Pick Westbrook

Chapter 406 Not a small gap

Little Buss looked at his father with red eyes, and he also felt uncomfortable, he knelt down and said.

"Dad, Kobe did his best."

Old Bath, who was sitting in a wheelchair, looked older than last year. The doctor told him that with his current physical condition, he still had at most one year left.

This is also the reason why Bass Jr. will spend crazy money and draft picks in the off-season to get Warcraft Howard and Nash.

He wanted his father to leave this world to see the Lakers lift another championship trophy, watching the sky full of ribbons fluttering over Staples Arena, Los Angeles fans chanting MVP and California King of.

Unfortunately, things backfired. Howard was out of tune with the team at the beginning of the season. Kobe did not delegate power at the beginning. After the All-Star Game, these problems were finally resolved, but the injuries of Nash and Howard came again.

During the entire regular season, the Lakers F4 combination did not even play more than 25 games together.

Buss Jr. lowered his head. He knew that the fans and the media in Los Angeles had criticized him during this time, and he knew that the fans of the Lakers had already had a crisis of trust in him.

Little Bass didn't know how long he could last, and he didn't know what would happen in the future. At this moment, he suddenly remembered the reminder from Li Lai in New Orleans.

"I know, you've tried your best."

The old Bass put his hand on the head of the little Bass, gently stroked and said.

Little Bass raised his head in surprise, looked at his loving father, his mouth tightened, and he felt even more aggrieved.

Old Buzz laughed.

"I still remember that when your elder brother was born in 1957, the weather was very clear on that day, and I was very happy because I had a son."

"Your elder brother has been very independent and strong since he was a child. He doesn't like the path I arranged for him, and he doesn't want to run the Lakers under my escort. He insists on forcibly breaking his own path."

"He is rebellious and disobedient to discipline but also has outstanding ability. Whether it is the old man in the Lakers management or the newcomer who joined in later, they are full of praise for him."

"You's older sister was born in the summer, when Santa Monica was the hottest time in Los Angeles. Just like Jenny's character since she was a child, she is as passionate and unrestrained, she doesn't stick to the worldly vision, she can do whatever she wants."

"She has been very smart since she was a child, and has a very unique vision for business. Even I have to praise her very much."

"It's a pity that it's a girl. If Jenny were a boy, she should be as good as your elder brother."

"Next"

When Old Bath said this, he looked at his youngest son beside him.

Little Buss laughed at himself and said, "I should be the most ineffective of my father's children."

Old Bass still had a smile on his face, but he patted the back of little Bass's hand lightly, and continued.

"When you were born, there was a rare rainstorm in Los Angeles, and there was a traffic jam on the way to the hospital, so I wasn't even there when you were born, and your mother blamed me for many years."

"Then you gradually grew up and kept many pets at home, and you took great care of these small animals. Once your cat died, and you cried for many days."

"I don't like you like this, or the Bass family can't have you like this. You are too kind, so I sent away all your pets cruelly."

"Since then, you ignored me throughout high school until I was hospitalized once when you were in college. Your older brothers and sisters couldn't come to me because they were busy with work. You were the first child to appear by my side, and Take good care of me."

"The relationship between the two of us has eased since that time."

"After graduating from college, you chose to raise horses. You know, I still don't like you raising horses, so I tell you that I hope you come to the Lakers to help me."

"You hesitated for three days, and finally gave up your hobbies and came to the Lakers to become the general manager Kupchak's little follower. You worked as a scout for several years, and humbly learned all about basketball. Work."

"Now, you don't hesitate to bear the infamy and waste the team's future and your team building assets for me, and let me see the hope of the Lakers winning the championship again."

"Actually, I've always known that you don't love basketball or the Lakers. You love me, kid."

"Everything you do is for me."

Little Buss could not cry at this moment, and years of grievances poured out. Old Buss looked at the child lying on his lap, feeling sore in his heart. He had always known the kindness of the other party.

Jenny Buss was able to continue to gain a foothold in the Lakers, even doing what she wanted to do willfully, and more blatantly seizing power.

