After the game, the Clippers opened the locker room for interviews. Reporters from major media filled the locker room, and everyone surrounded Odom and Li Ao.
Odom's performance tonight was too strong. In the second half, he was ordinary, with 6 points and 6 assists. However, with 15 points and 12 assists in the first half, he led the team to withstand the Kings' defensive offensive in the first quarter, and even more in the second quarter. The Kings attack so hard.
Moreover, his 8 triple-doubles were once again tied with Kidd!
Although this game was not broadcast live, it attracted a lot of attention. The Clippers, who had already won 47 games before the game, had a chance to reach 50 wins.
Like the Clippers, the outside world also believes that if the Clippers want to win 50 games, playing the Kings and Suns is the key.
Odom turned into a magician in key games, raising the sails of the Clippers and setting sail towards 50 wins!
The media is ready to once again criticize the coaches of each team for not giving Odom a single vote as an All-Star substitute.
A player who averages 14+8+8+1+1 per game and has 8 triple-doubles doesn’t deserve an All-Star substitute vote?
On Li Ao's side, the media were also very lively.
Tonight he scored 25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. He is another key player for the Clippers.
The Kings' defense on the last shot in regular time dragged the game into overtime. The first shot in overtime hit a three-pointer and protected the defensive rebound over Weber's head to help Boykins complete the counterattack. The Clippers were able to The victory was sealed at the beginning of overtime, thanks to Li Ao.
However, the media's enthusiasm for Li Ao does not lie in the game itself.
Originally, they thought that Li Ao might not score very high against the Spurs and Kings.
In the first three games between Li Ao and the Spurs, the scores were low.
In the first three games against the Kings, the scoring was actually similar to that against the Spurs, with 15 points in one game and 16 points in one game.
The Kings have the best pitching staff and are good at guarding pitchers.
But I didn't expect Li Ao to score 32 points and 25 points in these two games.
Currently, Li Ao has played 72 games and scored 1,797 points, averaging 24.96 points per game. There are still 3 games left. If Li Ao can score 26 points in each of these 3 games, he can increase his average points per game to 25 points. Becoming another rookie averaging 25+ per game since Jordan!
Rookies averaging 25 points per game, let alone the modern basketball era, even in the ancient basketball era before 1976, there were no rookies in most years, and there were only 1-2 at most.
Originally, no one thought that Li Ao could average 25+ points per game. To be precise, no one thought about it. When the game ended in March, Li Ao only averaged 23.8 points per game.
At that time, people focused on Li Ao's 20+5+5 performance, which averaged 23.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. That was already a crazy performance. Only Big O and God in NBA history could average 20+ per game in their rookie seasons. 5+5.
Who would have thought that Li Ao had averaged 37.5 points per game in 6 games after entering April, and now he is just shy of averaging 25 points per game!
Another historical rookie is about to be born!
There is another topic that made Li Ao popular in the middle of the season - 20+ points in 10 consecutive games.
Li Ao has scored 20+ points in 7 consecutive games, and there are still 3 games left. Is it possible to complete the victory and be tied with the big dog, answer, and basic skills?
…
Where there are those who flatter, there are those who find fault.
The next morning, when Li Ao returned to Los Angeles, he saw news attacking him for splitting his hands after the victory was decided.
Recently, Jinzhongzhao Ironcloth Shirt's skills have improved again, and he laughs it off.
Li Ao came to the backyard and felt a little sad when he saw his father mingling with the workers of the construction company and helping to deliver things.
He always smiles when he talks to anyone, but treats him coldly.
No, I have to go to my mom's place to get some eye drops.
When Li Ao went to Sacramento the day before yesterday, his father happened to come to Los Angeles.
Li Ao mentioned before that he wanted to build an indoor court in the backyard so that he could train at home in the summer and spend more time with his aunt in the hospital.
After hearing this, Vivian immediately found a construction company to demolish the original small warehouse and build a large warehouse. It was divided into two parts, one half was used as a warehouse, and the other half was installed with windows, lights, air conditioners, and floors to be used as a stadium.
Iron sheet + thermal insulation + wooden appearance, the project is progressing very quickly.
Li Ao went back to the room and took out the small piece of gold from his suitcase that he bought for his aunt and his mother during yesterday's lunch break. As for his father's diamond brooch, he kept it for a few days and then took it out when he returned to China.
After finishing lunch, he saw his father almost bursting the bowl after his mother received the little gold. Li Ao left home happily with his aunt, the hospital assistant, and sent the hospital assistant to school first.
Originally, she planned to take a long vacation, but after taking a break, Vivian still couldn't sit still and planned to finish her classes for this semester first.
