Due to the continued absence of Kouame Brown due to injury, the Los Angeles team could only pair Chris Mihm and Odom inside the paint. The effect was only average. The former was the kind of " almost " who knew everything but was not good at anything.
Odom was also a talent…Oh, no, he was all-rounder, and more all-rounder than Meme. He was good in all aspects, but he was not the best. As a 2.08-meter tall man, he was competent for all four positions except for the center forward.
In this era where most teams in the league still focused on the inside, such a big man was an all-rounder to put it nicely, but to put it bluntly, he was not doing his job properly. His style was somewhat out of place in this era.
If it was the era of small balls, Odom would definitely be a perfect match for the post player. He would have no problem becoming an All-Star.
Because he was not a traditional post player, Zen Master did not let him play hand-to-hand in the post. He hoped that he could protect the team's backboard and play a role in connecting the team from a high position. With his passing ability, he was fully qualified for this position.
However, Odom preferred dribbling rather than playing without the ball. He was also a player who needed the ball to make a move. When he was on the field with Kobe, the existence of the Black Mamba actually limited him to a certain extent.
If there was a post player who could replace Odom as the high-ranking dispatch tower, he could be freed.
He could even be placed directly on the substitutes 'bench and become the best sixth man on the team. This way, he could maximize Odom's strength and role.
It was just that the Zen Master had not found such a player yet.
Chen Hao said that he knew a player who was extremely suitable, or even perfect, but he could not say it for the time being.
After all, he was a newcomer who had just joined the team. Even though he had a close relationship with Kobe and was a good friend of Odom, the coaching staff and management were very optimistic about him. However, Kobe was the only one on the current team who was qualified to participate in the selection of players.
Once he got involved, the nature was different. It even affected his current position and good development in the team.
Chen Hao, who understood this, could only be a quiet little angel. It was just that sometimes, he felt a little uncomfortable.
Back to the competition ~
The offensive ability of Mihm and Odom's inside combination was not bad, but the defensive end was a bit too weak. With the current player configuration of the team, it could not solve this problem. They could only wait for the return of Quarry Brown.
"Little brother, Brother Hao misses you ~"
Chen Hao stepped onto the field, his right finger on his chest, and his left hand pointing at the Kuo May Brown jersey on the bench, praying to himself.
Such a performance was immediately projected onto the screen by the broadcast camera.
What was Chen Hao doing?
When he saw this scene, Kuame Brown, who had been recuperating at home and paying attention to the team's games, understood immediately. He was very touched that he was needed by others. He secretly made up his mind to recover quickly and return to the field to help Brother Hao!
As for the small forward position, the Clippers still sent out Brian Cook.
When this fellow went up, he walked over again and said in a flattering manner,
"Hao, I'll try my best to get out of position ~"
" As long as there's an opportunity on your side, I'll pass the ball to you as soon as possible." Chen Hao patted Cook's shoulder.
His meaning was obvious. He wanted Little Brother to perform well. Big Brother was watching him.
Luke Warton, who was sitting on the substitutes 'bench, expressed his resentment. He had been promised the same thing before, but he had been ignored.
Cook was very happy to hear that. His playing time on the team had been very unstable. Now that Kuame Brown was injured, he had to prove his worth and fight for more playing time.
An NBA player who did not pursue playing time was not a good player.
On the defensive line, Chen Hao was still partnered with Kobe.
"Hao, that rookie seems to have his eyes on you. Be careful ~"
Chen Hao followed Kobe's gaze and saw Deron Williams 'eyes that were filled with fighting spirit. He smiled faintly and said,"
"He's just a first-year rookie. Don't worry about him ~"
Even though he said that, Chen Hao paid special attention to it.
Kobe shrugged and did not say anything. He believed that Chen Hao would not disappoint him, even though Chen Hao was only a first-year rookie!
He looked at the opponent's half of the field ~
However, he realized that the lineup of the Knights was a little strange.
Mehmet Okur was paired with Gregg Ostertag inside, Matt Harplin was a small forward, and Deron and Gordon Girisek formed the back line.
AK-47 Andrei Kirilenko, who had been heavily analyzed before the game and expressed that he would take it seriously, was sitting on the substitutes 'bench.
It made people curious how much Sloan trusted Ostertag to let him be the starter.
"Beep ~"
The whistle sounded, and the game officially began. The basketball was thrown straight into the air. Ostertag was the first to touch the basketball and call it to his own half. The Knight organized the attack, and Chen Hao immediately went forward to tangle with Deron.
There were no words or provocations. The two of them were very silent. Only the rhythmic dribbling sound kept rising and falling in their ears.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Hao deliberately revealed a flaw. Delon didn't think much and entered the three-point line from the right. In the blink of an eye, he entered the three-point line. Seeing that he was about to completely break away from the defense, Chen Hao suddenly turned back.
His left hand suddenly reached back and accurately touched the basketball.
"Not good ~"
Delon's expression changed and he hurriedly wanted to protect the ball, but he could no longer change the fact that he had lost the ball.
Cook got the basketball and immediately passed it over.
The offense and defense switched. The Los Angeles team attacked. Chen Hao took the lead and quickly pushed forward with the ball. Facing Deron, who was chasing after him and blocking in front of him, he shook Deron's center of gravity and broke into the three-point line. He passed the ball to Kobe, who cut inside.
