As Guo Xu expected, the Suns gradually gained the upper hand at the beginning of the third quarter, and the Lakers' weaknesses appeared. Veteran Malone was not physically strong and there was no qualified substitute at the No. 4 position.

The Suns played a small ball tactic, allowing Marion to play the No. 4 position, and for a while, even Haslem played center. Once the Lakers missed the shot, they would be hit and counterattacked immediately. Malone ran back and consumed his energy very quickly.

Of course, Haslem could not defend O'Neal. D'Antoni arranged the "shark-cutting tactic". O'Neal made a foul when he received the ball and sent him to the free throw. The inside players took turns to foul the Lakers' offensive rhythm disrupted.

If the Lakers players don't pass the ball to O'Neal, it will be more beneficial to the Suns. Anyway, they are just defending alone, keeping a close eye on other positions, forcing Payton, Kobe, and Malone to fall into singles.

O'Neal was very depressed. Before the game, Guo Xu told the Suns' defensive tactics, but he still couldn't crack it. He had been practicing free throws for many years but what should he do if he was not sure? Occasionally he could be accurate a few times, and his shooting percentage was about 50% most of the time.

The Suns have strong mobility, and the small guy who can shoot mid-range shots is a misplaced inside, and he is also very difficult to defend.

Guo Xu scored 9 points and 5 assists in a single quarter, and his feel was not as violent as in the last game, but no matter who he faced, he played a small game and had a speed advantage. Payton was not fast enough to chase and roll, and Guo Xu could play singles directly on Fisher, and the Lakers' offensive organization would also become worse.

Sir, who has been trained as a mid-range shot, will no longer be easily defended by O'Neal. He scored 8 points in a single quarter, and 6 points were a high jump shot.

O'Neal made 2 of 3 shots and 5 of 12 free throws, scoring the team's highest 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks, but he has been defended. His free throw shooting percentage is lower than his sports shooting percentage, and the team's overall offense has also become fragmented.

Payton scored 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist, and his performance was not as good as Guo Xu.

Kobe made 1 of 3 shots, 2 of 2 free throws, scored 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, and scored but was still in double digits after the third quarter.

The Suns have three swingers fighting in the wheel, and they bothered Kobe with physical strength. Even the rookie Howard did a good job. His physical fitness is not much worse than Kobe, and his arm span is still advantageous. He is not afraid of a tiger when he was born.

Kobe can get a one-on-one chance at mid- and long distances. Once he gets the ball at a low post, the Suns' formation begins to shrink and form a double teammate. He doesn't have a teammate who is good at shooting three-pointers when he is assigned, and his own strong shot cannot guarantee his shooting percentage.

The Suns scored 31-23 in a single quarter, leading by 10 points and entering the final quarter.

During the break, Zhang Heli said: "A netizen left a message asking Guo Xu or Kobe who is stronger. I think there is no suspense about this, it must be Guo Xu. He received assists last season. In the regular season, Kobe was only selected for the second team of the best team. Kobe has never taken advantage of the two teams. Last season, he only averaged more points than Guo Xu, with a much lower shooting percentage and played longer."

Xu Jicheng said: "The score difference between the two sides is not big, but it is difficult for the Lakers to catch up, and Malone is obviously bored."

"Zen Master" Jackson also saw the veteran's fatigue, but in the final quarter, Malone still let Grant partner with the inside, while George, Fisher and Kobe on the outside.

When the Lakers were fighting a tough battle, it was not surprising that Malone played for 40 minutes.

It is difficult to find someone more unlucky than Malone in NBA history. He has been silently dedicated to the Jazz for many years but has not won the championship. At the end of the year, he thought of the Lakers holding their legs, and his defensive work has increased. The worst thing in his previous life was that he fought with the veteran's basic salary until the end, but still failed to win the championship. This is better than playing for the Jazz for the rest of his life, leaving at least the reputation of two elders as one city.

There is really no one to switch to the Lakers' No. 4 position. Medvedenko, who has poor defense, and rookie Brian Cook appear. Facing the Suns' pick-and-roll, it is similar to "submission of guns and surrender". Last season, the Lakers also had Mark Madson, who is good at defense, and now joins the Timberwolves.

Whether it is Madson or the future Beverly, some "mad dogs" will only know how to cherish them if they lose them.

The Suns sent two inside towers, which could defend two veterans on the defensive end. On the offensive end, Nene pulled out to cover his teammates. Malone could only defend one side. Veteran Grant could no longer keep up with the pace of pick-and-roll defense. No matter whether the defender broke through or the inside empty cut, he was very difficult to defend.

O'Neal sat on the sidelines and looked at the game with his eyes dull, and his heart felt like he had been overturned. He could now fully understand why Guo Xu was so prosperous as soon as he entered the league.

Because Guo Xu has a unique vision and is good at analyzing the team's lineup and tactical system, the team has a chance of winning without starting the game, and he knows how to play best to show his strength. How could such a person choose the wrong team? The team he is in is also not weak.

After playing for 7 minutes, Joe Johnson made 3 of 6 shots, 2 of 2 three-pointers, scored 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals; Guo Xu made 3 of 4 shots, 2 of 2 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, and scored 10 points and 2 assists. The two of them locked in the victory in a wave.

O'Neal took a three-and-a-half minute break and returned to the court was useless, and the Lakers could not defend themselves from shooting from the outside.

In fact, if you want to strengthen your defense against pick-and-roll, the Lakers have a way, that is, let George play the power forward. This tactic Guo Xu played in the Lakers. George was very fast, and he could be a weakened version of Kenyon and Martin.

The disadvantages are also very obvious. George's figure covers his teammates, so the opponent can easily bypass it. The defender is not fast enough to quickly pass the opponent's inside line or attract the inside line to defend. The pick-and-roll cooperation is not very meaningful. George is at a disadvantage in height, whether it is defending Sis or Nene.

Because Fox was seriously injured and absent, "Zen Master" Jackson still needs George to play as a small forward, otherwise he will have to use Rush or second-round rookie Luke Walton. At the critical moment, Jackson could not believe those two people.

George made 0 of 2 shots in the last quarter, Grant made 0 of 1 shots, and Kobe was eager to chase points and hit the double team, making 1 of 4 shots, 4 of 6 free throws, scoring 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

The gap between the two sides widened to more than 20 points, and D'Antoni replaced Guo Xu in advance to start training new players.

Under the constant suggestion of assistant coach Larry Drew, D'Antoni will give new players a chance to perform in every game, especially Howard and Blake. These two rookies are instant combat power and the team also needs to play in the playoffs. James Jones wants to perform and wait. He can't even enter the 12-man roster. If he wants to play games and exercise, he can only go to the Development League.

O'Neal and Kobe played for a while, and Fisher made a three-pointer from the outside, but the Lakers were too behind and could no longer catch up. They were also replaced three minutes before the end.

The Suns won three consecutive home games at home with 113-99.

Guo Xu played for 38 minutes, made 11 of 24 shots, 5 of 11 of 3-pointers, 5 of 5 free throws, and scored 32 points, 2 rebounds, 16 assists and 1 steal.

The Suns five scored in double digits, Joe Johnson scored 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, Marion scored 15 points and 11 rebounds, Stadameier scored 18 points and 6 rebounds, and Bale also scored 10 points.

Six players in the Lakers team scored in double digits, O'Neal scored 24 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks, Payton scored 19 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists, and Malone scored 18 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists.

Kobe was abnormal, making 4 of 15 shots, 0 of 2 three-pointers, 7 of 10 free throws, scoring 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. O'Neal couldn't attract double-teams, and Kobe would have a lot of difficulty in playing on the outside.
Chapter completed!