On the 2nd, the Suns defeated the Cavaliers at home, and then switched games overnight. On the 3rd night, they played back-to-back games against the Pacers on the road.
The last time the Suns lost to the Pacers, it was because of a back-to-back. This time they played the Pacers back-to-back, and it was an away game, so they were a bit unlucky.
Before the game started, Lao Wang went to the Pacers' bench to chat with Hu Weidong.
Hu Weidong has been with the Pacers for less than a month and has not had many opportunities to play in the past. Now he is okay and has become Reggie Miller's second substitute, but there are still not many opportunities.
"Take your time. You see, Kobe Bryant was the seventh pick in the first round, so he also had to come off the bench."
"I know, I'm not in a hurry."
Hu Weidong said he was not in a hurry, but in fact he was still a little anxious.
He is the absolute core of the Jiangsu Men's Basketball Team and the main force in the national team. His status has changed too much and requires an adaptation process.
In the third quarter, the Suns lost by 8 points. At this time, Ewing did a bunny hop, and then made a fake shot. After shaking Lao Wang, he made a big-step breakthrough and passed Lao Wang.
Jump to the basket.
"Crack!"
Rasheed Wallace returned to the basket from the weak side and made a key block at the critical moment, blowing the ball directly out of the court.
"ah!"
But when he landed, his left foot stepped on Ewing's foot. The pain caused him to immediately jump up on one foot and then sit on the floor.
"Troll?"
Lao Wang quickly went over and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Boss, I have a sprained foot!" Rasheed Wallace said with a bitter face.
"I didn't put my feet on it. I just landed and he stepped on it by himself. He didn't even have time to shrink his feet." Ewing said immediately next to him.
Lao Wang and Rasheed Wallace looked at each other helplessly, it was really no wonder that this happened.
Soon, Rasheed Wallace was taken down, and a large ice pack was immediately put on his feet to reduce the swelling.
"If you hurt the trolls, it will be difficult." Su Qun sighed at the CCTV live broadcast.
"It doesn't matter if you are slightly injured. I am afraid that if the injury is serious, the performance will be affected if the time is prolonged." Zhang Lili said.
Su Qun's record decline will definitely affect Lao K's competition for MVP. This is a problem, but he added: "Fortunately, we are still far away from the playoffs. If I get injured in the playoffs, it will be really troublesome."
"Yes, the greatest blessing among misfortunes." Zhang Li said.
In this game, due to poor back-to-back conditions and the injury of another general, the Suns lost to the Pacers in the end. They beat the Bulls twice before, and now they are double-killed by another strong team in the Eastern Conference at the same level. It was also a matter of luck.
.
With 27 wins and 4 losses, the Suns are still first in the Western Conference and tied with the Bulls for first in the league.
Next, in order to prevent a losing streak, Wang Tiejun went all out, first scoring 54 points at the Celtics' home court, defeating the Green Team, and then scoring 50 points in consecutive back-to-back games on the 7th and 8th, defeating the Celtics one after another.
The Hawks and Bullets won three consecutive away games with three consecutive 50-point crazy firepower.
On January 9, the Suns returned to Phoenix and received two pieces of good news: both Wilkins and Horry could return.
In addition, Rasheed Wallace's injury has been confirmed and he will need to be sidelined for at least a month. He should be able to return during the All-Star period.
On the 10th, the Suns faced the Hornets at home. Injuries occurred again. Lightning injured his wrist and was out for two weeks. He should be back before the end of the month.
This is also the second time the Lightning has been injured this season. The last time he was only out for a week, this time the injury was more serious. Fortunately, Kidd can step in and the impact will not be too big.
After winning against the Hornets, the coaching staff and management held a meeting overnight.
Veteran Wilkins' body can no longer bear the main responsibility. At the same time, he has to serve as a substitute for Horry, so he can no longer play as a pseudo-starter at the second position, and Chapman's physique is too fragile and cannot withstand exercise.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been signed by the Suns for two years with a minimum salary, so they decided to officially put Kobe into the starting lineup.
This decision is not hasty. It was made long ago. It not only meets the needs of the current lineup and the goal of training rookies, but it is also a helpless move because there is no fourth shooting guard.
