Chapter 337: The Zen Master Is Worthy of Being a Zen Master
Doug Rachel has been a ticket collector at Staples Arena since 1999. He has experienced too many things, and he has been with the Lakers both in their glory and in their desolation.
He originally believed that Los Angeles basketball history would rise and fall with the rise and fall of the Lakers.
However, this season has given him so many unprecedented feelings.
After Fanci was ruthlessly sold to the Clippers by the new Lakers owner, the Clippers ushered in a new life. Fanci, who provided several ligaments for the second three consecutive championships in the Lakers' history, did not become what those despicable people expected.
A waste, he led the despised Clippers to launch a counterattack.
In essence, Doug Rachel is a standard Lakers fan. But in the first game of the regular season, when Jack Fan completed the buzzer beater and stepped on the basketball at his feet, he also cheered up. The most basic feeling in the human heart
His joy and anger concealed his identity as a Lakers fan.
Then came the New Year's War. Everyone knew that a group of Lakers players led by Artest wanted to get Fan Xi. At that time, the Lakers got Howard and became stronger. Many Lakers fans also held back their strength and wanted to get Fan Xi in China.
A lesson learned in the new year will make him unlucky for the whole year.
However, Fan Xi fought back again.
Then came the final game, which was the saddest thing for Lakers fans. The Lakers' two most important signings this year, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, hid in the bar and did not appear on the court. This led to the most important signing in the history of the Lakers.
In a brutal massacre, they were defeated by the Clippers led by Fan Xi by 58 points.
These three games were like three sharp knives that swept through the army, causing structural changes in the basketball market in the City of Angels.
This is no longer the absolute domain of the Lakers.
The Clippers are no longer the despised Clippers.
Since Fancy miraculously took away all the shares from Grandet, the Clippers have become the darlings of socialites in Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
Fashion comes from the top down.
When Clippers tickets become popular at the top of a society, the middle class below and even children in slums begin to wear Clippers jerseys as a symbol of fashion.
This is a Lakers home game.
However, at least 20% of the fans in Doug Rachel's ticket tunnel were wearing Clippers jerseys. This was unimaginable in the past.
And, Doug Rachel even gets to see some familiar faces.
"If the Lakers lose this series, I can guarantee that there will be more Clippers fans in Los Angeles than Lakers fans in the future."
Doug Rachel said to his partner during a break from work.
"Yes, Doug. I advise you to learn from me quickly and become a Clipper."
His partner Lisa pointed to a small Clippers sticker on her work clothes, something she was proud of.
Doug Rachel was a little surprised, because in the past, Lisa had always been an avid Lakers fan, although during last year's finals, she was so excited that she sat on the ground and ovulated for Jack.
Such changes are happening all the time.
The Lakers' front office feels a real crisis.
Jenny Buss no longer aggressively asserts that she can control everything, and it has been a long time since she condescendingly commented in the boardroom that Fan Xi is just a young man who has had bad luck. She can't help but be humble now, because the Clippers' offensive is too fierce.
Her several sieges yielded nothing. Instead, the Clippers continued to grow, and Fan Xi eventually became the Clippers' controller.
She has abandoned her armor and now switches from offensive to defensive. She must let the Lakers suppress the Clippers in the past three years. Because in another two years, Fan Xi will leave the Clippers according to regulations and will have to play for at least one season.
Back to the Clippers.
At that time, it was probably when Kobe retired.
Jenny Bass's strategic calculation is very good.
…
When Fanci entered the court, he saw familiar and unfamiliar faces around him. Last season, the Purple and Gold Legion filled the Staples Arena to cheer him on, and he responded fiercely, using his actions to prove that the iron armor is still there.
.
Now, listening to the boos from the audience, he felt as if he was in another world.
The past has passed, and everything has returned to dust, and dust has returned to dust.
Fan Xi took a deep breath and said a complete and decisive goodbye to the past.
The Lakers' starting lineup tonight is: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Matt Webster, Pau Gasol, and Dwight Howard.
The starting lineup for the Clippers is: Yao Ming, Nowitzki, Leonard, Fancy, Stephen Nash.
This is an unprecedented change.
Previously, Yao Ming was a player who played three and five minutes with the Clippers. He was a short-lived flash in the pan.
However, in the process of joining the Clippers, Yao Ming trained very hard every day, and his condition got better and better. Even in such a high-intensity playoff situation, there was no problem in playing 10 minutes.
