During the transition between offense and defense, Liu Xiu tried to organize the offense and directly extended the lead to double digits in one breath.

But unfortunately, Liu Xiu's pass was seen through by Kobe, who started to play hard on the defensive end. Kobe swooped and swatted Liu Xiu's pass away, and Payton grabbed the ball.

The Lakers did not counterattack. They have basically given up on counterattack now. Except for Kobe Bryant who counterattacked alone, they have almost no ability to counterattack for the time being. Even Fisher, who was said to be as flexible as a fish in the past, has gradually slowed down.

.

After Payton pushed the ball into the frontcourt, he handed the ball to Kobe.

As soon as Kobe received the ball, most of the fans at the scene once again shouted, "Give the ball to Malone."

Malone himself didn't know that he actually had so many fans, and he couldn't help but feel a little proud for a moment - the 2018 NBA season was not in vain.

For a moment, Malone couldn't help but move to the left elbow of the three-second zone and lean on Randolph to ask for the ball.

In the first game of the new season, Kobe still had to give face to him. Malone didn’t ask for it in the last round, but this time he asked for it, and Kobe chose to pass the ball.

However, Malone simply wanted the ball on impulse, and his physical strength could not keep up! Moreover, he was no longer a young man, and he was not at an age where his physical strength could be surged like chicken blood due to excitement, so he faked a move to shake Randolph away.

The last shot was exhausted and the mid-range shot was too short!

O'Neal rushed to grab the ball to no avail. Rasheed Wallace protected the defensive rebound and passed it to Liu Xiu. Kobe rushed up to steal the ball but failed and had to retreat.

Kobe was really furious now. He thought Malone could score one, but he didn't, so he might as well score one.

There is no doubt that O'Neal is more familiar with his blacksmithing.

If he had hit the iron just now, O'Neal might have grabbed the offensive rebound!

There is also Liu Xiu who is pushing forward steadily. Kobe hates playing against such an opponent.

He is neither impatient nor impetuous, and does not make mistakes out of impulsiveness. He makes very few mistakes. He does not seek merit but strives for no faults, but he also has very good ability to organize team offense... Moreover, this guy does not seem to be such a calm person at all.

, but his playing style is so calm...

Coupled with the casual expression and holding the jersey in his mouth from time to time...

Even the No. 9 jersey this guy is wearing makes Kobe feel uncomfortable!

Liu Xiu felt Kobe's hostility. Even though these emotions basically had nothing to do with basketball itself and only occasionally provided healing value, the look in his eyes and his expression could explain everything.

But Liu Xiu was not afraid. His style of play made little difference whether Kobe was guarding him or not... When he reached the three-point line, he passed the ball to Randolph, who was leaning on O'Neal in the low post.

The Lakers' defense changed. Liu Xiu cut in and out of the middle. Kobe was gone. Malone was guarding him. Kobe pulled out to cover Rasheed Wallace. Upon seeing this, Liu Xiu decisively clapped his hands and headed to the free throw line.

Out of position, Travis Outlaw, who cut in to receive the ball, relied on his wingspan to pass the ball over Rick Fox's head to Liu Xiu.

Liu Xiu received the ball, played small and big singles against Malone, broke through on the right, and Malone pushed forward fiercely. Liu Xiu took off one step inside the right sideline of the three-second zone, and threw the ball while confronting Malone...

Liu Xiu was knocked over, but! Before falling, Liu Xiu maintained his balance and hit the ball with his best throw!

91 to 81, the referee's whistle sounded when the ball was scored, and a penalty was added if the goal was valid!

The Lakers called a timeout with 5 minutes and 38 seconds left in the game. After the Lakers played an 11-5 run, the Trail Blazers responded with a 15-6 run. After the point difference was narrowed to 1 point, they reset the score.

Pulled open, and opened to double digits!

After calling a timeout, Jackson stared at Liu Xiu for a while. He remembered that general manager Mitch Kupchak once mentioned that he wanted to select a Syracuse University point guard with the 24th pick in the first round. The man with the logo was also very good.

I like this point guard...'It seems like he is a rookie, right? It is really suitable for us. He will not shoot if there is no chance. If there is a chance, he will not be afraid of the opponent no matter which superstar he is. He will fight when the opportunity comes. He seems to be better than Derrick.

...'

The Zen master just thought about it and didn't pay much attention to it. What is in his own hands is the best.

The situation is unfavorable. If it seems that the players have their own way to solve the problem, Master Jackson will not call a timeout. He waited patiently just now. Good guy, the point difference is double digits!

Jackson made very clear adjustments, replacing Rick Fox with Brian Russell, allowing Payton to take charge and organize the team's offense.

…

After the timeout, the Lakers rotated the lineup at the small forward position. The Trail Blazers made no substitutions, including Liu Xiu, Ruben Patterson, Travis Outlaw, Randolph, and Rasheed Hua.

Laishi's combination continued to fight.

Liu Xiu walked to the free throw line, first yawned, stretched, and then smiled and said to the referee: "Sir, I'm ready."

The referee looked at Liu Xiu's stretching action and wanted to give him a whistle, but he was so polite... he endured it.