The next day, Kobe received the notice and excitedly called Lao Wang: "Old K, I'm going to officially start."
"It's over, it seems I have to average 50 points per game to not lose." Lao Wang joked.
"Old K, you underestimate me!" Kobe said angrily.
"Your little blacksmith's hit rate is only 42% now, which is 20 percentage points behind me. Do you have the qualifications to let me take a high look at you?" Lao Wang said disdainfully.
"Two...twenty percent?"
Kobe was critically hit instantly, but resurrected with full health three seconds later, shouting: "It's unfair for you to compare. You are on the inside and I am on the outside..."
Lao Wang interrupted Kobe: "Boy, the game is only about winning or losing. Who cares how many points you score inside and how many points you score outside?"
"Then Jordan is not as efficient as you." Kobe said angrily.
"So he lost to me twice in the finals." Lao Wang chuckled.
Then he warned: "I'm telling you, Kobe, you can't take more than ten shots per game. If you take more than ten shots per game, get out of here."
"What if I feel good?" Kobe argued reluctantly.
"Starting from 42%, every percentage point increase in hit rate will allow you to take one more shot, up to a maximum of 15 shots." Lao Wang said.
"Okay, it's a deal." Kobe immediately hung up the phone.
He was afraid that there was another sentence behind Lao K. Every time the hit rate dropped by one percentage point, there would be one less shot, with the lower limit being zero.
Next, the Suns played another back-to-back home and away game on the 13th and 14th. Lao Wang scored 38 points in the away game and won the Mavericks, and scored 44 points at home to win the Nuggets, 33 wins and 4 games.
Lost, still tied with the Bulls for first place in the league.
In these two games, Kobe, who has officially entered the starting lineup, has average offensive performance, averaging 9 points per game. His main task is to defend, lock down the opponent's second offensive point on the outside, and assist Kidd and Horry in locking down.
The opponent's No. 1 offensive point on the outside.
He worked very hard on the defensive end. He had two steals against the Mavericks in the first game, and one steal and a block against the Nuggets in the second game. In fact, the defensive effect was better than the data, which limited the efficiency of the opposing players to a certain extent.
On the 15th, the Suns came to Salt Lake City.
The Jazz have been evaluated by the media as one of the top two teams in the Western Conference this season. So far, they are indeed ranked second in the Western Conference and have a good record, with 30 wins and 6 losses.
This is also the second time the two teams have met. The Suns lost the first meeting and there are two more regular season games.
In the last match, Horry was injured. This time, the Lightning and Rasheed Wallace were injured, and more main players were absent, so it was difficult to say whether they would win or lose.
During dinner, the league announced the All-Star voting results through ESPN.
In half a month, Wang Tiejun has received 1.42 million votes, temporarily ranking first in the league, with Jordan still 50,000 votes higher.
You must know that last year he was the vote king, but only with 1.59 million votes. This year he got so many votes halfway through, which shows that his popularity is far greater than before.
But in fact, his personal performance this year is not as crazy as last year's regular season. Last year, he averaged 40 points per game, but not so much this year. Why are there so many votes?
From the analysis of voting areas, 65% of the votes came from Arizona. This can only be attributed to the fact that the Suns have truly become a climate in Arizona and gained support across the state.
Since the 1992/93 season, the Suns have always been the most competitive team for the championship. They have won two championships in four years and have won the support of countless fans. More and more people in Arizona have become fans of the Suns, and they have become
Wang Tiejun's fans, and the prospect of winning this year's championship is very good, so his votes surged compared to last year.
But he was not alone in the surge. Jordan's votes also had a surge like his, while other stars' votes were about the same as in previous years.
At eight o'clock, both sides announced the starting lineup.
Suns: Wang Tiejun, Williams, Robert Horry, Kobe Bryant, Kidd,
Jazz: Campbell, Karl Malone, Brian Russell, Jeff Hornacek, John Stockton
The game was broadcast live across the United States by ESPN TV. Commentator Winston Rollin said: "The Suns are suffering from serious injuries now, and it is all thanks to the support of Old K that the record has not declined.
