Last season's Nets and the Lakers slapped all basketball media and experts in the world. A year ago, ESPN's first strength list was first in the Nets and third in the Lakers.

Last season's Nets and Lakers hard hit all basketball media and experts in the world.

A year ago, ESPN's first strength list was first, the Nets were first and the Lakers were third.

The Athletic data expert Hollinger gave the season preview, the Nets are second in the East, the Lakers are third in the West, and the

Las Vegas wins the championship handicap. The Nets are the most optimistic, and the Lakers are second.

In this way, no matter how you look at it, they are all real favorites in the championship.

But the final result was that the Nets ranked seventh in the East (44-38) only won one more game than the tenth Hornets . The playoff was defeated by the later Eastern Conference champion Celtics 4-0 in the first round.

The Lakers were even worse, with 33 wins and 49 losses in the West, with 2 wins and 8 losses in the last ten games, including an eight-game losing streak. He completely surrendered and finally didn't even touch the threshold for the playoffs.

For the first time in history, the top two favorites who won the championship before the start of the game went home to fish without winning a playoff game.

Both teams have their own problems.

Nets Samsung didn't think about how to build a championship team. Irving various things, Durant ignores it, Harden feels deeply deceived, and finally ends up being traded to 76 people.

The first round encountered the "Iron Army" Celtics who had been kneaded and collapsed at once.

The Lakers were trying to die on their own. In order to get Westbrook, they sent away the final championship rotation Kuzma , Pope and Caruso , and the "ten-bottom-salary rotation" collected was vulnerable. And the way Westbrook himself plays with Zhan Mei is completely incompatible.

In the end, except for maintaining the open face, the championship two years ago could not be degenerated.

So in this offseason, these two teams are no longer the darlings of the media and experts.

Nets Irving and Durant are still staying, but they have been struggling for a summer, but they still stayed. They waited for Simmons to make a comeback, and also took advantage of Jazz to "sell" and exchanged a first-round pick for 3D Reus O'Neal , which performed well in the past two years.

The Lakers did not send Westbrook away, but except for Zhan Meitu, almost all the teams were cleared last season. Although the salary space is limited, we still operated with younger and more energetic rotations such as Beverly , Schroder , Damian Jones , Tuscano Anderson, Walker, etc.

Last season's Nets and Lakers were indeed not as good as the media's eyes, but after being polished by the preseason (the two teams had only one game left before the start of the game), are they really as bad as the media's eyes?

1. Lakers - the character is still there, but the forward is powerless

The Lakers win one win and four losses in the preseason, and their record looks bleak.

But look deeper, when the Lakers sent their main players in five games,

led four games in the first quarter and tied in one game.

led three games in the first half and fell behind, and one of them was a full substitute to play against Timberwolves .

That is, when all the Lakers' main players play, their combat effectiveness is still guaranteed, at least much stronger than last year.

Compared with last season, the biggest change of the Lakers came from head coach Ham, and the offseason operation was completely led by general manager Pelinka.

So they gave up their signing strategies for fame last season > adaptability, projection > defensiveness. Those old cannons who were used to be called "giants" with James and Mei did not leave any of them, and instead introduced Tuscano Anderson, Damian Jones, Lonnie Walker, who are younger, more able to play, and more willing to give their health on the defensive end.

So, it is also a coach who emphasizes defense. Ham this year is much happier than last year's Vogel .

Take this preseason vs. Warriors as an example. In the second half, Thick-eyed brought Tuscano Anderson (familiar with the Warriors system's forward line), Rivers , Nunn and this year's second round pick Christie (very good defensive habits), and the right one is Curry Poole Wiggins Looney Cumingga.

because of the absence of dreams, it was changed to Curry holding the ball at a high position. After Looney and Poole completed a Warriors signature pick-and-roll counter-run, Thick Brow changed Poole's empty cutting route with his defensive sense. Meanwhile, Anderson contracted to prevent Poole from making a layup, and then blocked Looney who cut the empty cut.

forced Looney to hand the ball back to Curry. Nunn did not lose his position after a pick-and-roll, and Curry could only try the touch of a large three-pointer to end the attack.

This offensive and defensive round is top-notch.

The Warriors' pass is well known throughout the world, but the Lakers resisted the first wave of offensive with Thick Brow's top defensive awareness and exaggerated coverage area. At the same time, Anderson's assisted defense fill-up and Curry's conscious position to block Looney after taking action are equally important.

is already a defensive success.

This is the current Lakers. Their defensive ability in the first and second positions, whether Beverly, Schroder, or Nunn, is at the top of the league and above the average level.

The inside of the Thick Brow and Damian Jones are also online to protect the basket and assist in defense.

Many people think that the Lakers won the championship in 2020 by James and Mei, but they ignore the defensive system that Vogel spent a season building, as well as defensive players such as Howard, Green , Kuzma, Pope, Caruso, etc., which saved the double stars on the defensive end and scored so many simple offensive and defensive conversions.

But even if this Lakers pick up their previous defense, it is far from enough to become a favorite to win the championship or a strong team in the playoff level.

Their biggest shortcomings and lifeline are still not solved - the front line.

Now there are only two strikers who can swing in the third and fourth positions, James and Tuscano Anderson. The reserves are even worse than those of James Davis Ariza last season.

The current NBA, especially the playoffs, is largely a competition of forward strength. Even teams like the Warriors that defend Curry as the core in the future have forwards like Wiggins , who are both strong on both offense and defense, to deal with Doncic and Tatum .

