Bishop: since 1998

Chapter 11 Pre-match meeting!

O'Neal and Kobe, the two stood in the C position.

Billups, Jones, and Horry surround him.

Facing the camera, he smiled slightly.

Kacha, Kacha~
The spotlight flashed, and the core set of the Lakers new season was completed.

The Lakers at this time are not the future triple-core drive, but the dual-core drive that has just confirmed the "OK combination".

In the past, the Lakers relied too much on O'Neal and played a one-star tactic.

O'Neal was single-handedly unsolvable, attracting defenses, and the attacking group shot fiercely from the outside. Victory was easy.

However, this tactic is only suitable for the regular season, the opponent is not targeted, and the pitcher has no pressure.

In the playoffs, being targeted by the championship team, and the strength of the Lakers' lineup cannot be crushed, the stage of the playoffs is destined to not go far.

Gang Leader Qiao has used his experience to tell the entire league that a single-core team cannot lead a team to the NBA championship.

After all, no matter how strong the Lakers' star perimeter group is, in the playoffs, do they really dare to keep shooting endlessly?
Victory for role players?
When O'Neal is guarded, the ordinary star can't maintain the mentality of the regular season at all, and throw the basketball into the basket steadily.

Facing a championship-level team with almost no weaknesses, this set of tactics is no longer suitable.

The Lakers want to win and want to hit the championship.

On the outside line, it is also necessary to establish a core to attack.

The objects selected are Kobe and Jones.

It turned out that Jones was at the right time and place.

It's just that when Kobe was still a rookie, he failed to seize the opportunity.

In the 97-98 season, as a starter, Jones averaged 36 minutes per game, scored 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3.4 assists, and performed quite well.

With this performance, he got the All-Star ticket, the kind of substitute.

Of course, there is also the assist of the competitor "Madman" Sprewell, who "locked the throat" incident.

Jones is currently averaging about 17 points per game at his peak, and has not fired 20+ offensive firepower. It seems that being the core of the outside line is really not that interesting.

If it is not for the championship, he is indeed enough.

However, the goal of the Lakers is the sea of ​​stars, and those who can't keep up are destined to be left behind.

In the 97-98 season, Kobe came off the bench and averaged 26 minutes per game, 10 minutes less than Jones, but was able to score 15 points, 3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. The talent visible to the naked eye surpassed Jones, no, it has already surpassed.

In the future, it is estimated that the taillights of the car will not be seen.

At this time, Kobe, still with curly hair and not bald, has become stronger than Jones.

The core position of the outside line is just the beginning. In Kobe's eyes, Jones is not the end.

Even O'Neill is just a second opponent.

He will not stay, only the god in the throne is in his eyes.

To defeat all the people standing in front of you, it doesn't matter whether he is in the same lineup or in the same position as you.

He just wants to win.

That person has to be me!
Why not me?
Such ambition and such a strong mentality are the qualities that every superstar should possess.

In Jones' eyes, there was no flame called ambition.

Kobe and O'Neal stood in the C position, but his face was indifferent.

Look at Derek Fisher, the future chairman of the union, staring at Billups.

It seems to be saying that the position next to Kobe belongs to him.

In the 97-98 season, Fisher averaged 5.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. Even with poor physical talent, he wanted to improve and position.

Jones, however, took it for granted that he was still the constant darling of the team.

……

There is only one week before the start of the new season, and the team no longer plays false games, and directly enters the theme of training.

The first point is that Kobe will enter the starting lineup, how to use it?How to make good use of his strength.

The second point is the question of training defensive tactics raised by Li Mu.

Excuse me, do you want the Lakers' offense?
Don't ask, if you ask, you just pull it all away, and hand over the damn basketball to the "OK team" to play.

In fact, the Lakers' offense is not a big problem. In the 97-98 season, the Lakers averaged 105.5 points per game.

In the 90s, they averaged over [-] points per game. This offensive firepower is said to be one of the best in the league.

It can even be said that there is no need to count two.

That's it, what offensive tactics do you need to practice, and will you give it to other teams?

Compared with the powerful offensive firepower, the Lakers' defensive ability is seriously stretched.

Look at the 98 defensive team's loss of points.

Spurs 88.5.

Knicks 89.1.

Bulls 89.6.

Pacers 89.9.

Heat 90.

Jazz 93.

……

The Lakers' ability to reach the Western Conference Finals relied on their strong offensive firepower, but they failed to go further, and their defense was a big hindrance.

The 98 championship was the Bulls, and the runner-up was the Jazz.

The Bulls are strong in defense.

Winning games no longer depend on Jordan's personal offense.

What about the Knicks and the Spurs?

Those two teams conceded the fewest points. Of course there are reasons for their good defense. However, they were more likely to delay time, reduce the number of offensive rounds, and conceded the fewest points per game.

The first two topics are relatively easy to understand, but the next third question is a dispute.

A set of tactics can not be created by cramming and training for a few days.

One week is far from enough. We can only determine the tactical thinking, and the more important thing is to practice.

When there is not much training time, it becomes inevitable to use competitions instead of training.

Regular season results are also important, but the most urgent thing for the Lakers now is to achieve a breakthrough from the playoffs.

Don't practice tactics?

What to use to break through?

If you want to practice defensive tactics, then, the first thing is to establish the starting lineup.

In the tactical conference room, Jerry West presided over the meeting and said first, "In the opening game of the new season, we are going to play against the Rockets.

In the starting lineup, Kobe and O'Neal are the only two that can be determined.

