‘Geumgang Bulgoe (金剛不壞)’, one of the words in martial arts novels, means to have a body that can withstand any attack by training the body to the limit through external qigong. Recently, it is often used as a metaphorical expression in the field of sports. It is mainly referred to a player who has been active for a long time without major injury or has great stamina.
Given that one of the greatest virtues of an athlete is durability, this is one of the highest compliments. It is a completely opposite concept to the so-called glass body. It is also the element that the club most wants for a star player who receives a high salary. In order to be called Geumgang Buddha, innate durability is important, and self-management must be supported.
This is an area that players who are lazy or have a lot of mental problems can never reach. In that respect, it can be a coordinate that proves the player’s sincerity. This is why the nickname “Geumgang Buddha” is one of the best nicknames for a sports star.
The representative player called Geumgangbulgoe on the KBL stage is Lee Jung-hyun (36‧190.3cm). Due to his age-related deterioration, his skills are noticeably deteriorating recently, but he was active as a leading shooting guard representing Korea until recently. As the main character with the record for the most appearances, he has been consistently active as a key player since his rookie days, showing off his steel durability.
If you broaden your gaze to the NBA, the final king in this field is by far the ‘King’ LeBron James (39‧206cm). This season left a bitter regret for Lebron. The beginning was the worst. Amidst his sluggish performance, defeats piled up over and over again, and he fell into the bottom ranks early on. His team, the LA Lakers, seemed to be on the verge of the playoffs.
Then, just before the trade deadline, a reversal occurred. The signing of Rui Hachimura from Washington at the end of January signaled the acquisition of D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jared Vanderbilt through a triangle trade with Minnesota and Utah. The Lakers are starting to rebound. The problem with the Lakers has been that they are too dependent on LeBron and Anthony Davis (30‧208cm).
The new players were clear about their territory rather than trying to do this and that. He was not greedy for the time he spent on business trips and faithfully followed the team play. As the Lakers’ lack of basketball together revived, they started to play from the second half. Various style options have been added to the team, and the energy level has also increased.
After the trade, the Lakers changed dramatically with a good record of 18-9. Even though there were many wins that were forgotten before, it was not possible to rise to the desired rank, but everyone acknowledged that the Lakers were one of the teams that made a splash in the second half. That upward trend continued in the playoffs as well.
As if it was overshadowed by the fact that they struggled through the play-in tournament and earned a playoff ticket, they made a series of upsets against the Memphis Grizzlies, the 2nd seed in the West, and the Golden State Warriors, the 6th seed, and advanced to the conference finals. It was the part where Lebron’s potential and the Lakers’ team color that had changed were felt. Unfortunately, they met with strong championship candidate Denver and dropped their heads with 4 consecutive losses, but the potential that the Lakers showed was enough to receive applause.
Golden State, who met in the second round, and Denver, who clashed in the conference final, were similar but different. Both teams had one thing in common: the combination of a dual guard with league-class offensive power and a big man with excellent reading and passing abilities was the main offensive option. Golden State’s pattern didn’t work for the Lakers. This is because Golden State’s leading big man, Draymond Green, was pushed back in the air and defense by Davis and could not exert himself properly.
Denver was different. In the case of Golden State, the nucleus of strategy is ahead, while Denver is centered on Nicola Jokic (28‧211cm), the best big man in the league. In the match against Golden State, he had a generous advantage in the big man match, but the whole team was dried up by Yokichi. Denver had a strong power, but it was a team that could pressure the Lakers in a good match.
In the end, despite Lebron’s hard work, he was pushed back in a power showdown. As can be seen from the great chase in the second half of the first game, the Lakers found a gap in Denver and attacked it, but it was not enough. Although he failed to advance to the finals, Lebron did well enough within his power. But there was a deep regret on his face.
A decent player might be satisfied with that much, but for Lebron, who is aiming for the best of all time, it was not enough to finish in the semifinals. LeBron, who played his 20th season in his personal career, showed the power of Junchi even in this playoff stage, averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists over 16 games.
Lee Jung-hyun, the KBL version of Geumgang Buddha mentioned earlier, was born in 1987 and has already shown a clear decline in his physical abilities since 2-3 years ago. On the other hand, Lebron was born in 1984 and is on the brink of extinction. Although he is not competing for 1st or 2nd place in the league as much as he was in his heyday, he still shows the same class and plays the role of an ace of quite a few teams.
A more surprising fact was revealed after the failure to advance to the finals. LeBron reportedly played during the playoffs with a torn tendon in his foot. Depending on the circumstances, surgery may be required. In a way, it makes no sense This is unbelievable information in that he played the playoffs where he had to compete with full power with a body that would not be easy even in everyday life.
At least like any other player, his credibility could be questioned. However, the fans believe it because it is Lebron. It’s because I’ve seen the ridiculous durability and resilience that LeBron has shown over the years. That’s why Lebron’s physical ability is so incomprehensible. It is amazing that he has such a body even at the age when he is about to fail.토토사이트
Currently, Lebron is known to be contemplating his retirement, but given his greed for basketball, it is likely that he is for the purpose of reinforcing the power of the club. No big star made LeBron his age to look forward to next season. However, Lebron has shown a monstrous move that transcends common sense. Lebron might be different. This is why I am curious about the Lakers’ counterattack next season.