Chapter 299: Lakers’ Time Bomb
While protecting the rebound, Suwan and Kobe collided with each other. Both of them showed painful expressions, then pushed each other and got entangled again.

After seeing that it was Tyson Chandler who protected the rebound, Suwan quickly approached and grabbed the ball.

Kobe still wanted to fight, but he took a step forward and chose to step back.

Considering Su Wan’s current explosive power, if he chases too deep, this guy will leave him behind in an instant with just one step.

So Kobe finally retreated quickly.

Suwan took the ball to the frontcourt and immediately looked for Stephen Curry.

In this round of the finals, the Lakers have the Lakers’ strengths, and the New York Knicks have the New York Knicks’ advantages. But there is one thing that only Su Wan knows.

Chris Paul is definitely a “time bomb” for the Lakers!
In the future, he made it to the finals for the first time in his career. When he was about to win the championship, he started all kinds of jaw-dropping operations, and finally made “Antetokounmpo” win a dirty championship.

Seriously, if the Suns had won the championship that year, Booker’s career would definitely have changed dramatically.

Maybe it’s natural for him to take over Kobe’s banner.

You know, since Kobe, no team with the No. 2 position as the absolute core has won the championship in this league…

But in the end, Chris Paul ruined his most likely championship and also destroyed Booker’s career.

At that time, Chris Paul was already at the end of his career, but he still had his obsession with the Finals MVP. Now, Chris Paul is at his peak, let alone, he is definitely an “ambitious man”.

Originally, Su Wan thought that Chris Paul might have to wait until the Lakers gained the advantage before using his “wolf card”.

But Paul’s “war of words” with Stephen Curry before the game gave Suwan the opportunity to turn Chris Paul into an undercover agent.

As long as Stephen Curry performs well, Chris Paul will definitely become anxious.

In this way, his behavior will naturally change!

Su Wan has been watching and playing basketball for so many years, and he has long known that the finals is not only a competition of player abilities and head coach tactics, but also a competition of human relationships.

When faced with great honor, everyone will have some small thoughts.

Especially a player like Chris Paul.

Now that he is particularly concerned about the comparison between himself and Stephen Curry, it is even more…

Suwan had planned to find Stephen Curry from the beginning of this game. Let him continue to play. As long as he starts to score, Chris Paul will definitely have a subconscious “adverse reaction”.

Su Wan was very clear about this.

It is difficult for Stephen Curry to shake Chris Paul when he has the ball. But when he doesn’t have the ball, combined with his footwork and the New York Knicks’ mature screen tactics, Stephen Curry’s movement gives Chris Paul a headache.

Suwan’s possession of the ball has attracted part of the Lakers’ defense. As a result, the Lakers have no spare defensive strength to help Chris Paul with his defense.

The moment he lost track, Suwan passed the ball to Stephen Curry who was running from the wing.

Just take the ball and shoot.

When Chris Paul caught up to Stephen Curry, he stopped dead in his tracks.

If he bumps into him at this time, it would be a foul.

The ball hit the net.

Stephen Curry showed a smug look as if he deserved a beating the moment the ball went in.

Chris Paul’s expression changed immediately.

The Lakers’ counterattack.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Chris Paul was very impatient when directing his teammates to move.

Phil Jackson frowned slightly.

Su Wan noticed that Chris Paul really wanted his teammates to help him create space so that he could hold the ball and play one-on-one, so he decisively asked everyone to maintain a zone defense, and a large-scale zone defense.

In this situation, it becomes easy for players to break into the inside.

But that doesn’t include players like Chris Paul.

His height means he cannot break through when the opponent uses a double team defense.

Let’s not talk about him, what about Allen Iverson?
In the 04 Olympics, facing a double team defense, they were doomed to fail.

Chris Paul has a “Saint Paul” mode, but in that mode he basically focuses on shooting, and his ability to attack the basket is not among the top outside players in the league.

Especially against the New York Knicks, in a game of this magnitude in the Finals…

It took him n years to win the championship, and that was when he was not the absolute core. This actually proved that his offense had huge shortcomings.

