The game continued, and although Kobe Bryant wanted to play, he did not play his own offense under Zhou Quan's full defense.

And O'Neal alone is actually not enough to support the Lakers' offense.

Under the supersonic meat shield defense, he consumes a lot of physical energy every time he wants to position and attack, and the offensive continuity is not enough, and he has to rest for two rounds after a fight, and Kobe's current strength, under Zhou Quan's defense, he can't fill the gap when O'Neal stops attacking.

Under Zhou Quan's terrifying offense and defense, the SuperSonics were always in the lead, finishing the first quarter, 20:34, leading by 14 points.

O'Neal shot 5-of-7 from the field and 1-of-4 from the field in the first quarter to score 11 points.

Zhou Quan shot 11 of 14 in a single quarter, most of which were fast-break scores, with a shooting rate of 78.6%, 1 of 1 three-point shots, plus 2 free throws, and scored 25 points in a single quarter.

Kobe Bryant didn't have many opportunities to shoot under Zhou Quan's defense, scoring 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting, shooting 33.3% from the field, and 3 turnovers.

Glen Les didn't get many shots under Bowen's defense, shooting 1-of-3 and scoring just 2 points.

After the end of the first quarter, Zhang Li said: "O'Neal Ben Wallace, Campbell, Brad Miller's rotation defense, physical fitness is limited, such a style of play, he can attack the basket twice in a quarter on average, and more shots are still nearly two points in the middle of the shot." ”

"Close to a two-point shot, at most more than 40% shooting, plus the supersonic speed also limited the pass to him, he really can't carry the Lakers' offensive banner alone." Xu Jicheng nodded.

Zhang Li smiled: "He is a center forward, and he must have the support of outside players." He is indeed infinitely dominant under the basket, and all five supersonic people go up, and they may not be able to stop him.

But fitness is his biggest weakness, and he averaged just nine baskets during the regular season this season, with the other 12 coming in nearly two points.

Now that he has encountered the supersonic, the supersonic uses three meat shields to pile him up, the physical consumption is too great, and his basket offense is not much more, if it is not reduced, at most ten times and eleven times a game, it depends on the opportunity.

Of course, this is just his offense under the basket, in fact, the number of times he has important positions under the basket is much higher than this number of times, but he just didn't get the ball, and he wasted his physical energy in vain. ”

Xu Jicheng said: "O'Neal played a total of four basket offenses in the first quarter, scored three goals, and couldn't play in the next few minutes.

Although he only attacked under the basket four times, he was in the basket as many as 10 times, and he did not receive the ball on six occasions, which was very physically exhausting. ”

At the beginning of the second quarter, the two sides changed some substitutions.

The Lakers scored 80.1 points, accounting for 79.5% of the team's scores, and the bench accounted for only 20.5%. The supersonic main team scored 68.4 points, accounting for 65.6%. Bill Wharton pulled out a copy of the data and read.

Ranbier laughed: "Dude Bill, you mean the supersonic will widen the margin in the second quarter?" ”

Bill Wharton raised the data sheet in his hand and said, "According to the data analysis, it is like this. ”

On the Lakers' side, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Fisher, O'Neal, and Brian Shaw were sent in the second quarter.

O'Neal went off the court in the 11th minute of the first quarter, and substitute center Tyrese Knight only played one minute, opposite Brad Miller, and the performance of 2 shots and 0 shots and 1 rebound ate a big hat from Miller, so he was not trusted by Phil Jackson.

In terms of the supersonics, Brad Miller, who played three minutes in the first quarter, continued to play, Rodman played two minutes in the first quarter in the fourth position, Cory Magetti who played three minutes in the first quarter in the third position, Ruben Patterson in the second position, and Shamond Williams in the first position.

Bill Walton was expected in the second quarter, and at halftime, the SuperSonics led by 18 points.

This result made the Lakers very disappointed.

But disappointment could not change the ending, and in the end, 81:107, the SuperSonics won by 26 points and won the G1 battle.

Two minutes before the end of the game, the Lakers pulled off all their main players.

O'Neal played 42 minutes, sparing no physical strength, and only had 25 shots, hitting 13 of them, a 52% shooting rate, and 3 of 10 free throws, with a total of 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls.

Kobe Bryant played 38 minutes, was defended by Zhou Quan with 4 of 15 shots, with a shooting rate of only 26.7%, 1 of 6 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, and only got 11 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists, but had as many as 7 turnovers, was cut off 5 times by Zhou Quan, and blocked 2 times.

