Chapter 98 [The Priceless Five Points]
Brian Shaw relied on his 198cm height advantage to pass the ball to O'Neal very well and was able to organize the offense, but he performed poorly on the defensive end and was also unable to deal with the Jazz's pick-and-roll.
Stockton scored consecutively and assisted his teammates, becoming the most conspicuous person on the court.
Shooting guard Starks kept running, which also allowed Kobe to focus more on the defensive end.
The 35-year-old veteran John Starks is 196cm tall and weighs 86kg. He is not a fuel-efficient player and is also nicknamed "Crazy". He was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team with the Knicks in 1993, an All-Star in 1994, and the Best Sixth Man in 1997.
The Lakers were completely misfired from beyond the three-point line, relying only on O'Neal and Leder to provide firepower. The Jazz tied the score at 80.
After 7 minutes, Jackson replaced Leder and replaced Guo Xu and Brian Shaw to form the back line. Kobe took over the small forward position. The Jazz's outside players are not strong, and such a combination of single defense will not become a weakness. To prevent pick-and-rolls, players rely on shrinking to the penalty area for "pseudo zone defense." One O'Neal is enough to turn the penalty area into a no-fly zone.
Jackson believes that the performance of the two guards Stockton and Starks must be limited during this period. Brian Shaw will not suffer from the height of the forward. If the Jazz can be induced to let the small forward play one-on-one, the pressure of guarding the pick-and-roll will be reduced a lot.
The game continued. Guo Xu dribbled the ball to the three-point line and passed it to Brian Shaw. The latter relied on Grant's off-ball screen from the left to get rid of the 201cm tall Quincy Lewis. He caught the ball and hit a mid-range shot.
82 to 80, Guo Xu’s fifth assist.
Brian Shaw always passed the ball to his teammates. Lewis underestimated the enemy and was not very active in pursuit. This is the role of a veteran. If his health is not good, he can still make an occasional score by using his experience.
When the Jazz attacked, Lewis wanted to rely on his body to challenge Brian Shaw. When he broke through with the ball, he was squeezed and lost his rhythm. The dribble hit his feet. Brian Shaw picked up the basketball. Lewis was eager to fight back and was charged with a foul. .
Sloan signaled to the referee on the sidelines that Brian Shaw had committed a defensive foul first, but the referee ignored it. It was just a normal confrontation.
Lewis was the 19th pick in the first round of 1999. He had a good body, but his brain was not very bright, and his offensive options were always poor. Sloan was willing to train him, but he disappointed time and time again.
When the Lakers attacked, Guo Xu dribbled the ball into the frontcourt and no one was covering him. Facing Stockton, he wanted to play but was afraid that he would not obey the command and would be hidden by Jackson, so he had to pass it to Xiao. The latter formed a triangle with Kobe and O'Neal, and Guo Xu was in the middle. Stand still and wait for the opportunity to catch the ball or make a second organization.
O'Neill singled out Ostertag with a low-post catch. The two were close in size. The Pyrenees played the only role and resisted the opponent. Whenever he sees this kind of scene, Guo Xu feels a little bit sick. There are obviously more labor-saving ways of playing, but the Lakers don't use them. O'Neal is also happy with it. He is willing to use this method to prove his strength.
O'Neill squeezed twice and turned around in the middle, bent his knees to take the ball with both hands, and Ostertag was raised by Akira's center of gravity. O'Neal took a step forward and took a jump shot, and Ostertag fouled the thug.
Even with similar bodies, it would be difficult for the White Bear to guard the Black Bear. At his peak, O'Neal's jumping ability was so strong that he could turn around 360 degrees and dunk. Ostertag was an out-and-out floor shooter. Once O'Neal jumped up, he couldn't block the shot. It can only be stopped by a foul.
O'Neal couldn't seize the simple opportunity, missed both free throws, and gave up the ball.
Making free throws is always the most efficient and lethal way of scoring on the basketball court. Most players are much more efficient at getting to the free throw line than shooting. If all 10 offensive opportunities are fouled, even if they are all two-point fouls, there will be 20 free throw opportunities. O'Neal can score 10 points on 50% of his free throws, the same as if he made 5 goals in 10 possessions and made 50% of his shots.