This shortcoming is actually his ability to kill with the ball.

and……

Suwan was determined to mess with Chris Paul’s mentality, and it was definitely not as simple as just assisting Stephen Curry to quickly open up the situation on the offensive end.

On the defensive end, he also has ideas.

That is to hold the double team defense and not give Chris Paul the opportunity to play one-on-one.

Of course, when he gave advice to the Knicks coaching staff, he mainly suggested that they use a zone defense to help Stephen Curry reduce the pressure on the defensive end.

They just thought about it and felt that this was the right choice.

Ok……

This was actually the correct tactical arrangement.

Chris Paul noticed that the Lakers were playing a double team and quickly accepted his fate.

His mind was still clear at this time.

Kobe came around and caught the ball.

When Paul George came up to defend, he had already shot.

The ball fell into the basket, responding to Stephen Curry’s three-pointer.

After Chris Paul arrived, Kobe, like the Lakers with Steve Nash, surrendered a lot of ball possession, especially after this season, when he caught more shots.

And the hit rate is very impressive.

In fact, Kobe has the ability to catch the ball and jump shot.

This skill set was developed early in his career.

When he was working with Steve Nash, his average catch-and-shoot percentage once reached over 50%.

This ball is the best proof.

Bill Walton also pointed out Kobe’s current playing style. He shoots more often and is very efficient: “If your impression of Kobe is still stuck in 07 and 08, then you need to update your concept. Kobe in these two seasons has added a lot of simple and efficient shooting methods, just like Michael Jordan in the second three consecutive championship period. Among them is shooting…”

“This is a very good choice to save energy!”

Bill Walton understood Kobe’s changes as decentralization after the arrival of Chris Paul and changes made to save energy.

There is nothing wrong with these statements.

But there is another reason that no one knows…

After getting Chris Paul, Kobe gradually gave up the ball and increased his catch-and-shoot style. He was actually very uncomfortable at the beginning. But every time, he would open the New York Knicks game highlights and watch Suwan change his style of play and increase his catch-and-shoot style in order to get everyone involved in the offense.

He said in his heart at that time:
Since Su Wan can do this, so can I!
As long as he can win the championship, he is willing to do anything!
As the most successful NBA player in the past 9 years, Kobe naturally has to learn some of Suwan’s ways of bonding the team. Of course, Kobe will only keep this to himself and will never say it out loud!
Kobe scored the goal without any change in expression, but his fists clenched unconsciously.

This goal reflects his determination to win the championship!
Mike Malone watched Kobe catch the ball and make a three-pointer and shook his head slightly.

Kobe’s three-pointer was crucial and stabilized the morale of the Lakers. Any signs of the New York Knicks’ advantage at the beginning disappeared after this goal.

But this is Kobe after all…

At one point he was the best “number two” player since Michael Jordan.

and so……

take it easy!

If the score gap could be widened at the beginning, then so many people would be paying attention to this series.

Suwan still looked for Stephen Curry’s position, but before that, he tried to find a position to face Al Jefferson. It’s just that the Lakers hid him really well.

Tucker followed out again in this round, but Al Jefferson got into position under the basket in advance.

If Tyson Chandler goes down the court, Al Jefferson can still interfere.

As Dio moved outside the three-point line, other Lakers players took over the defense.

The Lakers’ switching defense is very high…

It is not easy for the New York Knicks to take advantage of this loophole.

The main reason is that Tyson Chandler is not a space-type power forward and does not have such versatile skills. He cannot adapt to such fast passing.

The New York Knicks always treat him as someone who can shoot when he can, and quickly passes the ball when he can’t.

As long as you can throw the ball towards the basket or pass it to your teammates, you will get full marks.

Therefore, many of Tyson Chandler’s passes are back passes, and it is difficult to find open space.

As Su Wan watched the Lakers’ movements, he felt more and more that his original idea was correct. If he wanted to win, he had to change Chris Paul’s mentality.

