Chapter 127: The Playoffs Are Here

When he was young, Kobe was a very paranoid, even somewhat willful player; he absolutely would not tolerate things he didn't like.

Even a dominant center like O'Neal, he resisted to the end. And achieved final victory.

During this time, he had been watching Andrew Bynum act up. At first, he didn't say anything for the sake of team unity; after all, he was the team leader and needed to consider things comprehensively.

However, as Bynum became more and more unscrupulous.

He took action.

Before the game against the New Jersey Nets started.

Kobe Bryant asked Andrew Bynum in the locker room in front of everyone: "After these few games, how do you feel your state has recovered?"

Bynum smiled and said: "Very good, I have recovered very well."

"But I think you haven't recovered well. You should rest," Kobe said very impolitely: "I don't mean your physical strength, not your technique. But your brain; you haven't adapted to our new playing style now, so, sit on the bench and watch us play this game, learn more, and find a suitable opportunity to adapt."

What?

Bynum didn't react, he asked: "Why?"

"Because I don't want to end this regular season with a failure," Kobe told Bynum clearly.

Bynum was frozen just like that.

He used his eyes to seek Phil Jackson's opinion; usually, deciding whether a player can play, especially whether a core player can play, is not the player's authority, and the coach would also think this is a provocation.

However, Phil Jackson ignored Andrew Bynum's eye-pleading for help.

This was the Zen Master's idea.

Even if Kobe Bryant didn't bring it up, the Zen Master would have let him sit on the bench.

Since Bynum returned, Phil Jackson had been waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to give Bynum a warning.

Six-game losing streak.

He waited for it.

He originally planned to let Bynum enter the substitute lineup for this game.

However, Kobe Bryant stood up; Kobe played this big villain.

Then, what else would Phil Jackson say?

Of course, it was to be peaceful and stand firmly behind his favorite "Jieke Fan."

Bynum never dreamed that the two real power figures of the team, Kobe and Phil Jackson, had long been in the shape of Fan Xi.

Bynum originally thought that after he returned, he would at least be treated as an inside core, not to mention suppressing Fan Xi, but being on par with him was the bottom line.

Yet, yet.

The New Jersey Nets came aggressively. Deron Williams named Fan Xi to challenge him one-on-one.

However, Fan Xi didn't entangle with him.

The playoffs were coming, and what he was thinking about in his head now was no longer the same thing as Deron Williams.

Deron Williams still wanted to defeat Fan Xi in a one-on-one, preferably shaking Fan Xi out of the court, shaking him covered in blood.

But Fan Xi was already thinking about higher-dimensional things.

Deron and his Nets had no chance to enter the playoffs.

Without Bynum, this game became incomparably easy; Kobe attacked, Fan Xi pulled out to the flank for secondary attack and connection, and Pau Gasol served as an important axis in the paint.

The game quickly and rapidly lost suspense.

Although Deron Williams tried his best to kill Fan Xi, even in the situation where they were one-on-one, Deron didn't get much benefit.

His physical fitness had declined quite severely; although Fan Xi couldn't defend him.

But he couldn't defend Fan Xi either.

The two were in a situation of mutual explosion.

In the third quarter, Deron Williams was almost shaken down by Fan Xi with a back-turn.

139:89.

The Lakers ended their 2010-2011 regular season with a 50-point super slaughter.

In this game, the Lakers showed a long-lost dominance.

Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in the whole game.

Pau Gasol scored 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in the whole game.

Fan Xi scored 19 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block in the whole game.

Three stars shine in the City of Angels.

The media shouted that the king Lakers were back.

50 points also set the record for the largest point difference this season.

Lakers fans were full of confidence again for the upcoming playoffs.

And at this time, the most awkward person was Andrew Bynum.

He originally wanted to complain to the media with full of grievances.

But now, he was on the court, six-game losing streak, he was not on the court, 50-point slaughter.

Lakers fans were all shouting for him to continue resting.

If he ran out to say anything, people would treat him as a fool.

