Chapter 836 - 261: Being Chased in Points Isn’t Scary (6k)_2

But someone from the SuperSonics has become even better this year...

Detlef Schrempf, 34 years old, with an ability rating of 87... This versatile forward, who’s comprehensive in skills, shooting, and coordination despite lacking athletic ability and can play from the 3 to the 5 positions, has regained All-Star calls at the age of 34! He is delivering All-Star level performances!

At 6:58 PM, both teams’ starters took to the court.

The SuperSonics started with Payton, Jose Perkins, Schrempf, Shawn Kemp, and Jim McIlvaine.

The Lakers started with Zhang Hao, Kenny Anderson, Doug Christie, George Lynch, and Barkley.

Zhang Hao came to the center circle, looking at McIlvaine across from him, relying purely on his 216 cm height and summer weight gain to 270 pounds, that’s 122 kilograms... Is this the O’Neal effect? Last year with the Bullets, this guy nearly couldn’t get a game, but after O’Neal joined their Lakers, this guy became a hot commodity in the offseason!

To sign McIlvaine, the SuperSonics even chose to give up their previous starting center, Elvin Johnson.

O’Neal was not arranged to start tonight.

Del Harris hopes that the newly returned O’Neal can play during the rotation phase, allowing for better adaptation time. O’Neal has been happy these past two days, surprisingly overshadowing Zhang Hao, and he didn’t complain, agreeing to it.

At 7 PM, the referee blew the whistle to start the game, tossing the ball into the air.

Zhang Hao jumped with all his might, winning the jump ball over McIlvaine, and sprinted quickly!

McIlvaine didn’t even jump, just lifted his heels, and immediately retreated, showing considerable awareness.

Shawn Kemp and Payton rushed up together to block Zhang Hao, while Barkley received Kenny Anderson’s long pass, broke through to close range, attracted McIlvaine’s defensive attention, and then lobbed the ball out. George Lynch cut in from the left for an alley-oop slam dunk, scoring two points!

Zhang Hao is no longer regretting it now, he’s used to it, the opponents’ opening defense against his fast break is very tight.

The SuperSonics also weren’t surprised by this situation, just stopping Zhang Hao’s dunk was enough. Although they didn’t quite understand why Zhang Hao’s seemingly ordinary dunks could energize the Lakers team, they aimed to limit his dunks as much as possible.

Offensive and defensive shifts, in the starting phase, Payton didn’t push the pace; to accommodate McIlvaine, such a big center, even if he didn’t have much ability, just standing in the paint was a significant threat.

After advancing past half-court, Payton handed the ball to Schrempf, then went to the left block of the three-second area to post up against Doug Christie for the ball.

The current league is full of praise for Jordan’s backdown skills, and indeed, Jordan’s backdown is unmatched in the league, with only a handful of interior players able to compare to his success rate.

But in terms of backdown technique, Payton is in no way inferior to Jordan, using footwork to gain space, using strength to open up position, turning around, fadeaway shot...

Zhang Hao rushed up when Payton turned, but it was too late, Payton scored with a close-range turnaround fadeaway!

Zhang Hao didn’t double-team immediately; he was still hoping Doug Christie could hold him. Payton’s passing ability is on par with Jordan’s, and next to him was the 216 cm big center; double-teaming early would definitely lead to an easy dunk by the opponent, just like the last encounter.

When the Lakers were on offense, Zhang Hao came to the frontcourt, feeling the opponent’s defense was no worse than the Pistons! A 216 cm big center standing in the paint without a defensive three-second rule, without needing to move, paired with Kemp and Schrempf, who could play from the 3 to the 5 positions, gave a suffocating sense of mid to close range defense.

And the SuperSonics were bold! George Lynch hovered in mid-range making a cutting gesture, but the opponents ignored him; McIlvaine was defending George Lynch!

On the perimeter, as soon as Kenny Anderson got beyond the three-point line, he was covered tightly, tried a crossover move, but Payton preemptively predicted the direction, forcing Anderson to pull back and reconsider his approach.

Zhang Hao was tightly marked by Shawn Kemp, who had a very distinct trait: playing better in the playoffs than in the regular season, and playing better against championship contenders than in ordinary games during the regular season.

Away from his bad habits like drinking, Shawn Kemp was definitely a clutch player to depend on.

Having partnered with Payton for a long time, he also had a sharp tongue: "I heard you’re the most popular young star among players? Thanks to your pretty boy face?"

"What? Are you jealous? No need for that; you don’t have to blame your parents for making you so ugly; maybe you were picked up from a trash can."

With close-range defense impenetrable and mid-range being stuck tightly, after a retort, Zhang Hao pulled to the right baseline, and Barkley moved to the left post for the ball.

Barkley was also happy tonight; he had a higher popularity vote among the veteran group in the league than Jordan!

Barkley received the ball in the low post, fiercely backing Schrempf into the paint, turning around, and facing the immediate double-team from McIlvaine, grabbed the ball, made a hop-step to McIlvaine’s right-back, and hit a floater!

If Kemp hadn’t stepped back, there was still a chance for him to help defend successfully, but he was furious with Zhang Hao’s comeback line, and by the time he regained his composure, Barkley had quickly scored.

Watching Zhang Hao running back, Shawn Kemp felt extremely angry, he wanted to get his revenge!