"The King Awakens, Will the Lakers Dynasty Return?"

"Awakening Lions, Lakers Set Sail Again"

"The strongest group in history reappears, and it is difficult for the new MVP to compete"

"Ending the strongest winning streak in the playoffs, the Lakers return as kings"

"..."

"..."

At the Lakers training ground at Toyota Center, a large plastic board that is usually used to record players' shooting training stands on the side of the court. It is covered with headlines from mainstream sports media newspapers.

Different from when he just returned to Los Angeles a few days ago, a certain man wearing the No. 8 jersey was practicing and occasionally glanced at the newspaper next to him. His joy made him uncontrollably show a happy expression.

Everyone is saying that the Lakers are going to return to their peak. This kind of public opinion brings Kobe the kind of psychological stimulation that makes him feel so good. Of course, if the first one mentioned in these reports

If it weren't for the fat man, he would be happier.

During the only day off after the game, Kobe was the only one still training on the Lakers side.

After training, Kobe's body was covered in sweat, dripping from his chin. He stared at all the reports, and it was O'Neal who scored 31 points and was put in front, not his name.

After the training, the excitement subsided, Kobe looked at the newspapers and murmured: "O and K, why is O in front and not K?"

…

In a lakeside private villa in Los Angeles that covers a total area of ​​1.6 acres, or more than 6,500 square meters, including the lake, a huge fat man was chatting and laughing about fishing with his friends.

Malone hung up a sea fish and said in surprise: "Oh... there are actually sea fish here? Shaq, how did you do that!"

"Haha, Karl, last month I used salt to turn the lake here into a saltwater lake, just so I can fish at home. How about it, it's great, but it's a pity that these fish will die on their own in a few days, so I have to hire someone to clean it up.

, it’s too troublesome. When the salinity of the lake water comes down, I’ll just raise freshwater fish.”

"Tch, you guys who entered the NBA after 1990 are so luxurious..." Malone was envious and jealous. If you put aside the three championships, he has many more career honors than O'Neal, and championships are not a factor that affects big contracts.

But the money he earns is less than half of O'Neal, and O'Neal can sign another big contract.

"Don't confuse me with Shaq. I don't make as much money as he does, and I entered the NBA in 1989. Karl and we are from the same generation." Payton was also very envious and jealous, "By the way, Shaq, what are you doing?

Didn’t you ask Kobe to come with you?”

"Oh, Gary, I called him, and he went to training again as before..."

O'Neal invited the other two of the Big Four besides himself to go fishing with him at his house. He originally invited Kobe as well. O'Neal felt that after these three fairly cooperative games, his relationship with Kobe should have recovered a lot.

, but Kobe still refused to participate in group activities, and O'Neal did not force it.

However, for the Lakers, three of the Big Four are full of hope for winning this year's championship again.

Before the last game, through Zen Master's mediation, the four of them reached a tacit understanding and worked together to defend for the victory. The most important thing is that among the four, Kobe, Malone, and O'Neal's defensive chemistry has always been very good.

When playing together, even if they can't play the triangle offense, they are regarded as the most suitable three-man combination. It's just a pity that Malone is too old. No matter whether the three of them are on the offensive or defensive end, as long as they play well, they

The cooperation is very strong.

Payton is also a defensive master. His defensive status was found in the last game of the Western Conference Finals. Although he couldn't make a shot on the offensive end, when the rest of the Lakers started to defend with all their strength, he immediately integrated into it.

After winning a game, the big score became 1-2. Although they only won one game, the feeling of 1-2 and 0-2 was too far!

In yesterday's game, the Big Four were all integrated, giving O'Neal, Malone, and Payton the feeling of finally playing together as a team.

…

The Big Four of the Lakers are now full of confidence. With their huge victory in yesterday's game, public opinion has all turned towards them. Now their self-confidence has returned to the state before the finals started, and is even stronger.

However, the four giants are obviously divided into two groups. One group is Kobe alone, and the other group is the other three giants. The ideas of the two groups are completely opposite...

…

…

At 6:30 pm on June 13th, the fourth game of the finals came as scheduled.

When Liu Mang entered the stadium, there were a lot less boos.

"Team Nobles..." Liu Mang clearly felt that the Lakers were particularly confident today. Even the fans became more confident. There was no such tense atmosphere before the last game. The Lakers,

Lakers fans are so confident that they can even be described as arrogant.

This couldn't be better for Liu Mang!

Yesterday afternoon and this morning, Liu Mang attended two coaching staff meetings and concluded that the two most favorable factors for them now are the physical fitness of the Lakers and the current public opinion!

When I saw the Lakers, it was like before the start of the first game. The Lakers players were talking and laughing in a group, and they were training alone. There was a strange feeling of harmony, and there was a sense of disobedience visible to the naked eye.

, but Liu Mang felt normal, that was the Lakers...

And when I saw my teammates, when the game was about to start, they all had frosty expressions on their faces, and they felt like they were not allowed to let in strangers...

This game must be won! Just him!

The final preparation time before the game was over and the players from both sides were about to take the field. Liu Mang called Prince and Rahim together: "Tyshawn, Sharif, I leave that guy to you!"

Prince remained indifferent, did not speak, and just nodded; Rahim only said "OK" and then went to spread magnesium powder.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Liu Mang went to the technical stage and hugged Boozer before walking onto the court. The Lakers had been waiting for him and looked at the Hawks' pre-game actions with disdain.

