797: 268: Los Angeles Lakers Are Making the Game Boring (Request Monthly Votes!) _3 797: 268: Los Angeles Lakers Are Making the Game Boring (Request Monthly Votes!) _3 Moreover, half of Kobe’s points were scored off-ball.
Perhaps Kobe himself hasn’t realized how well-suited he is for off-ball offense.
Previously, he was unwilling to relinquish control because subconsciously he was in competition with Shaq.
Now he is willing to let Grant Hill handle the ball because he never considers Grant Hill a threat.
The impact of Grant Hill exceeded the expectations of Lakers fans.
Not only did he perform exceptionally on the court, but he also became a mediator between Kobe and O’Neal.
When Kobe and Shaq argued over who should get the ball, the Zen Master would give the ball to Grant Hill, and no one objected.
Of course, Grant Hill also benefited, achieving a triple-double with 22 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds tonight.
The Sacramento Kings were destroyed again.
After the game, Shaq in his suit stood up and waved to the Kings players, “Goodbye, Queens!”
Watching the Lakers easily defeat the Kings without Shaq, Magic couldn’t help but sigh, “Now this Lakers team is terrifyingly strong even without Shaq resting, after all, they have two ’42 Club’ members.”
The 42 Club refers to players whose points, rebounds, and assists add up to 42.
Without looking, you know this data metric was created by Bill Simmons, who was once at Yahoo Sports and is now with ESPN.
He loves creating a variety of metrics to quantify a player’s performance.
And Paul Hessemer, an executive in the NBA’s entertainment department, is more than willing to assist in promoting Bill Simmons’ metrics.
He believes that compared to tactics and strategies, fans find quantified data easier to understand, which effectively lowers the NBA discussion barrier.
Bill Simmons believes the algorithm of the 42 Club can highlight a player’s dominance in a season to some extent.
Indeed, if you look closely, players who enter the “42 Club” in the playoffs are incredibly dominant in that season and undoubtedly among the top stars.
The likes of ’91-’93 Jordan, ’94 and ’95 Olajuwon, and ’93 Flying Pig are included, and if we project these metrics into the future?
’03 Duncan, ’04 Garnett, and ’19 Leonard also made it into the 42 Club, which was precisely during the most dominant seasons of their careers.
Of course, this metric hasn’t been mentioned much since the second decade of the 21st century.
This is because Bill Simmons discovered a guy who always enters the 42 Club but doesn’t win championships or show dominance.
Who knows how he manages to be both mediocre and impressive.
But at least for now, the 42 Club still holds some value.
One very exaggerated aspect of this year’s Lakers, as Magic mentioned, is that both Kobe and Shaq have entered the 42 Club!
This means the Lakers have two of the “most dominant players of the season” simultaneously, and even just pairing either one with Grant Hill makes them invincible.
The Lakers’ easy victory over the Kings is proof.
And when the Big 3 is complete, the Lakers remain undefeated.
The Lakers seem to have reached a point where they couldn’t possibly get better—their dominance is unrivaled in NBA history.
Bill Simmons, a fan of Roger, candidly admitted in his column the next day.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are making the games dull.
In the past, there was dignity among the League’s elites.
It’s only right for one strong player to defeat another.
What’s the point if all the best players join one team?
Okay, it’s not unheard of in the past.
Like MJ and Pippen, Roger and Shaq, but they were accidental combinations, or when they teamed up, they weren’t yet the League’s best, only becoming recognized as strong together.
That’s sports, it’s all luck.
But Grant Hill is different.
He willingly became the assistant to Kobe and Shaq, just to make winning easier.
I promise you, no second top star like Grant Hill will emerge in the NBA.
A top star like Grant Hill with this mindset is unprecedented.
If you’re an NBA top star, would you willingly set aside your pride to latch onto another top star?
Grant Hill will never claim greatness again; he’s aware of that truth.
As an adult, I can’t blame Grant.
In Los Angeles, he has better business opportunities and exposure, can win more victories.
Those are the objective facts.
But as someone who loves basketball, I simply can’t forgive him.
His decision made basketball dull.
Will the Christmas game improve?
It’s hard, folks, really hard, but hopefully, Roger can make the game interesting.”
Though the article complains about Grant Hill’s choice, in Los Angeles fans’ eyes, it’s the ultimate praise for the Lakers.
But not everyone is intimidated by the Lakers.
Andrew Sharp from “Sports Illustrated” wrote a completely opposite piece.
“Looking at it from another angle, you’ll find the Lakers have merely transformed from two losers to three losers.
So there’s nothing to fear.
On Christmas Day, prepare your gifts, cook the turkey, buy a bottle of Roger’s wine, and then open the TV with your family to enjoy Roger’s performance.
God bless Atlanta, this city won’t fall on Christmas Eve.”