Kobe Bryant will never forget December 15 last year, which was originally just an ordinary day, as he sweated in the training gym and seized every minute and every second to prepare for the arrival of the new season.

But that afternoon, a picture of a press conference broadcast on TV made a wave in Kobe's calm heart.

On the television in the training hall, Henson took a puff on his cigar and uttered something that would go down in Indianapolis basketball history: "Chris. Paul was already a walker. ”

When the league vetoed the Lakers and Paul trade, Bryant was already angry once. As everyone knows, now seeing Henson announcing Paul's joining, Kobe Bryant is still a little unwilling in his heart.

During that time, everyone was talking about how many championships Paul and Kobe Bryant would be able to win. But with Henson's official announcement at the press conference, all these fantasies have finally come to an end.

Paul's failure to join the Lakers has more than just a lack of a superstar.

First of all, the heartbroken Odom was eventually traded, and the embarrassed Kupchak, who made Odom almost cry in a phone interview, traded the Lakers' best sixth man to the Mavericks, just in exchange for a trade exception. After all, the relationship between the two sides is like this, Odom can't trade it, he has to go, even if the Lakers send this best sixth man almost for nothing.

And Paul, who was also wounded in his heart. Gasol, although he did not leave the team, although he was calm on the surface. But you can imagine with your toes how disappointed Gasol is with Lakers management.

As the hero of the Lakers' last two consecutive championships, Gasol did his best in Los Angeles, but in the end he was easily put on the shelf. The morale of the Spaniards will be somewhat affected by this.

So, a Chris. The impact of Paul's aborted trade on the Lakers is huge.

The Lakers have a 10-7 record so far this season. Of course, this record can't be said to be bad, but it is certainly far from Kobe's expectations. In that poisonous snake's heart, he still thinks about the championship!

So this time when he met the Pacers, Kobe Bryant held his breath. He desperately wants to prove it, to prove it to himself, to prove it to his teammates, even if it doesn't have Chris. Paul, if you just follow me, you can win!

"It's true that the team has had two defeats in a row recently, but we don't have any problems. We're all ready to go and crush the next opponent who stands in our way. The day before the game, Kobe Bryant, wearing sunglasses, said at Indianapolis International Airport.

"For Chris. Paul, do you think he added anything special to this game? ”

Hearing this question, Kobe Bryant was stunned, "...... No, no matter who the opponent is, our goal is to win. ”

Black Mamba Resolute and Paul. George's injury has given reason to believe that the Lakers will end their losing streak in Indianapolis. The Pacers, who started the game with an 11-game winning streak, are likely to experience their first losing streak of the season.

"An angry Kobe Bryant will destroy the Pacers' guard line."

"The Lakers' twin towers will completely collapse the Pacers' defense!"

"Henson. Coach Joe's good fortune has come to an end, and he has run into the worst viper in the league! ”

As always, a large number of media outlets sat back and waited to see Henson's joke. Once the team has an injury, how to adjust the personnel is undoubtedly a great test of the coach's skills. And most people think that this half-Chinese coach does not have such ability.

He was not surprised by what reporters said about Henson. Sometimes, I get used to being scolded while scolding. Occasionally, there are a few games where the media doesn't come out to look at him, and he feels like he's missing something.

Therefore, while the outside world is unanimously expecting Kobe Bryant to succeed in "revenge", Henson and his assistant Frank. Vogel sat on the sidelines of the practice court, his eyes falling on Jimmy Vogel, the No. 30 rookie in the corner who was practicing shooting with Fraser, who had only played in garbage time before. Butler.

"Jimmy works very hard, he works as hard as Leonard. It's just that his progress has been slower than Leonard's. His shooting is still a mess, even worse than Stephenson's when he first joined the team. Stephenson just wasn't consistent, but Jimmy was the opposite, he was steady enough to smash the basket. ”

Hearing Vogel's assessment of Butler, Henson almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

"I know, I don't need him to be a super scorer overnight. While his progress may have been a little slower, it was definitely significant. Henson waved his hand, the potential of A+ is not deceiving.

'Do you think he'll be ready for the next game? In fact, we don't need Jimmy either. Butler is on the court, and we've got Stephenson. ”

"Stephenson can try to play the number one position in the next game, and that kid is actually pretty good at playmaking. And Jimmy, his defense might help us. I'm not going to let him play for too long, but George isn't here, so it's a good opportunity to see what he's up to. As he spoke, Butler's shooting practice came to an end as he sat on the wooden floor resting.

Henson got up and walked towards the young-looking senior guard.

"Jimmy, how does it feel to shoot?"

Hearing someone calling for himself, Butler looked up slightly. After finding out that it was the head coach, he immediately got up and stood respectfully, "It's still ...... Not bad, sir! ”

"Don't be so serious, I just want to have a casual chat with you. You know, I never cared what people said about a player, just like I didn't care what people said about me. I've always believed that seeing is believing. Any idea why I got you to Indianapolis? Because I believe that you have value in you that the bastards who look down on you don't see. ”

Butler didn't speak, just listened quietly. He didn't know why this Chinese coach suddenly said this to himself, so he couldn't interject.

"In the next game, I'm ready for you to show your worth. Do you think you're ready? I'm willing to give you a chance, what can you bring to me? ”

Opportunity! Jimmy. Butler is well aware that every opportunity is especially rare for a rookie at the end of the first round. Play well and you'll be able to get into everyone's sights. If you don't play well, it's very likely that you will leave immediately. This is the brutal status quo of low-pick rookies surviving in the NBA.

Coaches and fans won't listen to you say more and think of more excuses. Give you a chance, even if it's a minute, and you have to find a way to make that minute of coaching worthwhile.

"I'll do whatever you tell me to do, chief. I'm willing to do any dirty work. Even if you don't score, you don't have the ball. Butler replied categorically.

Henson smiled, a bit like Stephen.

"Then be ready, be ready at all times. Because in the next game, I don't know when I'm going to suddenly send you up to surprise those bastards. ”

Henson smiled and left, he saw the kind of eagerness that Butler was trying to climb up, and that was enough.

George's injury will affect the win? In the next game, Henson will show the guys who are looking forward to losing every day what bench depth is!