Nov. 16, game day at Stamp Center, Clippers and Nets.

Kobe Bryant's first game back in Los Angeles, at 3 p.m., Kobe Bryant arrived at the Stamp Center, and a large number of reporters and fans have been waiting for a long time.

In the familiar arena, Bryant warmed up in the Nets' training uniform, and his training content was different from what he had done in the past, and he did a lot of three-point shooting practice before the game.

Compared to last season, Bryant looks thinner, and in the offseason he followed Grover to do a lot of aerobic exercises in addition to gym training to lose weight and reduce the burden on his body.

When he first entered the league, Kobe Bryant was 90 kilograms, and in order to enhance the confrontation, he once gained weight to 105 kilograms in the three-second zone to deal with the opponent's multi-person package and strong defense, which is basically the peak of the weight of players in the same position, and he can already compete with small forwards.

Later, as he grew older and his injuries increased, Kobe Bryant lost weight again, and he once pedaled a 40-kilometer bike in the Las Vegas desert late at night with Grover and his personal bodyguard, and then came to the training gym at half past two to continue training, and practiced until seven o'clock in the morning before resting. Get some sleep and continue to attend the camp during the day.

That time, Kobe Bryant dropped to 95 kilograms, allowing himself to continue to maintain his form, but the corresponding confrontation ability declined, and he could no longer dominate the high-end game in the playoffs.

After moving to the Nets this summer, Bryant chose to continue to lose weight at someone's suggestion, to just 90 kilograms, just like in his rookie season.

This greatly reduced the pressure on his knees and ankles, and of course, his ability to fight was further reduced, but Kobe's style of play has been significantly different from before.

After the warm-up session, the media interviewed Kobe Bryant and was asked "what it's like to be back in Los Angeles."

Bryant smiled and said, "It's my home, and of course it's great to be home, but if I can win, it will definitely feel better." ”

If Kobe Bryant had stayed with the Lakers, he might not have been as much of an interest as he is now.

Some things are more precious when they are lost.

Fans who are used to Kobe Bryant wearing Lakers jerseys are very uncomfortable with the black jersey on him.

In the evening, near the start of the game, the Stamp Center was full, and the fans on the sidelines were dressed in a variety of clothes.

Clippers jerseys, Lakers jerseys, Nets jerseys, and some people wearing Kobe Bryant's No. 10 jersey don't know what's going on in their heads.

The front row seats are even more star-studded, Jack Nicholson is very rare to come to the Clippers' home court to watch the game, and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, she has true love for Kobe, and Jenny is very dissatisfied with Kobe's first game back in Los Angeles that was not scheduled for the Lakers.

Before the start of the game, Jeanie Buss greeted Kobe Bryant warmly, and the two also hugged gently.

Jeanie Buss hopes to salvage the Lakers' image with such a means.

Now the Lakers' popularity in Los Angeles has plummeted.

Although they defeated the Clippers in the opening game, the next few games can only be described as so-so.

What's worse is that the team's core center Brook Lopez has suffered a major injury and could be out for the season.

This is a serious blow to the ambitious Lakers, who hope to use their record to regain popularity.

Joe Johnson is a very strong player, but his style of play, personality, and comparison with Kobe Bryant are destined to be completely incomparable to Kobe in terms of popularity.

The Lakers tend to be mediocre in their lineups, tactics, and even gimmicks, which is unbearable for Lakers fans.

They are not Celtics, and what the Lakers are pursuing is that even if they are as brilliant as fireworks, they can't be like anthracite, burning for a long time and being warm but without any fireworks.

Now Jenny Buss sees the Nets so gorgeous, even if they don't win the championship this year, it is still a great boost and bonus to the brand value of the Nets.

You must know that in the summer, after Kobe, Garnett and others announced their joining, the Nets' season tickets quickly sold out, and they couldn't buy them if they wanted to.

The Lakers' ticket sales this year can be described as difficult, and have been surpassed by the Clippers, the Lakers have to make a discount sales strategy, and bundle package sales for some games that are not too strong opponents.

For example, in the Lakers vs Nets game, the sales of single tickets are absolutely fine, but it will be tied to games that have little attention such as the Pistons and the Bucks, even if the price is lower, to ensure court attendance and overall sales.

But it's so damn good, yesterday afternoon, the Clippers dog thing even sold tickets at a discount, your TM's tickets sold so well, and after so many years, they insisted on not reducing prices, and this year they started to reduce prices?

There is no martial virtue at all.

But there is nothing Jenny Buss can do about it, she has too little say in the team's management and some ideas are not supported at all.

And Jenny Buss can clearly feel that some of the Lakers' second-hand shareholders and minority shareholders are eyeing the Buss family's equity dominance.

For example, Anschutz, the second-largest shareholder, the owner of the Staples Center, would definitely want to swallow the Lakers whole if he had the chance.

Jenny Buss has no other way, her current tactical strategy is to increase her exposure, maintain the image of the Buss family and the Lakers, tie herself to the Lakers, and make sure that the ship does not continue to sink.

If Kobe Bryant is still there, Buss, Lakers, and Kobe Bryant are tied together, even if the Lakers have a bad record and can't beat the Clippers and win the championship, the Lakers can still sell tickets and stand tall in the NBA.

Now the situation is different, the Bass family is actually in danger, the Lakers brand is still hard, but it is difficult to say whether the Bath family can hold this brand.

Bryant was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the fans as he introduced the visiting players, who waved and looked up at the ceiling, which featured the Clippers' two championship flags, and the Lakers' championship flags and retired jerseys, which were obscured by the Clippers' curtain.

And when it was the Clippers' turn to come on the floor, things were a little different, and there were some changes to the Clippers' starters.

The previously stable five-man group, Leonard and Curry are out tonight because Leonard feels soreness in his knee, and Curry has an old ankle injury that has been recurring, so both of them are on the sidelines in this game.

The Clippers' starters became Dragic, Harden, George, Randolph plus Gasol Jr.

Min Congda looked at it on the sidelines, and was very dissatisfied, "What do you mean?" Such an important game, sore knees, sore ankles? Real Injuries and Fake Injuries? You won't cheat, give me a strike here, right? ”

He patted assistant coach Kim Hughes, who was sitting on the bench, and asked, "Why did Curry and Leonard take turns and didn't tell me!" ”

Kim Hughes was surprised: "Well, it's your rule, if you have an injury problem, you should rest immediately, and you don't need to be notified." ”

"What? Is this my rule? ”

"Yes, I made that rule in 10 years."

Min Congda secretly thought, was I so brain-dead before.

(End of chapter)