The rest is just noise

"I'm playing the most interesting game of my life." Ralph Sampson accepted a pre-game interview with NBC and expressed satisfaction with his current situation.

At the same time, he also praised his teammates.

He called Karl Malone one of the best power forwards of all time and said Grant Hill will be an MVP-caliber player by the turn of the millennium.

After hearing Sampson's praise of Malone, Louis felt that he was still too conservative.

If he were Sampson, he would definitely make Malone the number one power forward in active service to disgust Manning.

This shows that Sampson still misses some of his old friendship, but it also shows that he still needs to grow up. He has to understand that some people are not worthy of you treating them as human beings.

Before the game started, Sampson came over and exchanged a few words with Louis and Bird.

"Larry, is Los Angeles more comfortable than Boston?" Sampson asked with a smile.

Bird said calmly: "It's the same everywhere to me."

"Don't listen to the old country bumpkin's nonsense. If it were the same everywhere, he wouldn't have to move to Florida after he retires." Looking at Sampson's physical condition, Louis felt like he had returned to his youth, "It looks like you are in Chuck

My men had a great time."

Sampson spoke highly of Chuck Daly: "Coach Daly understands me very well and he knows how to play to my strengths."

Louis believes Sampson didn't just say that because Daley was his coach.

The data can explain something - the 36-year-old Sampson has played full attendance so far this season, averaging 32 minutes per game, scoring 24 points, 9.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.9 blocks.

Judging from the data, his points and assists have improved slightly compared to the Heat period.

But his three shooting percentages were appalling 61%, 43%, and 85%.

As a core center who doesn't eat much, he shot 61% from the field and 43% from the three-point range. His free throw percentage, which had been hovering around 80% in the early years, also increased to 85%. It really fits that sentence, except

Age, nothing can stop Mr. Only.

What's even more amazing is that Sampson's outstanding performance did not affect Karl Malone's performance.

This top player who took the initiative to hug his thigh is not well known to fans due to the lack of competitiveness of the Jazz over the years and the fact that he is located in Utah.

Malone is the only player who has been asked by fans "Why are you selected for the Dream Team".

The end of this story is that Malone asked the other party's home address and which team the other party was a fan of. Then when he went to the local game to play, he took the initiative to send tickets to the fan's family and scored 48+10.

Data leads the team to win.

If this kind of story happened to Wilson and Jordan, their management team would make it known to the world.

But in Utah, Malone's anecdote only gained him a few new fans.

After coming to the Celtics, everything was different. As the Celtics' actually strongest player, Malone showed commendable stability, averaging 28 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists per game for the Celtics.

Posen took most of the pressure.

Two towering trees suddenly appeared in the team. While Grant Hill was enjoying the cool weather, he also averaged 18 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists per game.

This is why the Celtics are able to strive for the top this season.

Relying on the Big Three model of two old players and one new player, the Celtics currently rank third in the Eastern Conference with a record of 19 wins and 7 losses, second only to the Knicks, who are in the early stages of internal explosion, and the Magic, who are on the rise.

Before the game, the mood between the two sides was quite mild.

It's just that the fans in the forum are very unfriendly. They regard the Celtics as their mortal enemies and green as an unlucky color.

Many Hollywood stars came to the forum.

Jerry Buss and his children were sitting in a large box talking business with the rich.

Jerry West had PTSD against Green and Green Kai. In this high-profile Christmas game, he only dared to hide in the underground parking lot and listen to the game on the radio.

Obviously, this city has different feelings about green and green.

Then, the starting players from both sides came on stage.

Lakers: Barros, Liu Yuqing, Wilson, Barkley, Garnett.

Celtics: Price, Shand, Hill, Malone, Sampson.

Before the jump ball, Garnett said to Sampson: "Ralph, you won last time, tonight, buddy, you must win it back!"

"This goal is a bit too big for you. Why don't you set a small goal first and avoid leaving the game with six fouls?" Sampson joked.

Garnett didn't win the war of words, and he also lost the jump ball.

Sampson easily tipped the ball to Price.