He was now worried that the coaching staff would no longer let him play from now on, just let him sit on the bench.

After all, after the game, he returned home, and he saw the enthusiastic Phil Jackson on TV.

The Zen Master said with a full face of smiles: "We didn't make any adjustments in this game; we just let the players return to their places, and then everything happened naturally."

At this time, the Los Angeles media asked the Zen Master: Why didn't Andrew Bynum play? Was he injured again? Or did he never adapt to the playing style after Jack joined, so, simply let him stay on the bench?

Facing such a question, the Zen Master could have smoothed things over.

But he didn't.

Because in his heart, Bynum was no longer that important.

"I believe in Andrew; he is a very, very smart, and very, very talented player. He will definitely find a way to integrate."

Phil Jackson confirmed the media's speculation from the side.

Bynum was heartbroken in front of the TV.

He was really extremely frustrated.

Then, Phil Jackson on TV talked about the playoff situation with the media.

As if he didn't take Bynum to heart at all.

In fact, the reporters didn't care much about this matter either; they cared more about the playoffs.

As the Lakers won the last game, their final regular season record was locked at third in the West; the teams ahead of them were the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.

The teams behind them were: Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies.

According to playoff rules.

The four sets of opponents in the first round of the West were: first-ranked San Antonio Spurs vs. eighth-ranked Memphis Grizzlies.

Second-ranked Dallas Mavericks vs. seventh-ranked New Orleans Hornets.

Third-ranked Los Angeles Lakers vs. sixth-ranked Portland Trail Blazers.

Fourth-ranked Oklahoma City Thunder vs. fifth-ranked Denver Nuggets.

The strength difference between the upper and lower halves of the West was not very obvious, and many people thought that the situation of the lower defeating the upper would happen this year.

Fan Xi saw an ESPN columnist on the newspaper saying with certainty that the Hornets led by Chris Paul had a great probability of defeating the Mavericks.

It was said in an orderly manner.

Fan Xi thought it was very absurd after reading it.

He recognized the strength of the Mavericks very much; he even felt that the Mavericks were the biggest opponent this year; if he wanted to rush out of the West, he must cut the Mavericks down.

In fact, if the Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers and entered the second round, the opponent would be the Mavericks or the Hornets.

Whoo!

Fan Xi studied the game videos of the Portland Trail Blazers every day.

The Portland Trail Blazers were a bit like a small Lakers.

The core player of the Trail Blazers was Brandon Roy, a 2006 rookie. Since he became the leader of the Trail Blazers, the Trail Blazers had entered the playoffs for three consecutive years.

Many people called him Yellow Mamba, because he was as dangerous as Kobe at critical moments. He once killed the Rockets in 0.8 seconds in the playoffs, covering Yao Ming's previous buzzer-beater, and ended the Houston Rockets' dream of going further in that series.

After watching many videos of the Trail Blazers, Fan Xi felt that Roy was not like Kobe, although the playing style was a bit similar. But in fact, he was more like an outside version of Tim Duncan.

Solid fundamentals, high basketball IQ, rigid expression, no emotional fluctuation.

However, he had a very serious injury hidden danger; he had knee surgery in high school, and he played for four years at the University of Washington before joining the NBA, which could be considered an old rookie.

Fan Xi even thought, if Brandon Roy was not injured, and he entered the NBA in a completely healthy state, how terrifying would he be.

Maybe he would really reach the height of outside Duncan.

Another core player of the Trail Blazers was also a 2006 rookie, the second pick, Aldridge.

He was an All-Star level power forward, his shooting was very good, he had a certain rebounding ability, and he was also a star with a stable personality.

In addition, they also added an outside energy bucket to the flank this season.

Gerald Wallace.

Gerald Wallace was a death-squad type player; he played like a desperate man; he had been a leader on the Bobcats. But in fact, he was more suitable for flank attack and iron-blooded defense.

In addition, their center was Marcus Camby; Camby was an elite-level inside player, proficient in defense.

