Chapter 484 - NBA Season Begins 8 (1/2)
The third quarter ended with the Los Angeles Lakers team winning with a big advantage and practically guaranteeing victory in the game, Jake played for 12 minutes in that third quarter and had 6 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal.
”The third quarter ends with the Los Angeles Lakers team with the lead, the Utah Jazz team is playing very well in that game with John Stockton being the highlight of the team and Karl Malone playing as well as ever.”
”But they can't defend the attack from the Los Angeles Lakers team that has Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Jake Smith, with Jake on that team the attack from the Los Angeles Lakers team is very difficult to stop, just another team with a strong defense you can manage to win against them.”
”Yes, it seems that the decision of the Los Angeles Lakers team to hire the rookie Jake Smith was correct, with Jake in the team the defense of the team improves a lot he also manages to catch the rebounds and helps in the attack making the defense not focus on O 'Neal and Bryant just like they did in other games.”
In the last quarter of the game, the Los Angeles Lakers team remained strong, but Coach Harris decided to let Bryant and O'Neal rest for the next games that would be difficult and so the Utah Jazz team had to defend only against Jake and that made it difficult for he makes the points.
The attack of the Utah Jazz team, which had not yet given up winning, pushed and the advantage diminished, Coach Harris knew it would happen and put O'Neal and Bryant in the game again, Jake had to try 3 shots from three points in that four-quarter and hit just two by missing his first three-point shot in the NBA.
At the end of the last quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers team won the game with 109 points against 92 points of the Utah Jazz team, Jake played for 12 minutes in that four-quarter and had 8 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal.
Jake managed to make his first triple-double on the Los Angeles Lakers team and in the NBA too, Jake went to celebrate and Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and the other Lakers team hugged him and praised him for the great game.
”The second game of the season ends and the Los Angeles Lakers team won their second game at home, a game in which Jake Smith was certainly the best player on the team achieving his first triple-double in the NBA.”
”Jake Smith had 31 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds as well as making 6 steals, Kobe Bryant also played very well with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Shaquille O'Neal with 39 points and 14 rebounds.”
”O'Neal could be the best player in that game with his second double-double of the season and almost 40 points, but with the triple-double Jake deserves to be the best player in that game.”
”Sure, O'Neal, Stockton, and Malone have a lot of double-doubles in their career, but even for them it's hard to get a lot of triple-doubles and Jake a 20-year-old man did in that game, he could be a big star in the future the NBA as these players are.”
”The Utah Jazz team lost that game, but the players played very well in that game and we will definitely see the Utah Jazz team in the playoffs this season, let's see if the Los Angeles Lakers team continues to play well.”
Jake was happy with the praise from his teammates and the praise from the fans too, it was only his second game in the NBA and even though he performed well he knew that nothing would mean if the team didn't win.
Jake realized in that game that if Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant performed poorly in any game he alone would not have the ability to lead the team to victory, Jake realized better the importance of teamwork and teammates had for the victory.
Of course, Jake already knew this and that is why he did not want to join the starting teams in the NBA draft, he had to have good teammates even if he received a lower salary or even if he was not the main player on his team.
Jake was thinking about going home when he was called by Coach Del Harris to talk, Jake was excited because the last time he spoke to Coach Harris he knew he would play in the starting team in the SF position, so this time it could be that he would play like PG.
”Good job in these last two games, Jake, I could see why the board of directors likes you so much, I know I left you in a difficult situation putting you to play as SF, but I wanted the team to have quality while Rick Fox I still couldn't play.”
”You impressed me in those two games and played better than I thought possible, in the next game against the San Antonio Spurs team you still have to play as SF because Rick Fox is still not in ideal condition after all the first game was just 3 days ago.”
”But in the fourth game of the season against the Denver Nuggets team, Rick Fox will be able to play and you will have your opportunity to play as PG if you play as well in the PG position as you play in the SF position you will have your place on the team.”