readytorunbook Chapter 282 Christmas War with Thunder
Chapter 282 Christmas War with Thunder
Chapter 282 Christmas War with Thunder
On Christmas Eve, Charlotte dressed up as Santa Claus is everywhere, and the festive atmosphere is very strong.
Li Ke's big G galloped across the street, turned a corner, and entered the underground parking lot of the Time Warner Center.
He parked the car, picked up the satchel on the co-pilot, carried it behind his back, and then walked through the long passage of the underground parking lot.
Along the way, Li Ke saw countless media following the filming, countless reporters chasing questions...
Most of the problems mentioned are related to Xiaodu.
The main reason is that Xiao Du tweeted last night, exposing the fact that he had dinner with Li Ke.
In the eyes of most NBA media reporters, Li Ke and Xiao Du should be unquestionable opponents. The league's several awards and this season's schedule all show this.
There are also some media reporters who know that Li Ke and Xiao Du should be friends and enemies at this time, or even have more friends.
But no matter what, the fact that Li Ke and Xiao Du spent Christmas Eve together is worth exploring by these reporters.
"Sheldon, were you with KD last night?"
"No, we just had dinner together."
"What did you talk to KD about?"
What are you talking about?Talk about next year's Heat Big Three, talk about future alliances...but can he say these things?Obviously not.
So Li Ke replied casually:
"It's just talking about some common topics when old friends meet."
After waving his hand, Li Ke quickly walked to the entrance of the passage, pushed the door open and entered.
Further inside is the area that reporters cannot enter for the time being.
While walking towards the locker room, Li Ke followed the group of reporters' questions, thinking about the hot chat last night.
"What is the situation that the friendship level has not increased?"
"Little Du, Xiao Du, with this reaction, it is unlikely that we will join forces."
Teaming up or something, it should be a matter of occasion, Li Ke and Xiao Du, there should be no possibility of getting together again, except for the All-Stars.
……
There is still about an hour before the start of the Christmas battle.
Central Five is ready to broadcast.
The camera was focused on the stadium, and when the Bobcats filed out, the Time Warner Center was filled with cheers, screams and shouts like a torrent.
Especially the moment Li Ke appeared on the stage, there was a neat shout from the audience:
"Sheldon! Sheldon! Sheldon!"
In the wild cheers and shouts, Li Ke stood in the center of the court.
Not far away, Xiao Du witnessed all this, and to be honest, he was a little envious.
In Oklahoma City, Xiao Du did not receive such treatment.
Oklahoma City fans don't seem to like him very much, at least, they won't be crazy about him like Charlotte fans.
Pushing forward, in Seattle, at the beginning, Xiao Du played very badly, and it was impossible for the fans to pursue him, and even had to be patient.
When Xiao Du adjusts to a promising stage in the future, the Supersonic will become the Thunder.
Seattle fans are even less likely to cheer him on.
After the appearance ceremony, it was warm-up time. Maybe they had talked enough last night, or maybe Li Ke and Xiao Du had to stand upright. In short, the two had no communication before the game, not even talking harshly face to face.
It wasn't until the game was about to start that the two really stood together.
"The game is about to start, let's look at the starting lineup first..."
The starting lineup, the Bobcats, has not changed. Point guard Curry, shooting guard Li Ke, small forward Hua Er, power forward Kenyon Martin, and center Jordan Jr.
For the Thunder, compared to the preseason, they have made some changes.
Point guard Rondo, shooting guard Sabo Seforosa, small forward Du, and center Daluo, these are all unchanged.
But the power forward has been replaced by Serge Ibaka from Nick Collison.
This change, for the Bobcats, is still somewhat unfavorable.
Nick Collison's strength is not enough to be a starter. He was able to become the Thunder's starting power forward at the beginning of the season, relying on his qualifications.
In contrast, the young Ibaka has the strength to start, and even Ibaka is better than ordinary power forwards.
Just one thing-after entering the starting lineup, Ibaka's playing time is still only about 20 minutes, but in these 20 minutes, he was able to send 1.5 blocks.
From the analysis of the Thunder's team composition, center Daluo is actually not good at protecting the frame. He is more like a scoring center, playing offensively, and even not doing a good job of protecting rebounds.
In this case, the appearance of Ibaka made up for the weak link that the Thunder did not have to protect the frame.
"Stephen, do you still remember the Nuggets game?"
The referee was already holding the basketball and standing in the center of the court. At this time, Li Ke pulled Curry past him and whispered again.
Curry nodded, and Li Ke continued: "It's the same as that game, you have half of the ball and I have half, and we share the pressure with each other."
Curry nodded again, this time, he was firm.
