Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 655 Kobe, Jordan, and Lin Tian: Three Completely Different Varieties

"Was Hakeem Olajuwon's training camp really that effective?" Kenny couldn't help but ask. "This year's Kobe really gives the impression that he has mastered the post-up game, is almost unstoppable, and ignores all his opponents."

Barkley added, "That's right. It's been two months since the start of the season, so the sample size is definitely large enough! Among the players at positions 1-3 in the league today, there are probably very few who can stop Kobe's post-up game one-on-one."

"What's even more incredible is that Kobe is almost 30 years old! At this age, he is still improving, he is still making himself better, and he is still striving to become more outstanding and excellent."

"That alone is enough to put Kobe in the discussion of the 'greatest player of all time'."

"Especially now, I really think that if we're just talking about post-up skills, Kobe's skills have surpassed Jordan's! His footwork, rhythm control, release timing, and attention to detail are all perfect!"

"You mean Kobe is better than Michael?" Kenny smiled slightly, starting to set a trap for Barkley.

"I didn't mean that! Michael is still the best!" Barkley thought to himself, "How many times have I seen this? Do you think I'd be fooled by your little tricks?"

He stated without hesitation, "I'm talking about pure technique and skill; Kobe is better! Don't try to twist my words."

"To give an example, if Michael and Kobe were both boxers, then Michael could deliver a punch with the force of 1000 pounds. This punch would allow him to ignore all defenses and knock out his opponent directly. Therefore, he wouldn't need any swaying, footwork, body movements, combinations of punches, or right and left punches to complement him."

"A straight punch is enough."

"But Kobe's punching power is only 500 pounds. If he wants to defeat and knock out his opponents, he needs to work hard in all aspects, put in effort in all aspects, footwork, combination punches, stamina, details, rhythm control, and even the ability to withstand punches. He has to give it his all."

"Then he can knock out his opponent!"

"In the NBA, Michael's physical attributes, including speed, jumping ability, agility and strength, are beyond those of any player in his era and position. When he backs down a opponent, he only needs a spin and a jab step to create enough space for himself to shoot."

"While Kobe's physical attributes are great, he doesn't have the kind of historically top-tier physical attributes that Michael possesses. If he wants to create space to shoot, he can only hone his skills. He needs more fakes, more footwork, more feints, and more changes in rhythm."

"Then he can gain the space that Michael can create by turning around after a physical confrontation."

"He needs to expend more effort to create space for his shots, which I think is why Kobe's efficiency wasn't that high."

"I think I understand." Kenny nodded. "Michael hasn't reached the point where he needs to go all out to hone his skills and take himself to the next level. He can beat almost everyone just by relying on his physical attributes and talent."

"Kobe had to give it his all, train like crazy every day, and give it his all just to barely reach that level."

"That's right! Exactly!" Barkley nodded. "But Kobe really did a fantastic job! He did almost perfectly! Apart from not winning a championship and an MVP, he really unleashed all his attributes and energy, squeezing out all his potential."

"If the maximum score is 100, then 90% of NBA stars are only at the level of 85. And because of various reasons, such as making a lot of money and being satisfied with their current situation, they are not able to practice hard day after day. It would be good if they could play at the level of 80."

"Those top stars, who are probably at a 90-point level in terms of skill and energy, gave it their all and played at a 95-point level."

"McClair is a real monster. He scored 120 points and played them all."

"Kobe, on the other hand, is a different kind of monster. He may only score 85 points, and his talent may seem unremarkable among the greatest players in history, but he was definitely the one who developed all his potential to the fullest."

"This guy, with 85 points of talent, played at a 100-point level."

"Look at his performance in the first quarter: 7 of 11 shots made, 3 of 3 free throws, no three-pointers, 17 points and 3 rebounds. He is constantly evolving, he is using every means to make himself stronger, so that even when his physical qualities, jumping ability and speed decline, he can still maintain a very high level."

"That's right, he completely dominated Barnes!" Kenny said. "With his 17 points in the first quarter, the Lakers gained a 4-point lead!"

After echoing Barkley's words, Kenny suddenly grinned mischievously and said, "So, Charles, what about Lin? How much of a monster do you think he is?"

"Lin? Lin is definitely the third kind of monster." Barkley said smugly, as if he knew his grandfather Charles would ask this. "Lin's potential is an X, his ceiling is an X, and even his level of effort is unimaginable. Nobody knows how strong he really is, nobody knows how high his talent is."

"He absolutely has Kobe-level training spirit! He absolutely puts in an unimaginable amount of effort."

"I don't know how many people still remember what Lin looked like when he was young. He played in the NCAA for four years without achieving much. He entered the NBA at the age of 22 and was only selected in the late second round."

"He started as a substitute. Apart from being fast, able to push the fast break, good at transition offense and defense, and very capable, he didn't have many other labels in his rookie year."

