NBA restricted area bulldozer

Chapter 159 Against the Houston Rockets

The All-Star Game is over.

Li Shengli returned to Charlotte the next day, stepped up training, and devoted himself to the regular season schedule, but one thing is worth mentioning, that is, the trade deadline for this season is approaching.

Generally speaking, the trade deadline is the 16th week after the start of the regular season, which is Thursday. In the week before this day, the NBA trade market was turbulent, and news of various trades was flying everywhere. People are concerned about the trading trends of the Charlotte Hornets.

This year's All-Stars, Larry Johnson and Isiah Thomas were suppressed so ugly that even the audience could see the signs, let alone the management of each team, and among them... Let's not talk about Thomas, The conflict between Li Shengli and Johnson has intensified to a certain extent.

The main player in the backcourt, Jill, was injured, the two main players in the inside were at odds, and the bench was not deep.

All of this has made the Hornets, who were expected to hit the playoffs, precarious. As far as the Hornets' management is concerned... there are only two choices.

The first is to ignore it and ignore it, which is equivalent to pretending to be bad in disguise, and take this year's draft lottery pick, but this choice is a temporary solution, not the root cause. Even if you can get a good rookie, the problem of discord among the main players is still here .

Therefore, the management of the Hornets is more inclined to use the scalpel of the transaction. Between Li Shengli and Johnson, give one in exchange for the opportunity to reinforce other positions. After all... This is the first time since the Hornets joined the league since the establishment Qualified for the playoffs, the management does not want to give up.

For a while, the Hornets, who had confirmed their trading intentions, became the sweet pastry that the entire league was chasing after each other. The trading plans of each company were handed over to the Hornets management board. After all, eating any of Li Shengli and Johnson would be a supplement. Strong insider option.

……

The outside world was turbulent, and the Hornets also felt this strange and depressing atmosphere.

Head coach Alan is heartbroken, after all, cutting off any one will affect the record of the Hornets, which is related to his coaching rating, and Curry and Boggs are even more uncomfortable.

Trading Johnson is naturally good, but if Li Shengli is traded, the two brothers must feel 1 disappointments... Jill is reimbursed for the season, Li Shengli was traded midway, and the entire Hornets are left with the two of them who have a good relationship.

However, the NBA is a commercial league, and transactions are too common. They have no way to influence the decision of the management. They can only wait patiently for the news before the transaction deadline on February 2.

……

Because of the All-Star Game, the schedule of the regular season has been put on hold for a few days, so the next game is obviously a bit rushed. The schedule is very tight, and the Hornets have five games before the trade deadline. The first three games are Consecutive back-to-back away games, the last two games are home games.

Until the 23rd of the month.

Played four games in five games, 2 wins and 2 losses, with a total record of 22 wins and 24 losses. The fifth game will be played on the 23rd. The Hornets will play the Houston Rockets at home. There will be another Hornets game on the 25th.

……

23nd night.

Charlotte Hornets VS Houston Rockets!

In the Charlotte Arena, the home of the Hornets, since Li Shengli shined in the All-Star Game, his fans in Charlotte have been increasing day by day. No one would have thought that an Asian face and a foreign player would be so popular. Today This match... is of great significance, and the seats are rarely full.

On the one hand, the opponent is the Rockets in the West. The Hornets' ace center Li Shengli meets the Rockets' superstar Olajuwon. It is destined to be a fierce confrontation between the old and the new.

On the other hand, because the management of the Hornets has launched a trading plan, one of Li Shengli and Johnson will leave the Hornets, and this game is the last game of one of them.

Li Shengli has accumulated a group of fans, but Larry Johnson is the same. The fans of the Hornets are cheering, and they still want to witness the closing game of a team lineup change.

……

After the two sides debuted and warmed up, the game started quickly.

The Hornets' starting lineup remains the same, Li Shengli plays the starting center, Larry Johnson and John Newman play the starting small and large forwards, Curry and Boggs play the starting points and point guards.

The Rockets' starting lineup includes center Hakeem Olajuwon, power forward Otis Thorpe, small forward Robert Horry, point guard Kenny Smith, and shooting guard Vernon Maxwell.

……

Unlike the Hornets' 22 wins and 24 losses, the Eastern Conference rankings hover outside the top eight.

The current record of the Rockets is 30 wins and 17 losses, ranking second in the Western Conference, only under the Phoenix Suns. The position is full of players who can be used to great advantage, and they are very competitive.

First, Olajuwon, as the head player of the Rockets, averaged 26.1 points + 13 rebounds + 4.2 blocks per game this season, and also had 3.5 assists, which shows his importance in the Rockets. He can attack and protect the basket , It can also support teammates and connect internal and external lines.

Of course, if you want to do this, it is difficult for Olajuwon alone. Power forward Otis Thorpe is his gold medal assistant. Together with him, he supports the Rockets' inside sky, works hard, and is willing to be the green leaf of the big dream. .

The Hornets are just the opposite.

Larry Johnson has been suppressed since the All-Star Game, and now he has received the news of the trade from the Hornets management, which has made him intensify, regardless of both offensive and defensive ends, ignoring Li Shengli, and playing his own game.

……

Midfield jump ball.

In the All-Star Game, Li Shengli and Olajuwon played on the same field, but at that time Olajuwon and O'Neal faced off. Although the defense was weak, O'Neal was embarrassed on the offensive end.

The two stood in the midfield and didn't talk much.

Although we have met face to face, the relationship does not stop there. After all, there are as many as three to 400 players in the NBA. Who doesn’t know each other? Those who have met face to face are not friends, otherwise the friendship is too worthless.

The referee throws the ball high.

Olajuwon killed the timing and took off immediately. Although he was 5 centimeters shorter than Li Shengli, the timing was good and the bounce was amazing. Li Shengli failed a rare jump ball and the Rockets took the lead in the first round.

But the jump ball has little effect on the game, no one will care about this kind of thing.

The Hornets' defenses fell into place, and Rockets point guard Kenny Smith pulled to the three-point line, and in front of Boggs, shot the Rockets' first offensive three-pointer.

Swish!

The basketball drew a perfect trajectory and successfully entered the net hollow.

……

Just shot a three-pointer?

Boggs is a little confused, and his face is a little bad, because Kenny Smith doesn't take his defense seriously at all. He is 1.9 meters tall and 1.6 meters tall, and he can easily pull up jump shots... Boggs really has a way No.

(End of this chapter)