It's rare to find such a polite person on the NBA court. For a moment, the referee forgot about the scene in front of him of this guy knocking down O'Neal.

Liu Xiu patted the ball and hit the extra penalty.

92 to 81, with 5 and a half minutes left, the score difference came to 11 points!

But! The Trail Blazers didn't dare to be careless at all, and the Lakers didn't panic either.

The Trail Blazers don't think it's safe with an 11-point difference, and the Lakers don't think it's that big of a point difference either.

Zen Master! Including the championship rings from his playing days, the championship rings in the safe at home can no longer be worn on both hands.

Payton, Brian Russell, Malone, and O'Neal are all very confident about the tactics laid out by such a head coach after calling a timeout... Kobe is also very confident, but now he wants to do it himself!

After Payton advanced past halftime, he saw Kobe asking for the ball. This was not the case in tactics!

However, in the first game of a newly formed team, just like Kobe passed to Malone just now, Payton also passed the ball to Kobe.

When Kobe received the ball, the Trail Blazers' defensive position immediately adjusted.

During the timeout, Maurice Cheeks made detailed adjustments to Liu Xiu's previous effective defensive strategy.

Liu Xiu let Payton go to the left side of the free throw line, and Ruben Patterson was always ready to make up defense.

Although Kobe is furious now and irrationally wants to do it by himself regardless of the team, he also sees the opponent's defensive intention - using Travis Outlaw's height, wingspan, bounce and speed to interfere with his outside shooting.

With the interior blocked, Payton was willing to leave Brian Russell open on the wing.

In contrast, Kobe chose outside shooting!

Others will most likely choose to pass the ball out at this time or break through and pass the ball to Payton or Brian Russell, but Kobe's choice is limited to 'better personal shooting opportunities', and the passing key is at this time.

It’s broken!

Travis Outlaw's defensive style is very firm. He only cares about Kobe's long-range shots and does not consider things like being passed.

This made most of Kobe's fake moves ineffective. Kobe once again took off against the defense, leaned back and shot a long two-point shot...still didn't go in!

Randolph protected the rebound and quickly passed it to Liu Xiu. Based on his current position and analysis of the game situation, Liu Xiu received the ball and immediately chose to advance quickly!

Impulsive? No! If there are people around to block him, Liu Xiu will choose to push forward steadily, but the Lakers are accustomed to him not being able to make fast breaks in the previous rounds. This time Liu Xiu caught the Lakers off guard!

The Lakers reacted and fought hard to retreat, but still couldn't defend.

Randolph received the ball at the free throw line and threw it out. Rasheed Wallace followed up and took off, flying for an alley-oop, and scored two points with a split dunk!

94 to 81, the Trail Blazers' lead expanded to 13 points!

The tactics didn't work out, and the Lakers didn't call another timeout.

Because it wasn't that the tactics didn't work, but that Kobe was out of his mind and the tactics didn't work out, so Jackson stopped calling timeouts, and it didn't make sense to Kobe when he did.

But on the field...

O'Neal yelled at Kobe after Rasheed Wallace dunked: "Can you pass the ball?"

Kobe yelled back without thinking: "No!"

"..." Rao knew Kobe so well that O'Neal was choked. He continued to yell after a second: "Then can you find a way to put that damn ball into the basket?"

Kobe shouted back without hesitation: "Of course!"

The conversation between Kobe and O'Neal ended. People on both teams who heard the conversation didn't know what to say.

Under the referee's 5-second countdown, O'Neal released the ball and the Lakers continued to attack.

Payton received the serve and advanced to the frontcourt. Kobe was asking for the ball again, so he had no choice but to pass it over.

But this time, after Kobe asked for the ball, he made tactical gestures!

It’s different from the tactics laid out by the Zen Master, but at least we have a strategy!

O'Neal said to Payton that when they come to their team, on the court, the stars choose their own tactics over the tactics assigned by the head coach, even at critical moments.

Kobe played in singles, this time he chose to play with sudden points!

Both Brian Russell and Payton on the wing have opportunities. As long as Kobe breaks through, he can create open shooting opportunities for the two of them, but Kobe chooses to go straight to the basket!

The 25-year-old Kobe, like a smart snake, shuttled between the defensive players, tearing a hole in the Trail Blazers' defense in one fell swoop, heading straight into close range!

At close range, Kobe was surrounded.

Randolph, Reuben Patterson, and Liu Xiu form a double attack!

Kobe passed the ball back, and someone at the free throw line responded...it was Payton!

Travis Outlaw, who was chasing Kobe, switched to guard Malone who was coming around from the right side of the basket, but he didn't expect that Kobe's tactical goal was to help Payton get a chance to hit the free throw line!

Payton caught the ball at the free throw line and hit an open jump shot!

83 to 94, the Lakers finally started to score.

Kobe's pass to Liu Xiu felt like he was flying in the air and he chose to pass the ball based on the actual situation on the court!

Travis Outlaw can pass the ball to shooters on both wings very well after receiving a certain degree of training, but passing to the basket and passing to the high post are much more difficult!
To be continued...