Artest: My Job Is Defense!

The first eight minutes of the opening quarter.

The matchup between Curry and Paul as floor generals was one major highlight, while the alley-oop chemistry between Paul and Griffin was another.

The three of them carried the heart of the first quarter.

Neither Su Yan nor Kobe attacked much, but like bosses working behind the scenes, they stepped up whenever the offense stalled.

Each of them would force his way through for a basket or two, keeping his team's momentum alive.

The rest of the players performed their respective duties, handling their own jobs well and keeping the entire team's offense flowing smoothly.

Even if they could not put the opponent away in one burst, they at least had to stabilize the offense and keep the score difference from growing.

When superteams faced off, victory was never going to come easily.

This was destined to be a brutal battle.

"Beep! Beep!"

The Lakers called a timeout.

Both sides had come out swinging viciously, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath and make adjustments.

On the Lakers' bench.

As the players rested, fans behind them began complaining.

"Why are Kobe, Paul, and Griffin the only three attacking? What are Artest and Bynum doing?

Are they even still part of the Lakers' Big Five?

Why does it feel like they have no value at all?"

Artest heard them. He turned toward the crowd and said calmly, "Come on, man. Do you know how powerful this team is?

I have absolutely no need to fight them for offensive touches. I need to fulfill my responsibilities, put pressure on the opponent on the defensive end,

and lower their offensive efficiency as much as possible.

That is my responsibility.

It is not that I cannot attack. It is that there is no need.

Basketball