The Lakers are unusually rigorous.

From tactical execution to game attitude, the Lakers have reached a peak. If the Lakers in the first game played 90% of their ability, then the Lakers in this game played their own style thoroughly.

Under the Lakers' triangle offensive system, the singles ability, space principle, empty-handed running and passing concepts have reached an amazing point, and Kobe, as the Lakers' offensive finisher, can not only play under this system, but also break away from the triangle offense and rely on strong individual ability to score points.

To put it bluntly, Kobe Bryant, as a superstar and privileged player, and in the hands of a coach who pays attention to the individualization of his stars, how to choose on the basketball court is completely up to him.

Zheng Ke only had a two-minute rest, but the Timberwolves were already 25-35 behind by 10 points.

Whitman scratched his head and replaced Zheng Ke on the court. What he thought in his heart was that Zheng Ke could play the same role as on the court, leading the substitutes to recover the score with strong strength.

The Zen master smiled, waved his hand, and replaced the black mamba on the field.

See Moves.

After the last game, Phil Jackson did a deep self-reflection, and the team behind him also used the most comprehensive statistics and records to discuss with him the important reasons for the loss on the court, and the Timberwolves' rise in the second quarter of the game was one of the important reasons. You know, the Timberwolves are a young team, and the players after the rise are more terrifying than ever, and the reason why the Spurs can often beat youth teams like the Timberwolves is because of the suppression of momentum. As soon as there is momentum, immediately call a timeout to narrow the score. Call a timeout immediately.

So Kobe Bryant's early substitution is a matter of course, this is the simplest soldier-to-soldier, general-to-general.

The Timberwolves have Lowry, Zheng Ke, McMiller, Love and Channing Frye on the court, and the Lakers have Famar on the court. Kobe, Luke Wharton, Odom and Gasol.

Jung moved to the shooting guard position. He caught up with Kobe.

"Come on, Black Mamba."

Zheng Ke leaned down, his hands stretched out like giant eagles, and assumed the most standard defensive posture.

"Hmph."

Bryant didn't speak. Reached for Fisher's pass

"Huh~Huh~" Zheng Ke sat on the floor with his buttocks. Breathing the air greedily, tired, so tired. After half a ring, he turned his head and said to Kobe Bryant, who was sitting on the basketball in the distance:

"21 to 21, do you want to continue?"

"Hmph," Bryant turned his head, revealing an unruly face. On his arm is a yellow elbow pad familiar to fans. He was wearing a white Lakers training jersey and his exclusive fourth-generation sneakers on his feet. Sweating profusely. He looked very unhappy.

Zheng Ke received the message, and his body lay flat on the ground, looking up at the roof of the arena with a curved arc, his chest rising and falling, and his eyes gradually narrowed.

Kobe Bryant was upset. Zheng Ke, as a backup, although he had an amazing performance of 52 points in a single game, is actually not worth mentioning in front of his two-time scoring champion, 81 points in a single game, and N more than 50+. If you talk about scoring ability alone, Kobe Bryant doesn't think Zheng Ke has the strength to compete with him.

But this seemingly thin athlete has the strength of a big shark hidden in his body, which is too big an advantage in heads-up. Zheng Ke didn't deliberately use his perverted power, but he didn't restrain his brute strength either, even if he didn't have to fight alone with his back and didn't use his strength to the extreme, he was still somewhat unstoppable.

At least in the absence of a confrontation in the case of a referee, Zheng Ke can be said to have the upper hand.

And Zheng Ke here is also annoyed. At the end of the regular season, Howard lost to Howard in the Defensive Player of the Year race, but his title as the league's No. 1 perimeter defender is well established. He himself thinks that there are no players he can't defend, and he even thought about traveling through time to compete with Jordan to see what is so great about the ten-time scoring champion.

But the heads-up with Kobe Bryant gave him a slap in the face. Half of the court was his offensive area, and the judgment in the past became not so easy, and the change of pace and rhythm became difficult to understand. And the step-back jumper after shaking off a little space is even more against the sky, and even if Zheng Ke covers Kobe's eyes with his hand, it is not of much use.

Neither of the two could prevent anyone, and more than 20 balls came down, and the non-stop high confrontation consumed a lot of physical strength, making Zheng Ke look like this

Kobe Bryant took a tentative step, and Gasol came over to block him.

"Day!"

Zheng Ke stepped forward, pressed Kobe Bryant, and then as Kobe forced Gasol's block, they all went diagonally to the inside.

Two steps later, Bryant took a big step with his right foot, jumped, tugged his abdomen, twisted his waist, and raised his hand.

"Huh!"

25 to 37.

