and became the strongest backbone in the new Shuangsha era. Kirilenko's defensive end began to look like an all-round defensive fighter who almost won the best defensive player in the future. The Jazz may have collapsed long ago. Now, it is entirely relying on the old Shuangsha and the young defensive champions to maintain their seventh place in the Western Conference.

But compared with the seven or eight top teams in the league, the Jazz have no advantage at all.

Jason Terry and Raheem turned the Jazz upside down from the start, with Jason Terry's various mid-range pull-ups, Raheem chiseling Kirilenko inside, and Malone making up for it. The awareness of defense is still there, but the footsteps can't keep up. On the offensive end, Malone can still score efficiently by relying on rhythm, but on the defensive end, it is not his own rhythm, but to keep up with the opponent's rhythm. As long as Raheem can receive the ball inside , Ma Long can't keep up when he turns around and speeds up. Kirilenko is still thin and can't stop Raheem. Ostertag and the twin brother Jayron Collins of the male classmate are good against O'Neill. , Their function is to prevent O'Neal, and it is really useless at other times.

When it comes to the defensive end, the Eagles pinch Shuangsha mid-range and shrink the basket. The group of Shuangsha peak helpers who cut into mid-range shots are basically retired. Now some players are completely like Mark- A veteran like Jackson, who has a little strength and gets it back at a high price but is useless, can't help Shuangsha too much.

The two Eagles who had already started to take off played the entire first quarter, scoring 29 to 17 in a single quarter. Looking at the talented and impactful performance of a group of youngsters on the other side, Shuangsha could only sigh helplessly that time is not forgiving. In particular, Ma Long played through the first quarter, but was still unable to struggle, so he could only sit on the sidelines sadly.

In the second quarter, the Jazz Shuangsha went off to rest, and the "little Shuangsha" of the Eagles came up and played the same style of play as Shuangsha. Liu Mang and Boozer led Prince, Ke Reece Crawford and Kevin Wesley opened up the point difference faster than the first quarter.

Generally speaking, your own team's tactical style of play is difficult for your own team to defend, because it has never been considered. The combination of Liu Mang and Boozer is really a bit of a pair of evil spirits. It's just that Liu Mang doesn't like CIC that much, and prefers CIC. Three-pointers and hitting the basket made fouls, but the Jazz still couldn't prevent it.

In the second quarter, Liu Mang had 12 points and 4 assists in a single quarter, and Boozer had 9 points and 5 rebounds. The two led the Eagles to a score of 62 to 39, and clocked out at halftime.

Dean Grove was shocked, and finally had a chance to perform. In the second half, he brought Barnes, Prince, Boozer, and Murtola up to play. The Jazz didn't struggle much, and replaced them with a substitute lineup. , Mark Jackson took the lead, the relationship between the two teams was good, and it was a fun game without any suspense.

Larry Miller, the old owner of the Jazz on the sidelines, looked at the combination of Liu Mang and Boozer with fiery eyes on the sidelines, especially Boozer. There are many point guards who can play pick-and-rolls. Fighting and being able to fight are two different things.

Liu Mang, Larry Miller didn't even think about it that much, he definitely won't come to Salt Lake City, and the Eagles are even more unlikely to trade, but Boozer...

...

...

The reason why the Shuangsha gathered with Liu Mang before the game was because the Eagles had a tight schedule. After the Jazz game, the Eagles flew to Oakland, the eighth largest city in California next door to Utah, again that night.

The thing that the stars of all NBA teams dislike playing the Warriors is that their city is so close to San Francisco, and some urban areas are connected, but the Warriors insist on moving to Oakland.

It’s nothing for San Francisco people to go to Oakland to watch football. It’s so close and convenient, but it’s uncomfortable for away teams. The main reason is that Oakland and San Francisco are so close, and large hotels are opened in San Francisco, because the per capita income of San Francisco is higher than that of Oakland. If it is much higher, hotel room rates can be set higher, and Oakland’s per capita income is incomparable with Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, the top three cities in California.

In Oakland, there is only one resort invested by the Crest Club called Montefair, which is a five-star hotel. It is at the junction of Oakland and Berkeley, far enough away from the urban area, and the United States is sparsely populated.

The Eagles didn't live in a five-star hotel, similar to when they were playing the Nets. They lived in a four-star hotel that they claimed was not listed.

Unlike Liu Mang, who doesn't care much about where he lives and doesn't think such things are "losing face", even black people, even white people, are very concerned about face. They feel that coming to the Warriors is a loss of face.

This is probably one of the reasons why all teams beat them to death when the Warriors were not strong. In the past six or seven years, Warriors fans have been tortured to the point of doubting their lives. One year is the 21 wins of last season, or the record that was barely recovered after selecting Jason Richardson and Arenas.

However, this year, the Warriors began to gain momentum. Although the record of 24 wins and 30 losses is not very good, they are far away from the eighth place in the Western Conference. They have surpassed the highest record in previous seasons, and for Warriors fans, they are already very satisfied.

From the point of view of Warriors fans, they have Arenas, Jason Richardson, this pair of twin stars with unlimited potential, plus Jia, who has already played at the All-Star level and averaged 22 points and 7 rebounds per game. Mison, the future is bright!