There were also Batum, Matthews, Fernandez, and other good players.

And Fan Xi's direct opponent was Andre Miller.

Andre Miller was a point guard whose strength was greater than his reputation; he was known for being strong and steady.

When Fan Xi first saw him, he felt he looked like a Chinese female star, Karen Mok.

However, he was a meticulous commander.

He had played on many teams; he was a tactical living map of the league.

When he was with the Denver Nuggets back then, although Carmelo Anthony was the nominal leader, in fact, without him, the Nuggets couldn't enter the playoffs at all.

Then, he was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers as a chip for the Iverson trade.

The Denver Nuggets, who got Iverson to form the Golden Double Guns, were full of joy, but Andre Miller quietly led the 76ers to become a playoff team in Philadelphia, while the Nuggets soon became a mess.

This was a very difficult opponent.

Moreover, he became more demonic as he got older.

Kobe Bryant had some worries about Fan Xi; he sent many tactical manuals to Fan Xi, and even asked Gary Payton to call Fan Xi.

Gary Payton was the ancestor of strong defensive point guards; he once confronted Jordan and was a super point guard who played out in the 90s.

In terms of seniority, according to their school, Andre Miller had to call Gary Payton a master.

Gary Payton gave Fan Xi a lot of experience in dealing with Andre Miller, but he believed that Fan Xi should also strengthen confrontation; if Fan Xi's confrontation was not strong enough, in the playoffs, even if he got this experience, it would be of no avail, and he would still be crushed by Andre Miller.

This made Fan Xi full of crisis.

And with the end of the regular season, various league awards were gradually released.

Charles Barkley had been running around for Fan Xi recently; although he was a person with a big mouth, he was quite a person who kept his promises.

He had been calling for Fan Xi on TV, although he didn't like Fan Xi very much, he was really promoting that Fan Xi should be this year's Rookie of the Year.

He was an influential person, and he made the public opinion on the media shift.

And before the Rookie of the Year was officially released.

Fan Xi entered the All-Rookie Team.

Fan Xi, John Wall, and Blake Griffin all entered the All-Rookie Team, and together with them were Fields and Cousins who killed Bynum in Sacramento.

Cousins was a very interesting person; he was John Wall's college alumnus.

So, he publicly called on the media: "Why can't Jack and John both have Rookie of the Year? It's not like there is no such precedent in history."

"Jason Kidd and Grant Hill shared this trophy."

Cousins himself didn't think about getting involved in this trophy at all; he got too many technical fouls this season; as a grumpy player, he never thought he would get official recognition.

Moreover, in terms of stats, he was indeed not as good as Griffin, Fan Xi, and John Wall.

Fan Xi actually didn't have much interest in the Rookie of the Year trophy, but Lu Yuan was very active; he believed that any trophy could increase Fan Xi's value.

He also said: "Yao Ming didn't get Rookie of the Year; if you get it, you are the number one person in China, the number one person in Asia. This way, when I talk about cooperation with domestic sponsors, I can pat my chest and tell them, Fan Xi is stronger than Yao Ming!"

Fan Xi smiled bitterly and shook his head; he was speechless about Lu Yuan.

But at the same time, he felt that Lu Yuan was indeed a qualified agent.

Lu Yuan handled many unconventional cooperations for him; now even his teammates were asking him if Lu Yuan could also be their agent.

However, Lu Yuan didn't have much interest in becoming Dunleavy's agent; he said with high eyes: The cost-performance ratio is not high. Dunleavy just wants me to help him get a renewal contract with an annual salary of ten million.

At the same time, Lu Yuan also told Fan Xi: "I think you can trust Dunleavy in the playoffs; he wants stats now, he will definitely listen to you."

Fan Xi just smiled.

The Rookie of the Year award was announced at eight o'clock in the morning two days before the start of the playoffs.

At that time, Fan Xi was still sleeping in bed.

Then, he heard the screaming in the living room below.

He immediately understood what happened.

... ===== CHAPTER 128 =====