Now let's talk about how to hit the rocket?What kind of lineup will you use to play? "

Li Mu had already made plans for the starting lineup, and was ready to join his blacksmith team at any time.

It's just that the lineup has changed too much, and the management and assistant coaches probably won't let Li Mu mess around.

If the thinking is not unified and the locker room explodes, who will clean up the mess?

Li Mu does not have this ability, so he must achieve unity of thought.

In the end, everyone nodded and agreed. If it explodes, then everyone will bear it together?

In all fairness, Li Mu is still too young and has too few achievements. If it were Phil Jackson, this kind of pre-war meeting would simply be a notification meeting.

Seeing everyone's eyes on Li Mu, as the head coach of the Lakers, it is natural for Li Mu to give the answer first.

Without thinking too much, Li Mu immediately said, "If you want to defeat your opponent, there is no shortcut.

Either you are so strong that you are invincible, or you know your enemy and yourself, avoid your opponent's strengths, and attack your opponent's weaknesses.

Here comes the question.

Where is the Rockets strong?Where is the weak point? "

What Li Mu said was no different from nonsense.

However, it was impossible to refute.

Everyone nodded, knowing that Li Mu's words were reasonable, and at the same time, transferred the solution to Team Rocket's intelligence.

At this time, Byron Scott, the tactical assistant coach of the Lakers, and Robert, the tactical scout, distributed the collected information to the uniform team present.

Then, assistant coach Scott said, "The Rockets this season, 10-time All-Star guard Clyde Drexler chose to retire.

Kevin Willis, who was selected as an All-Star and averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds per game, was poached by the Raptors with a long-term contract.

Starting shooting guard Mario Eli was also poached by the Spurs.

The three main players retreated and were robbed, although the superstar Pippen was signed with a big contract.

But now the Rockets are only stronger than those three old ghosts. "

Indeed, Olajuwon, Barkley and Pippen are indeed very strong.

However, the weakness is also very obvious. Last season, the Rockets' starting point guard was the undrafted Matt Maloney, who is average in strength and can average 8 points and 3 assists per game.

In order to strengthen the guard line, three guards were selected in one go in the 98 draft.

14th pick Michael Dixon.

Brace Drew was the 16th overall pick.

Cuttino Mobley with the 41st pick.

In other words, the Rockets' guard line will be supported by them in the new season.

But the Lakers' perimeter is the most powerful in the league.

"To be honest, with our Lakers' strong perimeter and strong interior, I really don't know how the Lakers will play in order to lose to the three-person Rockets." Scott spread his hands helplessly. .

Indeed, the current Rockets team's reputation looks scary, but in fact, after careful analysis, there is really only one thing.

Anyway, it's the Rockets who should really be afraid.

The Lakers, the chances of winning are too great.

The first assistant Kurt Lanbis and the second assistant Billy Potka looked at each other and nodded,

Jerry West also recognized it in his heart.

"In other words, the only chance for the Lakers to give their opponents a chance to win is at the forward position.

Then discuss, the starting candidate for the striker! "

The Rockets have forwards.

Power Forward: Barkley.

Small Forward: Pippen.

What does the Lakers forward have?
Horry, Fox, Jones and Kobe can also play at the small forward position.

In addition, there are Big Ben, Bowen, and Brad Miller.

Oh, and our rookie, Lewis.

Speaking of which, the Lakers' forward line now has all types, but there are not many who can play.

"Power forward, rookie Lewis, undrafted Brad Miller, don't even think about it.

Horry, once in 95, was one of the three bargaining chips for the Rockets to trade Barkley.

Although Barkley is almost 36 years old, with Horry's style of play, he has been beaten by Malone without temper for two consecutive seasons.

There is not much difference in strength between Barkley and Malone, and I think Horry can also be ruled out. "

Also know to use the method of elimination.

In order to show his sense of presence, Kurt Rambis continued to speak and expressed his final thoughts, "I think Campbell can be used as the starter.

His playing also has an obvious effect, which is to liberate O'Neal's defense.

If Campbell can't solve Barkley, he can also replace O'Neal.

In this way, you can kill two birds with one stone. "

"Wait a minute, I used this trick against the Jazz last season, when Campbell couldn't stand Malone.

As a result, O'Neal switched defenses, struggled defensively, and lost the series. Li Mu stood up to object, and then immediately expressed his opinion, "Since using the exclusion method, Horry was eliminated, the rookie is not available, and Campbell is changing the soup, which can't solve the real problem, why do you consider using it?" What about Ben Wallace?

He was specially signed in order to solve the defensive problems of the Lakers' power forwards. "

"The Rockets have Barkley, the Jazz have Malone, the Spurs have Duncan, the Trail Blazers have Rasheed, the Kings have Webber, and the Mavs have Dirk Nowitzki in the future.

Do we find a problem and just wait like this, waiting for O'Neill to get out and solve it? "

Rambis said anxiously: "But his offense is not good!"

"So, we never think about defense? We don't think about Ben Wallace? We don't think about solving problems... Then, the championship trophy will fall on our heads for nothing?"

Jerry West frowned. The Lakers were in this position and escaped for two years.

It's over, haven't you waited for Ma Long to grow old?

New power forwards Duncan, Rasheed, and Webber...have continued to emerge, showing the talent and strength of superstars.

Lakers, when will they be tall?
Then,

Come out!
Big Ben! !
"Okay. The starting power forward position is given to Ben Wallace!"

Jerry West hit the nail on the head and settled for one position.

The corner of Li Mu's mouth curled up.

……

(End of this chapter)