After last season, the hatred of Los Angeles residents for
Zack
had reached an unprecedented level.
But it must be stated: not every Angeleno detests
Zack
. For example, tonight,
Kendall Jenner
, merely 11 years old, appeared courtside with her sister
Khloé Kardashian
. At least before leaving home, when Khloé asked her to wear that child-sized Warriors #30 jersey, Kendall didn’t resist; she was even a little excited. Because it would make her feel very unique.
As it turned out, at the star-studded Staples Center tonight, the attention these rebellious sisters received was even greater than that of many famous Hollywood actresses. During the pre-game warm-up,
Zack
also noticed the Kardashians’ distinctive outfits. Putting aside their intentions, this was definitely an incredibly touching scene.
So, to commend these sisters who dared to wear his jersey in Staples Center,
Zack
not only willingly posed for a photo with them before the game but, at Khloé’s strong request, he even signed his name on her chest. The much more precocious
Kendall Jenner
wanted an identical autograph. But to avoid being taken in for questioning by the FBI after the game,
Zack
could only sign on her back.
After interacting with his two adorable female fans,
Zack
was in such a good mood that even his subsequent warm-up shots became much more accurate. Two minutes later, the always thoughtful
Andris Biedrins
quietly slipped a note into
Zack’s
training bag. It was a note with Khloé’s contact information. Whether
Zack
would need it later or not, in
Biedrins’s
eyes, this was a necessary task for him as
Zack’s
junior.
Two seasons spent on the bench had already taught
Biedrins
how to read the room. In the NBA, if you want to move up, you have to understand who the key person is that can help you. Of course, more importantly... you must always be ready to "take their place."
Zack
was very satisfied with the ambition
Biedrins
showed after Brown’s injury. He wouldn’t show favoritism to anyone in this upcoming competition because of his relationship with Brown. Because for the Warriors, who aim to defend their title,
Biedrins’s
ambition can tell everyone that besides their star player, no one else on this team is irreplaceable. While this might make
Zack
seem cold-hearted, he had long ago dedicated his sentimental heart to basketball.
Dick Bavetta
was set to officiate this highly anticipated Lakers-Warriors showdown. Before the game, Bavetta chatted briefly with
Kobe
and
Zack
, explaining his officiating standards for the evening to these two superstars.
Kobe
had been in the league for years; he knew Bavetta’s implied meaning was that tonight would be a game where both teams would be allowed to use more aggressive defensive strategies.
Zack
wasn’t as experienced as Kobe, but he immediately turned around and told
Ron Artest
the good news.
It’s worth noting that during the player introductions,
Zack
was even more "popular" than
Kobe
. Amidst the torrent of "F-bombs,"
Zack
was certain that the Lakers fans’ "cheers" for him were definitely far louder than for Kobe. Who was the true King of Los Angeles was clear at this moment!
"I f***ing love this place!"
Zack
exclaimed excitedly at center court as he led the other four Warriors starters onto the floor.
Next, the jump ball.
Pau Gasol
, increasingly in sync with Kobe, won the tip for the Lakers, officially kicking off this major battle.
Biedrins
had an advantage in jump height and quickness, but being too young, he couldn’t have imagined that you could use fakes in a jump ball!
Gasol
deceived
Biedrins
with his eyes and seized the opportunity for a quick tip.
This wouldn’t be the only time
Biedrins
was fooled tonight. Shortly after
Kyle Lowry
brought the ball over half-court, the Lakers quickly formed a triangle offense on the right side of the court with
Kobe, Lamar Odom, and Gasol
, immediately attacking the paint guarded by
Biedrins
. Since O’Neal’s departure, after two seasons of dormancy, Phil Jackson’s complete Triangle Offense had re-emerged this season.
Gasol
got an opportunity to post up
Biedrins
in the low block. The gravity created by the Triangle Offense meant that other Warriors players, including
Zack
, couldn’t help
Biedrins
immediately. He had to hold his ground alone for one to two seconds before the Warriors could switch and double-team
Gasol
with him. The handsome Latvian successfully completed his job. He bought
Zack
and Artest the time and space to recover simultaneously.
