One Guard

On the second day after returning from vacation, Carlisle fully launched his closed training plan. And the training intensity of the players has officially ushered in a real improvement.

It's just that now, everyone on the Mavericks team is full of energy and vitality. They didn't feel any discomfort even when the training intensity was increased.

Of course, Carlisle couldn't refuse the media open day officially arranged by the NBA. However, at this time, the reporters who came to interview at the American Airlines Center Arena will definitely not be able to capture any exciting pictures

During the opening hours of the media, Carlisle arranged for all players to rest, and sent a few players at the end of the rotation to dismiss the reporters. Even Mu Ran, who has a good personal relationship with Yiyang, doesn't get any privileges.

But it can also be seen from this how much the Mavericks attach importance to the next second round. If the Trail Blazers have brought so much trouble to the Mavericks, then the Hornets and the Lakers are indeed opponents that need the Mavericks' full attention to beat. Because facing the Hornets and Lakers, the Mavericks are on the weak side.

The reporters had a bad time at the American Airlines Center Arena. In the next few days of training, fewer and fewer reporters came to disturb the Mavericks' training.

No one knows what the Mavericks are practicing, but in fact, for Carlisle, the purpose of his closed high-intensity training is not to keep secrets from the Hornets and Lakers.

Carlisle's serious training attitude can make players understand one thing from body to heart. The next round of the series will be a series that is doomed to be difficult, but no failure is allowed! This is the most important reason why he can do closed training.

"Will this put too much pressure on the players?" Stotts, the assistant coach of the Mavericks, was a little worried. Sometimes the pressure is too much, and it may have a counterproductive effect.

"Trust me, man. If you don't put a little pressure on them, they will let go soon. Isn't that what the Mavericks lost in the playoffs a few years ago." Carlisle stood on the sidelines, confident Staring at the players running across the field.

This year, we must not just go back home!

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At eight o'clock in the evening on April 28, although the day's training had ended, the Mavericks players had not yet "off work".

Today, Carlisle called everyone into the tactical conference room to watch the live broadcast of the sixth game between the Lakers and the Hornets.

At present, the Lakers have achieved the match point of the series, that is to say, if the Lakers can win in New Orleans today, then they will become the opponents of the Mavericks in the second round.

But from Carlisle's heart, he hopes that "Queen Bee" Paul can keep the home court today, and then lead the Hornets out of the tight encirclement in the tiebreaker. After all, the shortcomings of the Hornets' insufficient defense inside are obvious. Carlisle is more willing to play against the Hornets than the Lakers who don't have many flaws. At least against Paul, he is more sure than against that paranoid guy like Kobe.

"I heard that you used to be a Kobe fan?" The game hadn't started yet, and the commentator was still introducing the recent situation of the two sides. So, the Mavericks players sitting in the conference room chatted with each other. After the cameraman of TNT TV gave Kobe a close-up of his face, Nowitzki who was beside Yiyang asked such a question.

"Yes, I used to live in Long Beach, and the Lakers can be said to be my home team." Yi Yang answered without hesitation, his eyes fixed on the screen, and he only hoped that the game would start soon.

"Hey, as a fan,

I might also like him a lot. But believe me, after playing against him in the series, you may have a hard time liking him again for the rest of your life. After Nowitzki finished speaking, he tilted his head. The Germans can only pray in their hearts now, I hope it is not Kobe!

After the start of the game between the two sides, the first thing you can see is that the defense is very active.

But the Lakers' defense is more strategic, while the Hornets' defense relies more on the individual abilities of the players.

Under the Lakers' distinct defense, it was difficult for the Hornets to score after the start. Even with a top point guard like Paul, it is difficult for the Hornets to get a chance.

"See!? This is the defense of the Los Angeles Lakers! In addition to the two towers guarding the basket on the inside, the defense on the outside of the Lakers is not bad at all. If we were to face off against the Lakers, I hope we can come up with Sufficient enthusiasm and patience! If any of these two things are missing, we will become the Hornets we are now, and we will be nowhere to be found!" As soon as Carlisle finished speaking, Paul made a hasty shot against Fisher before the 24-second shot clock expired .

Naturally, the basketball missed and the Lakers received a defensive rebound. This is already the Hornets' three consecutive rounds without scoring.

Kobe then took control of the ball for half court. After reaching the three-point line, Kobe paused, as if he didn't intend to attack.

Yiyang observed carefully. If Carlisle asked Yiyang and Kidd to play double point guards during the next round of the series, then Yiyang would inevitably match up with Kobe. Understanding Kobe's offensive habits now will be of great help to Yiyang in the game.

