start with scouting

Chapter 402 Playoff Match

Negotiations with the Morgan consortium went very smoothly.

The person in charge of the consortium wanted to send money to Su Yang, and offered to give a few hundred million more dollars, so that when bidding for the team, he would have enough funds to build a new arena, so that the NBA board of directors and officials would not look down on them, causing Bid failed.

No way, the growth rate and scale of MT users is comparable to the rise of Facebook back then. It is obviously the next national application software. The key is the mobile terminal. On the basis of the 4 million 5000G users in the United States, it is fat no matter how you look at it. Meat.

Investing in money is bound to make a lot of money. The Morgan consortium is eager to invest more, and is planning to cooperate with consortiums such as Goldman Sachs and Fidelity to grow bigger together.

Su Yang chose to accept after deliberating for a long time, discussed some specific matters in detail, and handed over full authority to Jiang Rulan in the later stage.The Morgan consortium will gradually mobilize funds and remit a total of one billion US dollars in batches. As an additional condition, it will be responsible for the future underwriting business of MT.

Thinking of becoming a billion-dollar super-rich man soon, Su Yang was very excited, feeling that the dynasty was about to start.

The All-Star Weekend was held simultaneously, and the league continued to adopt Su Yang's proposal to divide the rookie competition into two teams: the world and the United States. However, the skill competition, three-point competition and slam dunk competition used the situation of eastern and western players to form teams, forcing it to be the worst. session.

As for the All-Star Game, Chris Paul led the team to victory and won the AMVP with 20 points, 15 assists and 4 steals.

Thinking about it carefully, it was Paul's only MVP award. It was really precious, and Su Yang tweeted his congratulations.

After finishing the negotiation, Su Yang focused on the team again, and discussed with the assistant coach team how to deal with the strategy of many teams going crazy every time they played against the Lakers, and did not hesitate to get a lot of fouls. Strategies of sexual aggression.

Just as they were fully preparing for the battle, the Bass family issued an obituary: Boss Jerry Bass died of cancer.Su Yang sincerely tweeted his tribute, because the old Bass brought more entertainment concepts to the NBA, and he also fully trusted him, which was of great help.

February NO.20, the Lakers sit at the Staples Center and usher in their first opponent after the All-Star, the Boston Celtics.

Because there is no home court advantage in the North Shore Garden, after the Celtics launched a high-intensity defensive strategy at the beginning, the main player Courtney Lee soon got two fouls, Garnett also got two fouls, Rivers Admit on the spot and change strategy.

With Garnett off the field, the Celtics' inside defense collapsed.

Seeing this, Su Yang adjusted his strategy on the spot and arranged for the entire Lakers team to attack around Gasol, and Gasol did whatever he wanted inside, and quickly made 6 of 5 shots and sent 2 assists when he was double-teamed, helping the Lakers in the first quarter. Leading 36-27.

In the second quarter of the match against the bench, Rivers was so determined that he once again instructed the Celtics to adopt a big-movement defensive strategy, desperately consuming Blake and others, but the referee was not used to him, and in a blink of an eye he called Terry three fouls. Rivers admits again.

After halftime, the Lakers led by 14 points.

Back from the break, because Rondo was injured and absent, the Celtics' organizational skills were seriously insufficient, and they failed to launch any counterattack in the second half.

In the post-match press conference, the reporter asked whether defeating the Celtics twice would take advantage of Rondo's absence due to injury.

Su Yang shrugged when he heard the words: "I feel sorry for Rondo's injury, but that's part of the game, I can only accept..."

After finishing the interview, Su Yang suddenly recalled that in the entire 12-13 season, Rondo only played 38 or 11.1 games due to injuries, but he averaged 9.7 assists per game. According to the regulations, he took away Paul's 70 assists per game. Many controversies caused the league to introduce the "Rondo Clause" later, requiring that at least [-]% of the regular season data kings be selected to participate in the battle.

"Director Long is very interesting, but this assist king is not worthy of the name. I can take this opportunity to improve my reputation..." Su Yang made up his mind and sent an email to remind the league officials. As for whether the league will modify the selection criteria in the end, that is really out of control.

If the league introduces restrictions in advance, it will help Paul win one more assist king invisibly, which is better than nothing.

After a day off, the Lakers played against the Trail Blazers at home.

Although McMillan is no longer the head coach of the Trail Blazers, the Blazers still have a familiar rhythm of "exploding at the beginning of the new season, stretching in the middle of the season, and hitting the end of the season". .

At the beginning of the season, the Blazers, who defeated the Lakers with great bang, have struggled to make the playoffs after suffering two consecutive losses.

The game started at 10 o'clock. The two teams played inextricably in the first quarter. The Blazers also used high-intensity defense in the second quarter. At the cost of 4 fouls, they forcibly scored 2 points more than the Lakers and entered the second half with a [-]-point advantage. On the one hand, it is really strong.

Back from the halftime break in the third quarter, the Blazers continued their high-intensity defense and tied with the Lakers at the cost of 8 fouls.

