Champion, please stay!

Chapter 260, 258. A decisive blow? A counter-decisive blow!

As the New York fans continued their cheers even as the break began, Kobe looked at the score on the big screen.

He regretted it so much when Barnes made that tough shot... He regretted underestimating Barnes and not being prepared to lean back sharply from the start. He was forced to lean back, which made it harder to control his power. Otherwise, he would never have hit the rim!
Kobe pictured a man in his mind... 'If it were him, all he would have to do is wait for the opponent to land first before shooting, right?'
No, that doesn't matter. I can make the shot even with a more pronounced lean back!

Kobe transformed his admiration and jealousy into motivation to surpass Yi Shui, looking at the data comparison between him and Yi Shui below the scoreboard.

Last season, Yi Shui scored 58 points in a rookie game, tying Chamberlain's record. To this day, the scene from that night is still vivid in his mind... How could he not care!
Tonight, he scored lower than this guy again!

In the last half quarter, including free throws, he only took 8 shots, while this guy took 9 shots without considering free throws!
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from next to Kobe.

"This New York emperor is really a loner! Everyone says you're the most loner, but I don't think that's true anymore."

Kobe turned and squinted at the Zen Master, who was secretly cursing him again.

The Zen Master continued, "However, in my memory, he is not the kind of person who only thinks about scoring points and doesn't care about his teammates."

Kobe nodded in agreement. Yi Shui was the player he followed the most this season. In his spare time, he watched live broadcasts and recordings of games, and the Knicks' games were the most frequent, since they were the league's best team.

Yi Shui's stats are indeed excellent, but he can really tell that this guy isn't the type of player who fights for stats. In fact, when the game is already decided, he often gives up opportunities to his teammates.

He happened to watch the Knicks vs. Raptors game recently. Bosh wasn't there, and Yi Jianlian's shooting percentage was so high, yet he didn't take many shots, and he didn't even try to get more assists. He just passed the ball to his teammates. That was because he was having a great shooting night against the Raptors...

But! Kobe looked at the Zen Master again. This charlatan would never deliberately praise the Yi River for no reason.

Seeing Kobe turn his head back, the Zen Master continued, "There are two possibilities for how he played just now. One is that he wanted to score more points than you and got lucky by making an extra three-pointer; the other possibility is that dealing with the three-pronged defense of Ron, you, and Andrew was already his limit, and he couldn't do anything more, like you, who could consistently score while also delivering brilliant passes to Andrew..."

...

After the break, both teams made personnel rotations.

The Knicks brought in a lineup of Curry, Hughes, Yi Shui, Ben Wallace, and Birdman.

The Lakers brought in a lineup of Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Odom, and Gasol.

Yi Shui arrived on the field and was somewhat surprised to see that the opposing team had deployed their two offensive towers, and Bynum had not continued to play.

His duel with Kobe is still undecided. To be precise, if it weren't for that last three-pointer exchange, his scoring performance in the second half of the third quarter wasn't as good as Kobe's.

Kobe's two assists, where he was surrounded by four players on the baseline, allowed Bynum, who was right in the middle of the three-second zone, to receive the ball, take a step, and dunk, making them 'center-assisted' passes.

It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what kind of inside player they have!
The Lakers take the first possession.

Yi Shui stood guard at the three-point line, and his target was Kobe!
He stopped guarding Kobe in the latter part of the first quarter to conserve energy. He was supposed to be the one guarding Kobe after resting for half the third quarter and then returning to the court. Hughes and Barnes' performance in guarding Kobe was commendable only for their aggressiveness and perseverance. However, during the official timeout in the third quarter, Mark Jackson suggested that Barnes wear down Kobe more. The effect, well, for Kobe who was not yet 32 ​​years old, was practically negligible…

As soon as the ball advanced past half-court, guard Fisher passed it to Kobe. His ball-handling duties for this possession were over, and he spread out.

Yi Shui focused on defense, just like when he came on in the third quarter, leading by 5 points. The 'Snake Heart (fake)' was triggered again, the game timer started ticking, and he immediately entered a state of focus.

But Kobe didn't go one-on-one; instead, he initiated a pick-and-roll offense with Gasol!

Ben Wallace, who had spread out to defend the pick-and-roll, pressed forward to guard Kobe's shot; Hughes on the wing left Artest open and collapsed early to block Kobe's pull-up jumper; Yi Shui first retreated inside to intercept the passing lane between Kobe and Gasol, and then pressed towards Kobe at the free-throw line; Birdman moved to the middle of the three-second zone...