After the latter received the ball, he didn't stick to it at all and directly passed it back. The basketball accurately fell into Chen Hao's hands. Facing the opponents around him who were a beat slower, he easily made a layup.
showtime！
Their smooth coordination, smooth positioning, and clean scoring all went smoothly. Chen Hao and Kobe high-fived each other, and their cooperation became more and more tacit.
Odom, who was standing high and ready to receive the ball and connect with the team, felt lonely waiting. He did not even see the ball, but he was happy to be quiet and had a good time.
It was Delon who controlled the ball again. This time, Chen Hao didn't play half-step defense. Instead, he directly chose to press the defense.
In the previous exchange, he had already predicted Delon's current level of resistance. He might be slightly stronger than him, but it was only a little. He had not reached the point where he could not withstand it at all.
If it was Deron at his peak, he definitely wouldn't be so defensive. However, Deron had just joined the league, and his core strength hadn't improved yet. He still had the habit of showing off in the college league when it came to breakthroughs. Chen Hao felt that his opponent was still too inexperienced.
This was the first time he had encountered this kind of intensity and style of defense in the league.
Fortunately, Ostertag stepped forward in time to help block Chen Hao, allowing him to get rid of the entanglement. The importance he placed on Chen Hao increased rapidly.
To be able to join the Alliance as a non-draft rookie and be so popular that he was ranked second on the Best Rookie list, Chen Hao could only be said to have true ability. He had been too confident before and underestimated others.
To be able to enter the league and become a starting player, which one of them was not a genius? Which one of them did not have some skill?
He adjusted his mentality and got his attitude right.
He broke into the inside lane and faced Mihm's defense. He swung his right hand and prepared to pass the ball to Okur, who had pulled down the outside lane, according to the established tactical system.
However, just as the ball left his fingertips, Chen Hao, who had never given up on defense, suddenly appeared in the passing line.
"Why did that guy appear there?!”Delon was shocked.
The basketball was directly intercepted.
The lakers are fast attacking ~
Chen Hao was in the middle, Kobe was on the left, and Odom was on the right. The fast-attacking trident lunged forward crazily.
Only Gordon and Matt Harplin were able to defend in time, but they were unable to stop the three-point attack with their combined strength. Chen Hao pretended to pass the ball to Kobe, causing the two players to subconsciously surround Kobe. Then, he made a long-distance pass and sent the ball into Odom's hands.
"Nice shot!"
Odom received the pass comfortably and rushed into the penalty area with three steps. He scored with a single-handed dunk. After landing, he ignored the boos from the crowd and gave Chen Hao a thumbs up. Chen Hao followed suit. Kobe expressed his loneliness.
Chen Hao didn't have a good solution to this. There was only one ball, and it was impossible for both of them to be satisfied. He could only sacrifice his Black Mamba brother.
~4:0!
Relying on Chen Hao's excellent play on both offense and defense, the Los Angeles team suppressed the arrogance of the Yale team and turned the tables!
After losing the ball twice and facing Chen Hao's almost crazy marking again, Delon became more and more cautious. He did not lose the ball again, but it caused the rhythm of the attack of the Knight to be greatly affected.
Okur missed his shot from outside the three-point line, and Odom protected the backboard.
The moment he received the pass, Chen Hao felt a palm reaching out from the side of his body. His reaction was extremely fast. He dribbled under his crotch and changed direction. He directly flashed past and brushed past the side of the player, instigating the Laker team to launch an attack.
"Damn it!"
Looking at Chen Hao's back, Delon expressed his dissatisfaction!
Ignoring all of this, Chen Hao looked at the positions of his teammates on the court after half-court. He did not stop and directly rushed into the inside line of the Knight team. However, he did not make a move. Instead, he circled around and jumped up to make a shot. However, he quickly threw the basketball to Cook, who was unmarked at the bottom line.
The latter threw the ball when he received it ~
"Swoosh ~"
With a crisp sound, the basketball pierced through the heart and hit the three-pointer!
In just a few rounds, Chen Hao had already scored two points, two steals, and two assists. His performance was outstanding.
Even Kobe couldn't overshadow him.
Looking at Chen Hao, who appeared very calm on the field, Jerry Sloan had a vague feeling that he was looking at a younger version of Stockton.
The difference was that Chen Hao's defensive ability was more aggressive, his stealing ability was stronger, and he looked…Yes, he was also more handsome.
He then looked at Deron Williams, whom he had high hopes for, hoping to form the team's new inner and outer core combination with Boozer. The gap was obvious, and Sloan felt that he still needed to teach this little guy well.
As a rookie who had joined the Alliance for the first time, Chen Hao was undoubtedly more mature.
Even if they were both geniuses, they could not be compared!
Then came the cliché question. Why didn't a player who could suppress his peers participate in the draft?
Sloan said that if Chen Hao was there, he would not choose Delon.
In comparison, Chen Hao's playstyle and personality were undoubtedly more suitable for his tactics.
Unfortunately, it was all too late now.
Sloan looked at Grandpa KFC sitting on the bench and expressed his envy.
Phil Jackson was already used to this kind of gaze.
During his time with the Bulls, the other coaches in the league envied him for having Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman in the later stages, which formed a lineup of the three giants.
The morale of the Los Angeles team had been boosted by the OK combination and then the F4 lineup.
Now that the Laker team was finally in decline, Kobe had shown unparalleled scoring ability. The team had also obtained a top-notch role player like Chen Hao at almost no cost. There was also a left-handed magician who was all-rounded. The three of them were still in their prime. The future could be said to be bright.
Zen Master expressed that luck was also a part of strength!
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