During the pause between quarters, ESPN commentator Van Gundy joked: "Many fouls on Curry, including possession and off-ball, were not whistled. The referee didn't know what to do. If he strictly followed the rules, then Curry would become Unstoppable.

Don’t look at the Blazers getting 8 fouls in the third quarter, in fact they should get at least 13 fouls. Many teams look for that and increase their defensive strength without any worries. Except for the Celtics, there is no other team Suffering in terms of penalties.

Of course, I know that there will be many fans who will refute, saying that Stephen Curry itself is difficult to adapt to high-intensity competition..."

While Van Gundy complained, Su Yang adjusted his tactics to allow Curry to attack with the ball more. Following the fourth quarter of the game, Curry lived up to expectations and made 5 of 3 shots and a rare 5 free throws. He scored 11 points and helped The team narrowly beat the Blazers by 4 points.

In the whole game, the Blazers fouled 28 times and the Lakers fouled 14 times. Twitter and other platforms discussed whether the referee's call was fair.

At the post-match press conference, a reporter reported Van Gundy’s complaints and asked for his opinion. Su Yang said with a smile: “I think Stephen can accept such a hidden double standard. Hard to foul…”

On the same night, the trade deadline for the NBA12-13 season ended. Except for the Bucks, Bobcats and Magic, which involved 8 players, the other teams were making minor repairs. The main purpose was to compress the salary space. did not do.

At noon, ESPN then updated the strength of the major teams in the league. The Lakers ranked fifth, and their probability of winning the championship increased slightly.

Old Bath’s chase meeting was held at the same time. Su Yang was invited to attend. When he saw Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and other famous figures of various eras, he felt that time flies. If there is something you want to do, you must act as soon as possible. .

One day off, on the 24th, the Lakers played against the Mavericks with Nowitzki at home. Kobe led the team to a narrow victory with 38 points.

It was so difficult to win, mainly because the bench lineup led by the three of Jamison was overwhelmed by the bench lineup led by Vince Carter. Among them, Carter made 13 of 8 shots and Elton Brand made 13 of 7 shots. Substitutes are under great pressure.

After playing the Mavericks, the entire Lakers team flew to the Denver plateau overnight, slept until noon, and hurried to the Pepsi Center for training.

Fighting back-to-back, the whole team struggled physically. In the first quarter, they were beaten by the Nuggets and fell behind by 6 points. In the second quarter, they were beaten by Kenneth Faried, McGee, and Anthony Randolph. The jumping man frantically rushed to the inside and fell behind by 13 points at halftime.

In the second half of the game, they scored seven more points than the Nuggets, but they dug too many holes in the first half, and finally lost 111 to 117.

In the last game in February, the Lakers challenged the Timberwolves away and won 116 to 94. Curry broke out and scored 33 points, and the team scored in double figures with seven players.Timberwolves fans yelled for Rick Adelman to resign when leaving the field, too much delay for young Timberwolves.

Su Yang heard the words and thought: The Timberwolves are rotten by the boss and the management. Timberwolves swept out.

In the NBA, the management level of the boss often determines the upper limit of a team. Like the Timberwolves, Kings, and Magic, they all had brilliant seasons, but they all depended on the right time and place, plus superstars, and they were cheated by their own bosses at other times. cry.

Su Yang has already imagined how to manage as a boss: invite managers like Sam Hinkie who are familiar with the CBA terms and the operation of draft picks, give directions by himself, and let them implement them. The commercial part is completely separated, and the agent threatens to get out. .

In the first game in March, the Lakers played against the Eagles at home. The game was inextricably linked. Kobe hit a go-ahead mid-range shot in the last nine seconds, followed by Curry stealing the basketball Josh Smith was trying to pass to Jeff Teague. Together, they helped the Lakers defeat 99-98 eagle.

The reason why the game was so difficult was because the bench was hammered by the Eagles. The main "NBA's fastest man" Devin Harris rushed up, and it was difficult for Blake to defend.

On March 40th, the Lakers flew to Oklahoma City to challenge the Thunder. Although according to Su Yang's strategy, they managed to limit Durant's shooting percentage to only 27%, they suffered 15 of 11 shots from Westbrook and Reggie Jackson. 7 of [-] shots, ruthless hammer.

In the whole game, the Lakers lost 17 points. There was nothing wrong with their strategy, but they lost to Westbrook's unreasonable 37 points and 1 turnover.

The whole team was quite depressed. They flew to New Orleans overnight and played back-to-back away games against the Hornets. The first quarter was originally tied, but in the second quarter Eric Gordon showed his prowess and made 5 of 4 three-pointers. Robin Lopez also teamed up Davis grabbed the offensive rebound.

Throughout the second quarter, the Lakers lost 19 points. In the second half, they struggled to catch up to the end of the game, losing 108 to 114.