He didn't want to see brothers killing each other, and he didn't want to see himself and his sister quarreling. More importantly, he didn't want his father to see conflicts breaking out between siblings.

Little Bass has always been so kind.

Old Buss couldn't help but look at his child with great distress, because it was this kindness that gave Jenny Buss an opportunity, and the other party had been using his brother's kindness to frequently arrange for his own people to intervene team.

The old Buss knew that the little Buss had always known what his sister was doing, and if nothing else happened, the farce of forcing the palace to be held accountable on the streets of Los Angeles was probably also thought up by the other party.

In order to control the team, Jenny Buss has always been doing everything she can.

He didn't know if his kind son could resist his sister's intimidation, but for old Bass, he had no time to intervene in this matter, and he didn't want to intervene any more. He just scratched hard Said the hand of the younger son.

"Thank you, my boy."

on the field.

The whistle sounded and the game was over.

The Pelicans won the game again 110:100.

The big score is 3:0.

The Lakers are already in the abyss, and there is no hope at all.

At the end of the game, the fans at the Staples Arena lost control for a while. Under the leadership of several fans, they even sprayed trash on the players at home.

The favorite to win the championship at the beginning of the season, known as the terminator of the defending champion Heat, is now about to become the first team to be swept in the playoffs. The psychological gap among the fans can be expected.

In the interview after the game, Kobe did not speak for a while. He knew that he had no ability to change the current situation of the Lakers alone.

"But I'm going to do my best to win the next game for the Lakers."

These reporters in front of them are not the first time to hear Kobe say this this season. Whenever the Lakers have a crisis, Kobe always stands up and bears everything.

They don't know how long the 35-year-old veteran can last, but letting him bear it every time makes more and more people feel very uncomfortable.

"Dwight! You are responsible for the loss of the Lakers throughout the season!"

A reporter in the corner suddenly stood up without permission and shouted.

The entire post-match press conference was therefore quiet.

Howard spread his hands and was a little overwhelmed. He has dedicated everything to the Lakers. He even made an emergency contribution at the start of the playoffs without fully recovering from his injury, just to help the Lakers defeat the powerful enemy of the Pelicans. .

Throughout the series, Howard still averaged 23 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks per game under the restrictions of the Pelicans' two inside monsters and the shrinking defense of the entire Pelicans team.

He didn't know why he was responsible for the team's loss, and even the fans in Los Angeles held him responsible for the team's poor form all season.

Earlier, Howard had an exchange with team president Bass Jr. Both of them hoped to continue to cooperate after the end of this season and make up for the regrets of this season next season.

But at this moment, the attitude of Los Angeles fans and the media towards him made Howard feel a little chilled. He wanted to say that the fans in this city had never accepted him.

"I was also ranked as the number one center player in the league with Yao Ming last season! A superstar! Why do you disrespect me so much?!"

On the Barkley Show, Barkley talked about the recent incidents of blame management on the streets of Los Angeles.

"The Lakers didn't go well in the playoffs. I really don't know what the media and fans think. Should we be held accountable at this time?"

"Isn't this just sprinkling salt on yourself at the most difficult time for the team?"

Magic Johnson didn't speak on the sidelines, because he knew more about the inside story and the chaos in the Lakers' management.

There is a high probability that there is a meaning of forcing the palace to rebel, and Magic Johnson knows who the source is without thinking.

Of course, Magician is one of the greatest stars in the history of the Lakers. He has a good relationship with Jenny Buss and Buss Jr.

So from the very beginning, he planned to stay out of the matter, but when the Lakers are in trouble, the magician will definitely be the first to stand up.

"The Pelicans have improved significantly this season, especially on the defensive end. With the addition of rookie Anthony Davis, the Pelicans' defense has been fully upgraded as if the last key has been inserted."

"This is why Anthony Davis was able to beat Damian Lillard to become the best rookie."

"It's hard for the Lakers to be the Pelicans' opponent. Instead of paying attention to their games, it's better to focus on other series."