Kobe drove to the right side of the free-throw line, with Hughes blocking his way in front, Ben Wallace chasing behind, and Yi Jianlian pressing up from the left...

The offensive space was blocked, the passing lane to the left was cut off, and the only passing lane was for Artest to cut in. Birdman was in a position where he could block, and Yi Shui could rush in to cover him in just two steps from that position...

This is the defensive strategy the Knicks used against Deron Williams' pick-and-roll the day before yesterday, and they used it in this play!
Just when Yi Shui thought Kobe would pull up and shoot when he was open in a three-man defense, Kobe passed the ball!
But not from the front, but from the left rear!
Yi Shui quickly turned around and pounced on him... but failed to intimidate the 14-year veteran.

Fisher used a screen to get to the left side of the top arc, received the ball, and took a three-pointer... and it went in!
Kobe clicked his tongue twice at Yi Shui and said, "Basketball is more than just shooting," before turning and retreating to defend.

The Zen Master's words to Kobe during the break can be simply summarized as: You've scored over 80 points before, why worry about Embiid's 58 points last year? When you play normally, he needs to exert all his strength to compete with you.

If you were to speak frankly, Kobe would definitely ignore you and do whatever he wants. But if you beat around the bush and steer the conversation away from the topic, Kobe is genuinely willing to listen.

The Zen Master initially didn't understand why Kobe liked to listen to indirect communication.

Because when he coached the Lakers last time, he was part of Shaq's team and didn't have a close personal relationship with Kobe.

Now he's a Mamba fan, and he's been interacting with Kobe more both on and off the court. Although he still doesn't understand, he's finally figured it out.

This new protégé is the kind of person who wants to cross social classes from the ground up, not just become a billionaire. However, because he is not old enough, lacks cultural knowledge, and does not have the kind of family atmosphere to pass on, he is still in the "pretentious" stage and likes to speak in roundabout ways. Even when visiting a friend's house, he has to make a formal appointment in advance and dress very formally. Inviting friends to his home is like a royal banquet, which is criticized by his friend Caron Butler.

On the Yi River, after hearing Kobe's words, he was still thinking to himself, "The near-historical king of missed shots is telling me that basketball is more than just shooting?"
But then it suddenly dawned on me—trouble was brewing!

When he is highly focused, his court awareness is extremely high. Coupled with his already high basketball IQ, he can understand tactical strategies as soon as he has the necessary clues.

He recalled the amusing news he'd seen while browsing at noon—last night's Lakers vs. Bobcats game, led by Al Harrington, with Gerald Wallace, Kwame Brown, Kaman, and others, relentlessly committing violent fouls against Bynum, resulting in two Flagrant Fouls in the first half. In the second half, Phil Jackson simply didn't dare let Bynum play, and Odom and Gasol didn't rest for a second in the second half, ultimately being worn down by the Bobcats' interior defense.

In the latter part of the third quarter, the opposing team put Odom and Gasol, their twin towers, on the bench. This wasn't to create better scoring opportunities for Kobe... no, it was to create opportunities for Kobe to score one-on-one. The goal was simply to have Bynum protect the rim and Kobe take the lead in isolation plays, giving Odom and Gasol, the twin towers, time to rest so they could have more energy for team offense in the final quarter!
Yi Shui felt a little annoyed. Why hadn't he noticed the opponent's little trick back then? If he had just let D'Antoni launch a team offensive, there was a chance that he would have forced Ricci to come out earlier, and the stamina advantage in the final quarter would have been even greater...

The star-studded coaching team of D'Antoni, Dan D'Antoni, Cheeks, and Mark Jackson looked like greenhorns in front of the cunning and experienced Phil Jackson, who had coached for 20 years. Their strategies remained at the tactical level, while Jackson had a firm grasp on the psychological aspects.

Yi Shui arrived at the frontcourt and, leaning against Odom at a 45-degree angle on the right, focused all his energy on the attack.

The coaching staff's strategic thinking combined can't compare to the Zen Master's, and it's unclear how the Zen Master managed to get the old blacksmith into 'rational science' mode after his high-speed run... So what?

