In the second quarter, the Trail Blazers still implemented the strategy set at the beginning and just watched Kobe develop his skills.
The result was that Kobe once again scored more than half of the team's points in this quarter, scoring 14 points in a single quarter and 36 points in the half!
The NBA playoffs half-time scoring record is 46 points in the half set by Wang Zelin last season. Kobe is still 10 points away from this record.
But this does not hinder the greatness of Kobe Bryant scoring 36 points in the half, because there are only two people ahead of him, one is Wang Zelin who scored 46 points, and the other was in the first half of the playoffs on April 5, 1994. Charles Barkley, the original record holder, scored 38 points.
In addition, you must know that Kobe's career highest score in the playoffs is only 50 points. If he continues like this, he is likely to break his career playoff single-game scoring record.
Looking at the Lakers No. 24, who is nearly forty years old but can still produce such an incredible performance, at this moment, both as an opponent and as an audience, they can't help but burst into applause in awe.
This veteran who has been in the NBA for 20 years deserves the cheers and applause that filled the Rose Garden Arena.
However, besides admiration, people are more filled with emotion and regret.
Even though Kobe has performed at such a high level, it is still difficult to overcome the Lakers' decline.
After halftime, after scoring 44 points in the first quarter, the Trail Blazers scored 36 points in the second quarter, scoring over 80 points at halftime, once again setting a new record for the entire team's scoring in the first half of the playoffs in the history of the Trail Blazers. .
Among them, Wang Zelin contributed 16 points alone!
That's right, after scoring 46 points in the first half against the Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals last season, Wang Zelin once again scored 40+ in just halftime in the playoffs.
As a result, Kobe's record of third-highest points in the first half of the playoffs that he just obtained has to be moved back one position.
For the Lakers, after 33 points in the first quarter, the team scored 27 points in the second quarter and 60 at halftime. Although it also broke the Lakers' historical record since Kobe led the team, it was still in front of the Trail Blazers' 80 points at halftime. Seems vulnerable.
"Crazy! Everyone is crazy!"
"The audience cheers, this is a great showdown worthy of being recorded in history!"
"Both Kobe and Wang are already jealous. Unfortunately, in terms of the overall strength of the team, the Lakers are still far behind today!"
"..."
The commentators who were broadcasting live online on China Sports Channel, TNT, ESPN, etc. all expressed heartfelt emotions at the end of halftime.
There was admiration for Wang Zelin's 41 points in the half, and there was also pity for Kobe Bryant's 36 points in the half.
The Trail Blazers led the opponent by 20 points at halftime, allowing Coach Terry to once again strengthen his defensive strategy tonight.
Facts have proved that the Lakers No. 24 does not have oil in the tank, but a lot of oil. Their 36-point performance in the half has shocked countless people.
But this also completely exposed the Lakers' shortcomings. Under the Trail Blazers' impeccable defensive system, the Lakers really can only rely on Kobe if they want to score stably.
Paul is strong when he is strong, but his height is an old problem, which restricts his performance on the offensive end. Not only is his ability to make hard tackles under strict defense far inferior to Kobe, but it may not be as good as Gasol.
Past experience has proven one thing, Paul can only be used to protect the lower limit. When he really wants to win the championship and break through the upper limit, Paul is often unreliable.
Not all 183s are called Allen Iverson!
Gasol was able to score some key goals with his height and give Kobe some help, but only a few, not much.
Facing the Trail Blazers, who have a super rim protector like Wang Zelin, Gasol is destined to be unable to easily score at the basket from the first game of this series, so he can only rely more on mid- and long-range shots. Shoot to score points.
But the problem is that Kobe took too many shots in the first half. He was enjoying the game alone, but he also occupied a lot of the ball, forcing his teammates on the field to run back and forth.
Gasol, who was born in 1980, is not young anymore. He will turn 36 in two months. If he wants to perform stably on the court, he must rely on a certain amount of ball rights to maintain his offensive state.
Now I just can't touch the ball, it feels cold already!
During the halftime break, Kobe, who was aware of this, suggested to Walton that if we can't play like this in the second half, we must let other teammates participate in the offense.
Besides, Kobe, who had a high workload in the first half, gradually felt that his physical energy was close to exhaustion.
He is a man, not a god, and is destined to be unable to resist the aging of his body brought about by time. If he shoots higher in the next two quarters, it will be difficult for him to maintain high efficiency and productivity with his current physical fitness.
Coming back in the second half, Kobe first tried two shots, but they both failed.
A fifteen-minute break is just right for a young man, but for him, an old comrade who is about to turn 38, it is still a bit too long.
In the next few rounds, Kobe would break through like a sheep, using his own traction to attract the defense, and then pass back to his teammates on the outside.
To his helplessness, Paul, Derrick Williams, and Gasol, who did not touch the ball in the first half, all had cold hands and failed to seize any open opportunities.
Kobe's hand feels cold? !
Seeing Kobe's continuous passing, Wang Zelin and Coach Terry reacted very sharply, and they both noticed this. They looked at each other in the air and smiled at the same time.
The team's strategy was successful, and after planning most of the game, it was finally time to reap the rewards.
The Trail Blazers hurriedly adjusted their strategy. They first asked Wang Zelin to increase his shots at the basket. After scoring two goals in a row, the point difference gradually approached 30 points. Walton had no choice but to double-team him.
Wang Zelin, who was trapped in heavy double-teams, didn't have a strong point. He still shot the ball when he should. Although his teammates who hadn't touched the ball for a long time also couldn't make the shot like the Lakers players at first, it wasn't a big problem. Wang Zelin had a rebound. ah!
At this time, the advantages of inside players can be reflected. The closer the talent is to the basket, the more opportunities they have to control the rebound.
Moreover, even if Wang Zelin stops attacking for the time being, he can still maintain a dopy-level super defense while controlling the rebounds. As long as someone from the Lakers dares to penetrate the three-point line, they will definitely be greeted by a big shot.
The advantage of youth is reflected again.
If it was Kobe Bryant when he was young, he could be like Wang Zelin. Even if his touch was not good, he could still use his best individual defensive ability to choke the opponent's arrowheads.
You say it doesn't matter if I'm the one making the iron, you can't even think about scoring a goal!
But now the Black Mamba is old, and after the excitement of 36 points in the first half, the sequelae are beginning to appear.
The physical crisis came as expected.
…
Just five minutes into the third quarter, the Trail Blazers' lead had already reached 31 points, as if they were taking away the game in waves in the third quarter.
In this case, Kobe, who was suffering from physical problems, had no choice but to stand up again and try to take over the game on the offensive end.
But when he attacked, other Lakers players could only watch from the sidelines, unable to regain their touch.
And if he doesn't attack, the Lakers' situation will be even worse, and the whole team will continue to work crazy.
At the end of the third quarter, 108:72, the Trail Blazers led their opponents by 36 points. On the stage of the playoffs where the defensive intensity is much higher than that of the regular season, a 36-point lead is basically equal to sealing the victory.
The last quarter was predictably turned into garbage time. In the third quarter, Kobe, who worked hard to score 12 points for the team and scored 8 points individually, and scored 44 points in the first three quarters, did not play again. He just sat on the bench until competition is over.
At 133:90, the game ended. The Trail Blazers relied on conspiracy to defeat the Lakers at home by 43 points. The total score of the series between the two sides came to 1-0.
