NBA: I am the card dealer

In this game, James took 28 shots and only made 12 of them, with a hit rate of only 42.8%. This was unimaginable before.

First of all, James would not normally shoot so crazily. Secondly, James would not let his efficiency be so low. Once his hit rate is far away from 50%, James' shots will become very cautious, and he usually will not shoot if he is not sure of making a shot.

But today, James was like crazy, attacking the basket frantically.

The effect was also very obvious, the Lakers' penalty area was broken.

James' 42.8% shooting rate was not only not criticized, but also received praise from all over the world.

"You should have done this a long time ago."

"Continuously putting pressure on the Lakers inside, this is the way of play you are familiar with."

"The impact is truly historic. Once it starts, it is unstoppable. If the series had been played like this earlier, the outcome might have been completely different."

"This is the correct way to play basketball! Regardless of whether I can make the shot or not, I will just rush in first."

"James, you finally got hard."

"There is hope for the Knicks."

"This is what a leader should do. Fight hard when the team needs you, and take the responsibility of winning or losing."

of course.

James' overall score was not low, 28 of 12, 9 of 3 three-pointers, and 19 of 14 free throws, scoring a crazy 41 points, plus a triple-double of 16 rebounds and 11 assists.

In addition to his crazy performance on the offensive end, he also leads by example on the defensive end, is very active in assisting defense, and will also help his teammates to position themselves and even provide cover for them.

This is definitely rare.

Even something unimaginable.

But James really did it, which shows that James really, really wants to win.

In order to win, we really gave our all.

This is why James is praised all over the world.

In this game, people finally saw the figure of the former superstar and also saw a performance of Xue Liancheng's level.

Except James.

Oladipo also put more energy on the defensive end, and his offensive performance began to pick up. He made 15 of 7 shots, 10 of 4 three-pointers, and scored 20 points, which was considered enough support for James.

Lopez didn't play much in this game, only less than 10 minutes, made 5 of 11 shots, and only got 5 points and rebounds.

This is also the point that Tyronn Lue adjusted.

Although Lopez is still the starter, his playing time has been compressed and Jeff Green has been replaced in order to increase his mobility and speed so that he can at least match the Lakers.

Especially when defending Randle, James went on the field himself and used his arm span, strength, and speed to constantly put pressure on Randle.

As a result, Randall could no longer perform in the same condition as in the previous game.

In this game, he only made 11 of 4 shots and scored 12 points and 8 rebounds. However, his passing ability was still there, with 6 assists, but he also had 4 turnovers.

This is also the point that the Lakers need to overcome at present.

Xue Liancheng was as steady as ever, shooting 22 of 12, 12 of 6 three-pointers, and 11 of 10 free throws, scoring 40 points, plus 16 assists and 8 rebounds.

If it weren't for him, the Lakers would have been beaten by the Knicks long ago.

Clarkson has lost his position, but he still had nearly twenty minutes of playing time, scoring 9 points with 4 of 10 shots, and his condition finally improved.

James Johnson also looked sluggish in this game, scoring only 12 points with 4 of 11 shots, and his efficiency was very poor.

The person who helped Xue Liancheng the most was Feng Lai, who made 14 of 8 shots and scored 19 points and 7 rebounds.

It was the best offensive performance of the series.

But on the defensive end, he was overwhelmed by James. Not only did he fail to stop James, but he also received his sixth foul in the last three minutes and had to leave the game early.

Otherwise, the Lakers still have a chance to fight the Knicks to the end.

pity.

Vonleh fouled out, but failed to stop James from dominating the game.

At this time, ESPN issued a topic call.

"Who else on the Lakers can really help Xue Liancheng?"

This sparked a frenzy of discussion.

"We are trailing 2:3 and are already on the edge of a cliff. In the current Lakers lineup, apart from Xue Liancheng who can consistently produce and score, no one else can perform stably. This is the Lakers' biggest drawback."

