0404: [Lakers Turmoil]
The Knicks' "waste wood" showed unprecedented morale and desire to win, and they accumulated unprecedented self-esteem and self-confidence in one bizarre victory after another.
In contrast, the Lakers habitually entered a situation of arrogance and underdogness, and their fifth game at Staples Arena failed to end the series, with the San Antonio troika catching the Lakers' slackness on the defensive end and constantly playing great defensive counterattacks, although the Black Mamba roared and slapped his palms in the final quarter to motivate his teammates, but with Tim Duncan's two consecutive mid-range jumpers in a row, the Lakers had to pay for their arrogance.
The Spurs pulled one back on the road and brought the game back to San Antonio.
Although the Lakers still led 3-2 and controlled the match point.
"If the Lakers continue to play against their opponents with this kind of arrogance and recklessness, the Spurs will definitely let them experience the tenacity of the old powerhouse."
ESPN commentator Bill Simmons bluntly said in his column: "If the Lakers want to win a championship, they must be 100 percent focused, and the Spurs are by no means a third-rate team like the Knicks who can win by playing casually." ”
Bill Simmons' criticism was typical, with everyone believing that the Angelenos habitually underestimated their pride, which actually happened in last year's Finals.
At this time, the local media in Los Angeles, the Orange County Chronicle, revealed in the post-game report that Kobe Bryant was extremely dissatisfied with the performance of the players in this game, and he even lashed out in the locker room, and Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum were attacked by him using "insulting" words, which once triggered a fierce fight against Bynum.
According to an unnamed person familiar with the matter, Bynum countered Bryant with an extremely unhappy expression at the time: If you miss a few fewer shots, we won't lose at all. A defender who has hit 17 times is not in a position to criticize his teammates for not being aggressive defensively.
Bynum's counterattack sparked a violent backlash from the Black Mamba, and if Fisher and Gasol hadn't separated them in time, the locker room would have even staged an all-out martial arts.
When this infighting was widely spread by the media, unfavorable voices about the Lakers immediately came out: after all, the Spurs are not a team that relies on luck to break into the Western Conference finals, although the Lakers' strength is superior, but if the Lakers have internal divisions, it is difficult to predict who will die.
"I've said a long time ago that Kobe Bryant can't coexist with any super center. Bynum has just shown the potential of a top-class centre-forward, and he can't tolerate it. Shaq O'Neal did not forget to jump out at this time to mock his old partner: "If I were Bynum, I would immediately request a trade from Lakers management.... With me and without him, the Bass family is keen on this either-or trick anyway. ”
The old sharks apparently can't let go of Lakers management trading themselves to Miami in the summer of '04.
And just when the outside world was questioning, Phil Jackson finally took the initiative to talk about the locker room turmoil in front of the camera before leaving for San Antonio.
'It's a very meaningful argument and I'm sure both sides are trying to make the team better.'
"Both key players are trying to change the game in their own way, and it's a very meaningful exchange of ideas with a strong masculine feel."
"I think the series is going to change dramatically, and as long as the Lakers are serious enough, no other team will have a chance."
The Zen master's speech did not stop public opinion from the outside world, but instead sparked a larger discussion.
Because, Phil Jackson directly admitted the existence of locker room contradictions, and the vocabulary he used was two core players.
In a way, this is a discussion of the baby shark on the same level as the black mamba.
"Zen Master is very good at doing this kind of locker room dynamic balance, and he deliberately indulged Kobe Bryant's rivalry with the Sharks when he was OK to achieve better control of the team. In fact, during the Bulls era, during the two years of Michael's retirement, he also did this work, and Langley and Pippen had to fight almost every training match. ”
On a TNT show, Kenny Smith hit the nail on the head: "Phil Jackson is obviously going to make a big fuss." ”
This is in line with Phil Jackson's character, and in fact, there is a certain degree of strife within the Lakers as Buss Sr.'s body gradually deteriorates. As Jeanie Buss's boyfriend, it was no surprise that Phil behaved like this. Charles Barkley rarely agrees with Kenny Smith: "This is the best chance, you'll never have a Finals opponent like the Knicks again." ”
"Honestly, even if Phil Jackson suspended Kobe Bryant or Andrew Bynum for two games, it wouldn't be a surprise."
Charles Barkley's analysis was met with some skepticism from Jeff Van Gundy.
Jeff Van Gundy has been available as a special commentator since stepping down from the Houston Rockets.
Recently, however, New York fans have been reminded of the defensive guru who once built a team of iron-blooded men in the '90s, and there have been calls for him to return to the Knicks.
And Jeff Van Gundy himself seems very ambiguous about this, when reporters ask about it, he always flickered, just keep emphasizing that Snoopy is a natural defensive giant, and it is enough to build a team around him.
"Phil Jackson is really playing with his locker room balancing man. But I don't think the Lakers' suspension of Bynum or Kobe Bryant will still affect the analysis of the results of the series. The Lakers are indeed stronger, but the Knicks are not as weak as they think. After all, the Knicks pay no less luxury tax than the Lakers. Most of their players have proven themselves in the past. ”
"And, now under Snoopy, the team has a new look. Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks is already proving that they have the ability and confidence to play well at high pressure. ”
"The Lakers can be underestimated, but not too lightly."
Jeff Van Gundy said.
But that didn't spark a discussion, because the perception was ...... Even if the Lakers are weaker, they will still easily beat New York.
Even the senior Duke Pink Barkley has no objection to this.
On the day the episode aired, the Lakers won Game 6 in San Antonio.
Kobe Bryant shot 28 of 42 in the game, scored an astonishing 65 points, and led the team to victory with a godly attitude.
After the game, the Black Mamba faced the camera, still murderous: "No one can stop me from winning, I mean, no one!" ”
After saying that, he emphasized again: "There is no one. ”
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