Stephen Curry ran all over the court, successfully disrupting the Lakers’ formation. Suwan took the opportunity to force a breakthrough and quickly passed the ball to Paul George in the corner under the basket.

George took the ball and transferred it to Dio’s hands.

The “French Magician” displayed superb passing skills and passed the ball directly to Stephen Curry who ran into an open space in the opposite corner.

Seeing Curry get the ball, Chris Paul was stunned for a moment, then rushed towards Stephen Curry cursing.

no……

Can this ball be passed over?
“Shh!”

It was too late for him to rush over at this time, Stephen Curry hit his second three-pointer of the night.

His expression became even more arrogant, and he began to shake his head while holding his braces in his mouth.

If he scores one more goal, he will probably have to shake his shoulders in front of Chris Paul.

Paul impatiently took the ball from the backcourt, but when he got to the frontcourt, the New York Knicks were still waiting for him with a double team defense…

Seeing Stephen Curry looking at him with a confident look on his face, Chris Paul was a little angry at the time.

no……

How dare he look at me?
My old…ah, where are my teammates?

Chris Paul was already a little red-hot as he watched Stephen Curry score goals in front of him. Now Stephen Curry, who should have been a weak point on the defensive end, was standing in front of him so carefree, but he didn’t dare to make a move.

This made him feel even more frustrated.

He called the Al Jefferson pick-and-roll.

Then he saw the New York Knicks’ second line of defense against him.

As Al Jefferson moved forward, Suwan and Stephen Curry next to him formed a double-team.

Chris Paul immediately threw the ball to Ariza who was left open.

Paul George got in front of him.

Continuing to pass the ball, when Kobe took it, Suwan also successfully completed the switch.

The Lakers have a high quality of switching defense, and the New York Knicks are also among the best in the league in this regard.

Kobe looked at the time and asked everyone to move away so that he could play one-on-one.

Chris Paul wants to vomit blood again.

because……

The New York Knicks actually gave Kobe space to play one-on-one, allowing him to play one-on-one with Suwan.

Kobe’s current “turnaround jump shot” has reached the “god” level.

In addition, he is now full of energy, so even with Su Wan defending, he can still shoot the ball into the basket steadily.

Helped the team recover 2 points.

This way he scored 5 points in a row, which was comparable to Stephen Curry who scored 6 points in a row.

It’s the New York Knicks’ offensive turn again.

Stephen Curry continued to use off-ball running to hang Chris Paul and spin around with him.

A large space was left on the entire right side. Paul George waited for the pass, and Kobe had no choice but to dive back. After a fake move, Paul George made a mid-range shot.

Seeing that the New York Knicks scored so easily again, the Lakers quickly called a timeout.

The speed with which Phil Jackson called a timeout fully demonstrated that he was really focused tonight…

He stood on the sidelines, waiting for the Lakers players to walk off the court one by one. When Chris Paul passed by, Phil Jackson asked him, “Are you OK?”

This question made Chris Paul’s expression even worse.

What does “are you OK” mean?

Why did you say such a thing to me?

Coach, you mean I was outplayed by Stephen Curry?
And it’s suppressed badly?

Chris Paul entered the league in 05 and has been in the league for 9 years without realizing it. He knows very well under what circumstances the head coach would say such words to his players.

That’s when you’re being suppressed badly!
Chris Paul certainly does not agree with this statement.

Are you kidding me? When was he ever suppressed by Stephen Curry?
The main reason why the scene is like this is…

I have no teammates!
Yes, that’s the reason!

Chris Paul carefully recalled the New York Knicks’ support for Stephen Curry, and then thought about how he always faced the opponent’s various defensive targets alone during the game, and he was very angry at the time.

This made him appear too impatient in the first half of the game.

Phil Jackson watched him make his fourth turnover of the game in less than seven minutes of the second quarter, and frowned slightly: “Chris, what’s going on today?”

He decided to have a good talk with Paul when he returned to the locker room during the halftime break.

(End of this chapter)