"I thought Randle was finally going to stand up in the last game, but he ended up shooting 11 of 4 and making 4 turnovers. It was really disappointing."

"Clarkson is useless in this series."

"It's not realistic to expect Feng Lai to explode in every game! He is just a support."

"Even James Johnson is no longer able to do it. I really don't know who else can give Xue Liancheng enough support!"

"Courtney Lee has always been a role player. Once Oladipo turned up the intensity in this game, he had no chance to shoot at all."

"Do we count on Joe Johnson? He is no longer the Eagle King he once was. Please!"

"Who else does the Lakers have?"

"That's all! You're really the only one leading the team!"

"The feeling I get from the Lakers right now is that they can't win unless Xue Liancheng scores 50+."

"I really want to be the C in every game! But Xue Liancheng is also a human being!"

After a discussion, everyone found that there was no one around Xue Liancheng who could guarantee the output. Only Xue Liancheng himself could explode and score 50+ points, which was the key to winning.

This answer is really frustrating.

At this time, Randall was once again pushed to the forefront.

This also indirectly proves that the public actually has high hopes for Randall.

After all, after George was injured, Randle should nominally be the second-in-command, and Randle should have such conditions. After all, he had good statistics in the regular season. 16+8 is already a quasi-All-Star level.

As a result, after the playoffs began, each round was worse than the previous one.

In the series with the Warriors, they were chased down by Greenwich, and in the series with the Spurs, they were so caught up that they doubted their lives.

Now coming to the series against the Knicks, Randle doesn't know what's wrong and still can't get hard.

So far, Randle can contribute 14.8 points, 8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. The data looks okay, but his average shooting percentage is only 43.8%. Overall, it is really hard to say that he is excellent.

To put it bluntly, Randall's performance is not up to the level of a second-in-command.

After all, as an inside player, and a player who mainly attacks the basket, your shooting percentage is so poor. How can you deserve the word "excellent"?

Besides that, there is one more thing.

That is, Randle's performance has never been far behind that of other Lakers players.

Clarkson is terrible, and now he is averaging 11 points per game.

James Johnson also averaged 12.8 points per game, and Vonleh averaged 12.4 points and 6 rebounds per game.

This makes Randall's statement as the second-in-command completely unconvincing.

Or to be more precise, your performance is not much different from that of an ordinary role player.

The only difference is that you rely on your tactical position to raise your assist data significantly, and your overall performance looks much better.

of course.

This is also Randall's ability.

This also shows that Randle's own abilities are there, his passing skills and vision are excellent.

But on the other hand, this is also the reason why Randall was fiercely criticized.

Since you can play and have the qualities to be an All-Star, but you played so poorly, it is really disappointing.

It seems a bit like a feeling of being disappointed in someone.

In this regard.

Randle responded: "The court changes rapidly, and many things are not as cold as the data reflects. I need to observe the situation, make judgments in an instant, and deal with various complex environments, so I think it is normal for the state to fluctuate."

This explanation did not convince the reporter.

The reporter asked, "Why hasn't Xue Liancheng performed badly since the playoffs? Even James Johnson has performed very steadily?"

Randall was stunned for a moment, then he answered, "Uh... because our positioning is different, the things we do are different, and the pressure of letting go we face is different, so it's hard to measure me by their standards."

This is a fallacy.

It means that it is normal for him to occasionally perform poorly, and it is also normal for James Johnson and Xue Liancheng to perform steadily. The excuse is still fresh, what is the positioning! The work! The defensive pressure faced!

The reporter immediately responded: "Is your job more complicated than Xue Liancheng's? Is your position more difficult than Xue Liancheng's? Or do you face greater defensive pressure than Xue Liancheng?"

Randall opened his mouth, but ended up being speechless and unable to speak for a moment.

The reporter pressed again: "Do you not want to take responsibility for this? Or do you think it doesn't matter whether the team wins or loses?"

Randall quickly replied: "I want the championship, I will fight for it at all costs, please don't doubt my desire for victory."

