Vol 6 Chapter 16: Sprint playoffs

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On March 14, the Lakers will challenge the Spurs away. For the Lakers, this is a back-to-back game, because on the 13th, they just finished playing the Thunder and challenged the Western Conference second and Western Conference first for two consecutive days. The team, even Zhang Guan, feels that it will be a rather difficult battle.
The current Spurs are well-staffed, free from illness and injury. Although the GDP mix is ​​old, they are still able to fight; Leonard, Danny Green, Split, Meeks and others have also grown up And this season, the Spurs can easily kill the Heat 4 to 1 in the finals.
Before February, the Spurs often lost at home, but since entering February, the Spurs have not lost at home. The current Spurs home is also considered a devil home in the league.
At the beginning of the game, the score between the two sides was tight. Under Zhang Guan's defense, Parker was a bit miserable. Between Duncan and Gasol, it was more like two old fritters playing Tai Chi. Leonard and Danny Green became the main points of the Spurs' starting lineup.
The starting lineup of the two sides, in terms of scoring ability, the Lakers are definitely better, after all, Zhang Guan is present, Zhang Guan's three-pointer is not vegetarian. In comparison, the Spurs' starting lineup, which is Danny Green's three-pointer, will be more accurate. Parker has reduced the frequency of three-point attempts in recent years, and Leonard's three-point shooting rate this season is not high, averaging only one hit per game.
In terms of shooting percentage, the Spurs have maintained fairly good, but scored a goal only two points, and the Lakers should pay more attention to the three-pointer, this tradeoff, before Zhang Guan rest off, the Lakers 23 to 20 Temporarily lead.
However, after the bench came on, the Spurs played a 15-4 offensive wave.
...
After the third quarter, the Spurs led by a full 24 points 89 to 65.
"The general trend of this game is gone!" Zhang Guan sighed softly. Although he was reluctant to admit it, he knew that the game was lost.
The gap between the Lakers and Spurs is mainly on the bench. The Lakers' bench was exploded by the Spurs on both offense and defense. Bezmore and Farmar, the general team still has a fighting strength, but compared with the Spurs, the difference is a bit far. On the Spurs' bench, Ginobili, Matt Bonner, Bellinelli and Dior, all of them are gangsters.
And the Lakers are back-to-back games. In the last victory over the Thunder, the Lakers were really desperate to play. Now facing the Spurs, the third quarter, the physical problems have been highlighted. The score is also widened at this stage.
In contrast to the Spurs, coach Popovich made another rotation of twelve players, and all of them scored. This is the most terrifying part of the Spurs. There is no one at the end of the team. Even the guy sitting at the end of the bench can contribute to the team as long as he debuts.
In the fourth quarter, the Lakers chose to give up, and a group of substitutes brushed the data, and the Spurs also replaced the starter, all substitutes came on stage, and the game entered garbage time.
In the end, the Spurs defeated the Lakers 119 to 101, the Lakers' 17-game winning streak ended, and Zhang Guan also tasted the first defeat after joining the NBA.
...
"17-game winning streak ended, the Lakers finally lost"
Losing the Lakers has attracted the attention of the US media. After Zhang Guan joined the Lakers, he led the Lakers to defeat strong teams such as the Thunder, Clippers, Rockets, Pacers, etc., without losing a defeat, but now finally lost to the Spurs. on.
Many people feel sorry for the Lakers. After all, they are back-to-back on the road, and they still play the Thunder and Spurs separately. It is already a remarkable record to win one of them. The loss of this game is still the main reason for the Lakers.
The media's evaluation of the Lakers is still quite positive. After all, before the 17-game winning streak, the Lakers were so miserable that even five players on the field couldn't get together. This is a team that has played a 17-game winning streak. His record is definitely an inspirational performance. Although he lost to the Spurs, the people who are optimistic about the future of the Lakers are still the majority.
Magic Johnson also stood up for the first time, supporting the Lakers: "I think the Lakers have not closed the door to the playoffs. Now the Lakers have a 33 wins and 32 losses. The win rate has exceeded half, and they have 16 left. In the regular season, if the Lakers can play another 16 straight games, there is still a chance of entering the playoffs!"
If the Lakers mentioned a 16-game winning streak a month ago, no one would believe it, but now, the Lakers have just created a 17-game winning streak and another 16-game winning streak is not impossible.
