lakers championship

Chapter 249 A Trace of Crisis

As an agent of an NBA player, it is normal to help the player put pressure on the contract year and fight for more rights.After all, the size of the renewal contract is based on data. The contract obtained by 18+8 is definitely not as good as that of 20+10. Moreover, the larger the renewal contract obtained by the customer, the more commissions they will get.

It is very smart for Cousins’ agent to make the request now. The Lakers are currently in a special period where they can agree to any request for the record. The massive celebrity interactive question and answer has already been held, just like a rich man setting up 100 tables of wine to marry his wife. Awkward.The Spurs are not the kind of opponents who can be bullied casually. If Cousins ​​​​doesn't play well, the result is really hard to say.

"It is still necessary to find out whether it was Cousins' instruction or his agent's own initiative. If he doesn't know, we can ignore it for the time being. If he planned it alone, then delay it first." Jim gave countermeasures .

Kupchak nodded, "I think so too. It is said that before the transaction, Cousins ​​said several times that he would only renew his contract with us, resulting in a significant drop in the value of the transaction. Now he should not self-destruct his future. I guess the agent made it himself. It is advocated that the number of shots is not the key, but that I want to get a long-term contract in advance. This time, the star interaction asked, let the world see the commercial value of the Lakers."

Apart from his basic salary, Cousins ​​doesn’t have much income. Firstly, as a big man, he doesn’t have signature shoes. Secondly, his public image is not good, and he has few off-court endorsements. Only by staying in Los Angeles and relying on the exposure of the Lakers can he have It may be further operated. If it is traded to the Northwest Division, no one cares about breaking the sky.

Asking for more shots and threatening to make other choices may be just negotiating means, the purpose is to call up the conditions first, and then have the capital to bargain.

……

At 30 pm on the 8th, the third game between the Lakers and the Spurs started as scheduled.

Celebrities gathered in the Staples Center. According to media statistics, there were more than 100 movie stars, big and small, in total. It is the people who sit inside, more or less have an identity.

In the TNT live broadcast area, the group of four dressed up to attend.

O'Neill: "I am very jealous of Tianyang. He has not contributed as much to the Lakers as I have, but he has received ten times or more love from me. I was born at a wrong time. The Internet age is so beautiful."

Kenny: "That's not necessarily the case. If you return to the top and join the Lakers now, you will definitely be the same as LeBron. The fans will think that they are deliberately grouping together. It is absolutely impossible to produce the same effect as Tianyang."

Barkley: "Tianyang has a kind of surprise bonus for fans in Los Angeles and even the world. Considering that he was seriously injured before, the biggest expectation for him was to be 15+5 in his first year as a rookie and strive to be selected in a few years Full-name star. No one expected that he would soar directly into the sky, not only helping the Lakers return to the playoffs, but also stepping into the ranks of MVP contenders ahead of time. After Cousins ​​joined the Lakers, some people said that his teammates were too strong, and his reputation even declined. some."

……

On the field, the players of the two teams have completed their positions, and the starting lineups of the two teams have not changed.

The referee walked between Cousins ​​and Gasol, and after explaining a few words, lightly tossed the ball into the air.

Cousins ​​reacted faster, jumped high, and pushed the ball behind him.

Tianyang picked up the basketball, accelerated sideways, threw Mills away and went straight to the right wing.

Before this game, Walton only emphasized that he should play faster offensively and not give the Spurs time to breathe. It was really adopted the tactics proposed by Tianyang.

It was only two seconds from the midfield to the right wing, and the players of the two teams were not yet fully positioned. In the chaos, Tianyang pulled out his hand.

A three-pointer hit, the Staples Center exploded, and Leonardo led the standing ovation.

The Spurs were naturally not to be outdone, Adelaide served from the baseline, Leonard received the ball and rushed forward.

Ingram followed all the way very fiercely, pressing with both hands together, giving the maximum defensive pressure.

Leonard buried his head to protect the ball and rushed to the left wing, which was a good way to get rid of the interference, but he was also surrounded by the Lakers because he couldn't see the situation on the court.In desperation, he could only pass the ball, and the Spurs failed to make a fast break.

When the two teams landed, Randall waved to Nick Young, Tianyang nodded to Ingram, and prepared early to defend against pick-and-rolls and Alder's low-post singles, but he never thought, Leonard chose to give the ball to the sol.

Gasol received the ball from the left elbow, turned his head and glanced at Cousins' position, and there was no complicated technical movement. He just roared, broke through the frame directly, and rushed two steps, before Cousins ​​got on his body Fighting, hastily throwing sideways and throwing hands.The whole action looks quite comical, but the basketball is hollow into the net.

Cousins ​​retreated to the bottom line, swung his arms and made a long pass, and Tianyang, Ingram, and Randall made a fast break in three lines.

This scene is so familiar, the Staples Center immediately burst into applause.

The basketball flew like a cannonball into the hands of Tianyang, who was going down the middle. Tianyang immediately hit the ground and passed the ball to Randall on the left. Randall did not stop the ball when he got the ball. side.

In the end, Ingram caught the ball and rushed to the basket for a dunk.

The entire offensive process took only 9 seconds, and Cousins ​​and Gasol just ran to the center line.

Cheers resounded at the Staples Center, and the fans seemed not to be watching the playoffs full of fierce confrontation, but to appreciate how the Lakers played brilliant offense. In other words, they didn't think the Spurs might pose a threat at all.

O'Neal: "This trick, perhaps in many years, will become one of the symbols of the history of the Lakers just like the gorgeous pass of the Magician SHOWTIME era."

Kenny: "The Spurs did not lose to the Lakers, but to the era. In the next ten years, the four teams of the Lakers, Warriors, Celtics, and 76ers will completely dominate the league, and other teams will basically have no chance."

……

In a blink of an eye, the two teams played to the last 3 minutes of the first quarter, and the scene entered an official timeout.The Lakers led by 5 points. Walton arranged for the main players to rest and asked Randall to bring a group of substitutes to play.

"Coach, I want to stay on the court!" Cousins ​​voluntarily applied.

"Boogie, do you really want to fight?" Walton asked a question that made the Lakers players a little confused. They all said it in person. Could it be that they really want to fight?
"I...I think..." Cousins ​​said, scratching his head.

Before the words fell, Walton waved his hand, "Then you stay on the field, McGee, wait a little longer."

……

The game continued in a blink of an eye, the Lakers attacked first, and Calderon dribbled to the top of the arc.

Cousins ​​stepped forward to do the pick-and-roll, and Tianyang was not there, so he naturally became the first main attack point.

Calderon dribbles to the right to take Gasol away and immediately turns to deliver the ball.

The Spurs also sent a substitute here, and Ginobili, who served as a temporary point guard, defended Cousins.

Perhaps thinking that Ginobili could not pose a threat, Cousins ​​​​only made a simple adjustment and raised his hand to shoot.

With a 'snap', Ginobili slapped the basketball away, then bent over to copy it, and made a precise long pass to Dejounte Mori, who then passed to Danny Green, who was down fast, and the Spurs hit a three-pointer.

Looking back, the Lakers attacked again, the pick-and-roll at the top of the arc was completed, and Cousins ​​made a direct three-pointer.

Hit the iron, Kyle Anderson caught the rebound, the Spurs made a quick break and scored another 2 points.

The fans at the scene frowned, feeling a hint of crisis.

Walton also stood up from his chair and wandered back and forth on the sidelines, seemingly hesitating about something.

Kupchak in the high-level stands prayed secretly: "Don't make anything happen in three minutes."

(End of this chapter)