The long regular season is finally over, and the playoffs have just been released. Some teams are happy and some are sad, and the playoff battle is about to begin!
The Utah Jazz are ranked first in the West with a record of 64 wins and 18 losses. The Houston Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics are in second and third place with a record 57 wins and 25 losses. The Los Angeles Lakers are three games behind from both occupying number Four.
The situation in the West is relatively clear, with the Utah Jazz thriving, the Houston Rockets, Seattle SuperSonics and Los Angeles Lakers on par.
In fifth place, the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round opponents, the Portland Trail Blazers have less than 50 wins.
And at positions 6, 7, and 8, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers have yet to hit a 50% win rate. This era is still a situation where the east is strong and the west is weak.
Ever since the Phoenix Suns traded with the Los Angeles Lakers, their competitiveness had suddenly increased. The exchange of Cedric Ceballos and Robert Horry could best be described as a win-win deal.
It's just that Michael Udin doesn't know the Suns strategy. It can be seen that this year's rotten situation is indeed severe!
The overall record from the East is much better than in the West. The Chicago Bulls are 69 wins and 13 losses in the league!
Second place Miami Heat also won 60+ games, and the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, and Charlotte Hornets ranked third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. With more than a dozen wins, the Orlando Magic and Washington Bullets in seventh and eighth have also won 45 and 44 games, respectively.
At the end of the regular season, various awards were also famous, Kobe and Michael Udin were selected for the second team of the best rookies at the same time, and Shaquille O'Neal was undoubtedly selected for a while.
The first round match between the Los Angeles Lakers is the Portland Trail Blazers.
The first meeting between the two teams was on April 25, 1997, and the Los Angeles Lakers would have two home games in a row.
Taking advantage of the last few games of the regular season, the core figures of both teams are well rested.
Everyone hopes to shine in the playoffs, but very few people can really stand out in such high tension in the playoffs.
As the playoffs drew to a close, Shaquille O'Neal, who was usually very brusque, was also starting to lead by example, and his training attitude was much more correct than before.
Shaquille O'Neal also had a lot to say about the team's technical and tactical formulation. With his constant run at the end of the regular season, Shaq believed it was better to play with Michael Udin and Robert Horry.
Shaquille O'Neal can enjoy the ultimate space by playing with two of them who can cross the three-point line. If the opponent's big man doubles it, then Michael Udin and Robert Horry will be the guards on the left and right. Punish the opponent with the right 3-pointer.
When Michael Udin and Robert Horry are present together, the two can swing at will according to the situation on the pitch, and Kobe can also return to the No.2 position which is more suitable for him. With Shaquille O'Neal's strong recommendation, Michael Udin will be the starting striker in the playoffs!
The diligent and conscientious Campbell has no problem with this either, as long as the team can go further, he is willing to sacrifice anything.
According to common sense, the match between the fourth and fifth place in the playoffs was the most stressful, because the strengths of the two were closest.
The Los Angeles Lakers have made adequate preparations for the first round of the playoffs, starting from the level of technical and tactical preparation, as well as adjustment of player status, everyone on the team is ready to achieve the highest goals.
The Portland Trail Blazers are also arguably strong and strong, they all believe that the reason why the Los Angeles Lakers can be higher than themselves is entirely because the league has taken care of this giant team and made it enjoy too many sweet schedules.
Confident players like Rasheed Wallace were even more aggressive, trying to keep the Los Angeles Lakers striking from the second half.
The players from both teams spoke to the camera, but no matter who was stronger than the bullshit, they still had to see the truth on the pitch in the end.
On April 25, the fourth-placed Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference playoffs played the fifth-placed Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Stadium as scheduled!
On yesterday's first game day, the Utah Jazz No. 1 in the West swept the Los Angeles Clippers by 20 points, and the Houston Rockets No. 2 in the West also beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On the east side, the Miami Heat, who won 61, beat the Orlando Magic by 35 points. Such carnage put Shaquille O'Neal into a deep sleep, and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets dominantly.
The group of TNT Los Angeles officers were already at their place, and Magic Johnson, Kareem, and Wilt Chamberlain were chatting eloquently.
During the regular season, commentators mostly laugh, but in the real playoffs, the commentator style is much more serious.
"I've taken the starting roster of both teams from the technical table, Odin and Robert Horry of the Lakers will be playing early together.
For most of the regular season, Odin played as a substitute. Now Coach Delmar Harris named Odin as the starting lineup. What do you think about this change? "
The players were practicing shooting, and Magic Johnson naturally needed to analyze the changes to the starting line-up.
"The Portland Trail Blazers are one of the few teams in the league to have an advantage in interior heights against the Lakers.
The size of the Portland Trail Blazers will put a lot of pressure on the Los Angeles Lakers' attack and defense. Campbell's foot injury is a big hidden danger. If the Lakers want to go further, staying healthy will be an important issue, the Lakers coaching staff should use it in moderation, so I think it is a good choice to put Odin in the starting lineup. "
As Wilt Chamberlain put it, the playoffs are brutal and long, and only the team that can avoid injury can make it to the end.
At the end of the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff protected Shaquille O'Neal and Campbell very well. No one can replace Shaq's role, but the younger and dynamic Michael Udin could be more effective. And good job as a replacement.
"If Odin plays in the sixth man, he can really add firepower to the second team.
But in the playoffs, a tighter rhythm could derail those plans.
placing him in the current starting lineup should have a good effect. "
As for the progress of his students, Kareem had a look in his eyes and was happy in his heart.
"That's right! This kid's jumping rhythm is much stronger while defending!
He suffered so much in the UCLA training hall! "
Even though Wilt Chamberlain barely trained with Michael Udin, he still learned about Michael Udin's hard work from the side.
"I also think this is more in line with the current trend. It's time for Michael Udin to play his advantage in the starting lineup!"
All the inside information about the Los Angeles Lakers can't escape Magic Johnson's scrutiny, but he's kept quiet about Shaq's recommendation of Michael Udin.
Magic Johnson was well aware of the power of the media, and he was afraid that such news would draw unfavorable public opinion against Shaquille O'Neal.
Staples Center in the playoffs laughed a little less than before, but was a little more united.
Michael Udin and Kobe, who had been playing for a season, were also a little bloody from the playoff mood!
Everyone can clearly feel the difference between the playoffs and the regular season. The regular season is more like a family party show, whereas the playoffs are an iron and blood war between men!