Reporter: "Then shouldn't you explain your occasional poor performance?"

Forced into a corner, Randall could only promise: "Believe me, I will be back in full health in the next game, I will play with full energy and drag the series into a seventh game."

Done.

Just run away!

But the criticism against Randall on the Internet has never stopped, because this explanation is nonsense, and the fans are not fools and will not listen to your nonsense.

Instead, it sparked even more fierce criticism from fans.

And the sixth battle began amidst a turbulent roar.

The Lakers' starting lineup has been decided: Xue Liancheng, Courtney Lee, James Johnson, Vonleh, and Randle.

The Knicks' starting lineup remains unchanged: Oladipo, Crowder, PJ Tucker, James, and Lopez.

In fact, apart from Lopez, the Knicks' lineup is not that big.

Therefore, their mobility is not bad and they can retreat quickly, which effectively curbs the Lakers' fast break counterattacks.

The host of this game gave an overview: "In the last game, the Knicks reduced Lopez's playing time. James played as the center to defend Randle, which caused Randle's top-of-arc coordination to decline. I thought Tyronn Lue would continue the defensive strategy from the last game, but he still put Lopez in the starting position."

The commentator expressed his own opinion on this: "Lopez is an All-Star! You can't put an All-Star on the bench. Another point is that Lopez is actually very good at protecting the rim in the paint area. He was just pulled out by Randle. As long as this pain point is solved, Lopez's role should not be underestimated."

The commentator also commented: "So far in the series, Lopez has played up to his worth, of course! This is not the point. The point is that the players' conditions are different in each game, which will lead to some deviations in defensive strategies, and then the entire tactical system has to be adjusted. The game rhythm will also be different, and the defensive focus will also be very different. So if he didn't play well in the last game or didn't have many scenes, it doesn't mean that he will not play well in the next game or won't have many scenes. This point must be distinguished. Moreover, Lopez is one of the Big Three, and there is absolutely no problem with his personal ability. Taking him out of the starting lineup would be the stupidest thing to do."

The commentator agreed: "Yes! Lopez can score 30+ or ​​even 40+ points in a single game. Once he explodes, he is an All-Star player who has the ability to change the course of the game. It would be stupid to keep such a player on the bench."

The explanations given by the two were still very clear.

In the last game, Lopez was marginalized and played for less than 30 minutes. The effect of James' defense on Randle was also obvious, but he still sat firmly in the starting lineup in this game. The main reason is that Lopez does have the ability to change the course of the game. Once he is in good form, he can turn the tide in the interior and even force you to change your defensive strategy.

How could a player like this be kept on the bench?

No matter what, I have to come up and try it out to see how it feels.

The game begins.

As expected, Lopez gave the answer, scoring two consecutive inside attacks and showing his offensive firepower.

Tyronn Lue also made adjustments on the defensive end. James still defended Randle, while Lopez defended Vonleh.

This way.

This perfectly avoids the problem of Lopez being pulled out. Once encountering the Lakers' breakthrough and attack, Lopez can quickly retreat to the inside to provide assistance defense, and the rim protection effect is immediately enhanced.

The commentator sighed again and again: "I have to say, Tyronn Lue's brain is really quick! While keeping the inside players with the greatest offensive deterrence, he also solved the problem of empty space in the inside."

Commentator: "And judging by their proficiency, they must have practiced this countless times during the two days of rest."

Host: "Now we need to see what response the Lakers will make?"

The answer is: no response.

The Lakers' current roster is very deficient, and the degree of adjustment they can make is very limited.

The only player who can compete with Lopez is rookie Zubac.

If you let a rookie play on a big stage like the finals, it's either crazy or stupid.

Zubac's performance since the playoffs has also proved that it is difficult for him to be the starting center.

The main reason is that he is too immature and has butter hands. If he dribbles the ball and is double-teamed, it is basically a mistake.

and so.

It's okay for him to play on the bench, but to start and be entrusted with important tasks is just wishful thinking.