But the moment the Warriors’ formation collectively retreated,
Gasol
immediately found
Odom
cutting empty down the middle. Then,
Odom
passed the ball back to
Gasol
. Because his attention had been entirely drawn by
Odom
,
Biedrins
didn’t even notice that Gasol’s pass was a fake, and his cut to the basket was the real play. This was a classic
Gasol
offensive move. He was like a Spanish matador, completely toying with
Biedrins
, the bull.
Kobe
was quite satisfied with the Lakers’ offensive possession, chatting and laughing with
Gasol
as they transitioned back on defense. The live audience also expressed their satisfaction from this high-quality offense with applause. Unlike the "O’K" era, the "Kobe-Gasol" era Lakers, purely from a game-watching perspective, definitely offered a much better viewing experience than the "O’K" era.
Gasol’s
basketball IQ, mobility, and playmaking ability meant he could bring more variations to Jackson’s Triangle Offense. Of course, the trade-off was that the "Kobe-Gasol" era Lakers didn’t have that absolute dominance in the low post.
Back on offense for the Warriors. Without
Baron Davis
, their engine,
Zack
, who couldn’t help but complain about Davis’s constant bragging every day, suddenly found himself missing the original "Big Daddy."
On assistant coach
Brian Shaw’s
suggestion, the Lakers also deployed a "one-on-one, four-zone" defense tonight.
Odom’s
size and mobility meant he was the only player on the Lakers’ roster who could match up with
Zack
. Compared to last season, the Lakers’ defense was indeed much better this season. Although
Gasol’s
rim protection couldn’t compare to other top big men, with
Odom, Shane Battier, Kobe, and Lowry
forming a deadly defensive line on the perimeter, the Lakers could always disrupt their opponents’ inside-out connections and prevent them from impacting their paint. The Christmas Day game, where the Lakers easily defeated the Cavaliers 108-87 on the road, was a classic example. In that game, neither
LeBron James
nor
Shaquille O’Neal
could get anything easy in the Lakers’ paint. In fact, if James hadn’t unexpectedly hit five three-pointers from the outside, the Cavaliers likely would have lost even more badly in that Christmas Day game.
None of the Western Conference powerhouses this year were easy opponents. With just one look,
Zack
fully felt the intensity of this Lakers team. At the top of the key, under
Odom’s
almost drug-fueled defense,
Zack
didn’t force the Lakers’ one-on-one, four-zone defense into a 3-2 zone until there were 13 seconds left on the shot clock, after receiving the ball at the free-throw line. With Bavetta’s tacit approval,
Odom
, who could use a "mad dog" defense on
Zack
, stuck to
Zack
like superglue.
Additionally, it must be clarified for
Odom
: although last season, on that infamous "71-point night," he was indeed the Lakers player responsible for guarding
Zack
, the truth is, on that career night, "the great Lakers legend center"
Chris Mihm
was
Zack’s
favorite target. When his mind was clear and focused,
Lamar Odom
was definitely a two-way player. And tonight was very likely
Odom’s
most serious game since entering the league. As for why? You’d probably have to ask
Khloé Kardashian
, who was currently sitting courtside, wearing a Warriors #30 jersey and flaunting her "pecs."
In
Zack’s
previous life,
Odom
was supposed to form an inseparable bond with Khloé two years later at the party celebrating Artest’s joining the Lakers. But tonight, as early as the pre-game warm-up, he had already noticed this unique, beautiful woman with an excellent figure. Especially when he saw her wearing that Warriors jersey,
Odom
admitted that it was that jersey that made him feel a strange excitement. Because as a backdrop to
Zack’s
career night,
Zack
had already inevitably become
Odom’s
personal demon.
It’s well known that there are many ways for humans to overcome their inner demons. And for
Odom
, his way of overcoming his demon was to make his female companions wear the Warriors’ #30 jersey during their private time.
On the court, looking at
Odom
, who was glaring angrily at him,
Zack
at this moment clearly didn’t know that
Odom’s
intense focus stemmed precisely from his jealousy. That jealousy of
Zack
signing on
Khloé’s
"big white bunnies."
Staples Center. Under
Odom’s
extremely tough defense,
Zack
had to switch to full power after a powerful dribble drive. Seeing this,
Odom
chose to stick tightly to
Zack
and elbowed him directly in the face. This jealousy-fueled elbow immediately ignited
Zack’s
temper.
