Chapter 708: Chapter 490: The Dragon King Returns, Everyone Step Aside Chapter 708: Chapter 490: The Dragon King Returns, Everyone Step Aside Last year’s Christmas showdown, the Supersonics were without Chris Bosh; then in the second matchup, they faced Roy’s injury, and now, Roy is still peacefully lying on the injury list.

Jeff Van Gundy said, “The dynasty syndrome is affecting the Supersonics, I doubt they can keep their lineup intact this season.”

“Even so, they’re still ranked second in the League,” Mark Jackson said, “It won’t be easy for the Lakers to win.”

Tonight, as the game kicked off, the Supersonics’ lineup looked strong.

DeAndre Jordan replaced Kwame Brown in the starting lineup, paired with Bosh at the power forward position, and on the outside were Fei, Moro, and Durant.

The shortest player in the Supersonics’ starting lineup was Moro at 198 centimeters, followed by Fei at 206 centimeters, then Durant at 208 centimeters, and finally, the towering interior duo both over 210 centimeters.

Despite their average height, the lineup didn’t seem clumsy. Each person possessed outstanding physical fitness and mobility, making their switch defense extremely quick.

On the other side, the Lakers also showcased an astonishing average height.

As the ten players on the court faced off, a tense game began.

The referee threw the ball up, and the Supersonics won the tip-off.

On the first play, Fei passed the ball inside.

That was the only area where DeAndre Jordan posed an offensive threat.

Pau Gasol underestimated DeAndre Jordan’s explosive power and was faced with a dunk over his head.

ESPN’s Mike Breen said with mischief, “Tonight’s first points, coming from the Frye and Jordan connection!”

The Frye and Jordan connection?

Was that some kind of demonic whisper?

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“Nice pass, Big Fei!”

DeAndre Jordan felt greatly valued by Fei’s assistance.

Ever since Fei had learned how to feed Kwame Brown, there had not been a big man in the world he couldn’t satisfy.

A simple-minded but physically gifted player like Jordan, who could only perform single-threaded tasks on the court, shouldn’t be assigned anything too complex. The simpler the better: he would resolve issues with talent, never with his brain. If he encountered something his talent couldn’t handle, it would kill his competitive spirit; challenging limits and such were not meant for a primitive being driven by pure athletic instinct.

The Supersonics gave DeAndre Jordan a simple task.

On defense, it was about protecting the basket, helping out, positioning, and securing rebounds. Defending pick-and-rolls was a bit complicated for him, so if the Lakers called a 1-4 or 1-5 pick-and-roll, it was Bosh who went out to defend.

And then, Pau Gasol started off tonight with a three-point miss.

That solidified the Supersonics’ resolve to keep DeAndre Jordan anchored in the paint.

Pau Gasol’s missed three led to Fei soaring for the defensive rebound and immediately leading a three-line counterattack.

James and Kobe were fast on the defense.

Indeed, when these two committed fully to defense, they truly evoked the aura of Jordan and Pippen back in the day.

That’s because they were currently the strongest defenders at their respective positions, shooting guard and small forward.

You mean Fei? His position was hard to define. Although he played small forward long term, his height meant he had little recourse against speedier opponents, relying mainly on basketball IQ to set traps and anticipation. His continuous inclusion in defensive teams was primarily due to elite help and recovery defense.

In one-on-one defense, he struggled against those with lightning-fast first steps, a drawback of his height that couldn’t be remedied.

Still, his overall defensive value was enough to earn him a spot on the defensive team.

Now, facing the frontcourt defensive line setup by number 23 and 24, Fei opted to accelerate and drive hard.

This forced James to match up with him, leaving Durant open.

Fei made the pass accordingly.

Durant hit the three-pointer.

“No use, but well-tried,” Fei said mockingly.

Having been humiliated by Fei riding over his head for years, James had long since developed an ironclad facade, unflappable at the moment.

Kobe, on the other hand, was somewhat annoyed.

Afterward, it was Kobe who soloed on the perimeter and scored the Lakers’ first points of the night.

Following that, the Lakers switched to their classic defensive adjustment.

James took on Bosh, Artest guarded Durant, Kobe marked Fei, and Hamilton chased after Moro.

Fei called for a 1-5 pick-and-roll, and DeAndre Jordan moved to his comfort zone. Fei didn’t need him to execute complex tactics–just set a high screen and then sprint toward the basket like he was racing to be reborn.

Knowing that DeAndre Jordan lacked range, Pau Gasol didn’t follow, instead retreating to the paint to prevent Fei’s penetration. But as Fei neared the paint area, Pau Gasol had to step up to help, leaving DeAndre Jordan open again.

It was the simplest offense: Fei just had to throw the ball up, and the rest was showtime.

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DeAndre Jordan showcased the physical qualities of a first overall pick–extremely stretchy and powerful, with each dunk seemingly intended to dismantle the rim.

There was a technical discrimination within the Supersonics against DeAndre Jordan, thinking his exceptional talent lacked the necessary skills to match, and he was destined not to reach greatness.

But once on the court, as DeAndre Jordan executed eating the cake, defending, and grabbing rebounds–things a center should do–with just his talent, the indelible imprint in people’s minds started to loosen.

If DeAndre Jordan outperformed Kwame Brown in these basic roles, what advantages did Brown have left as a starter?

Little O enjoyed the lively scene, noticing the serious expression on Brown’s face, and then asked, “Could the historical number one center be benched by a sophomore?”