The Clippers' original starting lineup tonight was DeAndre Jordan, Nowitzki, Leonard, Hamilton, and Fanci.
However, when discussing tactics in the locker room, Yao Ming finally plucked up the courage. He stood up and said to Fan Xi: After all, it is difficult to settle the situation.
The biggest regret of Yao Ming's career in the playoffs is that in 2009, he was seriously injured in the Western Conference semifinals. They had a chance to defeat the Lakers, but he was reimbursed.
That year, the Rockets had a 22-game winning streak in the regular season, which was the pinnacle of Yao Ming's career and leadership performance. But they met the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. They once forced the Lakers into a corner. However, Yao Ming's injury changed everything
Disillusioned.
Yao Ming once said to Fan Xi at a party: "That year, if we surpassed the Lakers and faced the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, we would have a great advantage. If we faced the Magic in the Finals, we would also have an advantage. But... there are no ifs in the world."
When he said this last sentence, his throat was choked with sobs.
So, when the Western Conference Finals arrived, Yao Ming mustered up the courage to tell coach Mike Brown his deepest obsessions.
Mike Brown finally agreed to Yao Huang's request.
He believed that this was the respect that should be given to Yao, even if it was just a formality.
Fanci suggested adding Nash at the end. The Suns led by Nash and the Lakers led by Kobe Bryant had fought each other in the playoffs for consecutive years, with each other winning or losing. However, after the Lakers robbed Gasol in 2007, the running and gun became all the rage.
They were broken up, and eventually Nash came to the Clippers.
TNT, ESPN and all the TV stations broadcasting the game made shocked sounds.
However, on the other side of the ocean, the CCTV commentators were shouting and roaring with excitement. They finally saw Fan Xi and Yao Ming appear in the starting lineup at the same time. This was a scene they had fantasized about for a long time.
I didn't expect it to happen in such an important and historic Western Conference finals venue.
Beep!
The referee blows the whistle.
Yao Ming and Howard jump ball.
Howard jumped very high, and Yao Ming barely took off.
However, when the basketball was falling, Yao Ming's finger picked it up first. The basketball was put into Fan Xi's hand, and Fan Xi handed it to Nash.
Yao Ming and Howard's jump ball is like their matchup history. Howard dominates all other centers in the league, and Yao Ming dominates Howard.
Nash advances very slowly.
He brought the basketball to the frontcourt, Fanci started running, Leonard blocked Webster on the weak side, Nowitzki moved to the high post to screen Nash, and Yao Ming was used to hold up Howard with his thick lower body in the paint area.
If all the Clippers players are at their peak, then...this must be a dream team.
Nash quickly reached the free throw line through Nowitzki's screen. When Pau Gasol decided to help defend, Nash hit the basketball and passed it.
It was not passed to Nowitzki who was following up, nor to Leonard who was close to the left, but to Yao Ming in the paint area.
Yao Ming received the basketball and turned around. Howard was suppressed by him the whole time. The moment Yao Ming took action, he jumped up to block the shot...but Yao used a hook.
Whoosh!
The basketball easily penetrated the Lakers' net.
The Clippers' first point in the Western Conference Finals came so easily.
It was almost the twelfth year that Yao Ming entered the league, and he finally met the point guard who was best at passing the ball to him in his career.
Unfortunately, his body is already riddled with holes.
Stephen Nash has been in the league for almost 16 years, and he finally met a big center who can truly attack the basket in the penalty area.
It's a pity that the young man chasing the wind has cut off his long flowing hair. The wind has slowed down and his hair has grown old.
They met the right teammates at the wrong time.
For a moment, countless fans were sighing in front of the TV, how great it would have been if these two people had met ten years ago.
But in the hearts of Yao Ming and Nash, they may have regrets, but they are more grateful: although it is already dusk, the sunset is infinitely beautiful.
They still have a chance.
This is why they do their best.
The Lakers did not launch a counterattack quickly.
Chris Paul was extremely forbearing. He pushed forward steadily into the frontcourt. He didn't even take advantage of Nash's weak defense to forcefully break the defense.
Instead, he patiently sorted out the offense and waited until Kobe had an opportunity to pass the basketball.
Kobe opened the strong side and ate up Fanci's defense in his sweet spot one-on-one. He swayed, turned, and then turned... taking Fanci's defense away, and smoothly hit the basketball on the board.