Kobe made a few three-threat moves with the ball. The Italian guard Belinelli who was defending Kobe was very nervous. He didn't know which direction the "Black Mamba" would attack.

However, just when everyone thought Kobe was about to break through. No. 24, who was wearing a purple vest, threw the ball into the air casually.

The camera followed the trajectory of the basketball, and when the basketball began to fall, the tower of Bynum suddenly rose into the sky and rose from the ground!

This guy completely suppressed Okafor who was defending himself, and the latter couldn't even jump.

Bynum grabbed the basketball in the air with one hand and yanked it into the hoop! With a crushing alley-oop dunk, Bynum was so powerful that he played so well that MOP Okafor in the 2004 NCAA Final Four had no temper.

"This is the inside defense of the Hornets..." Seeing this, Carlisle couldn't help shaking his head. If the Hornets have one or two insiders who can defend and carry, the situation may not be so passive.

At the beginning of today's game, the Lakers completely controlled the situation of the game with powerful dunks and tough and fierce defense.

In the following games, the defending champion Lakers played completely against the Hornets. Paul was struggling alone, but with the role players of the Hornets, he alone could not stop the defending champion.

Peja, who once played for the Hornets, felt empathy when he saw this scene. He was thinking, maybe this summer, it will be difficult for the Hornets to keep Paul in New Orleans.

The last time the Hornets closed the gap was when Belinelli dunked with 9:14 left in the third quarter to tie the score at 40-42. And this is the moment when the Hornets are closest to overtaking today.

After that, Gasol and Kobe's consecutive goals widened the point difference. After Paul took a break, the score on the field was quickly opened up.

"If this continues, the Los Angeles Lakers will go to Dallas!" Even many on-site commentators were sweating for the Hornets.

The Hornets failed to make a shot in the last 2 minutes of the third quarter. Kobe caused a malicious foul by Okafor at the last moment and made two free throws. The Lakers entered the final confrontation with a 12-point difference of 69 to 57.

Carlisle gritted his teeth watching the live broadcast of the game, the Hornets must hold on! After watching the performance of the Lakers today, Carlisle doesn't want to meet the Lakers anymore!

However, God was neither on Carlisle's side nor Chris Paul's side today. Not long after the start of the fourth quarter, the Lakers' substitute lineup hit consecutive three-pointers, widening the gap even more. You know, in the Lakers bench, there is an "Almighty Warrior" Odom who is second only to Yiyang in the selection of the best sixth man!

Bryant, Gasol and Bynum have not yet played, and the point difference has been widened to 20 points. At that moment, Carlisle knew that the game had completely collapsed, and the Hornets and their "queen bee" would not be able to come to Dallas.

"Guys!" Before the game was over, Carlisle, who was sitting in the first row of the tactical conference room, suddenly stood up and turned to face his players.

"You have all seen the way the Lakers play, crushing, absolutely crushing! Maybe they get distracted occasionally, maybe the Hornets can steal a game or two. But want to completely crush this purple and gold team , what we need is persistence and courage! Prepare well for the next few days and throw all the messy things out of my head. I can tell you with certainty that the next round will be a tough battle!"

As soon as Carlisle finished speaking, the loud roar of the commentator in the live broadcast came from the speaker.

"Go in! Kobe scored a three-pointer as soon as he came up! The Hornets made a substitution, they replaced Chris Paul! It's over, the Hornets gave up, the Los Angeles Lakers, they reached the Western Conference semifinals!"

After the commentator finished yelling, Carlisle pointed to the huge curtain behind him. "I think you all know what to do."

Hornets fans booed in the Smoothie King Center, and what happened today was the exact opposite of what Carlisle expected. The mighty Zijin Legion will come after all...

At the end of the game, after Carlisle made some tactical summaries for the players, he announced the disbandment. The players went home to rest, preparing for the tougher training and tougher games in the next few days.

Yiyang was driving the car on the way home. The Chinese rookie was deeply impressed by the performance of Kobe and the Lakers crushing the Hornets to advance. Yiyang doesn't want to be the next Paul, to be precise, he doesn't want to be another victim of the Zijin Legion's iron heel.

At this moment, Yiyang's cell phone vibrated. While waiting for the red light, Yiyang picked up his phone and looked at it.

It's a text message from Kobe Bryant's private number. The content of the text message is very simple, only one sentence.

"Are you ready, kid? Next, it's your turn!"