Chapter 394 [50+ Empty Cuts, Twin Towers of Memphis]

At the post-game press conference, Guo Xu didn't comment on his old Lakers teammates, and just said a few casual words.

O'Neal and Kobe did not comment on Guo Xu. This was not a tacit understanding. As the losing side, they were not in the mood to speak.

Many fans watched the national live broadcast and then discussed it online.

"Are those people who said that the Lakers will definitely win the championship this year still have no suspense? Does your face hurt now?"

"It's not that the Lakers are weak, it's that the Suns led by Jason Guo are too strong. They outrun the Lakers. Many people say that veteran experience is very important, but when encountering a team like the Suns, experience can allow Malone to catch up with the younger players when they counterattack. St., Marion, Haslem?”

"Experts say the Suns are a grassroots team. Where is the grassroots? I think four of them can be selected as All-Stars. Joe Johnson and Stoudemire are also good enough."

"Jason's 45.8% shooting percentage today is already considered a bad touch. If he breaks out like he did in the first two games, he will be off duty in three quarters against the Lakers."

The online comments are not all good. There are some "black scapegoats" who find ways to find faults with Guo Xu. For example, he is a "defensive black hole", for example, he cannot dunk and his playing style is ugly.

It's also a jump shot. Kobe's posture is picturesque, but Guo Xu's three-pointer is ugly. These people don't need logic. If you don't accept it, bite me. Who makes your record and data better than the stars I like?

These people don't just blame Guo Xu, they also blame Malone and Payton. After the two veterans came, Kobe's number of shots decreased. How could he soar in points and compete for the scoring title?

The answer is definitely indisputable. The Lakers can only play positional warfare, and the transition between offense and defense is too slow. If Kobe averages 20+ shots per game, it won't take half a season for the team to start fighting in the locker room.

After the game, the Suns did not play for three days, and then went to play against the Jazz away from home, which was not a difficult game.

On November 5, the Suns defeated the Jazz 112-91 in an away game, winning four consecutive games.

The Jazz's second oldest player is gone, and the team is missing Laga Bell on the outside. The advantage is that it has an additional power forward, David West, but he is only a rookie and his performance in all aspects as a substitute is average.

The Jazz's starting lineup is a bit shabby, with Carlos Arroyo, DeShawn Stevenson, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Halprin, and Ostertag.

They only lost 112 points in this game because the Suns' three-pointers were too strong. They made a total of 6 shots in the game. Guo Xu made 1 of 8 shots and had no touch. Joe Johnson also made 1 of 3 shots. The most accurate one was Ma. Lyon made 2 of 5 shots.

With run-and-gun counterattacks and pick-and-roll coordination,

The Suns still defeated the Jazz. Marion scored 20 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks. Stoudemire had 26 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks. Nene had 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. The Suns team sent out 13 blocks. Even Guo Xu had 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. The pursuit blocked Arroyo.

The Suns then returned home to face the Grizzlies' challenge on November 7.

The Grizzlies started with 3 wins and 0 losses and performed extremely well. Last season they were the dark horses in the Western Conference. They have also received attention this season and are broadcast live on TNT radio. None of the Grizzlies' players are well-known. Their strength lies in their reasonable lineup and their offense.

Pau Gasol and Zach Randolph partnered in the paint, with both shooting range and the ability to play singles with the ball in the low post. Now they are called the Memphis Twin Towers. Substitute insider Lorenzen White was the seventh pick in the first round of the 1996 golden generation. He is a qualified blue-collar player. Tsakalidis, who was traded from the Suns, is the team's human shield and can fight against heavy insiders.

"Spring Man" Stromire Swift was sent to the Magic and Mike Miller was traded. The team drafted Mike Dunleavy in 2002, and this summer signed James Posey to strengthen wing defense. The team has three major swingmen.

The Grizzlies' No. 1 position is not too weak. After signing only a mid-level contract, "White Chocolate" Jason Williams realized that playing fancy passes can neither help the team win nor make himself rich. , he has gradually changed his style of play in the past two years, and his shooting percentage is still not high, at least he is not so random, and he organizes offense honestly.

The 70-year-old coach Hubie Brown's coaching style is not that old-school. He uses a highly mobile lineup to fight the Suns offensively. The defensive end can keep up with the Suns' run and gun, and then the success rate of positional battles makes the Suns uncomfortable.

The Grizzlies players have a clear division of labor. Gasol is pulled out to play pick-and-rolls, which can help the defender create breakthrough space and can catch the ball and coordinate the attack; the defender can break through and score or distribute the ball; the wing player can catch the ball and shoot a three-pointer or drop the ball to Randolph. Low singles; Randolph went up alone when no one was double-teaming him. If he attracted double-teams, he would distribute the ball.

The two sides played two overtimes to decide the winner. The Suns suffered their first defeat of the season 135-138.

Guo Xu played 50 minutes and scored 56 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists and 3 steals.

The best performer for the Grizzlies was Gasol, who made 14 of 26 shots, 1 of 2 three-pointers, 8 of 11 free throws, and scored 37 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. The only fly in the ointment is that, as the tallest player in the game, he grabbed 4 rebounds in 47 minutes.

His high-position support play is very magical and can easily create mismatches. He plays high, and the Suns can't steal the ball and can hardly hinder his passing vision. Now Gasol is light in weight, has strong flexibility, can make mid-range shots when he is misplaced, and can break through with the ball when facing big men.

The second best performer for the Grizzlies was Randolph. Although his shooting percentage was only 45%, he could score in isolation and scored many key goals. The Suns could not completely restrict him, scoring 28 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists.

In Guo Xu's previous life, Gasol was called a softie before he went to the Lakers. He never led the team to win in the playoffs and was swept three times.

In fact, if you look at the lineup, you will find that this is not because Gasol is weak, but because the Grizzlies were not strong enough inside in the previous life. White, Swift and Gasol are all lanky players, and Chakalidis is a waste.

Now there is Randolph in the team. Although the "Black Bear"'s height of 206cm is not suitable for playing center, and he is not good at protecting the frame and blocking shots, he is very strong and can resist Gasol defensively. The two can barely complement each other.

In his previous life, before joining the Grizzlies, Randolph was called a cancer and the worst 20+10 player. In this life, he was selected by the Grizzlies. Because of the team's good record, he received almost all praises and was rarely questioned.

The Grizzlies made the playoffs last season and won, and they are even stronger this year. There is low post offense, three-pointers, rebound protection, and wing defense. Except for No. 1 "White Chocolate" Williams and substitute Earl Watson who were abused by Guo Xu, the Grizzlies were overwhelmed in other positions in this game. sun.

After this game, the Grizzlies, who had won four consecutive games, were ranked first in the Western Conference, surprising everyone. If they maintain this state, they will only have one strong team in the playoffs.

At the post-game press conference, Guo Xu did not hesitate to praise the Grizzlies Twin Towers.

"I would like to apologize for not considering the Grizzlies as an opponent in previous interviews. Their strength is seriously underestimated. I think both Randolph and Gasol have the ability to be selected as All-Stars. Because there are many stars in the Western Conference, they may not necessarily They can be selected, but their performance is really outstanding. This kind of skilled insider who can make mid-range shots is really a headache."

The reporter asked: "Are you saying they are better than the Suns' interior players?"

"No, several of my inside teammates are also outstanding, and Amare has All-Star ability, but he didn't perform well in this game." Guo Xu smiled and said: "Losing in the regular season is not a big deal."

The Suns are already recognized as a strong team, but they are not yet invincible.