Kobe's offense is very smooth, which makes Fanshie's best-effort defense look even more rigid: like trying to run a background board.
The Clippers' rhythm has not improved either.
Nash is calm and unbreakable.
This time, Yao Ming stepped up to screen him. Nash entered the free throw line and passed it to Fan Xi. Fan Xi received the basketball and threw it to the other Nowitzki. Nowitzki hit the basket.
, throw the basketball into the basket... smoothly.
Nash, Fanci, Yao Ming, and Howard are four types of offensive representatives. When they are integrated, the Lakers' defense can limit the Spurs to more than 70 points, but it cannot limit the Clippers.
The old guys do whatever they want without breaking the rules, and their tactics are unpredictable.
Looking back, the Lakers' steady play also demonstrated their superb tactical literacy and talent. Phil Jackson had the idea behind the scenes. They were like some careless academics who carefully reviewed the questions after the famous teacher gave them an outline.
…They are also unstoppable and can overcome all defenses.
Both sides advanced the game with extremely high shooting rates.
Whether it is the basketball experts on the TV station or the audience in front of the TV, everyone is marveling at this high-level game.
The two teams have truly elevated the basketball game to the level of art, and can be enjoyed by both refined and popular people.
It matches the Western Conference Finals that every fan hopes for.
"However, it is difficult for Yao and Stephen to keep playing like this. If they were still in their prime, I would not hesitate to choose the Clippers to win. But now... Yao's breathing is already a little uneven, and Dwight is in front of him.
He grabbed two offensive rebounds in a row, but he still didn't dare to fight with all his strength."
The famous glass center Bill Walton said on the ESPN channel.
Although this guy has some prejudices against Fan Xi, he is very good to Yao. He has been optimistic about Yao Ming since he entered the NBA and even taught Yao Ming some basketball skills.
Now, he is beginning to worry about whether the Clippers will have anyone who can step up after Yao Ming and Nash are off the bench.
Beep!
When the game reached the seventh minute, the Clippers requested a timeout.
At this time, the Clippers trailed the Lakers by 3 points, 23:26.
However, the ball is still in the hands of the Clippers and the situation is still evenly matched.
But Yao Ming's passivity was visible to the naked eye, and Mike Brown requested a timeout.
He made a new deployment. He replaced DeAndre Jordan, Arenas, Yao Ming and Nash.
The game continues.
The Lakers also made adjustments. They rested Chris Paul, replaced him with Sessions, and replaced him with Matt Barnes.
This is a completely new change.
The Lakers are also making surprising moves.
Facing the Clippers, D'Antoni's tactical thinking was obviously not enough. This was a point shared by the Lakers' top brass and the locker room.
As soon as Fanci came on the field, Matt Barnes started to get entangled.
Barnes is a strong defender and very annoying.
It took Fanci two more seconds to get rid of him. He entered the paint area. He answered the questions of those basketball experts with a layup after confronting Gasol: The superb offensive combination of Yao Ming and Nash will continue.
Finally, I can still complete the delivery and finishing of the basketball from outside the three-point line to deep in the penalty area.
"But this is not enough."
Bill Walton said on TV: "Fancy's surprise attack can kill the regular season team, but it cannot kill the regular season champion."
Back to the defensive end, the Lakers have made new changes.
Kobe pulled away from the weak side, and Gasol pulled out to hold the ball. He was one-on-one with Nowitzki. He dribbled the ball into the penalty area. As soon as Jordan helped defend, Gasol threw the basketball.
In the sky, Howard soared into the sky and scored a dunk.
Gasol's card was activated.
The Lakers also hide their strength.
They didn't activate Gasol even in seven games against the Spurs, and now...
hiss!
Fan Xi took a deep breath.
He finally knows why the Lakers benched Chris Paul.
Paul's position was erratic due to the arrival of Paul and Howard throughout the previous season, and his performance was mediocre.
Now, Fanci has been able to confirm that the person who gives the Lakers advice is Phil Jackson. Jackson likes Gasol very much. Among all the inside players in the Lakers, he only gives Gasol the power to advance with the ball. Gasol
His dribbling and assists won his heart.
This is also the only time Gasol is better than Nowitzki.
Zen Master is worthy of being a Zen Master.
This shot hit the Clippers' vitality and had an immediate effect.
The competition is getting more and more interesting.