socalfunplaces Chapter 47: Elbow Leads the Way and the Real Softie!
Chapter 47: Elbow Leads the Way and the Real Softie!
Jackson wanted to see if Lin Ze's mid-range technique was just a passing fancy or if it was truly masterful enough to be used as a regular weapon.
"Here comes David!" Lin Ze kindly reminded him while swinging his elbow at Robinson once again!
If Robinson is brave enough to choose not to dodge, Lin Ze will definitely be sent off and will almost certainly be punished for repeated serious fouls.
Now, if the other three of the four centers were to switch places, they certainly wouldn't back down; they would stubbornly push forward and send Lin Ze packing.
Even Ewing, who is clearly inferior to the other three, is certainly not afraid.
Not to mention the other three centers, even Mourning... well, if it were Mourning back when Lin Ze first elbowed him, he would have ignored everything and had a man-to-man duel with Lin Ze.
But Robinson was scared.
He leaned back again to dodge Lin Ze's elbow, and Lin Ze took the opportunity to rise and launch another mid-range jump shot.
Whether this shot goes in or not is no longer important.
The important thing is: Robinson has completely chickened out.
Another piece of compelling evidence that he was scared was that he started complaining to the referee, one of the most despised and looked-down-upon behaviors of our time.
"He's going to kill me! Can't you see? His elbow is about to smash into my head!"
"I didn't mean to." Lin Ze, who had just been fierce, instantly turned into a lamb: "I swear! I really just couldn't control myself! I swear I won't do it again, really!"
"Watch your movements! We're watching you!" The referee looked at Robinson, then at Lin Ze, and could only give a standard warning.
What could they do to send Lin Ze off the court for an action that didn't hit anyone and wasn't considered excessive in their eyes?
Just kidding! This is Los Angeles! They don't want to be surrounded by crazy fans after leaving Staples Center.
"The Purple Heart isn't for you, David." As soon as they were out of the referee's sight, Lin Ze's trash talk would pour out at Robinson: "That thing is for the bravest soldiers, for those warriors who dare to fight to the death and sacrifice parts of their bodies in battle."
"And you, my buddy, you're a real coward! Maybe the Silver Star Medal would suit you better; plenty of female soldiers have had it."
"How dare you call yourself an admiral? Are you trying to compete with MacArthur for the title of worst admiral in human history?"
Robinson didn't react much to Lin Ze's provocation, and Popovich didn't make any specific arrangements either. One reason was that the Lakers had widened the gap since the middle of the third quarter, and the other was that he was thinking about what to do if he faced the Lakers' frontcourt duo in the playoffs.
Popovich didn't spend much time thinking about how to win this game back.
He knew Robinson better than anyone else. He knew that once Robinson was scared, he would never regain his courage after a few pauses or a few motivational speeches.
What's more, even though Kobe wasn't there that night, the entire Lakers team was incredibly accurate. Not only did Lin Ze and O'Neal both score 30+ points in just three quarters, dominating the court, but Fisher, Harper, and Rice also combined for 7 of 10 three-pointers!
With the opposing starting players all exploding in form and shooting at their best, Popovich decisively chose to surrender. At the start of the fourth quarter, he immediately substituted in fringe players and took the initiative to end the game.
这场比赛，最终湖人队以118：95的比分轻轻鬆鬆兵不血刃的拿下，奥尼尔全场比赛轰下31分13篮板的大号两双，林泽也有30分6篮板3助攻入帐！
The combined outburst of the two completely overwhelmed the Spurs' twin towers. If Duncan hadn't also contributed 26 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks tonight, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Spurs' twin towers were completely destroyed!
For the Lakers, the most important thing is that they defeated the Spurs! They eliminated the formidable opponent who swept them in last year's Western Conference semifinals, finally getting their revenge.
With this resounding victory, if the two teams meet again in the playoffs, the Lakers will at least be psychologically unafraid of the Spurs.
Not to mention, they even let Kobe win tonight.
Speaking of Kobe...
Kobe didn't spend Christmas with his parents tonight; instead, he practiced shooting on the basketball court in his house.
Practice shooting with your left hand.
"Honey, are we really not going to spend Christmas with your parents? Maybe you could go by yourself." A girl with a distinctly mixed-race appearance looked at Kobe with some concern.
She is Kobe's current girlfriend and future wife, Vanessa.
"No, I'm not going back." Kobe's tone was curt: "They don't like you."
"Then at least eat something?" Vanessa suggested tentatively.
"No!" Kobe refused again, then picked up the remote and pressed a few buttons, and the TV started replaying the Lakers vs. Spurs Christmas Day game again.
Kobe's eyes were fixed on Lin Ze's figure, especially when Lin Ze was backing down Robinson, Kobe's gaze was unwilling to leave him...
This Christmas game, broadcast nationwide in the United States, undoubtedly gave Lin Ze another boost.
This game boosted Lin Ze's performance even more than the previous games against the Timberwolves and 76ers!
After all, he played a little trick in the game against the Timberwolves, traveling at different times with Garnett, and against the 76ers, he didn't match up against Iverson at all. Although Lin Ze played well in these two games, he didn't completely dominate any superstar.
But tonight is completely different!
Tonight he had a lot of one-on-one exchanges with Robinson, and he repeatedly taught Robinson a lesson with his fadeaway jumper. He scored at least 20 points over Robinson.
Yes, Robinson is getting old. He's no longer a top-ten player in the league; he's even just the Spurs' second option.
However, he is still able to contribute an average of 17 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game this year, and remains one of the strong contenders for the All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA Team.
There may be more than 5 centers better than him in the current league, but definitely no more than 10!
However, he was still completely outmatched by Lin Ze in a one-on-one fight!
The highlights of their matchups could even make a 3-4 minute video!
Tonight, no method or reason is needed, and no clever tricks are required.
Lin Ze took down Robinson in a one-on-one fight!
If last season's playoffs saw the Lakers lose because O'Neal couldn't carry the team alone, and Kobe and Rice couldn't provide him with enough support, then this year, the Lakers' frontcourt duo is definitely no less formidable than the Spurs' twin towers!