The pace of the regular season was very fast. There was no chance for the Laker to savor and celebrate their five-game winning streak. The entire team rushed to Philadelphia to prepare for the away game against the 76ers led by Iverson.
As a native of Philadelphia, Kobe had deep feelings for the city.
As a result, every time he arrived here, he was full of fighting spirit and strived to conquer the fans and audience in his hometown with his best performance.
Wealth and honor do not return to their hometown, just like wearing embroidered clothes at night.
Acting tough is best in my hometown ~
However, this time, the 76ers dealt a heavy blow to the mentally fatigued Los Angeles team, who had been a little lax due to their recent winning streak. In addition, they had just experienced back-to-back away games and boarded a plane to Philadelphia the next day.
The team itself inevitably experienced ups and downs.
Facing the 76ers, led by a super scorer like Iverson, this game was very difficult for the Los Angeles Clippers from the beginning.
Kobe's personal condition was average, and he was facing a defender of Iguodala's level. He made 27 shots in the game, but he only managed to hit seven goals. He was reduced to a blacksmith. He only scored 17 points in the game, and his five-game scoring streak came to an end.
As the core of the offense, Kobe only got less than 20 points. The impact was not small. Even though Chen Hao had increased the number of shots he made in this game and scored a new high of 16 points, he still could not stop the team from losing.
It was really because his teammates were not in a good state.
On the defensive side, Chen Hao had also encountered the most difficult confrontation since entering the Alliance.
Iverson was the type of opponent that Chen Hao didn't want to meet. His top explosive power allowed him to be as fast as lightning. He often only needed one step to clear Chen Hao. Then, like a warrior carrying a bag of explosives, he threw himself into the penalty area.
Not to mention its overbearing CROSSOVER. Chen Hao suddenly felt that the CROSSOVER he often used was so ugly that his face turned red.
He did not slow down and changed direction at a very fast frequency. This was an opponent that made all the defenders on the outside feel despair.
Even Kobe couldn't stop it.
The answer at his peak state was so unreasonable.
However, it had to be admitted that with the current lineup of the Los Angeles team, if the offensive end was not in a bad state, the game was not completely impossible to play.
Unfortunately, there weren't many ifs.
Even though Chen Hao had given his all throughout the game and did not relax for a moment, nor did he explode because of Iverson's repeated scoring, he only managed to reduce his field goal percentage to 43%. He still managed to score 34 points and lead his team to victory.
In comparison, Kobe's 25.9% field goal percentage was a bit eye-catching.
Losing was understandable.
The first defeat of the new season was born just like that. On the way to Miami, the atmosphere in the team was a little depressing.
"Thanks ~"
Chen Hao smiled and thanked the space that had already poured him three drinks. He then placed the small note that the other party had subtly handed him into Kobe's pants pocket. He looked at Kobe, who was resting with his eyes closed and exuded a cold aura. Chen Hao said helplessly,
"Black Snake, you only lost one game. Do you have to be so angry? There are a total of 82 games in the regular season. Do you have to be angry every time you lose a game? This will shorten your lifespan ~"
Hearing Chen Hao's words, everyone in the cabin looked at him with admiration.
How dare you tease Kobe at a time like this? I respect you for being a man.
However, Kobe's expected cold voice did not appear. Black Mamba appeared very calm. He turned his head and looked at Chen Hao, replying,"
"What the hell is a black snake? I'm not angry, I'm just a little tired ~"
" You're lying to a child. You're just short of carving the words 'I'm very angry' on your face."
After taking a sip of his drink, Chen Hao continued,"" Wouldn't it be better to win back after losing the game? Black Snake, you're an old guy who has played in the league for so many years. Why can't you even bear this?"
At this point, Chen Hao suddenly thought of something and said,""Speaking of which, are you unhappy because you lost in front of your hometown elders and became an invincible blacksmith?”
"I'm not, I didn't. Don't talk nonsense!”
After denying three times, Kobe looked at the people in the cabin who seemed to be resting with their eyes closed, but were actually listening to their conversation. He suddenly felt a little tired.
Seeing this, Chen Hao laughed and said,"An explanation is a cover-up."
Before Kobe could respond, he spoke again,"" Let's not talk about this. We're playing against the Grizzlies tomorrow night. You can't be in this state. Why don't you let me be the main attacker for this game?"
"You?"
When it came to defense, Kobe definitely admitted that Chen Hao was very good. But when it came to offense, it was hard to explain in a few words. Only an empty three-pointer could be seen.
The topic shifted to the next match.
" I only scored one point less than you in the last game, and I didn't even shoot half as many times as you did." Chen Hao secretly mocked Kobe's shooting percentage.
Hearing this, Kobe's lips twitched. He was really picking a sore spot. Recalling his miserable shooting percentage in the last game, he felt frustrated and his expression turned serious.
"In the next game against the Grizzlies, I'll score more than 30 points ~"
"What if I can't?" Chen Hao asked.
"If you can't do it, then I'll train with you for the whole day ~"
Kobe raised his eyebrows.
"Then I'll practice with you for the whole day ~"
Kobe was speechless.
Everyone was speechless.
You're really a clever little ghost ~
In the end, the bet was still set. Even if the bet was to practice basketball for an entire day, there was no difference whether he won or lost. In any case, it was just practicing basketball.
