Legend of Tomorrow

The Suns players returned to Phoenix for a day of rest and faced the Clippers at home. Guo Xu once again showed his outstanding strength.

In this game, the Suns' overall defense was very tight and the battle continued until the final moment. The Suns fell behind 106 to 107.

After D'Antoni called a timeout, he arranged for Guo Xu to make the final attack. His teammates double-covered to help him catch the basketball. Guo Xu broke through at full speed with the ball and faced Odom for a layup. He dodged a high-board throw from the right. He blocked the shot and hit the buzzer-beating shot cleanly. 108 to 107.

After several years of practice, Guo Xu's throwing has become a conventional weapon, even a trick. This move can not only score goals, but also save energy by not having to pull the lever to avoid blocking like those flying people.

Nowadays, many people in the NBA imitate Guo Xu, but the hit rate is not high. This action requires one hand to lift the ball high in advance, which is not easy to exert force. If the arc of the pick is too low, it is easy to be cut directly by the opponent. The feeling of the ball is not good The requirements are particularly stringent.

Guo Xu's strength is very good and he can pick the ball out easily. He uses the screen to start, misplace small to hit big, and rely on speed to enter the inside without anyone. He stretches his body during layups, using explosive power and shooting methods to make up for his lack of height.

He played 40 minutes, making 14 of 23 shots, 3 of 9 three-pointers, 4 of 5 free throws, and scored 35 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists.

He did not perform well outside the three-point line. He adjusted in time and changed his focus to breakthroughs and mid-range shots. He passed Brand again and again after mismatching.

Captain is recognized for his excellent defense. He can resist people in the low post and his long arms can interfere with shooting. Although he is only 203cm tall, his defensive efficiency in the low post is very high. His weakness is guarding against pick-and-rolls. His 125 kilogram weight means he is not very fast and his body is extremely thick.

Clippers starting guard Andre Miller was abused this time. After he was traded to the Clippers, his data dropped to 13.6 points, 4 rebounds and 6.6 assists, and his shooting percentage barely reached 40%.

To make matters worse, the Clippers' record this season has declined and they are unable to make the playoffs. Although the team has suffered injuries and the core members have been out in rotation, Miller's weaknesses have also been revealed. He is a restricted free agent in the summer. It's hard to get a big contract.

As a heavy point guard with a height of 188cm and a weight of 91kg, Miller is not fast and has no shooting range. His best scoring technique is low post play. This is destined to make it difficult for him to perform well without a suitable offensive system, and he will be uncomfortable when encountering a zone defense. How can he have so many opportunities for a point guard to go to the basket with his back?

In fact, Miller is very strong, but he was born in the wrong era. In Guo Xu's previous life, Miller was a well-known iron man in the league, with an astonishing attendance rate, having played in 632 consecutive games. He is a floor player with a strong awareness of assists. Although he has no speed, he has excellent footsteps.

If he had entered the league in the 1980s, he would have been a super point guard like Mark Jackson.

There are many players in the NBA who were born at the wrong time, and their achievements would be higher in another era.

Take Yao Ming as an example. If he entered the NBA ten years earlier, there would probably be five centers in the league. If he had been in the NBA for ten years and only entered the NBA in 2012, that would be bad. The offensive rhythm of each team would change very quickly and he would be exhausted.

In the game on the same day, the Mavericks suffered an upset loss to the Bucks, suffering their 12th loss of the season. The Suns were one step closer to the best record in the league.

Nelson did not let the Mavericks' two stars play for a long time in the All-Star Game. The Tridents performed very well offensively, scoring 20+ points and having a high shooting percentage, but the Mavericks' defensive weaknesses were still obvious. The score was 114 to 120 in regular time.

Five Bucks scored in double figures, and even blue-collar insider Ratliff scored 16 points.

The media have expressed that they are not optimistic about the Mavericks winning the championship. They are particularly fierce when they abuse their opponents. If they encounter a team with strong offensive power and can fight against each other, they may lose. The Mavericks have two blue-collar players on the outside who can hold on for a while, but they don't have a single defensive expert on the inside.

The Suns' strengths and weaknesses are similar to the Mavericks, and experts are not optimistic about them winning the championship. The Suns' internal and external defense is relatively weak. Only Marion's wing defense is acceptable. He can defend excellent scorers alone and help block shots.

The Suns' best defender in the penalty area is rookie Nene, which is a hidden danger. The two big inside rookies can help the team win in the regular season with their talent. Entering the playoffs will test their mental attributes. Most rookies are not as good as veterans in this regard.

That night, Suns owner Jerry Colangelo called his son Brian into the study to discuss the current situation of the Suns.

Brian, I think the Suns have a chance to win the championship this year. They only need two defensive players, one inside and one outside. Do you have any goals?

NBA bosses have a common problem. When the team is rebuilding, they are eager to trade out all the high-paid players in the team. When the team has hope of winning the championship, they always feel that the lineup is not good enough and are willing to use various methods. Reinforcement, even at the expense of the future.

Jerry hopes that the Suns will win the championship. He was founded by the Suns in 1968, and as the youngest manager in the NBA, he gradually became the boss. He accompanied the Suns along the way, from a passionate young man to an old man.

Jerry is a generous owner. He has made too many attempts to compete for the championship. He spent a lot of money to sign Gugliotta and Anfernee Hardaway.

Brian poured cold water on his father. Let me be blunt, don't expect mid-term trades. I have been researching for a month and contacted many teams. They are not willing to trade strong insiders. No team can have too many defensive insiders. , wanted to trade for Dampier from the Warriors, and they all offered to use Nene as a bargaining chip.

Brian explained that the only capable inside player to be traded this year was Kenny Thomas of the Rockets. He is in a contract year and is only 201cm tall. He has obvious flaws, so the Rockets management does not want to renew his contract.

Even Thomas's contract will definitely not be smaller when he renews his contract with the 76ers in the summer.

Jerry asked: Where's the outside line?

There is no need to look for defensive players on the outside, and there are not many opportunities to play, because players who can defend and shoot are not cheap. I think Bruce Bowen is an exception. It is a pity that he is in the Spurs.

The Suns already have three swingmen, Kiricek, Joe Johnson, and Jakobson to share playing time. Jakobson, the 2002 first-round pick, doesn't have many opportunities to perform, and it's even harder for the personal coaching staff to arrange rotations.

Teams that want to win the championship usually take the elite route. Three swingmen are enough. There are many rotation players in the playoffs and they are of little use. They mainly focus on star ability.

Jerry sighed and said seriously: You try again before the 21st and try to trade for a human shield.

I know. Brian said lazily.

Jerry hummed: Don't be perfunctory, don't forget our agreement, if the Suns win the championship in these two seasons, I will let you take over, otherwise I will sell the team.

Hey, didn't you say before that you would let me take over if the team reached the Western Conference Finals? Why did you change it to winning the championship? Brian said with a wry smile.

Can't I change my mind?

Jerry plans to retire from the Suns next year and he can't wait.

But mid-term reinforcement is easier said than done? Not only the Suns, but also the Mavericks management are looking for people to negotiate deals. Unless there is some special relationship between the teams competing for the championship, there is basically no possibility of negotiating a big deal, and it is difficult to take advantage.

Competitors who are also strong teams cannot provide assists, and their trade partners can only be chosen from bad teams. The Suns don't care at all about the role players on bad teams who have no statistics.

Where Solar Energy goes this season mainly depends on the performance of Guo Xu and the newcomers.

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