If O'Neal's free throws are reliable and his shooting percentage reaches 80%, it will be equivalent to 80% of his 2-point shooting percentages in 10 possessions.
Horribly efficient.
In Guo Xu's previous life, O'Neal averaged double figures in free throws per game in 10 regular season seasons and 9.3 free throws per game in 19 seasons. His numbers in the playoffs were even more terrifying. He averaged double figures in free throws per game in 12 playoff games, reaching his peak. He averaged 15.4 free throws per game in the two playoffs and 11.6 free throws per game in 17 postseason appearances.
Unfortunately, O'Neal averaged 52.7% of his free throws in the regular season and 50.4% in the playoffs, both of which are lower than his scoring efficiency in sports games. His scoring average in a single season has never reached 30+, and he was ruined by free throws. If he has Yao Ming's accuracy, his achievements will be limitless. If he hits Jordan's ten scoring champions, he will be able to win six championships. .
When O'Neal made the free throw, Sloan replaced Lewis with Russell.
The Jazz attack, Stockton controls the ball, and Ostertag provides a ball-free screen to Starks from the side. Stockton passes to Starks, who attracts O'Neal to switch defense, and then feints and then passes to the air. Cut Ostertag.
"Big Pyrenees" knew that he was slow in cutting, and after receiving the ball, he took a dribble and passed it to Malone who went deep into the basket. Grant made a thug foul, but Malone still threw the ball and scored to cause 2+1.
Malone made a free throw, 82 to 83.
After this foul, the veteran Grant "graduated" for six fouls, and Jackson sent Fox as a guest power forward.
The Lakers attacked, and after the players pulled away, Kobe broke through with the ball, and Stockton let go of Guo Xu to double-team and sneak attack.
Russell stuck in position, Kobe didn't notice the space in the middle, he protected the ball and made a move, but was successfully intercepted by Stockton from behind.
Stockton made a long pass to Starks, who faced Brian Shaw and forced a layup and hit two points, 82 to 85.
Kobe fought back against Russell in isolation, causing a foul and making two free throws. 84 to 85.
Both sides have found the offensive feeling. You come and go, and no one can guard the other. Guo Xu had no chance to shoot on the offensive end, but performed well on the defensive end and did not allow Stockton to score again.
The Lakers had a slight advantage because O'Neal stormed to 2+1 and knocked out Ostertag. The Jazz were forced to replace Danny Manning, who was very light.
At 1 minute and 45 seconds, O'Neal had a clear advantage in one-on-one with Manning. He attracted Starks to double-team and then passed to outside line Brian Shaw. The latter's open corner attracted Stockton to cover up and passed 70 degrees to Guo Xu.
Guo Xu did not waste the opportunity and made a steady hit from the open three-pointer. 91 to 89, the Lakers once again took the lead.
This was his 11th personal point. He finally reached double figures and was priceless.
In the next round, Malone beat Fox in the low post. O'Neal suddenly came out to help defend and steal the ball. Guo Xu received a pass from O'Neal and went on a fast break alone. He changed direction and accelerated past Stockton, but was caught.
The Jazz committed four fouls in the final quarter, and Guo Xu was sent to the free throw line.
At the last moment, Jackson's formation worked. Guo Xu was the fastest player in the game, and Stockton, who had played for 35 minutes, could no longer run.
Boxing is afraid of young people, and the physical disadvantage of veterans becomes more obvious towards the end.
Guo Xu quickly made two free throws and hit them steadily. He didn't want to give Stockton any chance to breathe. He found that the veteran was bent over as he watched.
93 to 89, Guo Xu scored his 13th individual point.
He scored 5 points in a row at the critical moment, which attracted loud cheers from the home fans. When returning to defense, O'Neal waited near the three-point line in the middle to high-five him in celebration.
O'Neal is not only independent, he will immediately distribute the ball when his teammates have the opportunity. Last season, he averaged 3.8 assists per game and has good inside support capabilities. You must know that he is an offensive killer, not a support-oriented center like Divac. If he reduces the focus on attacking and passing, it will not be difficult to average 5 assists per game.
The Lakers are in the right place at the right time and are very close to winning.