Li Ao trotted from school to Memorial Stadium and practiced attacking the basket under the guidance of James Worthy.
I can't see my teammates practicing any more recently. I'm really not lazy. Even Big Q didn't practice more, which proves that the physical exertion is really high recently. I take a plane every other day and alternate between home and away games. That is, their team Most of the main players are under the age of 26, otherwise they would not be able to hold on physically.
Fortunately, it is already the last three games. They are currently in good health, the team is highly motivated, and there are no physical problems.
Gentry came to watch Li Ao's training for a while. During the chat between training, he told Li Ao about the game against the Timberwolves tomorrow and the Suns in the final game. The TV stations have added the national live broadcast.
This made Li Ao even more excited.
Their scheduled national live broadcasts this season were originally only 3, but later they added 6 games. This time they added two more, and the number of national live broadcasts reached double figures!
As an athlete, who doesn’t love being on TV?
Anyway, he likes it, and every time it is broadcast live in the United States, he can feel that his teammates are more motivated.
In the evening, Li Ao received good news - the SuperSonics were defeated by Nowitzki, who scored a career-high 35 points. They lost to the Mavericks in overtime and suffered two consecutive losses. The record became 47 wins and 33 losses. .
The media immediately calculated the head-to-head matchups between the Sonics and Clippers, home record, division record, conference record, and games yet to be played... To get the answer, the 48-31 Clippers only needed to win again. 1 game to lock in a playoff spot!
Li Ao was certainly happy about this news.
But he did not relax because of this. What he wants now is not just the playoffs, nor just 50 wins.
The next day, April 13, was the Clippers' third-to-last game day of the season.
In the morning preparation meeting, Gentry expressed the same goal as Li Ao and was cheered by the whole team.
The Timberwolves' current record is 49 wins and 30 losses, go for him!
No. 8 will meet one of the top teams in the Pacific Division, the Lakers, Kings, or Trail Blazers.
But in No. 7, they met the Mavericks, the top team in the Midwest Division.
Tonight we face off against the Timberwolves, we must win!
…
At 7:43 pm, at Staples Center, players from the Timberwolves and Clippers had already entered the court for final preparations before the game.
A rookie who averaged 24.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.75 blocks per game... Flip Saunders wiped his temples with a towel and stuffed it into his chest pocket.
He really wanted to take advantage of this data.
It is a pleasure to snipe the birth of a rookie who averages 25+ per game.
But no.
The opponent has improved too quickly. Their record of 18 wins and 9 losses after the All-Star break is better than the Timberwolves, and it is better than them in a more difficult schedule.
He also doesn't want to finish eighth in the Western Conference. They played against the Lakers 4 times this season. With 2 wins and 2 losses, they seemed evenly matched, but in the two games where Kobe and O'Neal played at the same time, the scores were 86 to 106 and 88 to 102.
The Timberwolves players are also very focused and actively preparing for the game.
They are under a lot of pressure!
The Sonics lost the possibility of competing with them for seventh place, and they were happy.
But the Clippers actually rushed from 11th to 8th in the Western Conference, and still have a chance to overtake them.
The Clippers are also focused on pre-game preparations, but their mentality is different from their opponents.
They are not afraid of the situation where the bottom overcomes the top. They are not worried about what they will lose if they lose. They only think about what they can get after winning.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, Garnett defeated O'Neal to win the jump ball, and the game started with the Timberwolves attacking first.
Clippers starting lineup: Greg Anthony, Big Q, Li Ao, Odom, O'Neal Jr.
Timberwolves starting lineup: Trier Brandon, Anthony Peeler, Szczerbiak, Garnett, Nesterovich.
Trier Brandon advanced to the frontcourt, broke through Big Q in a single, rushed to the right side of the three-second zone, attracted Odom to cover, and split the ball to the baseline.
Li Ao defended to Garnett's side and passed the ball behind Garnett's head.
Szczerbiak moved to the right at a 45-degree angle when Li Ao was defending Garnett, caught the ball and shot a three-pointer...hit!
The flaw of Big Q's "single defensive function" has been exposed. If he switches to Li Ao or Matt Halprin, he can get in front of Szczerbiak in time. Big Q's movement is not bad and he is tall enough, but he is too focused. '.
But defense has to make trade-offs.
This season Trier Brandon averaged 16 points per game and twice scored 30+ points in a single game. He still plays with the ball and is a higher threat than Szczerbiak who averaged 14 points per game.
So Gentry made this starting lineup adjustment.
During the transition between offense and defense, Big Q came to the frontcourt and took the initiative to fight hand-to-hand with Anthony Pillar, moving his position against the opponent.
