Chapter 362: Crazy Spread
Barkley was yelling in the studio, but the game had already started again. Yang Mo led his chaotic team onto the court in a dignified and confident manner. When the fans saw this incongruous group of fans, they couldn't help but boo, but they were quickly suppressed by Yang Mo's die-hard fans with enthusiastic cheers. However, the remaining emotions were still distrust and rejection.
To them, what's the difference between this and surrendering without resistance? Even if they don't want to win, at least they should show some sincerity? Substituting rubbish players in the second quarter and turning the game into garbage time, isn't that too disrespectful to those who bought tickets to enter the stadium?
Fans did not understand the Knicks' lineup. Kenny Smith from the TNT broadcast studio was even more arrogant. He said complacently, "Look, the Knicks are collapsing. They even replaced Nate Robinson. Isn't this admitting defeat? Do they still want to play any defensive ability with this lineup? They are destined to be gradually slaughtered by the Lakers."
Kenny Smith's confidence in the Lakers is too strong, but Lakers head coach Phil Jackson is not optimistic at all. Even though he has not dealt with Yang Mo much, he knows that Yang Mo is definitely not someone who will surrender voluntarily. But... now he has released this lineup again, which is too abnormal. Could it be that... this guy wants to completely give up defense and focus all his energy on offense? But... this lineup's offense is not the Knicks' strongest, right?
Even though Phil Jackson was so experienced, he still couldn't see through Yang Mo's thoughts.
Yang Mo's lineup was not to give up defense, but to strategically give up part of the defense and strengthen some aspects. As for offense, this lineup is not the strongest offensive lineup of the Knicks, but it is the craziest offensive lineup. Since the steady approach cannot break the Lakers' unbeaten record, they can only try to win by using unconventional tactics.
So, when Yang Mo passed the ball to Nate Robinson, the whole team started running like crazy. Although the Lakers had already had people stationed in the half court, they didn't expect the Knicks to be so crazy. Nate Robinson brought the ball to the front court , and when he was two steps away from the three-point line, he directly jumped and shot... and it went in! Swish!
When the basketball went into the net, Nate Robinson roared, "I am Wolverine!"
This guy is indeed a kid with energy. Although he is not good at this or that, if he is given freedom on the court, he can go crazy. This is why he can stay in the NBA, and this is why Yang Mo used him.
When Nate Robinson roared, the Lakers didn't even react... Did the ball go in? Did the ball really go in? Too fast? !
At this time, Yang Mo encouraged Nate Robinson and reminded him: "Next time you have to pay attention to the shooting distance. It's not good to shoot too far. Do you understand?"
"Hehe, got it." Nate Robinson smiled and nodded very clearly.
Although this guy is a bit clingy and his playing style is selfish, he dare not mess around under Yang Mo, because he knows Yang Mo's fighting ability better than anyone else. Last season, he was almost beaten to death by Yang Mo.
When the Lakers reacted, Fisher brought the ball across half court. As soon as he came over, Nate Robinson quickly stuck to him and kept squeezing and pushing him with his body like a mad dog.
This is the defense that Yang Mo told him to do, to interfere with the aging Fisher. Although Robinson's defense is a little poor, he is still motivated, and Yang Mo also told him clearly that he doesn't need to worry about fouls. As long as it is not intentional, even if he fouls out tonight, he will start in the next game.
Starting is undoubtedly a great temptation for Nate Robinson, which maximizes his enthusiasm.
Nate Robinson was responsible for guarding Fisher, while Yang Mo and Jordan Hill tightly clamped Bynum and Gasol in the interior. As for Kobe and Odom, Yang Mo did not make any requirements, but just asked Gallinani and Chandler to keep up.
This kind of defense is equivalent to strangling the Lakers at both ends, allowing their forwards and guards in the middle to perform.
Although Jordan Hill is a rookie, his physical fitness and enthusiasm are very good. With the support of Yang Mo, he controlled Bynum very well. As for Gasol, he subconsciously couldn't move his hands and feet when he met Yang Mo, as if he was born to be restrained.
The Knicks strangled the Lakers at both ends, and Kobe Bryant, the strongest attack point, was liberated. Therefore, Kobe easily got a chance for a mid-range shot, and the basketball accurately went into the net.
But at the moment he shot, the three outside players of the Knicks ran to the frontcourt quickly as if they were wound up, and Jordan Hill quickly passed the ball to Yang Mo after scoring. Yang Mo swung the ball to the frontcourt with a long throw. Nate Robinson received the ball and made a high throw. Wilt Chandler rushed into the penalty area and jumped high to dunk the ball into the basket.
It was a very easy and clean two points, and the entire offense was smooth, with only Nate Robinson dribbling the ball once. In fact, when Wilt Chandler dunked the basketball into the basket, the Lakers had only Kobe Bryant inside the three-point line, while the Knicks had three.
One person defending three? How can it be possible?
After two consecutive crazy and extreme fast breaks, the Knicks fans who originally thought that the home team had surrendered instantly realized that this was not surrender, but an offensive tactic that was even crazier than the run-and-gun one.
