NBA: I am a master dealer

The Lakers have quietly started their fifth consecutive guest trip.

This schedule is simply devilish.

They first went to Washington to challenge the Wizards. The current Wizards are no longer Calami. They are currently ranked sixth in the Eastern Conference. Wall has 23+10+5, and the second leader Beal is also a top scorer with 23+.

The two backcourt pairings are enough for people not to underestimate.

Then it was time to go to Boston and play the Celtics.

The current Celtics are not a small role that everyone can handle. Thomas Jr. has exploded this season. His scoring average has reached the top three in the league. Coupled with the arrival of Horford, the Celtics' offense and defense in the front and backcourt have been completely improved. To achieve a balance, it has become even more fierce recently, with a five-game winning streak.

The next step is to beat the boss in the Eastern Conference, Xue Liancheng's old club, the Knicks.

New York is still strong this year. James + Oladipo + Lopez are also very competitive. Both offense and defense are at the top of the league. What is particularly commendable is that the Knicks’ bench is the most stable and fiercest in the league. exist.

It can be said that this is the biggest enemy of the Lakers for five consecutive years.

The only advantage in winning is that Xue Liancheng is known as James' nemesis. James has never won in a direct confrontation between the two. This psychological advantage may help them.

of course.

Xue Liancheng knows everyone in the Knicks, including Tyronn Lue, which can also be called an advantage.

It depends on whether you can lead the team to catch it.

Then there are the Pistons who are fighting for the playoffs.

This season, Reggie Jackson's form has declined visibly, which is one of the reasons for the Pistons' poor record.

But no matter what, they are an upstart force in the east and should never be underestimated.

Many strong teams have experienced painful mistakes when facing the Pistons this season. This also shows that the Pistons' foundation is actually not bad.

The last stop of the five consecutive away games is the Milwaukee Bucks led by Antetokounmpo.

This season, all members of the Bucks are relatively healthy. Antetokounmpo has grown into an All-Star starting level. His skills are very comprehensive, and his impact is unique in the league.

He is not someone to be trifled with either.

So all in all, this is definitely a devilish schedule. It is not easy to escape unscathed. If you are not careful, it may lead to a wave of five consecutive kneelings.

This is no joke...

These five teams, except for the Pistons who are struggling on the edge of the playoffs, are all strong teams at the playoff level.

With the current state of the Lakers, it is not optimistic to cope with it.

But no matter how great the difficulty is, we must face it head-on.

Xue Liancheng led the team to challenge the Wizards in the first stop of five consecutive away games.

Before the game.

The conflict between Wall and Xue Liancheng was picked up by the media again.

Because Wall is really strong this season, with a top performance of 23+10+5, in terms of statistics alone, he is already qualified to compete with Xue Liancheng.

He is considered the top point guard this season, and he is not even inferior to Paul. Only Xue Liancheng and Curry can stabilize Wall.

It can be seen how amazing his performance was and he conquered many fans.

So during the interview, Wall was still very arrogant.

Reporter: "We are facing another duel with Xue Liancheng. Is there anything you want to say?"

Wall: "I have been looking forward to this day. I can't wait to teach the league's number one player and see if his skills have improved."

Reporter: "Asking a very hot topic, do you think the Lakers can break into the top four in the Western Conference?"

Wall: "I don't care about that."

Reporter: "Do you think there is still a gap between you and Xue Liancheng this season?"

Wall: "The difference between me and him is that the media does not like me, and the league does not give me extra care. I have not formed a Big Three combination. If I enjoy the same treatment as him, I believe I can also get a regular Being the MVP of the game can also lead the team to win the championship."

The implication is that Xue Liancheng is a product packaged by the alliance and is not worth mentioning at all.

The reporter was shocked: "You mean, you are also a person comparable to Xue Liancheng?"

Wall asked confidently: "Isn't it?"

This interview naturally caused some reactions.

but……

It's just a few.

Wall is indeed very strong this season, but he is far from reaching the level of MVP, because there are many people who are better than him.

James Harden, for example, has averaged 28.9 points, 11.6 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game so far this season. The Rockets rank third in the Western Conference, a true MVP-level performance.

Can Wall's 23+10+5 compare?

