The Staples Center is a new arena that has only been open for two seasons.

The Clippers and Lakers, as well as the Los Angeles Kings, an NHL team, share a common arena for a total of three teams.

The Staples Center has 24 locker rooms, the visiting team has one, and the Lakers and Clippers have their own home locker rooms.

At this time, in the Lakers' home locker room, Phil Jackson was holding a tactical board, racking his brains and thinking, and everyone was discussing the coaches around him.

In this game, the Lakers can only play the OK combination, and Isaiah Ryder cannot play, because of the training some time ago, Isaiah Ryder was absent for no reason and was banned by the team.

Although Phil Jackson was in dire need of Isaiah Leddle's bench firepower, under the banner of team discipline, Phil Jackson had no choice but to compromise.

Without Isaiah Leddle, it would have been a much tougher game for the Lakers.

No matter how much Isaiah Leder is a jerk, his tactical position in the Lakers is still very high, after all, he is the only point of possession other than OK.

Without Isaiah Leddle, Phil Jackson would have to think of another way to fill the void.

"This is how we ...... this game"

……

Compared to the Lakers, the Grizzlies also have players missing.

The absences of Maddy and Raheem are, strictly speaking, much more serious than those of the Lakers, but Maddy's absence is not a day or two.

And Raheem's tactical position in the Grizzlies is not high, and he is roughly able to fill this vacancy, but it is really not possible for Sean Marion to play this position.

You know, this season's Shaun Marion's data is already 15+10+2+2, which is completely the data of a top wing player and a top power forward, that is, the score is less, if the scoring data can rise to 20 points, Sean Marion can even compete for the starting position of the All-Star in the new season.

So the Grizzlies' style of play in this game is very simple, blocking and cutting offense strengthens the multi-person pressing defense on the side, and there is no change compared to the usual game, perhaps the only thing that has changed is the starter.

In the game where the Grizzlies played the Lakers at the beginning of the season, the Grizzlies started with Billups and Stephen Jackson on the guard line, and other positions remained unchanged.

In this game, Qiao Hai thought about it for a long time, and finally decided that everything would be based on the starting lineup that played the Lakers last time, but Raheem couldn't play, so the inside combination was changed to roughly and Patrick Ewing.

So, compared to the previous games, the only change in this game is the change of starting point guard.

In terms of defensive strategy, Qiao Hai's consistent strategy against the Lakers has also continued.

Defend Kobe Bryant one-on-one on the outside, pinch O'Neal on the inside, or vice versa, in short, clip one of them, and then one-on-one to kill the other.

………………

In the Staples Center infield, the Christmas atmosphere didn't make the arena quiet and peaceful, and when the Grizzlies played, there were deafening boos over Staples.

Since last season, the Grizzlies and Lakers have been a bit of bitter rivals, meeting in important games in the regular season and in important games in the playoffs.

Qiao Hai's grudge with the Lakers, his grudge with Phil Jackson, and the Lakers' Grizzlies have not won a game for more than a season.

All things add up, and it's not uncommon for fans at the Staples Center to be unfriendly to the Grizzlies.

There were boos echoing in his ears, and in the midst of the boos, Qiao Hai stood quietly on the sidelines.

On the NBC commentary box, McBrin and Marv Albert sat on either side, sandwiched between a well-established Magic Johnson.

"Elwin, welcome!"

McBrin held out his right hand, and on the other side, so did Mav Albert, and after shaking hands, the three of them got into the subject.

"Elvin, as a guest commentator for this game and a famous legend for the Lakers, do you have anything to say about this game?"

"Both teams are at the top of the Western Conference." Magic Johnson pondered for a while and said: "However, whether it is the record or the momentum, the Grizzlies are more ferocious, but I am still more optimistic about the Lakers, because the Lakers have Shaq and Kobe, and the Grizzlies do not have Tracy McGrady." ”

"What if there's Maddie?"

"If there's Maddie, the Grizzlies still have a chance."

Magic Johnson is naturally biased towards the Lakers because he is a Lakers celebrity, and although McBrin and Mav Albert have different opinions, they have not expressed their opinions.

On the field, the warm-up has ended, and the starters of both teams have appeared.

"The game is about to start, so let's see the starting points of both teams."

McBrin looked on the court, and he first saw the Lakers' starting lineup: "On the Lakers' side, center Shaquille O'Neal, power forward Hollis Grant, small forward Rick Fox, scoring guard Kobe Bryant and point guard Ron Harper. ”

New signing Hollis Grant started, and the vacancy of the No. 3 position could only be filled by Rick Fox, but fortunately, Rick Fox played well, which perfectly filled the vacancy of the departure of Bruce Bowen and Scott Pippen.

The point guard position is still veteran Ron Harper.

"The Grizzlies started with center Patrick Ewing, power forward China Wang, small forward Sean Marion, shooting guard Stephen Jackson and point guard Chancey Billups."

"Stephen Jackson started again, I remember the last Grizzlies vs. Lakers, it was Stephen Jackson who started."

Mav Albert recalls the last Bear Lake showdown.

McBrin also helped to recall: "That's right, the last Grizzlies game against the Lakers was at the beginning of the season, and in that game, the Grizzlies relied on the explosion of the duo of Chaunsibilups and Manuginobili to win the game. ”

"So the question is, why didn't Qiao Hai let Manuginobili start with Chaunsibilus in this game?"

“……”

The Lakers' starting line has not changed, so the Grizzlies' defensive strategy does not need to be adjusted, with Stephen Jackson on the outside defending Kobe Bryant, Sean Marion sweeping in the middle distance, and Patrick Ewing on the inside guarding the basket and defending O'Neal, roughly cooperating with the pinch shot.

On the Lakers' side, Phil Jackson saw the Grizzlies' starter and muttered, "Do you want to use Stephen Jackson to defend Kobe Bryant again?" ”

"This time it won't be possible......"

……

……

Referee Bennett Salvatore blew the whistle and the jump ball was about to begin.

Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O'Neal stood at the innermost of the center circle, two of the four centers, one was already in his twilight years, and the other was just at his peak, and a duel of centers began.

Beep!

A whistle blows, and the basketball is thrown into the sky.

Patrick Ewing jumped up first, snapped, and dialed the basketball back.

"Grizzlies' possession, they attack first!"

In the opening first attack, off the court, Qiao Hai stood up, and Maddie and Rahim, who were wearing suits, also stood up.