Attending the press conference after the game, facing reporters asking the reason for the two-game losing streak, Su Yang smiled wryly: "We went all out, but the opponent played far above the average level, we are happy for them, and hope that we will have the same in the future. good luck…"

After playing the Hornets, there are 20 games left in the regular season.

The Lakers have a record of 44 wins and 18 losses, only three games behind the Thunder, which is No. [-] in the West, and still hope to hit No. [-] in the West.

On the flight back to Los Angeles, Su Yang took Kobe and Curry to join the coaching staff to discuss whether it is necessary to go all out to become No. [-] in the Western Conference.

On March [-], the Lakers played against the Raptors at home.

Because of the mid-season trade, the Raptors got the Grizzlies giant Rudy Gay, which is considered to be the last piece of the puzzle. The defensive level has not improved, but the offensive level has risen sharply. The two teams lead alternately. Drag into overtime.

In the overtime period, the two teams fought wildly, and the scores increased each other. Kobe injured his finger and refused to leave the game. Su Yang directly forced him on the bench. Made two free throws.

Then Gay hit the iron with two points and the Lakers narrowly beat the Raptors 118 to 116. Kobe hurried to the hospital for examination.

In the early hours of the morning, Su Yang received a text message from Garivetti, informing him that Kobe Bryant's right index finger was slightly torn and he needed a truce for at least 6 games.Su Yang accepted it calmly, adjusted the rotation plan when he woke up early in the morning, and at the same time encouraged Bazemore and other backup shooting guards to take up the heavy responsibility.

Fortunately, Kobe's injury is still some time away from the playoffs, and there will be plenty of time after his comeback to find his status again.

On the 9th, the Lakers played against the Bulls at home. Due to the lack of Kobe, the offense was limited, Curry did not break out, and it was a pity to lose by [-] points.

Immediately afterwards, the Lakers started a three-game streak in the East, narrowly defeated the Magic, and lost to the Eagles and Pacers in a row, becoming 46 wins and 21 losses.

Curry's ability to lead the team has been questioned a lot. Some fans and the media ignored the fact that Kobe was absent, wantonly belittled Curry's inability to carry the team without All-Star teammates, and said that if Kobe does not come back, the Lakers will fall into the season. The second half of the playoffs.

Su Yang was also asked by the reporter what he thought of Curry's poor leadership ability, and replied: "I am not offending Smush Parker or other Lakers players in the 06 season. , Basketball is a team sport, which needs to be worked hard and enjoyed by the whole team. There is a problem with letting someone alone take responsibility and receive honor..."

Those remarks were intended to point out the cognitive bias of the media and fans, but they were considered to be helping Curry shirk responsibility.

Many media have issued articles, thinking that the Lakers are not worthy of the maximum salary to renew Curry, and at most give a qualification offer and then look at it.

Jr. Bass accepted an interview with the "Los Angeles Times" and talked about Curry's contract extension, saying that the Lakers management will consider it carefully.

After the three-game streak ended, the Lakers returned to Los Angeles to face the Kings without Cousins. Kobe continued to recover from his injuries and won by 11 points.

In the whole game, Curry scored 20 points and 12 assists, but his real contribution far exceeded the statistical data. In the press conference after the game, Su Yang gave three consecutive examples of Curry running without the ball and involving defense. He praised: "Curry's gravity is something that really exists..."

After beating the Kings, the Lakers flew to Phoenix overnight to challenge the Suns back to back. Big defeat.

After four full days of rest, the Lakers played against the Wizards at home. Kobe made his official comeback and hit a tie-breaking three-pointer with 2 seconds left. However, the referee messed up his mentality, and finally called Kobe for a foul on Wall, which resulted in the Lakers being taken away by Wall with two free throws. Let's go, I'm so angry.

At the end of 70 regular season games, the Lakers have 47 wins and 23 losses. In theory, they still have the possibility of being the first in the Western Conference, but the probability is very low. Just play normally.

After confirming the plan, the Lakers played the last 12 games normally, with a total of 9 wins and 3 losses. The total record is 56 wins and 26 losses, which is the same as the Clippers. Can enter the upper half.

Fortunately, because the opponent is the Clippers, the Lakers have the home court advantage, but it is so easy to beat the Clippers to advance.

The other three groups in the West, the first Thunder against the eighth Rockets, the second Spurs against the seventh Warriors, the third Nuggets against the sixth Grizzlies.

ESPN tweeted: "The Lakers' opponent in the first round is the Clippers. If they advance to the semifinals, they will face the winner of the Thunder and the Rockets. They can replicate the legendary experience of the Rockets in 95 and win the second half of the playoffs. Has the ranking been successfully defended?"

Those tweets aroused heated discussions, and some fans believed that if Kobe hadn't been accidentally injured, the Lakers should have been ranked second in the Western Conference.

A reporter interviewed Su Yang for his opinion. He was too lazy to talk about those scenes, and he just took the time to study how to deal with the Clippers.

　Post a big chapter, today may be this chapter, I pretended to take a cold shower after exercising last night, and today I have a migraine.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)