It's a big difference, okay?
There is also Westbrook, who has averaged 30.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game so far this season. He is averaging a super triple-double per game. He is very hopeful to break Oscar Robertson's decades-old super record and become the second person to average a triple-double per game. , it can be said that it shocked the past and the present, and exploded to the extreme.

And the Thunder are still ranked sixth in the Western Conference.

Regardless of the record or data, Westbrook is not afraid.

What can Wall do to compete with these two?
There's no way to fight.

It can even be said bluntly that this is not on the same level.

On top of Westbrook and Harden, there are James, Durant, and even Curry, who are the top people in the league.

Wall is another level behind these people.

And above James, Durant, and Curry, there is another person.

It is Xue Liancheng, the signature face of the NBA and the true number one player in the league.

Two consecutive MVPs, two consecutive FMVPs, and two consecutive championships, showing strong dominance.

so.

There is a huge gap between Wall and Xue Liancheng.

Seriously speaking, Wall's performance this season can be regarded as a top-level star, better than ordinary stars, but he is still a bit far away from competing for MVP level.

Then let alone compete with the big and small kings.

And Xue Liancheng is the real TOP1, and the gap is clear at a glance.

Now Wall is talking nonsense, which is considered by the media and fans to be a ploy.

That's right.

Just touch porcelain.

You, a top star, want to be compared with the best player in the league. Isn't this just a ploy?
To put it bluntly, the honors that Xue Liancheng has achieved in the two years since he entered the league are beyond your reach in your lifetime. Are you qualified to compare with Xue Liancheng?
Not to mention MVP and FMVP, just two best first team members can keep you stuck for ten or eight years.

Because there are many excellent defenders in the league.

Xue Liancheng has missed too many games this season and may have missed the best lineup.

But even if you put Xue Liancheng aside, the rest will be enough for you to drink a pot.

Curry, Harden, Westbrook, Paul, who can you compete with?

You can't compete with anyone.

You are the only one who can touch Paul, but you are not capable of touching Paul. Only if you can compare with Thomas Jr. who is also from the East District, that is your ability.

But based on the Celtics' current strong performance and Thomas' top-notch scoring explosiveness, Wall is probably a little hung up.

and so……

Even with players at the same level and position, you have no absolute advantage. Why do you force Lai Lai to compare with Xue Liancheng?
This is completely out of control.

The media and fans naturally don't take it to heart.

Unless Wall breaks out next and performs as explosively as Harden or Westbrook.

Or the Wizards can go straight to the sky and rush directly to the No. 1 throne in the Eastern Conference. In that case, there is still a chance to talk.

But now, Wall does not have this qualification.

but.

The reporter quickly passed the words to Xue Liancheng's ear.

Reporter: "Xue, what do you think of Wall's speech?"

Xue Liancheng shook his head: "I don't think there is anything to say. Everyone has sharp eyes and can see the truth."

Reporter: "Xue, Wall has become more mature this season. What height do you think he can reach in the future?"

Xue Liancheng: "I don't know."

Reporter: "Then what changes do you think Wall has made compared to two years ago?"

Xue Liancheng replied: "I have not studied him."

Reporter: "In other words, you never regarded him as your opponent?"

Xue Liancheng: "Opponent? Isn't my opponent James? Isn't it Stephen Curry? When did he become Wall? To be honest, I never know who my opponent is. I hope he comes out soon so that I can To be full of fighting spirit.”

Reporter: "Does this mean you don't think he is a top player in the league?"

Xue Liancheng was happy: "Just talking, he is indeed top-notch."

And in the game.

The two targeted each other and choked each other. The two sides collided fiercely and fought fiercely.

Wall has indeed grown, especially mentally and emotionally. He is much more stable than two years ago.

Don't look at Wall's arrogance during the interview.

But during the game, Wall and Xue Liancheng competed seriously in offensive and defensive positions, and their postures were very low. In order to consume Xue Liancheng, they really fought desperately, and their actions were not as arrogant as they said.

This is also part of growing up.

but.

The gap between the two sides does exist.

Xue Liancheng's personal offensive ability is still higher than Wall's.

Especially shooting.

In this game, Xue Liancheng was in good personal condition. He made 14 of 7 three-pointers and 22 of 12 overall. While scoring 38 points, he also sent out 14 assists and 6 rebounds.