The Celtics' first possession was classic, with Sampson taking the ball from the high post and Malone setting up a pick-and-roll.

Magical things like pick-and-rolls for inside players happen frequently in Celtics games.

Moreover, most teams have no good solution when faced with this move.

Sampson can attack with the ball, and he has a long stride. One step can be compared to two steps for an ordinary player. As long as he is given space to dribble the ball, the basket in front of him will be like the ocean.

Therefore, Louis' instructions before the game were that when encountering a pick-and-roll, Garnett would directly open up Sampson to shoot.

Cannot switch defenses.

Because if Barkley switches defense, given his height, it would be as difficult for Sampson to shoot in front of him as it would be to throw the ball into the swimming pool from the second floor.

Since he was left open, Sampson was naturally not polite and just collected the ball and shot.

"Whoosh!"

2 to 0

"As the statistics show, Ralph's shooting percentage for this kind of ball is 70%." Budenholzer advised Louis, "We have to find a way to make up for Chuck's defensive shortcomings."

Louis could only think of one way, and that was to replace Barkley.

However, even if Barkley is replaced, the Lakers do not have enough athletic long men to deal with the Celtics' high-post pick-and-roll tactics.

However, how many teams can show such defensive talent?

In Louis' impression, only the three Yu families (Re, Ni, Kai) have this condition.

After all, the landlord's family has a surplus of food.

"I know." Louis responded, glancing at Ben Wallace sitting next to Kobe.

Louis has no doubt about Ben's defensive ability, but his size is indeed a flaw.

Especially when encountering an old monster like Sampson who doesn't compete with him at all, if he sees a center less than two meters away guarding him, he will probably transform into the peak Bob McAdoo on the spot and shoot to the point where his scalp goes numb.

"DB, give me a chance to perform!" Garnett shouted as he ran across half court.

Barros hates the willfulness of high school players. If Garnett can't give him a convincing reason to pass the ball, he won't let it go.

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Next, Garnett used a powerful move to pass the ball to Barros.

He trapped Sampson firmly in the low post.

He has already occupied a favorable position and only needs his teammates to pass the ball.

Barros' ball arrived instantly.

Garnett held the ball, closed his legs, and raised the ball high above his head. Suddenly, he made an Olajuwon-style sway from side to side, which made Sampson's judgment wrong.

At this moment, Liu Yuqing walked in through the back door from the bottom corner on the other side, and was just seen by Garnett who turned to face the basket.

Garnett himself is not a person who is greedy for scoring. When he saw that Liu Yuqing had a better chance, he made a pass and assisted Liu Yuqing to score a layup.

“Ouch! Ouch!

!" Garnett followed Liu Yuqing and ran back, "How about this pass, buddy?"

Liu Yuqing said calmly: "It's not like you can pass the ball."

Garnett had just passed a good ball and the man was floating, and he actually wanted to rely on off-ball defense to close Sampson.

Just now, Garnett easily reached the position in the low post, causing Garnett to misjudge Sampson's strength.

At this time, the Celtics pushed the ball into the frontcourt.

Price lobbed Sampson.

Sampson easily pushed away Garnett and caught the ball with one hand. At the same time, Shandon Anderson ran towards the baseline. Liu Yuqing wanted to chase, but hit Malone's screen. Barkley could not catch up in any case.

Anderson's.

Sampson was obviously looking at Hill's position, but he seemed to have a full view of the ball. Like a tragedy master, he passed the ball from the high position without looking at anyone and into the hands of Anderson, who was cutting through the air.

Anderson made a layup.

"Ralph...does he have this skill?" Don Nelson's impression of Sampson is that he is a giant with the ability to hold the ball and attack, but he is also a traditional core center.

At least, the last time the Lakers and Celtics played, his support was not so smooth and calm.

However, from the beginning to now, the ability he has shown has become further and further away from the word traditional.

As an old teammate of Sampson, Bird also said: "I am becoming more and more unfamiliar with the current Ralph. He plays like a young Bill Walton."

"Coach Lu, what do you think?"

"Don't ask me," said Louis, "I don't know that man. He's not Ralph."