Now his average playing time has increased from 41 minutes at the end of December to 43 minutes in half a month, his average shots per game has increased from 23.2 to 25, and his average points per game have increased from 35.5 to 37.7 points."
Partner Carter Oldman said: "But based on his performance in the past few seasons, Old K is very physically fit. I don't think there is anything wrong with him."
Nodding, Luo Lin smiled and said: "His efficiency is proof. It is still stable at around 62%, which fully shows that he has abundant physical reserves."
Oldman said: "The Jazz performed well this season, and the media's evaluation is not exaggerated. They even beat the Suns last time, and tonight the Suns' lineup is even more uneven. I think the Jazz may have a greater chance of winning."
However, Luo Lin sang the opposite tune, shook his head and smiled: "No, I think the main reason why the Suns lost to the Jazz was due to their condition, not injuries.
So tonight, the Suns definitely don't want to lose to the Jazz in a row. The two teams are enemies and mortal enemies."
Oldman smiled and nodded: "Yes, Old K will definitely attack with all his strength, and we may see another 50-point scoring feast."
Rollin analyzed: "The Jazz picked up Eldon Campbell from the free market. He has a stat of 158 this season. 30% of his offense occurs under the basket. His presence has added a very important low-post offense under the basket to the Jazz.
He also performed well on rebounds, which is what the Jazz need.
But facing Old K, I believe anyone can draw a normal conclusion that he will be beaten by Old K on both offense and defense."
Oldman then analyzed: "But like the postman, he also has a good mid-range shot. The two of them can spread out on the wings, and then Stockton and Hornacek can rush in and fight, so we are short of major generals tonight."
If the Suns want to win, even if Old K scores 50, it will not be easy."
"That's true." Luo Lin nodded.
At half past eight, the game starts.
Lao Wang and Campbell jumped the ball, and then the Suns attacked.
"Hey, it's the postman guarding Mr. K." Luo Lin shouted.
"That's right. With the restrictions of K's Law, the postman doesn't have to worry about his bones being broken. He's safe." Oldman joked.
"Pfft!" Luo Lin laughed.
"Why did ESPN hire a jerk as a commentator?"
"Without K's Law, the postman has never been afraid of Old K."
"I'm going to complain about this damn commentator."
Oldman's ridicule angered many Jazz fans in Salt Lake City, and ESPN immediately received a large number of complaint calls from Salt Lake City.
At this time, Lao Wang hit a side hook near the basket over the postman's head, and it was the Jazz's turn to attack.
Campbell and the postman pulled away at the same time, and Lao Wang and Williams could only follow them out, leaving the penalty area empty.
Wang Tiejun followed the Postman, because the Postman was more powerful. Campbell asked the veteran Williams to follow him. If he could, he would guard him. If he couldn't, he would still be there.
The postman moved one step inside the three-point line on the left wing, three meters away from the left waist of the paint area. He has a 40% shooting percentage here. If he is left open, even if the Suns have defense from the outside, the shooting percentage will be higher.
Lao Wang followed him one meter away from the left waist of the paint area. His left foot was on the left line of the paint area, and his right foot was outside. There was a distance of two meters from the postman. After one big step, he could reach it at his fingertips. It was considered a gift.
The opponent has a small opening.
At this moment, Jazz small forward Brian Russell, who was on the left three-point line, suddenly ran to the top of the key and set up a pick-and-roll for Stockton. The latter took the opportunity to get rid of Kidd's defense and bypassed the switch.
Horry, headed towards the paint from the left elbow.
Wang Tiejun could only choose to cover up, but at this time Stockton passed the ball to the postman outside. Robert Horry hurried over to cover up, but it was already too late.
"brush!"
The postman made an open jump shot and hit a long two-pointer.
When no one is guarding him, a super scorer like him can hit as high a percentage as he wants.
"Carter, you idiot, be careful when you joke. A fan has complained about you. This time, you will be fined three thousand dollars, which will be deducted from your salary."
During the ESPN live broadcast, the director's roar suddenly sounded in Carter Oldman's headset. He couldn't help but froze and shouted aggrievedly: "What did I say? Damn glass heart!"
"Poof!"
