the rest, only noise

Chapter 1254

November 1996, 11, the eve of Thanksgiving

Since the Portland Trail Blazers selected Michael Jordan in 1984, the matchup between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers has been a repertoire for NBA fans.

Before the strong rise of the Knicks, the Lakers battle can be said to be the most gorgeous matchup in professional basketball.

Over the years, this has become a tradition.

This year, the NBA arranged the two teams to play before Thanksgiving, obviously trying to attract fans who are on vacation to watch the game.

The game time has also been changed from 8:4 p.m. to [-]:[-] p.m.

When the fans entered the forum, it was still daytime outside.

When Louis came to the locker room, he found that Kobe was already sweating.

"Bean, Sean Kemp is too embarrassed to call himself 'Rain Man' in front of you, you are the real 'Rain Man'." Louie smiled lightly.

Ben Wallace helped Kobe explain: "Coach, Kobe came to the forum for training two hours earlier today."

"Training two hours earlier?" Ellis said incredulously, "And then you'll still have the energy to play?"

The arrogant high school student said arrogantly: "Don't compare me with a corrupt old man like you."

"Okay, tonight's game is getting more and more exciting!" Barkley laughed, "High school boy, in fact, Michael is like that. If he was really strong, he would have won the championship a long time ago."

The tragedy teacher joked: "Chuck, aren't you the reason why Michael didn't win the championship?"

"I'll fucking say it again, 1993 was a strategic mistake by that bastard Pat Riley!"

After some useless and meaningless arguments, Louis led the players into the forum.

In order to show that they attach more importance to this game, the Blazers came to the arena to shoot 10 minutes ago.

Wilson, Barkley met with Jordan and Olajuwon.

"Michael, are you ready to lose?" Barkley asked arrogantly.

Jordan rolled his eyes: "Aside from barking, what else can you do?"

Kobe didn't go over to say hello to Jordan, but just shot silently on the side.

Garnett has a sense of ownership, and greets every player in the Trail Blazers like a big boss.

But the responses he got were indifferent.

Because Riley doesn't allow his players to greet their opponents before games.

Speaking of Riley, this is his second year in command.When he took charge of the coach again, Paul Allen gave him a two-year limit.

If he can't lead the Blazers to win the championship within two years, he can only leave.

Now the second year is coming soon, Jordan and Olajuwon are getting older, and Alonzo Mourning, who paid a heavy price, is affected by the progressive luxury tax and unable to renew his contract, so he can only watch him fall into the arms of Cleveland.

On paper, the Blazers still have a good lineup.

Starting lineup: Jordan, (Tyrone) Corbin, (Rex) Chapman, Clifford (Robinson), Olajuwon.

Anyone who sees this lineup has to weigh it.

However, their lineup depth has been seriously insufficient.

Without a strong bench and young players with promising futures, success in this highly competitive league with only a group of veterans is tantamount to wishful thinking.

"Pat, if you don't win the championship this year, will Mr. Allen really fire you?"

Louie asked a question that Riley didn't want to face now like a heartless one.

Riley said angrily: "If you don't win a championship for the Lakers by 2000, Jerry Buss will do the same to you."

Louis said angrily: "Believe me, if we get to that point, if Mr. Bass doesn't fire me, I will fire myself. I'm a person with a good face, and I will never sit back and wait for someone to kick me away."

"Louis, what do you mean?!" Riley said angrily.

Louis smiled and said, "I mean, you should let go when you know that things can't be done, Pat, you don't think you can lead them to win the championship, do you?"

"Of course!" Riley had already hypnotized himself, "Michael is the strongest player, and Hakeem is the strongest center forward!"

"Ah, that's right, the two strongest players you mentioned have one thing in common, that is, they can't win the championship." Louis said with certainty, "Never."

When did Louie and Riley's relationship sour?
It all started in 1993, when Riley was led by Louie to overturn a 25-point game in two consecutive games, and in the end he left the game without even congratulating Louie without any hypocrisy.

From his standpoint, Louie could understand this decision.

But from the standpoint of Louis, an overcomer, he could not forgive this behavior.

