From what we can see right now, Arjun is a perfect fit for the Lakers.
Jim Buss thinks the Zen Master would also appreciate a tall, sharp-shooting point guard like him.
The game continues on the court.
James didn't try to go head-to-head with Arjun again after getting his pocket picked,he got a taste of Arjun's formidable defense.
James is only 6'5", and Arjun has got him by 3 inches, not to mention a wingspan that makes it look like adults versus kids. If James can't outpace him, he's going to have a tough time facing Arjun.
James passes the ball to the small forward, Grant.
Grant can't find an opening either and passes it on.
UCLA's defense is tight,everyone's covering their marks well.
After a series of passes, the ball ends up back with James.
They've got plenty of time left on the shot clock to set something up.
Now, Arizona's counting on their star, James, to break the deadlock.
James is forced to take on Arjun.
But this time, Arizona's center sets a screen on Arjun, giving James a chance to break through.
James charges towards the basket like a sports car.
Even though he's been outmaneuvered, Arjun doesn't panic. He turns and sprints back in pursuit.
James runs into a block from UCLA's center, slowing him down just enough.
That delay gives Arjun enough time to catch up.
With his incredible reach, Arjun catches up to James just as he goes for the layup!
"Smack!"
Arjun delivers a massive block on James.
"His defense is solid," Jim Buss nods, watching the play.
Arjun's performance is far beyond what Jim Buss had imagined.
Jim had seen Arjun play at the start of the UCLA season, but back then, Arjun didn't have this kind of presence. He was just bulldozing through the competition with his raw talent.
After blocking the shot, Arjun secures the rebound.
The moment Arjun grabs the board, Afflalo dashes forward.
Afflalo knows Arjun's passing skills,if he gets ahead, Arjun can hit him with the pass.
Just as Afflalo predicted, he gets ahead, and Arjun's long pass from the backcourt cuts through the sky, landing perfectly in his hands.
Facing an open basket, Afflalo goes for a dunk with gusto!
Afflalo's dunk isn't pretty, which means he can't put on much of a show.
This leaves Westbrook on the sidelines feeling frustrated. If it were him, he'd go for a high-flying tomahawk dunk that would leave the crowd amazed at his athletic prowess!
Unfortunately, Westbrook is still deep on the bench and hasn't had the chance to receive a pass from Arjun.
8-0.
Since the start of the game, Arjun has shown he can do it all.
Scoring, steals, blocks, assists—his stats just keep climbing.
The UCLA fans on the sidelines are going wild, and the girls who adore Arjun are screaming at the top of their lungs.
Arjun's full-court passes have directly forced Arizona to call a timeout.
In the front row, a Knicks scout is jotting down notes: "We have every reason to believe Arjun could be the next Magic Johnson. His passing is just mesmerizing!"
The timeout didn't bring many adjustments,after all, the game had just started, and there was no need to second-guess the pre-game strategy yet.
This timeout was merely to stop the opponent's momentum.
Back from the timeout.
James brings the ball past half-court.
The pressure on James is immense.
Unlike UCLA, which boasts overall strength, Arizona relies heavily on him.
If he can't break through, it means trouble for the team.
Seeing Arjun, arms wide, waiting for him, James feels a chill.
Facing Arjun, James opts for a series of quick dribbles before attempting a drive.
He has no choice,Arjun's smothering him, leaving penetration as his only option.
This time, James is quicker, successfully getting past Arjun.
Watching for Arjun's chase-down, James looks around before trying another layup.
At the last second, a scene eerily similar to before unfolds.
Arjun bursts from behind James and swats the ball towards the hoop.
"Bang!"
Another monstrous block!
Despite being on the road, many fans still scream and cheer.
Arjun's long arms, like a shadow over the sun, still manage to block James, who was already on guard.
James is knocked down by Arjun at the baseline.
James feels utterly defeated,Arjun has completely dominated him on both ends today.
Arizona's coach stops yelling, realizing he might have overestimated his team's capabilities against UCLA.
On the other side, Ben Howland stands with arms crossed, nodding continuously, very pleased with Arjun's performance.
Arjun seems to have the knack for knocking higher-ranked prospects down a peg or two, James included.
Ben Howland is now even more eager for March Madness, curious to see how Arjun will fare against NCAA's top talents like Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, and Greg Oden.
Will Arjun continue to shine?
...
Afflalo grabs the rebound and thinks about pushing the fast break but gets fouled.
Sideline ball.
James is just being helped up by his teammates.
Three possessions in a row, one steal and two chase-down blocks by Arjun.
James feels his face heating up,he's never been this embarrassed on offense before.
James thought he had a shot at the top three draft picks, but tonight, Arjun has knocked him down several spots.
After all, Arjun was only predicted to be a borderline lottery pick, yet James has been outplayed in every aspect.
UCLA's offense.
James still doesn't dare let his guard down around Arjun, who has already proven his shooting ability.
Give him space, and Arjun will take the shot.
After bringing the ball up, Arjun doesn't go for his own shot but starts moving the ball around.
After several passes, Afflalo tries a shot from outside.
It misses.
Arjun rushes in for the offensive rebound.
With the ball, Arjun pulls off a one-legged fadeaway along the baseline.
James lunges at him, crashing into Arjun.
"Bang!"
"Whistle!"
"Swish!"
Arjun's shot goes in as he's hit by James.
The referee immediately calls the foul.
And-one!
10-0.
James holds his head in despair.
He was too aggressive on defense, and it backfired.
"Great hustle for the rebound and a clutch one-legged fadeaway. Arjun's offense has driven James to despair. It's not that James's defense was poor,it's just that Arjun's touch is too soft, and his release point too high."
"Arjun seems like a point guard born to score, truly one of a kind."
On the court, Arjun stands up and high-fives his teammates!
Steps to the free-throw line!
"MVP!"
"MVP!"
"MVP!"
Not long into the away game, chants of MVP begin to echo faintly around the arena!
Arjun has won over the fans watching him play!
"Swish!"
11-0.
Arjun continues to lead UCLA in dominating Arizona!