.

The Eagles still fielded a lineup of Liu Mang, Prince, Raheem, Rasheed Wallace, and Kwame Brown today.

For the Lakers, the lineup of Payton, Kobe, Devin George, Malone, and O'Neal appeared.

After stepping onto the court, Liu Mang went to the free throw line and waited for Kwame Brown to jump the ball after the dance with Prince. While waiting, he felt that something was missing!

When the referees blew the whistle to start the game and Kwame Brown came to the center circle, Liu Mang remembered that something was missing. The intimidating buff of the OK combination was gone!

The momentum of OK is not the buff of whether they cooperate tacitly, but the kind of intimidation that scares their teammates after they have won the title of "the strongest duo in history" for three consecutive championships. No matter whether they have conflicts or not, the opponent can see

The OK combination will feel that the opponent is too strong. Faced with this situation, either they can rely on the home court advantage and the cheers of the home fans to increase their confidence to fight, such as the Devils home court, or they can also have one of the strongest teams in history.

Stars are teammates, such as the Spurs. Otherwise, when the OK combination of O'Neal at the tail end of his peak and Kobe near his peak are still playing together, other teams will feel suppressed when they see them.

Because in four seasons, the Lakers have only lost one round of the playoffs, which was the time they were eliminated in the second round by the Spurs last season, and the Spurs were the championship last season. If the Lakers beat the Mavericks and Nets, they have no chance of winning.

They are both big. The Lakers have been strong for four years and have a strong deterrent effect on their opponents!

However, today, our side was not suppressed by OK's momentum like in the last game!

Seeing Kwame Brown extremely excited to win the jump ball over O'Neal, Liu Mang was also very excited. After receiving the ball, he rushed forward. Payton blocked Liu Mang and tried to stop him, but the Eagles all accelerated their sprint.

, after Liu Mang was blocked, he immediately threw the ball to Rahim. With the humiliation of the previous game, Rahim received the ball one step outside the three-point line, and immediately broke through, defeating Germany, which was not on a stable defensive footing.

George Wen passed and rushed inside.

Malone was originally guarding the free throw line and immediately retreated to the basket. Raheem rushed into the paint and took off against Malone's defense. He was about to dunk at the beginning!

Malone's defense in the positional battle was still very good, but he had no choice but to commit a foul when facing Rahim who rushed up! Malone slapped Rahim hard in the face.

Rahim was slapped on his left shoulder by Malone while he was in the air. The pain made Rahim even more excited! The impact was strong enough and Rahim was not knocked over. After being slapped, he was forcibly knocked over by Malone.

The ball hit the basket!

The Eagles started so aggressively!

The Lakers didn't expect that the Eagles lost so miserably the day before yesterday, but they were even more motivated today! It shouldn't be like the 76ers. After losing the second game, they completely lost their fighting spirit in the next three games.

Is it right to lose by more than ten points per game?

Originally, things should be as they thought. The Eagles were originally as they expected. Just like the 76ers were beaten by the opponent after winning a game, and then after the fighting spirit that had reached its peak was defeated, the fighting spirit plummeted.

But what the Lakers didn't expect was that Liu Mang alone could reignite the fighting spirit of his teammates!

Moreover, the Eagles are playing with anger now!

Rahim dunked on Malone at the beginning. Not only did he dunk the ball in, he also caused a foul!

Although they missed the extra penalty because they were beaten very hard, this start made the fighting spirit brought by the Eagles' burning anger become even higher!

The Lakers were surprised when they were dunked at the beginning. O'Neal immediately became angry and wanted to dunk it back!

The Lakers attacked, and Payton received the serve and advanced to the frontcourt.

Kobe immediately ran to the top arc to ask for the ball. Payton passed the ball to Kobe without much thought, and then went to open up the space and make an air cut. On the offensive end, that was all he could give.

Just when his teammates were about to guard, they suddenly heard Liu Mang clapping his hands. He looked over and saw Liu Mang's gesture of making a zone defense.

In the blink of an eye, there was no time to think about it. The Eagles players subconsciously set up a zone defense position. Prince was guarding Kobe. Prince's left rear, which is towards the right corner of the basket, Rahim also

He is watching eagerly, ready to attack the outside ball carrier at any time.

The Eagles are defending zone again! That means O'Neal has a one-on-one opportunity.

O'Neal frantically tormented Kwame Brown in the paint, trying to get a position under the basket. What surprised O'Neal was that Kwame Brown was more impactful than in the previous games, pinching the fat on his waist to the point of excruciating pain. Then,

O'Neal angrily pushed Kwame Brown into the three-second zone, pressing Kwame Brown. As long as he caught the ball, he could directly dunk.

However, until O'Neal ran out from the basket due to a three-second violation, Kobe did not pass the ball to him!

Kobe is now facing Prince's defense, looking for shooting opportunities!

Kobe could only choose to break through when Prince was guarding him, but as soon as he made the breakthrough move, Raheem attacked him from a double flank. Kobe faced the defense of the two, and Devin Brown was open in the corner.

With O'Neal having an absolute advantage in the opponent's center next to the second zone, he did not choose to pass the ball, but forced a step into the three-point line and took a long two-point shot!

Didn't get in!
Chapter completed!