O'Neal said he was extremely disappointed with the Lakers.

Both he and Magic Johnson knew what happened to the Lakers and chose not to talk about it, but O'Neal was more jealous than Magic. He didn't like the Lakers after Old Buss took charge.

4 month 28 day.

Game [-] between the Lakers and the Pelicans.

This game did not attract a lot of attention and heated discussions before the game like the previous three games between the two teams.

For the first time in the playoffs in Los Angeles, it seemed a little deserted.

The fans sitting in the arena also lost the enthusiasm of the previous games, and they were still talking about some players and coaching staff members on the court.

Mike Brown showed embarrassment. As early as the middle of the season, he had a crisis of getting out of class, and he finally stabilized after the All-Star Game because of his record recovery.

However, as the playoffs started, the Lakers were arbitrarily squeezed by the Pelicans. Mike Brown knew very well that his time with the Lakers was running out, and perhaps tonight would be the last game.

However, Mike Brown is not worried about his future work and livelihood, because a western team has already contacted him in advance and is willing to hire him as the team's chief assistant coach with a head coach contract.

If this contract is successfully signed, then Mike Brown will surpass Donyell Marshall to become the most expensive assistant coach contract in the NBA.

The game begins on the field.

Kobe took the initiative to attack as soon as he came up, and Leonard scored in a single.

"In this series Leonard managed to limit Kobe to 41 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from three-point range."

"This is the first player to limit Kobe's playoff shooting percentage to such an extent since Bruce Bowen of the Spurs. Leonard is really a defensive gate."

Kenny Smith is becoming more and more optimistic about the player Leonard, and even believes that the opponent has the potential to become a DPOY in the future.

Although his teammate Jimmy Butler is also a good defender, his defensive talent is far from Leonard, and it is difficult to compete for the DPOY award.

After Kobe scored in singles, Paul immediately executed a pick-and-roll tactic to hit Howard and hit a three-pointer.

Since this goal, the Pelicans seem to have fallen into a state of bewilderment. Leonard and Jimmy Butler played consecutive singles, and each time they took the initiative to ask Kobe for a position.

Du Feng said with some concern: "Coach, we didn't arrange so many singles before the game, and it was impossible for the players to play singles from the beginning, they."

Stevens raised his hand and smiled and said, "The players are human beings, not cold machines. Even Leonard, who has always been expressionless, has a lot of emotions in his heart."

"Since you are a human being, you will have your own ideas, and it is impossible to perfectly execute the instructions of the coaching staff at any time."

"This game, for both Leonard and Jimmy Butler, should have a deeper meaning."

Li Lai nodded in agreement with Stevens' statement, which is why he didn't immediately call a timeout for the players to adjust after discovering that Paul, Leonard, and Jimmy Butler hadn't performed the tasks assigned before the game.

"They are all people with seven emotions and six desires, and this game does have a deeper meaning to them."

At the end of the first quarter, Kobe made 12 of 5 shots and 3 of 3 free throws in a single quarter, scoring 13 points.

Leonard and Jimmy Butler, who played against him frequently, scored 9 and 8 points respectively.

The singles ability of the two put a lot of pressure on Kobe, especially Leonard. Kobe had the same idea as countless people.

"Why is this guy's singles skills so similar to mine!"

Because Kobe chose to attack more in the first quarter, Mike Brown replaced Howard and Nash early in order to let them play early in the second quarter and play for a longer time.

Kenny Smith said: "In this series, the Pelicans' bench lineup is 10 points better than the Lakers' bench lineup per game."

"That's not a small gap."

"And the Pelicans' rotation is almost all off the bench, while the Lakers' rotation always has two of Kobe, Gasol, Nash, and Howard on the court."

"Even so, it's really shocking to have such a big difference."

Barkley said: "This season, the Pelicans rank first in offensive ability in the rotation, even stronger than some weaker teams' starting lineup offensive ability."

"And the Lakers' rotation lineup can be regarded as the worst in the league. They have almost no players who can take advantage of the salary situation."

(End of this chapter)