Chapter 362: The Favorite to Win the Championship

The Lakers have two scorers averaging 20+ per game, 21-year-old Noll and 20-year-old LaVine. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

The fact that Noll and LaVine can become the offensive core of the Lakers at such an age is entirely due to Chu Xuan's arrangement. And I have to say that the two of them also worked very hard to seize this opportunity. This season, Knoll is averaging 21.2 points per game, while LaVine, a rookie, is averaging 20.4 points per game. With two 20+ scorers, this definitely makes the Lakers very dangerous offensively. However, the regular season is just a regular season after all, and you must know that many young people often struggle to perform in the playoffs. Therefore, when the playoffs are about to start, the performance of LaVine and Knoll is still very interesting. After all, as the offensive center of the Lakers, the play of the two is related to the importance of whether the Lakers can defend their title this season.

Therefore, it can be said that in this playoffs, the pressure on Knoll and LaVine is still quite high. However, the coaching staff led by Chu Xuan also had a heart-to-heart talk with the two of them at the first time to relieve their pressure. After all, it's extremely important for young people to play in a relaxed mindset.

Of course, for the Lakers, it is impossible to rely only on Noll and LaVine in the playoffs, after all, the two are too young, and the lack of experience in the playoffs makes it difficult for them to have too strong a threat. Therefore, the Lakers are of course the most trustworthy veterans led by Kobe. This season, Kobe Bryant not only won the assist king, but still averaged 15.8 points per game. It's not that Kobe Bryant's offensive ability has declined. On the contrary, Kobe's offensive firepower is still not weaker than anyone on the current Lakers team. And the reason why the average points per game have dropped so much compared to last season is entirely because of the significant reduction in shots under his transformation.

After Nash's retirement, it would indeed be wiser to let Kobe Bryant take on the responsibility of the organization. And the Lakers' 66 wins this season are the best proof of this. Importantly, Bryant's transition allowed him to extend the life of his career considerably, and he did not have to take the risk of being too aggressive, so Bryant played 80 games this season, a new high since the 10-11 season. Kobe's presence is definitely the most formidable threat to opponents in the playoffs. You must know that Kobe Bryant has more than ten years of playoff experience, he has experienced too many big scenes, and has staged many adversity performances, such Kobe Bryant has all the characteristics of winning, so his existence is the most important thing for the Lakers at present. And when he is on the field, he not only plays a statistical contribution, but also an extremely important mental support.

A championship team, in addition to the core players, other pieces of the puzzle are also indispensable.

As many experts have studied, the Lakers' roster is definitely the most suitable, maybe the players are not well-rounded, but they are definitely specialized in one or can provide any skill that the Lakers need. In addition to two 20+ scorers and a league assist leader, the Lakers' other two positions are definitely potential stars that many teams covet.

No one would have thought that Whiteside had such great ability, and his skill set in all aspects made him one of the best interior players. And this season, Whiteside played 69 games, all as starters. He averaged 32.3 minutes per game, with 13.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, shooting 59.3% from the field. Whiteside's ability to protect the rim and his small hook to the basket is very characteristic, which is why he can establish and even gain the upper hand against other top-notch interior players.

In addition to Whiteside, Chu Xuan's favorite Greek genius, Antetokounmpo, has finally begun to grow.

Antetokounmpo, who experienced last year's World Championships, has adapted to the intensity of the NBA, and he is starting to show his unique style. Antetokounmpo's shooting ability may still be lacking, but his versatility is absolutely amazing. With his outstanding height and impressive reach, as well as excellent physical fitness, Antetokounmpo does an excellent job in every aspect. And in this Lakers team, it is precisely the all-round small forward like Antetokounmpo that is most needed. After all, in today's Lakers, Antetokounmpo doesn't need to take on too much offensive responsibility, and what he needs to do well is the tandem and defensive work of the inside and outside. It is precisely Antetokounmpo's personal conditions that make him the most suitable for the job.

The Lakers' starters may not be the strongest in the league, but they are the most relevant in the league.

Of course, that's not everything that makes the Lakers the best team in the league. Today's Lakers can achieve the first record in the league because of the team's bench depth. It can be said that in today's league, if you talk about the bench lineup, there is absolutely no team that dares to say that it is better than the Lakers.

On the bench of the Lakers, there are players such as Gasol, Jeremy Lin, and Yi Jian United who can start the weak team, which is the reason why the Lakers are strong.

This season, Gasol is 34 years old, and as an insider, he is still in his playing years, and he still has the level of a star player. It's absolutely unfair for another team to put such a player on the bench. So, under Gasol's leadership, the Lakers' bench is unprecedentedly strong. Gasol has played in a total of 62 games this season, 33 of which have been starts, and he has averaged 9.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.7 blocks in 22.7 minutes per game, shooting 45.8% from the field.

In addition to Gasol, E-Health United, which was the main signings last summer, also played well. He didn't disappoint, and he proved that he was worthy of the long-term contract offered by the Lakers with his outstanding performance. This season, Egen United has played in 70 games for the Lakers, 15 of which have been starts. He averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game. It seems that Yi Jian United still has the strength of a starter, and the help he provides to the Lakers is still quite large.

……

On the eve of the playoffs, the media analysed the prospects of each team to win the title, and the major bookmakers gave odds to win the title, and experts also predicted the title...... They all agreed that the Lakers were the most likely team to win this year's championship.

There is a reason why it is so favored. The first is that the Lakers have a great roster and a very good understanding of the players, and secondly, the team is healthy.

As the favorites for the championship, the Lakers have attracted a lot of attention. And everyone is looking forward to the upcoming playoffs. Especially in China, the expectations are unprecedented.

Because, the Lakers' opponent in the first round is the Houston Rockets, which are very popular in China!! (To be continued.) )