Legend of Tomorrow

The biggest showdown in the first round of the Western Conference is the Suns VS Lakers.

Because Guo Xu's career started with the Lakers, the Lakers did not renew his contract because they had Kobe on the outside. In addition, Jordan once commented that Kobe was a better player than Guo Xu. Every time the two of them faced off, they attracted fans. eyeball.

Most fans believe that the Suns will sweep the promotion, and only a few believe that the Lakers will create an upset and create a miracle. The tickets for the first game in Phoenix were quickly sold out.

The NBA playoffs allow 13 players to be reported to the roster, but the Suns only played 12 players. They all made the roster, and everyone was happy.

Some media previously predicted that one of the little bullies Stoudemire or Marion would come back in the playoffs, but the result was not. Team doctor Carter advised them not to do so, as it would be risking their careers. Moreover, the Suns' first regular season record has proven their strength, and the current lineup is not incapable of competing for the championship.

The Lakers also played with the best lineup and no injured players. They have run well together this season and defeated many strong teams in the second half.

In the pre-game interview, Zen Master Phil Jackson was very low-key. He said: The Suns are stronger and Jason Guo should defend seriously in the playoffs. It is difficult to beat them in this situation. We can only work hard. Go try it.”

When entering the stadium, Guo Xu, who was wearing a suit, also accepted an interview with reporter Audrey Jones.

Jones asked him to predict the outcome of the game. Guo Xu said: Sweep, it's that simple. I will not let Parker take easy shots or take walks on the defensive end in the playoffs. We are all ready to win.

Audrey asked, What is your goal for this season?

Of course it's a championship. We have injured three generals this year, but it doesn't hurt to have a bigger goal.

After entering the locker room, D'Antoni said a few words to encourage morale, and then arranged tactics to let Guo Xu break through and score the ball.

Jason, I hope you can help your teammates gain confidence and reduce the number of personal shots in the first round. They lack playoff experience. The first round can be used as training. Even if they lose one or two games, they can accept it. It will be good for the next games.

Guo Xu smiled and said: I understand, but I don't think we will lose. As long as everyone is not nervous, we can perform well. What is there to be nervous about? I don't defend well in the regular season, and you can all make up for the defensive gaps. In the second game, as long as everyone gives me the ball while defending solidly, we will win. We are very strong.

Guo Xu paused and said loudly: I promise not to be lazy on the defensive end anymore. Everyone cheer up. My nickname is 'Guo Bufang'.

If you allow your opponent to score more points than the point guard, don't blame me if the media criticizes you.

The players burst into laughter and felt very relaxed.

Because they all know that there is a player called Serious Jason Guo and they often see him in training. Guo Xu and Payton have the same defense, and they have super physical fitness. How can they be poor in defense? His only weakness is that he is short and cannot interfere with shooting. It is impossible for opponents to get past him easily. He can defend the face frame as well as the back.

Guo Xu really built up the confidence of his teammates by letting loose in the regular season. The Suns' defense was not bad when he was lazy. If he was serious, could his opponent score high points against the Suns? And entering the playoffs, the coaching staff will reduce David Lee's playing time and strengthen defense.

In the visiting team's locker room, when arranging tactics, Zen Master Jackson also told Kobe to pass the ball more, move the ball around, and blossom more is the key to winning.

The Lakers coaching staff analyzed the data and believed that the Suns can achieve the best record this season thanks to Guo Xu's super personal ability and overall offensive efficiency.

On the surface, the Suns are a group of unknown people sharing playing time. Only Guo Xu and Howard average more than 30 minutes per game. However, the Suns' role players, led by Guo Xu, have a high shooting percentage. They played in limited time. If you put the data together, you will be a star.

Jackson hopes that Kobe can play like Guo Xu, attracting double teams and improving the shooting percentage of his teammates. This is the only way for the Lakers to win. Kobe's statistics are good, but his shooting percentage is not good, and his efficiency is not as good as the Suns' two No. 2 positions combined, because the Suns' No. 2 position scores by throwing three-pointers, which is very accurate.

Jackson told Kobe. You must drive your teammates. Don't compete with Jason every time you shoot. It's meaningless. If the Lakers create a black eight miracle, even if he averages 40 points per game in the series, you will be the one who gets the highest evaluation.

Kobe moved his mouth, thinking that the premise is that we can win, even if that guy averages 40 points per game, and the Suns sweep the Lakers.

Can Guo Xu be dealt with by Smush Parker and Monta Ellis? This position is difficult to deal with.

Before the game started, Kobe was in a bad mood and had no confidence in winning.

Many times, experts can tell whether they can win just by looking at the lineup. Strong teams cannot have obvious defensive weaknesses. The stars have always been tough and it is necessary to boost morale, even if it is just tough words sometimes.

Kobe knew that Guo Xu didn't do his best to defend during the regular season. He often performed outrageously on the defensive end. He even dared to admit that he didn't want to defend and was deliberately lazy. Kobe also knew Guo Xu's true defensive level. He could challenge him one on one in his rookie season, but he just couldn't interfere with his shooting.

When the players came out, Guo Xu received the warmest applause, and Kobe also received a lot of applause.

This is the second time in Kobe's career that he has averaged 30+ per game in a single season. It is not easy for a player to do this. He is already considered a super scorer who can leave his name in NBA history. The home audience is looking forward to his performance with Guo Xu. A fierce battle.

Unfortunately, Kobe failed to win the scoring title twice with 30+ points.

During the warm-up, Guo Xu practiced shooting from the center circle, shooting from a high arc without leaving the team, and made 3 of 5 shots.

During the TNT radio broadcast, Barkley noticed this and said with a smile: Jason is preparing to hit a three-pointer in the midfield again. He was practicing this during the warm-up. Smush Parker didn't look this way. If he saw He will definitely be flustered.

Smith said: The super three-point ability makes Jason the most difficult person to defend in the NBA. His shooting range is too far, and he also has fast speed and sharp breakthroughs. Iverson even admitted that Jason is faster than him. , and you can see it when playing games.”

Barkley laughed: During his rookie season, many people said that Jason played in the NBA with an ordinary body and was a floor player. He almost always said that when he was with the Lakers until he won the dunk king. This is really funny.

Smith said: I don't think his quality was that good at the beginning. He trained quite hard when he was with the Lakers. He started to be lazy after he got better physically. It doesn't matter if he doesn't practice, others will have no way to survive. O'Neal didn't do it back then. If you love training, you can dominate the penalty area, and now Jason is dominating the perimeter.

Barkley said: Shooting touch is also a natural talent. Some media reported that Kobe worked hard on three-point shooting until his hands became weak. There were videos of his training leaked last summer, but his shooting percentage was still very low.

Suns: Guo Xu, Bell, Howard, Haslem, Varejao.

Looking at the lineup, you can tell that the Suns are going to defend seriously, without double-digit defenders and David Lee. David Lee is a defensive black hole. Even if he tries hard to defend, his physical disadvantage cannot be compensated for.

Just like Stoudemire when he played center, David Lee can't defend the penalty area. His height and wingspan are not as good as Stoudemire's. If the Lakers give Bogut a lob in the low post, he won't be able to withstand it. The fast-paced attack between the two teams is when David Lee shines.

Lakers: Parker, Kobe, Butler, Odom, Bogut.

Jackson didn't hold anything back and sent out the team's best lineup.

Bogut won the jump ball and the game was on…. m.