The Spurs' GDP is one year older. They seem to be getting closer to retirement, but no one dares to underestimate them.
Veterans such as Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker are still striving for one more championship.
So far in the new season, the Spurs have achieved a record of 14 wins and 5 losses. Among them, young player Leonard has made significant progress. Leonard has improved from averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds per game last season to averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds per game this season.
Of course, the most important thing is his defensive progress. According to statistics, Leonard's defensive efficiency ranks among the top five players in the league.
His strong body, long wingspan, and outstanding defensive awareness have caused trouble for many scorers.
............
"When encountering the Spurs, the Lakers' winning streak will be terminated."
"The last time the two teams faced off, the Spurs taught the Lakers a lesson. The Lakers' rookies struggled against the Spurs' team defense."
"It is estimated that the game will be another one-on-one match between Zhao Chen and the Spurs. The Lakers lost last time. Let's see if Zhao Chen will change this time."
"The Lakers are a bit young now. It's great to have such a record. There's nothing shameful about losing to the Spurs. Didn't the Cavaliers just lose?"
"Honestly, I'm quite optimistic about Kawhi Leonard recently. This guy's defense is really good. No matter if he's defending James or Irving, it makes them feel uncomfortable."
"I am optimistic that the Lakers can get revenge. If they want to compete for the championship, they must overcome the Spurs."
Early morning at the San Antonio hotel.
Zhao Chen turned on the TNT channel and saw several commentators talking about the game between the Lakers and the Spurs.
Although the Lakers have won nine consecutive games, they do not have much advantage in terms of external public opinion.
The main reason is that the Spurs also won a wave of 7 consecutive victories. During the 7-game winning streak, they successively defeated the Cavaliers, Thunder and other strong teams. Their winning content seems to be higher.
The Lakers' style is a young and highly impactful style of play, while the Spurs' style is a calm positional offensive style.
The last time the two teams met, the Lakers lost miserably at home by 18 points, so the media and fans believed that the Spurs were somewhat restrained in the Lakers' style of play.
In Zhao Chen's previous life, last season's championship winner was the Spurs, not the Thunder.
In this world, the Spurs did not win the championship last season, but they still maintain their desire for the championship this season. They are still one of the strongest contenders for the championship this season.
Turning off the TV, Zhao Chen kept looking at the videos of the Spurs' previous games.
Looking through the opponent's video is one of Zhao Chen's tasks before the game.
Looking through the video, Zhao Chen found that Leonard has indeed improved very quickly, much better than last season. His long-arm interference has a clear impact on defenders.
After watching the video for a long time, coupled with his previous understanding of Leonard, Zhao Chen gradually formed a way to deal with Leonard's defense.
A moment after Zhao Chen turned off the video, Enna's video request came.
When she saw Zhao Chen, Enna smiled and showed her little fangs.
"Brother Chen, what are you doing?"
"I just watched the opponent's video, how about you."
"I just finished dinner. I have to get up early tomorrow morning to commentate on your game."
"Um..."
"I'll cheer you up..."
Enna habitually told Zhao Chen about her daily schedule, and Zhao Chen did the same.
Zhao Chen really cares about the people he follows watching him play, which is different from ordinary fans.
His parents basically watch every game and send him messages from time to time.
.........
afternoon.
ATT Arena.
at the pre-match press conference.
Scott began to build up his character: "The Spurs are a powerful opponent. Compared to them, we still have a lot of inexperience. He taught me a lesson before, so our game tonight is destined to be very difficult."
The reporter asked Zhao Chen: "Zhao, do you think Leonard will cause you trouble?"
Leonard's defense has been exaggerated by the media and experts recently.
Zhao Chen said: "I hope he can do it. This will give me some challenges."
"Kakakaka."
Zhao Chen comes naturally to Versailles.
........
After the interview, I returned to the locker room.
"Zhao, you can use more shots to deal with them, both mid-range and long-range shots." Kobe came over to find Zhao Chen to talk about the game.
This is the habit of the two of them. They are used to communicating before games. Kobe will tell Zhao Chen his thoughts and opinions.
"Well, I'll try more." Zhao Chen nodded, this was also his idea.
Kobe knew the Spurs' defensive characteristics very well. Kobe and Zhao Chen briefly communicated for a while before leaving.
........
TNT studio.
"In the last duel with the Spurs, Leonard also caused some trouble for Zhao Chen, which also affected the final result of the game to a certain extent."
"Let's see if Zhao Chen can adjust tonight and complete his revenge against the Spurs."
Barkley and Smith were discussing the situation on the court.
Zhao Chen is now the focus of media attention, and his every move will be magnified.
If the Lakers want to become a strong contender for the championship, they need to perform in strong matchups again and again. Mere abuse is useless.
Judging from the Lakers' current record, their goal is to hit the championship. The pressure on Zhao Chen is much greater than when he was with the Thunder.
Soon, the game started.
Lakers starting lineup: Zhao Chen, Kobe, Covington, Jokic, Boban.
Boban is Scott's change. He thinks that the Spurs like positions, so they should grind the positions with them. Boban is a great weapon in positional warfare.
Seeing Boban, Popovich's eyes lit up...
Spurs starting lineup: Parker, Danny Green, Leonard, Duncan, Bonner.
The Spurs are still in the regular lineup, with Ginobili sitting on the bench.
Boban easily beat Duncan and passed the ball to Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen dribbled the ball to the frontcourt to organize the attack.
Jokic and Boban came up at the same time, Green and Leonard were blocked by the two big men, and Zhao Chen dribbled in with a low hand.
Duncan's help didn't come forward, and Zhao Chen immediately stopped in the middle distance without any delay!
"frame!"
Zhao Chen's mid-range jumper hits the mark!
Barkley said: "Zhao Chen missed the mid-range shot. It seems that his touch was not very good tonight."
Smith said: "I don't think it's a bad touch, it's just a slight change in his rhythm. He is deliberately changing the way he affects the game."
The rebound was won by Duncan.
The fans at the ATT Center cheered.
The Spurs fans made the arena look a little shaky.
This is a focus match, and the fans here are packed. They just like to see Zhao Chen miss the shot.
Zhao Chen was not in a hurry, but signaled his teammates to maintain defensive intensity.
Although Zhao Chen shoots accurately, he cannot make every attack...
Spurs attack.
Duncan relied on playing in the low post and continued to beat Jokic.
Duncan's current physical condition is not as good as Jokic's. He often relies on his brain to play in the inside.
But Jokic is also a player who relies on his brains.
Duncan did not clear the space and forcefully blocked the jump hook.
Jokic interfered.
The basketball hit the rim.
Boban controlled the rebound.
.....
In the first few rounds, neither side scored a goal.
The commentators and the audience could all see that both sides were fighting hard to defend.
The Lakers also rarely used zone defense. Zone defense is very useful against teams with average three-pointers.
The Spurs' three-point shooting ability is very average...
The Lakers didn't feel good on the road, and the Spurs defended very well, so the game became very embarrassing.
Zhao Chen's flying layup missed.
Kobe's fadeaway mid-range shot.
Leonard's mid-range strike.
Parker was flanked and made a mistake.
Duncan's layup was blocked by Boban.
....
The two teams attached great importance to defense. As a result, it took nearly 4 minutes before Kobe Bryant scored his first sports goal.
The entire first half was spent in the dull sound of hammering.
At the end of the first half, the two sides were tied at 43-43.
Both sides almost smashed the basket.