Louis returned to his own field, and the starting lineups of both sides have been announced.

As the lights were turned off, the DJ enthusiastically announced the starting players of the Lakers tonight under the rendering of "Happy Clown" (Rock & Roll Part II).

When the fans heard Kobe's name, the screams that erupted on the scene were comparable to star players.

"It's hard to believe the popularity of a rookie who averaged less than 7 points per game!"

Bryant has started before, but not as nervous as tonight.

According to the arrangement, the person he was going to face was Jordan.

Before the jump ball, Bryant walked over to Jordan's side.

"I won't show mercy just because you're underage." Jordan said coldly, "Get ready!"

Jordan's words awakened the "real Kobe" in Kobe.

He said fearlessly: "Benjamin has seven rings, but I have never been afraid of him. Do you think I will be afraid of you?"

It was Kobe's words that made Jordan take a high look at the high school rookie.

A fledgling kid who is not afraid of an overlord like Wilson, and has no fear of facing Jordan, such courage is rare.

On the opening jump ball, Garnett's wingspan won the ball for the Lakers.

Dana Barros dribbled the ball. Since the Blazers did not have a pure point guard in the starting lineup, it was Tyrone Corbin who was in charge of facing Barros.

Corbin was also a member of the Knicks and played for Louis, but he played for a Knicks in the rebuilding stage, with frequent personnel changes, and he did not escape the fate of being shuffled.

After being traded by Louis, Corbin has been moving between strong teams, but he has never had a chance to win the championship.

Now, his competitive state is no longer at its peak, and it is not easy to defend Baros alone.

Baros didn't rush to fire.

Louis stood on the sidelines clearly comparing "4" and "1" with both hands.

The Lakers players then completed the 41 formation.

Wilson and Kobe stood in the left and right corners, Barkley was also pulled outside, and Garnett made a strong position, preparing to single-handedly play Olajuwon.

Ballos passes the ball.

The moment Garnett took the ball, Louie saw in detail how successfully Bird corrected his technique.

Garnett, who was only a rookie last season, still has many problems from his high school years. After a year of precepts and deeds from Bird, his entire movement is in line with the inside.

The hand that catches the ball is the right hand. Instead of taking the ball to the chest and making fancy movements like before, he turned directly and quickly to the line. Olajuwon's defensive skills are not weak, and he immediately blocked the offensive line.

And Garnett didn't hesitate at all, saw the move, stopped the ball, swung his elbow against Olajuwon's chest, and then retreated with his left hand to complete a small hook in the paint after hitting.

"Wow~~~~" Louie exclaimed, "If he can hit Hakeem like that, he can hit every big man in the league like that."

Bird shook his head and said, "No, that shark that hit Orlando couldn't do that."

"Hit that shark with your back? Pull it out and shoot him and kill him." Louie went into a state of touting players.

For this ball, ordinary fans watched Garnett play with his back cleanly.

Experts will find that the Lakers' position is Princeton-style 41 positions.

This has rarely happened before.

The Blazers' response to the ball was very simple.

Clifford Robinson put up a high pick-and-roll, and Corbin got open and shot with one hand.

However, Corbin's shooting accuracy after the screen was insufficient.

"boom!"

Barkley grabbed the defensive rebound and was brutally fouled by the Blazers before he could get up to speed.

The person who did it was Rex Chapman, and the strength of the strike was so great that it seemed to break Barkley's hand.

Buckley was furious immediately, and pushed Chapman, who had some acting skills, to the ground with a push.

"It's the same as who the hell can't foul!"

If it wasn't for his teammates to stop him, Barkley would probably go up and make up a few more old punches.

This season, the league has strictly enforced on-court violence. Barkley's push was called a common foul at most in previous years, but now he directly calls a T.

In desperation, Louis had to replace the irrational Barkley on the bench and replace him with veteran Buck Williams.

"Coach, don't change me, I'm very calm!"

Barkley wants to keep playing.

Louis just glared at him indifferently: "Come down as soon as I tell you to come down, don't talk nonsense."

Barkley immediately returned to his position obediently like a suckling pig.

(End of this chapter)