Chapter 456: Supersonics' Defensive Trump Card

Beep!

The referee blew the whistle, the basketball was thrown into the air, and the game officially began.

Chandler and Yao Ming were still a little short of the jump ball, and the basketball landed steadily in Kobe Bryant's hands. The next second, Lin Dong's figure flashed and blocked Kobe like a ghost.

Looking at the big boy with a smile on his face, Kobe took a deep breath.

The two have played against each other several times this season. Compared with Lin Dong's sharpness last season and during the Olympics, Lin Dong this season gave Kobe a feeling of keeping a low profile.

Take the defensive end for example, it seems that the aggressiveness is not so strong. It no longer makes the offensive side feel threatened and uncomfortable all the time like before. Most of the time, he will only choose to follow and create obstacles.

However, his overall steals and blocks this season have significantly improved compared to last season. In the regular season, he is the undisputed steals king with an average of 3.2 steals per game, and his blocks are also 2.2 per game. Although there is a little gap from the 3.3 of AK47 Kirilenko, the block king this season, as a core player who can attack and defend, this defensive block data is already amazing.

Most people in the league don’t really understand this. They think that this guy’s aggressiveness has decreased, but his data has increased instead.

Only a strong person like Kobe can clearly feel the horror of Lin Dong after he has restrained his edge.

He doesn’t reach out much, but first, his "not reaching out" gives many people the confidence to face him, and they always want to score on this guy who has won DPOY, which gives him more defensive opportunities.

Second, his not reaching out gives the attacker an illusion, and he will always relax his vigilance involuntarily, and then let him find a chance to kill with one shot.

Of course, there is a third point, this style of play saves more energy... Good steel is always used on the blade, it doesn't matter if you don't move, but every time you shoot, you have almost definitely seen your flaws, and then you hit the target every time.

Those with less strength can't understand his strength, and often become contributors to his data.

And those with stronger strength, such as Kobe, can see this guy's terrible trap of "as if the defense is not in shape", and then force the attacker to be more cautious, strive to be perfect in every aspect, and never leave a chance for the opponent.

Because a knife that has been unsheathed is not terrible, the knife hidden in the dark is the most terrible!

But this will cause the attacker to put too much energy on various precautions, because you don't know where and when his attack will come from, which will not only greatly increase your physical and mental consumption, but also make you unable to play 100% state. For the defender Lin Dong, he only needs to smile and watch you nervous and tired...

In addition to your offense, you also have to deal with your mentality.

It seems to be non-aggressive, but it is the most effective defense!

The longer the attacker holds the ball and the more time he is facing him, the more flaws he will have and the more he will be consumed.

In the two games that Kobe lost in the regular season, he was completely out of form and missed shots frequently because of Lin Dong's defense.

He couldn't hold a stalemate with Lin Dong... This is the main reason why the Lakers, who seem to have a complete lineup at present, are said by all parties to be in urgent need of an organizing point guard.

Huh!

Kobe Bryant, who considers himself the best in the league in singles, passed the ball to the coffee table without hesitation, Chucky Atkins!

The Zen Master on the sidelines folded his hands and stared at the point guard who was highly expected by the Lakers.

Not all results on the basketball court are determined by superstars, and Atkins is the key to defeating the Supersonics!

This point guard who has never participated in the draft just played the best record of his career in the regular season, averaging 14 points and 5.6 assists per game, successfully squeezing out Derek Fisher, the old fish, and took the position of the Lakers' main point guard.

As a typical small point guard of only 180 cm, Atkins' defense is hard to describe compared with Fisher. Although he is active enough, he is too short. Only on the offensive end, his speed, organization and three-point ability from the outside are quite outstanding.

He may not be comprehensive enough, and even have obvious defects, but he is the most critical link to defeat the Supersonics.

Facing the aging Payton, as long as Atkins can break through the opponent's defense, he can successfully connect the team and liberate Kobe and the inside attack.

In fact, Atkins can do this. Payton is indeed old and his footsteps are not as flexible as before. Facing this 180 cm small point guard, Payton is absolutely inferior in speed and explosiveness. There is almost no way to stop him. The two games that the Lakers won in the regular season were all breakthroughs from this point. This is also the reason why the Zen Master is willing to put the more comprehensive Fisher on the bench to replace Atkins.

Now, let's see...

Phil Jackson was thinking, but saw a red-haired guy suddenly appeared in front of Atkins.

Isn't Payton defending Atkins?

The Zen Master's brows suddenly twisted, his mouth slightly opened, and he couldn't help turning his head to look at McMillan on the other side of the bench.

Let Sakuragi Hanamichi defend Atkins? The Supersonics don't want the inside line?

And...

A sharp light flashed in Atkins' eyes. By chance, he could become one of the key players in this great game. He knew too well how rare this opportunity was. As long as he could help the Lakers beat the Supersonics, his value would double!

Although the guy in front of him was faster, younger and more explosive than Payton, he was 209 cm tall, with a high center of gravity and a weight of 115 kg. His speed could not be that fast.

And when a small player beats a big player, speed is king after all!

Lower center of gravity, faster start... Although the opponent consciously pulled away to a distance of one and a half steps, it was still possible to break through compared to the physical conditions of the two!

Atkins did not hesitate, lowered his center of gravity and suddenly took a step to the left, flying towards the left side of Sakuragi Hanamichi.

As long as he passed him, as long as...

Bang!

Bang!

Atkins only felt that his breakthrough hit a wall, and the opponent's lateral speed and reaction far exceeded his imagination.