"But as time went on, his strength grew stronger and stronger. He transformed from a speed-oriented fast-break guard into an incredibly well-rounded tank. His defense improved, from initially only being good at risky steals to becoming the best defensive player."

"His shooting, driving, passing, mid-range jump shot, long-range shot, finishing, and even his dunks are all improving! He has always been improving, and his pace of improvement has never stopped. He has never stopped improving because he won a championship, MVP, or created a dynasty."

"He is omnipotent!"

"This is also the most important reason why he can be the greatest player in NBA history."

With Barkley and Kenny discussing, comparing, and praising each other, the second quarter of the game began!

29: 25!

The Lakers had a 4-point lead in the first quarter.

The score also shows that the pace of the game was not fast for either side in the first quarter. In particular, when Kobe repeatedly went down to the low post to isolate and attack, the Lakers' pace simply could not be sped up.

But in the second quarter, the situation and pace of the game suddenly changed!

At the start of the second quarter, McGrady came on to lead some role players in the battle, while Kobe, who played the entire first quarter and dominated the game, sat on the bench for a rest.

As for the Knicks, Anthony led the rest of his team to face off against McGrady, and both sides entered their rotation period.

At the start of the second quarter, McGrady showcased his incredibly well-rounded abilities and his dominant height advantage, which made him a force to be reckoned with at the 2-3 positions.

He can easily drive into the paint with his long strides, and time and time again, after compressing the Knicks' defense inside, he can find his teammates on the perimeter and pass the ball out again.

He can also repeatedly collapse under the basket to grab rebounds, and then find open teammates while advancing the ball, allowing them to make shots.

Of course, he also possessed unparalleled individual skills; he had countless ways to put the basketball in the basket. Although McGrady never won a scoring title, that was truly due to bad luck.

He was once the top scorer in the first half of the season, but that title was lost due to a trade.

He had a breakout performance and was poised to win the scoring title, but then O'Neal got injured and Kobe broke out, and that was it.

He just lacked that little bit of life; his luck was just too bad.

Therefore, some people might say that McGrady was unlucky, had a bad personality, played a soft style, and lacked stamina, but very few people would say that he was not good enough.

For example, in the first half of the second quarter tonight, he had the absolute upper hand in his duel with Anthony.

From the start of the second quarter until 4 minutes and 20 seconds into the quarter, he held a clear advantage in his duel with Anthony.

麦迪5投3中，拿到7分的同时还送出3助攻拿到2篮板，而安东尼虽然7投4中拿到9分，但他没有篮板和助攻入帐，同时还出现了一次失误。

Because of his lack of playmaking and passing abilities, even though Anthony was in good form and could score consistently, he was unable to lead his team to close the gap or take the lead.

15: 11!

In the first four minutes of the second quarter, the Lakers, having picked up the pace, continued to maintain their advantage, steadily and unhurriedly widening the score gap.

It wasn't until 4 minutes and 20 seconds into the quarter that Don Nelson lazily called a timeout, substituting Anthony for a rest and bringing in a five-man lineup of Lin Tian, ​​Stoudemire, Okur, Hill, and Houston.

This combination can be described as the Knicks' worst-fitting and oldest five-man lineup. Although they have Stoudemire and Lin Tian, ​​the other three are either old, injured, slow, or all three.

"This roster is completely out of step with the Knicks' previous style and tactical philosophy," Barkley said, frowning as he looked at the lineup. "What are the Knicks trying to do? No, what is Don Nelson trying to do?"

What are you going to do?

If Barkley had asked Nelson this question face-to-face, Nelson would have said: "Good question! I don't know what I'm supposed to do either!"

I just suddenly wanted to try a different style, and I wanted to see if this lineup would have any surprising effects.

After all, theoretically speaking, Hill, Houston, and Lin Tian have the most experience and skills on the team. When they are on the court together, they may be able to create some unique chemistry and bring some surprises to the team.

It was such a simple and capricious reason, a completely sudden whim, I just wanted to try it out and experience it.

On a high-profile stage like the Christmas Day game, the team was down by 8 points, and then suddenly had a brilliant idea to just casually bring out a five-man lineup that they had never used before. This is definitely a classic Don Nelson-style substitution.

Just as Barkley and Kenny were wondering why Nelson was doing this, the players on the court quickly provided the answer.

Lin Tian brought the ball to the frontcourt, and Stoudemire set a screen for him. Lin Tian then used the screen to break through and quickly passed the ball to Hill on the wing. Hill received the ball, faked a shot, and drove into the paint.

However, his speed was far inferior to that of his peak years, and he was blocked by Bynum after only taking two steps inside.

But Hill suddenly made a low pass, passing the ball under Bynum's arm to Okur, who was standing right behind Bynum. Okur received the ball and, without even looking, passed it to Houston on the other side.