Zhou Quan played 42 minutes, shooting 22 of 30, shooting 73.3%, 1 of 2 three-pointers, 5 of 5 free throws, just 50 points, and 4 rebounds, 11 assists, 7 steals, 4 blocks, 2 turnovers and 3 fouls.

"Congratulations to Zhou Quan for playing his 7th career playoff 50+, surpassing Jordan's 6 50+. At the same time, let's not forget that Zhou Quan also has a record of scoring in a single game in the playoffs, and he is the only person who has two 60+ games, and Elgin Baylor and Jordan only have one each. After the game, Zhang Li said with a smile.

"Ben Wallace and Campbell and Brad Miller also made a big contribution to this game. Although O'Neal was strong, the three of them took turns on the court and did not let the big sharks play explosive attacks. Xu Ji became a Taoist.

Bowen was able to play 31 minutes, and although he only scored five points and only had one steal, he allowed the Lakers' No. 3 scorer, Glen Rice, to shoot just 4-of-11. Zhang said reasonably.

Xu Jicheng said with emotion: "Coach Zhang, the Lakers and SuperSonics played 2-2 in the regular season, and there was another game where O'Neal was absent, otherwise it might be 3-1, why did the SuperSonics play such a strong performance in the Western Finals?" ”

Zhang Li said with a smile: "How can Zhou Quan play at full strength in the regular season? His performance can make or break a lot of things, even a game. ”

Xu Jicheng couldn't help but nodded, and Zhang Li continued: "He locked Kobe Bryant, and cut off the connection of the OK combination, thus destroying the Lakers' triangle offense.

The biggest power of the OK combination, in my opinion, is that Kobe Bryant attacks with the ball on the outside, uses his breakthrough to attract the inside line to come out to supplement the defense, and creates a single opportunity for O'Neal.

But Kobe Bryant was locked up, and O'Neal had no chance to play alone, which is the key reason why the Lakers lost. ”

Zhang Jicheng said: "Yes, he blew up Kobe, but Kobe didn't prevent him, the difference between one in and one out is too big." ”

"Shark, are you still proud?"

At the scene, after the game, Zhou Quan said when he passed by the Lakers bench.

"Hmph, don't be complacent, if it's in Los Angeles, I'll make at least 20 free throws today, and we'll win." O'Neill rested for two minutes, his breathing had not completely subsided, and his tone seemed very unpleasant.

"With your shooting percentage, no matter how many free throws you make, it's useless." Zhou Quan teased.

"Even if you don't get the penalty, your three centers will be punished, and we will definitely win." O'Neill was unconvinced.

"Yes, how do you fight without a center?" Kobe Bryant was even more unconvinced, jumping up and shouting.

"Boy, you're just as good today as a role player, you don't have a say, stay on the sidelines." Zhou Quan pushed Kobe Bryant down on the seat with one hand.

"You?"

Kobe Bryant was so angry that his eyes were on fire.

At this time, a reporter from ESPN TV came over to conduct a live interview, and Zhou Quan stepped aside for an interview.

"Let's go." O'Neill glanced at Zhou Quan's back, shook his head helplessly, got up and walked to the players' tunnel.

Kobe Bryant followed behind and said: "Shaq, Iron Fist is too arrogant, we have to play a little better in the next game and try to come back." ”

O'Neill glanced back at Zhou Quan again, not in the mood to speak.

He only entered the alliance one year later than Zhou Quan, and now Zhou Quan has all the honors, and he has nothing to gain, don't look at him giggling every day, in fact, the psychological blow is very strong.

Ron Harper caught up and said, "Shaq, this is the first time you've met him in the playoffs, and I know him better than you do.

SuperSonics' tactic today is fast breaking, and like playing the Bulls in the 96/97 season, he didn't score many breakthrough layups in today's positional battle, only 5 free throws, which shows that he has scruples about you. ”

"My cap is not vegetarian."

When O'Neill heard this, he was in a better mood, shook his slap as big as a futon, and said a little proudly.

But in fact, he knew in his heart that today's offense alone had exhausted his physical strength, and he couldn't put much physical strength into the defensive end at all, just a paper tiger.

Back in the locker room, as the players unloaded their equipment, Phil Jackson began to take stock of it.

"Our offense failed today, Shaq was caught in the low post, Kobe Bryant was locked on the outside, the inside and outside core failed to support the team's offense, and the offensive tactics didn't come out."