While being surprised, he also quickly adjusted his ball control, but at the same time, an extremely long arm had already cut across.

The arm span was too long, like a giant's arm, long enough to surround him in all directions, and cut down towards the ball control route he was adjusting.

Steal!

Sakuragi Hanamichi's face was full of confidence.

Small? So what if he is small?

The reading and instinct of defense have been engraved into Sakuragi Hanamichi's bones in the past two seasons.

Although he studied under Payton, he actually learned a lot of defense. Rodman's predictive defense is what he is really good at.

Atkins is faster than himself, but the opponent is not a small player of Iverson's level after all. Putting a defensive distance of one and a half steps, plus reading and predicting Atkins's movements, is enough for him to defend any form of breakthrough from the opponent in this position!

This move was not used in the regular season, but it was because Gaoren, Payton and McMillan had seen that the Lakers were the biggest opponent of the Supersonics this season, so they reserved this set for them to use in the finals.

As for Yao Ming, who should have been restricted by himself... If the ball can't even reach Yao Ming, what's the use of Yao Ming's strength under the basket?

The Lakers regarded Atkins as the key to defeating the Supersonics, but they didn't know that the Supersonics had already regarded this as the key to victory!

Bang!

The basketball was hit far away, Atkins was surprised and wanted to turn around to pursue, but Iguodala on the other side had already grabbed the ball from the ground and rushed to the opposite court.

The Lakers team quickly returned to defense, but at this time, the overall difference in speed between the two teams could be seen.

Yao Ming's speed was the slowest. Although Odom was much faster than the average center, compared with this "five small" lineup, the Supersonics, who even Chandler had lost weight, still belonged to the bottom of the speed.

With the running and gunning consciousness engraved in the Sonics, Iguodala rushed to the front court with the ball and only paused for a moment. The other four players of the Sonics were almost all in the attacking position, while Yao Ming had just rushed back to the three-point line, and Odom, who had previously gone deeper, had just run back to the midline, allowing the Sonics to form a 5-on-3 wave in an instant.

Kobe desperately followed Lin Dong, who seemed to be walking and seemed to be out of form. Devin George immediately blocked Iguodala's outside line, and Atkins knew that he could not stop the Sonics' inside line, so he chose to block Payton's outside line, leaving the Lakers' inside line completely empty.

Iguodala then made a high throw and hung the ball towards the basket, and Sakuragi Hanamichi, who followed closely, jumped high...

Boom!

A powerful aerial relay dunk, the Sonics 2:0, kicked off the scoring battle.

The Lakers have the ball.

The choice of Sakuragi Hanamichi to defend Atkins by the Supersonics was obviously somewhat unexpected by the Lakers. As a direct disciple of Payton, Sakuragi Hanamichi was on the second team of the best defense last year and is likely to be on the second team of the best defense this year. Sakuragi Hanamichi is definitely a top-notch defensive player in the NBA today. He may not have as much experience as Payton, but he is faster and more explosive.

Is it really useful for him to play small against big? The defense just now may explain some problems.

But letting Kobe hold the ball and stalemate with Lin Dong is equivalent to losing, and it will be a sure loss. This is the absolute conclusion that the Lakers have reached as early as the regular season.

Although it feels a bit bad at the moment, it still depends on Atkins to hold the ball.

The Zen Master kept shouting at him to be careful on the sidelines, and the ball continued to come to Atkins' hands.

Sakuragi Hanamichi did not press the whole court, but chose to wait outside the three-point line in the backcourt.

Atkins steadily controlled the ball across half court and waited for his teammates to enter the attacking position.

And this is the second change of the Supersonics.

Previously, when facing the Lakers, the Supersonics often chose to let Sakuragi Hanamichi defend Yao Ming from the front and entangle him throughout the court to consume Yao Ming's physical strength.

But now, Sakuragi Hanamichi defends Atkins, and Yao Ming seems to be completely freed from the "restriction" all of a sudden, and easily gets to the basket, making the Lakers' inside line look full of threats at this time.

Atkins calmly observed the movements on the court. Even if Kobe was freed from holding the ball and moved to the No. 2 position to attack full-time, it was not the safest choice to face Lin Dong's defense.

Finding Yao Ming under the basket, Yao Ming singles out Chandler, that is almost no suspense.

But... I have to deal with this troublesome guy in front of me first.

The opponent can defend against his speed because of this one and a half step away. If he wants to break through, he must force the opponent to get closer to him.

Some other point guards who don't have a basket may not be able to do it, but... I have a basket and 3 points!

Aren't you going to take a step and a half? Then I'll shoot you to death first, and see if you dare to shoot or not.

Atkins pretended to look at the passing route and the breakthrough route, but the next second he suddenly cast his eyes straight ahead, slightly bent his knees, and then stood up.

But the next second...

A huge figure only took half a step forward and then jumped up.

The figure that seemed to cover the sun and the clouds, and the huge hands that seemed to cover the sky and the earth, instantly covered all of Atkins's sight, and he was suddenly shocked.

Sakuragi Hanamichi was so happy.

You dare to shoot if I give you a step and a half? I am 29cm taller than you, my wingspan is 21cm longer than yours, my jumping ability is better than yours, my burst is faster than yours, and I have the foresight of a piercing eye.

You are just a second-tier player, what can you shoot with? What right do you have to shoot? How dare you shoot!

"Gorilla's true pass!"

Atkins' basketball slipped out of his hand subconsciously in shock, followed by Sakuragi Hanamichi's roar and a crisp slapping sound.

"Block the shot!"

Bang!

Block the shot!

Shoot? Eat shit!