Chapter 94 [Home Opener, Envy, Jealousy and Hatred]

When he walked into the home team's locker room, Guo Xu felt that his teammates looked at him differently. The young players looked at him with envy and admiration, while the veterans looked at him with recognition.

Everyone knows that he is already "on top". As long as he plays according to the tactics and doesn't shoot too hard, he will be the Lakers' third scoring point this season. "Become famous overnight" is very suitable to describe it.

In the morning, Lakers owner Jerry Buss personally talked to Phil Jackson and asked him to guarantee Guo Xu's playing time and at least 30 minutes in each game because sales of Guo Xu's No. 58 jersey exploded today.

In the opening game, fans across the United States remembered the name "Jason Guo". He gave many players who love basketball but have ordinary bodies the hope of success.

The jerseys are selling well, is sneaker endorsement still far away? Old Bass saw amazing business potential in Guo Xu.

Of course, there are many people who hate Guo Xu and hope that he will be beaten back to his original form tonight. This is another national broadcast on ESPN. If he does not play well, the media will probably change their tune immediately.

Jackson discussed tactics in the locker room and still arranged for Guo Xu to come on as a substitute, hoping to use his explosive power and speed advantages to drive the offense of the substitute lineup, which would make it even more uncomfortable for the opponent.

When he came on the stage, O'Neal asked: "How are you doing today? You weren't so excited that you couldn't sleep last night, were you?"

"I slept well and didn't wake up until noon. If the Jazz underestimated me, they would definitely regret it." Guo Xu smiled.

O'Neill raised his eyebrows, feeling that Guo Xu didn't seem to be lying. If true, his ability to self-regulate is terrifying. Guo Xu's career debut statistics ranked in the top ten among many active stars, but he seemed to take it for granted. O'Neal was not as calm as he was when he was the top pick.

Guo Xu's brain training in the time loop is different from that of ordinary people. He knows that April Fool's Day will be celebrated the next day, and everything will be repeated again and again, so he can still sleep soundly. He subconsciously believed that even if he did not do well in one thing, he would have a chance to do it all over again, which made him look down on many things.

Because Guo Xu is the youngest in the team, Jackson deliberately arranged for him to play first today. The fans gave warm applause, Guo Xu was not stage fright, and waved to the fans as he walked.

EPSN commentator Mark Woodson said: "The last rookie Jason Guo, who performed well last game, is already very popular in Los Angeles. This new star has risen too fast."

Partner Tom Horvath laughed: "I hope he is not a flash in the pan and can perform well this time. I think watching his teammates receive championship rings can inspire him."

The Lakers home court was very busy today. Many retired Lakers stars came to watch the game. NBA President David Stern also came because there was a championship ring awarding ceremony before the game.

Stern delivered a speech to the Lakers on behalf of the NBA. The guest of honor was Lakers owner Jerry Buss. The team management, coaching staff, and players received the rings in turn.

A lonely figure looked out of place in the crowd. Lakers discard John Celestand also came to the scene today wearing a suit. When it was his turn to receive the ring, the scene became very quiet. Most of the fans did not recognize him, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

John had provoked Guo Xu during the summer league, but this time they came to Los Angeles, they are no longer from the same world. He failed to get a minimum salary contract from any NBA team, and he could only go to low-level leagues in other countries to find gold. It is difficult to simply evaluate whether he is lucky or unlucky.

The awards ceremony ended with the lifting of the curtain on the 1999-2000 championship banner at the Staples Center.

Guo Xu was very envious when he heard the cheers from the fans. Although he is already a member of the Lakers, he can only watch from the sidelines this year.

At this time, everyone in the Jazz can also hear the cheers of the fans in the locker room. They are all in a bad mood, envious and jealous.

Many Jazz players have witnessed the Bulls win the championship twice. After Jordan retired, Malone and Stockton were also old.

Having been eliminated by the Trail Blazers for two consecutive years, they all know that they are getting farther and farther away from the championship and need a strong new star to stand up to take over, but now they are still in charge of the veteran.

Coach Jerry Sloan said loudly: "Everyone, cheer up. The season has just begun. The Lakers have a strong lineup and the stars are in their prime, but this does not mean that they will definitely be able to successfully defend the title. We have to work hard to win." In this game, I believe we have a chance to win this year as well!"

The players applauded together, loud and confident.

The Jazz has always been the nemesis of the Lakers. They won the second round 4-1 in 1997 and swept the Western Conference Finals 4-0 in 1998. The two teams never suffered a loss when they met the Jazz in the regular season.

Visiting team players were booed wildly by Lakers fans when they came on the field. The Jazz, who played dirty, were not welcome wherever they played on the road, often causing scoldings.

After the warm-up the game begins. Lakers starting lineup: Harper, Kobe, Fox, Grant, O'Neal.

Jazz starting lineup: Stockton, John Starks, Brian Russell, Karl Malone, Alden Polynis.

The Lakers attacked first, and after the formation was stretched, Harper lobbed the ball to O'Neal in the low post on the right. O'Neal caught the ball and singled out Polynes, leaned on his back twice, turned around and entered the penalty area, and dunked the ball with one hand. 2 to 0.

The center position of the Jazz has fatal flaws, and the offense and defense are not good enough. If they had a better center, the champions in the 97 and 98 seasons would not necessarily belong to the Bulls.

"Big Pyrenees" Ostertag has been getting worse every year since he signed a high-paying long-term contract with the Jazz. He only started 3 games last season, averaging 4.5 points, 6 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 2.1 blocks in 19.8 minutes per game. The field goal percentage was 46.4%, the free throw percentage was 63.6%, and the average was only 2.3 free throws per game.

Ostertag's weight is comparable to that of O'Neal. He has neither shooting range nor low-post footwork. He cannot create personal opportunities and relies on missing shots at the basket to score. He also has no ability to support the passing game and has almost no role in the team's offensive system. On the defensive end, he also performed poorly. He could only stay near the penalty area and block shots. He couldn't keep up with the speed when switching defenders, and he easily got into foul trouble.

After the Lakers lost to the Jazz twice in the playoffs, they have already found out their experience. As long as Sloan dared to let the "Big Pyrenees" play, O'Neal would pull out to cover Kobe and play a pick-and-roll. Kobe's breakthrough would kill the opponent. There are ways to stop it.

Sloan started the 36-year-old veteran Polynis today. He moves fast enough, but he is 211cm tall and weighs only 100kg. How can he hold O'Neal when he is about to retire?

Sloan's idea is to attack aggressively and let Polynis use his mobility to remove O'Neal from the basket and create opportunities for his teammates. He screened in the middle, Starks got rid of Kobe, changed direction and passed O'Neal for a layup. 2 to 2.

Kobe caught the ball and singled out Russell for a jump shot, 4-2.

The Jazz attacked, and the two inside players pulled out to cover their teammates. Stockton saw the right time to distribute the ball, and Russell caught the ball in the left corner and hit a jumper for a three-pointer. 4 to 5.

O'Neal is not omnipotent. His dominance in the penalty area in the past two years is unmatched, but his weight is close to 300 pounds. He doesn't move as fast as when he first entered the league. He can only defend near the penalty area. He will feel uncomfortable when he encounters an inside line that can be pulled out to play. attack.

Ginger is still old and hot, and the Lakers cannot easily get a good start at home.