Zheng Ke hit Kobe Bryant with his back, and after shaking, he turned counterclockwise, turned over and threw a jumper.

Hit!

27 to 37.

Odom rushes through the middle, splits the ball in the bottom corner of Wharton, and Wharton shoots three!

Basketball comes out of the frame.

Lowry attacked the Lakers' restricted area between offense and defense transitions, and made a layup!

He was fanned by Odom, who arrived later

The Timberwolves tried to play their own style, and the Lakers also played according to their own routine. The players of both teams were holding back their energy, and everyone did not speak, but they played very hard.

At halftime, the Timberwolves trailed by 11 points, 46-57.

Whitman didn't have the fuss he imagined, and it was already unexpected for him to be able to take a win in Los Angeles. The Lakers are not soft persimmons, and even the league will not want to see the Timberwolves win two consecutive away games against the sky.

Bryant was the best player in the half, with 19 points and four assists, and he was interviewed live from ESPN.

The beautiful reporter Erin threw her wink, twisted the waist of the water snake, and sent out her interview in a coquettish voice: "Kobe, the Lakers suppressed the Timberwolves in the half, it feels completely different from the last game, how did you do this." ”

If it was usual, Kobe Bryant would be willing to tease this coquettish-looking beauty, but in this place and time, his mind is full of games. After hearing this, he thought for two seconds before replying, "It's no different." We were in better shape today than we were last time, the players were more focused, Lamar [Odom], Pau [Gasol] were doing really well, that's what we are good at. ”

Erin continued: "There were rumors of grapevine that you were furious in the dressing room after the last game, is this true? ”

Kobe Bryant was stunned, he stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, then showed a charming smile and said, "Of course it can't be." The Lakers are a united team, everyone is responsible for losing, and I, as the star of the house, must have the greatest responsibility, so how can I blame my teammates? ”

"Okay, thank you for your answer."

"No thanks," Bryant turned and walked into the tunnel of the players.

In the locker room, Whitman didn't plan the tactics, and he soothed the Timberwolves players' somewhat depressed mood with kind words: "Boys, you've done a very good job tonight. Don't put thought pressure on yourself, don't add extra baggage to yourself. You know, if we try to play our style and play with our all, we still have a good chance of winning the second half and it's a challenge for us, because we were behind the Lakers in the first half, and as long as we keep the ball moving, trust our teammates, play aggressively, we can erase the 11-point difference."

The Lakers in 09 were indeed the most morale year in recent years, whether it was Kobe, Gasol, Odom and other main players, or Vujacic and Luke Wharton and other bench players, their desire for a championship has reached a peak. This is not only because of last year's brushes with the championship, but also because of Kobe's explosive form this year.

Kobe Bryant in the 08-09 season is the most mature year in recent years, with the highest shooting percentage in recent years, the highest free throw shooting rate in recent years, and the least number of turnovers in recent years. Not to mention breaking Madison Square Garden's single-game scoring record.

So the Timberwolves are actually extremely stressful when they bump into such a Lakers team.

However, most of the young players on this Timberwolves team, as the so-called newborn calves are not afraid of tigers, were encouraged by Whitman and locker room leader Billups and others, and they all "roared" to the basketball court.

At the beginning of the third quarter, Love grabbed an offensive rebound and completed a two-and-one. After that, the Timberwolves' defensive intensity increased by a cut, putting a lot of pressure on the Lakers.

Zheng Ke turned on the one-handed ball in the middle of the period and led the Timberwolves to a wave of 12-3 mini-climax. But then, Gasol made a strong attack on the inside, and Kobe Bryant opened up on the outside, re-stabilizing the Lakers' position.

The Lakers went into the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead.

The two teams fought to the point of white heat, but the Timberwolves gradually had the intention of collapsing. Love had 5 fouls, Afflaro had 5 fouls, and the two key players both received their fifth fouls not long after the start of the fourth quarter and went off the break. Substitutions for Channing Fry and McMiller were unable to meet the defensive demands of their respective positions.

Zheng Ke had to return to the shooting guard position, and at the most critical moment of the fourth quarter, he once again played against Kobe. However, this alignment is not fair: Zheng Ke defends Kobe, and Zheng Ke defends Ariza.

Zheng Ke's physical exertion was extremely high, and he felt that his functions in all aspects had decreased a lot. On two occasions, the low-post turnaround jumper was a little less powerful, only to smash into the front of the basket and almost shoot a three-pointer.

"The tide is over!" The Zen master clenched his fists and roared in his heart, but his face looked calm, he looked at Zheng Ke, who was still able to cause great damage on the field, and unabashedly showed an appreciative gaze: What an iron man (to be continued......