What does Yi have to fear! Just do it! After receiving a pass from Curry, Yi Shui turned to face the basket, stepped back with his left foot, raised his hand, and after Odom pressed forward, he turned to the left and drove forward!

Kobe and Artest double-teamed him from the high post and the right corner, but Yi Shui took a big step into the three-point line, stopped abruptly, and launched a long two-pointer... and it went in!
Before the change, if Kobe saw Yi Shui playing like this, he would definitely have responded with a basket immediately. But now he's thinking, "These are all things I've already done before!"
When it was the Lakers' turn to attack, Kobe didn't directly dribble the ball. He had just been being clever, pretending to take on multiple opponents to create the easiest passing opportunity.

Odom inbounds the ball at the top of the key, Gasol initiates the attack from the low post, Kobe runs to receive the pass... the triangle offense begins!
The two teams launched a new round of high-scoring battles.

With Odom and Gasol back after a full rest, coupled with Kobe in excellent form tonight and in 'rational mode, plus the powerful Artest and Fisher whose catch-and-shoot accuracy improved as the game progressed, their offense was terrifyingly strong!
The Lakers, who failed to gain an advantage in the first three quarters, took the initiative at the start of the final quarter!

For the Knicks, the game became simpler in the final quarter.

Yi Shui needs to slow down his one-on-one play and stop touching the ball to avoid losing control and wanting to throw it away as soon as he gets the ball. Let Curry run pick-and-rolls with his inside teammates, while he draws attention and receives passes on the weak side.

If the opponent misses a shot, launch a counter-attack. If the opponent scores a goal and the defensive formation is not good, launch another counter-attack.

Given the team's current defensive capabilities, Yi Shui knows that there are no restrictions against the 'peak triangle offense' and can only focus on defending key players.

Head-on!
从第二回合开始，湖人队打出了一波12比7，以107比106反超尼克斯队1分。

But just as the Lakers were about to press their advantage and widen the gap, Curry, who had been running pick-and-rolls, stepped back and hit a fadeaway three-pointer over Kobe who was rushing towards him, stopping the losing streak.

Midway through the final quarter, before and after the official timeout, the Lakers went on a 12-6 run, taking a 4-point lead at 119-115.

But then Yi Shui hit a tough shot over Odom, Curry received a pass from Yi Shui who was double-teamed by Kobe and Odom and hit a three-pointer, and Chandler, who came off the bench, cut into the paint and dunked over Artest who was on switch defense for a 2+1... The Knicks scored 9 points in a row!
3个回合，尼克斯队回敬了湖人队一个9比2，以124比121反超湖人队3分！
At 9 minutes and 25 seconds, the Zen Master called a timeout for the first time tonight during an unofficial timeout period!

In just 9 and a half minutes, the Lakers racked up 29 points. With Kobe in top form, the triangle offense tore apart the Knicks' mediocre defense. They played exceptionally well, even exceeding Phil Jackson's expectations. Tonight, Kobe was truly a sight to behold.

But the opponent also scored 27 points!
For a moment, the Zen Master had the same thought as more than ten years ago, when he was still coaching the Bulls and aiming for his second three-peat. That year, when they played against the Lakers, he saw the young snake and the skinny shark...

The elementary school student and the Great Emperor before me are... no! Even stronger than the young snake and the skinny shark back then!
The Zen master suppressed his extraneous thoughts. What he wanted now was not just to coach a super dual-core team that would inevitably become terrifying in the future, but to get in touch with his fiancée and gain more.

Focus on the present, accompany your former disobedient disciple, now your beloved disciple, through the remaining years of his peak, and help him win the championships he deserves and build the dynasty he should establish!
The brainstorming session was over in an instant. The Zen Master looked at Kobe, who was walking back to the bench with his jersey in his mouth, and knew that the psychological warfare tactics he had used on his beloved disciple were no longer effective. However, this was expected. It would have been unexpected if they hadn't managed to break down the opponent with wave after wave of offensive surges.

In the second game of a back-to-back, Odom and Gasol played for 9 consecutive minutes, and Artest played for 15 consecutive minutes. Their defense has clearly declined in the past 3 possessions. Otherwise, even Yi Shui would have had difficulty getting 3 points and 1 assist in 3 possessions, plus an indirect assist after Curry passed to Chandler.

...

Pause back.

The Zen Master substituted Fisher, Vujacic, Kobe, Josh Powell, and Bynum.