This year's Western competition is indeed too fierce, and the 50-win playoff threshold is not untargeted. And the Lakers lost this game, at most 49 wins, with a record of 49 wins, can finally enter the playoffs, somewhat fateful.
Among the current Western teams, the Spurs and Thunder have locked in the top two positions in the Western Conference; the Rockets, Clippers and Trail Blazers are all within 22 games, and the gap between other teams' wins and losses It's relatively large, and it's relatively safe to enter the playoffs.
The Nuggets, Pelicans, Kings and Jazz have less than half the winning percentage, making it impossible to enter the playoffs.
The remaining Warriors, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Suns, Timberwolves and Lakers, these six teams will compete for the remaining three playoff tickets.
The Timberwolves have the same record as the Lakers. They are just over halfway through, but they are also the least promising of the six teams to enter the playoffs. The Lakers have shown a winning streak anyway, but the Timberwolves are not cold. Losing to some underdogs, if it is in the east, the Timberwolves can still mix a playoff ticket, but in the west, the Timberwolves have little hope.
The Warriors, Grizzlies, Mavericks and Suns all have similar results. Their losses are around 26 games. But the Warriors have the most wins, reaching 41 games, and the odds of entering the playoffs are relatively greater. If the Warriors can win another nine games, they can lock up a ticket for the playoffs, and with the Warriors' current schedule, it is not difficult to get a record of 50 wins.
The Grizzlies, Mavericks and Suns have the same losses as the Warriors, but the wins are five to six games less than the Warriors, so if these three teams want to enter the playoffs, their record Is very important. If these teams win each other, the trade-off is equal to winning two games.
What's more, there is now another spoiler for the Lakers. In the next game, the Lakers will also encounter the Sun, the Mavericks and the Grizzlies once. These three games are extremely critical for the three teams. One stop, and even more so for the Lakers.
Now, the Grizzlies, Mavericks and Suns are all eager to lose as quickly as possible. In such a cruel west, the remaining 16 games of the Lakers, as long as they lost two games, almost lost the qualification for the playoffs, once the playoffs are hopeless, I believe the Lakers will not die with them.
For the Lakers, they can't lose a game, and then, the first thing they have to face is the home game and the Spurs!
...
On March 19, after a full four-day break, the Lakers welcomed the Spurs at home.
At the home court, the Lakers are naturally reluctant to lose to the Spurs, not to mention the current Lakers have to face a battle, winning all 16 wins to have the chance to enter the playoffs, but even a 16-game winning streak Just look at the faces of other teams.
"We must win!" The entire Lakers look like a team, and the home fans are even more hysterical.
However, the old gangster Popovich chose to let Duncan and Parker take a double break, even Ginobili, playing less than 20 minutes. In the whole game, the Spurs played the most time was actually Berinelli and Old Bonner.
In the past, the Spurs only started the GDP combination in April to save energy for the playoffs. And this year, the Spurs' rotation has been advanced a bit.
When playing the Jazz in the last game, the Spurs had already won their 50th win and had made sure to make the playoffs. And because the Thunder have lost to the Lakers three times, the Spurs have three victories, and the number one position in the West is also relatively stable. Moreover, playing the Lakers away is also a chore. The Lakers are fighting against the water. The Spurs do not need to die with the Lakers. If someone is injured, it will be worth the loss, so Popovich simply let Duncan and Parker rest.
The Spurs' bench is not weak, at least as good as the starter in scoring, but it is a bit older, and the physical talent is relatively general. In the face of the Lakers' running and playing style, it can still keep up in the first half. The Lakers couldn't keep up with the pace of the Lakers in the second half. In the end, the Lakers were 125 to 109.
Two days later, the Lakers made persistent efforts to defeat the visiting Washington Wizards at home. The Wizards champion Wall was beaten by Zhang Guan at both ends of the offense and defense, and contributed a rather embarrassing double-double data: 15 points 10 turnovers. Restricting Wall, the Wizards have been eliminated by more than half, and losing is inevitable.
After the game, the Lakers won another piece of good news. The biggest firepower on the bench, Nick Young, finally recovered.
On March 23, the Lakers faced the Magic. This magic team was supported by rookie Oladipo. Oladipo, like Wall in the previous game, contributed under Zhang Zhang’s defense. Awkward double-double, 13 points and 11 turnovers.
Nick Young also played well in this game, scoring 26 points on 8-for-16 shooting. Of course, most of them are singles.
Unconsciously, the Lakers made another three-game winning streak at home.