Carrying an old science teacher with him

Chapter 71 Clash of Wills

"Jason, what are you hesitating about? Are you scared? Can't you see what that guy did to your teammates? Why don't you do the same to him? Kids, look at yourselves, are you even men? Why are you afraid to fight back?"

Eight minutes into the first quarter, the Lakers not only closed the gap but also took a four-point lead over the Warriors.

In just four minutes, the Lakers' fierce defense forced the Warriors into a series of turnovers, and Kobe scored 10 points in those four minutes, while also drawing two personal fouls from Jason Richardson.

Don Nelson was very dissatisfied with the Warriors' performance. He said that defense could be relaxed, but it couldn't be weak, especially against an opponent like the Lakers.

After the timeout, Jason Richardson was substituted out, and Don Nelson put Wang Kai directly against Kobe, bringing in Fisher to add a three-point threat.

Fisher performed well when he first came on the court. When facing Smush Parker's breakthrough, he directly knocked the opponent and the ball down.

Although Fisher's current weight is not as heavy as when he returned to the Lakers for the second time, he has a clear advantage in strength and weight, despite his height disadvantage compared to Smush Parker, who weighs only 86 kilograms.

Smush Parker missed both free throws as he stepped to the free throw line, earning a fierce glare from Kobe.

After Biedrins blocked Kwame Brown, Wang Kai easily secured the rebound and then dribbled the ball up the court.

Kobe immediately came up to defend, looking down on Chris Mihm's seemingly ineffective defense, and decided to guard Wang Kai himself.

Wang Kai dribbled the ball and feigned a drive, but Kobe's defensive positioning was extremely precise. He not only blocked Wang Kai's drive but also reached out to steal the ball immediately, preventing Wang Kai from easily taking a shot.

Wang Kai took the initiative to move closer to Kobe, and then used Kobe's contact to step back to the three-point line with the intention of shooting.

Without the slightest hesitation, Kobe rushed out, intending to close in and disrupt Wang Kai's shot.

However, Wang Kai, who stepped back to the three-point line, executed a behind-the-back dribble and decisively shot a three-pointer after dodging Kobe's close guard.

Three fingers were extended, and Kobe appeared unmoved, but inwardly he was already starting to feel a surge of emotion.

Previously, Kobe had also made two three-pointers. In the four minutes that he narrowed the gap, he took three shots from beyond the arc and made two of them.

Wang Kai's dazzling dribbling moves drew loud cheers from the Warriors fans in the arena, which further spurred Kobe on.

Although this was the Warriors' home court, and although their opponents had a better record than his own team, the proud Kobe believed that the cheers of the Warriors fans were an insult to him, and he was determined to conquer this place with an even stronger performance.

Kobe received the ball in the backcourt and advanced it to the frontcourt. Facing Wang Kai's defense, Kobe accelerated and broke through Wang Kai's defense.

Wang Kai's defensive positioning was naturally unable to immediately limit Kobe's breakthrough, but Baron Davis decisively came over to help defend.

Facing the Warriors' double-team, Kobe played with even more determination, cleverly using a step-back to break free of the double team during a high-speed drive, and then hitting a mid-range jumper for two points, allowing the Lakers to maintain their lead.

The game entered a stalemate, with Kobe Bryant launching a series of attacks that kept the Warriors' defense on its toes. Meanwhile, the Warriors' offense also encountered a tighter defense from the Lakers.

Wang Kai, in particular, was completely shut down by Kobe. Even though he kept trying to get rid of Kobe's pursuit and defense through off-ball movement, when Kobe really put his defense into action, Wang Kai found that his movement was not enough to completely shake off his opponent.

In the first quarter, Kobe did not leave the court for a rest, and Wang Kai was not rotated out either. The fierce competition between the two sides made their teammates feel a little scared.

Wang Kai, who played the entire quarter, felt more tired than if he had played the whole game. The intensity of the matchup that Kobe put on Wang Kai was definitely at the playoff level.

Although it was the Warriors' home game today, the referees didn't give the Warriors much "favor" as a home team. On the contrary, the referees gave Kobe more "superstar calls".

The league doesn't want such a high-profile game to be overshadowed by the referees. They want to see rising stars challenge veteran players, and they also want to see intense competition within the rules.

If Kobe were still with Wang Kai at that moment, he would have unhesitatingly taught Wang Kai some tips to help him better cope with Kobe's physical play. Unfortunately, although Kobe taught Wang Kai some of these techniques, Wang Kai never seriously practiced them in the game.

After the start of the second quarter, both teams rotated their starters. Odom and Kwame Brown led the Lakers' bench players onto the court, while Jason Richardson and Monta Ellis took to the court for the Warriors.

Both teams had low offensive success rates and made numerous mistakes, but the Lakers' Odom performed better and was more well-rounded. He could not only create his own offense, but also facilitate passing and defensive positioning.

For the Warriors, Jason's performance was disappointing; he consistently took shots from beyond the three-point line and rarely attacked the basket inside.

Less than three minutes into the second quarter, the Warriors were already down by 7 points to the Lakers.

Don Nelson had to bring Wang Kai and Baron Davis into the game; the team needed them to stabilize the situation.

As soon as Wang Kai came on stage, Kobe immediately stood near the scorer's table.

As soon as Wang Kai entered the game, he took advantage of Kobe's wait for a substitution and hit a three-pointer. Without Kobe's chasing defense, Wang Kai easily found a suitable shooting opportunity by using screens.

After Kobe was substituted in, he immediately responded with an audacious fadeaway three-pointer, earning back the fourth finger Wang Kai had just raised for him.

At this point, Kobe had scored 18 points, more than Wang Kai's 15 points, but Wang Kai's four three-pointers were more accurate than Kobe's three three-pointers.

Kobe continued to use close marking to pressure Wang Kai on defense. This high-intensity defense requires the defender to exert more physical effort and a high level of defensive focus.

Wang Kai is different from ordinary rookie players and swingmen. He has accurate shooting and good dribbling and ball-handling skills, which forced Kobe to use extreme pressure on him when defending.

"Aren't you tired of defending like that?"

Seeing Kobe's close defense, Wang Kai simply stopped running and crouched down in the corner, then asked Kobe, who was also breathing heavily.

"You don't look tired, you do."

"I'm not tired either. If you don't believe me, I can keep running."

"Then come on, I'm sure you can't outrun Richard, do you know him?"

"Richard from the Pistons? I know him, he's really good at running, I heard even his pit bull doesn't want to go for a morning run with him."

"You know him very well?"

"Yes, I heard it from someone else."