Chapter 485: Five Bloopers Moments, The Lakers Defensive Weaknesses
Chen Yan pumped his right fist in celebration.
That finish had real force, enough force to irritate even Garnett.
After getting scored on so directly, Garnett could only walk to the baseline in silence to inbound the ball, muttering under his breath about how easily Camby had allowed Chen Yan to get downhill.
Fisher brought the ball across half court, and the Lakers went right back into the Triangle offense.
This time, Garnett set up in the low post, and the attention he drew was completely different from Camby's. The moment he caught the ball, Phoenix sent a hard double team.
Nash and Diaw trapped him immediately, putting heavy pressure on him before he could turn.
The Suns' plan was clear. They wanted to send the baseline defender to double Garnett and force the ball out, even if it meant leaving the weak side shooter open.
The Lakers were ready for it.
As soon as the trap formed, Camby cut into the paint, attacking the softest area of the defense. At the same time, Fisher ran the baseline to the opposite corner, instantly distorting Phoenix's shape and creating a local numbers advantage near the lane.
Garnett turned halfway, then fired a long pass across the floor to Fisher in the opposite corner. Garnett had that in his game. Among active power forwards, his playmaking was as good as anyone's.
Fisher got a wide open look and shot in front of the home crowd.
Clang.
The ball hit the rim and bounced high. Fisher had not found his rhythm yet, and he missed a shot he usually made.
That miss became Phoenix's signal.
Azubuike and Chen Yan took off up court without looking back, while Nash pushed the ball along the left side.
The Suns had a 3 on 2 break.
Nash delivered it to Chen Yan just inside the 3 point line. Chen Yan took 1 step forward, and as he gathered for his second step, a blur flashed past Kobe.
Azubuike exploded into the paint.
At the same moment, Chen Yan flicked the ball with his right hand in Azubuike's direction.
Kobe's eyes shifted for an instant.
The next second, Chen Yan kept the ball, glided through, and finished with a left handed layup.
A fake pass into a real finish.
Kobe's balance had already moved, and he could only watch Chen Yan score in front of him.
8 to 6.
On the broadcast, Charles Barkley laughed. "That is Phoenix basketball right there. When they get into those 3 lanes in transition, it is beautiful."
Kenny Smith nodded. "The Lakers have to get back first. And offensively, they need cleaner attacks to the rim and better shot quality. Long misses against this team turn into fast breaks."
Back on offense, Garnett demanded the ball in the low post again, and the Suns sent another quick double team, forcing pressure on him before he could square up.
Garnett had no shot and kicked the ball out to Kobe, who was cutting through the middle.
Kobe's intention to drive was obvious. Chen Yan read it early, decisively left Walton, and tracked Kobe from behind. The moment Kobe put the ball on the floor, Chen Yan reached in and poked it loose.
Jordan reacted fast, grabbed the loose ball, and threw it ahead.
Another Phoenix 3 line break.
Chen Yan sprinted out front without the ball, with Kobe chasing hard behind him, but Chen Yan was only the decoy this time. Nash connected with Azubuike, and Azubuike went up strong for the dunk.
10 to 6.
The speed of Nash, Chen Yan, and Azubuike in transition was simply ridiculous. Once they got downhill, it was almost impossible to stop.
Kobe slammed the ball down in frustration after the score, clearly unhappy with the points the Lakers had just given away.
On the next possession, the Lakers abandoned the set and gave Kobe the ball for isolation.
Azubuike picked him up immediately.
Unlike Kobe, Azubuike was not carrying the primary scoring load for Phoenix, so he could pour all his energy into defense and keep pressuring every dribble.
He was fighting this hard for a reason. He had spent most of the season as a Sixth Man, and now that he finally had a starting chance, he was not going to waste it.
Kobe went right after a crossover, then flowed into a post up at the elbow instead of attacking face up.
Kobe was one of the strongest guards in the league, and Azubuike felt it right away. Kobe's post game was all time level among perimeter players, with only Jordan arguably better. The moment he felt Azubuike leaning back into him, Kobe spun left and stepped out toward the free throw line.
Azubuike saw the shooting motion and jumped.
Kobe brought the ball down immediately. Pump fake.
Then he drove straight into Azubuike's body, looking for the and 1.
Azubuike was already in the air and had nowhere to go. Seeing Kobe coming, he made a desperate choice, twisted his body, stuck out his backside, and practically plastered himself into Kobe's face.
Kobe froze for a beat and never even got the shot up.
The whistle blew.
Foul on Azubuike.
For Azubuike, it was worth it. He was getting called for the foul anyway, and at least he did not give Kobe a 2 plus 1 chance.
On the replay, the entire arena burst out laughing.
At the table, Barkley and Kenny both cracked up.
Chen Yan looked amused too. To be fair, Azubuike got the idea from him. Chen Yan had told him before that if he was going to foul Kobe, foul him hard and do not give up the and 1. He just had not expected Azubuike to execute it in such a bizarre way.
Everyone watching the replay was laughing except Kobe, who walked to the line with a dark expression.
If Shaq had already retired by then, this play would have absolutely made a top 5 bloopers reel.
Kobe made both free throws.
10 to 8.
Diaw inbounded to Nash. Nash dribbled to the left side above the 3 point line, called for a screen, and attacked right. The first screen was weak, and the Lakers stayed attached, so Nash pulled the ball back and called for another one.
Azubuike quickly came up to the top and set a second pick.
The switch created the matchup Nash wanted.
Nash drove hard at Walton. Walton's lateral speed was not much better than Fisher's, so he dropped a step and retreated inside the free throw line to avoid getting blown by.
Nash read it instantly and rose into a running jumper without stopping.
Swish.
12 to 8.
Phoenix's offensive foundation was still the same, Chen Yan's isolation scoring and Nash's elite pick and roll control.
And so far, the Lakers had not contained either one.
Phil Jackson called timeout.
Kenny Smith said, "Phil almost never uses a timeout this early unless he really hates what he sees. He is not happy with the defense."
Barkley nodded. "Phoenix is getting anything they want from the perimeter. They are not even needing the inside right now."
Kenny continued, more analytical now. "The offense is not the issue. The problem is the defensive weaknesses in this lineup. Fisher's lateral quickness is a clear target. Walton has great feel and helps the Triangle offense, but defensively he has similar limitations. He does not have the foot speed to check 2s and 3s consistently, and he can get overpowered by bigger forwards. Put 2 slow defenders on the floor together, and Phoenix is going to find the gaps. Phil started them to keep the offense organized, and he wanted Garnett and Camby to cover the back line. But he underestimated how much pressure Chen Yan and Nash can put on a defense from the perimeter."
After the timeout, Phil Jackson made the adjustment Kenny predicted.
Walton came out, and James Posey checked in.
Posey could defend both 2s and 3s, and the substitution immediately upgraded the Lakers' perimeter defense.
Fisher stayed on the floor at point guard because the Lakers did not have a better option. Fisher had plenty of issues, but he was still their most reliable point guard. He could bring the ball up cleanly and space the floor as a shooter.
The Lakers midseason trade that sent out Radmanovic for Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown had been a complete miss.
Morrison had been hyped as the next Bird, but aside from the retro hair, there was no real resemblance.
Shannon Brown was a pure attack guard, a hot blooded slasher who loved to drive with the ball, not someone suited to running the point.
As for the Lakers' other point guard, Sun Dasheng, he was basically a mascot at this stage. As long as any of the other guards could still stand on 2 legs, the Zen Master was not putting him in during meaningful minutes.
.....
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