So,
Zack
practically bulldozed
Odom
forward, pushing him all the way, and found
Biedrins
, who was lurking in the Lakers’ paint, with a no-look behind-the-back pass. The next second,
Gasol
unfortunately became
Biedrins’s
backdrop. After receiving the ball,
Biedrins
powerfully slammed it into the hoop with both hands, hanging on the rim for a moment before landing. Because he had been trying to help
Odom
on defense,
Gasol
had already lost his optimal defensive position. But even so, he willingly turned back. Without a doubt,
Gasol’s
attitude toward defense is definitely something all young players should learn from.
Courtside,
Khloé
, loudly cheering for
Zack’s
brilliant pass with
Kendall Jenner
, once again drew everyone’s attention. At this moment, regardless of her intentions... as he transitioned back on defense,
Zack
didn’t forget to reward this female fan with a wink. In response,
Khloé
sat back on the bench, her hand constantly pressing her chest in blissful satisfaction, reminding the world just how "big" she was. This made
Odom
, who had already "fallen in love at first sight" with her, even more enraged.
Odom
immediately made up his mind. He was going to show Khloé what a man was through this game!
"But his ’wink’ just now seemed to be for me," the young
Kendall Jenner
muttered courtside, looking at her sister, who had indulged in a bit too much theatrics. Hearing this, Khloé ruffled Kendall’s hair and chuckled, "You’re still young; he wouldn’t date you."
But I’ll grow up in a few years too
—at this moment, Khloé’s "he wouldn’t date you" had already planted a seed in young
Kendall Jenner’s
heart.
On the court, it was the Lakers’ offensive possession.
Zack
, who finally caught an opportunity to crush
Kobe’s
basketball dreams, directly swatted Kobe’s layup out of bounds with a powerful volleyball-style block. "Is that all you’ve got? LeBron’s layups are much tougher than yours,"
Zack
quipped in the Warriors’ paint, turning to the
Kobe
whose basketball dreams he had just shattered.
This was an insult that immediately broke
Kobe’s
composure. Although in this life, the large-scale "23 VS 24" hype had not yet begun in the NBA, how could the always competitive
Kobe
tolerate
Zack’s
"praise one, step on one" taunt? On the court, after the Lakers inbounded the ball from the baseline, Kobe first elbowed
Artest
away, then bumped
Biedrins
aside, and stubbornly finished the possession with a dunk.
However, before he could respond,
Zack
spoke first: "No wonder they say your Dunk Contest title has no real value. In my opinion,
Vince Carter’s
dunks are at least ten thousand times better than yours."
Kobe
: "..."
How to describe Kobe’s mood at this moment? In short, he was furious.
"Come back and evaluate my dunks when you win a Dunk Contest!"
"Just wait, I’m going to win the Dunk Contest this year."
Would
Zack
participate in the Dunk Contest? Of course he would.
Zack
knew very well that although his dunking style was certainly not graceful, his mind was filled with
Aaron Gordon’s
creative and powerful dunks from the future. And as a player who never goes back on his word, since
Zack
promised he would participate in the Dunk Contest, he wouldn’t just "show up."
Midway through the first quarter, this intensely physical game, whose intensity far exceeded a regular playoff game, finally reached its official timeout. The scoreboard read 12-11. In the hard-fought exchanges between the two teams, who clearly just wanted to fight but used basketball as an excuse, the score proved that both teams’ shooting percentages were significantly affected.
During the timeout,
Kobe
wanted to specifically praise
Odom’s
defense tonight... But who would have thought that his trusted right-hand man was currently only interested in gazing at beautiful women? On the Warriors’ bench,
Zack
, who was extremely annoyed with
Odom
, was in complete agreement with
Mike Malone
.
After the timeout, to break the Lakers’ tight defense, the Warriors proactively changed their lineup:
Mike Dunleavy Jr.
in,
Biedrins
out. This meant the Warriors’ on-court lineup became a "one big, four small" configuration consisting of
Zack, Artest, Jason Richardson, Dunleavy, and Stephen Jackson
.