There will inevitably be gaps on the opponent's flanks, and Gentry arranges a war of attrition.
Li Ao didn't go to fight with Szczerbiak, but the Timberwolves' ticket seller was as strong as Matt Halprin.
But he had another way. He came to the right side of the free throw line and leaned on Szczerbiak to ask for the ball!
Szczerbiak is worthy of being the 'worst small forward in single defense'. He actively pressed towards Li Ao, and Li Ao turned around and easily left Szczerbiak behind.
Li Ao cut in to catch the ball, Nesterovich reached the sideline of the three-second zone, Li Ao sent a lob, and O'Neal Jr. made an alley-oop to fill the frame with both hands!
Flip Saunders had no temper at all when he saw this scene. Their team's inside line had already been dunked by Spider-Man.
In fact, Li Ao has only dunked on one player from the Timberwolves, but he dunked in the first three games, and every time it looked exaggerated, he would jump up and dunk directly when the Wolf King was close to the basket.
But the bigger problem is Szczerbiak's single defense. Li Ao feels that this opponent's defense is worse than that of the big dogs.
The big dog didn't have an attitude, but he did a good job in positioning himself, pressing against the shot, and pulling away to defend against the shot, but he only took one shot.
Szczerbiak has neither consciousness nor ability.
When it came to the Timberwolves' offense, they followed the same pattern as the offense in the previous round.
Trier Brandon suddenly passed the baseline. After Odom covered Trier Brandon, he actively moved two steps laterally and blocked the passing line of Garnett and Szczerbiak. between.
Garnett had the ball on his head and quickly grabbed it. Li Ao reached out to grab it. Garnett reacted quickly and turned around to protect the ball in his arms.
Szczerbiak moved to the bottom corner, and Odom followed in time.
The defensive captain on the sidelines put away his gaze into the abyss and nodded with satisfaction.
Garnett watched the passing line being cut off and decisively played from behind.
Li Ao stayed close to the defense. Garnett didn't turn around and rushed forward. He relied on a hit, turned over, took off and shot... It's iron!
Li Ao did not take off and continued to press forward. Garnett did not even turn over to get rid of Li Ao, and was seriously disturbed when he took off!
Garnett's eyes widened when he saw O'Neal Jr. collecting the defensive rebound and retreated quickly.
The Timberwolves retreated quickly from the outside, including Szczerbiak. Although he was not very capable, he had a positive attitude.
Seeing that there was no chance for a fast break, Li Ao followed Garnett and said, "Your method of preventing Weber from playing in the back is really useful. Thank you."
Garnett opened his mouth to curse, but he caught sight of the couple on the sidelines. Before the game, Li Ao stood in front of those two people like a good baby, so he held back.
Being beaten hurts.
Why couldn't he see that Li Ao was learning from him?
Never jump when defending against a back-up hit, maintain confrontation, and use his long wingspan to interfere with shooting. This is exactly how he defends against a back-up hit.
In fact, he was a little proud after hearing Li Ao's words. Restraining Weber was one of the proudest things in his career.
Webber has been killing everyone this year. He is omnipotent on the offensive end and even Duncan can't guard him. On the Lakers side, even with the help of O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, Horace Grant was completely injured.
However, he, the Wolf King, has always been able to overpower Webber when he met him since the second grade. This season Webber entered his peak period. He played against the Kings 4 times and defended Webber to an average of only 39% shooting per game. He can also score 40+ points in a single game.
Weber has averaged 23 points per game so far in his career. He and Weber have played against each other 15 times, and Weber only averaged 19.2 points per game.
Under his leadership, the Timberwolves played 4 times against the Kings this season, with 3 wins and 1 loss.
Tianke!
Especially when it comes to guarding against Webber's back-up, Webber doesn't dare to back-up him now.
Li Ao was a little proud to learn from him. Being taught by such a genius was very impressive.
But let’s learn, and he actually came here to show off!
Returning to the three-point line, Garnett saw Odom advancing, put away his pride, and had a headache. He pressed out to defend Odom.
Odom passed the ball to Greg Anthony and then moved to the left baseline of the three-second zone.
Garnett followed Odom to the left baseline. He turned around and saw Li Ao receiving the ball against Szczerbiak. He turned around and poked his upper body towards the baseline. Szczerbiak immediately took several steps back.
Garnett turned his head away in disgust and stopped watching. As he expected, the fans at the scene shouted "Spider-Man".
Li Ao turned around to catch the ball and made a shot!
This ball is completely prepared for shooting and the action is picturesque!
He even triggered the 'Catch and Shoot Expert'!
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(End of chapter)
