These words of ’accepting old age’ affected Kobe and Kidd’s mood.
Back in the day, during Garnett’s peak three years from age 26 to 28, his individual performance in the playoffs was incredibly fierce—averaging 24 points, 18.7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks in the first round of the 01-02 season; 27 points, 15.6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks in the first round of the 02-03 season; and 24.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.3 blocks throughout the three rounds of the 03-04 Western Conference series.
But after age 28, Garnett, whose individual offense heavily relied on his mobility, saw his scoring, organization, and shooting percentage begin to decline. In the 04-05 season, he barely maintained an average of 20 10 5 for a year, and starting from the 05-06 season, his assists fell below 5 and never returned.
The decline in scoring was slower, but it was sustained by increasing the number of attempts. In the 06-07 season, his shooting percentage dropped to a career-low of 47.6%.
In the two years since joining the Lakers, the shooting percentage looks good—53.9% last season, 54.1% this season—but his scoring was only 18.8 and 15.9.
In last season’s finals, Garnett was defended by Big Ben to an average of only 12.7 points, with a shooting percentage of 44.9%, criticized harshly, and even the dia and fans said his scoring ability has always been poor.
This is the sa top inside scorer who averaged 20 points for nine consecutive years...
Kidd and Kobe both felt the cruelty of ti, but their states of mind were very different.
Kidd felt bad for a mont but then accepted it, as he was older.
But Kobe... the old ironsmith: I have to carefully plan the rest of my career and resolutely avoid ending up like the Wolf King; I need to adjust my playstyle quickly. Zhang San’s playstyle last night seed to suit well, worth secretly practicing, though I can’t shake the feeling that sothing seems a bit off...
...
After a day’s rest, on the night of June 8th at 8 PM, the second ga of the finals launched on schedule at Tuhang Stadium.
The Lakers’ starting lineup remained unchanged: Kidd, Kobe, Ariza, Garnett, Kwa Brown; the Bobcats also continued with their starting lineup from the previous ga: Felton, Afflalo, Zhang Yang, Okafor, Perkins.
This ti Okafor did well, beating Kwa Brown to win the jump ball, and the Bobcats attacked first!
Zhang Yang ca to the frontcourt and saw that the opponent adjusted their periter defense alignnt. Ariza went to defend Felton, Kidd followed Afflalo to the right sideline, and in front of Zhang San was the old ironsmith Kobe!
Felton pushed the tempo to the frontcourt and saw Ariza in front, enticing... but he still passed the ball to Zhang Yang.
This small tactic truly didn’t work, the Lakers players were a bit regretful but didn’t take it to heart, as it was rely auxiliary.
Ariza certainly couldn’t defend a small point guard like Felton, but if Felton initiated the main attack without a strong interior responder to assist, the Lakers’ team defense would be simplified... Worthy of a 70-win powerhouse boss, they weren’t easily fooled.
In fact, if it weren’t for the afternoon analysis and prediction of the Lakers’ possible defensive adjustnts, Zhang Yang might have spread out, and Felton would’ve taken over the opening offensive flag. This is related to the Lakers’ performance in G1, where they learned from Kidd and Kobe, gaining more experience, including the patience at the opening.
When Felton went to the weak side corner, Okafor moved to the left elbow area, Zhang Yang faced Kobe’s close defense and started one-on-one; the curtain of G2 officially opened!
First attack, Zhang Yang chose a step-back three and was tightly followed by Kobe, his forced fadeaway jump shot missed.
In the next two offensive rounds, Zhang Yang took advantage of Kobe’s tight defense, disrupting the rhythm from midrange; 2 shots, 1 hit, but he still decided to abandon this area—the difficulty was too high, and it was purely against defensive shooting. Reaching that area, almost no passing options, as all passing lanes were cut off by Kobe, Garnett, and the right-sided aiding Kidd.
In terms of athletic ability and defensive impact, Kobe couldn’t match the limitlessly young and 24-year-old Ariza, nor did he have the size advantage. Barefoot height was a centiter shorter than Zhang Yang, weaker wingspan, but his defensive awareness, fundantals, and experience were unmatched by Ariza, as he was the highest vote-getter among guards for first-team defense big shots.
Garnett also belonged to the first-team defense big shots; he missed the all-defensive team due to too much absence in the regular season, yet by playing only 57 gas, the votes he received from head coaches of various teams still ranked fifth among forwards, second only to Duncan if counting only power forwards. If Okafor hadn’t primarily played a flexible center role in the regular season, he might not have made the all-defensive team.
Being flanked by these two, along with Kidd’s assistance, Zhang San’s high-position offense faltered...
By the 4th offense, Zhang Yang continued to try more possibilities, deciding to drive the interior... only to be hindered by Kidd shrinking from the wing and Kwa Brown protecting the basket.
At the opening, Zhang Yang shot 4 tis and made 1, only scoring two points!
During this ti, on the Lakers’ side, Kobe started the attack directly from the low post; the first attack was double-tead, after hitting a tough fadeaway amidst the double-team to assist a shot, he began decisively passing the ball. Garnett and Kidd’s mid-to-long range response was indeed formidable. Kidd cut into the top arc to receive the ball for a layup and scored two points, Kwa Brown received passes twice, dunked one, and got blocked by Zhang Yang on the other... 4 shots, 2 hits, seemingly good, but rember this was the opening, when the feel was the best, yet their mid-to-long shooters, the Three Giants, hadn’t made a single shot!
Except for Kobe’s strong forcing miss, they hadn’t attempted mid-to-long-range shots! Only Kidd, the weakest in attacking the basket, and Kwa Brown, purely feasting, got chances at the basket, with Zhang Yang blocking one on a supplentary defense!
Reviews
All reviews (0)