"The team didn't create a single opportunity for O'Neal, and Bryant couldn't get rid of the Iron Fist King's defense, which were the main two points of offensive tactical failure."

"Or we can say the other way around, because Bryant couldn't play the offense that the team needed, we couldn't pull the defense around O'Neal apart, and he was caught in layers."

"Defensively, we didn't limit their fast pace, we kept playing with their rhythm, so the defensive tactics failed."

"Kobe Bryant's straight-line speed is not as good as that of Iron Fist, and he suffers more when switching offense and defense. At the same time, he also lacks experience in the game, and some can't keep up with the rhythm of the Iron Fist King. ”

"Bryant made too many mistakes, and he couldn't control Tekken's counter-attacking fast break, which caused us to lose too many points easily."

"We were also six rebounds short of the SuperSonics, with Ben Wallace grabbing nine rebounds in 24 minutes, Rodman grabbing eight rebounds in 21 minutes, Brad Miller grabbing six, Campbell grabbing seven, Thorpe grabbing five, and grabbing a total of 35 rebounds from the five inside. As for us, we only grabbed 26 rebounds from the four insides, which was nine short of them. ”

……

Phil Jackson spoke for nearly twenty minutes before letting the players take a shower.

Kobe Bryant's face was not very good, because Phil Jackson almost did not leave his performance, as if the loss was his sole responsibility, which embarrassed him.

"It's all my responsibility, as a manager, aren't you responsible?" He was very unconvinced.

"Jerry, there are a lot of reasons for losing today." Outside the locker room, Phil Jackson said to Jerry West.

West was also disappointed with the game, nodded and motioned for Jackson to continue.

"Kobe Bryant is obviously not up to my tactical requirements yet, and he needs to grow further. In addition, our lineup is not as thick as supersonic. Phil Jackson said.

Jerry West took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, shook his head and sighed: "The luck of the supersonic is against the sky, signing a bunch of base-salary players that no one wants, none of them are bad, and the best Ben Wallace played a first-class defensive center performance." Without these base-paid players, their lineup would be rubbish. ”

Speaking of which, he looked at Phil Jackson and said, "In terms of the lineup, I'll make additions in the offseason. But Kobe, I hope you don't put too much pressure on him, don't put too much responsibility for the loss of the game on him, don't stiffen the relationship with him.

He's worked very hard, harder than anyone I've ever met, he pays more attention to the game and training than anyone else, he's more dedicated to basketball than Jordan, definitely more than Tekken, he's a real love for basketball, and that's the kind of guy that's the future of our Lakers.

He may not be as talented as Tekken and Jordan, but it should be impossible for us to find a second Tekken and Jordan, and we have to develop him at all costs. ”

Phil Jackson was silent for a moment, nodded, and said, "I won't reduce his time, and of course I won't get into trouble with him, it's really not necessary." Well, I'll find time to talk to him, and I need to communicate more with him. ”

"That's for the best." Jerry West nodded.

He really thinks highly of Kobe, and Kobe has lived up to his expectations, being selected to the first team and the best second team in just four seasons, and now has first-class offensive and defensive strength.

He can be sure that Kobe Bryant will be better in the future, but the current Kobe Bryant is not not good enough, but he, like Jordan, met the Iron Fist King, so he is dwarfed.

But he believes that as long as Kobe Bryant continues to grow, his defense is further strengthened, his offensive skills are more mature, his game experience is further enriched, and he has the strength of Jordan at his peak, he can take out the Iron Fist King with O'Neal, and that kind of OK combination is invincible.

……

"Iron Fist King one-person dry explosion OK combination!" New york times.

"50+ in a single game, the Iron Fist King beat up the rising star Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles." The Seattle Times.

"Iron Fist scored 50 points in a single game, the big shark was besieged by a meat shield, Peter Pan was locked by Iron Fist, and the Lakers lost the G1 battle." Los Angeles Times.

"In the face of the first person in the active team, the performance of rising star Kobe Bryant was disappointing." Chicago Daily News.

At 9 a.m. the next day, Zhou Quan finished breakfast, drinking coffee and flipping through a stack of newspapers.

Compared with the playoffs in the 96/97 season, the US media reports on him much better now, and they no longer unabashedly try to hack him against him.

"Big brother, you're done eating."

At this time, Zhou Ye went downstairs for breakfast, she had just gone to Zeng Li's side to help bathe Zhouzhou.

"Well, you can eat it." Zhou Quan nodded.

(End of chapter)