On the Lakers’ bench,
Phil Jackson
turned to assistant coach
Brian Shaw
and asked, "Are they trying to speed up the game?" Shaw shook his head and said, "I think they’re planning to attack our interior."
Shaw was correct. Since the intensity of this game meant
Zack
likely wouldn’t find his shooting touch for the entire game, Malone and he both believed that in times like these, he had to aggressively attack the paint. A "one big, four small" lineup could fully spread out the court.
As for defense... on the court, it was the Lakers’ offensive possession.
Artest
was still primarily defending
Kobe
. However, unlike the previous man-to-man defense, the Warriors also switched to a "one-on-one, four-zone" defense.
On TNT,
Charles Barkley
quipped about this: "They say ’one-on-one, four-zone’ is a ’kid’s play’... But now, these ’grown-ups’ in the NBA have clearly forgotten how much they looked down on this ’kid’s play’ before."
In certain specific games, the "one-on-one, four-zone" tactic had already fully proven its value. If the Warriors were going with "one big, four small," they would have to rely on
Zack
in the paint. Therefore, with only
Artest
able to somewhat contain
Kobe
, the optimal solution was for the other four players to protect the paint with a zone defense.
At the top of the key, under
Gasol’s
patient breaking down of the defense, the Lakers found
Shane Battier
lurking on the baseline through passes from
Gasol
and
Odom
. The elite small forward from Duke showed his big heart, calmly sinking the three-pointer. This was the first three-pointer made by either team in the game. To maintain his shooting touch in such intense physicality,
Battier
truly lived up to his "Batman" nickname.
Next, it was the Warriors’ turn to force their way through the Lakers’ tight defense. The Warriors’ "one big, four small" lineup fully stretched the width of the court. However, after seeing the Warriors’ formation and positioning on the court... on the Lakers’ bench,
Jackson
, whose expression rarely changed, suddenly looked surprised and said, "They’re running the Triangle Offense too?"
In basketball, there is never an outdated tactic. As long as you have the right players, any tactic can be considered an advanced tactic after some slight modifications. The Warriors’ Triangle Offense was for no other reason than to create opportunities for
Zack
to post up
Odom
in the low block. Because only there could
Zack’s
weight fully exploit its advantage.
Wham!
Wham!
On the left low block, the moment he violently bumped
Odom
aside,
Zack
immediately turned and, using his wingspan, slammed the basketball through the rim. This low-post move,
Zack’s
overflowing talent, once again redefined people’s understanding of the game. Because ordinarily, considering
Zack’s
distance from the hoop after his post-up turn, most big men would choose to finish with a hook shot or a floater. But
Zack
could just dunk the ball in.
Courtside,
Khloé
simultaneously praised
Zack’s
wild, powerful dunk with her continuously shaking "surging waves." But the rebellious
Kendall Jenner
, who had deliberately pulled up her jersey to expose her navel, was increasingly convinced that
Zack’s
subsequent wink towards the sideline was definitely for her.
On the court,
Kobe
and
Zack’s
bickering continued.
"Your post-up just now was nowhere near as good as Shaq’s back in the day."
"Don’t bring up that useless guy who couldn’t even win a championship after leaving you!"
Friends come and go. At Staples Center, where championship banners flew in the wind, only
Shaquille O’Neal
could, for a moment, turn
Zack
and
Kobe
into inseparable good brothers.
"If you’re so tough, don’t pass, shoot it yourself."
"Then do you dare let
Pau Gasol
stop that damn screen and go one-on-one with Ron?"
"I don’t need a screen to beat that stand-up comedian."
"Then why do you think I’m
Kobe Bryant
, that pass-averse idiot?"
Staples Center. As
Zack
and
Kobe
argued repeatedly...
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 27-25. In the latter half of the first quarter,
Odom
, who had given
Zack
intense pressure due to his jealousy, was definitely the most heartbroken player in the game. Because in a sense, being "cuckolded" by
Zack
... not only did he have to endure
Zack’s
wrath on the court, but off the court, he also had to tolerate
Khloé
constantly showing favor to
Zack
.
And the most infuriating part was that
Zack
simply didn’t care about
Khloé
, who
Odom
now considered his treasured possession. From beginning to end... tonight, his eyes were only for
Kobe
!
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