Although, his opponent in this game was replaced by Lagalondo, a point guard with a reputation for defense.
drop!
A crisp whistle sounded, amidst cheers at the Time Warner Center, the basketball flew into the sky.
With a bang, as Jordan first touched the basketball, the Christmas battle kicked off.
"It's Stephen Curry on the ball, he's running down the court..."
It must be Curry who has the ball in the half court, and then the question is, who will execute the Bobcats' first attack at the beginning of the game.
Soon, the Bobcats on the court gave an answer, an answer that made Sam Vincent frown.
"Curry didn't pass the ball, but continued to go in with Kenyon Martin's pick-and-roll, and suddenly made a mid-range shot!"
With a bang, the opportunity came up, but the basketball smashed the basket shamelessly.
On the sidelines, Sam Vincent continued to frown.
But in the commentary booth, Kenny Smith confirmed that:
"I have to say that Stephen Curry's choice is correct. The Thunder are very afraid of his three-pointers, so Lagalondo defends very outside. After a screen, he is small and big."
"I already had a chance, but I didn't make the final shot. It can only be said that the touch is still a little bit worse."
Barkley thinks: "The Bobcats' offensive selection is confusing, just like the Bulls. Do you think they will let Steve Kerr open the first singles?"
In any case, at the basket, Ibaka protected the rebound, and the Bobcats have turned from offense to defense.
The Thunder's offense, Scott Brooks understands the current NBA ecology very well.
Rondo controls the ball, from the backcourt to the frontcourt, and has no thought of passing the ball at all.
As soon as he arrived in the frontcourt, he even directed the running positions of his teammates.
For Rondo, Li Ke appreciates it. Although Rondo has this and other shortcomings, Rondo is a point guard or player who knows how to win, and that is enough.
Don't underestimate the words "know how to win". There are only a handful of players in the NBA who can do this.
Thunder started to run crazily, even Xiao Du was no exception, although under Li Ke's marking, his running was restricted everywhere.
After running for more than ten seconds, Xiao Du finally hit soy sauce.
Rondo in the middle made a breakthrough after a pick-and-roll, and then sent the ball out, and it was Daluo in the near-frame area who received the ball.
Daluo caught the ball and raised his hand for a layup, with a bang!
In the end, the Thunder took the lead in scoring, 2-0, and it was the Bobcats' turn to attack again.
Still Curry, controlling the ball from the backcourt to the frontcourt.
In the frontcourt, Li Ke continued to act as a shopkeeper. He pulled Sefoloza's defense aside, then looked at Curry, and once again passed Kenyon Martin's cover to kill within the three-point line.
Then, under the frowning gaze of Sam Vincent, Curry made his way to the basket.
"This wave of Thunder's help defense made a mistake. Brook Lopez failed to keep an eye on it. Now the task of protecting the basket can only be handed over to Serge Ibaka."
That's right, for the Thunder on the defensive end, it's not Daluo who guards the basket, but 28 cards.
Faced with the 28-card waving long arms and big hands, everyone felt that the thin Curry was about to hit a wall.
"This is a hat!"
However, Curry made an unexpected feint, raised his hand falsely, and retracted it, followed by another layup with a low hand...
drop!
The referee blew his whistle in time.
"Hunter foul, no doubt about it!"
"Steph Curry played so smart."
Kenny Smith looked very proud. Who made Barkley always say that Curry is very similar to him back then?
But I have to say that Curry did play this ball very smartly.
"Rookie vs. rookie, Stephen Curry wins!"
On the other side, Barkley's commentary directly suppressed Curry's wave of operations.
Rookies talk to rookies, as if rookies are pecking at each other.
But no matter what, Curry is going to the free throw line.
"At the free throw line, Stephen Curry made two free throws and it's 2-2."
The score was tied, and Curry's offense can be regarded as a joke, but the most important thing is the 28-card foul.
"That guy has already committed a foul, and he will go inside later, looking for his confrontation!"
In the Thunder's round, Rondo still controlled the ball from beginning to end.
Li Ke still didn't give Xiao Du a chance, and he guarded from beginning to end. To put it bluntly, he told Xiao Du: You have no choice but to play singles.
Xiao Du seems to be very willing to play the role of a deputy. Rondo doesn't give the ball, and he doesn't want it either. Anyway, it's all kinds of running.
At the end of the run, he had no space in front of him, so he could only look at his teammate, Sabo Seforosa, and made an undisturbed three-pointer from the outside.
bang...
"The opportunity came and Sefoloza didn't take it."
Under the basket, the Bobcats won the rebound competition, Hua Er Er grabbed the rebound, turned around and accelerated.