In addition, Xue Liancheng is also better than Wall in terms of passing vision.

And it's not just a little bit stronger, it's visible to the naked eye.

The assists provided by Xue Liancheng's passes include sudden points, cover coordination, sudden alley-oops, fast breaks, long passes, and all kinds of incredible no-look passes. In short, they are all diverse and catch people off guard.

Most of Wall's assists are a combination of sudden points.

of course.

There are also coordination or fast breaks, but not many.

Compared with Xue Liancheng's vision and ability to read the game, Wall is really far behind.

But this is the case.

The Wizards still caused some trouble for the Lakers, and victory did not come as easily as imagined.

The final score was 122:116, and the Lakers only won by 6 points.

The Wizards' last-minute counterattack was still very fierce.

If Xue Liancheng didn't have 100% hit skills, this game would have been a disaster.

Because Randall continues to be absent, there is a serious void in the bench strength.

Marvin Williams shot 11 of 2 and only scored a measly 4 points. Clarkson was not much better, shooting 10 of 3 and only scored 9 points.

Joe Johnson has gradually shown his age, hitting 5 of 1 and scoring 4 points.

Glenn Robinson is not an offensive player to begin with, so 3-for-1 is normal.

So the entire bench was turned off, and without anyone taking the lead, it was difficult for the Lakers to play.

Even if Xue Liancheng performed like this, he was still delayed until the last moment. You can imagine how bad the performance of the bench was.

Even if George fails to perform well, the game will be judged.

所幸乔治状态也不错，19中11，拿到了28分10篮板4助攻。

As for the Wizards.

Wall does have crazy capital. He is very fast, and this unique trick is enough to win most of the league's games.

This game was no exception. He made 23 of 11 shots and scored a super double-double of 33 points and 11 assists. His personal performance was at its peak.

It can be said that Wall has matured in all aspects now, but his shooting ability has been unstable and a bit uninteresting.

If Wall's three-point production and quality improve, it's really possible to compete for MVP.

pity.

God opened the door for him, but closed the window.

But if Wall had not been injured, his achievements would have been further improved. After all, Westbrook, who has a similar playing style, has already achieved success. As long as Wall can further refine his shot selection and finishing, he will definitely be able to break through the shackles and reach the quasi-MVP level.

pity.

In the historical trajectory, Wall was seriously injured. After that, he lost his proud advantage of speed and explosive power and fell directly from the clouds.

But now, Wall is definitely at his peak.

And his helper Bill has also completely grown up this season.

In this game, he made 17 of 9 shots and 9 of 5 three-pointers. He scored 23 points with an efficient performance, which gave Wall a lot of help.

At the last moment, there was a three-point contest with Xue Liancheng, which was almost a passionate moment.

Gortat also performed well in this game, shooting 13 of 10, scoring 21 points and 14 rebounds, beating the inside combination of Zubac and James Johnson.

This is also one of the reasons why the Wizards were able to compete with the Lakers until the last moment.

The Lakers suffered a big loss inside, but their speed advantage was curbed by both Wall and Beal, causing them to fall into chaos during the game.

but.

Xue Liancheng's ability to suppress the situation is still very good, and his sensitivity in improving morale and seizing momentum is also very good.

This allowed the Lakers to be reborn in difficulties, and it was not until the last moment that he had his own three-pointer to determine the outcome.

In addition to these three people on the Wizards' side, Markieff Morris, who was traded last year, and Otto Porter, the No. 13 overall pick in , are also worth mentioning.

That's right.

This Markieff Morris is the same brother of Marcus Morris. The two look similar and it is easy to mistake him.

However, Xue Liancheng knew at the first glance that this was not his old buddy. He didn't know the specific difference.

Anyway, he knew this was not the Marcus Morris he was familiar with.

Markieff Morris was lost in this game, shooting 14 of 3 and only scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Porter, on the other hand, made 9 of 4 and only scored 9 points, which was an average performance.

Both performed below expectations, which was one of the reasons for their defeat.

When playing normally, Markieff Morris averages 14 points and 6.5 assists per game, which is a very good performance.

Otto Porter has also grown a bit, averaging 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season, with a shooting percentage of over %!
The Wizards were able to return to the playoffs, and the two of them also contributed a lot.

(End of this chapter)