D'Antoni substituted Curry, Webster, Barnes, Yi Shui, and Chandler.

Both coaches are out of ideas tactically, but even when they're out of options, they have a way to play that's absolutely effective because they both have superstars!
The Lakers were on offense. Kobe drove to the basket, got past Barnes, and drove into the paint. He pulled up to avoid Chandler's interference and lobbed the ball into the basket, drawing a foul from Curry who was collapsing on the wing. He made the free throw.

The Lakers completed a 2+1 play, tying the game at 124!
Kobe scored 12 points in the final quarter, bringing his total to 40+ points for the game, 42 points!
When the Knicks went on offense, as soon as Yi Shui received the ball, the fans in the arena started chanting "50".

He scored 14 points in the final quarter, bringing his total to 48 points, including the 34 points he scored in the first three quarters.

Facing Kobe's defense, Yi Shui adopted a triple threat stance, using a shooting fake to force Kobe to move closer. He took a step to secure his position and drove forward, getting past Josh Powell and Fisher who were double-teaming him in the mid-range. After being beaten, Kobe went straight for Curry, who was moving up to receive the pass. Yi Shui didn't pass the ball but drove straight into the paint, attempting a floater against Bynum's defense... but he put too much force into it and missed!

But Chandler moved to the rebound's landing point before Josh Powell could pull in to protect it, jumped up and put it back in... and it went in!
Both teams launched a fierce final offensive and battle!

The Lakers played a very simple game: Kobe would isolate and shoot when he saw an opportunity, pass to Fisher or Vujacic (both accurate three-pointers) when he felt it was time to pass, and set up Bynum when he felt he could...

The Knicks were giving it their all! Curry and Webster were actively moving to find opportunities to receive the ball and shoot. Regardless of whether Yi Shui was willing to put pressure on these 'role players and shooters' at this time, they had to be ready to receive the ball.

Barnes and Chandler actively cut in to seize opportunities for easy baskets and steals.

After the timeout, both teams scored even more efficiently than before! It wasn't that their offense was better, nor that Kobe and Yi Shui were more accurate as their stamina waned, but rather that both teams' defense was practically nonexistent.

For the Knicks, only Yi Shui and Chandler's diving blocks posed a threat, while for the Lakers, only Bynum, who returned after a half-quarter break and was considered a 'fresh force,' could provide some protection for the rim.

With 11 minutes and 35 seconds remaining, the score was 131-132, with the Lakers trailing the Knicks by one point but having possession of the ball.

In just over two minutes, the score was 10-8!
At this point, the Zen Master didn't call a timeout, letting the players handle the crucial ball themselves.

Anyway, there weren't any tactics to speak of at this point... Kobe's shot in the frontcourt was just to run down the clock!
Unlike Deron Williams, who would rush to shoot when facing Yi Shui's defense, Kobe calmly wore down the clock, dribbling for a full 10 seconds. Only after 6 seconds remained on the shot clock and the opposing players on the wing and in the middle had begun to move ahead did Kobe change direction and drive forward.

Yi Shui's footwork was no longer up to par, so he could only try his best to cover the space near the three-point line for Kobe to shoot directly, giving Barnes, Chandler, and Curry time to close in.

Kobe drove to the three-point line, surrounded by defenders, but he didn't hesitate for a moment. Before the defenders could create any effective contact, he stopped abruptly, jumped, and launched a long two-pointer... and it went in!
The Lakers' bench erupted in celebration, and the Lakers players on the court ran towards Kobe with their arms outstretched, already celebrating.

But Kobe didn't let his guard down after making the game-winning shot. He saw Curry running up to double-team him but failing, so he went straight to the basket to retrieve the ball!

The other side didn't call a timeout!
Kobe instinctively turned and charged towards the backcourt... He turned around and saw Yi Shui rushing out of the three-point line!
He quickened his pace and tried his best to catch up... but then something astonishing happened.

Yi Shui, who had just been unable to keep up with his breakthrough steps, suddenly accelerated! It was as if the game had just begun! The distance was widened in an instant!
Yi Shui rushed to the frontcourt and received the ball at the three-point line. The countdown for the remaining three seconds of the game began.

He took two quick steps, got inside the free-throw line, and jumped, throwing the ball out before the red light came on...

The red light comes on, the long whistle blows... and the ball falls into the basket!

(End of this chapter)