However, he had to give Kobe a way out.
As Kobe's fighting spirit surged, the team's originally depressed and depressing atmosphere immediately dissipated.
Everyone began to put more thoughts into the upcoming competition.
However, it had to be said that the bastard who arranged the regular season schedule was really not human. Four of the first six games of the new season were away games, and one was a back-to-back game. The intensity was not small. Chen Hao began to suspect that the Laker had offended someone in the league.
Otherwise, why would the competition schedule be so messed up?
They had just finished their back-to-back away games, and there was only one day of buffer time before the team had to play against the Grizzlies in the away game. Although the physical fatigue had mostly recovered, the mental fatigue was inevitably accumulating.
In the long run, his condition would definitely be affected.
Fortunately, Kobe's fighting spirit had been stimulated by Chen Hao in advance, which changed the overall atmosphere of the team. This game should still be played.
This season, the Grizzlies 'performance could be said to have been suppressed first and then improved. After three consecutive losses, they immediately achieved four consecutive victories. Currently, they were ranked fifth in the Western Conference with a record of four wins and three losses. On the other hand, the Clippers still occupied the first place in the Western Conference with a record of five wins and one loss, surpassing the Spurs.
Knowing that the entire team was tired, the coaching staff did not have any training arrangements for the day. After the team rested in the hotel for a day, the game arrived as scheduled on the second day of their arrival in Miami.
The core player of the Grizzlies was undoubtedly Pau Gasol from Spain.
Coupled with outstanding players such as Eddie Jones, Sean Battier, and Mike Miller, the competition was still very strong.
As soon as the game started, Pau Gasol showed his technical characteristics and excellent static physical fitness. His height and wingspan were excellent for a center forward, and it was reassuring to watch.
However, for the opponent, such a center forward with a wide range, an outstanding face-to-face frame, excellent back-to-back play, excellent passing awareness, and excellent ball business was undoubtedly a nightmare.
Anyway, Kuame Brown, who had opened the door to a new world in the last game, was completely defeated in this game. Not to mention the door, even the window was nailed shut by Gasol. There was no room for him to play at all.
It couldn't be helped. Gasol didn't play like a real man like Garnett. His selfless style of playing, his impressive offensive ability, and his various offensive methods made it difficult for him to restrict him.
We can't count on the inside line anymore ~
In the defense of the perimeter, Chen Hao went all out against the man who had once forced Kobe to the bench and prevented him from playing. He did not give Eddie Jones a chance to play.
The latter was already 34 years old, and his competitive state had clearly declined. He was helpless against Chen Hao's dog-like tight defense.
On their side, Kobe was blocked by Sean Battier's strong attacks. He contributed seven shots in the first quarter. In the second quarter, he adapted to Battier's defensive style, and his touch began to pick up.
The halftime ended quickly. 40, three points ahead of the Grizzlies.
Odom became the biggest contributor to the team's lead, contributing 13 points in the first half. White was completely unable to limit the left-handed magician's play.
The team's second-highest scorer was Kobe, who scored 12 points. His efficiency was only average, but he had undoubtedly improved a lot since the last game.
As the core of the team's perimeter defense in the first half, Chen Hao perfectly completed the task assigned by the coach. He only managed to defend the Grizzlies 'No. 2 scorer, Eddie Jones, with two points and four turnovers.
All his mistakes were converted into Chen Hao's steals.
There were already four steals in the first half. Chen Hao felt that he could completely challenge his goal of getting a top double today.
As he pondered, the halftime interval quickly ended and the game resumed.
With the ambition to steal the double, Chen Hao was very active at the beginning of the game. His defense was very tight, and he did not even give Eddie Jones a chance to catch the ball.
This made the latter very frustrated.
On the offensive end, they began to run frequently. Eddy Jones expressed that his old arms and legs could not keep up with the young man's footsteps.
The key was that he did not dare to follow Chen Hao. He knew his own business. If he really followed Chen Hao to run endlessly on the field, his physical fitness would soon be affected. As a result, he could only leave the field early.
Once the Grizzlies lost Eddy Jones, a scorer with an average of 13 points per game and a 43% three-point field goal percentage, the pressure on Gasol in the paint would increase, and the team would undoubtedly fall into a more passive situation.
Battier's defense was indeed very good, but his ability to take the initiative to attack was insufficient. Moreover, the one defending him was Kobe, so he could not pose too much of a threat on the perimeter.
As for Damon Stoudemire, time and tide did not wait for him. The once-close Flying Squirrel no longer had the sharp breakthroughs of the past, and his field goal percentage had dropped below 40%. His height of 1.78 meters, coupled with his thin body, had become a defensive loophole on the field.
On the defensive end, the targeted tactics of the Los Angeles Clippers created a lot of trouble for the Grizzlies.
On the offensive side, Kobe's recovery, Odom's continued strength, and Chen Hao's many open shots through running positions, the Los Angeles team's offense was like a tide. Gasol could not hold on alone, and the score gradually widened.
Without a losing streak, the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Grizzlies by 15 points and ended their away trip.
Finally, they were able to return to their home ground to fight. Everyone let out a long sigh of relief.
Chen Hao looked at his seven steals and felt a little disappointed. In the end, he still couldn't get a double.
But soon, Marbury's remarks on the next opponent's team, the Knicks, attracted his attention.
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