Losing all the year round has given Warriors fans a lot of patience. They are willing to wait until their "three young men" grow up.

Their point of reference is the Eagles, and Jamison is regarded by them as their own Raheem, a striker who can do all things, and a good scorer. Although rebounding and defense are qualitatively different from Raheem, Jamison The offensive methods are more abundant, the scoring is more explosive, and it is more suitable for the Warriors' offensive style of play.

Jason Richardson, although it seems that there is a clear gap in combat effectiveness with Jason Terry in the second grade, Jason Terry averaged 20+3+5 in the second grade, Jason Richardson Sen has only averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game this year, and the gap is obvious.

But age represents potential. Jason Terry was almost 24 years old when he was in the second grade. Jason Richardson is less than 22 years old now, younger than Jason Terry when he entered the NBA. Physical fitness is also better, historical level of physical talent, last season's slam dunk champion, full of talent, shooting talent is visible to the naked eye, and the fans think it's okay to attack with the ball. Shooting is more difficult to practice than breaking with the ball.

Arenas, of course, is Liu Mang for comparison.

The two have similar statistics this season, Liu Mang 17+3+6, Arenas averaged 18+4+6 per game, of course, Liu Mang's shooting percentage of 47+40+84 surrounds Arenas 43+33+ in all directions 76 hits.

But the Warriors fans who already have the spirit of Q feel that there is no difference. Arenas' data is even better, and Arenas is even stronger!

This game between the Eagles and the Warriors is not a strong matchup, and the strength gap between the two teams is obvious.

However, the game was instead broadcast live by ABC TV and London Sports 22 in Europe, which is also the UEFA Champions League sports station that broadcasts the European Basketball League in Europe.

Domestic TV stations have no interest in Liu Mang vs. the rookies of the same year. Domestic fans are very powerful. They think Liu Mang is a super guard, even the strongest guard in the NBA. Putting them all together for discussion depends on the title of Jordan's successor.

In the United States, Liu Mang is still discussed among the younger generation of players. Arenas went berserk this year. Among the rookies who entered the NBA in 2000, 2001, and 2002, Arenas has the best statistics this year. Takeoff hopes of becoming a super guard. After this season, the rookie contract will expire. There are already countless teams wanting to poach him as a core.

Arenas this year, like Liu Mang last season, has become the biggest surprise among guards entering the NBA in the new century. Some even predict that the younger generation of guards will be the two of them competing!

Of course, this kind of argument may not be obvious in other places, but it is definitely the main theme in the Oakland basketball circle!

On the evening of the 24th, the Eagles arrived at the Oracle Arena. There were many Chinese and other Asians here. Liu Mang came to play and attracted many Chinese and Asian fans to watch the game. The pre-match interviews were very harmonious. The questions asked by the local and pro-Warriors media in Oakland and California are very harmonious. They don't want to offend the Eagles and Liu Mang, and they don't want to offend the huge local Chinese and Asian fans. Most of the people who can immigrate to the United States are They are wealthy people, and they are the main consumer group in the area.

However, they always have a question, that is, "views on Arenas."

The other questions were okay, but the last question made Liu Mang raise his eyebrows.

"Ace, Gilbert said his goal is to be the best guard in the class of 2001, to be the best player in the class of 2001, what do you think about that?" a local reporter asked, there is nothing wrong with that question, which one has a struggle A player with heart, talent and demonstrated strength doesn't want to be the best.

But Liu Mang was not happy to hear this question here.

Originally, Liu Mang had no special feelings towards Arenas. He didn't want to fight against him, and he didn't want to get too close. He just wanted to be an ordinary opponent. They don't get along at all, there is no possibility of becoming a teammate, the opponent is good, and they are not enemies, the upper limit of the team with Arenas as the core is too obvious, Liu Mang attaches great importance to him as an opponent, but he will not take the ball from Arenas The team is regarded as an existence that can be regarded as an enemy, and the team goals of the two are not at the same level.

What Liu Mang wants is the championship, and Arenas' team can at most break through the second round.

However, after being asked a lot, Liu Mang's thoughts on wanting to defeat Arenas deepened.

Especially Arenas was very active in defeating Liu Mang, saying that he would become the best guard in the 2001 class. The increasingly irresistible wave cast mode, rest more and rejuvenate yourself.

But it’s all up, everyone claims to be the number one player in 2001, how could Liu Mang not respond: "Wow, did he say he was the best player in the 2001 class? I remember that I was the best player in the 2001 class Rookie, well, let's see who is stronger in this game."

The reporter who asked this question was stunned, what's the matter? For the previous questions, for example, Arenas has better statistics this year, and Liu Mang’s answer is that Arenas deserves it; The answer is that Arenas is a great Mr. Key, and he appreciates it; like...

But how did he come to me? Let me tell you that Arenas’ goal is to become the best player in the 2001 class. That’s the goal, not a self-proclaimed one. Why did he ignite this young man all of a sudden?

No one said that Arenas was the best player in the 2001 class, just the goal!

The local reporter explained for Arenas: "Ace, Gilbert means his goal is to be the best..."

"Send him a message for me, if you want to steal my things, come here!"

Liu Mang finally found a reason for himself and Jason Terry to grab the right to brush data in this kind of abuse game, and improve his average data per game. I don't listen to the reporter's explanation...