lakers championship

Chapter 251 Maximum Salary Conditions
In the NBA, the maximum salary is the best recognition of a player's strength and influence. It can be said that it is a standard for super giants, but some stars bring benefits to the team far beyond the salary they receive, such as LeBron, After returning to the Cavaliers, the ticket price of Quicken Loans Center has increased by an average of 80% every season.

In actual operation, some stars will take the initiative to cut their salaries to help the team have more salary space and facilitate the formation of a more powerful championship lineup.

Being able to take the initiative to cut salary and not getting the maximum salary are two different things.

Tianyang is very clear that the reason why the Lakers management is unwilling to give Cousins ​​a maximum salary is because the team still has himself, Ingram, and Randall who need to renew their contracts in advance. Can't get the maximum salary, let alone the outsider Cousins.

The Lakers traded for Cousins ​​at the beginning, the purpose was to increase the inside offense and help Tianyang share the pressure on the outside defense. With the rapid growth of Randle and Ingram, his role gradually faded. In addition, he is also a ball-handling style of play. The Lakers management may feel a little tasteless and a pity to discard it.

But that's all for later, and the main goal now is to win the series against the Spurs.

Tianyang racked his brains and said, "If you are more active on the defensive end, you will definitely get the maximum salary."

Cousins' eyes widened when he heard the words, and he was stunned for a while, "It seems reasonable. People blame me most for defense and temper problems, but I'm too heavy, and sometimes it's too late to retreat."

"That's not your fault, just defend the position and attack, and just defend the opponent's breakthrough layup." Tianyang waved his hand.

"Okay, I will work hard!" Cousins ​​nodded.

Tianyang finally breathed a sigh of relief. His reply was not a lie, nor was he a fool. He didn't make Cousins ​​angry, and he managed to divert Cousins' attention to defense, which can be said to serve multiple purposes.

If Cousins' defense improves in this round, or even the Western Conference Finals, and the Finals, and is recognized by fans and the media, even if the Lakers management does not give the maximum salary, other teams will give it with both hands.

……

In a blink of an eye, the halftime timeout ended and the game continued. Except for Ginobili who continued to play point guard, the other positions of the two teams were switched back to the starting lineup.

The Spurs attacked first, Ginobili dribbled the ball to the right wing, Alder stepped forward to pick and roll, and Randall switched defenses.

That thought, Ginobili swayed back to the right side, Randall subconsciously moved sideways and collided with Tianyang, and Ade used this gap to cut to the basket.

Ginobili tossed the ball high, Aldridge caught the ball and turned around, and was about to start for a layup when Cousins ​​was already in front of him.

Adelaide was obviously a little dazed, and hurriedly passed the ball to Gasol, but Cousins ​​ran back to defend like flying.

Gasol's old routine, roared, turned forward, and shot a small throw in front of the frame.

"Crack!" Cousins ​​slapped the basketball with his hat.

The Staples Center fans unanimously exclaimed "Wow!" Unfortunately, it was a fly in the ointment. Leonard picked up the basketball on the left wing, leaned close to the inside, and began to punch Ingram with his back.

Judging from past images, Ingram's size is relatively disadvantaged in defending heavy small forwards. The fans on the scene couldn't help sweating, worrying about how Ingram would defend.

I saw Leonard pushed hard, Ingram took a small step back, Leonard pushed hard again, Ingram suddenly withdrew, which was exactly the same as Tianyang's "withdrawing the chair" before, but Tianyang didn't have the opposite The timing was so good.

Leonard lost his support and staggered two steps. He didn't fall to the ground, but he couldn't continue to dribble, and the layup was too awkward, so he could only forcefully turn around and shoot.

The result was naturally a bang, Cousins ​​withstood Gasol, allowing Randall to easily get the rebound.

Tianyang and Ingram made a double-line fast break, while Leonard and Ginobili chased after them.

Ginobili tried his best to keep up with Tianyang, but Randall didn't pass the ball. Instead, he rushed to the frontcourt and scored a layup with three strides.

The Spurs worked so hard, but the result was unexpected. Popovich shook his head, turned and sat back on the bench.

In the TNT commentary, O'Neal opened his eyes wide, "The Lakers' defense just now was suffocating! When did Ingram learn technical defense?"

Kenny smiled, "I think Cousins ​​defended better just now, and even blocked shots with 1 defense and 2 shots. If it wasn't for predicting that Aldridge would pass the ball to Gasol and prepare to return to the defense in advance, it would definitely not be possible! "

Barkley nodded, "The Spurs may never have thought that passing the ball has become their weakness."

The Spurs attacked again, Ginobili dribbled the ball to the top of the arc, pretended to make a breakthrough to attract Tianyang to bend down, and then lobbed the ball inside.

Adelaide took the ball in a low position on the left side and played Randall singles with his back. With Leonard's lessons learned from the past, Adelaide did not fully exert his strength, but kept an eye on Randall's movements while pushing up.

But when he looked behind, he ignored the movement ahead. Nick Young saw the timing and slid past, forming a double-team with Randall.

Double-teaming this kind of thing, Adelaide has not experienced 1000 times, and there are 800 times. He skillfully turned back and turned aside the two, while raising his hands high, and got space to pass the ball to Danny Green who was running to the left corner. .

That once thought, Cousins ​​detoured from the bottom line abnormally spiritually, appeared in front of Adelaide as if turning on a flash, and also raised his hands high, completely blocking all Adelaide's passing space.

The ball was dead, the referee blew his whistle and punished Nick Young for a fight with Adelaide.

It's not a black whistle, but it's more or less shameless, even if Randall jumps the ball.

Mark Wahlberg, who was sitting on the sidelines, dribbled the ball and booed, and the fans at the Staples Center followed suit, but Cousins ​​pressed his hands down to signal 'stop it', and the fans burst into laughter.

It was the first time I saw Cousins ​​so "love and peace", it was really cute.

The boos of the audience immediately turned into cheers, and Nick Young and Adelaide separated from each other on both sides of the free throw line.

The referee threw the ball into the air, and the two jumped at the same time. Ade moved back, but Nick Yang pushed up with Tianyang's method.

Although only half of the palm touched the basketball, it successfully achieved the goal. The basketball did not fly over the two of them. Randall stepped forward, jumped high, and caught the ball in his hands.

At the same time, Tianyang and Ingram stepped off quickly, and Ginobili and Leonard chased after them again.

Randall still dribbled the ball to the front court one-stop, and Alder and Gasol gritted their teeth and rushed inside.

Unexpectedly, Randall passed the ball from the top of the arc, Cousins ​​received the ball, adjusted his posture, and aimed at the basket.

Three-point shot, hit!The Lakers scored 61 points, with only 1 point left.

In the TNT commentary, O'Neal hesitated again and again, and finally said: "If Cousins ​​​​continues to maintain this defensive state, and at the same time can make due contributions on the offensive end, after Tianyang is off the court, he can give him the ball. .”

Kenny suppressed a smile and said: "The Lakers came back from halftime, Cousins ​​took the lead, the defensive quality showed a step-up leap, and the Spurs were in a hurry. I dare say that there will be no fifth game in this round of the series."

Barkley didn't seem to hear the two talking, and said a little to himself: "I'm very curious about what the Lakers are talking about in the locker room. After returning from this half, it feels like two teams."

In the high-level stands, Kupchak frowned, thinking in his heart: "Tianyang will encourage people, but if it goes on like this, it will be easy to ride a tiger, but don't make it like O'Neal and Kobe again."

(End of this chapter)