Houston followed suit, faking a shot and then driving into the paint, further compressing the Lakers' defense before passing the ball to Lin Tian on the perimeter.

There was no one there, and the view in front of me was as vast as the sea.

Lin Tian hadn't had such a huge and comfortable open shot opportunity in at least two years. He glanced at the basket, calmly adjusted his position, and then watched as McGrady and Kobe, who had just come on, sprinted toward him like madmen.

"Amaree, jump!" Lin Tian shouted, and instead of shooting, he threw the ball towards the basket!

The Knicks had never really played this kind of incredibly complex tactic of constant running and passing around the entire team before, and Stoudemire was even less prepared. He didn't understand what his teammates were passing around for, and at this moment he was completely bewildered and had no idea what he should do.

But after hearing Lin Tian's shout, the guy still jumped with all his might under the drive of instinct, and then turned his head in mid-air, just in time to see the basketball flying towards him.

Stoudemire isn't very good at complex tactics, but he knows exactly what to do with this kind of play.

He seemed to freeze in mid-air, then suddenly stretched his hands forward and successfully grabbed the basketball. Then, he turned his head back to the basket, channeled his strength into his arms, and with a loud roar, slammed the basketball into the basket with both hands!

"boom!"

After a loud bang, the Knicks completed a beautiful team offensive play!

This offensive play was non-stop, with almost no one dribbling the ball. The basketball was passed back and forth between the players without pause. Several players got the ball, but none of them held onto it for long.

"Magnificent! Brilliant!"

Barkley's heartfelt praise is the best description of this play by the Knicks.

Although the players on the field hadn't had much training or practice together, their experience and instinct alone were enough for them to pull off such a brilliant and spontaneous play.

Well, except for Stoudemire. Even after receiving the ball and completing the alley-oop dunk, he still didn't quite understand how Lin Tian got such a big open shot and how the ball ended up in his hands.

The main point is that he completed a powerful dunk without even realizing it.

"It must be because the Lakers' defense is too bad! Their defense might not even be as good as ours. They just created so much space to shoot in such a short time."

With his straightforward and honest personality, Stoudemire immediately formed his own judgment in his mind.

It's not that I don't understand tactics, it's that you bunch of idiots are too bad!

Yes, that's how it is!

Of course, the Knicks' lineup of veteran players on the ground can play beautifully and gracefully on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, it's simply unbearable to watch.

The Lakers have McGrady and Kobe on the team right now, but the Knicks have put together a duo at the two and three positions: Hill, an old man who has had countless knee surgeries, and Houston, another old man who has had countless knee surgeries.

Can those two defend against McGrady and Kobe?

They're lucky they weren't beaten to death.

There's no way around it; youth has the upper hand.

For the next few minutes, the Knicks' offense was impeccable. Whether it was ball movement, passing, team offense, or success rate, these guys were all top-notch.

The problem is, these players are really unstoppable. Of course, defense isn't the Knicks' job anyway; their motto has always been that no matter how many points you score, they'll always score more.

Most of the time, the Knicks can easily win games using this tactic.

But tonight they face the Lakers, a duo of Kobe and McGrady in top form and firing on all cylinders – arguably the most offensively potent pair in the league today.

Therefore, at least in the second quarter, the Knicks' offense failed to gain any advantage, even though the pace of the second quarter was actually to the Knicks' liking, with both teams' players clearly running more, and the scoring efficiency and the pace of offensive and defensive transitions were faster.

Even though Don Nelson's impromptu lineup was only used for two minutes before being quickly substituted, and the Knicks returned to the regular lineup with players like Anthony, they still couldn't reverse the momentum of the game in the second quarter.

They narrowed the 8-point gap to 5 points, but they were never able to turn the score around.

58: 53!

The gap between the two sides remains at 2 goals!

"As expected of the Christmas finale, and a game that even made us two brothers work overtime during the holidays," Barkley said with a laugh during halftime. "This game was absolutely fantastic, definitely worth the ticket price!"

"For the Lakers, who are leading, Kobe scored a game-high 21 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists tonight. McGrady had an all-around performance with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. In addition, rookie Bynum also showed the ferocity of 'Little Shaq'. Although he only scored 6 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks, his footwork under the basket and defense were impressive."

"For the Knicks, Lin once again scored a team-high 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. He is clearly more versatile than McGrady. Stoudemire and Anthony combined for 22 points, continuing their tactical role and performance as strong offensive weapons."

"The most pleasing players are veterans Hill and Houston. These two haven't had many playing time or highlight moments this season, but they both played well tonight. Several of their passes and finishes showed the skill of seasoned veterans."

"Those two, along with Lin, are the Knicks' floor. With them on the team, it's very difficult for them to get completely crushed and fall apart. Walsh's decision to sign Hill in the offseason definitely deserves an A+!" (End of Chapter)