Phil Jackson also saw Yang Mo's intention at this time, but he didn't take it seriously: "So you want to use fast to beat slow and disrupt our rhythm? After all, you are still a little naive!"
So, he just stretched out his hand and gestured, indicating that the team should continue to slow down the pace and respond to changes with the same attitude.
Phil Jackson is undoubtedly a famous coach, and he has so many championship rings that his hands are almost full. But he is not omniscient and omnipotent. At least now he underestimated Yang Mo's madness, and he made a wrong judgment.
Because Yang Mo never thought about disrupting the rhythm of the Lakers. He just wanted to defeat the Lakers with a crazy offense... Yes, to defeat the Lakers.
Phil Jackson didn't expect Yang Mo to be so bold. He thought Yang Mo just wanted to disrupt his rhythm with this lineup, and then use the previous stable lineup to clean up the game. So, he chose to let the team lower the rhythm and slow down the speed.
His decision gave the Knicks time to catch their breath and recover, but it also caused his players to slowly drown in the slow-paced environment, like a frog being boiled to death in warm water.
When Fisher arrived at the front court slowly, Nate Robinson had also had enough rest, but when he came up, he was still madly entangled. The four players in the interior also tangled together, and only Kobe and Odom were relatively relaxed and did not encounter close defense.
So, naturally, the attack fell into their hands.
Bang!
Kobe Bryant missed a mid-range back-to-the-basket shot. Yang Mo immediately squeezed out Pau Gasol and passed the ball to Jordan Hill who was assisting on the side. Hill grabbed the basketball and quickly threw it across half court. The three Knicks outside players had been waiting there. This time it was Gallinani who received the pass. He made a slight adjustment outside the three-point line and decisively shot towards the unguarded basket...Swish!
Another three points!
The score difference was quickly narrowed to six points, and there was only one minute and five seconds left in the second quarter.
This obviously broke everyone's expectations. They had previously thought that the Knicks' lineup would only widen the point difference, but they didn't expect it to create a miracle. However, they still believed that this miracle would not last long, because the Lakers are the Lakers after all, and they are the defending champions after all.
Many people have this idea, including Lakers fans, Kenny Smith, and even Phil Jackson. He always believes that as long as the Lakers maintain their own rhythm, the Knicks' crazy style of play will eventually backfire.
This idea is not wrong in essence. But... the Knicks tonight are not the Knicks of the past. The Knicks tonight are branded with the distinct mark of Super Yang. Super Yang represents miracles, madness, and victory over all impossibilities.
Therefore, in the next five minutes, the Lakers still insisted on playing a slow-paced game. However, after Nate Robinson and Gallinani missed two three-pointers, Yang Mo decisively changed from a pure defender to an attacker. His speed played a huge role. After grabbing the rebound, he started running wildly, and once even outran Jordan Hill's long pass.
Although Yang Mo's three-pointer also has a touch of passion, it is different from Nate Robinson's convulsions and Gallinani's touch. As long as he does not encounter any tight defense, it is difficult to miss his three-pointer. The biggest advantage of the current play is that it uses speed to create enough space. Therefore, his three-pointers are like raindrops, constantly falling into the Lakers' basket.
Seven minutes into the second quarter, Phil Jackson finally called a timeout, as he felt the team had to make a change because Yang Mo's three-point was like throwing a stone into the ocean, and the Lakers' basket couldn't withstand his three-point rain.
At this time, the Knicks had gone from trailing to leading by five points, with Yang Mo contributing four three-pointers alone.
I have to say that this lineup created a miracle.
When the Lakers requested a timeout and the Knicks team walked to the bench, the fans at the scene cheered collectively again , applauding their crazy show.
Everyone felt like a hero, no one was vain, which made them feel great, because the fatigue brought by the fast running was also forgotten in the cheers.
While the players were receiving cheers like heroes triumphantly on the court, the TNT studio became a sea of joy for Charles Barkley alone.
"Who just said that the Lakers are sure to win? Could that friend please open your big watery eyes and take a good look. Who is leading now?" Barkley tapped the table with his fingers and said arrogantly, "It's the Knicks. The Knicks led by Super Yang. So what if the Lakers are the champions? We have Super Yang! So what if the Lakers have four All-Stars? We have Super Yang! So what if the Lakers have Phil Jackson? We have Super Yang! So what if the Lakers have brainless fans? We have Charles Barkley's butt! Hahahahaha!"
When Charles Barkley used parallel sentences to humiliate people, it was obvious how angry Kenny Smith was. He wanted to smash Barkley's teeth with one punch, but after weighing his own strength, he felt that his punch would most likely bring him disaster.
So, he finally chose to remain silent, but in his heart he placed all his expectations on Phil Jackson, hoping that he could come up with a way to stop the Knicks' madness from spreading as soon as possible, and not let such a wave of momentum take away the victory. Because... this was related to whether his tongue would eventually meet a dirty ass.