"Bobcat's rebound, counterattack is coming!"
Counterattack, the second Hua who held the ball looked ahead, and then made a choice to pass the ball.
"During the counterattack, Gerald Wallace made a cross, and it was Sheldon who received the ball!"
The basketball started, and the Time Warner Center cheered. It seemed that this was the opportunity for Li Ke's first solo show in this game.
However, Li Ke refused.
After receiving the ball, he made another cross pass, and the basketball finally returned to Curry.
I have to say that the Thunder's lineup is still a bit deformed. The center guards and guards are average. The task of protecting the frame is given to 28 cards, and the task of guards is given to C Duo.
Because of this, when Sefoloza missed a shot, Rondo's position was closer to the inside, which was reflected in the Bobcats' counterattack, that is, his return to defense was slow.
At the moment Li Ke passed the ball, there was only Xiao Du in front of Curry.
Xiao Du retreated quickly, but Curry chose to go outside the three-point line, jumped up, and directly chased for a three-pointer.
"Steph Curry, the three-pointer!"
Swish-!
The white net flowers swayed, Curry turned his head chicly, raised his hands and swayed, as if he was shaking his hands.
"It's another chasing three-pointer in the counterattack. Since the game against the Nuggets, Stephen Curry has often made such a chasing three-pointer."
"With Shelton's body-chasing three-pointer, now, the Bobcats have two masters of body-chasing three-pointers."
5 to 2, the Bobcats turned around and took back the advantage.
In the Thunder's round, after Rondo had possession of the ball for half the court, he finally stopped holding the ball.
That's right, Xiao Du finally couldn't bear it anymore, he circled around from the bottom corner, and finally stopped on the left side of the top of the arc.
The position of this position can be regarded as a kind of signal, and Rondo knows that it is time for him to give the ball.
"KD stopped on the left side and received a pass from Lagalondo. This is going to be a single!"
The really exciting moment has come. Before the game, the outside world is looking forward to another duel between Li Ke and Xiao Du.
This is not the same as the preseason. The difference is that after almost two months of the regular season, Li Ke and Xiao Du have each made some progress.
Under the progress, the victory and defeat of the preseason will not count.
"Look at how KD will play this ball..."
Li Ke was very serious about defending, but KD, who had already fought against Li Ke several times, knew that it was impossible to completely kill Li Ke's defense by using fake moves or strong attacks.
Therefore, KD chose the simplest way, a breakthrough to the frame, regardless of whether he broke through Li Ke's defense or not, anyway, he rushed two steps and made an emergency stop.
Li Ke also stopped immediately, and then predicted that Xiao Du was about to shoot the ball, so he jumped on it.
Xiao Du jumped up in a puzzled way, and shot with a slightly backward shot.
Li Ke's interference has become useless.
This ball depends purely on Xiaodu's touch.
However, there was a swish and a clear sound of scraping the net, indicating that Xiao Du's hand felt great.
"It's a very unsolvable fadeaway jumper. Shelton's defense is already perfect, but his short arm interferes. Facing KD who is tall and long, he is too weak..."
This is the physical gap, but this kind of gap is incomprehensible to anyone who replaces it. There is only one abnormality with a height of seven feet and a wingspan of 228 cm. After so many years in the NBA, this is the only one.
The Bobcats kicked off in the backcourt, and Li Ke had already started rubbing his hands.
After giving up so many ball possessions in the opening game, Curry's containment effect is already there, and Li Ke's containment can also start to play.
"It's still Stephen Curry, with the ball up the court, but this time, Sheldon is also at the top of the arc where he can receive the ball."
At the top of the arc, Li Ke's way of catching the ball is not as direct as Xiao Du's. He and Curry made a hand-to-hand cooperation.
Immediately afterwards, he faced Rondo's defense change.
Regardless of whether the Thunder switched defenses or not, Xiao Du was not the one defending Li Ke.
Therefore, Li Ke didn't care at all whether he switched defenses or not. He only cared about whether the hand-to-hand cooperation gave him a chance to directly break through.
Rondo's defense was changed very quickly, and there was no chance, but Li Ke could turn around and push wildly with his back.
Rondo would definitely not be able to withstand Li Ke's advance. He could only retreat passively, wait until Li Ke turned around, and then followed.
However, Li Ke was determined to kill inside, and when he got to the inside line, he almost got rid of Rondo, and then flew into the air...
Under the basket, even someone as big as Ibaka would not dare to directly face Li Ke's collision.
Clang!
With Li Ke's dunk, the Bobcats continued to maintain the lead with a score of 7 to 4...
(End of this chapter)