Next to him, Luo Lin laughed so hard that his shoulders shook.
Oldman shook his head helplessly and said: "The Suns should be careful of the Jazz's continuous pick-and-roll. They don't know anything else. They just play this tactic, pick, roll, block again, block again, block again, block again, block again."
, and it’s just like Gary Payton’s trash talk, endless and without any artistry!”
"Haha..." Luo Lin continued to laugh.
The Suns are moving forward.
Jerry Sloan repeatedly made a tactical gesture and shouted to the court: "Faster."
This is telling the field that the flanking attack must be faster and more resolute and decisive.
At this time, the Suns advanced to the frontcourt and settled into position.
In the low post on the left wing, Wang Tiejun carried the postman to get the ball.
From the right low post, Williams pulled towards the right bottom corner, but Campbell did not follow him completely and stayed outside the right sideline of the paint area, with a two-meter gap.
"Whoosh!"
Kidd didn't even look at Williams, but the ball flew past.
Campbell saw it and rushed over.
At this moment, Wang Tiejun suddenly turned around and cut in, bypassing the postman and pounced towards the basket.
"Whoosh!"
Williams caught the ball and saw Campbell rushing in front of him with his big hands covering him. He quickly pushed up with both hands and hoisted the ball toward the paint area.
"The pass is slow!" Oldman shouted anxiously.
Wang Tiejun cut to the basket. It wasn't until the postman caught up with him that the ball slipped from the air and his space was gone.
But it didn't matter. He pushed his right elbow out of the position to resist the postman above him. He jumped up at the right moment and grabbed the basketball with his left hand.
The postman's hand was a little itchy, and he really wanted to hit Old K with one elbow, but he still held back. Unless he killed Old K with one elbow, otherwise, with Old K's character and the current power of K's martial arts hall, he would be really in trouble in the future.
.
But he still made the defensive move immediately. The next moment after Lao K took off, he also jumped, and his 130 kilogram body rubbed against Lao K.
The two of them were crowded together and in a strong confrontation, even if there were some rules for the reasonable collision zone, such as vertical take-off, it was difficult for the referee to judge his collision behavior. The range was very small and difficult to define, and this was his home court.
The same was true in the second round of the last playoffs. Old K dunked and he ran directly into him and injured his finger. Although the Jazz were eliminated in the end, the Suns were almost swept by Mosaic in the Western Conference Finals.
As soon as Lao Wang jumped up, he was touched and his body immediately lost balance. However, when the ball fell, he was still caught.
He didn't dunk directly because he was afraid of the dunk. As soon as he landed, he was staggered by the postman. He almost walked, but barely managed to hold on.
But at this time, Campbell on the right wing had already rushed to the basket, and at the same time, Jazz small forward Brian Russell on the left wing also rushed to the basket, creating a three-person double-team.
"Kill him!"
"Down with old K!"
At this moment, seeing the Jazz's biggest enemy, Old K, being double-teamed by the postman and three others under the basket, countless Jazz fans were excited and started shouting angrily.
On the Suns bench, the substitute players were also nervous, with their buttocks still on their seats and their upper bodies stretched out, staring closely at the basket.
On the court, Kobe Bryant and others on the outside were unable to help Old K. They could only stare at the basket. They hoped to see Old K. sweep the penalty area like before.
In the past, even in the face of this kind of three-person double team, Wang Tiejun could forcefully break through with a series of sideways attacks, and even earned the reputation of being a sweeper in the penalty area, but now because of the K Law, he has lost this fearsome power.
ability.
However, he is different now than before. In the past, he was not big enough, and his explosive power was not enough. Without an iron mountain to rely on, he could not crush everything as horribly as O'Neal did under the basket.
Now, with a tonnage of 135 kilograms, he must have more muscle content and greater strength than O'Neal. His 86-level explosive power is enough to compare with O'Neal. Even if it is a little bit different, it is definitely not much different.
Now that he is under the basket, even if he does not rely on Tieshan, his dominance is still confident that he will not lose to O'Neal.
The next moment, when six thick arms suppressed him, and three extremely powerful bodies collided and squeezed him desperately, and even made small movements, elbowing him secretly, he exploded with all his strength.