Nowadays, the Lakers' forward line is at a very disadvantage just in terms of height. In yesterday's game against the Timberwolves, due to Anderson's injury, he had to use Westbrook and Walker, who were obviously shorter, to deal with McDaniels, who was fierce. Than Brow had to take into account both defenses on the wings, but was knocked out by the opponent Reed with a three-pointer.

Yesterday's game was the longest game in the preseason of the James and the Mid-Gobert Samsung, and eventually lost to the Timberwolves who were absent from the Twin Towers.

Because Nazel Reed scored 22 points and 13 rebounds, 3 of 6 three-pointers, McDaniels scored 11 points and 8 rebounds, and another big pitcher Garza (2.08 meters) scored 15 points in 3 of 4 three-pointers.

No matter how good the defensive awareness and habits are, it is futile if you do not have enough physical talent to support it.

So Westbrook is still very important to the Lakers today.

Although his role on the court is already optional, it may even be better for both sides if he doesn't play than if he plays.

However, if the Lakers want to strengthen the shortcomings and loopholes in the front line, they still have to rely on his trade.

From his current mental state and action language, it can be seen that he himself understands that this team has no space for him.

Breakup is a better choice for both parties.

But now the league teams still want to use his trade to beat Los Angeles, and the Lakers are not ready to give away their precious first round picks of 2027 and 29.

so now there is only waiting and stalemate.

The existing lineup is well-done, and you have the confidence to play and watch, and even play Westbrook DNP. Wait for a certain team to completely give up reconstruction during the season, and then use Westbrook's expiration contract to make appropriate reinforcements.

So the Lakers are still incomplete semi-finished products now. Only when Westbrook is sent away will the immediate combat power they are able to go in the new season.

If Westbrook does not leave, with the current lineup, it will be at most 4-6th place in the West.

2. Nets - Simmons is the key to this Nets

Compared with the Lakers' "strength-witted" chondropathy, the Nets' trouble lies not in their lineup.

Their player team has never been a problem. Even if Harden leaves, Durant and Irving still have top pitchers such as Mills , Curry, Harris , Clarkston , Thomas, Sharp and other young people who can fight and play, and they are only 26 years old now. In principle, they can really play Ben Simmons in five positions.

The problem with the Nets has never been in hard strength. Whether you can play with peace of mind and play like a team is the key.

Or, is Durant, Irving, and Simmons the top three most capable of playing in the NBA in recent years?

NBA off-site news has a total of one stone. These three big brothers have the same number of eight dou, while the rest have two dou.

can be called a "living high-end threesome".

But from the preseason perspective, this Nets also gave people hope.

Three preseason games, Ducio, the three stars who only played 74 games last season, have all played except Irving, except for one game against Heat .

is completely refreshed at least in terms of work attitude and physical condition.

Although the first two games lost to Philadelphia and Miami, Samsung's combat effectiveness when it was on the court at the same time was still considerable.

, especially Ben Simmons, from 6 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in the first game, 4 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in the second game, to 7 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists in the second game, when defeating Bucks , it can be said that one game is better than the other.

Or, he is becoming more and more aware of what he should do in this team.

In this Nets, which has super scorers such as Durant and Irving, top pitchers such as Harris, Curry, Mills, and young "cake-eating man" like Clarkston, it really doesn't necessarily need him to develop three-pointers or mid-range.

He can do the defensive and tandem work that he is good at, which may make the Nets look brand new.

Because of the troubles over the past two years, many people have forgotten that he is the second best defensive player in the 2020-21 season. He has a height of 2.11 meters and a defender-like passport skills. He debuted as the "Young Magician" and has assisted 7.7 times in his career.

And in yesterday's game against the Bucks, Simmons played his best goal with the Nets.

As the starting striker, he wants to play against the league's mvp Antetokounmpo. Facing this unstoppable Greek monster, which is considered by many people to be the "strongest in the NBA" today, Simmons showed his own talent.

Whether it is height, strength, wingspan or flexibility, Simmons is not at a disadvantage, and he plays very smartly.

With the help of his teammates, Antetokounmpo was defended by him to 6 of 21 shots, plus 4 mistakes.

At the same time, on the offensive end, he can not only be a "poker" and commander, but also play some cooperation and routines with Durant and Irving. These three talented stars can be combined, which is much more powerful than the previous three-star singles of the Nets.

Especially this ball, all three of them were in the high position. Simmons handed the ball to Irving, and Irving passed it to Durant.

Adu and Simmons passed the ball after pick-and-roll. After Simmons cut in, the Bucks had a wide open hole. He easily threw a pass and let Clarkston "eat the cake", and there was no defensive player around the corner of O'Neal .

plays such offensive cooperation and space quality in front of the Bucks, which is the value of talent and star.

So unlike the Lakers, the Nets' lineup team and talent advantages make them always a "X power" that cannot be ignored in the Eastern Conference.

Although Durant and Irving have had poor reputations in recent years, the problem is always off the court. As long as the two of them stand on the court, all problems will be solved.

And Simmons, after wasting a year of valuable career with the 76ers, also urgently needs to regain the recognition of the whole world through a high-quality season.

maintains your current spirit and fighting spirit, hurry up and integrate the lineup, and strengthen defense. By the time Simmons really fits in, the Nets may really fulfill what people expected of them a year ago.